Distribution of Engraulis encrasicolus eggs and larvae in relation to coastal oceanographic conditions (the South-western Adriatic Sea case study)


Published: May 23, 2018
Keywords:
Engraulis encrasicolus spawning habitat spatial distribution zooplankton biomass single-parameter quotient analysis Adriatic Sea
SARA MALAVOLTI
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1991-1309
ANDREA De FELICE
ILARIA COSTANTINI
ILARIA BIAGOTTI
GIOVANNI CANDUCI
FEDERICA GRILLI
MAURO MARINI
VALENTINA TIRELLI
DIEGO BORME
VINCENZO CAPUTO BARUCCHI
IOLE LEONORI
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7673-1684
Abstract

Identification of potential spawning and nursery areas of European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) represents an essential step in the management of a resource which is of fundamental importance both for fishery and pelagic trophic web. Egg and larvae occurrence from ichthyoplankton surveys (2012 - 2015) in the South Western Adriatic Sea were examined to understand the mechanisms that control their distribution. Egg and larvae densities varied through the years with the highest values recorded in 2012 and the lowest in 2014. Positive correlations between eggs and larvae with zooplankton were observed. When quotient analysis was used to find relations with environmental and biological variables, the results pointed out an egg preference for depth between 91 and 120 m and an avoidance between 11 and 30 m. Moreover, egg avoidances for high values of chlorophyll-a (> 0.52 mg m-3) and low values of zooplankton biomass (< 199 mg m-2) were highlighted. On the other hand, different ranges of habitat preferences and avoidances were observed for larvae: preference range of depth between 11 and 60 m and avoidance > 151 m; preference for high zooplankton biomass (> 1000 mg m-2) and avoidance for low biomass (< 299 mg m-2). These correlations and the quotient values suggest that egg and larvae distribution in the South-Western Adriatic Sea is mainly driven by food availability and depth.

Article Details
  • Section
  • Research Article
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
References
Agostini, V.N., Bakun, A., 2002. “Ocean triads ” in the Mediterranean Sea : physical mechanisms potentially structuring reproductive habitat suitability (with example application to European anchovy , Engraulis encrasicolus). Fisheries Oceanography, 11 (3), 129-142.
Alcaraz, M., Calbet, A., Isari, S., Irigoien, X., Trepat, I. et al., 2016. Variability of mesozooplankton biomass and individual size in a coast-offshore transect in the Catalan Sea: relationships with chlorophyll a and hydrographic features. Scientia Marina, 80 (S1), 79-87. DOI: 10.3989/scimar.04353.15A.
Artegiani, A., Bregant, D., Paschini, E., Pinardi, N., Raicich, F. et al., 1997a. The Adriatic Sea General Circulation. Part I : Air - Sea Interactions and Water Mass Structure. Journal of physical oceanography, 27, 1492-1514.
Artegiani, A., Bregant, D., Paschini, E., Pinardi, N., Raicich, F. et al., 1997b. The Adriatic Sea General Circulation. Part II : Baroclinic Circulation Structure. Journal of physical oceanography, 27, 1515-1532.
Bakun, A., 1996. Patterns in the ocean: ocean processes and marine population dynamics. California Sea Grant, in cooperation with Centro de Investigaciones Biologicas del Noroeste, La Paz, Mexico.
Bakun, A., 2006. Fronts and eddies as key structures in the habitat of marine fish larvae: opportunity, adaptive response and competitive advantage. Scientia Marina, 70 (S2), 105-122. DOI: 10.3989/scimar.2006.70s2105.
Basilone, G., Bonanno, A., Patti, B., Mazzola, S., Barra, M. et al., 2013. Spawning site selection by European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) in relation to oceanographic conditions in the Strait of Sicily. Fisheries Oceanography, 22 (4), 309-323. DOI: 10.1111/fog.12024.
Bellido, J., Pierce, G., Romero, J., Millán, M., 2000. Use of frequency analysis methods to estimate growth of anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus L. 1758) in the Gulf of Cádiz (SW Spain). Fisheries Research, 48 (2), 107–115. DOI: 10.1016/S0165-7836(00)00183-1.
Bernal, M., Stratoudakis, Y., Coombs, S., Angelico, M.M., Lago de Lanzós, A. et al., 2007. Sardine spawning off the European Atlantic coast: Characterization of and spatio-temporal variability in spawning habitat. Progress in Oceanography, 74, 210-227. DOI: 10.1016/j.pocean.2007.04.018.
Bertrand, A., Gerlotto, F., Bertrand, S., Gutiérrez, M., Alza, L. et al., 2008. Schooling behaviour and environmental forcing in relation to anchoveta distribution: An analysis across multiple spatial scales. Progress in Oceanography, 79, 264–277. DOI: 10.1016/j.pocean.2008.10.018.
