Marine ecoregion and Deepwater Horizon oil spill affect recruitment and population structure of a salt marsh snail

摘要: Marine species with planktonic larvae often have high spatial and temporal variation in recruitment that leads to subsequent the ecology of benthic adults. Using a combination published unpublished data, we compared population structure salt marsh snail, Littoraria irrorata, between South Atlantic Bight Gulf Coast United States infer geographic differences test hypothesis Deepwater Horizon oil spill led widespread failure L. irrorata Louisiana 2010. Size-frequency distributions both ecoregions were bimodal, troughs consistent transition from sub-adults adults at ~13 mm shell length as reported literature; however, adult snails reached larger sizes Coast. The ratio was 1.5–2 times greater than Coast, higher rates Bight. Higher could contribute snail densities reduced growth this region. lower 2011 previous years, began recover 2012–2014, 2010, when large expanses spilled present coastal waters. Our results reveal an important difference key invertebrate two ecoregions, also suggest may caused perhaps others similar larval stages.