A preliminary study to understand the transport process for the eggs and larvae of Japanese Pacific walleye pollock Theragra chalcogramma using particle-tracking experiments based on a high-resolution ocean model

• Published in: Fisheries science 2014-03, Vol.80 (2), p.127-138
• Main Authors: Kuroda, Hiroshi, Takahashi, Daisuke, Mitsudera, Humio, Azumaya, Tomonori, Setou, Takashi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal reproduction; Aquaculture; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Buoyancy; Coasts; Computer based modeling; Eggs; Experiments; Fish & Wildlife Biology & Management; Fisheries; Food Science; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Larvae; Life Sciences; Marine; Ocean currents; Physical oceanography; Salinity; Seasons; Spawning; Special Feature: Original Article; Studies; Theragra chalcogramma; Transport processes
• ISSN: 0919-9268; 1444-2906
• DOI: 10.1007/s12562-014-0717-y

We developed a realistic 1/50° high-resolution ocean model capable of resolving submesoscale variability, and performed particle-tracking experiments based on this ocean model to identify elements that significantly affect the transport of the eggs and larvae of the Japanese Pacific walleye pollock Theragra chalcogramma into Funka Bay. The high-resolution model reproduced representative features of the oceanographic conditions of the main spawning area and season. A comparison of particle-tracking experiments performed under the passive transport condition based on high-resolution (1/50°) and low-resolution (1/10°) ocean models showed that high-resolution modeling is essential in order to realistically simulate the transport process. In this regard, however, the vertical motion of particles cannot be explained by the passive transport condition, as it leads to unrealistically deep sinking of particles in the simulation. Turning our attention to feasible non-passive transport conditions, we then incorporated the buoyancy motion of particles and conducted additional experiments that mainly differed in the particle density adopted. We clarified that buoyancy is an important factor in the retention of particles near the sea surface, and that the ratio of the particles that remain in Funka Bay to the number of particles released is sensitive to the vertical motions/positions of the particles, implying that it is necessary to model this vertical motion more accurately by incorporating more realistic biological processes or a statistical distribution into the particle-tracking model.