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USE OF A RHODE ISLAND SALT POND BY JUVENILE WINTER FLOUNDER, PSEUDOPLEURONECTES AMERICANUS
Citation:
Koprowski, M., C. Orphanides, M M. Chintala, G Cicchetti, AND L Meng. USE OF A RHODE ISLAND SALT POND BY JUVENILE WINTER FLOUNDER, PSEUDOPLEURONECTES AMERICANUS. Presented at Flatfish Biology Conference, Mystic, CT, December 5, 2000.
Description:
We used a 1.75 m2 drop ring sampler in June and July of 2000 to quantify populations of juvenile flatfishes and other small nekton in Ninigret Pond, Rhode Island. The drop sampler was deployed in approximately 1 m of water from a boom mounted on the bow of a small boat. Abundance of juvenile winter flounder (15 - 95 mm) was 3.9 ? 0.8 (SE) inds/m2 in seagrass habitat. Abundance was somewhat higher in non-vegetated habitat, though direct comparisons between habitats are difficult because of possible gear bias. This non-vegetated habitat consisted of either macroalgae or bare sand/mud. Our results point to the importance of all these habitat types as valuable nurseries for flatfishes in Ninigret Pond. We suggest that similar habitats in other coastal areas may likewise be very important. We also report on high abundances of other fishes, crabs, and shrimps in both seagrass and non-vegetated/macroalgal habitats in Ninigret Pond.