Large-scale ichthyoplankton and water mass distribution along the South Brazil Shelf.
Ichthyoplankton is an essential component of pelagic ecosystems, and environmental factors play an important role in determining its distribution. We have investigated simultaneous latitudinal and cross-shelf gradients in ichthyoplankton abundance to test the hypothesis that the large-scale distribu...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2014-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3948790?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1828384846020345856 |
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| author | Luis Carlos Pinto de Macedo-Soares Carlos Alberto Eiras Garcia Andrea Santarosa Freire José Henrique Muelbert |
| author_facet | Luis Carlos Pinto de Macedo-Soares Carlos Alberto Eiras Garcia Andrea Santarosa Freire José Henrique Muelbert |
| author_sort | Luis Carlos Pinto de Macedo-Soares |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ichthyoplankton is an essential component of pelagic ecosystems, and environmental factors play an important role in determining its distribution. We have investigated simultaneous latitudinal and cross-shelf gradients in ichthyoplankton abundance to test the hypothesis that the large-scale distribution of fish larvae in the South Brazil Shelf is associated with water mass composition. Vertical plankton tows were collected between 21°27' and 34°51'S at 107 stations, in austral late spring and early summer seasons. Samples were taken with a conical-cylindrical plankton net from the depth of chlorophyll maxima to the surface in deep stations, or from 10 m from the bottom to the surface in shallow waters. Salinity and temperature were obtained with a CTD/rosette system, which provided seawater for chlorophyll-a and nutrient concentrations. The influence of water mass on larval fish species was studied using Indicator Species Analysis, whereas environmental effects on the distribution of larval fish species were analyzed by Distance-based Redundancy Analysis. Larval fish species were associated with specific water masses: in the north, Sardinella brasiliensis was found in Shelf Water; whereas in the south, Engraulis anchoita inhabited the Plata Plume Water. At the slope, Tropical Water was characterized by the bristlemouth Cyclothone acclinidens. The concurrent analysis showed the importance of both cross-shelf and latitudinal gradients on the large-scale distribution of larval fish species. Our findings reveal that ichthyoplankton composition and large-scale spatial distribution are determined by water mass composition in both latitudinal and cross-shelf gradients. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T05:10:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2f73abdb088c4097bad03f90f3eb17ee |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T05:10:24Z |
| publishDate | 2014-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-2f73abdb088c4097bad03f90f3eb17ee2022-12-22T02:01:07ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032014-01-0193e9124110.1371/journal.pone.0091241Large-scale ichthyoplankton and water mass distribution along the South Brazil Shelf.Luis Carlos Pinto de Macedo-SoaresCarlos Alberto Eiras GarciaAndrea Santarosa FreireJosé Henrique MuelbertIchthyoplankton is an essential component of pelagic ecosystems, and environmental factors play an important role in determining its distribution. We have investigated simultaneous latitudinal and cross-shelf gradients in ichthyoplankton abundance to test the hypothesis that the large-scale distribution of fish larvae in the South Brazil Shelf is associated with water mass composition. Vertical plankton tows were collected between 21°27' and 34°51'S at 107 stations, in austral late spring and early summer seasons. Samples were taken with a conical-cylindrical plankton net from the depth of chlorophyll maxima to the surface in deep stations, or from 10 m from the bottom to the surface in shallow waters. Salinity and temperature were obtained with a CTD/rosette system, which provided seawater for chlorophyll-a and nutrient concentrations. The influence of water mass on larval fish species was studied using Indicator Species Analysis, whereas environmental effects on the distribution of larval fish species were analyzed by Distance-based Redundancy Analysis. Larval fish species were associated with specific water masses: in the north, Sardinella brasiliensis was found in Shelf Water; whereas in the south, Engraulis anchoita inhabited the Plata Plume Water. At the slope, Tropical Water was characterized by the bristlemouth Cyclothone acclinidens. The concurrent analysis showed the importance of both cross-shelf and latitudinal gradients on the large-scale distribution of larval fish species. Our findings reveal that ichthyoplankton composition and large-scale spatial distribution are determined by water mass composition in both latitudinal and cross-shelf gradients.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3948790?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Luis Carlos Pinto de Macedo-Soares Carlos Alberto Eiras Garcia Andrea Santarosa Freire José Henrique Muelbert Large-scale ichthyoplankton and water mass distribution along the South Brazil Shelf. PLoS ONE |
| title | Large-scale ichthyoplankton and water mass distribution along the South Brazil Shelf. |
| title_full | Large-scale ichthyoplankton and water mass distribution along the South Brazil Shelf. |
| title_fullStr | Large-scale ichthyoplankton and water mass distribution along the South Brazil Shelf. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Large-scale ichthyoplankton and water mass distribution along the South Brazil Shelf. |
| title_short | Large-scale ichthyoplankton and water mass distribution along the South Brazil Shelf. |
| title_sort | large scale ichthyoplankton and water mass distribution along the south brazil shelf |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3948790?pdf=render |
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