A. Locke et Sc. Courtenay, EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL-FACTORS ON ICHTHYOPLANKTON COMMUNITIES IN THE MIRAMICHI ESTUARY, GULF OF ST-LAWRENCE, Journal of plankton research, 17(2), 1995, pp. 333-349
Ichthyoplankton in 20 taxa (17 identified to species, three to genus)
representing 14 families were collected in 10 surveys of the Miramichi
estuary between May and September 1992. The taxonomic composition was
typical of other estuaries in the Gulf of St Lawrence and Gulf of Mai
ne. Larvae of three anadromous species [rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax)
, alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and blueback herring (Alosa aestivali
s)] were several orders of magnitude more abundant than any other taxo
n. The upper estuary (Miramichi River and its tributaries) probably se
rves as a nursery ground for larvae of these species and others such a
s Atlantic tomcod (Microgadus tomcod). The species composition of the
lower estuary (Miramichi Bay) was dominated by typically marine forms
and probably serves as a nursery ground for winter flounder (Pleuronec
tes americanus), smooth flounder (Pleuronectes pulnami), sculpin (Myox
ocephalus sp.) and sand lance (Ammodytes sp). Of the environmental fac
tors investigated, salinity was the most useful predictor of larval di
stribution in the estuary.