83
© The Author(s) 2018
S. Jungblut et al. (eds.), YOUMARES 8 – Oceans Across Boundaries: Learning from each other,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93284-2_7
Bio-telemetry as an Essential Tool
in Movement Ecology and Marine
Conservation
Brigitte C. Heylen and Dominik A. Nachtsheim
Abstract
Marine top predators represent an essential part of marine
ecosystems. They are generally regarded as “sentinels of
the sea” since their presence reflects high biological productivity. However, many populations are experiencing
dramatic declines attributed to various human-induced
threats (e.g., pollution, climate change, overfishing),
highlighting the need for effective conservation. In this
review, we show that bio-telemetry can be an essential
tool, not only to improve knowledge about the animals’
ecology, but also for conservation purposes. As such, we
will first discuss the most important state-of-the-art
devices (e.g., time-depth recorders, accelerometers, satellite tags) and illustrate how they can improve our understanding of movement ecology. We will then examine the
challenges and ethical issues related to bio-telemetry, and
lastly, demonstrate its enormous value in resolving present and future conservation issues.
Introduction
Marine top predators are widely regarded as potential qualitative indicators of the health and status of marine ecosystems (Burger et al. 2004; Piatt et al. 2007; Boersma 2008;
Campbell et al. 2012; Wikelski and Tertitski 2016). Their
responses to changes in the environment can be measured by
examining different aspects of their ecology using corresponding methods, for example, foraging behavior (e.g.,
satellite-linked logging devices and time-depth recorders),
energy expenditure (e.g., double-labelled water), stress levels (e.g., corticosteroid hormone concentrations), and diet
trends (e.g., stable isotopes and fatty acid analyses) (Votier
et al. 2010). The decline of top predators can result in trophic
downgrading, which has far reaching consequences on the
structure and dynamics of marine ecosystems (Heithaus
et al. 2008; Estes et al. 2011; Boaden and Kingsford 2015).
At the moment, marine top predators face unprecedented
challenges and their future existence is threatened, due to the
effects of rapid environmental changes, overfishing, pollution, and many other anthropogenic disturbances (Robinson
et al. 2005). If we consider seabirds, for instance, their conservation status has deteriorated faster than any other bird
group over recent decades (Croxall et al. 2012; Paleczny
et al. 2015). There are also countless examples available for
other marine top predators, such as cetaceans (Rosenbaum
et al. 2014; McKenna et al. 2015), pinnipeds (Antonelis et al.
2006; Costa et al. 2010a), elasmobranchs (Baum et al. 2003;
Graham et al. 2012), and large teleosts (Block et al. 2001;
Boyce et al. 2008).
In this review, we focus on the knowledge that can be
derived from bio-telemetry and its efficacy in movement ecology and conservation studies. Bio-telemetry can be
defined as the remote recording of behavioral, physiological,
and environmental data by means of electronic tags, attached
to animals (Hays et al. 2016). Here, we use the term biotelemetry synonymously with bio-logging; the latter includes
loggers that must be recovered to download the data, which
were stored on the device. We aim to give a general overview
of existing devices, assess specifically how bio-telemetry can
improve our understanding of movement ecology, while taking the negative impacts on the animals into account, and
discuss how bio-telemetry can help in recommending conservation measures.
B. C. Heylen (*)
Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology, University of Antwerp,
Antwerp, Belgium
Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
e-mail: brigitte.heylen@UGent.be
D. A. Nachtsheim
Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University
of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Büsum, Germany
BreMarE – Bremen Marine Ecology, Marine Zoology, University
of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
e-mail: Dominik.Nachtsheim@tiho-hannover.de
© The Author(s) 2018
S. Jungblut et al. (eds.), YOUMARES 8 – Oceans Across Boundaries: Learning from each other,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93284-2_7
Bio-telemetry as an Essential Tool
in Movement Ecology and Marine
Conservation
Brigitte C. Heylen and Dominik A. Nachtsheim
Abstract
Marine top predators represent an essential part of marine
ecosystems. They are generally regarded as “sentinels of
the sea” since their presence reflects high biological productivity. However, many populations are experiencing
dramatic declines attributed to various human-induced
threats (e.g., pollution, climate change, overfishing),
highlighting the need for effective conservation. In this
review, we show that bio-telemetry can be an essential
tool, not only to improve knowledge about the animals’
ecology, but also for conservation purposes. As such, we
will first discuss the most important state-of-the-art
devices (e.g., time-depth recorders, accelerometers, satellite tags) and illustrate how they can improve our understanding of movement ecology. We will then examine the
challenges and ethical issues related to bio-telemetry, and
lastly, demonstrate its enormous value in resolving present and future conservation issues.
Introduction
Marine top predators are widely regarded as potential qualitative indicators of the health and status of marine ecosystems (Burger et al. 2004; Piatt et al. 2007; Boersma 2008;
Campbell et al. 2012; Wikelski and Tertitski 2016). Their
responses to changes in the environment can be measured by
examining different aspects of their ecology using corresponding methods, for example, foraging behavior (e.g.,
satellite-linked logging devices and time-depth recorders),
energy expenditure (e.g., double-labelled water), stress levels (e.g., corticosteroid hormone concentrations), and diet
trends (e.g., stable isotopes and fatty acid analyses) (Votier
et al. 2010). The decline of top predators can result in trophic
downgrading, which has far reaching consequences on the
structure and dynamics of marine ecosystems (Heithaus
et al. 2008; Estes et al. 2011; Boaden and Kingsford 2015).
At the moment, marine top predators face unprecedented
challenges and their future existence is threatened, due to the
effects of rapid environmental changes, overfishing, pollution, and many other anthropogenic disturbances (Robinson
et al. 2005). If we consider seabirds, for instance, their conservation status has deteriorated faster than any other bird
group over recent decades (Croxall et al. 2012; Paleczny
et al. 2015). There are also countless examples available for
other marine top predators, such as cetaceans (Rosenbaum
et al. 2014; McKenna et al. 2015), pinnipeds (Antonelis et al.
2006; Costa et al. 2010a), elasmobranchs (Baum et al. 2003;
Graham et al. 2012), and large teleosts (Block et al. 2001;
Boyce et al. 2008).
In this review, we focus on the knowledge that can be
derived from bio-telemetry and its efficacy in movement ecology and conservation studies. Bio-telemetry can be
defined as the remote recording of behavioral, physiological,
and environmental data by means of electronic tags, attached
to animals (Hays et al. 2016). Here, we use the term biotelemetry synonymously with bio-logging; the latter includes
loggers that must be recovered to download the data, which
were stored on the device. We aim to give a general overview
of existing devices, assess specifically how bio-telemetry can
improve our understanding of movement ecology, while taking the negative impacts on the animals into account, and
discuss how bio-telemetry can help in recommending conservation measures.
B. C. Heylen (*)
Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology, University of Antwerp,
Antwerp, Belgium
Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
e-mail: brigitte.heylen@UGent.be
D. A. Nachtsheim
Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University
of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Büsum, Germany
BreMarE – Bremen Marine Ecology, Marine Zoology, University
of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
e-mail: Dominik.Nachtsheim@tiho-hannover.de