Characterizing seasonal whale shark habitat in the western North Atlantic

Le résumé fourni par la source

There are significant knowledge gaps in the ecology of whale sharks Rhincodon typus beyond well-studied coastal aggregation sites. We synthesize several disparate data types, including scientific aerial and shipboard surveys, environmental impact assessments, and opportunistic citizen science records, in a species distribution model framework to characterize whale shark distribution across the northwest Atlantic Ocean (NWA), Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea. Based on 2010 occurrence records spanning 1993-2023 from the Bay of Fundy to the North Brazil Current off the northern coast of South America, we developed a species distribution model to characterize seasonal habitat suitability for whale sharks. The model indicated that bathymetry (46.2%), sea surface temperature (21.0%), and sea surface height (16.1%) explained the most variability in habitat suitability. The model predicted high suitability in known coastal aggregation areas and continental shelf edges along the US east coast from southern Florida to Cape Hatteras year-round, expanding north to the USA-Canada border in summer and autumn. Suitability was also high in the north-central Gulf of Mexico during summer and autumn and in the Yucatan and Caribbean region throughout the year. These findings underscore a broad whale shark distribution across the NWA beyond known aggregation sites, emphasizing seasonal suitability along the US east coast and in the Gulf of Mexico. Given rapid climate-induced changes in the NWA, our findings are a critical step toward understanding climatic impacts on this charismatic species and can support marine spatial planning and conservation efforts.

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