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Diel Differences in Abundance and Composition of Ichthyoplankton
Influx through Breach Inlet
Courtney Brooks*, David Wilson* and Gorka Sancho
Department of Biology, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC
Question
Background
Conclusions
How does the abundance of larval fish vary in The life cycle of various larval assemblages of fishes begins in the deeper waters of the continental shelf Nine larval fish species were caught during day versus night tidal floods at Breach Inlet? where they are spawned in winter months and then carried by currents through inlets to continue development within the shallow estuaries. These larval species will spend much of their first year in these habitats before they emigrate in the fall (Warlen and Burke, 1990). The objective of this study was to Nocturnal tows caught more larval fishes determine abundance during the immigration period of late winter tides.
-Behavioral preference for nighttime influx into estuaries? No clear correlation was found of larval influx with moon phase.
 Spot (Leiostomus xanthurus) were the most Spot (Leiostomus xanthurus ) Captured
abundant larvae caught, as expected due to before the earliest published collection date Number of Individuals
All Bay whiff (Citharichthys spilopterus ) caught were fully metamorphosed and had Approximately 20 minute tows during flood Diel differences
Diel Differences
Larval Densities
Future Considerations
Compare more day vs. night tows made on the same dates Extend nocturnal tows over multiple lunar cycles to detect possible specific lunar influx periodicities Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Dr. Bill Roumillat (SCDNR) for his help identifying larval fish as well as the use of the plankton net. Research done as part Biol 342 Oceanography class.
* Both undergraduate authors contributed equally to this study References
500 micron plankton net
Breach Inlet
Bozeman, F.L. Jr. and J.M. Dean. 1980. The abundance of estuarine larval and juvenile fish in a South Carolina intertidal creek. Estuaries 3: 89-97 Warlen, S.M. and J.S. Burke. 1990. Immigration of larvae of fal /winter spawning marine fishes into a North Carolina estuary. Estuaries 13, No. 4: Dame, R.F. and D.M. Al en 1996. Between estuaries and the sea. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 200: 169-185 Keener, P. et al. Ingress of Postlarval Gag, Mycteroperca microlepis (Pisces: Serranidae), through a South Carolina Barrier Island Inlet. Bulletin of Hildebrand, S.F. and L. Cable. 1930. Development and life history of fourteen teleostean fishes at Beaufort, North Carolina. Bull. U.S. Bur. Fish.

Source: http://sanchog.people.cofc.edu/BIOL%20343%20Posters/BreachInlet.Print%20Test_GS.pdf