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Warming of subtropical coastal waters accelerates Mnemiopsis leidyi growth and alters timing of spring ctenophore blooms

2014; Inter-Research; Volume: 502; Linguagem: Inglês

10.3354/meps10739

1616-1599

KL Robinson, WM Graham,

Marine Ecology and Invasive Species

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 502:105-115 (2014) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps10739 Warming of subtropical coastal waters accelerates Mnemiopsis leidyi growth and alters timing of spring ctenophore blooms Kelly L. Robinson1,2,4,*, William M. Graham3 1Dauphin Island Sea Lab, 101 Bienville Boulevard, Dauphin Island, Alabama 36528, USA 2Department of Marine Science, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama 36688, USA 3Department of Marine Science, The University of Southern Mississippi, 1020 Balch Boulevard, Stennis Space Center, Mississippi 39529, USA 4Present address: Department of Marine Science, The University of Southern Mississippi, 1020 Balch Boulevard, Stennis Space Center, Mississippi 39529, USA *Corresponding author: kelly.l.robinson@usm.edu ABSTRACT: Shifts in the size, frequency, or timing of gelatinous zooplankton blooms in response to climate variability and climate change have become a concern in many coastal marine ecosystems worldwide. When abundant, gelatinous zooplankton can induce trophic cascades as well as alter energy flows to upper-level consumers. To quantify the role water temperature plays in regulating bloom development of the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi in subtropical coastal waters, we experimentally determined the effects of increases in temperature and rates of warming on growth rate (mg C d-1). Conditions were representative of those occurring during late winter and early spring (January to April) in the northern Gulf of Mexico. M. leidyi growth rates increased exponentially with temperature (9, 13, 16, and 22°C) and rates of warming (+1, +2, and +3°C wk-1). A biologically important temperature threshold (15.0°C, delineating negative and positive growth) as a proxy measure for bloom initiation was applied to a time-series of sea surface temperature (1975 to 2013) from Mobile Bay (Alabama, USA) and indicated climate-related warming of northern Gulf of Mexico has likely advanced the timing of the spring M. leidyi bloom over the past 39 yr. Results have implications for ecosystem-based approaches to fisheries management since larger ctenophore blooms, occurring earlier in the year, would be expected to intensify potential competitive and predatory interactions between M. leidyi, zooplankton, and planktivorous juvenile fish utilizing nearshore waters as nursery habitat during the late winter and early spring. KEY WORDS: Marine zooplankton · Jellyfish · Ctenophore · Mnemiopsis leidyi · Temperature · Growth rates · Phenology · Subtropical waters Full text in pdf format PreviousNextCite this article as: Robinson KL, Graham WM (2014) Warming of subtropical coastal waters accelerates Mnemiopsis leidyi growth and alters timing of spring ctenophore blooms. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 502:105-115. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps10739 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 502. Online publication date: April 15, 2014 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2014 Inter-Research.