Patterns of space use in sympatric marine colonial predators reveal scales of spatial partitioning

摘要: Species distribution maps can provide important information to focus conservation efforts and enable spatial management of human activities. Two sympatric marine predators, grey seals Halichoerus grypus harbour Phoca vitulina, have overlapping ranges on land at sea but contrasting population dynamics around Britain: whilst generally increased, shown significant regional declines. We analysed 2 decades at-sea movement data terrestrial count from these species produce high resolution, broad-scale associated uncertainty inform management. Our results showed that use offshore areas connected their haul-out sites by prominent corridors, primarily stay within 50 km the coastline. Both show fine-scale segregation off east coast Britain partitioning western Scotland. These illustrate that, for planning, needs (primarily inshore, exception being selected usage areas) are different those (up 100 corridors connecting sites). More generally, our importance detailed knowledge predator distributions planning; instance, prioritisation is not necessarily most effective planning strategy even when conserving with similar taxonomy.