Spatial synchronies in the seasonal occurrence of larvae of oysters (Crassostrea gigas) and mussels (Mytilus edulis/galloprovincialis) in European coastal waters

• Published in: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science
• Main Authors: Catharina J. M. Philippart, Ana Amaral, Ragnhild Asmus, Judith van Bleijswijk, Julie Bremner, Fred Buchholz, Miguel Cabanellas Reboredo, Diana Catarino, André Cattrijsse, François Charles, Thierry Comtet, Alexandra Cunha, Salud Deudero, Jean Claude Duchêne, Franck Gentil, Arjan Gittenberger, Katell Guizien, João M. Gonçalves, Iris Hendriks, Birgit Hussel, Raquel Pinheiro Vieira, Bastian T. Reijnen, Iris Sampaio, Ester Serrao, Isabel Sousa Pinto, Eric Thiebaut, Frédérique Viard, Alain F. Zuur, FRASCHETTI, Simonetta, GUARNIERI, GIUSEPPE
• Other Authors: Catharina J. M., Philippart, Ana, Amaral, Ragnhild, Asmu, Judith van, Bleijswijk, Julie, Bremner, Fred, Buchholz, Miguel Cabanellas, Reboredo, Diana, Catarino, André, Cattrijsse, François, Charle, Thierry, Comtet, Alexandra, Cunha, Salud, Deudero, Jean Claude, Duchêne, Fraschetti, Simonetta, Franck, Gentil, Arjan, Gittenberger, Katell, Guizien, João M., Gonçalve, Guarnieri, Giuseppe, Iris, Hendrik, Birgit, Hussel, Raquel Pinheiro, Vieira, Bastian T., Reijnen, Iris, Sampaio, Ester, Serrao, Isabel Sousa, Pinto, Eric, Thiebaut, Frédérique, Viard, Alain F., Zuur
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: spatial synchrony; synoptic scale; larval occurrence; Crassostrea giga; Mytilus eduli; Mytilus galloprovincialis; Crassostrea gigas
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11587/372734; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2012.05.014

Reproductive cycles of marine invertebrates with complex life histories are considered to be synchronized by water temperature and feeding conditions, which vary with season and latitude. This study analyses seasonal variation in the occurrence of oyster (Crassostrea gigas) and mussel (Mytilus edulis/galloprovincialis) larvae across European coastal waters at a synoptic scale (1000s of km) using standardised methods for sampling and molecular analyses. We tested a series of hypotheses to explain the observed seasonal patterns of occurrence of bivalve larvae at 12 European stations (located between 37 degrees N and 60 degrees N and 27 degrees W and 18 degrees E). These hypotheses included a model that stated that there was no synchronisation in seasonality of larval presence at all between the locations (null hypothesis), a model that assumed that there was one common seasonality pattern for all stations within Europe, and various models that supposed that the variation in seasonality could be grouped according to specific spatial scales (i.e., latitude, large marine ecosystems and ecoregions), taxonomic groups, or several combinations of these factors. For oysters, the best models explaining the presence/absence of larvae in European coastal waters were (1) the model that assumed one common seasonal pattern, and (2) the one that, in addition to this common pattern, assumed an enhanced probability of occurrence from south to north. The third best model for oysters, with less empirical support than the first two, stated that oysters reproduced later in the south than in the north. For mussels, the best models explaining the seasonality in occurrence of larvae were (1) the model that assumed four underlying trends related to large marine ecosystems, and (2) the one that assumed one common seasonal pattern for larvae occurrence throughout Europe. Such synchronies in larval occurrences suggest that environmental conditions relevant to bivalve larval survival are more or less similar at large spatial scales from 100s ...