Patterns in the larval vertical distribution of marine benthic invertebrates in a shallow coastal embayment. A Canadian Healthy Oceans Network Population Connectivity project, PC-06

I examined changes in vertical distribution of different meroplanktonic larvae in a coastal embayment during a stable period, at high temporal frequencies and spatial resolutions. Meroplanktonic invertebrate larvae (Margarites spp., Crepidula spp., Astyris lunata, Diaphana minuta, Littorinimorpha, Arrhoges occidentalis, lyanassa spp., Bittiolum alternatum, Nudibranchia, Gastropods, Bivalves, Bryozoans, Brachyurans, Polychaetes, Carideans, and Asteroids) were collected off boat at 6 depths (3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24 m) using a pump, every 2-h over a 36- (6-7 Aug 2009) and a 25-h (12-13 Aug 2009) period, during a spring and neap tide, respectively, concurrently with measures of temperature, salinity, fluorescence and current velocity in St.

George's Bay, NS, Canada. This dataset was collected in the field (using a plankton pump, CTD, fluorometer and ADCP) for an MSc Thesis and 2 publications. This contains the standardized abundance (count m-3) of meroplanktonic larvae (Margarites spp., Crepidula spp., Astyris lunata, Diaphana minuta, Littorinimorpha, Arrhoges occidentalis, lyanassa spp., Bittiolum alternatum, Nudibranchia, Gastropods, Bivalves, Bryozoans, Brachyurans, Polychaetes, Carideans, and Asteroids), temperature, salinity, density, fluorescence, calculated Richardson number and current velocities (north-south, east-west, and vertical velocities) at 6 (3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 m) depths, every 2 h over a 36- and 26-h sampling period, in St.