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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Understanding processes affecting fish recruitment and population connectivity is of major importance to the
management of Marine Protected Areas. Fluctuations in recruitment of coastal fishes can be affected by
processes occurring during the early life stages such as the dispersal and availability of larvae. In nearshore
temperate environments, there is a lack of knowledge about the patterns of larval supply or biophysical
interactions that may influence recruitment variability in these populations. With the objectives of investigating
within season (Spring-Summer period) fluctuations that may affect recruitment, and of understanding patterns of
larval retention close to the reefs, we used a plankton net attached to an underwater scooter to investigate weekly
variation in the composition of fish larval assemblages, larval density and diversity and ontogenetic patterns of
occurrence of fish larvae in the extreme nearshore environment of the Arrábida Marine Park (Portugal). The
results from multivariate analysis (PERMANOVA and SIMPER) have showed a lower number of species
dominating the assemblage, and significant differences in the abundance between species, when compared to
previous studies. The presence of larvae in several developmental stages indicates some degree of retention.
These findings are important to the management of the Marine Park.
Description
Keywords
Larval fish assemblages Larval retention Temporal variation
Citation
Journal of Coastal Research, 56. 376-380
Publisher
Coastal Education and Research Foundation