PONE-D-24-14912Do bridge constructions affect dolphin use of space? Responses of Guiana dolphins from Ilhéus, Northeastern BrazilPLOS ONE

Dear Dr. Le Pendu,

Thank you for submitting your manuscript to PLOS ONE. After careful consideration, we feel that it has merit but does not fully meet PLOS ONE’s publication criteria as it currently stands. Therefore, we invite you to submit a revised version of the manuscript that addresses the points raised during the review process.

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 have received of the comments of two independent reviewers. I have also critically gone through the manuscript. This is very pertinent question how the construction work affect river cetacean. As in present case "Do bridge constructions affect dolphin use of space? I find it very interesting. 

Changes in the site bathymetry due to bridge construction and the resulted sandbank formation, are the major reasons for the dolphin space use pattern. Can the Ms be correlated with habitat chief of dolphins during Covid-19 lock down i.e. in contrary to bridge construction work (disturbance) undisturbed regime also affect home range of these river cetaceans . Some such explanation about bankcard shifting of Gangetic dolphins have been provided. in following paper: COVID-19 lockdown affects zooplankton community structure in dolphin appearing site of the River Ganga at Patna_26_1

August 2023Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management 26(1):20-31

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Additional Editor Comments:

I have received of the comments of two independent reviewers. I have also critically gone through the manuscript. This is very pertinent question how the construction work affect river cetacean. As in present case "Do bridge constructions affect dolphin use of space?

Changes in the site bathymetry due to bridge construction and the resulted sandbank formation, are the major reasons for the dolphin space use pattern. Can the Ms be correlated with habitat chief of dolphins during Covid-19 lock down i.e. in contrary to bridge construction work (disturbance) undisturbed regime also affect home range of these river cetaceans . Some such explanation about bankcard shifting of Gangetic dolphins have been provided. in following paper: COVID-19 lockdown affects zooplankton community structure in dolphin appearing site of the River Ganga at Patna_26_1

August 2023Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management 26(1):20-31

[Note: HTML markup is below. Please do not edit.]

Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

Comments to the Author

1. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions?

The manuscript must describe a technically sound piece of scientific research with data that supports the conclusions. Experiments must have been conducted rigorously, with appropriate controls, replication, and sample sizes. The conclusions must be drawn appropriately based on the data presented.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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2. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously?

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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3. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available?

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Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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5. Review Comments to the Author

Please use the space provided to explain your answers to the questions above. You may also include additional comments for the author, including concerns about dual publication, research ethics, or publication ethics. (Please upload your review as an attachment if it exceeds 20,000 characters)

Reviewer #1: This manuscript by Pendu et al addresses an important aspect of the impact of structural interventions on riverine species. Overall, the manuscript read smooth, figures ad tables are well organized. I recommend this manuscript may be accepted for publication. Authors may consider to incorporate the following suggestions; I hope these may help to improve the quality of the manuscript.

In introduction, please review the similar studies conducted globally. For example, author can find a similar studies on the Indus and the ganga river river dolphins. You may find Sonkar et al 2020, where they have studied the impact of large barrages on the ganga river dolphins, a similar study has been conducted by Sinha et al as well.

Methods:

Please don’t keep study area and subjects under the methodology section. You can create a separate section for study area. If possible, use some satellite imager to show the condition of river before and after the construction of bridge. It will help readers to understand the change in the river patter or morphology due to the construction activities.

In method section, if possible, include a flow chart to illustrate the overall procedure followed in this study. I believe this will help reader to quickly understand the setps followed.

Discussion:

Here you discuss your findings in chronological order and try to explain the result with finer details.

Conclusion:

Please add a separate section for conclusion. And highlight the major findings in bullet.

Reviewer #2: Manuscript entitled “Do bridge constructions affect dolphin use of space? Responses of Guiana dolphins from Ilhéus, Northeastern Brazil”. I have gone through the entire manuscript thoroughly.

