Fish community structure of the St Lucia Estuarine System under prolonged drought conditions and its potential for recovery after mouth breaching

The St Lucia Estuarine System, South Africa, has been under pressure due to recent drought conditions, which have led to closure of the mouth, extremely low lake levels and hypersaline conditions. The estuary mouth closed in June 2002 and remained so for almost 5 years before being breached by Cyclone Gamede in May 2007. After mouth closure in August 2007, salinities in South and North Lake gradually increased to reach highs of 68 at the end of 2008, while salinities in the Narrows gradually declined during the study. Fish were sampled biannually during 2006–2008 with seine and gill-nets at six sites throughout the system. A total of 20,422 fish from 72 species were recorded, with the number of species and CPUE gradually decreasing from the Narrows throughout the system to Hells Gate in the upper parts of the system. The fish community was dominated by the freshwater species Oreochromis mossambicus, and two estuarine species, Ambassis ambassis and Hyporamphus capensis. The fish community was dominated in terms of species numbers by marine spawning species, but in terms of fish abundance by freshwater and estuarine breeding species. Recruitment of post-larvae of 20 marine species into the system occurred following opening of the mouth in March 2007, highlighting the importance of the system as a nursery area for marine species. The fish community was structured by spatial differences between sampling areas and between the three main compartments of the system, and not by temporal changes during the study period.     

Alternative nursery habitat for estuarine associated marine fish during prolonged closure of the St Lucia estuary,South Africa

The Mfolozi estuary, located on the east coast of South Africa, was historically directly linked to the adjacent St Lucia estuarine system, the largest estuarine system in Africa and a World Heritage Site. The Mfolozi used to be the main feeder system to maintain lake levels in St Lucia, but increased siltation from sugar cane farming in the Mfolozi floodplain led to artificial separation of the two systems in 1950. Reduced freshwater inflow due to drought conditions caused the St Lucia mouth to remain closed from June 2002 to present, coinciding with low lake levels and hypersaline conditions, except for a brief period during 2007 after the St Lucia mouth breached. These conditions led to disruption of larval recruitment into the system and major changes in biotic communities. Due to the importance of the St Lucia – Mfolozi System link, a study was initiated in 2007 on the fish community of the Mfolozi system, which was sampled using seine and gill nets. The 48 species recorded were dominated by juveniles of marine spawners, particularly Leiognathus equula and Valamugil cunnesius and the estuarine spawners Ambassis dussumieri and Ambassis natalensis. Estuarine dependent marine spawning species formed 68% of both the species numbers and CPUE, an indication of the regional importance of the Mfolozi estuary as an alternate refuge for juvenile marine fish during periods when the St Lucia system remained closed. Post-larval recruits of marine spawning species were particularly abundant, but low zoobenthic densities caused a rapid decline in numbers of benthic feeders shortly after their recruitment into the system. The importance of the Mfolozi estuary in maintaining marine brood stocks of estuarine dependent marine fish is discussed with particular reference to estuarine degradation and the ecological integrity of the St Lucia system.     

Microalgal productivity in an estuarine lake during a drought cycle: The St. Lucia Estuary,South Africa

The St. Lucia estuarine lake on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, is one of the largest estuarine systems in Africa and of unique importance for the adjacent marine and terrestrial ecosystems. The area regularly experiences periods of drought, resulting in hypersaline conditions in its shallow lakes and the closure of the estuarine mouth. This study aimed to assess the primary production rates of phytoplankton and microphytobenthos throughout an annual cycle of this drought phase. Primary production rates were assessed at representative sites, namely the Mouth, Narrows, South and North Lakes from June 2006 to May 2007. Because of the drought, the salinity gradient from the mouth to the head of the estuary was reversed by comparison to estuarine systems with a steady freshwater inflow and regular marine exchange. In March 2007, during the study, the mouth opened as a result of rough seas, and the marine influence broke the existing reversed gradient, producing a marine salinity throughout the system. Microphytobenthic primary productivity varied between 0 and 34 mg C m⁻² h⁻¹ and showed strong correlations with salinity, DIN:DIP ratios and irradiance. Benthic productivity was high across the system after breaching of the mouth. Pelagic primary productivity (between 0 and 180 mg C m⁻² h⁻¹), showed a correlation with temperature and irradiance and was highest across the system in February 2007 when the mouth was still closed. There was no significant correlation between production rates and biomass (chl-a) in either the benthic or pelagic habitats. The negative correlation between DIN:DIP ratio and benthic primary productivity indicated that phosphorus was the limiting nutrient. This study shows that salinity, along with seasonally dependent parameters such as temperature and irradiance, correlates with the rate of microalgal production. Hence, in these shallow lakes, the largest primary productivity can occur in either the pelagic or benthic subsystems, depending on prevailing conditions at the time.     

