Abstract
Ichthyoplankton samples and hydrological data were obtained in an inshore area, between the mouths of the Rivers Guadalquivir and Guadiana (Gulf of Cadiz, SW Spain) during monthly surveys carried out from March 2002 to March 2003. Horizontal and temporal distributions of wedge sole (Dicologlossa cuneata) egg and larval abundances were analysed during this annual cycle in relation to environmental parameters. This area proved to be an important spawning and nursery ground for the species, which showed a winter-spring reproductive strategy with a long reproductive period lasting from autumn until early summer. Spawning areas were located in the shallowest waters (above 30 m depth) between the mouths of the Rives Guadiana and Tinto-Odiel, and to a lesser extent in the coastal zone between the mouths of the Rivers Tinto-Odiel and Guadalquivir. The spawning habitat was mainly determined by the distribution of the adults, the bathymetry and the temperature, and a preference for shallow and colder waters was observed. The inshore zone between the mouths of the Rivers Tinto-Odiel and Guadalquivir is the main nursery ground, with the greatest larval concentration and productivity in the area, due to the influence of the River Guadalquivir. The presence of recruits in this area may be linked to these favourable conditions for larval growth and survival.
Highlights
The important fisheries in the Spanish waters off the Gulf of Cádiz are related to the bathymetric and oceanographic characteristics of its continental shelf and slope
SUMMARY: Ichthyoplankton samples and hydrological data were obtained in an inshore area, between the mouths of the Rivers Guadalquivir and Guadiana (Gulf of Cádiz, SW Spain) during monthly surveys carried out from March 2002 to March 2003
Horizontal and temporal distributions of wedge sole (Dicologlossa cuneata) egg and larval abundances were analysed during this annual cycle in relation to environmental parameters
Summary
The important fisheries in the Spanish waters off the Gulf of Cádiz are related to the bathymetric and oceanographic characteristics of its continental shelf and slope. The Guadalquivir River mouth has been traditionally considered as the main nursery area for D. cuneata in the Gulf of Cádiz (Muñoz, 1972), and recent studies have described this ecosystem as a major spawning, nursery and recruitment habitat for this species (García-Isarch et al, 2003; Sobrino et al, 2005). Apart from this limited area, the importance of the total coastal region between the Guadalquivir and the Guadiana Rivers in the life cycle of this species has been so far unknown
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: 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.
