Fickian Transport and the Dispersal of Fish Larvae in Estuaries

1982 ◽  
Vol 39 (8) ◽  
pp. 1150-1163 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Fortier ◽  
W. C. Leggett
Keyword(s):  
Vertical Distribution ◽  
Fish Larvae ◽  
Sampling Period ◽  
Clupea Harengus ◽  
Tidal Mixing ◽  
Larval Abundance ◽  
Lawrence Estuary ◽  
Larval Stages ◽  
Diel Vertical Migrations ◽  
Average Size

We studied the regulation of ichthyoplankton dispersion in the two-layer circulation of the St. Lawrence upper estuary by determining larval abundance and vertical distribution during high frequency sampling at three stations in May, June, and July, 1979. Monthly variations in capelin (Mallotus villosus) and Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus harengus) abundance were in agreement with the seasonal trends previously reported. Capelin larvae were concentrated in the surface layer, a situation which resulted in seaward drift. No significant growth was observed over the 60-d sampling period indicating continuous recruitment to, and removal from, the sampling area. Herring larvae were concentrated in the deep layer and were carried landward. The average size of herring larvae increased from the downstream to the upstream stations. Short-term fluctuations in the abundance and vertical distribution of the two species were interpreted in terms of the Fickian representation of transport for partially mixed estuaries. The major source of variation in abundance, at a given station, was the tidal advection of horizontal gradients. Capelin larvae and herring larvae smaller than 10 mm did not actively cross the pycnocline and were not submitted to the diffusive effect of the vertical current shear. The dispersal of these larvae was apparently passive. Herring larvae larger than 10 mm performed diel vertical migrations across the pycnocline and were dispersed in the horizontal plane at a faster rate than a passive contaminant of the environment. We conclude that the Fickian approach can be profitably applied to studies of dispersal and mortality of early larval stages of fish in estuaries.Key words: ichthyoplankton, St. Lawrence estuary, dispersion, transport, vertical distribution, diel migrations, variability, abundance, tidal mixing, Fickian

Vertical Migrations and Transport of Larval Fish in a Partially Mixed Estuary

1983 ◽  
Vol 40 (10) ◽  
pp. 1543-1555 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Fortier ◽  
W. C. Leggett
Keyword(s):  
Vertical Distribution ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Larval Fish ◽  
Fish Larvae ◽  
Longitudinal Velocity ◽  
Clupea Harengus ◽  
Vertical Position ◽  
Diel Vertical Migrations ◽  
Clupea Harengus Harengus ◽  
The Vertical Distribution

The effect of diel or semidiurnal vertical migrations on the horizontal dispersal of fish larvae in a partially mixed estuary, and the external stimuli triggering these migrations, were investigated. The vertical distribution of ichthyoplankton and microzooplankton was estimated at 1-h intervals for 129 h, at a fixed station of the St. Lawrence upper estuary. With increasing length, capelin (Mallotus villosus) larvae congregated closer to the surface. This resulted in a length-dependent acceleration of the seaward drift of this species. Larger capelin developed a weak but significant pattern of diel vertical migrations limited to the surface (0–20 m) layer. The average vertical position of early postlarval Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus harengus) was close to the depth of null longitudinal velocity. Vertical migrations about this average level followed a semidiurnal cycle which brought the postlarvae toward the surface during flood. This synchronization minimized seaward tidal drift linked to incursions within the surface layer. The large-scale cyclonic circulation prevailing at depth appears responsible for the maintenance of early postlarval herring in the upper estuary. Both the average depth and the semidiurnal migrations of this species were closely related to the vertical distribution of prey.

scholarly journals Coral reef fish populations can persist without immigration

2015 ◽  
Vol 282 (1819) ◽  
pp. 20151311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Océane C. Salles ◽  
Jeffrey A. Maynard ◽  
Marc Joannides ◽  
Corentin M. Barbu ◽  
Pablo Saenz-Agudelo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Reef Fish ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Fish Larvae ◽  
Sampling Period ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Island Population ◽  
Larval Stages ◽  
Empirical Estimates ◽  
Annual Mortality

