Abstract
The distribution of total dry weight of zooplankton, copepod numbers and ichthyoplankton across the outer continental shelf in the central Great Barrier Reef was examined at bi-weekly intervals for three months over summer of 1983. Copepods were sampled (236 μm net) within 10 m of the surface and within 10 m of the bottom. Mean densities in surface waters decreased markedly from the mid-shelf to outer shelf and the Coral Sea, but no cross-shelf gradient occurred in the bottom-water. Densities of copepods on the mid-shelf (surface and bottom waters) and in bottom-waters of the outer shelf were typically ca. 400 m−3. Significantly lower densities (ca. 100 m−3) occurred in surface waters of the outer shelf, except during outbursts of Acartia australis, when densities in these waters differed little from those elsewhere on the shelf. In oceanic waters, 10 km from the outer shelf station, copepod densities in surface waters were ca. 40 m−3. Four of the five most abundant copepod taxa in surface waters, Paracalanus spp., Eucalanus crassus, Acrocalanus gracilis and Canthocalanus pauper, tended to be most abundant at the mid-shelf end of the transect. Acartia australis was sporadically very abundant in surface waters of the outer shelf, as was Paracalanus spp. in bottom-water of the outer shelf. An assemblage of Coral Sea species of copepod occurred in bottom-water of the outer shelf during two major intrusions, but not at other times. Densities of all common species varied considerably between cruises. Maximum densities of all common species except A. australis tended to be associated with diatom blooms linked to intrusions but a bloom did not necessarily mean all common species were abundant. Fish larvae included both reef and non-reef taxa, with reef taxa predominating on the outer shelf (approx 2:1 in density of individuals) and non-reef taxa dominating in nearshore samples (approx 2:1). Nine of the ten most abundant taxa analysed showed highly significant variation in numbers among stations and all but one of these also exhibited significant station x cruise interactions. Interactions generally reflected changes in the rank importance of adjacent stations from one cruise to the next or lack of any significant cross-shelf variation on some cruises where overall abundance of the taxa was low.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature cited
Abel, D. J., Williams, W. T., Williams, D. McB. (1985). A fast classificatory algorithm for large problems under the Bray-Curtis measure. J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 89: 237–245
Alldredge, A. L., King, J. M. (1977). Distribution, abundance, and substrate preferences of demersal reef zooplankton at Lizard Island Lagoon, Great Barrier Reef. Mar. Biol. 41: 317–333
Andrews, J. C. (1983a). Water masses, nutrient levels, and seasonal drift on the outer central Queensland shelf. Aust. J. mar. Freshwat. Res. 34: 821–834
Andrews, J. C. (1983b). Lagoon-ocean interactions. In: Baker, J. T., Carter, R. M., Sammarco, P. W., Stark, K. P. (eds.) Proceedings of Inaugural Great Barrier Reef Conference. JCU Press, Townsville, p. 403–408
Andrews, J. C., Furnas, M. J. (1986) Subsurface intrusions of Coral Sea water into the central Great Barrier Reef. I. Structures and shelf-scale dynamics. Contin. shelf Res. 6: 491–514
Andrews, J. C., Gentien, P. (1982) Upwelling as a source of nutrients for the Great Barrier Reef ecosystems: a solution to Darwin's question? Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 8: 257–269
Binet, D. (1984). Copépodes planctoniques du lagon de Nouvelle-Calédonie: facteurs écologiques et associations d'espèces. Mar. Biol. 82: 143–156
Bishop, S. S., Yoder, J. A., Paffenhöfer, G.-A. (1980). Phytoplankton and nutrient variability along a cross-shelf transect off Savannah, Georgia, USA. Estuar. cstl mar. Sci. 11: 359–368
Bjornberg, T. K. S. (1971). Distribution of plankton relative to the general circulation system in the area of the Caribbean Sea and adjacent regions. In: Symposium on Investigations and Resources of the Caribbean Sea and adjacent regions. UNESCO, Paris, p. 343–356
Bray, J. R., Curtis, J. T. (1957). An ordination of the upland forest communities of southern Wisconsin. Ecol. Monogr. 27: 325–349
Burr, E. J. (1970). Cluster sorting with mixed character types. II. Fusion strategies. Aust. Comput. J. 2: 98–103
Dagg, M. J., Turner, J. T. (1982). The impact of copepod grazing on the phytoplankton of Georges Bank and the New York Bight. Can. J. fish. aquat. Sciences 39: 979–990
Den Boer, P. J. (1968). Spreading of risk and stabilization of animal numbers. Acta biotheor. 18: 165–194
