SEMINAR: MBF602 - Katie Shulzitski - Friday 4-29-11, 1pm S/A 103

[Kathryn Shulzitski <kshulzitski@rsmas.miami.edu>]

The influence of mesoscale eddies on abundance and growth of larval reef fishes in the Florida Keys

Mesoscale eddies are a dynamic component of the oceanography of the Florida Keys (FK). The passage of these oceanographic features through the Straits of Florida is accompanied by upwelling and increased primary productivity. Eddies have also been implicated in delivering large pulses of fish larvae to FK reefs, though they can also transport larvae away from the reef tract. In addition to their role in transporting larvae, the high productivity and retention potential of mesoscale eddies suggest that they may serve as important larval habitat. Yet there is an absence of empirical data on the abundance and growth rates of larvae associated with these significant features. Ichthyoplankton samples and physical data were collected during three cruises on the R/V Walton Smith. Satellite imagery, a shipboard ADCP, satellite-tracked drifters, stationary current meters, and physical oceanographic model outputs were used to locate eddies and to classify stations as those inside and outside of eddies. We found that larval abundances were not consistently higher in mesoscale eddies. Instead, larval abundances were either unaffected by mesoscale eddies, were lower in these features, or were inconsistently more abundant in eddies. Interestingly, although Thalassoma bifasciatum was significantly less abundant in eddies, eddy fish exhibited higher growth. Increased larval growth has been linked to higher survivorship in the larval and juvenile stages thus these faster growing fish may contribute more to population replenishment in this dynamic system.

Kathryn Shulzitski
M.S. in Marine Biology in 2005, University of North Carolina Wilmington
Entered Ph.D. program: Fall 2006
Advisor: Su Sponaugle

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Kathryn Shulzitski
Marine Biology and Fisheries
Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science
University of Miami
4600 Rickenbacker Causeway
Miami, FL 33149

TEL: (305) 421-4670
E-MAIL: kshulzitski@rsmas.miami.edu