Nekton Abundance Research Articles

The food supply for nekton in the epipelagic layer of Pacific waters at the Kuril Islands in the summer seasons of the 2000s

Based on data collected during the TINRO-Center expeditions to the Pacific waters off the Kuril Islands and adjacent waters in 2004–2012, the composition and abundance of forage resources of the epipelagic zone are considered, the trophic relationships of nekton are analyzed, the amounts of forage base consumption are calculated, and the food supply for nekton is estimated. It is shown that the significant interannual dynamics of the forage base abundance in the studied area are determined by the dynamics of the zooplankton and, to a lesser extent, the micronekton biomass. In spite of the abundance dynamics and the unevenness of the spatial distribution, the resulting overall stock of zooplankton and micronekton in the considered waters is believed to be rather substantial, from 62 to 158 million tons in the epipelagic layer of the Pacific waters off the Kuril Islands and from 41 to 75 million tons in open offshore waters in various years. The overall consumption of forage resources by nekton varied between years from 1.8 to 9.8% of zooplankton stock; the consumption reached 14.0% only in 2004, at a high abundance of fish and squid and a low stock of the forage base. A comparison of the values of nekton abundance, forage reserve, and volumes of its consumption showed that a decline in the characteristics of the food supply in waters off the Kuril Islands took place only in 2004, 2007, and 2011, whereas in open waters it occurred only in 2009. However there were no significant variations in the quality and intensity of feeding in nekton within these years. In general, significant pressure on forage resources from nekton consumers was not observed in this area in the early 2000s. The resulting overall stock of forage zooplankton and micronekton completely met the food demands of the pelagic nekton, which serves as evidence of a significant carrying capacity of the epipelagic layer in the studied waters, both for its permanent and temporary inhabitants.

Loss of seasonal variability in nekton community structure in a tidal river: evidence for homogenization in a flow-altered system

Modifications to riverine systems that alter freshwater inflow to downstream estuarine habitats have resulted in altered patterns of nekton distribution and abundance. To examine how nekton assemblages respond to variable hydrologic patterns, we used trawl and seine survey data to compare the seasonal trends (dry vs. wet season) expected of a natural system to those of a river with regulated flow discharges that often magnify high flow events. Nekton assemblages differed between seasons in a representative natural system, similar to other estuaries of the region. For example, assemblage differences were characterized by significantly higher abundance and richness in trawl surveys, and significantly higher richness in seine surveys in the wet relative to the dry season. These seasonal trends were dampened in the altered system. Species important in defining seasonal dissimilarities in both systems were characterized as estuarine resident species, including Anchoa mitchilli, Menidia spp., Cynoscion arenarius, and Trinectes maculatus, yet were observed largely to have opposing seasonal trends in abundance between the two rivers. Our comparison provides evidence that flow modifications result in a loss of natural seasonal variability in estuarine nekton assemblages, but additional investigations of flow-altered systems are needed to confirm these findings.

Landscape pattern influences nekton diversity and abundance in seagrass meadows

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 507:139-152 (2014) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps10818 Landscape pattern influences nekton diversity and abundance in seagrass meadows Geoffrey M. Hensgen1,*, G. Joan Holt2, Scott A. Holt2, Jason A. Williams3, Gregory W. Stunz3 1Colorado River Alliance, 3625 Lake Austin Boulevard, Austin, TX 78703, USA 2Marine Science Institute, University of Texas at Austin, 750 Channel View Drive, Port Aransas, TX 78373, USA 3Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi, TX 78412, USA *Corresponding author: ghensgen@gmail.com ABSTRACT: We studied how spatial qualities and configuration of seagrass patches influence the diversity and abundance of resident nekton. Shallow landscapes of equal area (4225 m2) in 2 bays were mapped and sampled in the summer and fall to identify different qualities of landscape structure and the abundance and diversity of nekton. Two suites of characteristics were found to describe the natural landscape structure: (1) habitat area, connectivity, patch proximity and patch density; and (2) patch shape complexity and edge length. These were used to quantitatively distinguish between 3 naturally occurring seagrass landscape patterns: (1) small, isolated patches; (2) reticulated edge patches; and (3) continuous cover. Species evenness (Pielou’s J’) was significantly lower in small, isolated patches and reticulated edge patches compared to continuous cover. This pattern was temporally consistent despite significant seasonal differences in total nekton density and seasonal shifts in the distribution of individual species among landscape patterns. Nekton species density (no. of species per 61.2 m2 of seagrass) and species richness (no. of species per 1683 ind. sampled) did not differ significantly among landscape patterns; however, a landscape structure threshold may exist for species evenness between 45 and 85% cover. High densities of shrimp in small, isolated patches and reticulated edge patches during summer drove species evenness levels lower and overall nekton density levels higher than in continuous cover. Large expanses of continuous seagrass harbor more stable nekton communities across time. They may provide enough space for different species to feed and reproduce without depleting food resources to the point that nekton populations become unstable. KEY WORDS: Biodiversity · Seagrass · Landscape structure · Habitat fragmentation Full text in pdf format Supplementary material PreviousNextCite this article as: Hensgen GM, Holt GJ, Holt SA, Williams JA, Stunz GW (2014) Landscape pattern influences nekton diversity and abundance in seagrass meadows. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 507:139-152. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps10818 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 507. Online publication date: July 17, 2014 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2014 Inter-Research.

