A comparative study on the role of bottom-up control on the recruitment of marine invertebrates between temperate and sub-tropical regions: using barnacles as a case study

• Grant number: 13/50903-7
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: March 01, 2014
• End date: February 29, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Applied Ecology
• Agreement: University of Southampton
• Principal Investigator: Augusto Alberto Valero Flores
• Grantee: Augusto Alberto Valero Flores
• Principal researcher abroad: Stephen J. Hawkins
• Institution abroad: University of Southampton, England
• Host Institution: Centro de Biologia Marinha (CEBIMAR). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Sebastião , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/01446-2 - Bottom-up trophic control of recruitment in marine invertebrates with indirect development: barnacles as a case-study, AP.R

Abstract

Despite their importance in determining the persistence of benthic discrete populations, patterns of pelagic larval connectivity are largely unknown for most marine systems. Models based on physical forcing and larval behavior had provided important advance, but attempts to monitor environmental conditions affecting larval development and survival have been seldom addressed. Unlike temperate regions, tropical coastal seas are often oligotrophic, and larval starvation may greatly restrict population connectivity. Ongoing activities linked to FAPESP project 2013/01446-2 aim to identify mechanisms driving variation of larvaI quality, and understand how they affect benthic post-Iarval development and survival. Here we propose to add laboratory experiments to estimate threshold food supply levels for larval survival and retention of sufficient lipid reserves for metamorphosis. Also, we will measure clearance rates as a proxy of larval feeding efficiency, and estimate prey selectivity vs. overall food supply relationships to clarify feeding strategies. By obtaining time series of food concentration in the nearshore, we will assess how often are trophic conditions suitable for successful larva I development and settlement. These tasks will be repeated during two different breeding seasons at both a tropical (Brazil) and a temperate system (UK), thus providing arare attempt to compare the importance of these trophic processes in such contrasting environments. Because this is an active field of research, we expect to promote important theoretical discussion and, most importantly, foster longer-term collaboration between our research institutions. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

LEAL, INES; BOHN, KATRIN; HAWKINS, STEPHEN J.; JENKINS, STUART R.; FLORES, V, AUGUSTO A.; TREMBLAY, REJEAN. Lipid allocation in late-stage barnacle larvae from subtropical and temperate waters. MARINE ECOLOGY-PROGRESS SERIES, v. 661, p. 147-161, MAR 4 2021. (13/01446-2, 13/50903-7)