Spatial distribution of zooplankton in the intertidal marsh creeks of the Yangtze River Estuary,China

Zooplankton are important grazers of primary production within intertidal marshes and are the optimal prey of higher trophic consumers; however, the patterns of their spatial distribution in marsh creeks are rarely reported. The zooplankton in the intertidal creeks with different salinities at Dongtan marshes of the Yangtze River Estuary was surveyed. The mean zooplankton densities in the intertidal creeks were 53,638 ind. m⁻³ in April and 132,916 ind. m⁻³ in July, respectively, which were as high as in the near-shore subtidal waters of the Yangtze River Estuary. This high abundance implied the important roles of zooplankton in the matter flux between marshes and near-shore waters through complex intertidal creek systems. Zooplankton total densities changed significantly from northern to southern creeks. ANOSIM and CCA analyses revealed that the zooplankton community structure were significantly different among the northern, eastern and southern creeks, and between two sampling seasons. Salinity accounted for most of the spatial variation of zooplankton community, whereas water temperature, chlorophyll a concentration, and pH were the main reasons of the temporal variation observed. Copepods were the most abundant zooplankton group. A total of 24 copepod species, belonging to 15 families and 20 genera, were recorded. Planktonic copepods preferred the northern and eastern creeks, with higher densities in July than in April, while benthic copepods predominated only in the northern creeks in April. Since the role of benthic and planktonic copepods may differ in transporting nutrients in the intertidal creeks, it is suggested that the variations in their distribution may influence the ecological functions of zooplankton in the estuarine matter fluxes both spatially and temporally.     

The zooplankton community of the Mpenjati Estuary, a South African temporarily open/closed system

The aim of this study was to examine spatial and temporal variability in zooplankton abundance and biomass, both during the closed (dry season) and open (wet season) phases of the Mpenjati Estuary, South Africa. On average, nighttime abundance values were 1–3 orders of magnitude higher than daytime values. A total of 51 and 36 zooplankton taxa were identified during the open and closed phases, respectively. The estuarine species Pseudodiaptomus hessei, Acartia natalensis and Gastrosaccus brevifissura dominated the assemblage during both phases. During the open phase marine zooplankton species entered the estuary and increased the zooplankton species diversity. At the same time, the biomass of the estuarine zooplankton species decreased substantially due to scouring of the sediment, increase in salinity and turbulence, and possibly also in grazing pressure. Conversely, during the closed phase the zooplankton diversity decreased, since no marine organisms entered the estuary, but the biomass of typical estuarine species increased due to the stability of the estuary. The fluctuations in the zooplankton community structure between the closed and the open phases suggest that the opening and the closing of the estuary are very important processes in determining the food web of the estuary.     

Community structure of epibenthic meiofauna in the St. Lucia Estuarine Lake (South Africa) during a drought phase

