Date: | 2014-11-13 |
Speaker: | ??? Extended/EventDirector/Description ??? |
Local: | IPMA Algés Lisbon |
Email contact: | ??? Extended/EventDirector/Email ??? |
Phone contact: | 213027000 |
Deep-sea shark studies face many challenges. These include remote study locations and low sample sizes. Some conventional biological methods have not worked due to high pressure and constant low temperature. Key uncertainties for management of deep-sea sharks at high ecological risk are: where do populations live, age and growth, and trophic links to other species. Researchers in the field are bold and innovative in the development of new methods. These include electronic tracking of live sharks to 800 m, near infrared spectroscopy for ageing, and signature lipids for determining diet. In this talk we discuss these method developments and careful matching to statistical methods. We use examples to show how some of these methods have also assisted research on coastal and pelagic species of high conservation concern, such as white sharks and manta rays.