Journal
HYDROBIOLOGIA
Volume 849, Issue 21, Pages 4679-4692Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s10750-022-05007-3
Keywords
Pyrosoma atlanticum; Soestia zonaria; Doliolida; North Brazilian undercurrent; South Equatorial current; Gelatinous zooplankton
Categories
Funding
- CAPES (Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior)
- CNPq (Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development)
- CAPES/COFECUB program [88881.142689/2017-01]
- European Union [73427]
- TRIATLAS [817578]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The structure of thaliacean community in western boundary current system is influenced by the circulation and thermohaline features. Pyrosoma atlanticum is highly abundant over the continental slope under the influence of the strong North Brazilian Undercurrent, while Doliolida spp. dominate offshore under the influence of the central branch of South Equatorial Current.
In western boundary current systems, strong currents transport oligotrophic oceanic waters towards the coast. Thaliaceans may have an advantage in these systems due their ability to filter small particles such as the bacterioplankton, typically responsible for the primary production in oligotrophic waters. Here, we evaluated the structure of the thaliacean community present in the tropical South Atlantic Ocean western boundary current system to test the hypothesis that species distribution and abundance are structured by the circulation and thermohaline features. For that purpose, we used data collected though 40 mm mesopelagic trawls above the slope and around oceanic seamounts and islands. Results reveal distinct patterns in the thaliacean community structure. Over the continental slope, under the influence of the strong North Brazilian Undercurrent, Pyrosoma atlanticum was highly abundant. Soestia zonaria was also present but in a lesser amount. Offshore, around oceanic islands and Seamounts under the influence of the central branch of South Equatorial Current, Doliolida spp. were the dominant thaliacean, co-occurring with P. atlanticum in lower abundance. Mesh selectivity is a potential drawback in these results since the coarse aperture may have lost smaller species and early life stages.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available