Response of Chrysaora quinquecirrha medusae to low temperature

Abstract

Because of their high abundance in Chesapeake Bay, Chrysaora quinquecirrha medusae may be an important reservoir of organic matter. The timing and location of the decomposition of biomass from medusae may have implications for carbon cycling in the bay. Our objective was to identify the cause of C. quinquecirrha medusa disappearance to better understand when and where decomposition occurs. A time series of visual surface counts and vertical net hauls in the Choptank River, a tributary of Chesapeake Bay, showed that as temperatures approached 15°C, C. quinquecirrha medusae disappeared from the surface, but persisted in net hauls until temperatures reached 10°C. In order to test whether medusae sink upon cooling, we exposed C. quinquecirrha medusae to low temperatures in large static tanks and measured their depth and pulsation rates twice daily for at least 6 days. This procedure was repeated three times through the 2008 jellyfish season. On average, individuals exposed to temperatures below 15°C were found deeper and pulsed slower than those in the warmer control tank. This suggests that low temperatures cause the medusae to sink before cooling to the limit of their physiological tolerance and may have implications for the deposition of organic matter associated with the seasonal disappearance of medusae from Chesapeake Bay.