This manuscript investigates the impact of the construction of the Jorge Amado Bridge on the space use and movement patterns of Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) in the Cachoeira River estuary (Pontal Bay) in Ilhéus, Brazil. The authors used theodolite and total station observations to track the dolphins' trajectories and estimate their utilization distribution, area of use, and core areas before and during the bridge construction.

The key findings of the manuscript are:

1. Contrary to the authors' expectations, the dolphins increased their use of the areas close to the bridge during its construction. This was likely due to the formation of a sandbank near the bridge, which may have provided new foraging opportunities for the dolphins.

2. The dolphins consistently avoided areas close to the river banks, both before and during the bridge construction, possibly due to the presence of debris and stranded boats.

3. The authors suggest that changes in the local bathymetry, caused by the bridge construction and the resulting sandbank formation, were the main drivers of the observed changes in the dolphins' space use.

Scientific Observations:

1. The introduction provides a comprehensive background on the potential impacts of coastal constructions on cetaceans, particularly Guiana dolphins, which are the focus of this study. The introduction is well-structured and effectively sets up the rationale for the study.

2. The methods section is detailed and the data analysis approaches are appropriate for the research questions. The use of theodolite and total station observations to track the dolphins' movements and estimate their utilization distributions is a robust approach.

3. The results are clearly presented, and the authors make good use of figures to illustrate the changes in the dolphins' space use before and during the bridge construction.

4. The discussion section provides a thoughtful interpretation of the results, considering both the direct and indirect impacts of the bridge construction on the dolphins' behavior and habitat use. The authors' hypothesis about the role of bathymetric changes in driving the observed patterns is well-supported by the data.

A few of my specific comments and suggestions are as follows:

Comment. 1

"What specific environmental changes associated with the construction of the Jorge Amado Bridge may have facilitated new foraging opportunities for Guiana dolphins, and how might these changes influence their long-term habitat selection and behavior in Pontal Bay?

Additionally, what other factors—such as prey availability, habitat complexity, and social dynamics—might influence dolphin behavior and habitat selection in response to anthropogenic disturbances?

Comment. 2

Line 42: Describe more about Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) like what functions paly in that ecosystem, How is it different from other dolphin species?, its ecological roles/ importance in Cachoeira River estuary.

Comment. 3

Line 84: Few description of under Construction Bridge should be included like, how much area was covered by the pillars of the bridge, what was the distance between the two pillars during construction? etc.

Comment. 4

Line 85: During the construction of the bridge, the width of the estuary mouth was reduced, and the sandbank expanded. This study was conducted in the estuary; have the any tidal affect observed in the behaviors of dolphin population during the study period? Or what were the visiting / sighting frequencies during the variation in the depth of the estuary.

Comment. 5

Mention the table number in the entire manuscript

Comment. 6

Justify lines and correct some minor grammatical mistakes in the manuscript

Overall, this is a well-designed and executed study that provides valuable insights into the behavioral responses of Guiana dolphins to the construction of a major coastal infrastructure project. The authors' findings contribute to the limited knowledge on the impacts of anthropogenic activities on this vulnerable species and can inform conservation and management efforts.

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Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: No

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Attachments

Attachment

Submitted filename: Comments in Manuscript.docx

Attachment

Submitted filename: Bridge construction affect dolphin.docx

Attachment

Submitted filename: Review-Do bridge constructions affect dolphin use of space.docx

PONE-D-24-14912R1Do bridge constructions affect dolphin use of space? Responses of Guiana dolphins from Ilhéus, Northeastern BrazilPLOS ONE

Dear Dr. Le Pendu,

Thank you for considering all the comments and suggestions made by the reviewers. I have critically perused the manuscript and I find that the Ms still need some minor revision to strengthen the results obtained in the Ms.  After careful consideration, Therefore, we invite you to submit a revised version of the manuscript that addresses the following points: .