Bonanno, A., Giannoulaki, M., Barra, M., Basilone, G., Machias, A. et al., 2014. Habitat selection response of small pelagic fish in different environments. Two examples from the oligotrophic Mediterranean Sea. PLoS ONE, 9 (7), 1-17. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0101498.
Brander, K.M., 2007. Global fish production and climate change. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 104 (50), 19709-19714. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0702059104.
Casavola, N., 1998. Daily egg production method for spawning biomass estimates of anchovy in the South-Western Adriatic during 1994. Rapport de la Commission International pour l' Exploration Scientifique de la Mer Méditerranée 35, 394-395.
Casavola, N., Marano, G., 1985. Considérations sur la distribution des clupeiformes Engraulis encrasicolus et Sardina pilchardus en Adriatique. FAO Fisheries Report, 345, 153-155.
Coll, M., Santojanni, A., Palomera, I., Tudela, S., Arneri, E., 2007. An ecological model of the Northern and Central Adriatic Sea: Analysis of ecosystem structure and fishing impacts. Journal of Marine Systems, 67, 119-154. DOI: 10.1016/j.jmarsys.2006.10.002.
Coombs, S.H., Giovanardi, O., Halliday, N.C., Franceschini, G., Conway, D.V.P. et al., 2003. Wind mixing , food availability and mortality of anchovy larvae Engraulis encrasicolus in the northern Adriatic Sea. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 248, 221-235.
Cury, P., Bakun, A., Crawford, R.J.M., Jarre, A., Quinones, R.A. et al., 2000. Small pelagics in upwelling systems: patterns of interaction and structural changes in “wasp-waist” ecosystems. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 57 (3), 603-618. DOI: 10.1006/jmsc.2000.0712.
Cushing, D.H., 1996. Towards a science of recruitment in fish populations. Kinne, O. ed. Excellence in Ecology, 7, 175 pp.
Drapeau, L., 2005. Introduction to the use of quotient curves for characterizing spawning habitat of small, pelagic fish. SPACC Workshop, (January), 5-6.
FAO, 2010. The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture, 1-197.
FAO, 2014. World review of fisheries and aquaculture. Food and Agriculture Organisation, 1-96.
Fréon, P., Cury, P., Shannon, L., Roy, C., 2005. Sustainable exploitation of small pelagic fish stocks challenged by environmental and ecosystem changes: a review. Bulletin of marine science, 76 (2), 385-462.
Gamulin, T., Hure, J., 1983. The spawning and spawning areas of pelagic fishes (Sardina plichardus, Engraulis encrasicolus, Scomber scombrus, Sardinella aurita and Sprattus sprattus) in the Adriatic Sea. Acta Adriatica, 24, 91-131.
García, A., Palomera, I., 1996. Anchovy early life history and its relation to its surrounding environment in the Western Mediterranean basin. Scientia Marina, 60, 155-166.
Giannoulaki, M., Iglesias, M., Tugores, M.P., Bonanno, A., Patti, B. et al., 2013. Characterizing the potential habitat of European anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus in the Mediterranean Sea, at different life stages. Fisheries Oceanography, 22 (2), 69-89. DOI: 10.1111/fog.12005.
Giguère, L.A., St-Pierre, J.F., Bernier, B., Vézina, A., Rondeau, J.G., 1989. Can We Estimate the True Weight of Zooplankton Samples after Chemical Preservation? Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science, 46 (3), 522-527. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1139/f89-070.
Grilli, F., Marini, M., Book, J.W., Campanelli, A., Paschini, E. et al., 2013. Flux of nutrients between the middle and southern Adriatic Sea (Gargano-Split section). Marine Chemistry, 153, 1-14. DOI: doi:10.1016/j.marchem.2013.04.005.
Hopkins, T.S., Artegiani, A., Bignami, F., Russo, A., 1999. Water-mass modification in the Northern Adriatic: A preliminary assessment from the ELNA data set, in The Adriatic Sea. Ecosyst. Res. Rep, 32, 3-23.
Leonori, I., Azzali, M., De Felice, A., Parmiggiani, F., Marini, M. et al., 2009. Small pelagic fish biomass in relation to environmental parameters in the Adriatic Sea. p. 213-217. In: Proceedings of the Joint AIOL-SItE Meeting, 17-20 September 2007, Ancona, Italy.
