Mangroves as nurseries: Shrimp populations in mangrove and non-mangrove habitats
Abstract
A total of 4845 penaeids belonging to nine species—Metapenaeus anchistus, M. ensis, M. moyebi, M. philippinensis, Penaeus merguiensis, P. monodon, P. semisulcatus, P. latisulcatus and Metapenaeopsis palmensis—were collected by pocket seine monthly over 13 months from mangrove and non-mangrove sites in Guimaras, Philippines. The restricted distribution of the three dominant species—M. ensisandP. merguiensisto the brackish water riverine mangrove, andM. anchistusto the high-salinity island mangrove and tidal flat—is probably related to different salinity and substrate preferences. Abundance and size composition of the major species suggest a strong nursery role for the riverine mangrove (high juvenile densities, relatively small sizes year-round), limited nursery use of the island mangrove (fewer shrimps, larger size ranges, presence of maturing females) and a non-nursery use (e.g. foraging) in the tidal flat. Penaeid recruitment to the river had two peaks in November and May when the average salinity was ∼20 (Practical Salinity Scale) and water temperatures were high (30–31 °C). The spatio-temporal pattern of penaeid species in Guimaras shows partitioning across habitats and seasonal recruitment influenced by physical and biological factors.
Citation
Primavera, J. H. (1998). Mangroves as nurseries: Shrimp populations in mangrove and non-mangrove habitats.Publisher
ElsevierSubject
Mangrove swamps; Marine crustaceans; Nursery grounds; Estuaries; Juveniles; Recruitment; Metapenaeus anchistus; Metapenaeus ensis; Metapenaeus moyebi; Metapenaeus philippinensis; Penaeus latisulcatus; Penaeus merguiensis; Penaeus monodon; Penaeus palmensis; Penaeus semisulcatus; Philippines, Panay I., Iloilo, Guimaras I.; Philippines; Banana prawn; Giant tiger prawn; Greasyback shrimp; Mayebi shrimp; Western king prawn; Penaeidae; Prawns and shrimps
Acknowledgment/Sponsorship
This study was partially funded by the Department of Agriculture Fisheries Sector Program and the Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development. Thanks are due to the following: J. Lebata and G. Unlayao for field and laboratory assistance; W. Dall and D. Vance of CSIRO and W. L. Long of QDPI, Australia for help in taxonomy; M. A. R. Juinio-Meñez of the U.P. Marine Science Institute, T. Bagarinao of the SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department, and W. Yap for constructive comments; E. Ledesma for preparing the figures; and L. Espada for the statistical analyses.
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