Spatial and nycthemeral distribution of the zooneuston off Fernando de Noronha, Brazil

Authors

  • Simone Maria de Albuquerque Lira Universidade Federal de Pernambuco; Departamento de Oceanografia; Programa de pós-graduação em Oceanografia
  • Igor de Ávila Teixeira Universidade Federal de Pernambuco; Departamento de Oceanografia; Programa de pós-graduação em Oceanografia
  • Cynthia Dayanne Mello de Lima Universidade Federal de Pernambuco; Departamento de Oceanografia; Programa de pós-graduação em Oceanografia
  • Gleice de Souza Santos Universidade Federal de Pernambuco; Departamento de Oceanografia; Programa de pós-graduação em Oceanografia
  • Sigrid Neumann Leitão Universidade Federal de Pernambuco; Departamento de Oceanografia; Programa de pós-graduação em Oceanografia
  • Ralf Schwamborn Universidade Federal de Pernambuco; Departamento de Oceanografia; Programa de pós-graduação em Oceanografia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/s1679-87592014058206201

Abstract

Island environments drastically modify the hydrodynamics of ocean currents and generate strong vertical turbulence. This leads to an upward transport of nutrient-rich waters, thus increasing the biomass of plankton in these oceanic marine environments. The objective of this study was to assess the biomass and density of the zooneuston communities in relation to the upper and lower layers (epi-/hyponeuston), the nycthemeral variation (day/night), the currents in relation to the island (downstream vs upstream), and the distance from the island, focusing on the spatial variability. Samples were taken in July and August 2010 with a David-Hempel neuston net (Hydro-Bios) with a mesh size of 500 µm. Twenty-one taxa were recorded. The most abundant taxa were Copepoda, Chaetognatha, Teleostei (eggs) and Hydrozoa. This is the first record of phoronid larvae for the waters of the Tropical Atlantic. For both layers, density and biomass were significantly higher at night. Density and biomass were always significantly higher in the upper (epineuston) layer than in the lower (hyponeuston) layer. This was probably due to a zooneuston aggregation at the surface and massive vertical migration from deep waters at night, leading to increased abundances at night in both neuston layers.

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Published

2014-03-01

Issue

Section

naodefinida

How to Cite

Spatial and nycthemeral distribution of the zooneuston off Fernando de Noronha, Brazil. (2014). Brazilian Journal of Oceanography, 62(1), 35-45. https://doi.org/10.1590/s1679-87592014058206201