Schwamborn, Ralf and Bonecker, Ana C. T. (1996) Seasonal changes in the transport and distribution of meroplankton into a Brazilian estuary with emphasis on the importance of floating mangrove leaves. Arquivos de Biologia e Tecnologia, 39 (2). pp. 451-462.

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Abstract

Floating mangrove leaves with associated fauna were sampled by 62 hauls during six cruises from January to August 1992 in the Mucuri estuary, north-eastern Brazil. Leaves were collected by hand-dipping a 100 μm-plankton net with a mouth opening of 22 cm. In addition, 500 μm-plankton nets were hauled in 18 oblique, superficial and neustonic trawls in January, February and June 1992. A massive colonization of floating leaves by decapod larvae was evident during the dry season (March-August). Forty-three groups of organisms were found associated to floating leaves. Of those groups 16 belonged to decapods and 7 to fish larvae. Crab larvae were the predominant animals collected. Five groups were found to be transported into the estuary during flood with floating leaves: megalopae, postlarvae of Penaeus schmitti, postlarvae of Potimirim potimirim, palaemonid postlarvae with the rostral formula 5/0 and non-identified caridean zoeal stages. During the rainy season, only 8 groups of organisms were found associated to leaves. To test for substrate selectivity during tidal transport, marked pasteboard stripes and mangrove leaves were set out offshore during flood and collected in the inlet in August 1992. The drifting substrata were settled by 22 groups of organisms. A significant difference between the densities under pasteboard stripes and mangrove leaves was not found for any of the registered groups. The qualitative comparison of leaf and plankton samples showed the presence of a specific assemblage associated to floating substrata.

Document Type:	Article
Programme Area:	PA Not Applicable
Research affiliation:
Refereed:	Yes
Open Access Journal?:	Yes
ISSN:	1516-8913
Date Deposited:	09 Oct 2025 13:38
Last Modified:	09 Oct 2025 13:38
URI:	https://cris.leibniz-zmt.de/id/eprint/5755

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