Mesoscale advection of Upogebia pusilla larvae through an upwelling filament in the Canaries Coastal Transition Zone (CTZ)

Abstract

Larval transport has a strong influence on marine populations and ecosystem function. Traditional hypotheses establish that larvae of coastal species are swept offshore during strong upwelling periods producing low recruitment rates; however, recent studies have demonstrated that this hypothesis is not supported by larval distribution data. The present study examines the influence of upwelling filaments on larval advection and wastage. During August 1993, the transport of Upogebia pusilla was analysed in relation to an offshore filament off Northwest Africa. This mesoscale structure was generated by a trapped, quasi-permanent cyclonic eddy located between the Canary Islands and the African shelf and extended 150 km westward into the oligotrophic open ocean waters. The horizontal distribution depicted by U. pusilla larvae was strongly influenced by the oceanographic features of the Canaries Coastal Transition Zone (CTZ). Specifically, the larvae were closely associated with upwelling front and filament position, showing that these neritic larvae can be advected 10-100s of kilometres offshore through the filament. However, the low larval densities observed in the samples suggest that many larvae might remain close to the coast, thus avoiding seaward transport. This implies that filaments probably do not significantly affect the recruitment success of intertidal invertebrates such us U. pusilla in upwelling systems. © 2012 Springer-Verlag and AWI.