Source: flinders.edu.au
A team of 22 scientists have used data from the Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) to track the movements of marine organisms during the Covid-19 lockdown in a new study, revealing the impact of human activities on marine species in Australian waters.
With shark cage-diving as a case study, the research team, led by Associate Professor Charlie Huveneers from Flinders University, monitored the movements and residency of two marine species, white sharks and yellowtail kingfish, over a 51-day period during the longest break in cage-diving activity at the Neptune Islands near Port Lincoln for over 20 years.
“The various restrictions on human movements have led to an unprecedented global hiatus in anthropogenic activities, providing a unique opportunity to assess human impact on biological systems,” says Associate Professor Huveneers. MORE
Header image: Andrew Fox, Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions.