PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Baby sharks prefer being closer to shore, show scientists

Young great white sharks gather in nurseries close to shore, perhaps to avoid predators

Baby sharks prefer being closer to shore, show scientists
2024-04-19
(Press-News.org) Remember #BabyShark? And no, this was not the very catchy song for kids that took the internet by storm. Earlier this year, social media was abuzz with stunning footage of a newborn great white shark, captured by a flying drone.

Now, marine scientists have shown for the first time that juvenile great white sharks select warm and shallow waters to aggregate within one kilometer from the shore. These results, published in Frontiers in Marine Science, are important for conservation of great white sharks – especially as ocean temperatures increase due to climate change – and for protecting the public from negative shark encounters.

Nurseries off central California

Baby great white sharks (‘pups’) don’t receive any maternal care after birth. In the studied population off Padaro Beach near Santa Barbara in central California, pups and juveniles gather in ‘nurseries’, unaccompanied by adults.

“This is one of the largest and most detailed studies of its kind. Because around Padaro Beach, large numbers of juveniles share near-shore habitats, we could learn how environmental conditions influence their movements,” said senior author Dr Christopher Lowe, a professor at California State University. 

“You rarely see great white sharks exhibiting this kind of nursery behavior in other locations.”

In 2020 and 2021, Lowe and his team used darts to tag a total of 22 juveniles with sensor-transmitters. These were females and males aged between one and six years old. Great white sharks can live for up to 40 to 70 years.

The sensor-transmitters measured local water pressure and temperature in real time, and tracked each juvenile’s position by sending acoustic ‘pings’ into an array of receivers, spread out over approximately 5.5 sq km along the shoreline. These methods had been approved by the university’s Animal Care and Use Committee and California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Tracking was halted during the winter months, when juveniles temporarily left for offshore waters. The researchers gathered further data on the temperature distribution throughout the local water column with an autonomous underwater vehicle. They then used artificial intelligence to train a 3D model of the juveniles’ temperature and depth preferences.

The results showed that the juveniles dived to the greatest depths around dawn and dusk, when they were likely foraging on skates, rays, schooling fish, and other small bony fish. They moved closest to the surface – between zero and four meters deep – in the afternoon when the sun was hottest, possibly to increase their body temperature.

First author Emily Spurgeon, a former master’s student and current research technician in Lowe’s team, said: “We showed that juveniles directly altered their vertical position in the water column to stay between 16 and 22 °C, and if possible between 20 and 22 °C. This may be their optimum to maximize growth efficiency within the nursery.”

Preference for shallow waters

The results showed that the temperature distribution in these waters is ever changeable, which means that juveniles have to be constantly on the move to remain within this optimal range.

The authors concluded that juvenile great white sharks spend most of their time in much shallower water than adults. The latter were rarely observed in the nursery.

The results also showed that the temperature distribution across three dimensions strongly impacted the horizontal distribution of the juveniles, which spread out at greater depths when seafloor temperatures were higher, and moved closer together towards the surface when deeper water was cooler.

What the researchers don’t yet know is what benefits pups and juveniles get from gathering in nurseries in the first place. One advantage might be to avoid predators.

“Our results show that water temperature is a key factor that draws juveniles to the studied area. However, there are many locations across the California coast that share similar environmental conditions, so temperature isn’t the whole story. Future experiments will look at individual relationships, for example to see if some individuals move among nurseries in tandem,” said Spurgeon.

END

[Attachments] See images for this press release:
Baby sharks prefer being closer to shore, show scientists Baby sharks prefer being closer to shore, show scientists 2 Baby sharks prefer being closer to shore, show scientists 3

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

UBC research helps migrating salmon survive mortality hot-spot

UBC research helps migrating salmon survive mortality hot-spot
2024-04-19
When Kevin Ryan and the other hardworking volunteers at Mossom Creek Hatchery in Port Moody, B.C. release young coho smolts into the ocean, they’re never quite certain how many will return as adults. Mossom releases between 5,000 and 10,000 coho smolts each year, and is one of the few hatcheries to release coho directly into the ocean, rather than into a river. Until now, no research had looked at the success of direct ocean releases of coho. UBC researchers used acoustic telemetry to tag and track coho on their journey. The results were revealing: ...