Dineson, Z. (1983). Patterns in the distribution of soft corals across the central Great Barrier Reef. Coral Reefs 1: 229–236
Doherty, P. J., Williams, D. McB. (1988). The replenishment of coral reef fish populations. Oceanogr. mar. Biol. A. Rev. 26: 487–551
Doherty, P. J., Williams, D. McB., Sale, P. F. (1985). The adaptive significance of larval dispersal in coral reef fishes. Envir. Biol. Fish. 12: 81–90
Done, T. J. (1982). Patterns in the distribution of coral communities across the central Great Barrier Reef. Coral Reefs 1: 95–108
Doty, M. S., Oguri, M. (1956). The island mass effect. J. Cons. perm. int. Explor. Mer 22: 33–37
Drew, E. A. (1983) Halimeda biomass, growth rates and sediment generation on reefs in the central Great Barrier Reef province. Coral Reefs 2: 101–110
Emery, A. E. (1968). Preliminary observations on coral reef plankton. Limnol. Oceanogr. 13: 293–303
Farran, G. P. (1949). The seasonal and vertical distribution of the copepods. Scient. Rep. Gt Barrier Reef Exped. 2: 291–312
Fleminger, A. (1959). Distribution of calanoid copepods in the Gulf of Mexico. In: Sears, M. (ed.) International Oceanographic Congress, 31 August-12 September, 1959: preprints of abstracts of papers to be presented at afternoon sessions. American Association for the Advancement of Science, Washington, D.C., p. 153–154
Fournier, R. O., Marra, J., Bohrer, R., Van Det, M. (1977). Plankton dynamics and nutrient enrichment of the Scotian Shelf. J. Fish. Res. Bd Can. 34: 1004–1018
Furnas, M. J., Mitchell, A. W. (1986). Phytoplankton dynamics in the Central Great Barrier Reef. I. Seasonal changes in biomass and community structure and their relation to intrusive activity. Contin. Shelf Res. 6: 363–384
Furnas, M. J., Mitchell, A. W. (1987). Phytoplankton dynamics in the Central Great Barrier Reef. II. Primary production. Contin. Shelf Res. 7: 1049–1062
Grice, G. D., Hart, A. D. (1962). The abundance, seasonal occurrence and distribution of the epizooplankton between New York and Bermuda. Ecol. Monogr. 32: 287–309
Hamner, W. M., Carleton, J. H. (1979). Copepod swarms: attributes and role in coral reef ecosystems. Limnol. Oceanogr. 24: 1–14
Hamner, W. M., Jones, M. S., Carleton, J. H., Hauri, I. R., Williams, D. McB. (1988). Zooplankton, planktivorous fish, and water currents on a windward reef face: Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Bull. mar. Sci. 42: 459–479
Hobson, E. S., Chess, J. R. (1978). Trophic relationships among fishes and plankton in the lagoon at Enewetak Atoll, Marshall Islands. Fish. Bull. U.S. 76: 133–153
Jenkins, G. P., Milward, N. E., Hartwick, R. F. (1984). Identification and description of larvae of Spanish mackerels, genus Scoberomorus (Teleostei: Scombridae), in shelf waters of the Great Barrier Reef. Aust. J. mar. Freshwat. Res. 35: 341–353
Johannes, R. E. (1978). Reproductive strategies of coastal marine fishes in the tropics. Envir. Biol. Fish. 3: 65–84
Kinsey, D. W. (1985). Metabolism, calcification and carbon production. I. Systems level studies. Proc. 5th int. coral Reef Congr. 2: 505–526 [Gabrie, C. et al. (eds.) Antenne Museum-EPHE, Moorea, French Polynesia]
Lance, G. N., Williams, W. T. (1977). Attribute contribution to a classification. Aust. Comput. J. 9: 128–129
Leis, J. M., Goldman, B. (1987). Composition and distribution of larval fish assemblages in the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon, near Lizard Island, Australia. Aust. J. mar. Freshwat. Res. 38: 211–223
Mackas, D. L., Sefton, H. A. (1982). Plankton species assemblages off southern Vancouver Island: geographic pattern and temporal variability. J. mar. Res. 40: 1173–1200
McEwen, G. F., Johnson, M. W., Folsom, T. R. (1954). A statistical analysis of the performance of the Folsom splitter, based upon test observations. Arch. Met. Geophys. Bioklim. (Ser. A) 7: 502–527
Milward, N. E., Hartwick, R. F. (1986). Temporal and spatial distribution of fish larvae across the continental shelf lagoon of the central Great Barrier Reef. In: Uyeno, T., Arai, R., Taniuchi, T., Matsura, K. (eds.) Indo-Pacific fish biology: Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Indo-Pacific Fishes. Ichthyological Society of Japan, Tokyo, p. 748–758
Moore, E., Sander, F. (1977). A study of the offshore zooplankton of the tropical western Atlantic near Barbados. Ophelia 16: 77–96
Moore, E., Sander, F. (1979). A comparative study of zooplankton from oceanic, shelf and harbor waters of Jamaica. Biotropica 11: 196–206
Munro, J. L., Gaut, V. C., Thompson, R., Reeson, P. H. (1973). The spawning seasons of Caribbean reef fishes. J. Fish Biol. 5: 69–84
