High frequency (hourly) variation in vertical distribution and abundance of meroplanktonic larvae in nearshore waters during strong internal tidal forcing

We related the vertical distribution and abundance of nearshore meroplankton at hourly time scales with internal tidal wave events. We proposed that significant changes in plankter abundance would occur across internal tidal fronts, and that surface and bottom strata would respond in opposite fashions. First-mode internal tidal bores propagating in the alongshore direction were detected in water-column currents and baroclinic temperature changes. Surface and bottom currents always flowed in opposite directions, and abrupt flow reversals coincided with large temperature changes during arrival of bores. Crab zoeae and barnacle cyprids were more abundant in the bottom strata, whereas barnacle nauplii showed the opposite pattern. Significant changes in vertical distribution and abundance of target meroplankters occurred across internal tidal fronts, especially for crabs at depth, with surface and bottom organisms responding in opposite fashions. Changes in plankter abundance were significantly correlated with current flows in the strata where they were most abundant. The manner in which plankters were affected (increasing or decreasing abundance) appeared to be modulated by their vertical position within the water column. The significant differences found at the high frequencies of this study, maintained across sampling days, suggest that nearshore meroplankton populations may have greater and more consistent temporal and vertical variability than previously considered.