EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABILITY AT FRONTAL SYSTEMS ON ZOOPLANKTON AND FISH OF THE SOUTHWESTERN ATLANTIC OCEAN

M. MARRARI; M. D.VIÑAS; M. PÁJARO; R.DIMAURO; G. CEPEDA; S. SIGNORINI; C. MCCLAIN

Kochi, India

Simposio; International Symposium on Remote Sensing and Fisheries; 2010

<!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0cm; margin-right:0cm; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0cm; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-ansi-language:EN-US; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 67.5pt 72.0pt 72.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> The continental shelf of the Argentine Sea (34-42˚S) presents a variety of frontal systems, which are important reproductive grounds for fish of ecological and commercial importance, such as the Argentine anchovy, Engraulis anchoita. Analysis of 12 years of SeaWiFS data revealed the presence of dense spring phytoplankton blooms along a thermal coastal front off the Buenos Aires province. High interannual variability was observed in the magnitude and timing of the blooms, with highest concentrations of chlorophyll a recorded in 1997, 2002, and 2003, in coincidence with maximum densities of small zooplankton, which are the main food of anchovy larvae. High abundances of larvae of E. anchoita were generally associated with the front. Variability in environmental factors that influence chlorophyll dynamics in this region is examined in terms of its potential influence on zooplankton abundance and reproductive success of E. anchoita.