ORCID
- Benjamin J. Ciotti: 0000-0001-5769-1437
- Tim Scott: 0000-0002-3357-7485
Abstract
Surf zones of sandy beaches are among the most heavily impacted aquatic ecosystems, yet are of criticalecological importance for inshore fish and fisheries. Knowledge of the drivers of fish habitat use in surf zones isneeded across broad scales to advise conservation and fisheries management, but sampling capabilities can belimited in spatio-temporal extent and resolution. The lesser weever Echiichthys vipera is a small, benthic,venomous fish that dominates surf zone fish assemblages in Northwest Europe and inflicts painful stings onbeachgoers. This study capitalises on an extensive record of E. vipera sting incidents to characterise variations insurf zone habitat use in relation to key physical environmental factors. Sting incidents, standardised by wateruser numbers, are used as a proxy for E. vipera abundance across 77 beaches throughout Southwest England, with2 h resolution, from April–November 2018. General Additive Models indicated a clear peak in E. vipera abundance at spring low tides, in the afternoons of summer months, under calmer wave conditions and at higherlevels of solar irradiance. Although the order of significance differed, human water users were also driven by thesame variables, compounding sting interactions over time. Key physical variables did not explain spatial variation in E. vipera abundance, although there was a weak relationship with sea surface temperature, and someevidence that reflective beaches are unsuitable. Physical factors explained more spatial variation in human waterusers, who gathered at more dissipative beaches with greater wave heights. This detailed study of an importantsurf zone fish reveals clear drivers of temporal variation in habitat use, yet infers wide suitability of beachesvarying in the key physical drivers of sandy shore ecology
DOI
10.1016/j.ecss.2024.108957
Publication Date
2024-09-21
Publication Title
Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science
Volume
309
ISSN
0272-7714
Keywords
Beach safety, Citizen science, Essential fish habitat, Nursery areas, Venomous fish
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Ciotti, B., Hepburn, R., Scott, T., & Prodger, S. (2024) 'Drivers of variability in surf zone habitat use by sandy beach fish: Unwitting citizen scientists reveal detailed spatiotemporal patterns', Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science, 309. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2024.108957
