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Vertical distribution of bivalve larvae along a cross-shelf transect during summer upwelling and downwelling

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Abstract

Previous time-series studies of meroplankton abundances in the LEO-15 research area off Tuckerton, New Jersey, USA (39°28′N, 74°15′W) indicated short-lived (6–12 h) pulses in larval surfclam (Spisula solidissima Dillwyn) concentration often associated with the initiation of downwelling. To examine possible larval surfclam (and other bivalve) concentrating mechanisms during upwelling and downwelling, six sets of adaptive mobile zooplankton pump samples were taken in July 1998 at different depths at five to six stations along a 25-km transect perpendicular to the coastline and crossing Beach Haven Ridge at LEO-15. Sampling was guided by near real-time, satellite imagery of sea surface temperature overlain by sea surface currents from a shore-based ocean surface current radar (OSCR) unit. A Seabird CTD on the mobile pump frame near the intake provided information on thermocline depth, and sampling depths were adjusted according to the temperature profiles. Near shore, the thermocline was tilted down during downwelling, and up during upwelling. The highest concentrations of surfclam larvae occurred near the bottom at a station near Beach Haven Ridge during downwelling, and just above the thermocline 3 km further offshore during well-developed upwelling. For other bivalve taxa, the larvae were concentrated near the thermocline (Anomia simplex Orbigny and Pholadidae spp.) or concentrated upslope near the bottom (Mytilidae spp.) during upwelling, and the larvae were concentrated near the bottom or were moved downslope during downwelling. Donax fossor Say larvae were found near the surface or above the thermocline during upwelling and downwelling. The general patterns of larval bivalve distribution appear to be influenced by water mass movement during upwelling and downwelling. The larval concentration patterns of individual species are likely a consequence of advection due to upwelling and downwelling circulation, vertical shear in the front region, species-specific larval behaviors, and larval sources.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Fred Grassle, Jeanine Rosario, Chris Gregg, Jennifer Gregg, Pam Nelson, and Jessica Vanisko for their help with the field sampling. Tara Hitchner, David Hutnick, and Alexander Soranno helped in sorting samples. Scott Glenn provided instantaneous physical information in July 1998. Trish Bergmann shared temperature data from the fluorometer measurements made by Oscar Schofield’s laboratory. John Zlotnik, captain of Rutgers R/V “Arabella”, provided assistance with field sampling. We thank Cheryl Ann Zimmer, Fred Grassle, and Gary Taghon for their comments on an early draft. Dr. Alan Shanks pointed out the difference in larval distribution patterns between our study and his and provided useful comments while reviewing another manuscript of ours. Comments from Dr. Roger Mann and an anonymous reviewer improved the manuscript. Mike Crowley, Josh Kohut, and Courtney Kohut helped with Fig. 1. This study was supported by a NOAA/NURP grant to Rutgers University.

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  1. Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, 71 Dudley Road, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA

    Hongguang Ma, Judith P. Grassle & Robert J. Chant

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  1. Hongguang Ma
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  2. Judith P. Grassle
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Correspondence to Hongguang Ma.

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Communicated by R.J. Thompson, St. John´s

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Ma, H., Grassle, J.P. & Chant, R.J. Vertical distribution of bivalve larvae along a cross-shelf transect during summer upwelling and downwelling. Mar Biol 149, 1123–1138 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-006-0287-3

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