Species structure and year-to-year dynamics of nekton biomass in the upper epipelagic layer of the Pacific waters at Kuril Islands in summer periods of the 2000s

The North-West Pacific waters at Kuril Islands are characterized by high productivity because of high water dynamics due to interaction of the Kamchatka, Oyashio, and Kuroshio Currents and tidal mixing. Abundance, species composition, and spatial density of nekton in the upper epipelagic layer (0-50 m) of this area are considered on the data of trawl surveys conducted in June-July of 2004-2012. In total, 97 species of nekton are found in the trawl catches, including 73 species of fish and 24 species of cephalopods belonged to 15 genera and 8 families. Myctophidae have the highest species richness and biomass among fish (12 species, 33% of the total nekton biomass), and Gonatidae have the highest number of species and biomass among cephalopods (13 species, 11 %). Mesopelagic fishes, being temporary inhabitants of the epipelagic layer, dominate in the nekton community (54 species, 60 % of total biomass), they migrate to the upper layer at night for feeding. Other important ecological groups are salmons migrating to spawning grounds and subtropical species migrating to feeding grounds. Ratio between these groups is very variable. Total abundance of nekton varied from 1.1 t/km² in 2010 to 4.6 t/km² in 2004, on average 2.4 t/km². Range of its spatial variation is even higher: 1.1-6.0 t/km²; it depends on evenness of species composition and abundance of dominant species; generally both total abundance and species richness increase from the north to the south, as boreal species are replaced by low-boreal and subtropical ones. From the other hand, the abundance and species richness increase from the shore toward the ocean: the total number of nekton species increases from 42 to 76, and the number of dominant species - from 4 to 10, so structure of the nekton community becomes more evened and polydominant. The highest abundance and species richness are observed in the Subarctic Front zone. Mean total biomass of nekton in the epipelagic layer of the surveyed area is estimated as 2442 · 10 3 t including 1.6-2.5 million t (37-60 %) of mesopelagic fish that was the major group of nekton in all years except 2012, when the biomass of mesopelagic fish was only 378 · 10 3 t (21 %) while the portion of salmons increased to 40 % because of extremely high biomass of pink salmon (27 % of the total nekton biomass). Year-to-year changes of the nekton abundance in the surveyed area are characterized by negative trend, with its minimal values in 2008, 2010, and 2012, but it is considered as a temporary tendency.

Temporal variation in development of ecosystem services from oyster reef restoration

Restoration ecology relies heavily on ecosystem development theories that generally assume development of fully functioning natural systems over time, but often fail to identify the time-frame required for provision of desired functions, or acknowledge different pathways of functional development. In estuaries, a decline of overall habitat quality and functioning has led to significant efforts to restore critical ecosystem services, recently through the creation and restoration of oyster reefs. Oyster reef restoration generally occurs with goals of (1) increasing water quality via filtration through sustainable oyster recruitment, (2) stabilizing shorelines, and (3) creating and enhancing critical estuarine habitat for fish and invertebrates. We restored over 260m2 of oyster reef habitat in coastal Louisiana and followed the development and provision of these ecosystem services from 2009 through 2012. Oysters recruited to reefs immediately, with densities of oysters greater than 75mm exceeding 80indm−2 after 3 years, and provision of filtration rates of 1002±187Lh−1m−2; shoreline stabilization effects of the created reefs were minimal over the three years of monitoring, with some evidence of positive shoreline stabilization during higher wind/energy events only; increased nekton abundance of resident, but not larger transient fish was immediately measurable at the reefs, however, this failed to increase through time. Our results provide critical insights into the development trajectories of ecosystem services provided by restored oyster reefs, as well as the mechanisms mediating these changes. This is critical both ecologically to understand how and where a reef thrives, and for policy and management to guide decision-making related to oyster reef restoration and the crediting and accounting of ecosystem services.