Determining the conditions under which populations may persist requires accurate estimates of demographic parameters, including immigration, local reproductive success, and mortality rates. In marine populations, empirical estimates of these parameters are rare, due at least in part to the pelagic dispersal stage common to most marine organisms. Here, we evaluate population persistence and turnover for a population of orange clownfish, Amphiprion percula , at Kimbe Island in Papua New Guinea. All fish in the population were sampled and genotyped on five occasions at 2-year intervals spanning eight years. The genetic data enabled estimates of reproductive success retained in the same population (reproductive success to self-recruitment), reproductive success exported to other subpopulations (reproductive success to local connectivity), and immigration and mortality rates of sub-adults and adults. Approximately 50% of the recruits were assigned to parents from the Kimbe Island population and this was stable through the sampling period. Stability in the proportion of local and immigrant settlers is likely due to: low annual mortality rates and stable egg production rates, and the short larval stages and sensory capacities of reef fish larvae. Biannual mortality rates ranged from 0.09 to 0.55 and varied significantly spatially. We used these data to parametrize a model that estimated the probability of the Kimbe Island population persisting in the absence of immigration. The Kimbe Island population was found to persist without significant immigration. Model results suggest the island population persists because the largest of the subpopulations are maintained due to having low mortality and high self-recruitment rates. Our results enable managers to appropriately target and scale actions to maximize persistence likelihood as disturbance frequencies increase.

scholarly journals Shoreline configurations affect dispersal patterns of fish larvae in a large river

2013 ◽  
Vol 71 (4) ◽  
pp. 930-942 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron Lechner ◽  
Hubert Keckeis ◽  
Elisabeth Schludermann ◽  
Franz Loisl ◽  
Paul Humphries ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fish Larvae ◽  
Local Population ◽  
Sampling Period ◽  
Large River ◽  
Main Channel ◽  
Dispersal Patterns ◽  
Larval Stages ◽  
Nursery Habitats ◽  
Chondrostoma Nasus ◽  
Gravel Bar

Abstract The dispersal patterns of marked larvae of the nase carp (Chondrostoma nasus L.) were observed alongside dissimilar shoreline configurations in the main channel of the free-flowing Austrian Danube and compared with those of floating particles to investigate the mode of dispersal (active–passive). Individuals of different larval stages and floats at similar densities were released at an artificial rip-rap with groynes and a rehabilitated gravel bar. In both habitats, marked individuals were recaptured during the sampling period of 4 d after release. Relevant shoreline attributes for larval dispersal, such as the accessibility of nursery habitats, connectivity between adjacent habitats, and retention potential, were more pronounced at the gravel bar than at the rip-rap. At the gravel bar, larvae moved upstream and downstream within the connected bankside nurseries and displayed longer residence times. Larvae settled in groyne fields along the rip-rap as well; however, longitudinal dispersal was disrupted by groynes, forcing larvae to enter the main channel. Rather than settling in subsequent groyne fields, we assume that these larvae are displaced downstream and potentially lost from the local population.

La répartition horizontale et verticale des larves de homard (Homarus americanus) autour des îles de la Madeleine, golfe du Saint-Laurent

1986 ◽  
Vol 43 (11) ◽  
pp. 2164-2176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christiane Hudon ◽  
Pierre Fradette ◽  
Pierre Legendre
Keyword(s):  
Vertical Distribution ◽  
General Pattern ◽  
Stage Iv ◽  
Homarus Americanus ◽  
Stage I ◽  
Larval Abundance ◽  
Larval Stages ◽  
Vertical Distributions ◽  
Horizontal And Vertical Distributions ◽  
La Madeleine

Thirty-nine stations localized around the eastern tip of the Îles de la Madeleine, in two lagoons, and in the baie de Plaisance were sampled using plankton net tows during the summers of 1978, 1980, and 1981. The horizontal and vertical distributions of each of the four larval stages of Homarus americanus were assessed from sets of surface tows using simple neuston and meter nets (1978 and 1980) as well as a three-compartment plankton net (1981). Most of the stage I larval production takes place in the northeast and southeast regions. However, the abundance of stage IV larvae is low in the southeast and almost nil in the northeast. By contrast, the baie de Plaisance harbors very few stage I larvae, but a very high proportion of stage III and IV larvae. The periods of first appearance and maximum abundance are also out of phase for the three regions, occurring in the northeast before the southeast and the baie de Plaisance. These results suggest that the general pattern of abundance of larvae is driven by the current regime, flushing the larvae around the Pointe de l'Est and concentrating them in the baie de Plaisance following a gyre. On a smaller scale, 12 stations arranged in a 3 × 4 grid in the baie de Plaisance were sampled for 12 wk in the summer of 1980. The first three larval stages show a strongly aggregated distribution and are most frequent at the mouth of the bay. Conversely, stage IV larvae are found more frequently in the shore stations and inside the bay. There is a significant correlation between stage IV larval abundance and the distance to rocky bottoms favorable to benthic life. The vertical distribution of larvae at two stations (1981) shows that only the stage I larvae have a vertical distribution related to light intensity, being found in highest abundance in the surface layer (0–0.8 m) at dusk and dawn. Stage I larvae were uniformly distributed between 0 and 1.6 m during the day and down to 2.4 m at night. Stage II, III, and IV larvae were always found near the surface.

