Understanding movement and habitat use patterns of co-occurring predatory fishes is crucial for effective conservation and management of estuarine ecosystems, where dynamic seasonal shifts and species interactions play crucial roles in shaping community structure. Using acoustic telemetry and network analysis, we compared the movements of alligator gar ( Atractosteus spatula , n = 13), bull sharks ( Carcharhinus leucas , n = 1...

Aim Some habitats serve particularly important functions for wildlife. Identifying and appropriately managing these ‘essential habitats’ is critical, especially for wildlife that have faced severe population declines like sharks. Nursery habitats aid in the survival and development of juvenile sharks, which until recently were not formally identified or managed throughout most regions. Managing shark nurseries was in part chal...

Fisheries are essential for nutritional and economic stability in many countries, particularly small island developing states. In The Bahamas, ~25% of households depend on fisheries‐related income, and Bahamians rely on seafood for ~15% of their animal protein. However, our understanding of fisheries is largely based on national statistics that may not reflect the diversity of fishers, particularly in less developed Family Isl...

Coevolution with predators leads to the use of low‐risk habitats by many prey species, which promotes survival during early developmental phases. These nurseries are valued by conservation and management agencies because of their contributions to adult populations. However, the physical and geographic characteristics, like shallow depths and isolation from other marine habitats, that restrict access to predators and thereby re...

As environmental change persists, understanding resource use patterns is of value to predict the consequences of shifting trophic structures. While many sharks are opportunistic predators, some exhibit prey selectivity, putting them at higher risk compared to species with greater trophic plasticity. In the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), Clupeids and Sciaenids comprise 69% of blacktip shark ( Carcharhinus limbatus ) diets, which is cons...

The effects of anticoagulant EDTA and sodium heparin (SH) on stable carbon δ 13 C and nitrogen δ 15 N isotopic values of red blood cells (RBC) and blood plasma in juvenile blacktip reef sharks Carcharhinus melanopterus were analysed. Plasma preserved with anticoagulants was not isotopically distinct from plasma stored in no‐additive control tubes but RBC δ 15 N values exhibited small enrichments when preserved with EDTA and SH...

Within oligotrophic ecosystems, resource limitations coupled with interspecific variation in morphology, physiology, and life history traits may lead to niche partitioning among species. How generalist predators partition resources and their mechanisms, however, remain unclear across many ecosystems. We quantified niche partitioning among upper trophic level coastal and estuarine species: American alligators ( Alligator missis...