URI Graduate School of Oceanography (GSO) professor Jeremy Collie has received a $40,000 grant from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to study the effects of water temperature on predator-prey interaction in Narragansett Bay and the Niantic River and determine why the stock of winter flounder continues to decline. Working with Collie on this project is GSO doctoral candidate David Taylor.
The common sand shrimp lives in the Atlantic waters from Newfoundland to Florida and is an important component of estuarine systems, serving as both predator and prey. Elevated winter water temperature possibly increases the number of sand shrimp simply because warmer temperatures allow greater numbers to survive the winter.
Another factor concerns the migratory pattern of the sand shrimp, which return to the shallow waters of the bay in late spring. Previously, juvenile flounder were able to grow to a body size that would prevent them from becoming a significant prey item for sand shrimp. With water temperatures, sand shrimp are moving into shallow waters earlier, while juvenile flounder are still vulnerable. In addition, increased water temperature could directly influence the physiology of sand shrimp by enhancing metabolic activity and thus increasing their predation of juvenile winter flounder.
"Investigating the effects of changes in temperature on population dynamics is increasingly important given the anticipated effects of global warming on marine and estuarine systems," said Taylor. "Addi
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Contact: Lisa Cugini
lcugini@gso.uri.edu
401-874-6642
University of Rhode Island
13-Dec-2002