Juvenile weakfish Cynoscion regalis distribution in relation to diel-cycling dissolved oxygen in an estuarine tributary

Author(s)Tyler, Robin M.
Author(s)Targett, Timothy E.
Ordered AuthorRobin M. Tyler, Timothy E. Targett
UD AuthorTargett, Timothy E.en_US
Date Accessioned2015-12-09T16:20:32Z
Date Available2015-12-09T16:20:32Z
Copyright DateCopyright ©Inter-Research 2007en_US
Publication Date2007-03-12
DescriptionPublisher's PDF.en_US
AbstractShallow estuarine waters that serve as nurseries for fishes along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the USA can undergo wide diel dissolved oxygen (DO) fluctuations (<2 to ~20 mg O2 l–1) during summer. In this study, the distribution of juvenile weakfish Cynoscion regalis was investigated in relation to diel-cycling DO during summer 2001 in a mesohaline tributary of Indian River Bay, Delaware, USA. Weakfish were collected at 3 sites (upper, middle, and lower) along the ~5 km length of Pepper Creek on 15 d using an otter trawl. Near-bottom DO was monitored continuously over the summer, every 15 min, using multi-parameter sondes. Peak abundance of weakfish coincided with the greatest frequency, intensity, and spatial extent of severe diel-cycling hypoxia events (<2 mg O2 l–1). Severe hypoxia first occurred in early June in the upper creek and recurred there almost daily for periods of 1 to 4 h until early September. Whenever bottom DO was >2.0 mg O2 l–1, weakfish were more abundant at the upper site than at the middle and lower sites, which also experienced severe hypoxia but at much lower frequency. However, under all environmental conditions they were absent from the upper site whenever bottom DO was <2 mg O2 l–1, and returned within 2 h of DO exceeding 2 mg O2 l–1. Daily up- and down-creek movement occurred over a distance of ~1 km. These findings indicate an avoidance threshold of ~2.0 mg O2 l–1 for juvenile weakfish and demonstrate very temporally dynamic DO-related movement. Their rapid return to these areas as DO conditions improve, and relatively high density in tidal tributary headwaters, suggests that these relatively small areas provide important habitat for fishes.en_US
DepartmentUniversity of Delaware. School of Marine Science and Policy.en_US
CitationRobin M. Tyler, Timothy E. Targett. Juvenile weakfish Cynoscion regalis distribution in relation to diel-cycling dissolved oxygen in an estuarine tributary. 2007. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 10.3354/meps v.333, 257-269.en_US
DOI10.3354/meps333257
ISSN0171-8630 ; e-1616-1599en_US
URLhttp://udspace.udel.edu/handle/19716/17289
Languageen_USen_US
PublisherInter-Researchen_US
dc.rightsArticle is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use.en_US
dc.sourceMarine Ecology Progress Seriesen_US
dc.source.urihttp://www.int-res.com/journals/meps/meps-home/en_US
TitleJuvenile weakfish Cynoscion regalis distribution in relation to diel-cycling dissolved oxygen in an estuarine tributaryen_US
TypeArticleen_US
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