Megafaunal Communities in Rapidly Warming Fjords along the West Antarctic Peninsula: Hotspots of Abundance and Beta Diversity

Glacio-marine fjords occur widely at high latitudes and have been extensively studied in the Arctic, where heavy meltwater inputs and sedimentation yield low benthic faunal abundance and biodiversity in inner-middle fjords. Fjord benthic ecosystems remain poorly studied in the subpolar Antarctic, including those in extensive fjords along the West Antarctic Peninsula (WAP). Here we test ecosystem predictions from Arctic fjords on three subpolar, glacio-marine fjords along the WAP. With seafloor photographic surveys we evaluate benthic megafaunal abundance, community structure, and species diversity, as well as the abundance of demersal nekton and macroalgal detritus, in soft-sediment basins of Andvord, Flandres and Barilari Bays at depths of 436–725 m. We then contrast these fjord sites with three open shelf stations of similar depths. Contrary to Arctic predictions, WAP fjord basins exhibited 3 to 38-fold greater benthic megafaunal abundance than the open shelf, and local species diversity and trophic complexity remained high from outer to inner fjord basins. Furthermore, WAP fjords contained distinct species composition, substantially contributing to beta and gamma diversity at 400–700 m depths along the WAP. The abundance of demersal nekton and macroalgal detritus was also substantially higher in WAP fjords compared to the open shelf. We conclude that WAP fjords are important hotspots of benthic abundance and biodiversity as a consequence of weak meltwater influences, low sedimentation disturbance, and high, varied food inputs. We postulate that WAP fjords differ markedly from their Arctic counterparts because they are in earlier stages of climate warming, and that rapid warming along the WAP will increase meltwater and sediment inputs, deleteriously impacting these biodiversity hotspots. Because WAP fjords also provide important habitat and foraging areas for Antarctic krill and baleen whales, there is an urgent need to develop better understanding of the structure, dynamics and climate-sensitivity of WAP subpolar fjord ecosystems.

Pacific salmons in the nekton community of the upper epipelagic layer of the Northwest Pacific at Kuril Islands in the early summer of 2012

According to the data of trawl catches performed by the R/V “TINRO” in the upper epipelagic zone (0–50 m) of Pacific waters off the Kuril Islands from June 2 to July 8, 2012, the abundance of nekton was the lowest for the recent 9 years; thus, its density in 2012 (1.5 t/km2) was lower than the average value for the 2004–2012 period (2.40 ± 0.39 t/km2). The major portion of the nekton biomass was formed by pacific salmon (706 000 tons, or 43.6%); their role grows abruptly during pre-spawning migrations of pink salmon, whose proportion reached 29.8% (483 000 t). In 2012, the recorded biomass of pre-anadromous pink salmon was as high as those in the previous 3 years, and even higher than the estimate of 2010 (479 800 t), which is the largest value for even-numbered years. The value of 2012 also was comparable with the estimates for the previous odd-numbered year, 2011, when the total biomass of the species constituted 496 500 t. Chum salmon stands out among other salmon for its record-high biomass (192 700 t, 11.9%), which was twice as high as that in 2011. The biomass and the share of the mesopelagic fish complex was the lowest (286800 t, 17.7%) since 2004. Among other fish species, Kuril groups of walleye pollock also had a substantial biomass (381 200 t, 23.5%). The total biomass of squid (225 300 t, 13.9%) was lower than the value of 2011 (326 300 t, 14.8%) owing to the decline in the biomass of Boreopacific gonate squid by 90 000 t.

