In a small shallow fjord with predominantly wind-driven circulation, larvae of the sand dollar Dendraster excentricus do not persist for longer than 2 wk after a local population in the fjord spawns. Changes in distribution and abundance of larval cohorts indicate that larvae are advected out of the fjord and thus contribute to a regional larval pool. A series of plankton samples at the start of 2 reproductive seasons showed that cohorts of larvae are produced during spring tides that expose the intertidal adult population to air. Growth rates of 1 to 3 wk old larvae of D. excentricus and Strongylocentrotus franciscanus in the fjord are comparable to those reared in the laboratory. Later in the season, advanced-stage larvae of D. excentricus are found in surface waters in the fjord; this may enhance their chances of locating suitable habitat for settlement.
CITATION STYLE
Emlet, R. (1986). Larval production, dispersal, and growth in a fjord: a case study on larvae of the sand dollar Dendraster excentricus. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 31, 245–254. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps031245
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