Blue Crab (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Callinectes sapidus</Emphasis> Rathbun, 1896) Settlement at Three Georgia (USA) Estuarine Sites |
| |
| Authors: | T Dale Bishop III" target="_blank">Harlan L MillerIII Randal L Walker Dorset H Hurley Theron Menken Charles E Tilburg |
| |
| Institution: | (1) Marine Sciences Department, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA;(2) Marine Extension Service, 1030 Chicopee Complex, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA;(3) Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve, Sapelo Island, GA 31327, USA;(4) Department of Marine Sciences, University of New England, 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, ME 04093, USA; |
| |
| Abstract: | The blue crab, Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896, represents the second most important fishery for coastal Georgia; yet, little is known about environmental
forces that affect planktonic postlarval settlement in the region. Here, we describe a study to examine the physical mechanisms
responsible for blue crab settlement in the extensive salt marsh system of coastal Georgia. Bottom and surface samplers were
placed at three sites along a salinity gradient from a low-salinity site in the Altamaha River to a high-salinity area of
the Duplin River, Sapelo Island, GA, USA during 2005. Megalopae and juvenile monitoring occurred from July through December.
The majority of both megalopae (86.8%) and juvenile (89.3%) blue crabs were recovered in bottom samplers at the low-salinity
Altamaha River site during August and early September. Few megalopae were collected at the surface of the Altamaha River or
at the two higher-salinity sites in the Duplin and North Rivers. Downwelling winds were unable to explain all settlement events;
however, winds with an onshore component regularly preceded settlement events. The use of a multiple-regression model revealed
a lagged relationship (r = 0.5461, $ lag = 0–2 days $ lag = 0–2 days ) between wind events, temperature, salinity, maximum tidal height, and settlement. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
| 本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录！ |
|
