Details:

Journal Title:
Gulf and Caribbean Research
Personal Author:
Lestrade, Olivia ; Hernandez, Frank
Lestrade, Olivia ; Hernandez, Frank Less -
NOAA Program & Office:
NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) ; SEFSC (Southeast Fisheries Science Center)
NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) ; SEFSC (Southeast Fisheries Science Center) Less -
Description:
Holopelagic Sargassum is a critical nursery habitat for the early life stages of many marine fishes, including several federally managed species in the United States and Caribbean. Sargassum is often aggregated along surface convergence features where microdebris (synthetic, semi—synthetic, and naturally—derived particles size) have also been found in relatively high concentrations. In this study, we collected microdebris from Sargassum and adjacent open water habitats (in 2018), and juvenile fishes from Sargassum (in 2017 and 2018) in the northern Gulf of Mexico to quantify habitat—specific microdebris concentrations and the degree to which Sargassum—associated juvenile fishes ingest microdebris. Microdebris concentrations within Sargassum habitats were, on average, 180 times greater than those found within adjacent open water habitats. Microdebris concentrations decreased with distance from shore in both Sargassum and open water habitats, and generally increased with Sargassum biomass. Microdebris ingestion by juvenile (9–320 mm SL) fishes (n = 846) varied by year (all taxa: 24.7% in 2017; 14.7% in 2018) and by taxa, and generally decreased with distance from shore. Small fibers were the dominant type of microdebris observed in stomach contents. The structural complexity of Sargassum provides a mechanism for microdebris capture and concentration in surface waters. Since 2011, massive blooms of Sargassum have inundated regions in the central Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. The role of Sargassum as a microdebris “sink” has major implications for the transport of microdebris as Sargassum drifts within and across basins and eventually strands on beaches and coastal habitats, or subsides to benthic environments.
Keywords:
[+]
Aquatic Science Oceanography Water Science And Technology
Source:
Gulf and Caribbean Research, 34, 18-28
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18785/gcr.3401.05
ISSN:
2572-1410
Format:
PDF
Publisher:
University of Southern Mississippi
Document Type:
Journal Article
Funding:
Grant no. NA17NOS4510099
Rights Information:
Other
Compliance:
Submitted
Main Document Checksum:
[+]
urn:sha256:774bd0d236daccd28735fe00d98c72ceb0921d916c37bb699e1c6d1f2778687d
Download URL:
https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/50510/noaa_50510_DS1.pdf
File Type:

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