Spatial and temporal patterns in the contribution of fish from their nursery habitats |
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Authors: | Paul M Chittaro Rachel J Finley Phillip S Levin |
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Institution: | (1) National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, 2725 Montlake Blvd E, Seattle, WA 98112-2097, USA |
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Abstract: | Because anthropogenic influences threaten the degradation of many ecosystems, determining where organisms live during early
life-history stages and the extent to which different areas contribute individuals to adult populations is critical for the
management and conservation of a species. Working in Puget Sound, Washington State in the United States, and using a common
flatfish (English sole, Parophrys vetulus), we sought to establish (using otolith chemistry) which areas contribute age-0 fish to age-1 population(s), the extent to
which this pattern was consistent between two years, and whether this spatial pattern of contribution coincides with surveys
of age-0 fish and/or the available area of nearshore habitat. Our study indicated completely different spatial patterns of
fish nursery use between the two years of sampling. We highlight that the contribution of individuals from nursery areas is
not related to density of recently settled English sole or the available area of nearshore habitat (depth <10 m) in Puget
Sound, nor can we draw conclusions based on environmental data (precipitation, water salinity, light transmission, pH, dissolved
oxygen, and water temperature). The results of this study highlight (1) the need for assessing the temporal patterns of nursery
habitat use, and (2) that, in order to conservatively manage a species and its population(s), it may be necessary to protect
several areas that are used intermittently by that species. |
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Keywords: | Nursery habitat Otolith chemistry English sole Puget Sound |
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