Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 2013 A Study of the Temporal and Spatial Distribution of Ichthyoplankton and Post-larval Penaeids Recruiting into a Louisiana Tidal Pass Matthew ohnJ Kupchik Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations Part of the Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Commons Recommended Citation Kupchik, Matthew John, "A Study of the Temporal and Spatial Distribution of Ichthyoplankton and Post-larval Penaeids Recruiting into a Louisiana Tidal Pass" (2013). LSU Doctoral Dissertations. 1604. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/1604 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized graduate school editor of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please [email protected]. A STUDY OF THE TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF ICHTHYOPLANKTON AND POST-LARVAL PENAEIDS RECRUITING INTO A LOUISIANA TIDAL PASS A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences by Matthew John Kupchik B.S., Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, 2004 May 2014 In Dedication to Dennis Kupchik; a father, a friend, and a mentor. 1948-2008 ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The majority of this study was funded through a grant with the Northern Gulf Institute (NGI). Data and funding support for the first chapter of this dissertation, “Vertical Distribution of Ichthyoplankton and Commercially-Important Decapods in the Northcentral Gulf of Mexico”, was made possible from the Louisiana Department and Wildlife and Fisheries and the Conoco- Phillips Health and Environmental Management Division, respectively. I would first like to thank Dr. Richard F. Shaw who as my advisor shared his expertise, patience, and knowledge. I would also like to thank Dr. Redwood Nero, Dr. Chunyan Li, and Dr. Brian Marx for the invaluable help in their respective expertise of fisheries oceanography, physical oceanography, and statistics through the course of this study. In addition, I would like to thank Ms. Talat Farooqi for her expertise and knowledge in ichthyoplankton identification, Mr. Alvaro Armas for his help both in the field and in the lab during this study, and Mr. Wilton Delaune for his field help at the Fourchon Camp of the Louisiana University’s Marine Consortium. Thanks to Dr. Benfield, Dr. Lindau, Dr. Huang, and Dr. LaRock for their mentorship and expression of the joy of teaching while working as their assistant. Thanks also to Dr. Sutor for the discussions and insights on oceanography, and life in general. A special thanks to the many student workers who helped during this study, in particular, Mrs. Kate Lingoni, Dr. Weenan Wong, and Dr. Xi Chen. To my friend, Dr. Carey Gelpi, thanks for all the conversations on science and words of encouragement along the way. Emmy Hicks, you’re amazing! Finally, I would like to thank my mother, Lynn Kupchik, and my two brothers, Chris Kupchik and Andrew Kupchik Esq., for the love, support, and encouragement in my passion for oceanography and life. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS……………………………………………………………………….. iii ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………………….. .xxvii CHAPTER 1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION………………………………………………. ….. 1 1.1 General Study Background……………………………………………………... …...1 1.2 Literature Cited……………………………………………………………………… 7 CHAPTER 2. VERTICAL DISTRIBUTION OF ICHTHYOPLANKTON AND COMMERCIALLY-IMPORTANT DECAPODS IN THE NORTH- CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO………………………………………………………………... 13 2.1 Introduction……………………………………………………………………........ 13 2.2 Materials and Methods……………………………………………………………... 15 2.3 Results…………………………………………………………………………... ….21 2.3.1 Ichthyoplankton………………………………………………………….. 21 2.3.2 Surface Oriented…………………………………………………………. 22 2.3.3 Upper Water Column Orientation…………………………………….. ….55 2.3.4 Mid-Depth Oriented…………………………………………………........ 57 2.3.5 Lower Water Column Orientation……………………………………….. 58 2.3.6 Near-Bottom Oriented………………………………………………........ 58 2.3.7 Oblique Distribution…………………………………………………....... 59 2.3.8 Commercially-Important Decapod Crustaceans…………………………. 59 2.3.9 Day/Night Ratios……………………………………………………........ 60 2.4 Discussion………………………………………………………………………...... 61 2.5 Conclusions……………………………………………………………………........ 63 2.6 Literature Cited…………………………………………………………………….. 64 CHAPTER 3. EFFECT OF WINTER ATMOSPHERIC COLD FRONT PASSAGES ON DENSITIES OF ICTHYOPLANKTON AND POST- LARVAL PENAEIDS IN A LOUISIANA TIDAL PASS…………………………………...….70 3.1 Introduction……………………………………………………………………........ 