Spatiotemporal analysis of micronekton biomass at the mouth of the River Plate
Resumo
The region adjacent to the River Plate is renowned for its fishing activity and abundant biodiversity. Both are closely linked to the significant local river flows responsible for fertilizing extensive marine areas. Among the several biological communities, micronekton deserves special attention as it serves as a vital trophic link between primary production and top predators in the ecosystem. Recognizing its importance, this study evaluates the spatio temporal variability of epipelagic micronekton biomass at the mouth of the River Plate. Numerical modeling outputs of micronekton functional groups were obtained from the Spatial Ecosystem and Population Dynamics Model (SEAPODYM), coupled with in situ environmental data (precipitation, wind direction, and intensity) from 2015 to 2019. The results revealed greater aggregations of epipelagic micronekton near the river mouth. There was a seasonal disparity in micronekton biomass in the zone influenced by river drainage, with higher biomass values observed during the summer and lower values during the winter. This seasonal difference was attributed to winds from the northeast and southeast quadrants, as the micronektonic plume is susceptible to their effects. However, precipitation data did not exhibit a significant correlation with in situ flow data nor with quantitative micronekton measurements. This discrepancy may be attributed to the positioning of the data collection stations relative to the dimensions of the mouth of the River Plate.
Downloads
Referências
Acha, E. M., Mianzan, H., Guerrero, R., Carreto, J., Giberto, D., Montoya, N., & Carignan, M. (2008). An overview of physical and ecological processes in the Rio de la Plata Estuary. Continental Shelf Research, 28(13), 1579-1588. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csr.2007.01.031
Aron, W. (1962). The Distribution of Animals in the Eastern North Pacific and its Relationship to Physical and Chemical Conditions. Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, 19(2), 271-314. https://doi.org/10.1139/f62-014
Bertrand, A., Bard, F. X., & Josse, E. (2002). Tuna food habits related to the micronekton distribution in French Polynesia. Marine Biology, 140(5), 1023–1037. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-001-0776-3
Brodeur, R. D., Pearcy, W. G., & Ralston, S. (2003). Abundance and Distribution Patterns of Nekton and Micronekton in the Northern California Current Transition Zone. Journal of Oceanography, 59(4), 515–535. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1025548801541
Capozzoli, C. R., de Oliveira Cardoso, A., & Ferraz, S. E. T. (2017). Variability Patterns of River Flow in the Main Brazilian Basins and Association with Climatic Indices. Brazilian Journal of Meteorology, 32(2), 243–254. https://doi.org/10.1590/0102-77863220006
Ciotti, A. M., Odebrecht, C., Filmann, G., & Moller, O. O. (1995). Freshwater outflow and subtropical convergence influence on phytoplankton biomass on the southern Brazilian continental shelf. Continental Shelf Research, 15(14), 1737–1756. https://doi.org/10.1016/0278-4343(94)00091-z
Delpech, A., Conchon, A., Titaud, O., & Lehodey, P. (2020). Influence of oceanic conditions in the energy transfer efficiency estimation of a micronekton model. Biogeosciences, 17(4), 833–850. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-833-2020
Dogliotti, A. I., Ruddick, K., & Guerrero, R. (2016). Seasonal and inter-annual turbidity variability in the Río de la Plata from 15 years of MODIS: El Niño dilution effect. estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 182, 27–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2016.09.013
Duffy, L. M., Kuhnert, P. M., Pethybridge, H. R., Young, J. W., Olson, R. J., Logan, J. M., Goñi, N., Romanov, E., Allain, V., Staudinger, M. D., Abecassis, M., Choy, C. A., Hobday, A. J., Simier, M., Galván-Magaña, F., Potier, M., & Ménard, F. (2017). Global trophic ecology of yellowfin, bigeye, and albacore tunas: Understanding predation on micronekton communities at ocean-basin scales. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 140, 55–73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2017.03.003
Eduardo, L. N., Bertrand, A., Mincarone, M. M., Martins, J. R., Frédou, T., Assunção, R. V., Lima, R. S., Ménard, F., Le Loc’h, F., & Lucena-Frédou, F. (2021). Distribution, vertical migration, and trophic ecology of lanternfishes (Myctophidae) in the southwestern tropical Atlantic. Progress in Oceanography, 199, 102695. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2021.102695
Garcia, O. N., & Vargas, M. W. (1998). The temporal climatic variability in the Río de la Plata basin displayed by the river discharges. Climatic Change, 38, 359–379. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1005386530866
Gewant, D. S., & Bollens, S. M. (2005). Macrozooplankton and micronekton of the lower San Francisco Estuary: Seasonal, interannual, and regional variation in relation to environmental conditions. Estuarine Research Federation Estuaries, 28(3), 473–485. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf02693928
