title: Seasonal characterisation of maritime traffic and the relationship with cetacean presence in the Western Mediterranean Sea.
abstract: Seasonal maritime traffic was investigated in relation to cetaceans, through direct observations (July 2013-June 2015) along three fixed transects in Western Mediterranean. Visually obtained vessel abundance was compared with Automatic Identification System data to explore if the two methods provided different results. Traffic intensity and composition were characterised by seasons and vessel categories. Finally, cetacean presence was investigated in relation to traffic by measuring the difference of vessel abundance in the presence and absence of animal sightings. Results showed that visual sampling was consistent with AIS data, providing more information on small-medium vessels. Traffic was more intense and diverse in Spring/Summer, and the highest vessel abundance and seasonal variations in composition emerged for inshore subareas. The difference of traffic in the presence and absence of cetaceans was higher in most offshore subareas in Spring/Summer, verified for B. physalus and S. coeruleoalba; in inshore waters, mostly occupied by T. truncatus, no significant differences emerged.
authors.affiliation: Univ. La Tuscia, Dep. of Ecological and Biological Sciences, Ichthyogenic Experimental Marine Centre (CISMAR), Borgo Le Saline, 01016 Tarquinia, VT, Italy; Accademia del Leviatano, V.le dell'Astronomia 19, 00144 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: ilariacampana@unitus.it.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Campana
authors.affiliation: Univ. La Tuscia, Dep. of Ecological and Biological Sciences, Ichthyogenic Experimental Marine Centre (CISMAR), Borgo Le Saline, 01016 Tarquinia, VT, Italy; Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca sui Cetacei (CIRCE), V.le Benedetto XV 5, 16132 Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Angeletti
authors.affiliation: MATTM, Via C. Colombo 44, 00147 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Crosti
authors.affiliation: Univ. Pisa, Dep. of Biology, Via Derna 1, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luperini
authors.affiliation: Accademia del Leviatano, V.le dell'Astronomia 19, 00144 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruvolo
authors.affiliation: European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen, Via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, VA, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alessandrini
authors.affiliation: ISPRA, V. Brancati 48, 00144 Rome, Italy; Univ. Roma TRE, Dep. of Sciences, V.le G. Marconi 446, 00146 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arcangeli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002591:Cetacea; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D012621:Seasons; D012767:Ships
keywords: Cetaceans; Mediterranean Sea; Monitoring; Traffic; Vessels