Ichthyoplankton research plays an essential role in improving our knowledge of the spawning season, abundance and distribution of fish fauna and constituent populations (Kent et al. 2013). Temporal variations of fish eggs and larvae are associated with spawning time and continuance of spawning (Gray & Miskiewicz 2000). Ichthyoplankton surveys are the most effective sampling strategy to understand biological diversity of the early life stages of fishes (Sherman et al. 1983). In addition, ichthyoplankton surveys enable us to investigate the early life stages, regardless of the commercial fishing effort (Govoni 2005). During the last five decades, ichthyoplankton surveys were carried out by several researchers in the Marmara Sea and the Aegean Sea (Somarakis et al. 2000; Turker & Hossucu 2006; Gokturk et al. 2010; Demirel 2004). However, no ichthyoplankton research has been conducted in the Dardanelles Strait. A total of 118 juvenile species have been recorded in the shallow waters of the strait (Ozen 2008).
In this study, temporal variation of the ichthyoplankton community was investigated in the Dardanelles Strait. The main objectives of the present study were (i) to gain knowledge about the ichthyoplankton community structure, (ii) to assess temporal variation in fish eggs and larvae and (iii) to observe the effects of ichthyoplankton abundance and biodiversity in the Marmara Sea on the Aegean Sea via transport through the narrow Dardanelles Strait.
Ichthyoplankton samples were collected from 3 stations located along the Anatolian coast of the Dardanelles (Figure 1). Sampling was carried out monthly between March 2012 and February 2013. Samples were collected by horizontal and vertical tows, using a WP-2 plankton net with a 500 µm mesh net (57 cm frame diameter, 3 m total length) from all stations. Horizontal samples were collected 0.5 m under the sea surface for a duration of 10 minutes with a vessel speed of 2 knots. Vertical tows were conducted from the upper pycnocline (~20 m) to the sea surface. Due to the low individual abundance values, the results of vertical tows were only used to evaluate biological diversity, whereas the results of horizontal tows were used for both abundance and biological diversity analyses.
Study area and sampling stationsFigure 1
All tows were conducted during daylight and samples were immediately fixed with 4% formaldehyde-sea water solution on the vessel. Fish eggs and larvae were identified and counted under a dissecting microscope in the laboratory. The keys of Dekhnik (1973), Russell (1976), and Yüksek & Gücü (1994) were used for the identification of fish eggs and larvae. The determination of fish egg stages was conducted with Dekhnik’s (1973) 6-stage development method. The larval stages were determined as prelarvae and postlarvae according to Hubbs (1943). Salinity and temperature were measured using a Yellow Springs Instruments meter (YSI 6600). Biological diversity was calculated for each sample by taking the exponential of the Shannon-Wiener Index H, the Dominance Index, the Margalef diversity Index and Pielou’s evenness component (J’). Calculations of biodiversity indices were conducted with PAST Version 2.17 (Hammer et al. 2001). Densities of fish eggs and larvae (the count per 1000 m3) for horizontal tows were calculated as follows:
where
where
Seasons were classified based on mean water temperature, i.e. values below 12°C were classified as winter, and those with mean water temperatures above 20°C were classified as summer. Thus, the winter period included January to March, the spring period included April to May, the summer period included June to September, and the autumn period included October to December.
Sea surface temperatures varied between 8.8°C (March 2012) and 23.9°C (July 2012) with an annual average surface temperature of 16.9°C. Salinity values ranged from 22.0 (February 2013) to 25.3 PSU (August 2012) with an annual average of 23.6 PSU.
A total of 7392 eggs and 191 larvae representing 24 families and 50 species were identified (Table 1). The total fish egg abundance was 46 920 ind. 1000 m−3, with the total fish larvae abundance of 1212 ind. 1000 m−3. Mean fish egg abundance was 3910 ind. 1000 m−3 with mean fish larvae abundance of 100 ind. 1000 m−3.
