The influence of environmental factors on early life history patterns of flounders

Burke, John S.; Ueno, Masahiro; Tanaka, Yousuke; Walsh, Harvey J.; Maeda, Tsuneo; Kinoshita, Izumi; Seikai, Tadahisa; Hoss, Donald E.; Tanaka, Masaru

doi:10.1016/s1385-1101(98)00014-8

Cited by 48 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…In our study, we found the highest density of juveniles on sand, which was contrary to findings from other studies in Texas, North Carolina, and Louisiana. Those studies reported southern flounder predominately settled on muddy substrates (silt/clay) (Powell and Schwartz 1977;Burke et al 1991;Burke et al 1998), which may provide more suitable substrate for flatfish to easily bury, camouflage, and protect their flat bodies from predators, as opposed to sandy bottoms (Tanada 1990;Moles and Norcross 1995;Nasir and Poxton 2001). It is possible the positive effects of vegetated habitat types, such as protection from predation or greater food availability, were more important than the potential negative effects of settling on less coarse sediments.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat Use Patterns of Newly Settled Southern Flounder, Paralichthys lethostigma, in Aransas–Copano Bay, Texas

Nañez-James

Stunz

Holt³

2008

Estuaries and Coasts

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Southern flounder Paralichthys lethostigma populations have been declining in Texas during the past 25 years. Despite their economic importance, little is known about their juvenile habitat requirements. We examined habitat use patterns of newly settled southern flounder in three zones at varying distances from the Aransas Pass inlet in Aransas-Copano Bay by measuring densities using a beam trawl in replicate estuarine habitat types in each zone. Highest abundance occurred near the inlet in vegetated sandy areas and was lowest in nonvegetated muddy bottom in regions furthest from the inlet. We also examined a 25-year fisheries data set from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to evaluate long-term spatiotemporal recruitment patterns in Aransas-Copano Bay. These data showed generally low recruitment during the past 25 years with highest abundance near the inlets. Our results support the importance of vegetated habitat types, especially those near tidal passes, and suggest a longterm decline in recruitment densities of southern flounder.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat Use Patterns of Newly Settled Southern Flounder, Paralichthys lethostigma, in Aransas–Copano Bay, Texas

Nañez-James

Stunz

Holt³

2008

Estuaries and Coasts

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“…Newly hatched larvae use selective tidal stream transport to move up estuary to settle in suitable nursery habitats (Burke et al 1998;Forward et al 1999), where they spend the next 18-20 months (Powell and Schwartz 1977). During this period of estuarine residency, habitat-use patterns are driven by biological (Burke et al 1998), chemical (Dahlberg 1972;Powell and Schwartz 1977;Allen and Baltz 1997), and physical (Burke et al 1991;Allen and Baltz 1997;Walsh et al 1999) habitat characteristics. Variability in habitat use can lead to specific estuarine areas contributing disproportionately to the adult population (e.g., Beck et al 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Otolith Microchemistry Reveals Substantial Use of Freshwater by Southern Flounder in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Lowe

DeVries

Wright

et al. 2010

Estuaries and Coasts

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Southern flounder Paralichthys lethostigma is a recreationally and commercially important species along the western Atlantic and northern Gulf of Mexico coasts that can exhibit complex early-life habitat-use patterns. Herein, we used an otolith microchemical approach to test the conventional wisdom that juvenile southern flounder spend most of their early life in low-salinity areas of estuaries, focusing on the largely unstudied population in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, AL. Analysis of strontium/ calcium concentrations in otolith cores of age 0 juveniles demonstrated that 68% of these individuals hatched in highsalinity waters before moving into freshwater habitats, with the remaining individuals being spawned in or near freshwater habitat. Further, otolith edge Sr/Ca concentrations revealed that even juveniles used freshwater habitats, particularly during freshwater/oligohaline conditions in our study system. Otolith edge Sr/Ca ratios for fish collected during high-salinity periods differed significantly among collection regions, suggesting seasonal differences in patterns of habitat use between individuals collected upstream (i.e., freshwater habitats) vs. downstream (i.e., euryhaline habitats). These data support the hypothesis that early-life stages of a substantial portion of a coastal southern flounder population use freshwater habitat.

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“…In common with juveniles of other fish species (e.g. freshwater eels, Creutzberg 1961), post-metamorphic flatfish juveniles utilise Selective Tidal Stream Transport (STST) to achieve inshore movement during flood tides (Creutzberg et al 1978, Burke et al 1998, Floeter & Temming 2003, Ramos et al 2010. Presumably, juvenile flatfish will have a similar tendency to enter Lake Ellesmere during incoming tides at night.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What causes the high interannual variability of flatfish (Rhombosoleaspp.) in Lake Ellesmere?

Jellyman

2011

New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research

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Lake Ellesmere, Canterbury, a large coastal lake is mechanically opened to the sea at predetermined water levels. The lake maintains important customary and commercial eel (Anguilla spp.) and flatfish (Rhombosolea spp.) fisheries, although the harvest of flatfish varies considerably between years. The three main flatfish species (black flounders Rhombosolea retiaria, sand flounders R. plebia and yellowbelly flounders R. leporina) recruit in spring, grow rapidly within the lake, and reach the minimum commercial size within two or three years. Maturing fish endeavour to leave the lake to spawn at sea during summer and autumn. There is a weak association between commercial catches and lake openings lagged by two years, but strong associations between catches in the lake and in the Canterbury Bight. The high interannual variability in abundance partly reflects timing and duration of lake openings, the opportunity of maturing fish to emigrate to sea, and the strength of regional recruitment.

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The influence of environmental factors on early life history patterns of flounders

Cited by 48 publications

References 17 publications

Habitat Use Patterns of Newly Settled Southern Flounder, Paralichthys lethostigma, in Aransas–Copano Bay, Texas

Habitat Use Patterns of Newly Settled Southern Flounder, Paralichthys lethostigma, in Aransas–Copano Bay, Texas

Otolith Microchemistry Reveals Substantial Use of Freshwater by Southern Flounder in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

What causes the high interannual variability of flatfish (Rhombosoleaspp.) in Lake Ellesmere?

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