@article{fdi:010091559, title = {{C}ontrasting ecological information content in whaling archives with modern cetacean surveys for conservation planning and identification of historical distribution changes}, author = {{L}etessier, {T}.{B}. and {M}annocci, {L}aura and {G}oodwin, {B}. and {E}mbling, {C}. and {D}e {V}os, {A}. and {A}nderson, {R}.{C}. and {I}ngram, {S}.{N}. and {R}ogan, {A}. and {T}urvey, {S}.{T}.}, editor = {}, language = {{ENG}}, abstract = {{M}any species are restricted to a marginal or suboptimal fraction of their historical range due to anthropogenic impacts, making it hard to interpret their ecological preferences from modern-day data alone. {H}owever, inferring past ecological states is limited by the availability of robust data and biases in historical archives, posing a challenge for policy makers . {T}o highlight how historical records can be used to understand the ecological requirements of threatened species and inform conservation, we investigated sperm whale ({P}hyseter macrocephalus) distribution in the {W}estern {I}ndian {O}cean. {W}e assessed differences in information content and habitat suitability predictions based on whale occurrence data from {Y}ankee whaling logs (1792-1912) and from modern cetacean surveys (1995-2020). {W}e built maximum entropy habitat suitability models containing static (bathymetry-derived) variables to compare models comprising historical-only and modern-only data. {U}sing both historical and modern habitat suitability predictions we assessed marine protected area ({MPA}) placement by contrasting suitability in- and outside {MPA}s. {T}he historical model predicted high habitat suitability in shelf and coastal regions near continents and islands, whereas the modern model predicted a less coastal distribution with high habitat suitability more restricted to areas of steep topography. {T}he proportion of high habitat suitability inside versus outside {MPA}s was higher when applying the historical predictions than the modern predictions, suggesting that different marine spatial planning optimums can be reached from either data sources. {M}oreover, differences in relative habitat suitability predictions between eras were consistent with the historical depletion of sperm whales from coastal regions, which were easily accessed and targeted by whalers, resulting in a modern distribution limited more to steep continental margins and remote oceanic ridges. {T}he use of historical data can provide important new insights and, through cautious interpretation, inform conservation planning and policy, for example, by identifying refugee species and regions of anticipated population recovery.}, keywords = {{OCEAN} {INDIEN}}, booktitle = {}, journal = {{C}onservation {B}iology}, volume = {37}, numero = {3}, pages = {e14043 [15 ]}, ISSN = {0888-8892}, year = {2023}, DOI = {10.1111/cobi.14043}, URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010091559}, }