| The influence of oceanographic fronts on the abundance and community composition of invertebrate larvae, mostly of benthic species, along nearly 2000 km of the southwestern Atlantic shelf (21–34°S) was investigated. Meroplankton was sampled through vertical hauls at 89 stations, distributed along 14 cross-shelf transects, during late spring 2010 and early summer 2011. Salinity and temperature were registered with a CTD/rosette system, which provided seawater for chlorophyll-a and nutrient concentrations estimations. Vertical profiles of temperature, salinity, chlorophyll-a and nutrients were used as proxies of the fronts. In addition, high-resolution thermosalinograph data were used to detect surface frontal features. Meroplankton abundance peaks were... |
