Abstract
Large aggregations of adult permit (Trachinotus falcatus) were consistently observed since 2004 by divers in a collaborative fishery-independent reef fish visual census survey during May and June on the western-most edge of the Dry Tortugas Bank, Florida, in coral reef habitat, indicating proximal spawning sites. We investigated the possible fate and connectivity of larvae spawned at this location in the Dry Tortugas and two other published aggregation sites through a drift analysis using the ocean circulation and transport dynamics simulator HYCOM (Hybrid Community Ocean Model). New age-length data facilitated the determination of larval durations and rates of juvenile growth. Modeled larval transport data from spawning sites in the Dry Tortugas, Belize and Cuba were evaluated and compared to a spatially-extensive empirical juvenile permit data set from Florida. Our study revealed that unique oceanographic processes provided pathways for both downstream larval transport and juvenile retention, to and from Florida waters. These simulation results indicated that the Dry Tortugas region is a key source of permit recruits to southeast Florida stretching from the Florida Keys and up Florida’s east coast, and to a much lesser extent the west Florida shelf. Simulations from Belize and Cuba spawning sites revealed high local retention with low connectivity to Florida, emphasizing the importance of local resource management throughout the permit’s range.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 2263-2276 |
Number of pages | 14 |
Journal | Environmental Biology of Fishes |
Volume | 98 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 1 2015 |
Fingerprint
Keywords
- Drift
- Fishery management
- Juvenile age and growth
- Larval transport and fate
- Population dynamics
- Recruitment
- Trachinotus falcatus
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Aquatic Science
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Cite this
Transport and connectivity modeling of larval permit from an observed spawning aggregation in the Dry Tortugas, Florida. / Bryan, David R.; Luo, Jiangang; Ault, Jerald S; McClellan, David B.; Smith, Steven G.; Snodgrass, Derke; Larkin, Michael F.
In: Environmental Biology of Fishes, Vol. 98, No. 11, 01.10.2015, p. 2263-2276.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Transport and connectivity modeling of larval permit from an observed spawning aggregation in the Dry Tortugas, Florida
AU - Bryan, David R.
AU - Luo, Jiangang
AU - Ault, Jerald S
AU - McClellan, David B.
AU - Smith, Steven G.
AU - Snodgrass, Derke
AU - Larkin, Michael F.
PY - 2015/10/1
Y1 - 2015/10/1
N2 - Large aggregations of adult permit (Trachinotus falcatus) were consistently observed since 2004 by divers in a collaborative fishery-independent reef fish visual census survey during May and June on the western-most edge of the Dry Tortugas Bank, Florida, in coral reef habitat, indicating proximal spawning sites. We investigated the possible fate and connectivity of larvae spawned at this location in the Dry Tortugas and two other published aggregation sites through a drift analysis using the ocean circulation and transport dynamics simulator HYCOM (Hybrid Community Ocean Model). New age-length data facilitated the determination of larval durations and rates of juvenile growth. Modeled larval transport data from spawning sites in the Dry Tortugas, Belize and Cuba were evaluated and compared to a spatially-extensive empirical juvenile permit data set from Florida. Our study revealed that unique oceanographic processes provided pathways for both downstream larval transport and juvenile retention, to and from Florida waters. These simulation results indicated that the Dry Tortugas region is a key source of permit recruits to southeast Florida stretching from the Florida Keys and up Florida’s east coast, and to a much lesser extent the west Florida shelf. Simulations from Belize and Cuba spawning sites revealed high local retention with low connectivity to Florida, emphasizing the importance of local resource management throughout the permit’s range.
AB - Large aggregations of adult permit (Trachinotus falcatus) were consistently observed since 2004 by divers in a collaborative fishery-independent reef fish visual census survey during May and June on the western-most edge of the Dry Tortugas Bank, Florida, in coral reef habitat, indicating proximal spawning sites. We investigated the possible fate and connectivity of larvae spawned at this location in the Dry Tortugas and two other published aggregation sites through a drift analysis using the ocean circulation and transport dynamics simulator HYCOM (Hybrid Community Ocean Model). New age-length data facilitated the determination of larval durations and rates of juvenile growth. Modeled larval transport data from spawning sites in the Dry Tortugas, Belize and Cuba were evaluated and compared to a spatially-extensive empirical juvenile permit data set from Florida. Our study revealed that unique oceanographic processes provided pathways for both downstream larval transport and juvenile retention, to and from Florida waters. These simulation results indicated that the Dry Tortugas region is a key source of permit recruits to southeast Florida stretching from the Florida Keys and up Florida’s east coast, and to a much lesser extent the west Florida shelf. Simulations from Belize and Cuba spawning sites revealed high local retention with low connectivity to Florida, emphasizing the importance of local resource management throughout the permit’s range.
KW - Drift
KW - Fishery management
KW - Juvenile age and growth
KW - Larval transport and fate
KW - Population dynamics
KW - Recruitment
KW - Trachinotus falcatus
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84943665528&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84943665528&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10641-015-0445-x
DO - 10.1007/s10641-015-0445-x
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84943665528
VL - 98
SP - 2263
EP - 2276
JO - Environmental Biology of Fishes
JF - Environmental Biology of Fishes
SN - 0378-1909
IS - 11
ER -