2006 Ocean Sciences Meeting SEACOOS Presentation - Lagrangian description of 2-D marine larval dispersal kernels

For the program on "Population Connectivity in Ocean Ecosystems I," OS42H-05. Many marine populations are connected by a pelagic larval stage during which individuals are dispersed by oceanic currents. This dispersal is an important determinant of an individual's success as well as the distribution and spatial structure of marine populations, and is the result of complex interactions between physical and biological factors. Thus, quantitative estimates of the retention or dispersion of larvae from spawning grounds can be important in determining recruitment success in fisheries. Models can be used to quantitatively express connectivity through a dispersal curve or dispersal kernel, the probability that a larva will settle at a given distance from its release location. As part of a larger effort in the development of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) on the southeastern U.S. continental shelf, we use a Lagrangian particle tracking model to describe two-dimensional dispersal kernels and to assess the physical factors influencing the dispersal kernels including: release time of year, release depth, release location, and larval stage duration. Using 3-dimensional flow fields and fixing the larvae's depth, the dispersal kernels are defined in 2-dimensions. Next steps in the modeling effort will be to examine larval dispersal kernels of target fishery species by including larval behavior into the transport process. *K P Edwards, J Hare, C Werner, H Seim