Temperature-related changes in species composition of juvenile finfish on a rock reef in Long Island Sound

Mercaldo‐Allen, Renée; Clark, Paul; Redman, Dylan H.; Liu, Yuan; Meseck, Shannon L.; Milke, Lisa M.; Rose, Julie M.; Goldberg, Ronald

doi:10.7755/fb.118.3.6

Cited by 4 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Distances between the Milford study sites (dense cage farm, sparse cage farm and rock reef) ranged from 745 to 1,537 m (Mercaldo-Allen et al, 2020). Water depths at high tide measured 4.6 m (15 ft) at the dense cage farm, and 6.1 m (20 ft) at the sparse cage farm and rock reef sites.…”

Section: Habitat Comparisonmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The scale of aquaculture operations, and the number, proximity and footprint of gear on the seafloor may influence the habitat value conferred by shellfish farms (Dumbauld et al, 2009). Cage size and configuration varies, affecting the amount of added structure, for example, standard shelf and bag cages (1.22 x 0.91 x 0.61 m) typically hold 3 shelves with oysters, but much larger cages are also used by shellfish growers, having as many as 20 stacked trays, and could contribute even higher relief habitat (Mercaldo-Allen et al, 2020;Mercaldo-Allen et al, 2021). Clusters of farms within the same region can provide contiguous patches of habitat that support movement of transient species (Erbland and Ozbay, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous studies of fish associated with oyster aquaculture cages in the temperate Northwest Atlantic region have used traditional sampling methods, that typically involved disturbance of natural communities (e.g., lift nets, quadrats, suction dredging, fish traps) and demonstrated that shellfish farms are populated by species associated with hard bottom seafloor environments, including black sea bass (Centropristis striata), cunner (Tautogolabrus adspersus), scup (Stenotomus chrysops), and tautog (Tautoga onitis) (e.g., DeAlteris et al, 2004;Tallman and Forrester, 2007;Mercaldo-Allen et al, 2020). A synthesis of available data on provisioning of ecosystem services by shellfish aquaculture concluded that fish abundance is generally higher on farms relative to unstructured or structured seafloor (Barrett et al, 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Oyster aquaculture cages provide fish habitat similar to natural structure with minimal differences based on farm location

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Oyster aquaculture gear may augment natural seafloor by providing structured habitat for economically important fish species. Underwater video census was used to assess fish abundance and community composition on eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) shelf and bag style aquaculture off-bottom cages and within natural rock reef habitat. During 2018, underwater cameras were mounted on four study cages at a dense shellfish farm of 40-100 commercial cages (dense cage farm), on four single cages interspersed on low relief seafloor (sparse cage farm), and amongst four boulders on a rock reef (rock reef), within an embayment off Milford, Connecticut, which is part of Long Island Sound, in the United States. In 2019, cameras were similarly deployed on two study cages per farm at each of three shellfish farms off Milford, Norwalk and Westport, CT. Video was recorded hourly in eight-minute segments from 7 am to 7 pm. Data loggers monitored seawater temperature, light intensity, and current speed. Fish abundance (MaxN) was calculated for all videos. We compared fish abundance and community composition between May and September, on cage and boulder habitat, on cages at dense and sparse farms and on cages across farm locations. In 2018, abundance of black sea bass (Centropristis striata), scup (Stenotomus chrysops) and tautog (Tautoga onitis) was significantly higher on cages than boulders, regardless of cage number. Cunner (Tautogolabrus adspersus) abundance was significantly higher on boulders than cages when cage sites were grouped. However pairwise comparisons indicated that cunner were significantly higher at the sparse cage farm versus the rock reef but cunner abundance on the dense cage farm and rock reef sites was not significantly different. Abundance of black sea bass, scup, tautog, and cunner were not significantly different across 2019 farm locations. Young-of-the-year fish occurred episodically at all sites during both years, with black sea bass and scup most abundant. Fish abundance corresponded to seasonal changes in seawater temperature and was highest at the warmest temperatures. Light intensity and current speed explained less variation in fish abundance relative to temperature, and relationships were inconsistent across habitats and farm locations Our results suggest that multi-tiered oyster aquaculture cages contribute structure to seafloor environments that provide habitat for temperate reef fish similar to natural rock reefs.

show abstract

Section: Habitat Comparisonmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Oyster aquaculture cages provide fish habitat similar to natural structure with minimal differences based on farm location

