Recruitment and abundance of intertidal barnacles and mussels along the Atlantic Canadian coast: pelagic influences and relationships with predator abundance

摘要: Benthic species from rocky intertidal systems are irregularly distributed along marine coastlines. Nearshore pelagic conditions often help to explain such variation, but most studies have been done on eastern ocean boundary coasts. Through a large-scale mensurative study, we investigated possible benthic-pelagic coupling the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, western coast. We studied high zone nine wave-exposed bedrock locations spanning 415 km coastline north south. At each location in spring, measured recruitment barnacles and mussels, two main filter-feeding invertebrates. Recruitment varied Satellite data coastal phytoplankton particulate organic carbon (food for filter-feeders their larvae) in-situ seawater temperature explained, varying degrees, geographic structure recruitment. In turn, summer abundance both was positively related spring Ultimately, predator (dogwhelk) and/or mussels (the prey dogwhelks). These results consistent with bottom-up forcing influencing community this Sea ice may also influence predator-prey interaction. Drift leaving Gulf St. Lawrence late winter disturbed northern surveyed coast, making (owing recruitment) only food source dogwhelks at places. Investigating oceanographic drivers supply should further understand how large metacommunity is organized.