Do bridge constructions affect dolphin use of space? Responses of Guiana dolphins from Ilhéus, Northeastern Brazil

I have critically perused the manuscript .Title: Actually I am not in favour of a title in Interrogation; Interrogation is more often used for direct manipulation/experimental study

However for space use by dolphins there are several determinants including river water, morphometric flow patterns etc. Authors themselves explains in the text as “However, a single variable hardly explains habitat selection by dolphins [e.g. 4, 32,49].” Thus I would suggest a better title that could reflect this kind of study as follow:

“Effect of bridge constructions on dolphin use of space: A case study of Guiana dolphins from Ilhéus, Northeastern Brazil'

Or

"Responses of Guiana dolphins from Ilhéus Northeastern Brazil to bridge constructions"

Regarding the comments belowComments for text:  

I think earlier statement has been misconstrued  i.e. Can the Ms be correlated with habitat shift of dolphins during Covid-19 lock down i.e. in contrary to bridge construction work (disturbance) undisturbed regime also affect home range of these river cetaceans.

I did not intend to mention the effect of Covid-19; as other studies have reported reduced human disturbance due to covid -19 lock down

Some such explanation about bankward shifting of Gangetic dolphins have been provided in following paper: COVID-19 lockdown affects zooplankton community structure in dolphin appearing site of the River Ganga at Patna_26_1 August 2023Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management 26(1):20-31

The comment does not suggest mentioning Covid -19 effects. Covid-19 did not directly affect any nonhuman animal, however the lockdown offered opportunity to study behavioural changes in wild lives in the absence of human activities. So the comment suggests Habitat shifting, space use/ food base etc. in relation to anthropogenic disturbances. I am still of the view that this will further strengthen the quality of the paper. Covid-19 lock down was considered as reduced anthropogenic pressure /activity /disturbance from river bank side and no motor boat activity, undoubtedly these are determinants of shifting of dolphin habitat.

The suggested paper has (i) presented data on food base of dolphin and habitat shifting as this manuscript directly explains the new opportunistic feeding area attracting dolphins. (ii) a probable spatial redistribution of feeding sites in lack of human activities during the lock down .

It may be kept in mind that the Covid -19 lockdown is just a means that facilitated negligible or lower human disturbance. Justifiably anthropogenic disturbance are the direct determinant not the Covid-19. Please submit your revised manuscript by Nov 11 2024 11:59PM. If you will need more time than this to complete your revisions, please reply to this message or contact the journal office at plosone@plos.org. When you're ready to submit your revision, log on to https://www.editorialmanager.com/pone/ and select the 'Submissions Needing Revision' folder to locate your manuscript file.

Please include the following items when submitting your revised manuscript:

• A rebuttal letter that responds to each point raised by the academic editor and reviewer(s). You should upload this letter as a separate file labeled 'Response to Reviewers'.
• A marked-up copy of your manuscript that highlights changes made to the original version. You should upload this as a separate file labeled 'Revised Manuscript with Track Changes'.
• An unmarked version of your revised paper without tracked changes. You should upload this as a separate file labeled 'Manuscript'.

If you would like to make changes to your financial disclosure, please include your updated statement in your cover letter. Guidelines for resubmitting your figure files are available below the reviewer comments at the end of this letter.

If applicable, we recommend that you deposit your laboratory protocols in protocols.io to enhance the reproducibility of your results. Protocols.io assigns your protocol its own identifier (DOI) so that it can be cited independently in the future. For instructions see: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/s/submission-guidelines#loc-laboratory-protocols. Additionally, PLOS ONE offers an option for publishing peer-reviewed Lab Protocol articles, which describe protocols hosted on protocols.io. Read more information on sharing protocols at https://plos.org/protocols?utm_medium=editorial-email&utm_source=authorletters&utm_campaign=protocols.

We look forward to receiving your revised manuscript.

Kind regards,

Ram Kumar, Ph.D.

