Variación estacional de abundancia y selección de hábitat de Panopea 1 abbreviata: Monitoreo mediante video remoto de bajo costo en Golfo San 2 Matías, Atlántico Sur

ARIJO MARIANELA; CASTRO KAREN; TROBBIANI GASTÓN; GERARDO AGUAYO; WIFF, RODRIGO

ECOLOGÍA AUSTRAL

ASOCIACIÓN ARGENTINA DE ECOLOGÍA

Lugar: Buenos Aires; Año: 2024

0327-5477

Clams belonging to the genus Panopea, part of the Hiatellidae family, are globally distributed in temperate seas and represent significant fishing resources in most of their inhabiting regions. Similar to other bivalves, they tend to aggregate in sandy and/or muddy substrates, exhibiting temporal variations in their abundance, or more precisely, in their detectability. Traditionally, the monitoring of Panopea populations has relied on autonomous diving, which poses safety limitations in terms of depth and diving duration. In this study, we assessed the efficacy of the low-cost remote video method known as "Toki" for evaluating and monitoring Panopea abbreviata in the San Matías Gulf. Abundance observations werewas analyzed using generalized additive mixed models, incorporating temperature, depth, season, and image quality as covariates. We observed a seasonal pattern in the abundance of P. abbreviata, with peaks occurring during the colder seasons of the year, in contrast to other species within the same genus. Notably, the vVariations in abundance exceeded the onesat reported in previous studies. In alignment with prior research, we found significantly higher densities of P. abbreviata in sandy and gravelly substrates. "Toki" proved to be an effective tool, enabling the coverage of extensive areas effortlessly and within a short timeframe. Its key advantages include accessibility to greater depths and the absence of time constraints associated with diving, especially at depths below 25 meters. Moreover, this technique provides a permanent record that can be subsequently utilized used for additional purposes. It is worth noting that the entire procedure was conducted from a small boat, using manual operations, resulting in relatively low costs, and enhanced operational convenience. Nevertheless, diving can serve as a complementary technique for intensive tasks in confined areas.