The St. Lucia Estuary is Africa's largest estuarine system. It is a major component of the iSimangaliso (formerly Greater St. Lucia) Wetland Park, which was declared a World Heritage Site in 1999. The system has been severely affected by drought conditions which have culminated in the mouth of the system being cut off from the Indian Ocean since June 2002, for a period of almost five years. This study aimed to document the dynamics of meiofauna of the system during a drought phase, since (1) the effects of droughts on estuaries are poorly documented and understood and (2) because studies of meiofauna have never been undertaken in this system before. Meiofauna samples as well as physico-chemical data were collected at representative sites in February, April, August and October 2005. The drought had a major effect on the estuary, resulting in the development of hypersaline conditions (maximum 126 at Hells Gate), and to the complete evaporation of pelagic habitats, especially in the northern regions. The meiofauna of the St. Lucia Estuary was statistically separated into two distinct spatial clusters under drought conditions. The first cluster comprised sites in the Narrows and the southern region of South Lake, while the second comprised sites in the northern regions of South Lake and False Bay. Meiofauna of cluster 1, which was least affected by the drought, comprised nematodes, polychaetes, copepods, amphipods and ostracods, all of which accounted for 97% of meiofauna in this cluster. Cluster 2 on the other hand, which was more severely affected by the drought, was dominated by nematodes and copepods, which cumulatively contributed 97% to meiofauna in this group. Taxonomic richness and diversity of meiofauna were positively correlated with water depth, while abundance was inversely correlated with water temperature. The major effects of low water levels on the meiofauna of the system occurred through a negative impact on diversity and taxonomic richness, resulting in assemblages dominated by taxa most physiologically suited to such conditions. Secondly, at the peak of the drought, there was discontinuous water flow in the St. Lucia Estuary, resulting in parts of the northern and southern regions of the system being fragmented. This could have prevented the spread of meiofaunal taxa between the different basins of the system, and also explains the spatial separation of meiofauna into distinct clusters within the estuary.     

Environmental control of mesozooplankton community structure in the Seine estuary (English Channel)

This paper is the first to describe the spatio-temporal changes of mesozooplankton in the Seine estuary. Monthly samples were collected along the estuary in 1996 in order to analyse the seasonal changes of the mesozooplankton community and to identify the major environmental parameters that may influence the spatial distribution of zooplankton in this megatidal estuary. Statistical analysis (canonical correspondence analysis) showed that salinity was the main factor correlated with the longitudinal distribution of zooplankton. Marine species (Temora longicornis, barnacle larvae…) were located in the outer part of the estuary, while more oligohaline species (Eurytemora affinis) were recorded in the inner part of the estuary. A mixed zone was characterised by the presence of the neritic copepods Acartia spp. and Eurytemora affinis. The marine species (e.g. T. longicornis, Oikopleura dioica, Barnacle larvae) showed maximum abundance at the end of spring (June) while the most abundant estuarine species, E. affinis, peaked in late winter-spring and declined with the onset of summer. This copepod dominated the estuarine zooplankton throughout the year, and found in the Seine estuary very high favourable conditions to exhibit ultimate abundances (> 190 000 ind m^–3) which is one order of magnitude higher than those found in other European estuaries. It represented the main prey for major planktonivorous species such as suprabenthic and fish species located living in the upstream zone of the Seine estuary.     

Occurrence and persistence of water level/salinity states and the ecological impacts for St Lucia estuarine lake,South Africa

The St Lucia estuarine lake in South Africa forms part of a World Heritage Site and is an important local source of biodiversity. Like many estuarine systems worldwide, St Lucia has experienced significant anthropogenic impacts over the past century. Abstractions have decreased fresh water inflows from the lake catchments by about 20%. Furthermore the Mfolozi river, which previously shared a common inlet with St Lucia and contributed additional fresh water during droughts, was diverted from the system in 1952 because of its high silt loads. The separated St Lucia mouth was subsequently kept artificially open until the onset of a dry period in 2002 when the mouth was left to close naturally. These changes and the current drought have placed the system under severe stress with unprecedented hypersaline conditions coupled with desiccation of large portions of the lake. Long-term simulations of the water and salt balance were used to estimate the occurrence and persistence of water levels and salinities for different management scenarios. The risks of desiccation and hyper-salinity were assessed for each case. The results show that the configuration of the Mfolozi/St Lucia inlets plays a key role in the physicochemical environment of the system. Without the Mfolozi link desiccation (of about 50% of the lake area) would occur for 32% of the time for an average duration of 15 months. Artificially maintaining an open mouth would decrease the chance of desiccation but salinities would exceed 65 about 17% of the time. Restoring the Mfolozi link would reduce the occurrence of both desiccation and hypersaline conditions and a mostly open mouth state would occur naturally. Integrating these modeled scenarios with observed biological responses due to changes in salinity and water depth suggests that large long-term changes in the biological structure can be expected in the different management scenarios.     

