Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T15:32:08.540Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Seasonal and interannual variation of decapod larval abundance from two coastal locations in Scotland, UK

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2011

Maria Pan*
Affiliation:
INRB–IPIMAR, Avenida de Brasilia s/n, 1449-006, Lisbon, Portugal
Graham J. Pierce
Affiliation:
Oceanlab, University of Aberdeen, Main Street, Newburgh, Aberdeenshire, AB41 6AA, United Kingdom
Carey O. Cunningham
Affiliation:
INRB–IPIMAR, Avenida de Brasilia s/n, 1449-006, Lisbon, Portugal
Steve J. Hay
Affiliation:
INRB–IPIMAR, Avenida de Brasilia s/n, 1449-006, Lisbon, Portugal
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: M. Pan, INRB–IPIMAR, Avenida de Brasilia s/n, 1449-006, Lisbon, Portugal email: [email protected]

Abstract

The patterns of decapod larvae occurrence and abundance were studied from weekly time-series data of 8 years from Stonehaven (north-east Scotland) and 4 years and 8 months from Loch Ewe (north-west Scotland). The annual cycle observed was similar in the two locations and characterized by abundance peaks, the first in spring and another in the summer, extending into autumn. During the coldest months (December to February) decapod larvae were virtually absent in the plankton. Differences in abundance and occurrence of decapod larvae between locations and the influence of temperature, salinity and chlorophyll-a in the patterns observed, were analysed by generalized least-square functions. The results showed significant differences in the abundance of decapod larvae between locations, with higher larval abundances and an earlier appearance in the plankton in Loch Ewe (west coast). In Stonehaven (east coast), from 2003 onwards, a general increasing trend in the abundance of decapod larvae was observed, related to the increasing temperatures recorded at that site. The data demonstrate the high variability of decapod larval abundance on an annual basis and the high importance of temperature and chlorophyll-a to the occurrence and abundance of decapod larvae.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Anger, K. (2001) The biology of decapod crustacean larvae. Crustacean Issues, Volume 14. Rotterdam, The Netherlands: A.A. Balkema, 419 pp.Google Scholar
Bot, P.V.M., van Raaphorst, W., Batten, S., Laane, R.W.P.M., Philippart, K., Radach, G., Frohse, A., Schultz, H., van den Eynde, D. and Colijn, F. (1996) Comparison of changes in the annual variability of the seasonal cycles of chlorophyll, nutrients and zooplankton at eight locations on the north-west European continental shelf. German Journal of Hydrography 48, 349364.Google Scholar
Bourdillon-Casanova, L. (1960) Le méroplancton du Golfe de Marseille. Les larves de Crustacés Décapodes. Recueil des Travaux de la Station Marine d'Endoume 30, 1286.Google Scholar
Bresnan, E., Hay, S., Hughes, S.L., Fraser, S., Rasmussen, J., Webster, L., Slesser, G., Dunn, J. and Heath, M.R. (2009) Seasonal and interannual variation in the phytoplankton community in the north east of Scotland. Journal of Sea Research 61, 1725.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cameron, R.A. (1986) Introduction to the invertebrate larval biology workshop: a brief background. Bulletin of Marine Sciences 39, 145161.Google Scholar
Costlow, J.D. and Bookhout, C.G. (1969) Temperature and meroplankton. Chesapeake Science 10, 253255.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
dos Santos, A. (1999) Larvas de crustáceos decápodes ao largo da costa portuguesa. PhD thesis. Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal, 278 pp.Google Scholar
Fusté, X. (1982) Ciclo anual de las larvas de Crustáceos Decápodos de la costa de Barcelona. Investigaciones Pesqueras 46, 287303.Google Scholar
Kirby, R.R., Beaugrand, G., Lindley, J.A., Richardson, A.J., Edwards, M. and Reid, P.C. (2007) Climate effects and benthic–pelagic coupling in the North Sea. Marine Ecology Progress Series 330, 3138.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kirby, R.R., Beaugrand, G. and Lindley, J.A. (2008) Climate-induced effects on the meroplankton and the benthic–pelagic ecology of the North Sea. Limnology and Oceanography 53, 18051815.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lindley, J.A. (1987) Continuous plankton records: the geographical distribution and seasonal cycles of decapod crustacean larvae and pelagic post-larvae in the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, 1981–3. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 67, 145167.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lindley, J.A., Williams, R. and Hunt, H.G. (1993) Anomalous seasonal cycles of decapod crustacean larvae in the North Sea plankton in an abnormally warm year. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 172, 4765.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Otto, L., Zimmerman, J.T.F., Furnes, G.K., Mork, M., Saetre, R. and Becker, G. (1990) Review of the physical oceanography of the North Sea. Netherlands Journal of Sea Research 26, 161238.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pinheiro, J.C. and Bates, D.M. (2000) Mixed-effects models in S and S-Plus. New York: Springer Verlag, 528 pp.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Queiroga, H. and Blanton, J. (2005) Interactions between behaviour and physical forcing in the control of horizontal transport of decapod crustacean larvae. Advances in Marine Biology 47, 107214.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
R Development Core Team (2007) R: language and environment for statistical computing. Vienna: R Foundation for Statistical Computing. ISBN 3-900051-07-0, URL http://www.R-project.orgGoogle Scholar
Raymont, J.E.G. (1963) Plankton and productivity in the oceans. 2nd edition. Volume 2: Zooplankton. Oxford: Pergamon Press, 824 pp.Google Scholar
Rees, C.B. (1955) Continuous plankton records: the decapod larvae in the North Sea, 1950–1951. Bulletins of Marine Ecology 4, 6980.Google Scholar
Siokou-Frangou, I. (1996) Zooplankton annual cycle in a Mediterranean coastal area. Journal of Plankton Research 18, 203223.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Valdés, L. and Moral, M. (1998) Time-series analysis of copepod diversity and species richness in the southern Bay of Biscay off Santander, Spain, in relation to environmental conditions. ICES Journal of Marine Science 55, 783792.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Valdés, L., Álvarez-Ossorio, M.T. and González-Gurriarán, E. (1991) Influence of temperature on embryonic and larval development in Necora puber (Brachyura: Portunidae). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of United Kingdom 71, 787798.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zuur, A.F., Ieno, E.N., Walker, N., Saveliev, A.A. and Smith, G.M. (2008) Mixed effects models and extensions in ecology with R. New York: Springer, 530 pp.Google Scholar