Mechanisms and ecological role of carbon transfer within coastal seascapes

Worldwide, coastal systems provide some of the most productive habitats, which potentially influence a range of marine and terrestrial ecosystems through the transfer of nutrients and energy. Several reviews have examined aspects of connectivity within coastal seascapes, but the scope of those reviews has been limited to single systems or single vectors. We use the transfer of carbon to examine the processes of connectivity through multiple vectors in multiple ecosystems using four coastal seascapes as case studies. We discuss and compare the main vectors of carbon connecting different ecosystems, and then the natural and human-induced factors that influence the magnitude of effect for those vectors on recipient systems. Vectors of carbon transfer can be grouped into two main categories: detrital particulate organic carbon (POC) and its associated dissolved organic and inorganic carbon (DOC/DIC) that are transported passively; and mobile consumers that transport carbon actively. High proportions of net primary production can be exported over meters to hundreds of kilometers from seagrass beds, algal reefs and mangroves as POC, with its export dependent on wind-generated currents in the first two of these systems and tidal currents for the last. By contrast, saltmarshes export large quantities of DOC through tidal movement, while land run-off plays a critical role in the transport of terrestrial POC and DOC into temperate fjords. Nekton actively transfers carbon across ecosystem boundaries through foraging movements, ontogenetic migrations, or 'trophic relays', into and out of seagrass beds, mangroves or saltmarshes. The magnitude of these vectors is influenced by: the hydrodynamics and geomorphology of the region; the characteristics of the carbon vector, such as their particle size and buoyancy; and for nekton, the extent and frequency of migrations between ecosystems. Through a risk-assessment process, we have identified the most significant human disturbances that affect the integrity of connectivity among ecosystems. Loss of habitat, net primary production (NPP) and overfishing pose the greatest risks to carbon transfer in temperate saltmarsh and tropical estuaries, particularly through their effects on nekton abundance and movement. In comparison, habitat/NPP loss and climate change are likely to be the major risks to carbon transfer in temperate fjords and temperate open coasts through alteration in the amount of POC and/or DOC/DIC being transported. While we have highlighted the importance of these vectors in coastal seascapes, there is limited quantitative data on the effects of these vectors on recipient systems. It is only through quantifying those subsidies that we can effectively incorporate complex interactions into the management of the marine environment and its resources.

Habitat use of Intertidal Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) Reefs by Nekton in South Carolina Estuaries

ABSTRACT The majority of recent studies investigating the habitat value of intertidal oyster reefs have compared the nektonic assemblages on natural oyster reefs, salt marshes, mud bottom, and subtidal oyster shell habitats using methods that involve some degree of habitat disturbance. The current study used a novel, non-destructive sampling approach involving the deployment of a drop net around study plots to compare the nektonic assemblages associated with intertidal oyster reefs (natural and enhanced) with those of neighboring soft sediment habitats at 3 sites in South Carolina. At each site, the nektonic organisms collected on a reef plot were compared with those collected on an adjacent control plot lacking a structurally complex habitat. Nekton abundance was significantly higher on the reef plot compared with the control plot at all 3 sites. Nekton abundance also varied among seasons, with the greatest numbers occurring during summer compared with spring and fall. Notably, grass shrimp (Palaemonetes...

Testing the effect of habitat structure and complexity on nekton assemblages using experimental oyster reefs

Structurally complex habitats are often associated with more diverse and abundant species assemblages in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Biogenic reefs formed by the eastern oyster ( Crassostrea virginica) are complex in nature and are recognized for their potential habitat value in estuarine systems along the US Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts. Few studies, however, have examined the response of nekton to structural complexity within oyster reefs. We used a quantitative sampling technique to examine how the presence and complexity of experimental oyster reefs influence the abundance, biomass, and distribution of nekton by sampling reefs 4 months and 16 months post-construction. Experimental oyster reefs were colonized immediately by resident fishes and decapod crustaceans, and reefs supported a distinct nekton assemblage compared to mud-bottom habitat. Neither increased reef complexity, nor age of the experimental reef resulted in further changes in nekton assemblages or increases in nekton abundance or diversity. The presence of oyster reefs per se was the most important factor determining nekton usage.

