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Marine Ecology Progress Series

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MEPS 591:253-265 (2018)  -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps12356

Winter river discharge may affect summer estuarine jellyfish blooms

Katherine Amorim1, Ramona M. Mattmüller2, María Algueró-Muñiz3, Cédric L. Meunier3, Santiago Alvarez-Fernandez3, Maarten Boersma2,3, Pedro Morais1,4, Maria A. Teodósio1,*

1CCMAR - Center of Marine Sciences, Campus de Gambelas, University of Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
2University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany
3Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar und Meeresforschung, Biologische Anstalt Helgoland, 27483 Helgoland, Germany
4Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, Mulford Hall, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
*Corresponding author:
Advance View was available online January 11, 2018

ABSTRACT: Dams alter the natural dynamics of river inflow, disrupting biological processes in downstream ecosystems, as observed in the Guadiana estuary (SW Iberian Peninsula, Europe). Here, significant interannual fluctuations in the densities of jellyfish occur during summer, likely due to changes in winter river discharge. Therefore, this study aimed to quantify the relationship between winter river inflow and the abundance of jellyfish in the Guadiana estuary. In addition, the budding and growth of Aurelia aurita polyps, one of the bloom-forming species present in the estuary, were determined at different combinations of constant temperature and salinity. The response of polyps and ephyrae to short-term, low-salinity pulses was also quantified. Maximum winter river discharge and maximum abundance of estuarine medusa (bloom indicator) showed a significant negative correlation. Under constant conditions, polyps showed increased mortality when water temperature was higher than 23°C and salinity was lower than 23, and died when exposed to a short-term, low-salinity pulse (≤3). After exposure to freshets, polyp budding and feeding rates decreased by 69% and 32%, respectively, when salinity reached values as low as 10. Ephyrae died when salinity was lower than 10, and feeding rates decreased by 88% when salinity was 17, compared with full marine conditions. In conclusion, winter freshwater discharge may regulate the strength of estuarine jellyfish blooms, impairing the survival or condition of polyps and ephyrae during late winter or early spring. River basin managers should consider the prescription of freshets to prevent jellyfish blooms from disrupting ecosystem services (e.g. fisheries, tourism).


KEY WORDS: River flow management · Freshets · Polyps · Ephyrae ·  Estuary


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Cite this article as: Amorim K, Mattmüller RM, Algueró-Muñiz M, Meunier CL and others (2018) Winter river discharge may affect summer estuarine jellyfish blooms. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 591:253-265. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps12356

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