Mechanisms of long-term decline in size of lesser sandeels in the North Sea explored using a growth and phenology model

The lesser sandeel Ammodytes marinus is a key species in the North Sea ecosystem, transferring energy from planktonic producers to top predators. Previous studies have shown a long-term decline in the size of 0-group sandeels in the western North Sea, but they were unable to pinpoint the mechanism (...

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Published in:Marine Ecology Progress Series
Main Authors: Frederiksen, Morten, Elston, David A., Edwards, Martin, Mann, Alec D., Wanless, Sarah
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:unknown
Published: 2011
Subjects:
Online Access:http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/14593/
http://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v432/p137-147/
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spelling ftnerc:oai:nora.nerc.ac.uk:14593 2023-05-15T16:18:17+02:00 Mechanisms of long-term decline in size of lesser sandeels in the North Sea explored using a growth and phenology model Frederiksen, Morten Elston, David A. Edwards, Martin Mann, Alec D. Wanless, Sarah 2011 http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/14593/ http://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v432/p137-147/ unknown Frederiksen, Morten; Elston, David A.; Edwards, Martin; Mann, Alec D.; Wanless, Sarah. 2011 Mechanisms of long-term decline in size of lesser sandeels in the North Sea explored using a growth and phenology model. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 432. 137-147. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps09177 <https://doi.org/10.3354/meps09177> Marine Sciences Biology and Microbiology Ecology and Environment Publication - Article PeerReviewed 2011 ftnerc https://doi.org/10.3354/meps09177 2023-02-04T19:29:18Z The lesser sandeel Ammodytes marinus is a key species in the North Sea ecosystem, transferring energy from planktonic producers to top predators. Previous studies have shown a long-term decline in the size of 0-group sandeels in the western North Sea, but they were unable to pinpoint the mechanism (later hatching, slower growth or changes in size-dependent mortality) or cause. To investigate the first 2 possibilities we combined 2 independent time series of sandeel size, namely data from chick-feeding Atlantic puffins Fratercula arctica and from the Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR), in a novel statistical model implemented using Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC). The model estimated annual mean length on 1 July, as well as hatching date and growth rate for sandeels from 1973 to 2006. Mean length-at-date declined by 22% over this period, corresponding to a 60% decrease in energy content, with a sharper decline since 2002. Up to the mid-1990s, the decline was associated with a trend towards later hatching. Subsequently, hatching became earlier again, and the continued trend towards smaller size appears to have been driven by lower growth rates, particularly in the most recent years, although we could not rule out changes in size-dependent mortality. Our findings point to major changes in key aspects of sandeel life history, which we ­consider are most likely due to direct and indirect temperature-related changes over a range of biotic factors, including the seasonal distribution of copepods and intra- and inter-specific competition with planktivorous fish. The results have implications both for the many predators of sandeels and for age and size of maturation in this aggregation of North Sea sandeels. Article in Journal/Newspaper fratercula Fratercula arctica Copepods Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive Marine Ecology Progress Series 432 137 147
institution Open Polar
collection Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive
op_collection_id ftnerc
language unknown
topic Marine Sciences
Biology and Microbiology
Ecology and Environment
spellingShingle Marine Sciences
Biology and Microbiology
Ecology and Environment
Frederiksen, Morten
Elston, David A.
Edwards, Martin
Mann, Alec D.
Wanless, Sarah
Mechanisms of long-term decline in size of lesser sandeels in the North Sea explored using a growth and phenology model
topic_facet Marine Sciences
Biology and Microbiology
Ecology and Environment
description The lesser sandeel Ammodytes marinus is a key species in the North Sea ecosystem, transferring energy from planktonic producers to top predators. Previous studies have shown a long-term decline in the size of 0-group sandeels in the western North Sea, but they were unable to pinpoint the mechanism (later hatching, slower growth or changes in size-dependent mortality) or cause. To investigate the first 2 possibilities we combined 2 independent time series of sandeel size, namely data from chick-feeding Atlantic puffins Fratercula arctica and from the Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR), in a novel statistical model implemented using Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC). The model estimated annual mean length on 1 July, as well as hatching date and growth rate for sandeels from 1973 to 2006. Mean length-at-date declined by 22% over this period, corresponding to a 60% decrease in energy content, with a sharper decline since 2002. Up to the mid-1990s, the decline was associated with a trend towards later hatching. Subsequently, hatching became earlier again, and the continued trend towards smaller size appears to have been driven by lower growth rates, particularly in the most recent years, although we could not rule out changes in size-dependent mortality. Our findings point to major changes in key aspects of sandeel life history, which we ­consider are most likely due to direct and indirect temperature-related changes over a range of biotic factors, including the seasonal distribution of copepods and intra- and inter-specific competition with planktivorous fish. The results have implications both for the many predators of sandeels and for age and size of maturation in this aggregation of North Sea sandeels.
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Frederiksen, Morten
Elston, David A.
Edwards, Martin
Mann, Alec D.
Wanless, Sarah
author_facet Frederiksen, Morten
Elston, David A.
Edwards, Martin
Mann, Alec D.
Wanless, Sarah
author_sort Frederiksen, Morten
title Mechanisms of long-term decline in size of lesser sandeels in the North Sea explored using a growth and phenology model
title_short Mechanisms of long-term decline in size of lesser sandeels in the North Sea explored using a growth and phenology model
title_full Mechanisms of long-term decline in size of lesser sandeels in the North Sea explored using a growth and phenology model
title_fullStr Mechanisms of long-term decline in size of lesser sandeels in the North Sea explored using a growth and phenology model
title_full_unstemmed Mechanisms of long-term decline in size of lesser sandeels in the North Sea explored using a growth and phenology model
title_sort mechanisms of long-term decline in size of lesser sandeels in the north sea explored using a growth and phenology model
publishDate 2011
url http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/14593/
http://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v432/p137-147/
genre fratercula
Fratercula arctica
Copepods
genre_facet fratercula
Fratercula arctica
Copepods
op_relation Frederiksen, Morten; Elston, David A.; Edwards, Martin; Mann, Alec D.; Wanless, Sarah. 2011 Mechanisms of long-term decline in size of lesser sandeels in the North Sea explored using a growth and phenology model. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 432. 137-147. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps09177 <https://doi.org/10.3354/meps09177>
op_doi https://doi.org/10.3354/meps09177
container_title Marine Ecology Progress Series
container_volume 432
container_start_page 137
op_container_end_page 147
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