Interactions of Salinity, Marsh Fragmentation and Submerged Aquatic Vegetation on Resident Nekton Assemblages of Coastal Marsh Ponds

Increases in relative sea level are fragmenting the emergent vegetation of Louisiana’s coastal marshes. Nekton abundance is likely impacted by salinity and whether emergent vegetation is replaced by submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) or open water. To assess these effects, we sampled nekton densities along a salinity gradient (categorized as freshwater, intermediate, and brackish marsh) in fragmented and non-fragmented areas. Total nekton density increased strongly with SAV in brackish marsh but only weakly in freshwater marsh (F2,238 = 10.03, p < 0.0001). Freshwater and intermediate marshes had higher nekton densities when fragmented than when non-fragmented; this relationship was reversed in brackish marsh (F2,238 = 8.89, p = 0.0002). Fragmentation, SAV, and salinity interacted to affect the densities of Gambusia affinis, Poecilia latipinna, Cyprinodon variegates, and Lucania parva. Our results suggest that the presence of both emergent vegetation and SAV was necessary for maintaining high nekton densities, with this combination being especially important in brackish marshes.

Assessing southern flounder ( Paralichthys lethostigma) long-term population trends in the northern Gulf of Mexico using time series analyses

A long-term fisheries independent data set (1975–2008) was used to assess population trends of juvenile and adult southern flounder ( Paralichthys lethostigma) along the Texas coast in the northern Gulf of Mexico, USA. The dataset contained a total of 46,784 sites that were sampled with bag seines to monitor small nekton abundance and 22,870 sites that were sampled with gill nets to assess adult fisheries trends. These data were examined for age-specific population trends using generalized least squares and extended with non-parametric bootstrapping to obtain interval estimates of regression parameters (juveniles) and linear regression (adults). These data showed long-term declines in juvenile southern flounder abundance (1.3% per year). For adult southern flounder, rate of decline was much more rapid (2.5% per year). Results suggest that survival of post-juvenile flounder has decreased during the time series. This precipitous decline has prompted increasingly stricter harvest restrictions along the Texas coast. However, these management measures have been insufficient to curb declines.

Environmental conditions and compositions of plankton and nekton in the epipelagic zone of the northwestern Pacific Ocean in summer 2009, the year of the largest spawning migration of pink and Chum Salmon

The distribution of temperature, salinity, phytoplankton, zooplankton, and nekton, including Pink Salmon and Chum Salmon, is analyzed based on the data from a complex survey conducted in the upper epipelagic zone of the northwestern Pacific Ocean in June–July 2009. An estimate of water transfer, plankton biomass (by size fractions and taxonomic groups), and biomass and abundance of nekton is made. The water circulation pattern was notable for the “compressed” state of the Western Subarctic Gyre. Copepods predominated in zooplankton (60.8% biomass), and Pacific Salmon dominated in the nekton. The ratio of the plankton biomass to the nekton biomass in various biostatistical areas varied from 23.9 to 195.1 (mean 46.7). It was found that the nekton biomass in the area of the spreading subarctic waters reaches its maximum in the summer months and that in the area of subtropical waters reaches its maximum in the fall. In the upper 30-meter layer, the biomass of fish and squid rose during the night to 2.92 million tons, or 1.6 times as much, due to mesopelagic migrants. The nekton communities of the upper epipelagic of the northwestern Pacific Ocean functioned normally, providing a high level of biological and fish productivity.

Ecological periodic tables for nekton usage of four US Pacific Northwest estuarine habitats

We compared the species composition and abundance of the total nekton community, using the Bray–Curtis similarity coefficient, and mean total nekton, fish and crab species richness, abundance and biomass, and shrimp abundance across four intertidal habitats in a US Pacific Northwest estuary: (i) eelgrass ( Zostera marina ); (ii) burrowing mud shrimp ( Upogebia pugettensis ); (iii) burrowing ghost shrimp ( Neotrypaea californiensis ); and (iv) unvegetated sand. Field sampling was conducted during daytime high tides, and was quantitative, stratified-by-habitat, randomized, and estuary-wide. More than 10 000 nekton specimens belonging to 64 taxa were collected in 454 samples during 10 sampling periods, each approximately one-month-long (from June to November), over 3 years (1998–2000). Non-metric multidimensional scaling analyses revealed annually recurring across-habitat patterns in total nekton Bray–Curtis similarity. Two-way (habitat, year) analyses of variance revealed annually recurring across-habitat patterns on 10 indicators of nekton-habitat quality and preference. Total nekton species richness, abundance, and biomass were, respectively, on average, 8 ×, 25 ×, and 25× greater in eelgrass, 4 ×, 6 ×, and 5× greater in mud shrimp, and 2 ×, 3 ×, and 2× greater in ghost shrimp, than in sand habitat. Our findings validate the ecological relevance of our habitats to nekton, and suggest they can serve as elements in ecological periodic tables of nekton habitat usage.

