The potential of marginal coastal nursery habitats for the conservation of a culturally important Caribbean marine species

Thomas C Stieglitz,Joanne R Peel,Erwan Amice,Antoine M Dujon

doi:10.1111/ddi.13044

Abstract

AbstractAimIdentifying the potential of marginal habitats for species conservation is of key importance when their core high‐quality habitats are under substantial disturbances and threats. However, there is currently a knowledge gap on how useful marine marginal habitats may be for conserving endangered marine species. Here, we investigate the potential of groundwater‐fed coastal areas for the conservation of the queen conch, an economically and culturally important marine gastropod.LocationThe inlet of Xel‐Há, typical of groundwater‐fed coastal areas widely distributed along the Yucatan Peninsula coast in Mexico and partially protected by a network of marine protected areas.MethodsWe tracked 66 queen conchs (Lobatus gigas) using acoustic telemetry over a period of 3.5 years. We investigated for ontogenetic niche shift using a network analysis and by modelling their growth.ResultsThe queen conchs exhibited the same ontogenetic niche shift required to complete their life cycle in this marginal habitat as they do in offshore core habitats. A total of 33 individuals departed the inlet and migrated from shallow groundwater‐affected nursery grounds to deeper marine habitats more suitable for breeding aggregation.Main conclusionsAs the broad‐scale movement behaviour of queen conch in this inlet is similar to that observed on the overfished core habitats, our findings suggest that groundwater‐fed coastal areas should be included in conservation planning for an effective management of this species within a network of marine protected areas.

Highlights

Identifying key habitats for commercially exploited species is highly important for their conservation as large populations usually thrive in high-quality habitats (Kawecki, 2008; Pulliam, 2000)
Despite being of lower quality, marginal habitats can play a role in the persistence of species in situations where the core habitat is under substantial disturbance and where most of the individuals inhabiting this key area are under threat of disappearing (Wintle et al, 2019)
While groundwater-affected areas can be suitable for the growth of juveniles, with a foraging behaviour adapted to the marginal conditions (Dujon et al, 2019; Stieglitz & Dujon, 2017), it is to date not documented if adult individuals emigrate from those marginal habitat to marine areas more suitable for breeding aggregations a prerequisite to adult and larval spillover in the core habitats (Kough et al, 2019; Stoner & Ray-Culp, 2000)

Summary

| INTRODUCTION

Identifying key habitats for commercially exploited species is highly important for their conservation as large populations usually thrive in high-quality habitats (Kawecki, 2008; Pulliam, 2000). While groundwater-affected areas can be suitable for the growth of juveniles, with a foraging behaviour adapted to the marginal conditions (Dujon et al, 2019; Stieglitz & Dujon, 2017), it is to date not documented if adult individuals emigrate from those marginal habitat to marine areas more suitable for breeding aggregations a prerequisite to adult and larval spillover in the core habitats (Kough et al, 2019; Stoner & Ray-Culp, 2000) This information is of key importance as ecological spillover from strongly enforced marine protected areas has been shown, in certain cases, to be efficient in repopulating habitat depleted by fisheries (Grüss, Kaplan, Guénette, Roberts, & Botsford, 2011; Kough et al, 2019). Our results have large-scale implications for its conservation, considering that groundwater-fed coastal habitats and associated queen conch nursery grounds are widely distributed along the north-eastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, some of which are currently included in a network of marine protected areas

| METHODS

Findings

| DISCUSSION