Leonori, I., De Felice, A., Campanella, F., Biagiotti, I., Canduci, G., 2011. Assessment of small pelagic fish biomass in the Adriatic Sea by means of acoustic methodology. p. 2019-2029. In: Fishery and Sea Resources. Marine Research at CNR, Eds E Brugnoli, G Cavaretta, S Mazzola, F Trincardi, M Ravaioli & R Santoleri.
Leonori, I., Ticina, V., De Felice, A., Vidjak, O., Grubišić, L. et al., 2012. Comparisons of two research vessels’ properties in the acoustic surveys of small pelagic fish. Acta Adriatica, 53, 389-398.
van der Lingen, C., Kruse, G.H., Bez, N., Booth, A.J., Dorn, M.W. et al., 2001. Comparative spawning habitats of anchovy (Engraulis capensis) and sardine (Sardinops sagax) in the Southern Benguela Upwelling Ecosystem. p. 185-209 In: Spatial processes and management of marine populations. Kruse, G.H., Bez, N., Booth, T., Dorn, M., Hills, S., Lipcius, R.N., Pelletier, D., Roy, C., Smith, S.J., Witherell D. (Eds). Fairbanks, USA; University of Alaska Sea Grant, AK-SG-01-02.
Lluch-Belda, D., Lluch-Cota, D.B., Hernandez-Vazquez, S., Salinas-Zavala, C.A., Schwartzlose, R.A., 1991. Sardine and anchovy spawning as related to temperature and upwelling in the California Current System. CalCOFI Rep., 32, 105-111.
Marano, G., Casavola, N., Rizzi, E., De Ruggeri, P., Lo Caputo, S., 1998. Valutazione delle risorse pelagiche, consistenza dello stock di sardine e alici nell’Adriatico Meridionale. Anni 1984-1996. Biologia Marina Mediterranea, 5 (3), 313-320.
Marini, M., Campanelli, A., Sanxhaku, M., Kljajić, Z., Betti, M. et al., 2015. Late spring characterization of different coastal areas of the Adriatic Sea. Acta Adriatica, 56 (1), 27-46.
Marini, M., Fornasiero, P., Artegiani, A., 2002. Variations of hydrochemical features in the coastal waters of Monte Conero: 1982-1990. Marine Ecology, 23, 258-271.
Marini, M., Grilli, F., Guarnieri, A., Jones, B.H., Kljajić, Z. et al., 2010. Is the southeastern Adriatic Sea coastal strip an eutrophic area? Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science, 88, 395-406.
Marini, M., Jones, B.H., Campanelli, A., Grilli, F., Lee, C.M., 2008. Seasonal variability and Po River plume influence on biochemical properties along western Adriatic coast. Journal of Geophysical Research, 113.
Melia, P., Casavola, N., Gatto, M., 2002. Estimating Daily Egg Production of European Anchovy in the Adriatic Sea: A Critical Appraisal. Marine Ecology, 23 (S1), 272-279. DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0485.2002.tb00025.x.
Mhlongo, N., Dawit, Y., Hendricks, M., van der Lingen, D., 2015. Have the spawning habitat preferences of anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus ) and sardine (Sardinops sagax) in the southern Benguela changed in recent years? Fisheries Oceanography, 24, 1-14. DOI: 10.1111/fog.12061.
Morello, B., Arneri, E., 2009. Anchovy and sardine in the Adriatic Sea - an ecological review. Oceanography and Marine Biology: An Annual Review, 47, 209-256.
Ninčević, Z., Marasović, I., Kušpilić, G., 2002. Deep chlorophyll-a maximum at one station in the middle Adriatic Sea. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 82 (1), 9-19.
Palomera, I., Olivar, M.P., Salat, J., Sabatés, A., Coll, M. et al., 2007. Small pelagic fish in the NW Mediterranean Sea: An ecological review. Progress In Oceanography, 74, 377-396. DOI: 10.1016/j.pocean.2007.04.012.
Piccinetti, C., Regner, S., Specchi, M., 1979. Estimation du stock d’anchois (Engraulis encrasicolus L.) de la haute et moyenne Adriatique. Investigation Pesquera, 43 (1), 69-81.
Planque, B., Bellier, E., Lazure, P., 2007. Modelling potential spawning habitat of sardine (Sardina pilchardus) and anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) in the Bay of Biscay. Fisheries Oceanography, 16 (1), 16-30. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2419.2006.00411.x.
Postel, L., Fock, H., Hagen, W., 2000. Biomass and abundance. ICES zooplankton methodology manual,, 83-174. DOI: 10.13140/2.1.4985.3765.
R Core Team., 2013. R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing. Vienna, Austria. version 2.15.3.
Regner, S., 1985. Ecology of planktonic stages of the anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus in the central Adriatic. 5-113 pp.
