Habitat Use and Foraging Ecology of a Batoid Community in Shark Bay, Western Australia

In the pristine ecosystem of Shark Bay, Australia, batoid mesopredators—juvenile rays and skates—dominate nearshore habitats during warm seasons, suggesting their abundance is more influenced by predator avoidance than optimal foraging conditions. Stable isotopic analysis revealed high dietary overlap among species, with crustaceans from seagrass habitats as a primary food source, though individual specialization also occurs. Acoustic telemetry showed that batoids remain resident year-round but shift habitats seasonally rather than migrating, indicating their lower abundance in cold seasons is due to habitat preference rather than emigration. These findings challenge the assumption that mesopredator dynamics are solely regulated by prey availability and highlight the potential for seasonal ecosystem impacts through their presence, despite limited foraging activity on sandflats.

Vaudo, J. Habitat Use and Foraging Ecology of a Batoid Community in Shark Bay, Western Australia. https://doi.org/10.25148/etd.fi11042706