Journal article
Spatial and temporal variability of early post-settlement survivorship and growth in the barnacle Balanus glandula along an estuarine gradient
Journal of experimental marine biology and ecology, Vol.336(1), pp.74-87
2006
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/116376
Abstract
The performance of a species can be significantly altered by subtle changes in the physical environmental. The intertidal barnacle
Balanus glandula is predominantly an open coast species in the Northeast Pacific. However,
B. glandula commonly inhabits estuaries where environmental conditions such as salinity and temperature drastically differ from the open coast. We used survivorship and growth rates as a measure of performance in recently metamorphosed laboratory reared juvenile
B. glandula outplanted along an environmental gradient at the mouth, mid-estuarine, and riverine end of the South Slough Estuary, Oregon, USA. Juvenile performance was highly variable over spatial and temporal scales and dependent upon existing environmental conditions. Surprisingly, along this estuarine gradient, juveniles performed better at a mid-estuarine location than at the mouth of the estuary. Typically, the riverine end of the estuary was the least suitable habitat along the estuarine gradient due to high juvenile mortality and a low growth rate. Although seasonally variable, survivorship and growth decreased with height along a vertical intertidal gradient as well. In a reciprocal transplant experiment, populations from both ends of the estuarine gradient displayed similar survivorship and growth rates. Our results demonstrate that the interactions of environmental conditions that vary temporally and spatially along a gradient strongly affect the success of an individual surviving and prospering during the early juvenile period.
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Details
- Title
- Spatial and temporal variability of early post-settlement survivorship and growth in the barnacle Balanus glandula along an estuarine gradient
- Creators
- Michael S Berger - Whiteley Center, Friday Harbor Laboratories, 620 University Road., Friday Harbor, WA 98250, USAAbigail J Darrah - Arkansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USARichard B Emlet - Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, University of Oregon, Charleston, OR 97420, USA
- Publication Details
- Journal of experimental marine biology and ecology, Vol.336(1), pp.74-87
- Academic Unit
- Environment, School of the (CAS)
- Publisher
- Elsevier B.V
- Identifiers
- 99900548313601842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article