ICES Journal of Marine Science: Journal du Conseil Advance Access originally published online on December 2, 2008
ICES Journal of Marine Science: Journal du Conseil 2009 66(2):396-407; doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsn179
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Current reversals as determinants of intertidal recruitment on the central Oregon coast
1 Department of Zoology, Oregon State University, 3029 Cordley Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA. Present address of B. A. Grantham: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Aquatic Research and Development Section, 2140 East Bank Drive, DNA Building, c/o Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada K9J 7B8
2 College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, 104 COAS Administration Building, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA. Present address of A. R. Kirincich: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
Correspondence to S. E. Dudas: tel: +1 541 9083908; fax: +1 541 7373360; e-mail: dudass{at}science.oregonstate.edu.
Dudas, S. E., Grantham, B. A., Kirincich, A. R., Menge, B. A., Lubchenco, J., and Barth, J. A. 2009. Current reversals as determinants of intertidal recruitment on the central Oregon coast. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66: 396–407.The influence of current reversals on intertidal invertebrate recruitment was investigated using two seasons of nearshore physical and intertidal biological observations along the central Oregon coast, an intermittent upwelling system. In 1998, upwelling periods were punctuated by infrequent wind reversals and widespread increases in nearshore temperature, whereas 1999 was characterized by frequent, shorter wind reversals. In 1998, barnacle recruitment was best at the site experiencing more frequent reversals of the predominantly equatorward currents, higher poleward velocities, and coincident temperature increases. In 1999, barnacle recruitment peaked at the site with greater poleward current velocities, and maximum mussel recruitment at the site with consistent deep (10 m) onshore currents. Barnacle recruitment generally increased with onshore surface currents and temperature; mussel recruitment showed variable, weaker correlations. The data indicate that substantial decreases or complete reversals of upwelling-driven alongshore currents may be important for barnacle recruitment, but topographically driven differences in the response of currents to wind changes may generate local recruitment differences. This suggests that even relatively straight coastlines may have enhanced recruitment zones attributable to the variable local oceanography. Further, the interannual differences observed in current reversals and recruitment patterns highlight the potential importance of upwelling variation for onshore communities.
Keywords: barnacle, current reversal, invertebrate, larvae, mussel, recruitment, transport, upwelling
Received 1 September 2007; accepted 5 October 2008; advance access publication 2 December 2008.