Abundance and seasonal variations of ichthyoplankton species in different embryonic development stages in the Dardanelles between March 2012 and February 2013 Refers to species that were sampled only by vertical tows and the density unit of these species reflects number of individuals. PR refers to prelarvae and PL refers to postlarvae. Refers to species that were sampled only by vertical tows and the density unit of these species reflects number of individuals. PR refers to prelarvae and PL refers to postlarvae. Refers to species that were sampled only by vertical tows and the density unit of these species reflects number of individuals. PR refers to prelarvae and PL refers to postlarvae. Refers to species that were sampled only by vertical tows and the density unit of these species reflects number of individuals. PR refers to prelarvae and PL refers to postlarvae. Refers to species that were sampled only by vertical tows and the density unit of these species reflects number of individuals. PR refers to prelarvae and PL refers to postlarvae. Refers to species that were sampled only by vertical tows and the density unit of these species reflects number of individuals. PR refers to prelarvae and PL refers to postlarvae. Refers to species that were sampled only by vertical tows and the density unit of these species reflects number of individuals. PR refers to prelarvae and PL refers to postlarvae. The calculated densities were considered to represent the minimum ichthyoplankton density per 1000 m3 from horizontal tows.
SPECIES
SEASON
SPRING
SUMMER
AUTUMN
WINTER
EGG
PR
PL
EGG
PR
PL
EGG
PR
PL
EGG
PR
PL
100
5
5
20
0
0
10
0
0
51
0
0
0
0
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
110
0
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
780
0
0
10
0
0
40
0
0
0
0
0
20
0
0
20
0
30
0
0
10
0
0
0
20
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1*
1510
0
0
20
0
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
30
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
4200
0
10
30
0
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
0
0
30
30
20
80
40
294
0
0
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1*
0
0
0
0
0
0
130
0
0
0
0
0
110
0
0
820
0
0
0
0
30
0
0
10
0
0
0
0
0
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1210
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
0
0
220
0
0
40
0
0
20
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
120
0
0
0
0
0
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5640
0
0
162
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1020
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
58
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
100
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
0
0
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
200
26
94
0
0
0
1782
0
0
3320
29
12
40
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
40
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
100
0
0
10
0
0
50
0
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
841
12
41
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
150
0
0
20
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
0
0
20
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
20
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
30
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2*
0
0
0
0
0
10
0
0
0
0
0
10
0
10
22741
255
90
40
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
0
20
0
0
0
190
0
0
10
0
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
50
0
10
130
0
11
0
0
0
0
0
0
30
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
180
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
60
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Total Abundance
14438
73
270
650
40
384
1930
10
20
29902
284
131
The maximum fish egg abundance was observed in winter; 63% of the total fish eggs were sampled during the winter period, 56% of the total fish eggs were sampled in March and 80% of the fish eggs in March were
The maximum larval abundance on a monthly basis was observed in March. This situation resulted from the larvae of
(A) fish egg density, (B) larval fish density, (C) Shannon-Wiener Index H for fish eggs, (D) Shannon-Wiener Index H for larval fish assemblages between March 2012 and February 2013. Egg and larval fish abundance are standardized by volume of water filtered (number of eggs or larvae per 1000 m3).Figure 2
