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Foraging ecology of large benthic mesopredators: Effects of myliobatid rays on marine benthic communities (2007-2009)

Dataset extent

The impacts of schooling mesopredators (smaller sharks and rays that are prey to large sharks) on benthic shellfish communities has become a strong concern for natural resource managers with the loss of top-down pressure from great sharks. Mesopredators, which occupy intermediate trophic levels, are being found as increasingly abundant in various parts of the globe as their predators are vanishing, and are often represented by the Myliobatidae (eagle rays). One such myliobatid species, the cownose ray (Rhinoptera bonasus), has already been demonstrated as integral to the destruction of some temperate shellfisheries on the east coast of the United States. However, the impacts of the schooling cownose ray have not been quantified in the northern Gulf of Mexico. This study examines the foraging ecology of two myliobatid species (cownose ray and spotted eagle ray - Aetobatus narinari) through gut content analyses, acoustic telemetry and field manipulation experiments where rays are excluded from natural foraging areas.

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Additional Info

Field	Value
Author	Dr. Sean Powers or Matt Ajemian
Maintainer	data@disl.org
Last Updated	July 23, 2022, 03:04 (UTC)
Created	July 23, 2022, 03:04 (UTC)
Access_Constraints	Permission to access these data must be given by Dr. Sean Powers or Matt Ajemian of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab's Fisheries Ecology Lab.
ISO 19115 Topic Categories	biota, 002, environment, 007, oceans, 014
Place Keywords	Northern Gulf of Mexico, NGOM, Alabama, Pelican Island, Dauphin Island, Western Atlantic Ocean, Bermuda, Harrington Sound, Tucker's Bay, Major's Bay, Trunk Island
Theme Keywords	foodwebs, predation, mesopredator, trophic cascade, prey, foraging ecology, myliobatid rays, cownose rays, Rhinoptera bonasus, spotted eagle rays, Aetobatus narinari, sharks, mesocosm experiments, satellite biotelemetry, bivalves, migration, schooling effect, aerial survey, gillnet sampling, gut content, acoustic monitoring, gastric lavage, habitat use, foraging behavior
Use_Constraints	Acknowledgment of the DISL: Fisheries Lab, the University of South Alabama, Northern Gulf Institute, the Shelby Center for Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management would be appreciated in products developed from these data, and such acknowledgment as is standard for citation and legal practices for data source is expected by users of these data. Users should be aware that comparison with other data sets for the same area from other time periods may be inaccurate due to inconsistencies resulting from changes in mapping conventions, data collection, and computer processes over time. The distributor shall not be liable for improper or incorrect use of these data, based on the description of appropriate/inappropriate uses described in the metadata document. These data are not legal documents and are not to be used as such.
dc.coverage.placeName	Northern Gulf of Mexico NGOM Alabama Pelican Island Dauphin Island Western Atlantic Ocean Bermuda Harrington Sound Tucker's Bay Major's Bay Trunk Island
dc.coverage.t.max	20091114T
dc.coverage.t.min	20070706T
dc.coverage.x.max	-87.04293
dc.coverage.x.min	-88.3173
dc.coverage.y.max	30.58955
dc.coverage.y.min	20.239346
dc.creator	DISL: Fisheries Ecology Lab
dc.date	Unpublished material
dc.description	The impacts of schooling mesopredators (smaller sharks and rays that are prey to large sharks) on benthic shellfish communities has become a strong concern for natural resource managers with the loss of top-down pressure from great sharks. Mesopredators, which occupy intermediate trophic levels, are being found as increasingly abundant in various parts of the globe as their predators are vanishing, and are often represented by the Myliobatidae (eagle rays). One such myliobatid species, the cownose ray (Rhinoptera bonasus), has already been demonstrated as integral to the destruction of some temperate shellfisheries on the east coast of the United States. However, the impacts of the schooling cownose ray have not been quantified in the northern Gulf of Mexico. This study examines the foraging ecology of two myliobatid species (cownose ray and spotted eagle ray - Aetobatus narinari) through gut content analyses, acoustic telemetry and field manipulation experiments where rays are excluded from natural foraging areas.
dc.language	en
dc.subject	foodwebs predation mesopredator trophic cascade prey foraging ecology myliobatid rays cownose rays Rhinoptera bonasus spotted eagle rays Aetobatus narinari sharks mesocosm experiments satellite biotelemetry bivalves migration schooling effect aerial survey gillnet sampling gut content acoustic monitoring gastric lavage habitat use foraging behavior
dc.title	Foraging ecology of large benthic mesopredators: Effects of myliobatid rays on marine benthic communities (2007-2009)
dc.type	spreadsheet
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