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Demonstration and implications of habitat‐specific chemical signatures in otoliths of juvenile summer flounder ( Paralichthys dentatus Linnaeus) in North Carolina
Author(s) -
Kellison G. T.,
Taylor J. C.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2007.01630.x
Subject(s) - otolith , estuary , flounder , biology , juvenile , paralichthys , habitat , fishery , ecology , olive flounder , oceanography , fish <actinopterygii> , geology
The objective of this pilot study was to determine if otolith signatures of juvenile summer flounder Paralichthys dentatus (Linnaeus) were differentiable between beach and marsh habitat types within two North Carolina (NC), U.S.A., estuarine systems. Elemental signatures were differentiable between habitats in both systems, and in one system at smaller spatial scales (<5 km) than have been reported for any estuarine species using otolith microchemistry. These results indicate the potential for using summer flounder otolith elemental analysis to assess the nursery role of habitats within NC estuaries.