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DC Field | Value | Language |
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dc.date.accessioned | 2024-04-30T07:38:24Z | - |
dc.date.available | 2024-04-30T07:38:24Z | - |
dc.date.issued | 2024 | - |
dc.identifier.citation | Soster, F. (2024). Mapping the exposure of the common bottlenose dolphin to environmental and anthropogenic stressors in Maltese waters (Master's dissertation). | en_GB |
dc.identifier.uri | https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/121592 | - |
dc.description | M.Sc.(Melit.) | en_GB |
dc.description.abstract | The common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is one of the cetacean species regularly found in Malta. However, knowledge on its distribution and on its exposure to the threats caused by human activities remains limited, thus explaining the lack of conservation measures for the species in the region. The identification of areas where human activities are concentrated, and the creation of risk maps contribute to the generation of knowledge that can be used to develop appropriate conservation strategies. To examine the distribution of the common bottlenose dolphin in relation to oceanographic and anthropogenic variables a habitat suitability map was generated using MaxEnt. Subsequently, the map was used to identify areas of high-risk exposure through an overlap analysis with the spatial distribution of vessel traffic and the potential distribution of Fish Aggregating Devices. The study revealed a significant impact of depth and chlorophyll-a concentrations on the distribution of the common bottlenose dolphin, highlighting a strong preference for productive and shallow coastal waters. Furthermore, the overlap analysis indicated that all suitable areas for common bottlenose dolphins are affected by either vessel traffic, fishing, or both. This research establishes a baseline assessment of the common bottlenose dolphin’s suitable habitat and provides insights into its vulnerability to anthropogenic stressors, identifying specific regions where impacts are most pronounced. The results are intended to guide management practices in reducing the species’ exposure to the mentioned stressors. | en_GB |
dc.language.iso | en | en_GB |
dc.rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess | en_GB |
dc.subject | Bottlenose dolphin -- Effect of human beings on -- Malta | en_GB |
dc.subject | Bottlenose dolphin -- Geographical distribution | en_GB |
dc.title | Mapping the exposure of the common bottlenose dolphin to environmental and anthropogenic stressors in Maltese waters | en_GB |
dc.type | masterThesis | en_GB |
dc.rights.holder | The copyright of this work belongs to the author(s)/publisher. The rights of this work are as defined by the appropriate Copyright Legislation or as modified by any successive legislation. Users may access this work and can make use of the information contained in accordance with the Copyright Legislation provided that the author must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the prior permission of the copyright holder. | en_GB |
dc.publisher.institution | University of Malta | en_GB |
dc.publisher.department | Faculty of Science. Department of Geosciences | en_GB |
dc.description.reviewed | N/A | en_GB |
dc.contributor.creator | Soster, Francesca (2024) | - |
Appears in Collections: | Dissertations - FacSci - 2024 Dissertations - FacSciGeo - 2024 |
Files in This Item:
File | Description | Size | Format | |
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2418SCIGSC551205075725_1.PDF | 9.58 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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