Guerrero, R. A., Acha, E. M., Framiñan, M. B., & Lasta, C. A. (1997). Physical oceanography of the Río de la Plata Estuary, Argentina. Continental Shelf Research, 17(7), 727–742. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0278-4343(96)00061-1
Hernández-León, S., Olivar, M. P., Fernández de Puelles, M. L., Bode, A., Castellón, A., López-Pérez, C., Tuset, V. M., González-Gordillo, J. I. (2019). Zooplankton and micronekton active flux across the tropical and subtropical Atlantic Ocean. Frontiers in Marine Science, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00535
Hernández-Molina, F. J., Maldonado, A., Stow, D. A. V., & Mena, A. (2010). Giant mounded drifts in the Argentine Continental Margin. Marine Geology, 276(1–4), 17–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2010.07.008
Hidaka, K., Kawaguchi, K., MurakamI, M., & Takahashi, M. (2001). Downward transport of organic carbon by diel migratory micronekton in the western equatorial Pacific: its quantitative and qualitative importance. Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 48(8), 1923–1939. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0967-0637(01)00003-6
Irigoien, X., Klevjer, T. A., Røstad, A., Martinez, U., Boyra, G., Acuña, J. L., Bode, A., Echevarria, F., Gonzalez-Gordillo, J. I., Hernandez-Leon, S., Agusti, S., Aksnes, D. L., Duarte, C. M., & Kaartvedt, S. (2014). Large mesopelagic fishes biomass and trophic efficiency in the open ocean. Nature Communications, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms4271
Junior, J. T., Hazin, H. V. F., & Lessa, P. R. (2006). Fishing and feeding habits of the kingfish, Elagatis bipinnulata (Quoy & Gaimard, 1825) (Pisces: Carangidae) in the São Pedro and São Paulo Archipelago, Brazil. Arquivos de Ciências do Mar, 39, 61–65. http://www.repositorio.ufc.br/handle/riufc/53939
Kloser, R. J., Ryan, T. E., Young, J. W., & Lewis, M. E. (2009). Acoustic observations of micronekton fish on the scale of an ocean basin: potential and challenges. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66(6), 998–1006. https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsp077
Knoppers, B. A., Souza, W., Ekau, W., Figueiredo Jr., A. G., & Soares-Gomes, A. (2009). A interface terra-mar do Brasil. In Biologia marinha (pp. 529–553). Editora Interciência.
Laborde, J. L., & Nagy, G. J. (1999). Hydrography and sediment transport characteristics of the Río de la Plata: A review. In G. M. E. Perillo, M. C. Piccolo, & M. Pino-Quivira (Eds.), Estuaries of South America (pp. 133–159). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-60131-6_7
Lehodey, P., Conchon, A., Senina, I., Domokos, R., Calmettes, B., Jouanno, J., Hernandez, O., & Kloser, R. (2015). Optimization of a micronekton model with acoustic data. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 72(5), 1399–1412. https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsu233
Lehodey, P., Murtugudde, R., & Senina, I. (2010). Bridging the gap from ocean models to population dynamics of large marine predators: A model of mid-trophic functional groups. Progress in Oceanography, 84(1–2), 69–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2009.09.008
Lehodey, P., Senina, I., & Murtugudde, R. (2008). A spatial ecosystem and populations dynamics model (SEAPODYM): Modeling of tuna and tuna-like populations. Progress in Oceanography, 78(4), 304–318. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2008.06.004
Mechoso, R. C. & Iribarren, P. G. (1992). Streamflow in Southeastern South America and the Southern Oscillation. Journal of Climate, 5, 1535–1539. https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0442(1992)005%3C1535:SISSAA%3E2.0.CO;2
Möller, O. O., Piola, A. R., Freitas, A. C., & Campos, E. J. D. (2008). The effects of river discharge and seasonal winds on the shelf off southeastern South America. Continental Shelf Research, 28(13), 1607–1624. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.CSR.2008.03.012
Nagy, G. J., Severov, D. N., Pshennikov, V. A., de Los Santos, M., Lagomarsino, J. J., Sans, K., & Morosov, E. G. (2008). Rio de la Plata estuarine system: Relationship between river flow and frontal variability. Advances in Space Research, 41(11), 1876–1881. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ASR.2007.11.027
Negri, R. M., Carreto, J. I., & Benavides, H. R. (1986). Some characteristics of blooming of phytoplankton on the front of the Río de la Plata. Revista de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero, 5, 7–29.
Negri, R. M., Molinari, G., Carignan, M., Ortega, L., Ruiz, M. G., Cozzolino, E., Cucchi-Colleoni, A. D., Lutz, V. A., Costagliola, M., Garcia, A. B., Izzo, S., Jurquiza, V., Salomone, A., Odizzio, M., La Torre, S., Sanabria, A., Hozbor, M. C., Peressutti, S. R., Méndez, S. M., ... Leonarduzzi, E. (2016). Ambiente y plancton en la zona Común de pesca argentino-uruguaya en un escenario de cambio climático (marzo, 2014). Publicaciones de la Comisión Técnica Mixta del Frente Marítimo, 24, 251–316.
