Ocean Productivity May Predict Recruitment of the Rainbow Wrasse (Coris julis).
Predicting recruitment fluctuations of fish populations remains the Holy Grail of fisheries science. While previous work has linked recruitment of reef fish to environmental variables including temperature, the demonstration of a robust relationship with productivity remains elusive. Despite decades of research, empirical evidence to support this critical link remains limited. Here we identify a consistent and strong relationship between recruitment of a temperate wrasse Coris julis, from temperate reefs in the mid-Atlantic region, with Chlorophyll, over contrasting scales, across multiple years. Additionally, we find that the correlation between Chlorophyll and recruitment is not simply masking a temperature-recruitment relationship. Understanding the potential mechanisms underlying recruitment variability, particularly as it relates to changing climate and ocean regimes, is a critical first step towards characterizing species' vulnerability to mismatches between pulsed planktonic production and early pelagic life stages.
Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre (MARE), University of the Azores (IMAR/UAz), Dept. of Oceanography and Fisheries, 9901-862 Horta, Portugal.|Institute of Marine Research at the University of the Azores (IMAR/UAz), Dept. of Oceanography and Fisheries, 9901-862 Horta, Portugal.
Jorge
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8451-5532
J
Fontes
Marine Biology Research Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92023, United States of America.
Brice
B
Semmens
Marine Science Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, United States of America.
Jennifer E
JE
Caselle
Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre (MARE), University of the Azores (IMAR/UAz), Dept. of Oceanography and Fisheries, 9901-862 Horta, Portugal.|Institute of Marine Research at the University of the Azores (IMAR/UAz), Dept. of Oceanography and Fisheries, 9901-862 Horta, Portugal.
Ricardo S
RS
Santos
Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre (MARE), University of the Azores (IMAR/UAz), Dept. of Oceanography and Fisheries, 9901-862 Horta, Portugal.|Institute of Marine Research at the University of the Azores (IMAR/UAz), Dept. of Oceanography and Fisheries, 9901-862 Horta, Portugal.
Shree R
SR
Prakya
D000818:Animals; D001267:Atlantic Ocean; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000032:analysis; D010473:Perciformes / Q000254:growth & development; D010933:Plankton / Q000254:growth & development; D011153:Population; D012623:Seawater / Q000032:analysis; D013696:Temperature
D002734:Chlorophyll