A new study shows that electronically tagged sharks can serve as mobile sensors, collecting ocean climate data in regions that are difficult to observe using conventional methods.The study was led by Laura
A new study shows that electronically tagged sharks can serve as mobile sensors, collecting ocean climate data in regions that are difficult to observe using conventional methods.
The study was led by Laura H. McDonnell, Ph.D., who conducted the research as a doctoral student at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science and the Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy.
The study originated from an interdisciplinary collaboration between former Rosenstiel School shark scientist Neil Hammerschlag, Ph.D. and atmospheric scientist Ben Kirtman, Ph.D., now dean of the Rosenstiel School. In 2018, they recognized that the data from shark-tagging studies used by Hammerschlag’s lab to study shark ecology could also benefit climate modeling.
By incorporating shark-collected data into a seasonal climate model, McDonnell and her team found that forecast errors at the ocean surface decreased substantially in certain regions, with improvements reaching as much as 40 percent in specific cases.
This is the first study to experimentally integrate animal-borne sensor data into a seasonal climate model and quantify its impact on forecast performance, suggesting potential for future operational use.
“Sharks are already moving through parts of the ocean that are challenging for us to observe,” said McDonnell,
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