scholarly journals Small-scale spatio-temporal variability in ichthyoplankton and zooplankton distribution in relation to a tidal-mixing front in the Irish Sea

2005 ◽  
Vol 62 (6) ◽  
pp. 1021-1036 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Lee ◽  
R.D.M. Nash ◽  
B.S. Danilowicz
Keyword(s):  
Temporal Dynamics ◽  
Fish Larvae ◽  
Sampling Period ◽  
Tidal Mixing ◽  
Irish Sea ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Surface Salinity ◽  
Average Value ◽  
Tidal Mixing Front ◽  
Spatio Temporal

Abstract This study examines the spatio-temporal dynamics of fish larvae and their prey at a tidal-mixing front in the central Irish Sea. The distribution of ichthyoplankton and zooplankton was analysed in relation to environmental variables (depth, surface temperature, surface salinity, and water column stratification) using Redundancy Analysis (RDA). Significant interannual variability in the formation and position of the tidal-mixing front coincided with large differences in the species abundances of both ichthyoplankton and zooplankton. During the summer, ichthyoplankton and zooplankton communities were structured by a combination of depth and hydrography, and the variability in species composition was directly related to the average value of the stratification parameter. Several ichthyoplankton species were consistently associated with frontal waters, while fewer species were concentrated in mixed water masses throughout the sampling period. The distribution of individual zooplankton species was also examined, and water mass affinities were shown to vary with developmental stage.

Larval Herring (Clupea harengus) Dispersion, Growth, and Survival in the St, Lawrence Estuary: Match/Mismatch or Membership/Vagrancy?

1990 ◽  
Vol 47 (10) ◽  
pp. 1898-1912 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louis Fortier ◽  
Jacques A. Gagné
Keyword(s):  
Food Availability ◽  
Larval Fish ◽  
Clupea Harengus ◽  
Larval Abundance ◽  
Initial Growth ◽  
Lawrence Estuary ◽  
Growth And Survival ◽  
Relative Contribution ◽  
St Lawrence Estuary

The relative success of the 1985 spring and fall cohorts of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) in the St. Lawrence estuary was studied in relation to food availability (match/mismatch hypothesis) and hydrography (member/vagrant hypothesis). The development of the spring cohort (early June) matched remarkably well the development of suitable prey and larval abundance within the estuary decreased slowly (7.8%∙d−1). The fall cohort (mid-September) hatched in a period of low food availability and dwindled rapidly (28.9%∙d−1). The initial growth of both cohorts appeared limited by food. The stratification front limiting seaward drift was strong in the spring (0–80 j∙m−3) and weak in the fall (0–20 J∙m−3), suggesting that advection out of the estuary could also have contributed to the observed differences in the fate of the two cohorts. We conclude from this case study that spawning times and locations may have evolved to favor the initial cohesion of larval fish cohorts by limiting dispersion and that both transport and energetic processes can influence the success of a population at colonizing its dispersion area. The relative contribution of initial vagrancy and subsequent trophic interactions in determining final recruitment remains to be assessed.

Feeding behaviour of larval Ambystoma mexicanum

2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 509-517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego de Jesus Chaparro-Herrera ◽  
S. Nandini ◽  
S.S.S. Sarma ◽  
Luis Zambrano
Keyword(s):  
Prey Species ◽  
Fish Larvae ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Ambystoma Mexicanum ◽  
Larval Stages ◽  
Conservation Effort ◽  
Consistent Increase ◽  
Zooplankton Consumption ◽  
Oviparous Fish ◽  
Heterocypris Incongruens

Abstract The Axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum, endemic to the freshwater lakes, Xochimilco and Chalco in Mexico City, feeds on zooplankton during its larval stages. We evaluated the functional response over eight weeks of A. mexicanum fed different prey items found in its natural habitat (rotifers: Brachionus havanaensis, B. calyciflorus, B. rubens and Plationus patulus; cladocerans: Moina macrocopa, Macrothrix triserialis, Alona glabra and Simocephalus vetulus; and ostracods: Heterocypris incongruens). Zooplankton consumption by A. mexicanum varied in relation to the prey species and age of the larvae. Unlike oviparous fish larvae which often feed preferentially on rotifers in the first few weeks, A. mexicanum larvae fed more on cladocerans and ostracods. Among the cladocerans offered, larval A. mexicanum consumed higher numbers of M. triserialis and M. macrocopa. Feeding on the largest cladoceran tested, S. vetulus, increased after the fifth week. There was a consistent increase in the number of ostracods Heterocypris incongruens, consumed with age, from 4 to 169 prey per larva over eight weeks. The results are discussed with relation to the importance of zooplankton diet in conservation effort of this endangered species in Lake Xochimilco.

