Biophysical models of larval dispersal in the Benguela Current ecosystem |
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Authors: | C Lett CD van der Lingen BR Loveday CL Moloney |
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Institution: | 1. UMI IRD 209 UPMC UMMISCO, Centre de Recherche Halieutique Méditerranéenne et Tropicale, Sète, France;2. Branch: Fisheries Management, Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Cape Town, South Africa;3. Marine Research Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa;4. Remote Sensing Group, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth, UK;5. Marine Research Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa |
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Abstract: | We synthesise and update results from the suite of biophysical, larval-dispersal models developed in the Benguela Current ecosystem. Biophysical models of larval dispersal use outputs of physical hydrodynamic models as inputs to individual-based models in which biological processes acting during the larval life are included. In the Benguela, such models were first applied to simulate the dispersal of anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus and sardine Sardinops sagax ichthyoplankton, and more recently of the early life stages of chokka-squid Loligo reynaudii and Cape hakes Merluccius spp. We identify how the models have helped advance understanding of key processes for these species. We then discuss which aspects of the early life of marine species in the Benguela Current ecosystem are still not well understood and could benefit from new modelling studies. |
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Keywords: | connectivity coupled physical-biological model early life stages eggs and larvae ichthyoplankton Lagrangian model Namibia South Africa upwelling system |
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