Vertical structure of plankton communities in areas of European eel larvae distribution in the Sargasso Sea
The European and American eels spawn in the subtropical convergence zone (STCZ) in the Sargasso Sea, a dynamic and relatively productive area that is strongly influenced by front and eddy formations and subducted high-saline water masses. To understand how the physical and biological environments ma...
Published in: | Journal of Plankton Research |
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Oxford Univ. Press
2018
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Online Access: | https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/43964/ https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/43964/1/fby025.pdf https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/43964/2/fby025_munk_et_al_supplementary_fig_1_ff.pdf https://doi.org/10.1093/plankt/fby025 |
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ftoceanrep:oai:oceanrep.geomar.de:43964 2023-05-15T16:08:38+02:00 Vertical structure of plankton communities in areas of European eel larvae distribution in the Sargasso Sea Munk, Peter Nielsen, Torkel Gissel Jaspers, Cornelia Ayala, Daniel J. Tang, Kam W Lombard, Fabien Riemann, Lasse 2018 text https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/43964/ https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/43964/1/fby025.pdf https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/43964/2/fby025_munk_et_al_supplementary_fig_1_ff.pdf https://doi.org/10.1093/plankt/fby025 en eng Oxford Univ. Press https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/43964/1/fby025.pdf https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/43964/2/fby025_munk_et_al_supplementary_fig_1_ff.pdf Munk, P., Nielsen, T. G., Jaspers, C. , Ayala, D. J., Tang, K. W., Lombard, F. and Riemann, L. (2018) Vertical structure of plankton communities in areas of European eel larvae distribution in the Sargasso Sea. Journal of Plankton Research, 40 (4). pp. 362-375. DOI 10.1093/plankt/fby025 <https://doi.org/10.1093/plankt%2Ffby025>. doi:10.1093/plankt/fby025 info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess Article PeerReviewed 2018 ftoceanrep https://doi.org/10.1093/plankt/fby025 2023-04-07T15:40:50Z The European and American eels spawn in the subtropical convergence zone (STCZ) in the Sargasso Sea, a dynamic and relatively productive area that is strongly influenced by front and eddy formations and subducted high-saline water masses. To understand how the physical and biological environments may affect the early life history of eels, we conducted a detailed bio-physical investigation of the water column at a site of high eel larvae abundance. Diel measurements and sampling in the upper 300 m revealed strong variations in hydrographic conditions and mean depths of different taxonomic groups; however, characteristics patterns of distribution were apparent. Most species showed diel vertical migrations, ascending about 20-30 m at night, whereas examples of night-time downward migration were also seen. European eel larvae were among the species showing more extensive diel vertical migration: their population mean depth changed from 160 m at day to 100 m at night where abundance peaked at 45 m depth. Distribution and migration of eel larvae corresponded to patterns observed for small hydrozoans, supporting a proposed predator-prey linkage. The study demonstrates the diverse and vertically strongly structured plankton community of STCZ where larvae of eel and other fish find a wide range of potential niches. Article in Journal/Newspaper European eel OceanRep (GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre für Ocean Research Kiel) Journal of Plankton Research 40 4 362 375 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
OceanRep (GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre für Ocean Research Kiel) |
op_collection_id |
ftoceanrep |
language |
English |
description |
The European and American eels spawn in the subtropical convergence zone (STCZ) in the Sargasso Sea, a dynamic and relatively productive area that is strongly influenced by front and eddy formations and subducted high-saline water masses. To understand how the physical and biological environments may affect the early life history of eels, we conducted a detailed bio-physical investigation of the water column at a site of high eel larvae abundance. Diel measurements and sampling in the upper 300 m revealed strong variations in hydrographic conditions and mean depths of different taxonomic groups; however, characteristics patterns of distribution were apparent. Most species showed diel vertical migrations, ascending about 20-30 m at night, whereas examples of night-time downward migration were also seen. European eel larvae were among the species showing more extensive diel vertical migration: their population mean depth changed from 160 m at day to 100 m at night where abundance peaked at 45 m depth. Distribution and migration of eel larvae corresponded to patterns observed for small hydrozoans, supporting a proposed predator-prey linkage. The study demonstrates the diverse and vertically strongly structured plankton community of STCZ where larvae of eel and other fish find a wide range of potential niches. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Munk, Peter Nielsen, Torkel Gissel Jaspers, Cornelia Ayala, Daniel J. Tang, Kam W Lombard, Fabien Riemann, Lasse |
spellingShingle |
Munk, Peter Nielsen, Torkel Gissel Jaspers, Cornelia Ayala, Daniel J. Tang, Kam W Lombard, Fabien Riemann, Lasse Vertical structure of plankton communities in areas of European eel larvae distribution in the Sargasso Sea |
author_facet |
Munk, Peter Nielsen, Torkel Gissel Jaspers, Cornelia Ayala, Daniel J. Tang, Kam W Lombard, Fabien Riemann, Lasse |
author_sort |
Munk, Peter |
title |
Vertical structure of plankton communities in areas of European eel larvae distribution in the Sargasso Sea |
title_short |
Vertical structure of plankton communities in areas of European eel larvae distribution in the Sargasso Sea |
title_full |
Vertical structure of plankton communities in areas of European eel larvae distribution in the Sargasso Sea |
title_fullStr |
Vertical structure of plankton communities in areas of European eel larvae distribution in the Sargasso Sea |
title_full_unstemmed |
Vertical structure of plankton communities in areas of European eel larvae distribution in the Sargasso Sea |
title_sort |
vertical structure of plankton communities in areas of european eel larvae distribution in the sargasso sea |
publisher |
Oxford Univ. Press |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/43964/ https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/43964/1/fby025.pdf https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/43964/2/fby025_munk_et_al_supplementary_fig_1_ff.pdf https://doi.org/10.1093/plankt/fby025 |
genre |
European eel |
genre_facet |
European eel |
op_relation |
https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/43964/1/fby025.pdf https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/43964/2/fby025_munk_et_al_supplementary_fig_1_ff.pdf Munk, P., Nielsen, T. G., Jaspers, C. , Ayala, D. J., Tang, K. W., Lombard, F. and Riemann, L. (2018) Vertical structure of plankton communities in areas of European eel larvae distribution in the Sargasso Sea. Journal of Plankton Research, 40 (4). pp. 362-375. DOI 10.1093/plankt/fby025 <https://doi.org/10.1093/plankt%2Ffby025>. doi:10.1093/plankt/fby025 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1093/plankt/fby025 |
container_title |
Journal of Plankton Research |
container_volume |
40 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
362 |
op_container_end_page |
375 |
_version_ |
1766404656028712960 |