Journalartikel

Jahr der Veröffentlichung: 2018

Seiten: 72-81

Zeitschrift: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science

Bandnummer: 201

ISSN: 0272-7714

eISSN: 1096-0015

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2016.03.004

Verlag: Elsevier

Abstract: 
Coastal zones are productive areas of marine ecosystems which are also hotspots of anthropogenic activities causing habitat degradation. In the southwest Baltic Sea, eutrophication is thought to have caused the massive reduction in submerged macrophytes observed in recent decades. Here, we surveyed the submarine vegetation and examined locations of spawning of herring (Clupea harengus) in the Greifs-walder Bodden, one of the most important reproductive habitats of the Western Baltic Spring Spawner herring stock (WBSS). This stock deposits eggs onto submerged vegetation and changes in macrophyte coverage are expected to influence the availability of reproductive habitat. Aerial, underwater video tows and SCUBA surveys conducted in spring 2009 revealed that only similar to 7% of the lagoon was vegetated. Herring eggs were observed on 12 of 32 SCUBA transects, at depths between 0.2 and 5 m and were attached to a variety of spermatophyte and algae species but not to stones or mussels. A classification tree model indicated that spawning sites were strongly associated with the vegetation cover within a 100- and 500-m radius, implying that herring schools preferentially spawn on dense and large underwater meadows. Only similar to 5% of the lagoon now falls into this vegetation category. Despite 20 years of efforts to reduce eutrophication, no increase in macroalgae and spermatophyte vegetation towards the historical level of 90% coverage in the area is apparent. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Harvard-Zitierstil: Kanstinger, P., Beher, J., Grenzdoerffer, G., Hammer, C., Huebert, K., Stepputis, D., et al. (2018) What is left? Macrophyte meadows and Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) spawning sites in the Greifswalder Bodden, Baltic Sea, Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 201, pp. 72-81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2016.03.004

APA-Zitierstil: Kanstinger, P., Beher, J., Grenzdoerffer, G., Hammer, C., Huebert, K., Stepputis, D., & Peck, M. (2018). What is left? Macrophyte meadows and Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) spawning sites in the Greifswalder Bodden, Baltic Sea. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 201, 72-81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2016.03.004