Surface slicks are pelagic nurseries for diverse ocean fauna

Abstract Most marine animals have a pelagic larval phase that develops in the coastal or open ocean. The fate of larvae has profound effects on replenishment of marine populations that are critical for human and ecosystem health. Larval ecology is expected to be tightly coupled to oceanic features,...

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Autores principales:	Jonathan L. Whitney, Jamison M. Gove, Margaret A. McManus, Katharine A. Smith, Joey Lecky, Philipp Neubauer, Jana E. Phipps, Emily A. Contreras, Donald R. Kobayashi, Gregory P. Asner
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Nature Portfolio 2021
Materias:	Medicine R Science Q
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/87034c249b0b477a8b8ac12a345e75ec
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:87034c249b0b477a8b8ac12a345e75ec2021-12-02T14:06:50ZSurface slicks are pelagic nurseries for diverse ocean fauna10.1038/s41598-021-81407-02045-2322https://doaj.org/article/87034c249b0b477a8b8ac12a345e75ec2021-02-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-81407-0https://doaj.org/toc/2045-2322Abstract Most marine animals have a pelagic larval phase that develops in the coastal or open ocean. The fate of larvae has profound effects on replenishment of marine populations that are critical for human and ecosystem health. Larval ecology is expected to be tightly coupled to oceanic features, but for most taxa we know little about the interactions between larvae and the pelagic environment. Here, we provide evidence that surface slicks, a common coastal convergence feature, provide nursery habitat for diverse marine larvae, including > 100 species of commercially and ecologically important fishes. The vast majority of invertebrate and larval fish taxa sampled had mean densities 2–110 times higher in slicks than in ambient water. Combining in-situ surveys with remote sensing, we estimate that slicks contain 39% of neustonic larval fishes, 26% of surface-dwelling zooplankton (prey), and 75% of floating organic debris (shelter) in our 1000 km2 study area in Hawai‘i. Results indicate late-larval fishes actively select slick habitats to capitalize on concentrations of diverse prey and shelter. By providing these survival advantages, surface slicks enhance larval supply and replenishment of adult populations from coral reef, epipelagic, and deep-water ecosystems. Our findings suggest that slicks play a critically important role in enhancing productivity in tropical marine ecosystems.Jonathan L. WhitneyJamison M. GoveMargaret A. McManusKatharine A. SmithJoey LeckyPhilipp NeubauerJana E. PhippsEmily A. ContrerasDonald R. KobayashiGregory P. AsnerNature PortfolioarticleMedicineRScienceQENScientific Reports, Vol 11, Iss 1, Pp 1-18 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Medicine R Science Q
spellingShingle	Medicine R Science Q Jonathan L. Whitney Jamison M. Gove Margaret A. McManus Katharine A. Smith Joey Lecky Philipp Neubauer Jana E. Phipps Emily A. Contreras Donald R. Kobayashi Gregory P. Asner Surface slicks are pelagic nurseries for diverse ocean fauna
description	Abstract Most marine animals have a pelagic larval phase that develops in the coastal or open ocean. The fate of larvae has profound effects on replenishment of marine populations that are critical for human and ecosystem health. Larval ecology is expected to be tightly coupled to oceanic features, but for most taxa we know little about the interactions between larvae and the pelagic environment. Here, we provide evidence that surface slicks, a common coastal convergence feature, provide nursery habitat for diverse marine larvae, including > 100 species of commercially and ecologically important fishes. The vast majority of invertebrate and larval fish taxa sampled had mean densities 2–110 times higher in slicks than in ambient water. Combining in-situ surveys with remote sensing, we estimate that slicks contain 39% of neustonic larval fishes, 26% of surface-dwelling zooplankton (prey), and 75% of floating organic debris (shelter) in our 1000 km2 study area in Hawai‘i. Results indicate late-larval fishes actively select slick habitats to capitalize on concentrations of diverse prey and shelter. By providing these survival advantages, surface slicks enhance larval supply and replenishment of adult populations from coral reef, epipelagic, and deep-water ecosystems. Our findings suggest that slicks play a critically important role in enhancing productivity in tropical marine ecosystems.
format	article
author	Jonathan L. Whitney Jamison M. Gove Margaret A. McManus Katharine A. Smith Joey Lecky Philipp Neubauer Jana E. Phipps Emily A. Contreras Donald R. Kobayashi Gregory P. Asner
author_facet	Jonathan L. Whitney Jamison M. Gove Margaret A. McManus Katharine A. Smith Joey Lecky Philipp Neubauer Jana E. Phipps Emily A. Contreras Donald R. Kobayashi Gregory P. Asner
author_sort	Jonathan L. Whitney
title	Surface slicks are pelagic nurseries for diverse ocean fauna
title_short	Surface slicks are pelagic nurseries for diverse ocean fauna
title_full	Surface slicks are pelagic nurseries for diverse ocean fauna
title_fullStr	Surface slicks are pelagic nurseries for diverse ocean fauna
title_full_unstemmed	Surface slicks are pelagic nurseries for diverse ocean fauna
title_sort	surface slicks are pelagic nurseries for diverse ocean fauna
publisher	Nature Portfolio
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/87034c249b0b477a8b8ac12a345e75ec
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Surface slicks are pelagic nurseries for diverse ocean fauna

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