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In LIS, Howell and Auster (2012) and Mercaldo‐Allen et al. (2020) have shown that in LIS, recent temperature changes have shifted the distribution of fish species toward those more common in the Middle Atlantic Bight. Oczkowski et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The coastal waters of the northeast United States have been warming rapidly in the last two decades, which Pershing et al (2015) linked to a reduction in the recruitment of juvenile cod in the Gulf of Maine. In LIS, Howell and Auster (2012) and Mercaldo-Allen et al (2020) have shown that in LIS, recent temperature changes have shifted the distribution of fish species toward those more common in the Middle Atlantic Bight. Oczkowski et al (2015) have provided evidence that the very shallow (∼1 m depth) embayments in New England are warming even faster than the deeper areas.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Observations of Autumnal Cooling in a Large Estuary

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Seasonal variations in solar insolation and wind create an annual water temperature cycle that impacts circulation and biological processes. The waters of Long Island Sound (LIS) warm from March‐February until August‐October and then begin to cool. Ship surveys show that the vertical temperature structure becomes almost uniform during this season when the area experiences low air temperatures and high winds. However, no observations have resolved the temporal evolution of the vertical structure of temperature during these cooling periods because conditions inhibit ship operations. We report glider measurements of the vertical structure of water temperatures and salinities from 22 October to 4 November 2014, in eastern LIS. We find that 20 m of water can cool at approximately 0.5o0.25emnormalC/normaldnormalanormaly ${0.5}^{\mathrm{o}}\,\mathrm{C}/\mathrm{d}\mathrm{a}\mathrm{y}$ during intervals of cold air and strong winds. We use the data to estimate heat content tendencies and infer surface fluxes. We also estimate the surface heat fluxes using buoy‐mounted instruments and show they are consistent. The net heat flux to the atmosphere exceeds 600 W/m2 during the gilder deployment and approximately 66% of this is due to latent heat transfer. Using the buoy fluxes and products of an operation regional model, we show that the agreement with the fluxes derived from heat budget is improved by using local wind observations. In addition to confirming the extremely large cooling rates, our results demonstrate that gliders can be used in a complex region with strong tidal currents to resolve the temperature structure and heat budget during the severe weather of the cooling season.

show abstract

Temperature‐ and ration‐dependent winter growth in northern‐stock Black Sea Bass juveniles

Zavell,

Mouland,

Matassa

et al. 2023

Trans Am Fish Soc

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

ObjectiveThe northern stock of Black Sea Bass Centropristis striata has spatially expanded over the past decade, potentially due to warming northwest Atlantic Shelf waters affecting overwintering.MethodsTo gather empirical data on temperature‐dependent energetics, we quantified winter growth and lipid accumulation in juveniles from Long Island Sound using two experiments.ResultExperiment 1 measured individual length growth (GR), weight‐specific growth (SGR), growth efficiency, and lipid content at constant food levels and three static temperatures (6, 12, 19°C), resulting in decreasing GR from 0.24 mm/day at 19°C (SGR = 0.89%/day) to 0.15 mm/day at 12°C (0.54%/day) to 0.04 mm/day at 6°C (0.17%/day). Even at the coldest temperature, most juveniles sustained positive GRs and SGRs; hence, the species' true thermal growth minimum may be below 6°C. Lipid accumulation was greatest at 12°C, which is close to what overwintering juveniles likely encounter offshore. Experiment 2 measured the same traits but combined a representative thermal overwinter profile (20°C → 13°C, October–March) with seasonally varying rations designed to mimic low and high levels of food availability offshore. Monthly GR and SGR responded in the direction of seasonal food level changes. The “winter pulse” consumption average of 1.7%/feeding elicited a mean GR of 0.15 mm/day and SGR of 0.55%/day, whereas the “winter dip” consumption average of 3.8%/feeding yielded faster GR (0.20 mm/day) and SGR (0.71%/day). Growth efficiency ranged between 15% and 30% and was inversely related to food consumption. In both experiments, juveniles disproportionally accumulated lipid over lean mass, with lipid proportions tripling in experiment 2 from 4% at 65 mm to 12% at 120 mm.ConclusionAs inshore winter waters continue to warm, the energetic trade‐offs of overwinter offshore migration are likely to shift, potentially leading to a year‐round inshore Black Sea Bass presence.

show abstract

Temperature-related changes in species composition of juvenile finfish on a rock reef in Long Island Sound

Cited by 4 publications

References 0 publications

Oyster aquaculture cages provide fish habitat similar to natural structure with minimal differences based on farm location

Oyster aquaculture cages provide fish habitat similar to natural structure with minimal differences based on farm location

Observations of Autumnal Cooling in a Large Estuary

Temperature‐ and ration‐dependent winter growth in northern‐stock Black Sea Bass juveniles

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About