Dear MARMAM community, On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to share our latest open-access publication: "Do Boat Traffic and Habitat Features Shape Habitat Use by Guiana Dolphins (*Sotalia guianensis*) in a BrazilianEstuary?", published in Ecology and Conservation and available here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ece3.74004
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or problems accessing the link ([email protected]) Cheers, Alice Lima, PhD Graduate Program in Zoology State University of Santa Cruz Abstract: Increasing boat traffic in estuarine environments poses growing challenges for the conservation of coastal cetaceans, yet how these pressures interact with habitat features to shape spatial use remains poorly understood. This study investigated the influ- ence of boat traffic and habitat features on the spatial use and habitat selection of Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) in Pontal Bay, a northeastern Brazilian estuary, using shore- based observations and theodolite tracking of dolphin and boat trajectories collected between April 2015 and January 2016. Utilization distribution and habitat selection analyses revealed substantial over- lap between dolphins and boats, particularly in deeper areas. At finer scales, however, dolphins preferentially used areas with lower boat traffic, greater depths, and proximity to fishing centers, while avoiding shallow zones and river edges. These patterns indicate a scale- dependent trade- off between access to foraging opportunities and exposure to anthropogenic disturbance. Our findings highlight the importance of integrating environmental and human- related factors into estuarine management and sup- port the need for measures that regulate vessel activity within key dolphin habitats. How to cite this paper: Lima, A., G. A. F. Giné, K. T. S. Cruz, N. N. Teixeira, G. M. R. Strenzel, and Y. Le Pendu. 2026. “ *Do Boat Traffic and Habitat Features Shape Habitat Use by Guiana Dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) in a Brazilian Estuary?*.” *Ecology and Evolution* 16, no. 7: e74004. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.74004. Funding: This work was supported by Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, PROBOL Scholarship, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado da Bahia, Project PET0032/2012, Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Master's degree Scholarship, Animal Behavior Society, Small Grant. -- Dr. Alice Lima Post-doc researcher from GPMAI Co-founder Ecosul Turismo Grupo de Pesquisa em Mamíferos Aquáticos de Ilhéus Programa de Pós-graduação em Zoologia - PPGZOO Ilhéus - Brazil <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail> Sans virus.www.avg.com <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail> <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2>
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