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Spatial distribution and seasonal patterns of the siphonophores Muggiaea atlantica and Muggiaea kochii in a temperate estuarine ecosystem
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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
This study analysed the distribution and abundance of both polygastric (asexual) and gonophores of the calycophoran siphonophores Muggiaea atlantica and Muggiaea kochii in the Mondego estuary (Portugal), as well as the influence of local environment and prey availability on the observed patterns. Samples were collected in three different zones of the estuary, from December 2013 to November 2015. In general, both species nectophores and total gonophores followed a similar trend, with higher abundances during spring-summer periods and increased densities in the downstream areas of the estuary, where the marine influence is stronger. Inter-annual differences occurred mainly for M. atlantica nectophores, which showed higher abundances in 2015, particularly in the upstream areas. Both species displayed a shift in the annual peak abundance, from bimodal in 2014 to unimodal in 2015. Patterns observed were not only strongly related with an increase of the marine influence in the estuary, but also with the presence of zooplanktonic prey, such as cirripede cypris, calanoid nauplius, Poecilostomatoida, and copepodites of Cyclopoida. This study represents a step towards a better knowledge of the biology and ecology of siphonophores.
Description
The authors are indebted to all the colleagues that assisted in the field and lab work.The present work was supported by FCT(Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) through a PhD grant awarded to Mariaelena D'Ambrosio (SFRH/BD/91541/2012), the postdoctoral grants attributed to SC Marques (SFRH/BPD/110400/2015) and AL Primo (SFRH/BPD/91030/2012), the Investigator FCT program attributed to F Martinho (IF/01410/2012), the COMPARE Project (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-020850) financed by POPH (Portuguese Operational Human Potential Program), QREN Portugal (Portuguese National Strategic Reference Framework), and MCTES. E Guerrero is part of the Marine Biodiversity Conservation Group (MEDRECOVER) 2014SGR-1297.
Keywords
Gelatinous zooplankton Siphonophora Calycophorae Northwestern Atlantic Ocean Mondego estuary
Pedagogical Context
Citation
D'Ambrosio, M., Primo, A.L., Pardal, M.A., Martinho, F., Guerrero, E. & Marques, S.C. (2019). Spatial distribution and seasonal patterns of the siphonophores Muggiaea atlantica and Muggiaea kochii in a temperate estuarine ecosystem. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 218:179-187. doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2018.12.018
Publisher
Elsevier