{"id":426,"date":"2012-10-26T13:28:34","date_gmt":"2012-10-26T17:28:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/worthy.cos.ucf.edu\/wordpress\/?page_id=426"},"modified":"2012-10-26T13:28:34","modified_gmt":"2012-10-26T17:28:34","slug":"bottlenose-dolphin-distribution-patterns-and-habitat-utilization","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/current-research\/marine-vertebrate-feeding-ecology-and-habitat-utilization\/bottlenose-dolphin-distribution-patterns-and-habitat-utilization\/","title":{"rendered":"Bottlenose Dolphin Distribution Patterns and Habitat Utilization"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dolphins are long-lived, maintain complex social relationships, and occur in a variety of habitats ranging from off-shore to estuaries.\u00a0 Many \"\"<\/span><\/a>estuarine communities of bottlenose dolphins in Florida are well studied and known to consist of multi-generational residents. Mothers pass along skills and behaviors to offspring, including foraging traits and home ranges.\u00a0 As an apex predator in the marine ecosystem, the bottlenose dolphin is a sentinel species for a broad measure of ecosystem integrity and viability.\u00a0 They are entirely marine animals and bio-accumulate nutrients, trace minerals, and pollutants from their prey that appear in their tissues and are linked to health status. Climate and weather patterns may influence dolphin distribution patterns and movements. In addition, human activities such as boating, shoreline development, ecotourism, and sport fishing play a role in modifying dolphin foraging ecology and habitat use in coastal areas.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Our understanding of how dolphins use estuarine habitats has typically been via coarse scale studies.\u00a0 Monitoring individuals on a finer scale allows a better view of movement patterns through the habitat, and of activities that occur during night time. By using instrumented dorsal tags, we are able to follow and record the fine-scale activity of bottlenose dolphins in several locations, including Sarasota Bay and the \"\"<\/span><\/a>Indian River Lagoon.\u00a0 During ongoing health assessment studies in these areas, animals are caught and briefly restrained for examinations.\u00a0 Prior to release, we attach a non-invasive instrumented tag on the dolphin\u2019s dorsal fin, allowing us to collect fine-scale data for periods of up to 2 days.\u00a0 Continuous radio tracking from a boat gives locations and allows visual observations, while archival data loggers on the tag record activities, including feeding. This yields a detailed activity budget for the animal. To date, we have learned that dolphin movements appear to be strongly linked to tide changes and prey presence.\u00a0 We have seen dolphins make long transits between patches of habitat during the tracks, which shows that they make extensive use of the available area.\u00a0 Some animals spent considerable time in ocean inlets and the intracoastal channels, while others made long swims up rivers into lower salinity waters.\u00a0 Continuous recording of the animal\u2019s swimming speed allows us to address bioenergetics questions.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Dolphins\u2019 prey often becomes more active after sunset, which might be an especially important feeding time.\u00a0 Visual and auditory observations, along with stomach temperature measurements, revealed that dolphins spent a considerable amount of time foraging at night.\u00a0\"\"<\/span><\/a> Underwater acoustic recordings indicated soniferous fish presence.\u00a0 Dolphins travel between habitats by steady transit swimming and will occasionally engage in slow rhythmic swimming with relaxed respirations suggestive of sleep, usually during tranquil conditions when few boats are around.\u00a0 By understanding their use of the habitat and the relationship between foraging and physical parameters that influence their movements, it will be possible to predict prime habitat locations worth protecting.\u00a0 We will expand this study to investigate the effects of disturbance on habitat use, and look closely at interactions with sport fishing in Northwest Florida.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dolphins are long-lived, maintain complex social relationships, and occur in a variety of habitats ranging from off-shore to estuaries.\u00a0 Many estuarine communities of bottlenose dolphins in Florida are well studied and known to consist of multi-generational residents. Mothers pass along … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":0,"parent":383,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-426","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nBottlenose Dolphin Distribution Patterns and Habitat Utilization - Physiological Ecology and Bioenergetics Lab<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/current-research\/marine-vertebrate-feeding-ecology-and-habitat-utilization\/bottlenose-dolphin-distribution-patterns-and-habitat-utilization\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Bottlenose Dolphin Distribution Patterns and Habitat Utilization - Physiological Ecology and Bioenergetics Lab\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Dolphins are long-lived, maintain complex social relationships, and occur in a variety of habitats ranging from off-shore to estuaries.\u00a0 Many estuarine communities of bottlenose dolphins in Florida are well studied and known to consist of multi-generational residents. Mothers pass along … Continue reading →\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/current-research\/marine-vertebrate-feeding-ecology-and-habitat-utilization\/bottlenose-dolphin-distribution-patterns-and-habitat-utilization\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Physiological Ecology and Bioenergetics Lab\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2012\/10\/Steve-Pack-recovery-150x150.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/biology\\\/PEBL\\\/current-research\\\/marine-vertebrate-feeding-ecology-and-habitat-utilization\\\/bottlenose-dolphin-distribution-patterns-and-habitat-utilization\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/biology\\\/PEBL\\\/current-research\\\/marine-vertebrate-feeding-ecology-and-habitat-utilization\\\/bottlenose-dolphin-distribution-patterns-and-habitat-utilization\\\/\",\"name\":\"Bottlenose Dolphin Distribution Patterns and Habitat Utilization - Physiological Ecology and Bioenergetics Lab\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/biology\\\/PEBL\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/biology\\\/PEBL\\\/current-research\\\/marine-vertebrate-feeding-ecology-and-habitat-utilization\\\/bottlenose-dolphin-distribution-patterns-and-habitat-utilization\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/biology\\\/PEBL\\\/current-research\\\/marine-vertebrate-feeding-ecology-and-habitat-utilization\\\/bottlenose-dolphin-distribution-patterns-and-habitat-utilization\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/biology\\\/PEBL\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/18\\\/2012\\\/10\\\/Steve-Pack-recovery-150x150.