{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,27]],"date-time":"2026-03-27T19:31:17Z","timestamp":1774639877502,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":42,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2015,3,18]],"date-time":"2015-03-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1426636800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Remote Sensing"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Manta rays are classified as Vulnerable to Extinction on the IUCN Red List for Threatened Species. In Australia, a key aggregation site for reef manta rays is Lady Elliot Island (LEI) on the Great Barrier Reef, ~7 km from the shelf edge. Here, we investigate  the environmental processes that triggered the largest manta ray feeding aggregation yet observed in Australia, in early 2013. We use MODIS sea surface temperature (SST), chlorophyll-a concentration and photic depth data, together with in situ data, to show that anomalous river discharges led to high chlorophyll (anomalies: 10\u201315 mg\u2219m\u22123) and turbid (photic depth anomalies: \u221215 m) river plumes extending out to LEI, and that these became entrained offshore around the periphery of an active cyclonic eddy. Eddy dynamics led to cold bottom intrusions along the shelf edge (6 \u00b0C temperature decrease), and at LEI (5 \u00b0C temperature decrease). Strongest SST gradients (&gt;1 \u00b0C\u2219km\u22121) were at the convergent frontal zone between the shelf and eddy-influenced waters, directly overlying LEI. Here, the front intensified on the spring ebb tide to attract and shape the aggregation pattern of foraging manta rays. Future research could focus on mapping the probability and persistence of these ecologically significant frontal zones via remote sensing to aid the management and conservation of marine species.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/rs70303138","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2015,3,18]],"date-time":"2015-03-18T14:09:08Z","timestamp":1426687748000},"page":"3138-3152","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":26,"title":["Unique Sequence of Events Triggers Manta Ray Feeding Frenzy in the Southern Great Barrier Reef, Australia"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"7","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0579-7069","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Scarla","family":"Weeks","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Biophysical Oceanography Group, School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia"}]},{"given":"Marites","family":"Magno-Canto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Biophysical Oceanography Group, School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia"}]},{"given":"Fabrice","family":"Jaine","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Biophysical Oceanography Group, School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia"},{"name":"Manta Ray and Whale Shark Research Centre, Marine Megafauna Foundation, Praia do Tofo, Inhambane, Mozambique"}]},{"given":"Jon","family":"Brodie","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia"}]},{"given":"Anthony","family":"Richardson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Oceans and Atmosphere Flagship, CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, EcoSciences Precinct, Dutton Park, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia"},{"name":"Centre for Applications in Natural Resource Mathematics (CARM), School of Mathematics and Physics, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2015,3,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"628","DOI":"10.1071\/MF10148","article-title":"Distribution, site affinity and regional movements of the Manta Ray, Manta Alfredi (krefft, 1868), along the east coast of Australia","volume":"62","author":"Couturier","year":"2011","journal-title":"Mar. 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