Munro, J. L., Williams, D. McB. (1985). Assessment and management of coral reef fisheries: biological, environmental and socioeconomic aspects. Proc. 5th int. coral Reef Congr. 4: 544–581 [Gabrie, C. et al. (eds.) Antenne Museum — EPHE, Moorea, French Polynesia]
Paffenhöfer, G.-A. (1980). Zooplankton distribution as related to summer hydrographic conditions in Onslow Bay, North Carolina. Bull. mar. Sci. 30: 819–832
Peterson, W. T., Miller, C. B., Hutchinson, A. (1979). Zonation and maintenance of copepod populations in the Oregon upwelling zone. Deep-Sea Res. 26: 467–494
Qasim, S. Z. (1956). Time and duration of the spawning season in some marine teleosts in relation to their distribution. J. Cons. perm. int. Explor. Mer. 21: 144–155
Reddingus, J., Den Boer, P. J. (1970) Simulation experiments illustrating stabilisation of animal numbers by spreading of risk. Oecologia 5: 204–284
Russ, G. (1984a) A review of coral reef fisheries. Tech. Pap. mar. Sci. (U.N.E.S.C.O.) 27: 74–92
Russ, G. (1984b). Distribution and abundance of herbivorous grazing fishes in the central Great Barrier Reef. I. Levels of variability across the entire continental shelf. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 20: 23–34
Russell, G. C., Anderson, G. R. V., Talbot, F. H. (1977). Seasonality and recruitment of coral reef fishes. Aust. J. mar. Freshwat. Res. 28: 521–528
Sale, P. F. (1980). The ecology of fishes on coral reefs. Oceanogr. mar. Biol. A. Rev. 18: 367–421
Sale, P. F. (1984). The structure of communities of fish on coral reefs and the merit of a hypothesis-testing, manipulative approach to ecology. In: Strong, D. R., Simberloff, D., Abele, L. G., Thistle, A. B. (eds.) Ecological communities. Conceptual issues and the evidence. Princeton University Press, Princeton, p. 478–490
Sale, P. F., McWilliam, P. S., Anderson, D. T. (1976). Composition of the near-reef zooplankton at Heron Reef, Great Barrier Reef. Mar. Biol. 34: 59–66
Sammarco, P. W., Crenshaw, H. (1984). Plankton community dynamics of the central Great Barrier Reef lagoon: analysis of data from Ikeda et al. Mar. Biol. 82: 167–180
Sander, F., Steven, P. M. (1973). Organic productivity of inshore and offshore waters off Barbados: a study of the island mass effect. Bull. mar. Sci. 23: 771–792
Sokal, R. R., Rohlf, F. J. (1969). Biometry. The principles and practice of statistics in biological research. W. H. Freeman & Co., San Francisco
Tremblay, M. J., Roff, J. C. (1983) Community gradients in the Scotian shelf zooplankton. Can. J. Fish. aquat. Sciences 40: 598–611
Walsh, J. J., Whitledge, R. E., Barnevik, F. W., Wirick, C. D., Howe, S. O., Esais, W. E., Scott, J. T. (1978). Wind events and food chain dynamics within the New York Bight. Limnol. Oceanogr. 23: 659–683
Warner, R. R. (1984). Recent developments in the ecology of tropical reef fishes. Arch. Fisch Wiss. 35: 43–53
Wilkinson, C. R., Trott, L. A. (1985). Light as a factor determining the distribution of sponges across the central Great Barrier Reef. Proc. 5th int. coral Reef Congr. 2: 125–130 [Gabrie, C. et al. (eds.) Antenne Museum — EPHE, Moorea, French Polynesia]
Wilkinson, C. R., Williams, D. McB., Sammarco, P. W., Hogg, R. W., Trott, L. A. (1984). Rates of nitrogen fixation on coral reefs across the continental shelf of the central Great Barrier Reef. Mar. Biol. 80: 255–262
Williams, D. McB. (1982). Patterns in the distribution of fish communities across the central Great Barrier Reef. Coral Reefs 1: 35–43
Williams, D. McB., Hatcher, A. I. (1983). Structure of fish communities on outer slopes of inshore, mid-shelf and outer-shelf reefs of the Great Barrier Reef. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 10: 239–250
Williams, W. T. (1971). Principles of clustering. A. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 2: 203–326
Winer, B. (1971). Statistical principles in experimental design, 2nd ed. McGraw-Hill, New York
Young, P. C., Leis, J. M., Hausfeld, H. F. (1986). Seasonal and spatial distribution of fish larvae in waters over the North West Continental shelf of Western Australia. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 31: 209–222
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Contribution No. 422 from the Australian Institute of Marine Science
Communicated by G. F. Humphrey, Sydney
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Williams, D.M., Dixon, P. & English, S. Cross-shelf distribution of copepods and fish larvae across the central Great Barrier Reef. Mar. Biol. 99, 577–589 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00392565
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00392565