| SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF FISH LARVAE COMMUNITIES IN THE BAY OF BISCAY DURING SPRING |
| GARRIDO S., Centre of Oceanography – Guia Marine Laboratory (CO-LMG), Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, Avenida Nossa Senhora do Cabo, nº939, 2750-374 Cascais, Portugal, garridosus@gmail.com; Cotano U., Marine Research Unit – AZTI Foundation, Herrera Kaia Portualdea z/g 20110 Pasaia, Basque Country, Spain, ucotano@azti.es; Alvarez P., AZTI, palvarez@azti.es; Irigoien X., AZTI Present address: Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University for Science and Technology, KAUST, 23955-6900 Thuwal, Saudi Arabia, xabier.irigoyen@kaust.edu.sa; Ré P., CO-LMG, pedro.re@netcabo.pt. |
| The spatial distribution of the ichthyoplankton communities were studied during the spring in the Southeast Bay of Biscay, in relation to the environmental conditions. Bongo and MIK nets were used simultaneous to capture fish larvae, and the results of both nets were compared. The composition and distribution of zooplankton groups was also assessed for the same stations where the larvae were collected. Fish larvae from 30 families were identified and the most frequent and abundant families were the Clupeidae, Gobiidae, Callyonimidae and Bothidae. Sardine (Sardina pilchardus) was the most abundant species. The bongo net caught significantly more larvae than the MIK net although the species diversity was similar for both nets. Fish larvae length varied between 2 and 46 mm and the mean length of fish larvae caught with the MIK net was significantly higher than with the Bongo net. Most larvae groups and zooplankton biovolume were more abundant in the stations closer to the coast, particularly near the Gironde estuary, followed by stations located in the shelf. Fish larvae distribution was positively associated with higher temperatures and lower salinities. The size of the larvae varied significantly in relation to the distance to the coast, as the length of larvae collected near the coast were significantly smaller than those collected offshore. Calanoid copepods were the most abundant zooplankton prey available for all larvae groups. On the other hand, appendicularians and chaetognaths were the most abundant potential zooplankton predators of fish larvae. |
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