Data assimilation reveals behavioral dynamics of sea cucumbers as a model for slow-moving benthic animals

Understanding the movement behavior of Japanese sea cucumbers (Apostichopus japonicus) is essential for ecological research and fisheries management. However, tracking their locomotion is challenging due to their slow movement and environmental variability. In this study, we employed acoustic telemetry combined with a data assimilation approach using the Kalman filter to estimate movement trajectories with high accuracy, overcoming the limitations of traditional visual tracking methods. To characterize movement complexity, we applied fractal dimension analysis, quantifying the randomness and variability of individual locomotion across different environmental conditions. Additionally, we examined the influence of key environmental factors, including water temperature, diel cycles, and boulder presence, using Generalized Linear Models (GLM). The results indicate that during the growing stage, higher water temperatures significantly increased movement activity, while boulder zones influenced movement differently depending on the season. This study also provides long-term tracking data on released sea cucumbers, offering new insights into their settlement and dispersal patterns. By combining acoustic telemetry, data assimilation, fractal analysis, and statistical modeling, we established a framework to investigate the behavioral dynamics of slow-moving benthic organisms. These findings enhance our understanding of sea cucumber ecology and provide a quantitative framework for future studies on marine invertebrate movement.