Technical Trials for Easing the (Cosmological) Tension

Technical Trials for Easing the (Cosmological) Tension
2024-04-19
Thanks to the dizzying growth of cosmic observations and measurement tools and some new advancements (primarily the “discovery” of what we call dark matter and dark energy) all against the backdrop of General Relativity, the early 2000s were a time when nothing seemed capable of challenging the advancement of our knowledge about the cosmos, its origins, and its future evolution. Even though we were aware there was still much to uncover, the apparent agreement between our observations, calculations, and theoretical framework was indicating that our knowledge of the universe was set to grow significantly and without ...

Mapping plant functional diversity from space: HKU ecologists revolutionize ecosystem monitoring with novel field-satellite integration

Mapping plant functional diversity from space: HKU ecologists revolutionize ecosystem monitoring with novel field-satellite integration
2024-04-19
An international team of researchers, led by Professor Jin WU from the School of Biological Sciences at The University of Hong Kong (HKU), has made a promising advancement in mapping plant functional traits from space using time-series satellite data. The study, published in Remote Sensing of Environment, showcases the innovative combination of the Sentinel-2 satellite mission and its dynamic time-series capabilities. This innovative approach not only unlocks a deeper understanding of essential foliar traits, providing crucial insights ...

Lightweight and flexible yet strong? Versatile fibers with dramatically improved energy storage capacity

Lightweight and flexible yet strong? Versatile fibers with dramatically improved energy storage capacity
2024-04-19
The latest wearable devices, such as Samsung's Galaxy Ring and Apple's Vision Pro, are taking healthcare a step further and even enabling people to work virtually. Given the characteristics of wearable devices that require them to be small and lightweight, there is an inevitable limitation on battery capacity, still presenting a technical barrier to incorporating a variety of functions. In order for wearable devices to fully realize the imagined life, it is necessary to develop a lighter and more fromlessenergy storage method. The Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) announced that a joint research team led by Dr. Hyeonsu Jeong ...

3 ways to improve diabetes care through telehealth

3 ways to improve diabetes care through telehealth
2024-04-19
Grocery stores, airports and beaches aren’t great places to have telehealth visits with your endocrinologist. But home can be one of the best locations, giving a doctor helpful insights into a patient’s home environment, which can positively impact their care. This is just one finding shared in a new study published this week in The Journal of Clinical Diabetes. Researchers interviewed clinicians and staff who provide diabetes care through telehealth across four University of California academic medical ...

A flexible and efficient DC power converter for sustainable-energy microgrids

A flexible and efficient DC power converter for sustainable-energy microgrids
2024-04-19
A new DC-DC power converter is superior to previous designs and paves the way for more efficient, reliable and sustainable energy storage and conversion solutions. The Kobe University development can efficiently interface with a wide range of energy sources while enhancing system stability and simplicity at an unprecedented efficiency. Electric power comes in two kinds, AC (alternating current) and DC (direct current). Famously, the question over which kind should be used for national power grids, the “Current War” of the late 19th century, got settled in favor of AC and most power plants today produce ...

Key protein regulates immune response to viruses in mammal cells

Key protein regulates immune response to viruses in mammal cells
2024-04-19
Researchers have revealed the regulatory mechanism of a specific protein that plays a key role in balancing the immune response triggered by viral infections in mammal cells. These findings could help drive the development of antiviral therapies and nucleic acid medicines to treat genetic disorders. For cells to protect themselves from viral infections, a series of immune responses typically occur, including programmed cell death called apoptosis and interferon signaling. While apoptosis is a normal process, which occurs with or without the presence ...

