February 14, 2012
Lisa Krigsman, Mary Yoklavich, E.J. Dick, and Guy Cochrane recently have published a paper on predictive models based on presence-absence data of benthic macro-invertebrates within the Santa Barbara Channel off southern California.
Generalized linear models were developed to predict the probability of occurrence of five commonly observed taxa (cup corals, hydroids, short and tall sea pens, and brittle stars in the sediment). Predictive maps of probability of occurrence were produced using our validated models and a seafloor character map based on fine-scale (2-5 m) data. The combination of high-resolution seafloor character maps and predictive models of invertebrate distributions will aid managers in identifying habitats of particular concern and areas with vulnerable, deep-sea corals.
Models and maps: predicting the distribution of corals and other benthic macro-invertebrates in shelf habitats
(View document on publisher's site
-- open access.)
Krigsman, Lisa M., Mary M. Yoklavich, E.J. Dick, and Guy R. Cochrane. 2012. Models and maps: predicting the distribution of corals and other benthic macro-invertebrates in shelf habitats. Ecosphere 3(1):art3 (16 p.).
Contact: SWFSC Fisheries Ecology Division, Habitat Ecology Team