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Instantaneous Flow Structures and Opportunities for Larval Settlement: Barnacle Larvae Swim to Settle
Ann I Larsson1, Lena M Granhag1, Per R Jonsson1
1Department of Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Tjärnö, Strömstad, Sweden.
Plos One
|July 28, 2016
Summary
Marine larvae settlement depends on water flow. Barnacle cyprids (larvae) temporarily attach in turbulent flow by swimming upstream, requiring a 0.1s window with speeds under 2.4 cm/s.
Area of Science:
- Marine Biology
- Fluid Dynamics
- Larval Ecology
Background:
- Water flow significantly influences marine larval settlement at various scales.
- Local flow regimes are critical for larval adhesion to substrates.
- Understanding larval transition from suspension to attachment in turbulent flow is key.
Purpose of the Study:
- To mechanistically understand the transition of marine larvae from suspended to attached states in turbulent flow.
- To determine the role of instantaneous flow properties and time windows in larval settlement.
- To investigate the relationship between flow velocity and barnacle cyprid temporary attachment.
Main Methods:
- Utilized flume flow experiments to characterize suitable time windows for settlement in near-bed flow.
- Measured the proportion of potential settling windows across a range of flow velocities.
- Compared these findings with the observed temporary attachment rates of barnacle cyprid larvae.
Main Results:
- Significant instantaneous flow variations were observed in the near-bed flow environment.
- The probability of temporary cyprid attachment decreased as local flow speed increased.
- Attachment was consistent with a settling window of at least 0.1 seconds and maximum speeds of 1.9-2.4 cm/s.
Conclusions:
- Temporary attachment of barnacle cyprids necessitates upstream swimming (negative rheotaxis) to maintain position for at least 0.1 seconds.
- This upstream swimming behavior enables barnacles to recruit in high-flow environments.
- Larval behavior provides flexibility in substrate selection based on prevailing flow conditions.
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