SECONDARY PRODUCTION AND TROPHIC RELATIONSHIPS OF ESTUARINE COPEPOD POPULATIONS OF RIA DE AVEIRO PORTUGAL

Funder

Organizational Unit

Publications

Copepod production estimated by combining in situ data and specific temperature-dependent somatic growth models

Publication . Leandro, Sérgio Miguel; Tiselius, Peter; Marques, Sónia Cotrim; Avelelas, Francisco; Correia, Catarina; Queiroga, Henrique

Although growth in adult copepods is frequently assumed to be similar to juvenile growth, some evidence have pointed out that under in situ conditions, it can be lower, with, as a consequence, underestimation of secondary production. In addition, under field conditions, juvenile growth in copepods is close to maximum rates estimated at food-saturated conditions. Based on previous assumptions, this study aimed to test the applicability of a new approach for copepod production estimate, derived from temperature-dependent growth models and in situ data, such as seawater temperature and copepod biomass. For this purpose, site-specific copepod juvenile growth models, defined for Acartia tonsa and A. clausi populations from a Southern European estuary (Canal de Mira, Ria de Aveiro, Portugal), were used and copepod biomass was taken fromzooplankton samples collected during 2 years at six sampling stations. By comparing the obtained results with published data, the feasibility of the approach for copepod secondary production estimates and its applicability in worldwide marine ecosystems was confirmed. Future studies should combine the estimates of adult and juvenile production in order to evaluate its relative contribution and to obtain a more precise estimate of secondary production.

2014Journal article

Restricted access

Spatial and temporal scales of environmental forcing of Acartia populations (Copepoda: Calanoida) in the Canal de Mira (Ria de Aveiro, Portugal)

Publication . Leandro, Sérgio Miguel; Tiselius, Peter; Queiroga, Henrique

Zooplankton and hydrological data were collected from August 2000 and June 2002 at six stations distributed throughout Canal de Mira (Ria de Aveiro, Portugal). The abundance of Acartia clausi and Acartia tonsa adults and juveniles of Acartia spp. for each station and month were combined in a three-way data matrix, which was decomposed into three two-way matrices corresponding to different modes: biological, time, and space. Cluster analysis applied on the space mode revealed the existence of three different zones as a consequence of zooplankton composition. At each mode, principal component analysis showed strong seasonal variations in zones 1 and 2. A different spatial pattern was found between the periods November 2000–April 2001 and November 2001–April 2002, with the displacement of the highest abundance levels from the middle estuary to near the mouth. The congeneric populations were segregated in space: the A. clausi population was restricted to downstream stations (zone 1), whereas the A. tonsa population dominated the middle estuary. Significant correlations between hydrological parameters and copepod abundance were found to differ from zone to zone. The statistical methodology was a valuable tool to (i) discriminate spatial and seasonal distribution patterns, (ii) define estuarine sections based on the faunistic composition, and (iii) evaluate delayed effects of phytoplankton.

2014Journal article

Restricted access

Spatial and temporal scales of environmental forcing of Acartia populations (Copepoda: Calanoida) in the Canal de Mira (Ria de Aveiro, Portugal

Publication . Leandro, Sérgio Miguel; Tiselius, Peter; Queiroga, Henrique

Zooplankton and hydrological data were collected from August 2000 and June 2002 at six stations distributed throughout Canal de Mira (Ria de Aveiro, Portugal). The abundance of Acartia clausi and Acartia tonsa adults and juveniles of Acartia spp. for each station and month were combined in a three-way data matrix, which was decomposed into three two-way matrices corresponding to different modes: biological, time, and space. Cluster analysis applied on the space mode revealed the existence of three different zones as a consequence of zooplankton composition. At each mode, principal component analysis showed strong seasonal variations in zones 1 and 2. A different spatial pattern was found between the periods November 2000–April 2001 and November 2001–April 2002, with the displacement of the highest abundance levels from the middle estuary to near the mouth. The congeneric populations were segregated in space: the A. clausi population was restricted to downstream stations (zone 1), whereas the A. tonsa population dominated the middle estuary. Significant correlations between hydrological parameters and copepod abundance were found to differ from zone to zone. The statistical methodology was a valuable tool to (i) discriminate spatial and seasonal distribution patterns, (ii) define estuarine sections based on the faunistic composition, and (iii) evaluate delayed effects of phytoplankton.

2014Journal article

Restricted access