Spatio-temporal distribution of larval Gobiosoma bosc in waters adjacent to natural and altered marsh-edge habitats of Mississippi coastal waters

Larval naked gobies, Gobiosoma bose, were collected monthly from October 19 95 to September 1997 by beam plankton trawl from waters adjacent to natural Juncus/Spartina marsh-edge, natural sandy beach and altered Juncus/Spartin a marsh-edge habitats in Mississippi coastal waters. Altered marsh habitats consisted of two bulkheaded stations and one stretch of riprap. Abundances were significantly higher in waters adjacent to natural marsh-edge habitat s than in those adjacent to altered habitats in year one (P = 0.011), sugge sting that the physical nature of alteration may have caused reduced habita t suitability. Abundances also varied seasonally, with summer conditions of high water temperature, increasing tide height, intermediate depth, low di ssolved oxygen, and clear skies being significantly related to high abundan ce of postflexion G, bose in each year (r(2) = 0.481 and 0.276, respectivel y). Year two abundances were lower than those of year one and not significa ntly different among habitats. There was also a noticeable shift in the rep roductive strategy of G. bose from a bimodal pattern in year one to a singl e reproductive peak in year two. This study illustrates the importance of n atural Juncus/Spartina marsh-edge habitat to G. bose reproduction/recruitme nt and by extension to the community structure of the Back Bay/Davis Bayou estuarine ecosystem.