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Authors

  • Fábio Gonçalves Daura-Jorge Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia - UFSC
  • Leonardo Liberali Wedekin Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia - UFSC
  • Paulo César Simões-Lopes Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia - UFSC

Abstract

The resident population of estuarine dolphins (Sota/ia guianensis) in the North Bay, Santa Catarina Island, southern Brazil, was studied from September 2001 until July 2003 through periodical boat surveys. Using focal-group and sequential sampling, information such as geographical position and behavioral patterns were registered at 5-minute intervals. All the information collected was inserted in a GIS database of the study area. Since patterns of seasonal variation concerning home range and behavior had been established in previous works, we aimed at evaluating the existence of seasonal intensity of movements, therefore strengthening the proposed hypothesis of higher spatial requirements when food resources are low. The daily mean speed of the dolphin's group was used as an index of the intensity of movements, and its seasonal variation throughout the study period was analyzed. We found a statistically significant seasonal variation in the intensity of movement. The dolphins tended to move more in the cold seasons, in contrast with the hot seasons, when the dolphins tended to move less. Thus, previous studies are corroborated, supporting the hypothesis of higher spatial
requirements when there are fewer food resources.

Author Biographies

Fábio Gonçalves Daura-Jorge, Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia - UFSC

Possui Graduação em Ciências Biológicas pela Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina e Mestrado em Zoologia pela Universidade Federal do Paraná. Também desenvolveu seu Doutorado em Zoologia pela Universidade Federal do Paraná, com um período sanduíche na Universidade de Plymouth (Reino Unido). É pesquisador colaborador do Laboratorio de Mamíferos Aquáticos da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina.

Mais informações no Currículo Lattes.

Leonardo Liberali Wedekin, Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia - UFSC

Possui Graduação em Ciências Biológicas pela Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Mestrado e Doutorado em Zoologia pela Universidade Federal do Paraná.

Mais informações no Currículo Lattes.

Paulo César Simões-Lopes, Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia - UFSC

Graduação: Licenciado em Ciências Biológicas - Habilitação em Biologia - pela Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul e Doutorado em Zoologia pela Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul. Atualmente é professor Associado III do Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina.

Mais informações no Currículo Lattes.

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Published

2004-01-01

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 1 (2004)

Section

Artigos

License

Copyright (c) 2004 Fábio Gonçalves Daura-Jorge, Leonardo Liberali Wedekin, Paulo César Simões-Lopes

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