Suspended silt and salinity tolerances of the first zoeal stage of the fiddler crab Uca annulipes (Decapoda: Brachyura) and why marine connectivity is essential to the survival of the species

Fiddler crabs (Uca spp.) undergo the zoeal stage of development in open-ocean waters, where they experience stable salinity levels, low turbidity and reduced predation. The St Lucia estuarine system has undergone many geomorphological changes, both natural and anthropogenic, and the estuary mouth has been closed since the early 2000s. Despite recent attempts to improve marine connectivity, it remains limited, occurring primarily on the flood tide through channels connected to the adjacent Mfolozi River. Larval export from the St Lucia Estuary is therefore almost non-existent. A laboratory study was undertaken to examine the silt and salinity tolerance of Uca annulipes first stage zoeae, to investigate whether survival in the closed-estuary conditions would be possible. Salinity tolerance was narrow, with zoeae displaying 100% mortality at salinities <20 and >35 after five days. Zoeae were widely tolerant to silt loading and did not display a significant decrease in survival over a range of 0–1 000 NTU. A limited salinity tolerance is in accordance with the life-history strategy of fiddler crabs, and a high tolerance to turbid waters can be advantageous to small-bodied merozooplankton. Given the stenohaline nature of the zoeae, marine connectivity is therefore essential for the persistence of U. annulipes in this estuarine habitat.     

Trophic functioning of the St. Lucia estuarine lake during a drought phase assessed using stable isotopes

The St. Lucia Estuary is Africa’s largest estuarine system and is currently experiencing the stress of prolonged freshwater deprivation, manifested by extremely low water levels and hypersalinity. These unprecedented conditions have raised questions regarding the trophic functioning of the ecosystem. Despite the substantial amount of research previously undertaken within this system, no studies of food web structure and function have yet been documented. This study therefore aimed to examine the food web structure of the St. Lucia estuary system through the use of carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis. Analysis of carbon isotope ratios indicates that benthic carbon sources are most utilised at sites with low water levels and generally higher salinity (Catalina Bay, Charter’s Creek). Conversely, the estuarine region of the mouth and Narrows, with its elevated water levels and lower salinity, still sustains a viable pelagic food web. Analysis of δ¹⁵N ratios indicates that the number of trophic transfers (food chain length) might be related to water levels. Overall, the study provides a greater understanding of the ecological processes of this complex estuarine lake, which may allow for future comparisons of trophic functioning under drought and normal/wet conditions to be made.     

Variability in estuarine water temperature gradients and influence on the distribution of zooplankton: a biogeographical perspective

Structure and variability of water temperature gradients and potential influence on distribution of two tropical zooplankters (the mysid Mesopodopsis africana and the copepod Acartia natalensis) and their temperate congenerics (M. wooldridgei and A. longipatella) was investigated over a 10-year period in the Mgazi Estuary, South Africa. Intra- and inter-monthly water temperatures were highly variable, driven primarily by the interactive effects of river runoff, tidal exchange and mouth state. Variability was greatest in summer, temperatures ranging between <13 °C (linked to nearshore upwelling and a wide open mouth) and >30 °C when the mouth was near-closed. A strong horizontal temperature gradient characterised the estuary, the upper reaches remaining consistently warmer compared to the lower estuary. In winter, abundance of the tropical zooplankters showed a positive and significant correlation with increasing distance upstream. No pattern was evident in summer. The temperate species reflected a negative trend in abundance moving upstream during both seasons, but correlations were not significant. In terms of climate change, future population responses remain uncertain. This uncertainty is primarily linked to ongoing changes in the relative dominance of key drivers influencing estuarine water temperatures. Estuary mouth state will also respond to changes in nearshore wind regimes and morphodynamics of the adjacent beach.     

