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Importance of scale to the relationship between abundance of sardine larvae, stability, and food
Author(s) -
McClatchie Sam,
Rogers Paul J.,
McLeay Lachie
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
limnology and oceanography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.7
H-Index - 197
eISSN - 1939-5590
pISSN - 0024-3590
DOI - 10.4319/lo.2007.52.4.1570
Subject(s) - sardine , zooplankton , phytoplankton , abundance (ecology) , stability (learning theory) , larva , biology , water column , ecology , oceanography , range (aeronautics) , ichthyoplankton , plankton , fishery , environmental science , fish <actinopterygii> , geology , materials science , machine learning , nutrient , computer science , composite material
We used a spatially explicit regression model to relate sardine ( Sardinops sagax ) larval abundance to water column stability, phytoplankton, and zooplankton off South Australia. The distribution of sardine larvae was significantly associated with stability ( p < 0.05) and phytoplankton fluorescence or zooplankton displacement volume ( p < 0.001) at broad scales. In contrast there was no relationship between sardine larvae, stability, phytoplankton, or zooplankton at medium or fine scales. The relationships are shown to be scale‐dependent. Although the results generally support Lasker’s (1978) “stable ocean” hypothesis, mid‐range rather than high stability appears to be favored, in accord with theoretical expectations at both large and small scales.