Effects of a Persistent Red Tide (Karenia brevis) Bloom on Community Structure and Species-Specific Relative Abundance of Nekton in a Gulf of Mexico Estuary

An unusually persistent red tide event caused by the ichthyotoxic dinoflagellate Karenia brevis occurred along the southwest Florida coast in 2005. Extensive fish kills led to concerns regarding the effect of red tide on fish populations and their subsequent recruitment. Community structure differences were analyzed for all small- and large-bodied nekton species collected by fisheries-independent monitoring from 1996 through 2006. Indices of abundance of five economically important fish species were also calculated from this time period. A significant change in small- and large-bodied nekton community structure was apparent from summer 2005 through spring 2006. Declines in the annual recruitment of juvenile spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus), sand seatrout (Cynoscion arenarius), and red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) were evident in 2005 and 2006. Species-specific subadult and adult abundances, however, were consistent with those of previous years. These community shifts and species-specific declines appear to be associated with the red tide event.

Effects of Marsh Terracing on Nekton Abundance at Two Locations in Galveston Bay, Texas

We evaluated two marsh terracing restoration projects (GI=Galveston Island State Park, PM=Pierce Marsh) to compare nekton density and biomass between locations and among habitat types (open water pre-construction, open water post-construction, terrace marsh, terrace pond). Most (72%) animals collected were decapod crustaceans. Few differences in nekton abundance were observed over time (pre-construction versus post-construction open water). Comparisons of pre-construction to post-construction open water showed that the locations differed environmentally (e.g., turbidity) and in populations of nekton species. Density and biomass of gulf menhaden Brevoortia patronus and spot Leiostomus xanthurus in spring and density of white shrimp Litopenaeus setiferus in fall were higher at PM than GI, whereas densities and biomass of blue crab Callinectes sapidus, density of pink shrimp Farfantepenaeus duorarum, and biomass of brown shrimp Farfantepenaeus aztecus in the fall were higher at GI than PM. Despite location differences, constructing terraces appeared to benefit fishery species at both locations. Densities of brown shrimp, blue crab, white shrimp (fall), and pink shrimp (fall) and the biomass of brown shrimp, blue crab, and white shrimp (fall) were higher in terrace marsh than open water. Marsh terracing appears to be an effective tool for enhancing fishery habitat in degraded coastal systems.

Relative value of oyster reef as habitat for estuarine nekton in Galveston Bay, Texas

Biogenic reefs formed by dense aggregations of the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica are a dominant feature in most estuarine systems along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. Oyster reefs are complex in their structural nature and have long been recognized for their potential habitat value. However, relatively few studies have characterized nekton abundance in this complex habitat type, and live high-relief oyster beds have been particularly difficult to sample with conventional gear. We used a quantitative sampling device to compare nekton use among high-relief live oyster reef, vegetated marsh edge Spartina alterniflora, and nonvegetated bottom habitat types. During 1 yr of seasonal sampling we collected 3791 fishes and 12 386 crustaceans representing 38 and 21 different species, respectively. Density and biomass of most fishes and crustaceans were significantly higher in oyster reef than over nonvegetated bottom. For benthic crustaceans, oyster reef supported a higher density and biomass than vegetated marsh edge. Nektonic crustaceans were generally more abun- dant in marsh edge than on oyster reef. Species composition and richness varied among habitat types and season; however, richness was highest in oyster reef, followed by marsh edge, and lowest on nonvegetated bottom, except during seasonal low densities during winter. Species composition and size differences were observed among habitat types. Our results show that oyster reef supports a high density, biomass, and richness of estuarine nekton in relation to typically examined estuarine habitat types and has the potential to be an essential habitat. Identifying and quantifying the role of oyster reefs will be critical to implementing effective management for essential fish habitat.

