ABSTRACT Submarine canyons play an important role in the regional distribution, abundance and dispersal of marine biota and are increasingly being recognised as geomorphic features of high conservation significance along Australia’s continental margin. Certain canyons have been described as foraging ‘hotspots’ attributable to the high abundance of apex cetacean species aggregating in these areas. Anecdotal evidence of large seasonal aggregations of killer whales in the Bremer Canyon, south-west Australia, has attracted significant research attention in the last decade. To identify important environmental drivers influencing aggregation patterns, a predictive spatial habitat model using the Maxent model was developed based on presence-only whale sighting data. In addition, remotely sensed sea surface temperature and chlorophyll-a concentrations were assessed to investigate the spatio-temporal variation in sea surface conditions. Habitat preference was predicted in areas between canyon heads, with the most influential predictor variables being depth and distance from the continental shelf break. Analysis of remote-sensing data highlighted low localised variability in surface waters and illustrated the seasonal trends of the Leeuwin Current. This study demonstrates the influence of bathymetry and submarine geomorphology on enhanced cetacean abundance and highlights the need for recognition of this potential foraging area in marine reserve planning.

中文翻译：

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评估对澳大利亚西南部布雷默峡谷虎鲸（Orcinus orca）分布模式的潜在环境影响

摘要 海底峡谷在海洋生物群的区域分布、丰度和扩散方面发挥着重要作用，并且越来越多地被认为是澳大利亚大陆边缘具有高度保护意义的地貌特征。某些峡谷被描述为觅食“热点”，这归因于聚集在这些地区的顶级鲸类物种的高丰度。在过去十年中，澳大利亚西南部布雷默峡谷虎鲸大规模季节性聚集的轶事证据引起了研究的极大关注。为了确定影响聚集模式的重要环境驱动因素，基于仅存在的鲸鱼目击数据开发了使用 Maxent 模型的预测空间栖息地模型。此外，对遥感海面温度和叶绿素-a 浓度进行了评估，以研究海面条件的时空变化。在峡谷头之间的区域预测栖息地偏好，最具影响力的预测变量是深度和距大陆架断裂的距离。对遥感数据的分析突出了地表水的局部低变异性，并说明了露纹海流的季节性趋势。这项研究证明了水深测量和海底地貌对增加的鲸类丰度的影响，并强调了在海洋保护区规划中认识到这一潜在觅食区的必要性。最具影响力的预测变量是距离大陆架断裂的深度和距离。对遥感数据的分析突出了地表水的局部低变异性，并说明了露纹海流的季节性趋势。这项研究证明了水深测量和海底地貌对增加的鲸类丰度的影响，并强调了在海洋保护区规划中认识到这一潜在觅食区的必要性。最具影响力的预测变量是距离大陆架断裂的深度和距离。对遥感数据的分析突出了地表水的局部低变异性，并说明了露纹海流的季节性趋势。这项研究证明了水深测量和海底地貌对增加的鲸类丰度的影响，并强调了在海洋保护区规划中认识到这一潜在觅食区的必要性。