Changes in pelagic Polychaete assemblages along the California current system

• Published in: Hydrobiologia Vol. 496; no. 1-3; pp. 329 - 336
• Main Authors: FERNANDEZ-ALAMO, Maria Ana, SANVICENTE-ANORVE, Laura, ALATORRE-MENDIETA, Miguel Angel
• Format: Conference Proceeding Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01.04.2003; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Alciopidae; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Iospilidae; Marine; Plotohelmis tenuis; Polychaeta; Principal components analysis; Sea water ecosystems; Species richness; Synecology; Tomopteridae; Tomopteris; Tomopteris septentrionalis; Travisiopsis dubia; Typhloscolecidae; United States; America; California Current; Pacific Ocean; California; Baja California Mexico; North America; North Pacific; Mexico, Baja California Sur, Bahia Magdalena; INE, Pacific, California Current; USA, California; Mexico; USA, California, San Francisco; Mexico, Baja California Sur, Cabo San Lucas; AN, North Atlantic, Central Water; Community structure; California Current System; Latitudinal variation; Polychaeta; pelagic polychaetes; Spatial variation; Annelida; Coastal zone; Pelagic zone; Marine environment; Animal community; Invertebrata; Species richness; Principal component analysis
• ISSN: 0018-8158; 1573-5117
• DOI: 10.1023/a:1026125705526

Issue Title: Advances in Polychaete Research The composition, abundance, species richness and structural changes of the planktonic polychaete assemblages were analysed along a latitudinal transect in the California Current System (California, U.S.A. and Baja California, Mexico). The biological (species and abundance) and physical (temperature and salinity) data were analysed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The principal water masses in the survey area were determined. Twenty-four holoplanktonic species belonging to families Alciopidae, Iospilidae, Lopadorhynchidae, Tomopteridae and Typhloscolecidae were identified. Three clear species assemblages were discerned in the PCA results: 1. A `north group' (from Oregon-California border to San Francisco), with relatively high species richness (11) and the highest mean abundance (121 ind. per 500 m^sup 3^) was characterised by Tomopteris septentrionalis, T. planktonis, Plotohelmis tenuis, and Travisiopis lobifera. California Current Water and Subtropical Central Water were present in the area occupied by this assemblage. 2. A `south group' (from off Bahía Magdalena to Cabo San Lucas), with the highest species richness (16), but low mean abundance (37.8 ind. per 500 m^sup 3^); it included tropical affinity species, such Lopadorhynchus henseni, Tomopteris nationalis, and Travisiopsis dubia. In concordance Surface Equatorial Water was identified in this region. 3. A `transition group' (between the north and south regions) recorded the lowest mean abundance (2.3 ind. per 500 m^sup 3^) and species richness (9). Only the California Current Water was detected in this area. The spatial pattern of species richness found along of this transect, was at least, partially due to the planktonic productivity distribution in the epipelagic region and the influence of several water masses coming from different directions.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]