Abstract
Abstract This study examines the spatio-temporal dynamics of fish larvae and their prey at a tidal-mixing front in the central Irish Sea. The distribution of ichthyoplankton and zooplankton was analysed in relation to environmental variables (depth, surface temperature, surface salinity, and water column stratification) using Redundancy Analysis (RDA). Significant interannual variability in the formation and position of the tidal-mixing front coincided with large differences in the species abundances of both ichthyoplankton and zooplankton. During the summer, ichthyoplankton and zooplankton communities were structured by a combination of depth and hydrography, and the variability in species composition was directly related to the average value of the stratification parameter. Several ichthyoplankton species were consistently associated with frontal waters, while fewer species were concentrated in mixed water masses throughout the sampling period. The distribution of individual zooplankton species was also examined, and water mass affinities were shown to vary with developmental stage.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.