scholarly journals ANALYSIS OF THE VERTICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE ABUNDANCE OF SMALL PELAGIC FISH LARVAE IN THE GULF OF CALIFORNIA USING SUBMARINE VIDEOCAMERAS

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 153
Author(s):  
G. Aceves-Medina ◽  
C. J. Robinson ◽  
R. Palomares-García ◽  
J. Gómez-Gutierrez
Keyword(s):  
Vertical Distribution ◽  
Gulf Of California ◽  
Fish Larvae ◽  
Pelagic Fish ◽  
Small Pelagic Fish ◽  
Sardinops Sagax ◽  
Etrumeus Teres ◽  
Engraulis Mordax ◽  
The Vertical Distribution

Análisis de la distribucion vertical de la abundancia de larvas de peces pelágicos menores en el Golfo de California mediante videocámaras submarinas Se utilizaron dos tipos de videocámaras submarinas para estudiar la distribución y abundancia vertical de larvas de los peces pelágicos menores Engraulis mordax, Etrumeus teres y Sardinops sagax a 1 m de resolución, en una localidad en el norte del Golfo de California con condiciones de calma y alta densidad de sardinas adultas. La mayor abundancia promedio (900 larvas m -1 min -1 ) se encontró inmediatamente arriba de la termoclina (33 m) y la picnoclina (36 m), aparentemente no asociada al máximo de clorofila detectado en superficie, ni a la mayor densidad de peces adultos (10 -20 m). Las observaciones con video permitieron determinar la distribución vertical a una resolución imposible de obtener mediante muestreos con redes; sin embargo, esta es una técnica poco útil en zonas con elevada velocidad de las corrientes.

Dispersion and Retention of Anadromous Rainbow Smelt (Osmerus mordax) Larvae in the Middle Estuary of the St. Lawrence River

1985 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 332-341 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Quellet ◽  
Julian J. Dodson
Keyword(s):  
Water Mass ◽  
High Tide ◽  
Horizontal Distribution ◽  
Circulation System ◽  
Larval Abundance ◽  
Osmerus Mordax ◽  
Rainbow Smelt ◽  
Lawrence Estuary ◽  
Middle Estuary ◽  
St Lawrence River

The vertical and horizontal distribution of anadromous rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) larvae from hatching in their natal river to their occupation of nursery areas in the middle estuary of the St. Lawrence River was documented to describe the mechanism responsible for the retention of smelt larvae in this area. Peaks of larval abundance observed downstream of the spawning grounds indicate a 24-h periodicity in hatching and the introduction of larvae into the riverine circulation. No retention of larvae was observed between the spawning ground and the downstream portion of the natal river. Our evidence indicates daytime accumulation of larvae at the mouth of the natal river, possibly resulting from the negative phototaxis exhibited by small smelt larvae. Patches of smelt larvae were incorporated into the St. Lawrence estuarine water mass once every 24 h at night following high tide. The subsequent downstream transport of larvae in the St. Lawrence estuary appears slower than the advection of the water mass due to the tendency of larvae to remain deeper in the water column during ebb tides and to concentrate near the surface during flood tides. Smelt larvae are transported from the south shore to the partially mixed northern portion of the middle estuary which represents the principal zone of larval smelt accumulation. We propose that the vertical displacements exhibited by smelt larvae in combination with the two-layer circulation system of the northern middle estuary results in the retention of smelt larvae in this region.

Ichthyoplankton of the St. Lawrence Estuary: Composition, Distribution, and Abundance

1978 ◽  
Vol 35 (12) ◽  
pp. 1518-1531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth W. Able
Keyword(s):  
Key Words ◽  
Sampling Period ◽  
Nursery Area ◽  
Composition Distribution ◽  
Lawrence Estuary ◽  
Demersal Eggs ◽  
June July ◽  
Saguenay River ◽  
St Lawrence Estuary ◽  
Eggs And Larvae

The composition, distribution, and abundance of ichthyoplankton in the St. Lawrence estuary, including adjacent portions of the Saguenay River and the northwestern Gulf of St. Lawrence, were investigated during June–July 1973, June–October 1974, and May–September 1975. The eggs and larvae of 25 species from 14 families (principally osmerids, gadids, cottids, cyclopterids, and pleuronectids) were represented. The larvae, in every year, were almost exclusively forms with demersal eggs. Larvae were consistently more abundant in the upper estuary during every sampling period due to its use as a major spawning and nursery area for several species. Both eggs and larvae were most abundant in June and July. Probable spawning times, areas, and growth of larvae are discussed for selected species. Key words: ichthyoplankton, St. Lawrence estuary, distribution, larvae, osmerids, gadids, cottids, cyclopterids, pleuronectids

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