The benthic macrofauna of the St. Lucia Estuary during the 2005 drought year

The St. Lucia Estuary is the largest estuarine system in Africa. The estuary is part of the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park, which has been declared a World Heritage Site. This ecosystem has been subjected to severe drought conditions over the last four to five years, resulting in its mouth being closed off from the ocean in June 2002 for a period of over four years. The main aim of this study was to document the effects of the prevailing drought on the macrofauna of the system, since the last work on this benthic component had been undertaken over a decade ago, during a normal-to-wet phase. Macrofauna samples together with physico-chemical data were collected at representative sites in the Narrows, and the South and North lakes in February, April, August and October 2005. The drought exerted a strong influence on the system, leading to hypersaline conditions developing in its northern regions (maximum of 126 at Hell's Gate), and to the loss of aquatic habitat. Ordinations and clustering indicated that the macrofauna of the system could generally be separated into three clusters viz. (1) the Narrows and the southern portion of South Lake, (2) the northern half of South Lake, and (3) the North Lake–False Bay complex. Multivariate correlations indicated weak relationships between macrofaunal community structure and physico-chemical parameters. The distinction in macrofaunal assemblages between these clusters was probably caused by these habitats being physically separated at the peak of the drought, with no water flow between them, thereby preventing exchange of planktonic larvae and retarding colonisation of habitats. There was a northward decline in taxonomic richness and diversity of macrofauna in the system, which correlated positively with water depth and negatively with the biomass of microphytobenthos. It is evident that the drought structured macrofauna communities primarily through its effects on water depth and habitat fragmentation. The results of this investigation provide valuable information regarding the effects of droughts on estuarine–lake systems and the possible mechanisms by which they occur.     

Anthropogenic impacts on the water and salt budgets of St Lucia estuarine lake in South Africa

Lake St Lucia in South Africa is part of a UNESCO World Heritage site and a Ramsar wetland of international importance. Like many coastal wetlands worldwide, anthropogenic activities including catchment land-use changes, water diversions/abstractions, and manipulation of the mouth state have significantly affected its functioning over the past century. Questions concerning its sustainability have motivated a re-evaluation of management decisions made in the past and of options for the future. A model for the water and salt budgets has therefore been used to investigate “what if” scenarios in terms of past anthropogenic interventions. In particular, simulations allow us to evaluate the effects of diverting the Mfolozi river from St Lucia on the functioning of the system and on the occurrence of various water level/salinity states that drive the biological functioning of the ecosystem. In the past, when the St Lucia estuary and the Mfolozi river had a combined inlet, the mouth was predominantly open. The lake had relatively stable water levels but variable salinities that increased during dry conditions due to evaporative losses and saltwater inflows from the sea. If the mouth closed, the Mfolozi flow was diverted into the lake which reduced salinities and maintained or increased water levels. Simulations indicate that without a link to the Mfolozi the lake system would naturally have a mainly closed inlet with lower average salinities but more variable water levels. During dry conditions water levels would reduce and result in desiccation of large areas of the lake as has recently occurred. We conclude that the artificial separation of the St Lucia and Mfolozi inlets underpins the most significant impacts on the water & salt budget of the lake and that its reversal is key to the sustainability of the system.     

Feeding preferences of estuarine mysids Neomysis integer and Rhopalophthalmus tartessicus in a temperate estuary (Guadalquivir Estuary,SW Spain)

Mysid shrimps are an important component of estuarine food webs because they play a key role in energy transfer as intermediate prey. We investigated the seasonal, tidal and depth specific variation in the diet of the estuarine mysids Neomysis integer and Rhopalophthalmus tartessicus and explored its implications for the planktonic community structure of a temperate estuary (Guadalquivir Estuary, SW Spain). Neomysis integer is an opportunistic omnivore feeding mainly on mesozooplankton and on members of the detrital–microbial loop, shifting prey seasonally according to availability. In contrast, R. tartessicus showed a more carnivorous diet and shifted its target prey during seasons of low resource availability. Despite statistically significant differences in diet composition, both species shared prey of similar size, particularly juvenile Mesopodopsis slabberi, the most abundant mysid species in this estuary, and copepods. Although these similarities imply inter-specific resource competition, their co-existence is achieved by niche partitioning and spatial segregation: the higher osmoregulatory capacity and foraging plasticity of N. integer confers a broader niche breadth for this species allowing N. integer to inhabit the more stressful oligohaline region of the estuary where R. tartessicus cannot survive. We propose that this mechanism relaxes the potential for competition between N. integer and R. tartessicus.     

