Temporal patterns in distributions of tropical fish larvae on the North West Shelf of Australia
A. Sampey A D E , M. G. Meekan B , J. H. Carleton C , A. D. McKinnon C and M. I. McCormick AA School of Marine Biology & Aquaculture, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia.
B Australian Institute of Marine Science, P. O. Box 40197, Darwin, NT 0810, Australia.
C Australian Institute of Marine Science, P. M. B. 3, Townsville MC, Qld 4810, Australia.
D Present address: CSIRO Marine Research, Private Bag No. 5, Wembley, WA 6913, Australia.
E Corresponding author. Email: alison.sampey@csiro.au
Marine and Freshwater Research 55(5) 473-487 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF03160
Submitted: 6 October 2003 Accepted: 30 April 2004 Published: 5 August 2004
Abstract
Information on the temporal distributions of tropical fish larvae is scarce. Early stage larval fishes were sampled using towed bongo plankton nets at sites on the southern North West Shelf of Australia (21°49′S, 114°14′E), between October and February of 1997/98 and 1998/99. The first summer was characterised by El Niño–Southern Oscillation-driven upwelling and high primary productivity, whereas in the second summer water temperatures were warmer and primary production was lower. Benthic percoid shorefishes dominated surface assemblages in both summers and this pattern may be typical of tropical shelf environments.The abundance and diversity of larval fishes were lowest in October and increased from November through to February. Assemblages displayed weak cross-shelf patterns, with a few taxa being more abundant at inshore sites (e.g. monacanthids), whereas others were more abundant offshore (e.g. scombrids). Although the composition of assemblages remained relatively consistent, many taxa (e.g. pomacentrids and carangids) showed differences in abundance between summers. Multivariate analyses found no relationships between abundance patterns of larval fishes and biophysical variables, such as temperature, salinity, and zooplankton biomass. Thus, seasonal changes in abundance may reflect differences in the spawning activities of adult fishes and/or larval survival.
Extra keywords: assemblages, cross-shelf, El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), ichthyoplankton, interannual, larval fishes, seasonal.
Acknowledgments
We thank everyone involved in the sample collection, especially the crew of the Lady Basten. Thanks to Peter Young and CSIRO staff for assistance in locating the CSIRO data. Particular thanks to Vicki Bates, Mike Kingsford, Jeff Leis, and Tom Trinski for assistance with identifications and for their comments on this project. Thanks to Tove Lemberget, Scott Burgess, and two anonymous referees for their comments on earlier versions of the manuscript.
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