Trophodynamics of the scyphomedusae Aurelia aurita. Predation rate in relation to abundance, size and type of prey organism

Ephyra larvae and small medusae (1.7–95 mm diameter, 0.01–350mg ash-free dry wt, AFDW) of the scyphozoan jellyfish Aureliaaurita were used in predation experiments with phytoplankton(the flagellate Isochrysis galbana, 4 µm diameter, {smalltilde}6 x 10^–6 µg AFDW cell^–1), ciliates (theoligotrich Strombidium sulcatum, 28 µm diameter, {smalltilde}2 x 10^–3 µg AFDW), rotifers (Synchaeta sp.,0.5 µg AFDW individual^–1) and mixed zooplankton(mainly copepods and cladocerans, 2.1–3.1 µg AFDWindividual^–1). Phytoplankton in natural concentrations(50–200 µg C I^–1) were not utilized by largemedusae (44–95 mm diameter). Ciliates in concentrationsfrom 0.5 to 50 individuals ml^"1 were consumed by ephyra larvaeand small medusae (3–14 mm diameter) at a maximum predationrate of 171 prey day^–1, corresponding to a daily rationof 0.42%. The rotifer Synchaeta sp., offered in concentrationsof 100–600 prey I^–1, resulted in daily rations ofephyra larvae (2–5 mm diameter) between 1 and 13%. Mixedzooplankton allowed the highest daily rations, usually in therange 5–40%. Large medusae (>45 mm diameter) consumedbetween 2000 and 3500 prey organisms day^"1 in prey concentrationsexceeding 100 I^–1. Predation rate and daily ration werepositively correlated with prey abundance. Seen over a broadsize spectrum, the daily ration decreased with increased medusasize. The daily rations observed in high abundance of mixedzooplankton suggest a potential ‘scope for growth’that exceeds the growth rate observed in field populations,and this, in turn, suggests that the natural populations areusually food limited. The predicted predation rate at averageprey concentrations that are characteristic of neritic environmentscannot explain the maximum growth rates observed in field populations.It is therefore suggested that exploitation of patches of preyin high abundance is an important component in the trophodynamicsof this species. ¹Present address: University of Bergen, Department of MarineBiology, N-5065 Blomsterdalen, Norway     

Variation in hatching success and egg production of Eurytemora affinis (Calanoida, Copepoda) from the Gulf of Bothnia, Baltic Sea, in relation to abundance and clonal differences of diatoms

We monitored the hatching frequencies and clutch sizes of Eurytemoraaffinis, and environmental variables in the Gulf of Bothnia,between May and October 2003. We tested the hypothesis thatthe hatching frequency of the copepod would be negatively affectedduring time periods with high diatom concentrations. Resultsfrom two stations showed significant differences between thedifferent sampling occasions, with the lowest observed hatchingfrequency during the spring diatom bloom. The reverse was truefor clutch size, with the highest average egg number duringthe diatom bloom. These results were not correlated to ambienttemperature, salinity or chlorophyll a (Chl a). In a separatelaboratory experiment, nine different local clones of the diatomSkeletonema costatum were used as food for adult E. affinisfemales, in order to screen for possible differences in toxicitywithin the Skeletonema community. The resulting average copepodhatching frequency varied between 5 and 75% for the differentclones, indicating that there can be large within-species variationin the toxic properties of diatoms. The significance of suchvariations in natural communities remains to be tested in futurestudies.     

Causes for mass occurrences of the jellyfish Periphylla periphylla: a hypothesis that involves optically conditioned retention

The mesopelagic coronate medusa Periphylla periphylla has beenvery abundant (20–320 individuals m^–2), with asmany as 2.5 individuals m^–3, for more than a decade incertain Norwegian fjords. These abundances are two to threeorders of magnitude higher than reported from open ocean environments.Comparisons of the size, density and behavior of this jellyfishin three fjords (Lurefjorden, Sognefjorden and Halsafjorden)support the hypothesis that retention of P. periphylla is relatedto basin topography, light attenuation and photosensitivity.Furthermore, we hypothesize that the abundances of P. periphyllain Lurefjorden and Halsafjorden, but not in Sognefjorden, havebeen stimulated by increased light absorbance of water massesformed in the North Sea.     

An evaluation of acoustic and video methods to estimate the abundance and vertical distribution of jellyfish

Four non-invasive methods (three acoustic and one video) werecompared to estimate the abundance and vertical distributionof scyphomedusae, using the locally abundant coronate speciesPeriphylla periphylla in Lurefjorden, north of Bergen, Norway,as the test organism. The acoustic methods included single-targetquantification by, respectively, a hull-mounted 38 kHz split-beamecho sounder and a 675 kHz scanning sonar mounted on a remotelyoperated vehicle (ROV). Data from acoustic backscattering providedestimates of abundance and changes in the vertical positionof scattering (= aggregation) layers. Vertical migration wasalso studied by acoustic target tracking, following single individualsas they ascended in the afternoon. The ROV-mounted scanningsonar missed an unidentified part in the lower size distributionof the target population. Vertical video profiles, conductedduring ROV dives, provided the most detailed information onabundance and distribution, although uncertainties remainedregarding the size distribution in the population.