70 3.2 Materials and Methods………………………………………………………….. ….77 3.2.1 Sampling Location……………………………………………………….. 77 3.2.2 Field Sampling Methodology……………………………………………. 77 3.2.3 Laboratory Methods…………………………………………………... ….80 3.2.4 Statistical Analysis……………………………………………………. ….80 3.3 Results…………………………………………………………………………... ….85 3.3.1 Hydrology…………………………………………………………….. ….85 3.3.2 General Zoo-/Ichthyoplankton………………………………………...... 100 3.3.3 Brevoortia patronus (gulf menhaden)………………………………...... 102 iv 3.3.4 Micropogonias undulatus (Atlantic croaker)…………………………… 117 3.3.5 Anchoa hepsetus (broad-striped anchovy)……………………………… 121 3.3.6 Anchoa mitchilli (bay anchovy)………………………………………… 125 3.3.7 Farfantepenaeus aztecus (brown shrimp)………………………………. 129 3.3.8 Pogonias cromis (black drum)………………………………………... ...134 3.3.9 Sciaenops ocellatus (red drum)……………………………………….. ...139 3.3.10 Cynoscion arenarius (sand seatrout)…………………………………… 143 3.3.11 Cynoscion nebulosus (spotted seatrout)………………………………… 147 3.3.12 Paralichthys lethostigma (southern flounder)………………………...... 151 3.4 Discussion………………………………………………………………………. ...151 3.4.1 Hydrography……………………………………………………………. 151 3.4.2 General Zoo-/Ichthyoplankton………………………………………...... 153 3.4.3 Species with High Atmospheric Forcing……………………………...... 154 3.4.4 Species with Moderate Atmospheric Forcing…………………………... 157 3.4.5 Low Atmospheric Forcing – Inner Continental Shelf Spawners……...... 159 3.4.6 Low Atmospheric Forcing – Shallow Water Spawners………………. ...161 3.4.7 Low Atmospheric Forcing – Anchoa Congenerics……………………... 161 3.4.8 Low Atmospheric Forcing – The Other Sciaenid………………………. 162 3.5 Conclusions……………………………………………………………………... ...163 3.6 Literature Cited…………………………………………………………………… 167 CHAPTER 4. AGE, GROWTH, AND RECRUITMENT FROM OTOLITH MICROSTRUCTURE FOR LARVAL MICROPOGONIAS UNDULATUS………………... ...181 4.1 Introduction……………………………………………………………………...... 181 4.2 Materials and Methods………………………………………………………….. ...185 4.2.1 Sampling Location……………………………………………………… 185 4.2.2 Field Sampling Methodology…………………………………………... 185 4.2.3 Laboratory Methodology……………………………………………...... 188 4.2.4 Otolith Removal, Preparation, and Interpretation………………………. 189 4.2.5 Otolith Ageing and Larval Hatch Dates………………………………....191 4.2.6 Growth and Estuarine Ingress…………………………………………... 192 4.2.7 Statistical Analysis……………………………………………………. ...194 4.3 Results…………………………………………………………………………...... 194 4.3.1 Hydrographic…………………………………………………………… 194 4.3.2 Larval Micropogonias undulatus Catches……………………………… 197 4.3.3 Length, Age, and Hatch Dates from Otolith Counts………………….. ...199 4.3.4 Modeled Growth Rates and Estuarine Ingress Dates…………………. ...202 4.3.5 Statistical Analysis……………………………………………………. .. 208 4.4 Discussion………………………………………………………………………. .. 211 4.5 Conclusions……………………………………………………………………... .. 215 4.6 Literature Cited…………………………………………………………………… 217 v CHAPTER 5. AGE, GROWTH, AND RECRUITMENT FROM OTOLITH MICROSTRUCTURE FOR LARVAL BREVOORTIA PATRONUS…………………………. 226 5.1 Introduction……………………………………………………………………...... 226 5.2 Materials and Methods………………………………………………………….. .. 229 5.2.1 Sampling Location……………………………………………………… 229 5.2.2 Field Sampling Methodology…………………………………………... 230 5.2.3 Laboratory Methodology……………………………………………...... 232 5.2.4 Otolith Removal, Preparation, and Interpretation………………………. 233 5.2.5 Otolith Ageing and Spawning Dates…………………………………….235 5.2.6 Growth Rates…………………………………………………………… 236 5.3 Results…………………………………………………………………………...... 238 5.3.1 Hydrographic…………………………………………………………… 238 5.3.2 Larval Brevoortia patronus Catches……………………………………. 240 5.3.3 Length, Age, and Spawning Dates……………………………………. ...240 5.3.4 Modeled Brevoortia patronus Growth Rates…………………………… 244 5.4 Discussion………………………………………………………………………. ...250 5.5 Conclusions……………………………………………………………………... ...254 5.6 Literature Cited…………………………………………………………………… 256 CHAPTER 6. LATERAL DIFFERENCES IN LARVAL DENSITY AND PROBABILITY OF ENCOUNTER USING A ZERO INFLATED NEGATIVE BINOMIAL MODEL WITHIN A VERTICALLY WELL- MIXED TIDAL PASS……………………………………………………………………….. ...264 6.1 Introduction……………………………………………………………………... ...264 6.2 Materials and Methods………………………………………………………….. ...268 6.2.1 Sampling Location……………………………………………………… 268 6.2.2 Field Sampling Methodology…………………………………………... 269 6.2.3 Laboratory Methods…………………………………………………...... 272 6.2.4 Statistical Analysis……………………………………………………… 272 6.3 Results…………………………………………………………………………... ...274 6.3.1 General Hydrodynamics………………………………………………... 274 6.3.2 Cross Channel Hydrodynamics – Northern Dock Edge………………... 277 6.3.3 Cross Channel Hydrodynamics – Center Channel……………………… 278 6.3.4 Cross Channel Hydrodynamics – Southern Shore