Alistair Economakis Shark Aggregations
As a professional in Marine Biology, Alistair Economakis has spent many years studying the aggregation behavior of the grey reef shark in the Central Pacific Ocean. Learn more about his research and publications found on WorldCat, Google Books, and beyond about why and how sharks aggregate.
Alistair Economakis Publications
With years of professional experience in biology, marine life, and environmental science, Alistair Economakis has gathered extensive research and information allowing him to develop insightful publications in numerous areas related to his field. Over the course of his career, he has both authored and co-authored a number of important works, some of which are listed below:
- The Greek Seashore: A Field Guide To Coastal Invertebrates
- Coastal Fishes of Greece
- The Impacts of Behavior and Individual Variation on Resource Utilization Patterns in Fishes
- Aggregations of Grey Reef Sharks, Carcharhinus Amblyrhynchos, and water temperature at Johnston Atoll, Mid Pacific Ocean
Published in Environmental Biology of Fishes in 1998, "Aggregations of Grey Reef Sharks" provides valuable information related to aggregation behavior of female grey reef sharks throughout the Central Pacific. Co-authors, Alistair Economakis and Phillip S. Lobel studied the movements and behaviors of a group of free-ranging female grey reef sharks off the shores of Sand Island in the Johnston Atoll. These movements were tracked and measured during the Spring months of March through late May from 1992 to 1995.
Main areas of study included fluctuations of water temperature and light level and how these factors correlated with the sharks' patterns of movements to the aggregation area. None of the sharks that were tagged to detect movement were recorded at the aggregation area at night. Instead, most were found there during daylight.
Why Sharks Aggregate
While the role of aggregation behaviors is still being studied by scientists like Alistair Economakis, there are a few proposed factors for why sharks aggregate. Some of these factors include:
- Reproduction
- Mate selection
- Conserving energy and interacting socially during inactive times of day
- Finding refuge from predators such as larger sharks
This work by Alistair Economakis has been read by students, professors, and researchers all across the globe in over ten countries. You can find his publications across the web on Springer, WorldCat, Google Books, and beyond.