Payri, C. E., Allain, V., Aucan, J., David, C., David, V., Dutheil, C., Loubersac, L., Menkes, C., Pelletier, B., Pestana, G., & Samadi, S. (2019). New Caledonia. In J.-F. Hamel (Ed.), World Seas: An Environmental Evaluation: Volume II: The Indian Ocean to the Pacific (pp. 593–618). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-100853-9.00035-X
Pearcy, W. G., Krygier, E. E., Mesecar, R., & Ramsey, F. (1977). Vertical distribution and migration of oceanic micronekton off Oregon. Deep Sea Research, 24(3), 223–245. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0146-6291(77)80002-7
Penalba, O. C., & Rivera, J. A. (2016). Precipitation response to El Niño/La Niña events in Southern South America – Emphasis in regional drought occurrences. Advances in Geosciences, 42, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-42-1-2016
Phillips, A. J., Brodeur, R. D., & Suntsov, A. V. (2009). Micronekton community structure in the epipelagic zone of the northern California Current upwelling system. Progress in Oceanography, 80(1–2), 74–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2008.12.001
Piola, A. R., Romero, S. I., & Zajaczkovski, U. (2008). Space–time variability of the Plata plume inferred from ocean color. Continental Shelf Research, 28(13), 1556–1567. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csr.2007.02.013
Robertson, A. W., & Mechoso, C. R. (1998). Interannual and decadal cycles in river flows of southeastern South America. Journal of Climate, 11(10), 2570–2581. https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0442(1998)011<2570:IADCIR>2.0.CO;2
Sánchez, M. F., & Garcia de la Rosa, S. B. (1999). Feeding of Merluccius hubbsi and impact of cannibalism in the region between 34°50′–47°S of the southwestern Atlantic. Revista de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero, 12, 77–93.
Santora, J. A., Field, J. C., Schroeder, I. D., Sakuma, K. M., Wells, B. K., & Sydeman, W. J. (2012). Spatial ecology of krill, micronekton and top predators in the central California Current: Implications for defining ecological-ly important areas. Progress in Oceanography, 106, 154–174. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.POCEAN.2012.08.005
Sathicq, M. B., Bauer, D. E., & Gómez, N. (2015). Influence of El Niño Southern Oscillation phenomenon on coastal phytoplankton in a mixohaline ecosystem on the southeastern of South America: Río de la Plata estuary. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 98(1–2), 26–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MARPOLBUL.2015.07.017
Senina, I. N., Lehodey, P., Hampton, J., & Sibert, J. (2020). Quantitative modeling of the spatial dynamics of South Pacific and Atlantic albacore tuna populations. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanog-raphy, 175. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.DSR2.2019.104667
Senina, I., Titaud, O., Briand, G., & Lehodey, P. (2022). Spatial Ecosystem and Population Dynamics Model for mi-gratory age-structured stocks (SEAPODYM) – Version 4.0: User manual. Pacific Community. https://www.spc.int/DigitalLibrary/Doc/FAME/Reports/Senina_22_Spatial_Ecosystem_and_Population_Dynamics_Model_SEAPODYM___User_manual.html
Simionato, C. G., Dragani, W., Meccia, V., & Nuñez, M. (2004). A numerical study of the barotropic circulation of the Rı́o de la Plata estuary: sensitivity to bathymetry, the Earth's rotation and low frequency wind variability. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 61(2), 261-273. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ECSS.2004.05.005
Simionato, C. G., Nuñez, M. N. & Engel, M. (2001). The salinity front of the Río de la Plata - A numerical case study for winter and summer conditions. Geophysical Research Letters, 28(13), 2641–2644. https://doi.org/10.1029/2000GL012478
Simionato, C. G., Vera, C. S., & Siegismundo, F. (2005). Surface Wind Variability on Seasonal and Interannual Scales Over Río de la Plata Area. Journal of Coastal Research, 21, 770–783. https://doi.org/10.2112/008-NIS.1
Young, J. W., Hunt, B. P. V., Cook, T. R., Llopiz, J. K., Hazen, E. L., Pethybridge, H. R., Ceccarelli, D., Lorrain, A., Olson, R. J., Allain, V., Menkes, C., Patterson, T., Nicol, S., Lehodey, P., Kloser, R. J., Arrizabalaga, H., & Choy, C. A. (2015). The trophodynamics of marine top predators: Current knowledge, recent advances and challenges. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 113, 170–187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2014.05.015
Copyright (c) 2025 Agatha Kerollyn Simeão Andrade, David Valença Dantas, Eduardo Gentil (Autor)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
DECLARAÇÃO DE ORIGINALIDADE E DIREITOS AUTORAIS
Declaro que o presente artigo é original, não tendo sido submetido à publicação em qualquer outro periódico nacional ou internacional, quer seja em parte ou em sua totalidade.
Os direitos autorais pertencem exclusivamente aos autores. Os direitos de licenciamento utilizados pelo periódico é a licença Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0): são permitidos o compartilhamento (cópia e distribuição do material em qualqer meio ou formato) e adaptação (remix, transformação e criação de material a partir do conteúdo assim licenciado para quaisquer fins, inclusive comerciais.
Recomenda-se a leitura desse link para maiores informações sobre o tema: fornecimento de créditos e referências de forma correta, entre outros detalhes cruciais para uso adequado do material licenciado.


1.png)



3.png)