Development of organic semiconductors featuring ultrafast electrons

Development of organic semiconductors featuring ultrafast electrons
2024-04-19
Professors Kimoon Kim and Ji Hoon Shim along with Dr. Yeonsang Lee from the Department of Chemistry at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) and Professor Jun Sung Kim from POSTECH’s Department of Physics and the Center for Artificial Low Dimensional Electronic Systems at the Institute for Basic Science created conducting two-dimensional polymers exhibiting electron mobility comparable to graphene. Their research has been featured in the online edition of Chem, an international chemistry journal.   Graphene, called a ...

Cancer is a disease of aging, but studies of older adults sorely lacking

2024-04-19
A systemic review of the current body of research shows that investigators have inadequately addressed the intersection of aging, health disparities, and cancer outcomes among older adults. This is the conclusion of a new paper published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, and led by Nikesha Gilmore, PhD, a member of Wilmot Cancer Institute at the University of Rochester. As the population of survivors of cancer 65 and older will likely double in size during the next two decades, the review reveals an urgent need for ...

Dietary treatment more effective than medicines in IBS

Dietary treatment more effective than medicines in IBS
2024-04-19
Dietary treatment is more effective than medications in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). These are the findings of a study conducted at the University of Gothenburg. With dietary adjustments, more than seven out of ten patients had significantly reduced symptoms. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common diagnosis that causes abdominal pain, gas and abdominal bloating, diarrhea, and constipation, in various combinations and with varying degrees of severity. Treatment often consists of dietary advice such as eating small and frequent meals and avoiding excessive intake of food triggers such as coffee, alcohol and fizzy drinks. Patients may also be given medications to improve specific ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Heart rate changes predict depression treatment success with magnetic brain stimulation

Genetics pioneer transforms global depression research through multi-omics discoveries

MDMA psychiatric applications synthesized: Comprehensive review examines PTSD treatment and emerging therapeutic indications

Psychedelics offer new therapeutic framework for stress-related psychiatric disorders

Brain cell discoveries reshape understanding of psychiatric disorders

Mom’s voice boosts language-center development in preemies’ brains, study finds

Development of silicon ultrasound patch achieves both eco-friendliness and performance enhancement

Measles immunity 90% in BC’s Lower Mainland

Women’s brain regions may lose ability to synchronize after sexual assault

Quitting smoking, even late in life, linked to slower cognitive decline

Critical raw materials are a vital new currency; Europe’s e-waste is the vault

Anesthesiologist-led care helps hip-fracture patients get to surgery faster, with fewer complications

Two-dose recombinant shingles vaccine is effective even accounting for prior receipt of live shingles vaccine

Excessive daytime sleepiness may raise risk of cognitive problems after surgery

Flipping the switch on sperm motility offers new hope for male infertility

Twisting sound: Scientists discover a new way to control mechanical vibrations in metamaterial

Drip by drip: The hidden blueprint for stalagmite growth

mRNA therapy restores sperm production and fertility in mice

New way to weaken cancer cells could supercharge prostate cancer treatment

How sound—but not touch—shapes rhythm in the brain

Exploring the therapeutic potential of hypothermia

Research alert: Bioengineering breathes new life into failed cancer treatment

AI, health, and health care today and tomorrow – the JAMA Summit Report on artificial intelligence

Large genetic study links cannabis use to psychiatric, cognitive and physical health

Social media use trajectories and cognitive performance in adolescents

Music for the brain: Study tests the effect of slow-tempo relaxing music to address delirium in critically ill older adults 

AI models predict sepsis in children, allow preemptive care

Liraglutide vs semaglutide vs dulaglutide in veterans with type 2 diabetes

Antenatal corticosteroids and infectious diseases throughout childhood

New lab-grown human embryo model produces blood cells

[Press-News.org] Baby sharks prefer being closer to shore, show scientists
Young great white sharks gather in nurseries close to shore, perhaps to avoid predators