SGER: Quantifying the effect of upwelling and relaxation on otolith chemistry and fish growth

上升流和松弛事件在向加州中部补充鱼类方面的作用已被广泛地记录下来。然而，对于实际的输送机制、输送和水团停留的时间、在上升流水域、沿锋面或在漩涡内被困的好处或成本，以及对远洋环境内和定居后生存的最终影响，缺乏了解。在拟议的研究中，研究人员将试图通过使用耳石微结构、化学和RNA：DNA分析来回顾确定水团暴露，并量化这些不同的海洋特征(重点是上升流和放松)在暴露期间和之后对中上层幼体短腹岩鱼生长和条件的影响。结果将被用来评估耳石的微结构和化学，作为工具，以了解影响加州海岸岩鱼的招募变异性和年级强度的因素。拟议的项目将非常有益，因为量化年级强度的基础机制被认为是渔业中最具挑战性的问题。结果的更广泛影响包括用于模拟扩散和招募机制，调整来自远洋调查的年级强度的粗略估计，以及帮助正确设计保护区。一名研究生也将在项目期间接受培训。

The role of upwelling and relaxation events on recruitment of fishes to central California has been documented in a general sense. However, there is a lack of understanding about the actual transport mechanism, timing of transport and water mass residence, benefits or costs associated with entrapment in upwelled waters, along fronts, or within eddies, and the ultimate effects on survival within the pelagic environment and after settlement. In the proposed study the investigators will attempt to retrospectively determine water mass exposure and quantify the influence of these various oceanographic features (with an emphasis on upwelling and relaxation) on growth and condition of pelagic juvenile shortbelly rockfish during and after exposure by using otolith microstructure and chemistry and RNA:DNA analysis. The results will be used to evaluate otolith microstructure and chemistry as tools for understanding the factors that contribute to recruitment variability and year-class strength of rockfishes along the California coast. The proposed project will be extremely beneficial for quantifying the mechanism underlying the year-class strength is considered the most challenging issue in fisheries. The broader impacts of the results include use in modeling dispersal and recruitment mechanisms, tune the gross estimates of year-class strength that come from pelagic surveys, and aide in the proper design on protected areas. A graduate student will also be trained during the project.