Low nekton abundance in the western Bering Sea according to trawl survey data and model estimates

Complex trawl surveys were conducted in the upper epipelagic zone of the western Bering Sea and adjacent Pacific waters in the summer and fall seasons of 2002–2006. The abundance of small nekton (micronekton) was estimated using two independent methods: traditional trawling and a mathematical model of selective feeding by fish. According to the trawl data, total micronekton density varied from 1 to 158 (average 40) mg/m3 on the northwestern Bering Sea shelf and from 6 to 151 (37) mg/m3 in deep-water areas of the southwestern Bering Sea and adjacent Pacific waters. According to model calculations, micronekton density was higher—72–193 (141) mg/m3 on the shelf and 78–507 (228) mg/m3 in the deep-water part of the studied area. Both trawl and model data showed that small nekton on the northwestern shelf mostly consisted of larval and juvenile walleye pollock, as well as small fish species, such as capelin and Pacific sand lance. In the deepwater areas, mesopelagic fish and squid (northern lampfish, northern smoothtongue, and boreopacific gonate squid), which migrate to the surface at night, juvenile Atka mackerel, and shortarm gonate squid dominated among micronekton. The advantages and disadvantages of both the trawl and model methods for calculating the abundance of small fish and squid were considered. Comparison of abundance estimates for mass fish species, obtained through trawl and model methods, enabled us to analyze trawl catchability coefficients and propose a more differentiated division of micronekton into size classes than had been done earlier. A function that characterizes the dependence of the catchability coefficient (CC) on body length was offered for juvenile Atka mackerel. This equation can be also used for evaluation of CC for other fishes that have similar size and behavior.

Benthic-pelagic trophic interactions within the fish assemblage in the western Bering Sea shelf area according to stomach content analysis and ratios of C and N stable isotopes

The composition, abundance, diet and trophic status of zooplankton, bottom invertebrates, fish and nekton were analyzed based on the data collected by the staff of the TINRO-Center during complex bottom trawl catches on the Bering Sea shelf in the fall of 2004. The stomach contents of mass fish species were analyzed and the nitrogen and carbon isotopic composition of 36 mass species of plankton, benthos, nekton and nektobenthos, which together make up the basis of pelagic and bottom communities, was determined. It was found that zooplankton noticeably differ from benthic invertebrates in carbon isotopic composition: δ13C values in zooplankton varied from −20.3‰ to −17.9‰; in benthos—from −17.5‰to −13.0‰; and in fish—from −19.2‰ (juvenile walleye pollock) to −15.3‰ (saffron cod). The levels of 13C isotope in the tissues of fish depended mostly on the share of pelagic or benthic animals in their diet. δ15N values in the studied species ranged from 8.6‰ (in sea urchins) to 17.2‰ (in large Pacific cods), which corresponds to a trophic level of 2.8. Obviously the δ15N values reflect the degree of predation and generally show the ratio of primary, secondary and tertiary consumers in a fish’s diet. Trophic interactions manifest a high degree of interdependence between benthic and pelagic communities (even without taking into account such lower components of the food web as phytoplankton, bacteria, and protozoa) occurring in most nektonic species that depend on both bottom and pelagic food.

Habitat Use by Nekton along a Stream-Order Gradient in a Louisiana Estuary

We examined patterns of habitat use by fishes and decapod crustaceans in a seemingly pristine tidal stream system that drains into southeastern coastal Louisiana, northern Gulf of Mexico. The study area centered on a relatively unaltered mesohaline saltmarsh nested within more heavily degraded conditions. Monthly sampling (February–November 2004) stratified along a stream-order gradient examined changes in nekton abundance, species richness, and community structure. Analyses were based on a microhabitat approach used to characterize nekton responses to spatial gradients of water depth, temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, turbidity, bottom slope, stream width, and distance to mouth. Thirty taxa were identified from 3,757 individuals collected in 82 seine samples. Seven fishes and three decapods constituted >95% of the community structure. Analyses detected the effects of stream order on fish community structure and associated environmental variables. Spatial differences of environmental variables across stream order were attributed to the geomorphology and hydrology of the study area. A factor analysis resolved eight environmental variables into four orthogonal axes that explained 80% of environmental variation. We interpreted factor 1 as a stream-order axis, factor 2 as a morphological axis, factor 3 as a seasonal axis, and factor 4 as a salinity axis. Differences in use of four-dimensional factor space by dominant species reflected habitat selection and species residency status.