REU: Role of Oceanic Fronts in the Distribution and Reproductive Strategy of American Eels (Anguilla Rostrata)

产卵区和海洋迁徙线索 美洲和欧洲的鳗鱼一直是个谜。 因为年轻的鳗鱼幼虫会立即集中到 北大西洋副热带辐合带南部 在马尾藻海，据推测成熟的鳗鱼 迁移和产卵在这方面，并使用物理或 生物学特征的前沿方向。 这 研究将直接测试1）成熟的成年人是否 美国鳗鱼集中在，或立即到 南部，锋区，以及2）如何精细尺度 成虫的垂直和水平分布是 与额叶的特征有关 区和邻近沃茨。 将采用定量水声采样， 将适当强度的回声识别为eels，并 绘制它们的分布模式和密度。 旨在 中层拖网捕捞，遥控潜水器的视频， 用成熟的捕获鳗鱼和细鳞 从卵和刚孵化的幼虫中取样， 确认目标是否是鳗鱼 水声 数据、中层水拖网捕捞以及温度和 盐度将被用来表征生物和 前面的物理特征。 这项研究将一种 生理上独特的，长距离迁徙的鱼类， 特殊的海洋学特征。

The spawning area and oceanic migratory cues for American and european eels have long remained enigmatic. Because young eel larvae are concentrated immediately to the south of the North Atlantic Subtropical Convergence in the Sargasso Sea, it is hypothesized that mature eels cease migration and spawn near this front and use physical or biological features of the front for orientation. This research will directly test 1) whether maturing adult American eels are concentrated in, or immediately to the south of, the frontal zone, and 2) how the fine-scale vertical and horizontal distributions of adults are related specifically to characteristics of the frontal zone and adjacent waters. Quantitative hydroacoustic sampling will be used to identify echoes of appropriate strength to be eels, and to map their distributional patterns and densities. Aimed midwater trawling, video from a remotely operated vehicle, traps baited with mature captive eels, and fine-scale sampling of eggs and newly hatched larvae will be used to verify whether targets are actually eels. Hydroacoustic data, midwater trawling, and profiles of temperature and salinity will be used to characterize the biological and physical features of the front. This research links open-ocean spawning of a physiologically unique, long-distance migrating fish to a specific oceanographic feature.