Larval reef fish assemblages in the Florida Keys and the influence of

mesoscale eddies on larval distributions

K. Shulzitski, S. Sponaugle, R. CowenRosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science

Larval reef fish assemblages in the Florida Keys and the influence of

mesoscale eddies on larval distributions

Population Connectivity

Benthic adults

Spawn

Pelagic larvae

The vast majority of benthic marine organisms have a complex life cycle

Benthic juveniles

Benthic adults

Spawn

Pelagic larvae

Major implications for population connectivity

Benthic juveniles

Ichthyoplankton collections

Settler & recruit surveys, collections, & tracking

Physical oceanographic measurements

Ichthyoplankton distributions & collections

Coupled biophysical modeling

Hydrodynamic modeling

Dispersal kernels

http://oceancolor.gsfc.nasa.gov/

FLORIDA

CUBA

LOOP CURRENT

GULF OF MEXICO

MESOSCALE EDDIES

FLORID

A CURRENT

CARIBBEAN SEA

ATLANTIC OCEAN

Study area

Florida Keys

FLORIDA

CURRENT

Reefs

INSHORE

INSHORE

EDDY

EDDY

• InshoreInshore• EddyEddy• FC FC (Florida Current)(Florida Current)

The physical environment can be classified into zones

Current mooring

Key Largo

Big Pine Key

Loop Current

FLORIDA

InshoreInshore

EddyEddy

FCFC

Ichthyoplankton sampling

Physical Data Collection• Underway data

• Currents

•Temperature

• Fluorescence

• CTD casts

• Current meter moorings

• Satellite-tracked drifters

Ichthyoplankton Collection• Inshore frame net

• MOCNESS – depth-stratified

InshoreInshore EddyEddy FCFC

InshoreInshore

InshoreInshore

EddyEddy

EddyEddy

FCFC

FCFC

Cruise 3 July 2008

Cruise 2August 2007

Cruise 1June 2007

Upper Keys

Middle Keys

Lower Keys

Marquesas

Upper Keys

Middle Keys

Lower Keys

Marquesas

Upper Keys

Middle Keys

Lower Keys

Marquesas

Larv

al A

bund

ance

per

100

0 m

3

10

250

500

Inshore Eddy FC

Florida Keys

FLORIDA CURRENTReefs

INSHORE

INSHORE

EDDY

EDDYFlorida Keys

FLORIDA CURRENTReefs

INSHORE

INSHORE

EDDY

EDDY

a

bb

FCInshore Eddy

b

a

b

FCInshore Eddy FCInshore Eddy

Cruise 3 July 2008Cruise 2 August 2007Cruise 1 June 2007A

vera

ge L

arva

l Abu

ndan

ce p

er 1

000

m3

Ave

rage

Lar

val A

bund

ance

per

100

0 m

3

Ave

rage

Lar

val A

bund

ance

per

100

0 m

3

a

b

b

Larval assemblages differ by zone

CRUISE 1

Inshore zoneEddy zone

FC zone

Larval assemblages differ by water mass

CRUISE 2

Inshore zoneEddy zone

FC zone

Larval assemblages differ by water mass

Stress = 0.06731

CRUISE 3

Inshore zoneEddy zone

FC zone

3

CRUISE 2

3

3

FCEddyInshore

Snapper larvae more abundant in association with the eddy

T. Murphy

(mm/s)

Mar

ques

asLo

wer

Key

s

FCEddyInshore

(mm/s)

C. Guigand

Scorpionfish larvae exhibit

opposite pattern

Mar

ques

asLo

wer

Key

s

FCEddyInshore

Goby larvae found

nearshore

(mm/s)

T. Murphy

Mar

ques

asLo

wer

Key

s

Conclusions

• Reef fish larvae consistently more abundant offshore in eddy and FC waters than inshore

• Larval assemblages differ according to water mass

• Larvae more abundant when mesoscale eddies are moving through the Straits of Florida (SOF)

• Species-specific larval distributions in association with a mesoscale eddy in 2007

• Eddies are important features in the SOF with major implications for larval life histories

Acknowledgements

Sean BignamiTauna RankinKristen Walter

Evan D’AlessandroKlaus Hubert

Jonathan Kool Martha Hauff

Joel LlopizCedric Guigand

Adam GreerTom Murphy Jennie Boulay

Lisa HavelLindsay Jones

Jason Downing

Su SponaugleRobert CowenVilly KourafalouClaire ParisTom Lee

UM FellowshipNational Science Foundation

Science Made Sensible

Funding

3