Fox, Alan
Gary, Stefan
Biastoch, Arne
Roberts, J Murray
2019-11-20
<p>Larval behaviours are predicted to impact their long-term spreading, with<br>
wider spreading being everywhere associated with more time spent higher in<br>
the water column.<br>
The strength of this enhanced dispersal varies regionally (from strong to very<br>
strong).<br>
Dispersal pathways are predicted to be affected by larval behaviour in ways<br>
which could influence the distribution of species.<br>
For deep-sea populations, the uncertainty in modelled dispersal and connectivity<br>
associated with vertical larval positioning in the water column is potentially<br>
an order of magnitude larger than that associated with pelagic larval duration<br>
or model hydrodynamics.<br>
The knowledge gaps in larval behaviour which contribute most to the uncertainty<br>
concern settling – the age at which larvae start to sink, and the sinking<br>
rate.<br>
In the absence of detailed knowledge of larval development, time-series observations<br>
of larval position in the water column could be used to constrain<br>
models, hugely reducing uncertainty in predictions.<br>
Under the most dispersive behaviour modelled, populations throughout the<br>
North Atlantic would be connected. Seamount populations may be crucial<br>
stepping stones in this wider connectivity.<br>
In the more dispersive scenarios two large-scale closed connectivity loops were<br>
identified, one anticlockwise around the North Atlantic basin with west-east<br>
return via the Azores, the second smaller loop following the sub-polar gyre.<br>
Even for the least dispersive behaviour modelled, populations along the continental<br>
slope may be connected anticlockwise around the North Atlantic, depending on the detailed habitat distribution.<br>
These conclusions are based on a large, systematic Lagrangian modelling experiment,<br>
tracking about 10 million virtual particles over 50 years in contrasting<br>
dynamical regimes around the North Atlantic Ocean.</p>
10.5281/zenodo.3548344
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3548735
oai:zenodo.org:3548735
Zenodo
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3548344
https://zenodo.org/communities/atlas
https://zenodo.org/communities/eu
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3548734
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode
ATLAS Deliverable 1.6: Biologically realistic Lagrangian dispersal and connectivity
info:eu-repo/semantics/report