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Seasonal Factors Influencing Copepod Abundance in the Maryland Coastal Bays

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Abstract

Maryland Coastal Bays differ in hydrography from river-dominated estuaries because of limited freshwater inflow from tributary creeks and more marine influence. Consequently, the copepod community structure may be different from that of the coastal ocean and river-dominated estuaries in the mid-Atlantic region. A 2-year study was conducted to describe copepod species composition and seasonal patterns in abundance and factors influencing the community structure. Seven copepod genera, Acartia, Centropages, Pseudodiaptomus, Parvocalanus, Eurytemora, Oithona, and Temora, in addition to harpacticoids were found. The copepod community was dominated by Acartia spp. (64%), followed by Centropages spp. (30%), unlike in river-dominated estuaries in the region where the copepod community is usually dominated by Acartia spp. followed by Eurytemora affinis. Acartia tonsa was the most abundant in summer and fall whereas Centropages spp., Temora sp., Oithona similis, E. affinis, and harpacticoids were most abundant in winter and early spring. Parvocalanus crassirostris and Pseudodiaptomus pelagicus were present in fall and winter but at relatively low densities. The highest mean density of copepods occurred in winter 2012 (36,437 m−3) and the lowest in spring 2013 (347 m−3). Low densities occurred through early summer (614 m−3) coinciding with peak spawning by bay anchovy (Anchoa mitchilli). Bottom-up control via low phytoplankton biomass coupled with top-down control by ctenophores (Mnemiopsis sp.), mysids (Neomysis americana), and bay anchovy was probably responsible for the low copepod densities in spring and early summer. Temperature and salinity were also important factors that influenced the seasonal patterns of copepod species occurrence. The observed seasonal differences in the abundance of copepods have important implications for planktivorous fishes as they may experience lower growth rates and survival due to food limitation in spring/early summer when copepod densities are relatively low than in late summer/fall when copepod abundance is higher.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by NSF grant # 103658 to CREST–Center for the Integrated Study of Coastal Ecosystem Processes and Dynamics in the Mid-Atlantic Region at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, and in part by the NOAA Educational Partnership Program grant # NA11SEC4810002. We would like to thank Jamie Pierson for his valuable comments on the earlier draft of this work and Capt. Christopher Daniels (Boat captain), Andres Morales-Nunez, Kingsley Nkeng, Chinwe Otuya, Abena Okyere Acheampong, and Jessica Mazile for help with collection and enumeration of plankton samples. We also thank the anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments on the manuscript. Mysid data were provided by Ejiroghene Mayor, and bay anchovy data were provided by Steve B. Doctor, Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

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  1. NSF CREST-Center for the Integrated Study of Coastal Ecosystem Processes and Dynamics in the Mid-Atlantic Region, and NOAA Living Marine Resources Cooperative Science Center, Department of Natural Sciences, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, MD, 21853, USA

    Efeturi U. Oghenekaro, Paulinus Chigbu & Ozuem F. Oseji

  2. Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK

    Kam W. Tang

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  1. Efeturi U. Oghenekaro
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  2. Paulinus Chigbu
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  3. Ozuem F. Oseji
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Correspondence to Paulinus Chigbu.

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Communicated by David G. Kimmel

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Oghenekaro, E.U., Chigbu, P., Oseji, O.F. et al. Seasonal Factors Influencing Copepod Abundance in the Maryland Coastal Bays. Estuaries and Coasts 41, 495–506 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-017-0285-3

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