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

Journal Requirements:

Please review your reference list to ensure that it is complete and correct. If you have cited papers that have been retracted, please include the rationale for doing so in the manuscript text, or remove these references and replace them with relevant current references. Any changes to the reference list should be mentioned in the rebuttal letter that accompanies your revised manuscript. If you need to cite a retracted article, indicate the article’s retracted status in the References list and also include a citation and full reference for the retraction notice.

Additional Editor Comments:

Do bridge constructions affect dolphin use of space? Responses of Guiana dolphins from Ilhéus, Northeastern Brazil

I have critically perused the manuscript . Actually I am not in favour of a title in Interrogation; Interrogation is more often used for direct manipulation/experimental study

Howeevr for space use by dolphins there are several determinants including river water, morphometric flow patterns etc. Authors themselves explains in the text as “However, a single variable hardly explains habitat selection by dolphins [e.g. 4, 32,49].” Thus I would suggest a better title that could reflect this kind of study as follow:

“Effect of bridge constructions on dolphin use of space: A case study of Guiana dolphins from Ilhéus, Northeastern Brazil'

Or

"Responses of Guiana dolphins from Ilhéus Northeastern Brazil to bridge constructions"

Regarding the comments below

Authors misconstrued my comments i.e. Can the Ms be correlated with habitat shift of dolphins during Covid-19 lock down i.e. in contrary to bridge construction work (disturbance) undisturbed regime also affect home range of these river cetaceans.

I did not intend to mention the effect of Covid-19; as other studies have reported reduced human disturbance due to covid -19 lock down

Some such explanation about bankward shifting of Gangetic dolphins have been provided in following paper: COVID-19 lockdown affects zooplankton community structure in dolphin appearing site of the River Ganga at Patna_26_1 August 2023Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management 26(1):20-31

The comment does not suggest mentioning Covid -19 effects. Covid-19 did not directly affect any nonhuman animal, however the lockdown offered opportunity to study behavioural changes in wild lives in the absence of human activities. So the comment suggests Habitat shifting, space use/ food base etc. in relation to anthropogenic disturbances. I am still of the view that this will further strengthen the quality of the paper. Covid-19 lock down was considered as reduced anthropogenic pressure /activity /disturbance from river bank side and no motor boat activity, undoubtedly these are determinants of shifting of dolphin habitat.

The suggested paper has (i) presented data on food base of dolphin and habitat shifting as this manuscript directly explains the new opportunistic feeding area attracting dolphins. (ii) a probable spatial redistribution of feeding sites in lack of human activities during the lock down .

It may be kept in mind that the Covid -19 lockdown is just a means that facilitated negligible or lower human disturbance. Justifiably anthropogenic disturbance are the direct determinant not the Covid-19.

[Note: HTML markup is below. Please do not edit.]

[NOTE: If reviewer comments were submitted as an attachment file, they will be attached to this email and accessible via the submission site. Please log into your account, locate the manuscript record, and check for the action link "View Attachments". If this link does not appear, there are no attachment files.]

While revising your submission, please upload your figure files to the Preflight Analysis and Conversion Engine (PACE) digital diagnostic tool, https://pacev2.apexcovantage.com/. PACE helps ensure that figures meet PLOS requirements. To use PACE, you must first register as a user. Registration is free. Then, login and navigate to the UPLOAD tab, where you will find detailed instructions on how to use the tool. If you encounter any issues or have any questions when using PACE, please email PLOS at figures@plos.org. Please note that Supporting Information files do not need this step.

Response of Guiana dolphins to the construction of a bridge in Ilhéus, Northeastern Brazil

PONE-D-24-14912R2

Dear Yvonnick Le Pendu,,

We’re pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been judged scientifically suitable for publication and will be formally accepted for publication once it meets all outstanding technical requirements.

Within one week, you’ll receive an e-mail detailing the required amendments. When these have been addressed, you’ll receive a formal acceptance letter and your manuscript will be scheduled for publication.

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Kind regards,

Ram Kumar, Ph.D. D. Sc (H/C) 

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE