Seasonal occurrence of the ctenophore Pleurobrachia pileus in the western Dutch Wadden Sea

Abstract

Due to the short residence time of the water in the western Dutch Wadden Sea the ctenophore Pleurobrachia pileus has to be considered as an allochthonous species, which enters the estuary passively from the North Sea. The seasonal occurrence of this species in the Dutch Wadden Sea is a reflection of its abundance in the coatal zone of the North Sea and is characterized by a pronounced spring peak of up to 17000 individuals per 1000 m3 and a lower autumn peak with numbers up to 400 individuals per 1000 m3. Similar to other areas, predation by Beroe gracilis, another ctenophore species, may be a factor in controlling the P. pileus population in this region, although B. gracilis abundance is low. P. pileus is only important as a predator for a short time, i.e. the month of May, when it reaches maximum biomass values of up to 12 00 mgC per 1000 m3. Both the estimated potential consumption rates in comparison with the available food as well as the observed suboptimal growth rate of the population suggest that in the coastal zone of the North Sea area food conditions may not be optimal for P. pileus.