Biodiversity and seasonal variation in species richness was examined. Biodiversity was relatively high in spring and summer for fish eggs. The maximum species richness was observed in June with the eggs of 23 fish species (Table 2). Eggs of 16 species were found in April and August. The minimum species richness was determined in September with the eggs of 3 species. Pielou’s evenness component (J’) values were similar to the values of the Shannon-Wiener Index H (Table 2). The maximum value of the Shannon-Wiener Index H was determined in August – 2.498 and the minimum value in November – 0.290 (Figure 2C). The dominance increased and species richness further decreased in the fall. Although the Shannon-Wiener Index H was higher in spring and summer, the dominance index increased and the Shannon-Wiener and Margalef indices decreased in May. This was due to the high abundance of
Temporal variation in the abundance, species richness and values of some biodiversity indices for fish eggs and larvae
Numeric data
Stage
March
April
May
June
July
April
September
October
November
December
January 13
February 13
Individuals
Egg
4234
97
1108
1912
60
47
39
13
284
35
368
233
Larvae
57
19
17
44
14
69
27
5
2
2
9
6
Species richness
Egg
13
16
15
23
10
16
8
3
4
5
7
9
Larvae
4
5
4
11
3
7
6
3
2
2
1
2
Abundance (ind. 1000 m−3)
Egg
26420
740
3440
10380
250
160
220
70
1700
200
2100
1290
Larvae
360
130
80
210
70
240
90
20
0
10
30
20
Dominance (D)
Egg
0.6526
0.1553
0.3718
0.2222
0.2294
0.1019
0.3149
0.7278
0.8736
0.569
0.4672
0.6483
Larvae
0.7248
0.4404
0.3841
0.1477
0.7449
0.7845
0.6159
0.44
0.5
0.5
1
0.7222
Shannon-Wiener Index (H)
Egg
0.8537
2.198
1.439
1.81
1.816
2.498
1.453
0.536
0.2897
0.9221
1.01
0.7782
Larvae
0.5441
1.129
1.115
2.107
0.5091
0.5521
0.8765
0.9503
0.6931
0.6931
0
0.4506
Pielou’s evenness component (J’)
Egg
0.3328
0.7926
0.5314
0.5772
0.7885
0.9011
0.6989
0.4879
0.209
0.5729
0.5189
0.3542
Larvae
0.3925
0.7012
0.8044
0.8787
0.4634
0.2837
0.4892
0.865
1
1
0
0.65
The highest biodiversity of fish larvae was observed in spring (Figure 2D). The maximum species richness occurred in June with the larvae of 11 fish species and the maximum Shannon-Wiener Index H also in June, with the value of 2.107 (Table 2). The minimum biodiversity and species richness were observed in autumn and winter for fish larvae. Only
The abundance of fish eggs and larvae in the survey area seems to be related to the increasing sea surface temperature. In the Mediterranean, early summer spawning species start to spawn in late spring and early summer, i.e. in the transitional period. Fish eggs and larvae reach the maximum abundance value and the maximum species richness in this period (Sabates 1990). These findings coincide with our study, where highest spawning occurred in May and June. In contrast, the maximum egg density was observed in March due to high spawning of the winter spawning species
In general, the biodiversity and species diversity had higher values in spring and summer and lower values in autumn and winter. These results coincide with the general temperate water hypothesis. The observed increase in the larval biodiversity could be attributed to the summer spawners triggered off by a rapid increase in sea surface temperatures. Some very small fluctuations in the biodiversity in the same season were observed in our study. The relatively low biodiversity values in May for fish eggs, and in August and September for fish larvae may result from the extreme dominance of several species. Normally, the larval biodiversity index may be higher in the summer months compared to April in temperate waters. In contrast, the larval biodiversity index was higher in April than July, August and September. This situation resulted from the high larval density of
Considering the abundance and biodiversity from a spatial perspective, different results were observed compared to previous studies from the nearby areas. Although the current study is based on a small sampling area, the findings suggest that high species richness was observed. A total of 40 species of fish eggs and 24 species of larvae were sampled in the study area. Alimoglu (2002) found 27 species of fish eggs and larvae in the northeastern Marmara Sea. Yüksek et al. (2006) reported that 16 species of fish eggs and larvae were sampled in the Golden Horn, Istanbul in 1999, and the number increased to 27 species in 2002 after the water quality improved. Demirel (2004) reported 21 species of ichthyoplankton for the whole Marmara Sea in the summer periods between 1994 and 2000. In terms of abundance values, the maximum egg abundance was observed for
Since different current regimes exist at different depths, additional work needs to be conducted to determine the ichthyoplankton biodiversity and density in terms of vertical stratification in the Dardanelles Strait. Moreover, further investigations should be conducted on larger spatial and temporal scales. Future research should therefore focus on the interactions between ichthyoplankton and sea currents.