Abstract
To assess organisms forming mesopelagic scattering layers in the Red Sea, we took advantage of their reactions to light. We used a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) equipped with LED lamps for herding the acoustic targets down to the bottom (700 m), while concurrently monitoring the event by shipborne and deployed echosounders as well as video footage from the ROV. In essence, entire mesopelagic scattering layers at 38 kHz were moved downwards until the organisms became trapped and concentrated at the bottom and identified as fish from video images. However, responses to the artificial light source appeared to include both repulsion and attraction. An individual-based model reproduced the herding event by assuming a dichotomous response to light where targets close to the light source are attracted, while targets further away are repulsed. We hypothesize that attraction is associated with the artificial light acting as a point source (beam light), while the repulsion is associated with the artificial light acting as diffuse light.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 225-231 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Marine Ecology Progress Series |
| Volume | 625 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Aug 29 2019 |
Bibliographical note
KAUST Repository Item: Exported on 2020-10-01Acknowledgements: The study was funded by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). We thank Francis Luke Mallon and Brian C. Hession for skillful operation of the ROV and the crew of RV ‘Thuwal’ for help during the cruise.