Regner, S., 1996. Effects of environmental changes on early stages and reproduction of anchovy in the Adriatic Sea. Scientia Marina, 60 (2), 167-177.
Ruggeri, P., Splendiani, A., Di Muri, C., Fioravanti, T., Santojanni, A. et al., 2016a. Coupling Demographic and Genetic Variability from Archived Collections of European Anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus). PLoS ONE, 11 (3), 1-18. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0151507.
Ruggeri, P., Splendiani, A., Occhipinti, G., Fioravanti, T., Santojanni, A. et al., 2016b. Biocomplexity in populations of european anchovy in the Adriatic Sea. PLoS ONE, 11 (4), 1-21. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153061.
Saraux, C., Fromentin, J.-M., Bigot, J.-L., Bourdeix, J.-H., Morfin, M. et al., 2014. Spatial structure and distribution of small pelagic fish in the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea. PLoS ONE, 9 (11). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0111211.
Sinovčić, G., 1978. On the ecology of anchovy, Engraulis encrasicolus (L.), in the central Adriatic. Acta Adriatica, 19 (2), 3-32.
Sinovčić, G., 2000. Anchovy, Engraulis encrasicolus (Linnaeus, 1758): biology, population dynamics and fisheries case study. Acta Adriatica, 41 (1), 3-53.
Sinovčić, G., Zorica, B., 2006. Reproductive cycle and minimal length at sexual maturity of Engraulis encrasicolus (L.) in the Zrmanja River estuary (Adriatic Sea, Croatia). Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 69 (3-4), 439-448. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecss.2006.04.003.
Somarakis, S., Nikolioudakis, N., 2007. Oceanographic habitat, growth and mortality of larval anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) in the northern Aegean Sea (eastern Mediterranean). Marine Biology, 152 (5), 1143-1158. DOI: 10.1007/s00227-007-0761-6.
Somarakis, S., Palomera, I., Garcia, A., Quintanilla, L., Koutsikopoulos, C. et al., 2004. Daily egg production of anchovy in European waters. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 61 (6), 944-958. DOI: 10.1016/j.icesjms.2004.07.018.
Specchi, M., Casetti, P., Orlandi, C., 1998. Osservazioni ecologiche su Sardina pilchardus (Walb) ed Engraulis encrasicolus (L.) dell’Adriatico e del Golfo di Tireste. Biologia Marina Mediterranea, 5 (3), 339-348.
Specchiulli, A., Bignami, F., Marini, M., Fabbrocini, A., Scirocco, T. et al., 016. The role of forcing agents on biogeochemical variability along the southwestern Adriatic coast: The Gulf of Manfredonia case study. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 183, 136-149.
Twatwa, N.M., van der Lingen, C.D., Drapeau, L., Moloney, C.L., Field, J.G., 2005. Characterising and comparing the spawning habitats of anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus and sardine Sardinops sagax in the southern Benguela upwelling ecosystem. Africal Journal of Marine Science, 27 (2), 487-499. DOI: 10.2989/18142320509504107.
Vučetić, T., 1975. Synchronism of the spawning season of some pelagic fishes (sardine, anchovy) and the timing of the maximal food (zooplankton) production in the Central Adriatic. Pubblicazioni della Stazione Zoologica di Napoli, 39 (1), 347-365.
Whitehead, P.J.P., Nelson, G.J., Wongratana, T., 1988. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the herrings, sardines, pilchards, sprats, shads, anchovies and wolf-herrings. Part 2- Engraulididae. p. 305-579 In: FAO species catalogue. Vol. 7. Clupeoid fishes of the world (Suborder Clupeoidei).
Zarrad, R., Alemany, F., Jarboui, O., Garcia, A., Akrout, F., 2012. Comparative characterization of the spawning environments of European anchovy, Engraulis encrasicolus, and round sardinella, Sardinella aurita (Actinopterygii: Clupeiformes) in the eastern coast of Tunisia. Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria, 42 (1), 9-19. DOI: 10.3750/AIP2011.42.1.02.
Zarrad, R., Alemany, F., Jarboui, O., Missaoui, H., Garcia, A., 2017. Spawning habitats of two small pelagic species (Engraulis encrasicolus and Sardinella aurita) in the Gulf of Gabès (Central Mediterranean). Hydrobiologia,, 1-14. DOI: 10.1007/s10750-017-3301-5.
Zarrad, R., Missaoui, H., Alemany, F., Salah, R.M., García, A. et al., 2006. Spawning areas and larval distributions of anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus in relation to environmental conditions in the Gulf of Tunis (Central Mediterranean Sea). Scientia Marina, 70 (S2), 137-146. DOI: 10.3354/meps09475.
Most read articles by the same author(s)