Some Relations of Faunal Distributions to Salinity in Estuarine Waters

Gunter, Gordon

doi:10.2307/1930196

Cited by 39 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 3 publications

(4 reference statements)

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“…Temperature and salinity have, individually, been shown to influence demography [13–15], survival, growth, development, reproduction (e.g. [16–19]), mobility [20] and even predator–prey interactions [21] of aquatic organisms.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interacting stressors and the potential for adaptation in a changing world: responses of populations and individuals

2017

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To accurately predict the impact of environmental change, it is necessary to assay effects of key interacting stressors on vulnerable organisms, and the potential resiliency of their populations. Yet, for the most part, these critical data are missing. We examined the effects of two common abiotic stressors predicted to interact with climate change, salinity and temperature, on the embryonic survival and development of a model freshwater vertebrate, the rough-skinned newt (Taricha granulosa) from different populations. We found that salinity and temperature significantly interacted to affect newt embryonic survival and development, with the negative effects of salinity most pronounced at temperature extremes. We also found significant variation among, and especially within, populations, with different females varying in the performance of their eggs at different salinity–temperature combinations, possibly providing the raw material for future natural selection. Our results highlight the complex nature of predicting responses to climate change in space and time, and provide critical data towards that aim.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interacting stressors and the potential for adaptation in a changing world: responses of populations and individuals

2017

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“…In most estuaries, and drowned river-valley estuaries in particular, physico-chemical conditions vary across the mixing zone, from near oceanic conditions at the mouth of the estuary to near riverine conditions at the head. Sessile fauna that may provide prey for juvenile fishes also vary along the salinity and associated gradients running from the ocean to the head of the estuary (Gunter 1956, Boesch 1977, O'Neil & Weinstein 1987, Sarre et al 2000. Similarly, mobile potential prey, competitors and predators vary spatially within estuaries (Gunter 1956, Weinstein et al 1980, including Delaware Bay (Able et al 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Sessile fauna that may provide prey for juvenile fishes also vary along the salinity and associated gradients running from the ocean to the head of the estuary (Gunter 1956, Boesch 1977, O'Neil & Weinstein 1987, Sarre et al 2000. Similarly, mobile potential prey, competitors and predators vary spatially within estuaries (Gunter 1956, Weinstein et al 1980, including Delaware Bay (Able et al 2001). Consequently, fishes encounter a complex mosaic of habitats within an estuary, with varying levels of resources, predators, competitors and physico-chemical suitability (Miller & Dunn 1980, Livingston 1982, Sogard 1994, Grecay & Targett 1996, Paperno et al 2000, Simenstad et al 2000.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial patterns in diet and distribution of juveniles of four fish species in Delaware Bay marsh creeks: factors influencing fish abundance

Nemerson¹,

Able²

2004

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Delaware Bay is one of the largest estuaries on the east coast of the United States and provides juvenile habitat for many fish species. We investigated spatial patterns in the diet and distribution of the young-of-the-year of 3 marine transients -the weakfish Cynoscion regalis, the spot Leiostomus xanthurus and the Atlantic croaker Micropogonias undulatus -and the juveniles and adults of 1 estuarine resident, the white perch Morone americana, in 5 marsh creeks systems along a salinity gradient running from the poly/mesohaline (12 to 20) lower bay to the meso/oligohaline upper bay (0 to 12). Sampling was conducted monthly from April through November in 1997 and 1998, resulting in over 1700 otter trawl (4.9 m, 6 mm cod-end mesh) samples and 5703 fish stomachs examined, making this one of the largest studies of its kind. We employed a bootstrap technique to generate 95% confidence intervals for proportional consumption of the major prey categories. The diets of the target species differed significantly among the 5 marsh creeks. Mysid consumption was high for all species at the 3 most saline marshes and low at the 2 freshest sites, suggesting either low mysid abundance or availability at the latter sites. Consumption of insect larvae was important only at the freshest site. L. xanthurus consumed 80% annelids at the most saline sites, but less that 32% at the other sites. The other important consumer of annelids, Micropogonias undulatus, consumed similar quantities of annelids at all sites (32 to 41%). Total stomach fullness was almost always higher at the sites of highest fish abundance. We conclude that the marine transients appear to recruit preferentially to sites of high resource abundance, while M. americana is restricted by physico-chemical tolerance during the spring through fall to limited juvenile habitats where it may experience food resource competition.

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“…The RA fish assemblages were mainly determined by the salinity gradient that restricted the presence of freshwater and marine species along the river. Several authors have done similar research on hundreds of estuarine systems around the world and agree that salinity is a determining factor in the spatial community structure, which is related to the salt tolerance of the species (GUNTER, 1956;LONERAGAN et al, 1987;PETERSON;ROSS, 1991;WHITFIELD, 1999;ABLE et al, 2001;MARTINO;ABLE, 2003;JAUREGUIZAR et al, 2004;WHITFIELD 2006;ELLIOTT et al, 2007). The RA estuary has low or intermediate salinities, and the main gradient is determined by the freshwater input in the upper region and of mixohaline or euryhaline waters across Samborombón bay.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Fish assemblages in a small temperate estuary on the Argentinian coast: spatial variation, environmental influence and relevance as nursery area

et al. 2015

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The effects of different environmental variables on the fish community structure were evaluated in a small temperate estuary. The biological and environmental data were collected bimonthly between 2007 and 2009 along the main estuarine axis. Multivariate analyses were applied (CLUSTER, SIMPER, CCA) to determine the spatial structure of fish community and to estimate the environmental influence on it. A total of 48 species of "teleost" fishes were observed, with the families Characidae and Sciaenidae presenting the largest number of species, 90% of the catches being juveniles. The fish community was overwhelmingly dominated by one species (Micropogonias furnieri, 88.9%), and only four species contributed more than 1% of total catch (Odontesthes argentinensis5.4%, Brevoortia aurea 1.1%, Paralonchurus brasiliensis 1.1%, and Mugil platanus 1.0%). Estuarine and freshwater stragglers dominated in number of species, followed by freshwater migrants and marine migrants. Three areas with different fish assemblages, with distinctive species and functional guilds, were defined along the main axis. The occurrence and spatial spread of these areas were linked to spatial variation in salinity, which was consistently influenced by discharge from the Río de la Plata and local precipitation. The results highlight the importance of shallow environments as nursery areas and permit emphasis on their susceptibility to environmental changes.

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Some Relations of Faunal Distributions to Salinity in Estuarine Waters

Cited by 39 publications

References 3 publications

Interacting stressors and the potential for adaptation in a changing world: responses of populations and individuals

Interacting stressors and the potential for adaptation in a changing world: responses of populations and individuals

Spatial patterns in diet and distribution of juveniles of four fish species in Delaware Bay marsh creeks: factors influencing fish abundance

Fish assemblages in a small temperate estuary on the Argentinian coast: spatial variation, environmental influence and relevance as nursery area

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