Abstract

Habitat selection in marine environments is a critical aspect of understanding the behavior, distribution, and survival of marine species. As marine ecosystems are diverse and complex, the habitats offer varying resources, conditions, and ecological riches that influence the choices of organisms. The aim of the research is to investigate the influence of fisheries and physiographic factors on habitat selection by cetacean species in marine environments (Frouin et al., 2023). Habitat use of six different species of cetaceans using summer shipboard survey data. A total of 528 cetacean species were collected from marine environments. The habitat characteristics, such as bathymetric depth and seabed slope, were used as covariates in the analysis, with depth and slope data gathered from geospatial datasets. The presence or absence of each species at specific survey locations was recorded, and environmental data were organized into structured formats for analysis. Results revealed that depth and slope significantly affect cetacean habitat selection. Fin whales prefer depths >200 m and steep slopes; striped dolphins favor shallower waters <100 m depths. For the fin whale, the absence rate was 68.3%, while the presence rate was higher at 89.5%. In contrast, the striped dolphin showed a higher absence rate of 72.3% with the presence rate at 67.6%. The sperm whale demonstrated a notable pattern, with an absence rate of 72.7% and a presence rate of 82.8%. These findings highlight the depth, slope, and temporal factors that significantly influence the presence or absence of cetacean species and offer important insights for conservation and habitat management strategies.