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2012-10-26T17:28:34+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/biology\\\/PEBL\\\/current-research\\\/marine-vertebrate-feeding-ecology-and-habitat-utilization\\\/bottlenose-dolphin-distribution-patterns-and-habitat-utilization\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/biology\\\/PEBL\\\/current-research\\\/marine-vertebrate-feeding-ecology-and-habitat-utilization\\\/bottlenose-dolphin-distribution-patterns-and-habitat-utilization\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/biology\\\/PEBL\\\/current-research\\\/marine-vertebrate-feeding-ecology-and-habitat-utilization\\\/bottlenose-dolphin-distribution-patterns-and-habitat-utilization\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/biology\\\/PEBL\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/18\\\/2012\\\/10\\\/Steve-Pack-recovery.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/biology\\\/PEBL\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/18\\\/2012\\\/10\\\/Steve-Pack-recovery.jpg\",\"width\":342,\"height\":391,\"caption\":\"Man smiling on a boat, holding two fish finders.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/biology\\\/PEBL\\\/current-research\\\/marine-vertebrate-feeding-ecology-and-habitat-utilization\\\/bottlenose-dolphin-distribution-patterns-and-habitat-utilization\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Current and Recent Research\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/biology\\\/PEBL\\\/current-research\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Marine Vertebrate Feeding Ecology\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/biology\\\/PEBL\\\/current-research\\\/marine-vertebrate-feeding-ecology-and-habitat-utilization\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Bottlenose Dolphin Distribution Patterns and Habitat Utilization\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/biology\\\/PEBL\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/biology\\\/PEBL\\\/\",\"name\":\"Physiological Ecology and Bioenergetics Lab\",\"description\":\"The Physiological Ecology and Bioenergetics Lab (PEBL) is part of the Conservation Biology Program of the Department of Biology at the University of Central Florida.\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/biology\\\/PEBL\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Bottlenose Dolphin Distribution Patterns and Habitat Utilization - Physiological Ecology and Bioenergetics Lab","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/current-research\/marine-vertebrate-feeding-ecology-and-habitat-utilization\/bottlenose-dolphin-distribution-patterns-and-habitat-utilization\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Bottlenose Dolphin Distribution Patterns and Habitat Utilization - Physiological Ecology and Bioenergetics Lab","og_description":"Dolphins are long-lived, maintain complex social relationships, and occur in a variety of habitats ranging from off-shore to estuaries.\u00a0 Many estuarine communities of bottlenose dolphins in Florida are well studied and known to consist of multi-generational residents. Mothers pass along … Continue reading →","og_url":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/current-research\/marine-vertebrate-feeding-ecology-and-habitat-utilization\/bottlenose-dolphin-distribution-patterns-and-habitat-utilization\/","og_site_name":"Physiological Ecology and Bioenergetics Lab","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2012\/10\/Steve-Pack-recovery-150x150.jpg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"2 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/current-research\/marine-vertebrate-feeding-ecology-and-habitat-utilization\/bottlenose-dolphin-distribution-patterns-and-habitat-utilization\/","url":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/current-research\/marine-vertebrate-feeding-ecology-and-habitat-utilization\/bottlenose-dolphin-distribution-patterns-and-habitat-utilization\/","name":"Bottlenose Dolphin Distribution Patterns and Habitat Utilization - Physiological Ecology and Bioenergetics Lab","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/current-research\/marine-vertebrate-feeding-ecology-and-habitat-utilization\/bottlenose-dolphin-distribution-patterns-and-habitat-utilization\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/current-research\/marine-vertebrate-feeding-ecology-and-habitat-utilization\/bottlenose-dolphin-distribution-patterns-and-habitat-utilization\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2012\/10\/Steve-Pack-recovery-150x150.jpg","datePublished":"2012-10-26T17:28:34+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/current-research\/marine-vertebrate-feeding-ecology-and-habitat-utilization\/bottlenose-dolphin-distribution-patterns-and-habitat-utilization\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/current-research\/marine-vertebrate-feeding-ecology-and-habitat-utilization\/bottlenose-dolphin-distribution-patterns-and-habitat-utilization\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/current-research\/marine-vertebrate-feeding-ecology-and-habitat-utilization\/bottlenose-dolphin-distribution-patterns-and-habitat-utilization\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2012\/10\/Steve-Pack-recovery.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2012\/10\/Steve-Pack-recovery.jpg","width":342,"height":391,"caption":"Man smiling on a boat, holding two fish finders."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/current-research\/marine-vertebrate-feeding-ecology-and-habitat-utilization\/bottlenose-dolphin-distribution-patterns-and-habitat-utilization\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Current and Recent Research","item":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/current-research\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Marine Vertebrate Feeding Ecology","item":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/current-research\/marine-vertebrate-feeding-ecology-and-habitat-utilization\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Bottlenose Dolphin Distribution Patterns and Habitat Utilization"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/#website","url":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/","name":"Physiological Ecology and Bioenergetics Lab","description":"The Physiological Ecology and Bioenergetics Lab (PEBL) is part of the Conservation Biology Program of the Department of Biology at the University of Central Florida.","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/426","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=426"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/426\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/383"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/biology\/PEBL\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=426"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}