Tidal activity rhythms and depth distribution of rocky shore fish in an altered intertidal environment
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Abstract
In this note we report on changes of activity level of littoral fish and their use of different microhabitats in an altered intertidal environment, where intertidal fish are never emersed and turbulence is confined to high tides. Despite these atypical conditions, the structure of the assemblage is basically the same found in a typical rocky-shore situation. Two intertidal fish known to possess internal tidal rhythms, Lipophrys pholis and Coryphoblennius galerita, retain those rhythms in these altered conditions, and the associated social changes in L. pholis are also retained. These observations support the studies of Gibson (1971), who showed that changes in hydrostatic pressure were of prime importance in keeping the tidal rhythm entrained. The subtidal Parablennius pilicornis, on the contrary, is more active during low tide than at high tide. The hypothesis that some subtidal species are excluded from the intertidal by a turbulence-avoiding mechanism is discussed.
Keywords
Tidal rhythms Rocky-shore fish Depth distribution BlenniidaeNotes
Acknowledgements
Part of this study was supported by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) within the Plurianual Program (UI&D 331/94, partially FEDER funded) and by FCT and FEDER within the project POCTI/BSE/46825/2002. C.F. was also supported by a grant from FCT (SFRH/BPD/14478/2003). We thank C. Silva who helped with the field work.
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