Abundance,recruitment and residency of two sparids in an intermittently open estuary in South Africa

The recruitment of distinct year-class cohorts in two sparid species, Rhabdosargus holubi and Lithognathus lithognathus, were linked to records of daily mouth state in the intermittently open East Kleinemonde Estuary, South Africa, between 1995 and 2006. L. lithognathus only recruited into the estuary in years when the mouth opened between late August and January. This was attributed to a limited spawning season and inability to recruit during wave overwash events. In contrast, R. holubi recruitment was uninterrupted and not influenced by seasonality of estuary access opportunities (mouthopening and overwash events). Estuarine-dependent residency periods ranged from 27 months to 48 months for L. lithognathus and 12 months to 23 months for R. holubi. The interannual abundances of these estuarydependent sparids were determined by reproductive seasonality, recruitment strategy and seasonal timing of estuarine access opportunities.     

Ingestion rates and grazing impact of the brackwater mussel Brachidontes virgiliae in Lake St Lucia,iSimangaliso Wetland Park,South Africa

Bivalves feed on a combination of phytoplankton and zooplankton and have the potential to impact considerably the planktonic biomass, especially when they occur in high densities, such as in oyster and mussel beds. The brackwater mussel Brachidontes virgiliae is numerically dominant during wet phases within Africa’s largest estuarine lake, St Lucia, in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park on the east coast of South Africa. The ingestion rates and potential grazing impact of this small mussel (maximum shell length = 2.5 cm) were estimated for both the wet and dry seasons using an in situ gut fluorescence technique. Ingestion rates were higher during the wet season (5.78 µg pigment ind.^?1 d^?1) than during the dry season (4.44 µg pigment ind.^?1 d^?1). This might be explained by the increased water temperature and food availability during the wet season. Because of the patchy distribution of mussel populations, there could be higher localised grazing impact near mussel aggregations. Results showed a potential grazing impact of up to 20 times the available phytoplankton biomass at specific sites. These high grazing impacts have the potential to deplete phytoplankton stocks in the lake, especially during wet phases in the northern reaches, where mussel densities are highest. This needs to be factored into ecological models of Lake St Lucia, because the system might function differently during increased flood events.     

The influence of prolonged mouth closure on selected components of the hyperbenthos in the littoral zone of the temporarily open/closed Kasouga Estuary,South Africa

The influence of prolonged mouth closure on the population dynamics of the caridian shrimp, Palaemon peringueyi and the estuarine isopod, Exosphaeroma hylocoetes, in the littoral zone of temporarily open/closed Kasouga Estuary located on the south-eastern coastline of southern Africa was assessed monthly over the period October 2007 to September 2008. Prolonged mouth closure of the estuary contributed to hypersaline conditions (psu > 35) prevailing throughout the estuary for the last four months of the study. The high salinities coincided with a decrease in the areal extent (up to 80%) of the submerged macrophytes, mainly Ruppia maritima, within the littoral zone of the estuary. Total abundance and biomass values of the shrimp and isopod over the period of investigation ranged from 0 to 14.6 ind m⁻², from 0 to 13.3 mg dwt m⁻², from 12 to 1540 ind m⁻² and from 0.1 to 2.16 mg dwt m⁻², respectively. Maximum values of both the shrimp and isopod were recorded in the upper reaches of the estuary in close association with R. maritima. Over the course of the investigation, both the abundance and biomass values of the shrimp decreased significantly (P < 0.05 in both cases) which could be related to reduced habitat availability, R. maritima, that acts as a refuge against fish predation. Additionally, the decrease in abundance and biomass values could be attributed to reduced recruitment opportunities for the shrimp and the cessation of reproduction in the estuarine isopod. The establishment of a link to the marine environment following an overtopping event in September 2008 contributed to a decrease in salinity within the system although no recruitment of either the isopod or shrimp was recorded.     

