Paradigms for planktonic assemblages: 50 years of contributions from the Leigh Marine Laboratory, Northland, New Zealand

Abstract

Plankton includes the primary producers and consumers that are critical for healthy ecosystem function in the marine realm. My objective was to identify the major contributions of the Leigh Marine Laboratory to our broader understanding of planktonic assemblages. Significant contributions were made prior to 1990 on the ecology of larval fishes. From the 1990s the focus changed to the sensory biology of larval invertebrates and fishes, with a strong emphasis given to the role of reef sound in attracting potential settlers. Both early and post 1980s research has been highly influential in a paradigm shift away from passively drifting larvae that have little control over their fate. Important contributions have also been made on the dynamics of nutrientÁphytoplankton interactions, larval development and aquaculture. Opportunities abound for future research on the dynamics of planktonic assemblages in shelf waters and in changing seas.

Commemorating 50 years of marine science at the Leigh Marine Laboratory

“…Some of the lessons learned here have been forgotten by some subsequent workers, for example the importance of stratifying by depth when examining fishÁ habitat relationships. Other techniques were developed to sample plankton (Kingsford 2013) and to conduct physiological measurements on fish (Montgomery & Radford 2013;Pankhurst & Herbert 2013). The Cape Rodney to Okakari Point Marine Reserve is one of the world's first 'no-take' marine reserves.…”