Effect of touristic activities on seabirds’ habitat selection on sandy beaches
Seabirds are biological models for habitat selection studies at different spatial scales. In general, seabirds select areas with a higher availability of prey, but human disturbances can modify their spatial and temporal foraging patterns in urban coastal ecosystems. Here we tested the hypothesis th...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Sciendo
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.26881/oahs-2023.3.03 |
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| author | Costa Leonardo Rangel Danilo Freitas Zalmon Ilana |
| author_facet | Costa Leonardo Rangel Danilo Freitas Zalmon Ilana |
| author_sort | Costa Leonardo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Seabirds are biological models for habitat selection studies at different spatial scales. In general, seabirds select areas with a higher availability of prey, but human disturbances can modify their spatial and temporal foraging patterns in urban coastal ecosystems. Here we tested the hypothesis that human activities prevent seabirds foraging on beach sectors that are impacted by urbanization and recreational activities. Seabirds were counted while foraging at the interface between the surf zone and foreshore in three sectors with different levels of urbanization in southeastern Brazil. Physical variables, prey abundance, and human stressors, such as the number of people and dogs, were also measured. The brown booby Sula leucogaster foraged mainly in the least impacted sector, despite the lower abundance of prey and harsher physical conditions. The number of individuals of this species was negatively related to the number of people, indicating a human-induced avoidance behaviour. In turn, the kelp gull Larus dominicanus, a synatropic species, was more abundant in the high impact sector. Our results have implications for the management and conservation of sandy beaches, especially regarding the zoning and selection of priority areas for environmental protection and nature-based ecotourism activities. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cd76f863e872497b8d75841a8a887395 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1897-3191 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | Sciendo |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies |
| spelling | doaj-art-cd76f863e872497b8d75841a8a8873952025-01-20T11:10:23ZengSciendoOceanological and Hydrobiological Studies1897-31912023-10-0152328729810.26881/oahs-2023.3.03Effect of touristic activities on seabirds’ habitat selection on sandy beachesCosta Leonardo0Rangel Danilo Freitas1Zalmon Ilana2Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro (UENF), Campos dos Goytacazes, Avenida Alberto Lamego, 2000Rio de Janeiro, BrazilInstituto do Mar, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Santos, BrazilLaboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro (UENF), Campos dos Goytacazes, Avenida Alberto Lamego, 2000Rio de Janeiro, BrazilSeabirds are biological models for habitat selection studies at different spatial scales. In general, seabirds select areas with a higher availability of prey, but human disturbances can modify their spatial and temporal foraging patterns in urban coastal ecosystems. Here we tested the hypothesis that human activities prevent seabirds foraging on beach sectors that are impacted by urbanization and recreational activities. Seabirds were counted while foraging at the interface between the surf zone and foreshore in three sectors with different levels of urbanization in southeastern Brazil. Physical variables, prey abundance, and human stressors, such as the number of people and dogs, were also measured. The brown booby Sula leucogaster foraged mainly in the least impacted sector, despite the lower abundance of prey and harsher physical conditions. The number of individuals of this species was negatively related to the number of people, indicating a human-induced avoidance behaviour. In turn, the kelp gull Larus dominicanus, a synatropic species, was more abundant in the high impact sector. Our results have implications for the management and conservation of sandy beaches, especially regarding the zoning and selection of priority areas for environmental protection and nature-based ecotourism activities.https://doi.org/10.26881/oahs-2023.3.03coastal birdsecotourismspatial distributionanthropogenic impact |
| spellingShingle | Costa Leonardo Rangel Danilo Freitas Zalmon Ilana Effect of touristic activities on seabirds’ habitat selection on sandy beaches Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies coastal birds ecotourism spatial distribution anthropogenic impact |
| title | Effect of touristic activities on seabirds’ habitat selection on sandy beaches |
| title_full | Effect of touristic activities on seabirds’ habitat selection on sandy beaches |
| title_fullStr | Effect of touristic activities on seabirds’ habitat selection on sandy beaches |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of touristic activities on seabirds’ habitat selection on sandy beaches |
| title_short | Effect of touristic activities on seabirds’ habitat selection on sandy beaches |
| title_sort | effect of touristic activities on seabirds habitat selection on sandy beaches |
| topic | coastal birds ecotourism spatial distribution anthropogenic impact |
| url | https://doi.org/10.26881/oahs-2023.3.03 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT costaleonardo effectoftouristicactivitiesonseabirdshabitatselectiononsandybeaches AT rangeldanilofreitas effectoftouristicactivitiesonseabirdshabitatselectiononsandybeaches AT zalmonilana effectoftouristicactivitiesonseabirdshabitatselectiononsandybeaches |