The Larval Fish Assemblage in Nearshore Coastal Waters off the St Lucia Estuary, South Africa

This paper reports on the composition, abundance and distribution of the larval fish assemblage in the nearshore coastal waters off the St Lucia Estuary mouth, South Africa. Ichthyoplankton samples were collected over a 12 month period from five stations located along a transect up to 2·5 km offshore, and from two stations north and south of the estuary mouth, respectively. In all, 6126 fish larvae, representing 89 families and 186 species, were collected. Larvae in the families Myctophidae and Tripterygiidae comprised 21% and 16% of the total catch, respectively. The most abundant species were an unidentified triplefin, Tripterygiid 1 and the lanternfish Benthosema fibulatum, together which contributed nearly 18% of the total catch. Larvae of marine spawners independent of estuaries dominated the catch both in terms of density (90%) and in terms of number of taxa (89%). Some larvae of estuarine-associated species were present, in addition to a few specimens of estuarine resident species. Overall the dominant environmental variable affecting larval densities was temperature, particularly for Trypterygiid 1 where temperature contributed to 9% of the variance model. Densities of fish larvae peaked in November and December 1990 (late spring and early summer) and were lowest from January to June 1991 (summer, autumn an early winter). Different taxa dominated the catch each month with reef- and shelf-associated species accounting for the peak in August and September 1990, oceanic species in November 1990 and a mixture of the two groups in December. Overall larval densities were significantly higher in bottom samples with a trend of increasing densities offshore for reef and shelf taxa. The larvae of reef and shore taxa were predominantly preflexion larvae, whilst the few estuarine spawner species that were collected were mainly postflexion. Ontogenetic patterns related to depth and distance offshore were evident for the dominant species in each estuarine-association category.The present study has shown that temporal and spatial variations in the larval fish assemblage off St Lucia are related to environmental conditions and ontogenetic behavioural patterns of certain species. The origin of many of the larvae in the assemblages off the coast of St Lucia is probably from both local spawning populations in the shelf waters off KwaZulu-Natal and spawning populations farther north in shelf waters off Mozambique. Additional studies with more detailed oceanographic measurements will further our understanding of the physical processes that supply larvae to the St Lucia region.     

Grazing by meso- and microzooplankton on phytoplankton in the upper reaches of the Schelde estuary (Belgium/The Netherlands)

In contrast with the marine reaches of estuaries, few studies have dealt with zooplankton grazing on phytoplankton in the upper estuarine reaches, where freshwater zooplankton species tend to dominate the zooplankton community. In spring and early summer 2003, grazing by micro- and mesozooplankton on phytoplankton was investigated at three sites in the upper Schelde estuary. Grazing by mesozooplankton was evaluated by monitoring growth of phytoplankton in 200 μm filtered water in the presence or absence of mesozooplankton. In different experiments, the grazing impact was tested of the calanoïd copepod Eurytemora affinis, the cyclopoid copepods Acanthocyclops robustus and Cyclops vicinus and the cladocera Chydorus sphaericus, Moina affinis and Daphnia magna/pulex. No significant grazing impact of mesozooplankton in any experiment was found despite the fact that mesozooplankton densities used in the experiments (20 or 40 ind. l⁻¹) were higher than densities in the field (0.1–6.9 ind. l⁻¹). Grazing by microzooplankton was evaluated by comparing growth of phytoplankton in 30 and 200 μm filtered water. Microzooplankton in the 30–200 μm size range included mainly rotifers of the genera Brachionus, Trichocerca and Synchaeta, which were present from 191 to 1777 ind. l⁻¹. Microzooplankton had a significant grazing impact in five out of six experiments. They had a community grazing rate of 0.41–1.83 day⁻¹ and grazed up to 84% of initial phytoplankton standing stock per day. Rotifer clearance rates estimated from microzooplankton community grazing rates and rotifer abundances varied from 8.3 to 41.7 μl ind.⁻¹ h⁻¹. CHEMTAX analysis of accessory pigment data revealed a similar phytoplankton community composition after incubation with and without microzooplankton, indicating non-selective feeding by rotifers on phytoplankton.