Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Mapping distribution and habitats of Aurelia sp. polyps in Thau lagoon, north-western Mediterranean Sea (France)

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Marine Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Aurelia spp. is a cosmopolite scyphozoan species and likely the most studied jellyfish in the world. Its pelagic–benthic life cycle is complex, and the benthic asexual reproducing stage (polyp) is acknowledged fundamentally in bloom onset. Despite this, field investigations remain scarce and are mainly restrained to the western Pacific Ocean. Thau lagoon (43°23′59.10″ N 3°36′37.15″ E), a semi-enclosed system that harbours a resident population of Aurelia sp., is in essence a natural laboratory that offers an ideal framework to investigate the life cycle of the species. We here used a non-destructive approach consisting on a field survey over the entire lagoon (ca. 7 ha) and several substrate types by free diving to examine the distribution and habitat use of Aurelia sp. benthic population. We show that polyps were largely distributed over the entire lagoon, settled mainly on artificial hard substrates, thereby stressing the promoting role of anthropogenic perturbations in coastal areas, i.e. habitat modification, for jellyfish proliferations. Therefore, our study suggest a potential increase in Aurelia sp. benthic populations as an outcome of mounting coastal constructions in the near future; the consequences of which ultimately might promote an increase in jellyfish outbreaks.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Boero F (2013) Review of jellyfish blooms in the Mediterranean and Black Sea. Stud Rev Gen Fish Comm Mediterr, FAO, Rome

  • Boero F, Bouillon J, Gravili C, Miglietta MP, Parsons T, Piraino S (2008) Gelatinous plankton: irregularities rule the world (sometimes). Mar Ecol Prog Ser 356:299–310. doi:10.3354/meps07368

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bonnet D, Molinero JC, Schohn T, Daly Yahia MN (2012) Seasonal changes in the population dynamics of Aurelia aurita in Thau lagoon. Cah Biol Mar 53:343–347

    Google Scholar 

  • Brewer RH (1978) Larval settlement behavior in the jellyfish Aurelia aurita (Linnaeus) (Scyphozoa: Semaeostomeae). Estuaries 1:120–122

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brotz L, Cheung WWL, Kleisner K, Pakhomov E, Pauly D (2012) Increasing jellyfish populations: trends in large marine ecosystems. Hydrobiologia 690:3–20. doi:10.1007/s10750-012-1039-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bulleri F, Chapman MG (2010) The introduction of coastal infrastructure as a driver of change in marine environments. J Appl Ecol 47:26–35. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2664.2009.01751.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Condon RH, Lucas CH, Pitt KA, Uye S (2014) Jellyfish blooms and ecological interactions. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 510:109–110. doi:10.3354/meps10993

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dawson MN (2003) Macro-morphological variation among cryptic species of the moon jellyfish, Aurelia (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa). Mar Biol 143:369–379. doi:10.1007/s00227-003-1070-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dawson MN, Jacobs DK (2001) Molecular evidence for cryptic species of Aurelia aurita (Cnidaria, Scyphozoa). Biol Bull 200:92–96

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dawson MN, Martin LE (2001) Geographic variation and ecological adaptation in Aurelia (Scyphozoa, Semaeostomeae): some implications from molecular phylogenetics. Hydrobiologia 451:259–273

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dawson MN, Gupta AS, England MH (2005) Coupled biophysical global ocean model and molecular genetic analyses identify multiple introductions of cryptogenic species. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 102:11968–11973. doi:10.1073/pnas.0503811102

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duarte CM, Pitt KA, Lucas CH et al (2012) Is global ocean sprawl a cause of jellyfish blooms? Front Ecol Environ 11:91–97. doi:10.1890/110246

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fiandrino A, Giraud A, Robin S, Pinatel C (2012) Validation d’une méthode d’estimation des volumes d’eau échangés entre la mer et les lagunes et définition d’indicateurs hydrodynamiques associés. 3211472:96

  • Field CB, Barros VR, Mach KJ, et al. (2014) Technical summary. In: Field CB, Barros VR, Dokken DJ, et al (ed) Clim Change 2014: impacts, adaptation vulnerability. Part A: global and sectoral aspects contribution of working group II to the fifth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, pp 35–94

  • Goy J, Morand P, Etienne M (1989) Long-term fluctuations of Pelagia noctiluca (Cnidaria, Scyphomedusa) in the western Mediterranean Sea. Prediction by climate variables. Deep Sea Res Part I Oceanogr Res Pap 36:269–279

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graham WM (2001) Numerical increases and distributional shifts of Chrysaora quinquecirrha (Desor) and Aurelia aurita (Linné) (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa) in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Hydrobiologia 451:97–111

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holst S, Jarms G (2007) Substrate choice and settlement preferences of planula larvae of five Scyphozoa (Cnidaria) from German Bight, North Sea. Mar Biol 151:863–871. doi:10.1007/s00227-006-0530-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoover RA, Purcell JE (2009) Substrate preferences of scyphozoan Aurelia labiata polyps among common dock-building materials. Hydrobiologia 616:259–267. doi:10.1007/s10750-008-9595-6

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ishii H, Katsukoshi K (2010) Seasonal and vertical distribution of Aurelia aurita polyps on a pylon in the innermost part of Tokyo Bay. J Oceanogr 66:329–336. doi:10.1007/s10872-010-0029-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Janßen H, Augustin CB, Hinrichsen HH, Kube S (2013) Impact of secondary hard substrate on the distribution and abundance of Aurelia aurita in the western Baltic Sea. Mar Pollut Bull 75:224–234. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.07.027

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ki JS, Hwang DS, Shin K, Yoon WD, Lim D, Kang YS, Lee Y, Lee JS (2008) Recent moon jelly (Aurelia sp. 1) blooms in Korean coastal waters suggest global expansion: examples inferred from mitochondrial COI and nuclear ITS-5. 8S rDNA sequences. ICES J Mar Sci 65:443–452

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kogovšek T, Bogunović B, Malej A (2010) Recurrence of bloom-forming scyphomedusae: wavelet analysis of a 200-year time series. Hydrobiologia 645:81–96. doi:10.1007/s10750-010-0217-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lalande C, Fortier L (2011) Downward particulate organic carbon export and jellyfish blooms in southeastern Hudson Bay. J Mar Syst 88:446–450. doi:10.1016/j.jmarsys.2010.12.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lejeusne C, Chevaldonné P, Pergent-Martini C, Boudouresque CF, Pérez T (2010) Climate change effects on a miniature ocean: the highly diverse, highly impacted Mediterranean Sea. Trends Ecol Evol 25:250–260. doi:10.1016/j.tree.2009.10.009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lo WT, Purcell JE, Hung JJ, Su HM, Hsu PK (2008) Enhancement of jellyfish (Aurelia aurita) populations by extensive aquaculture rafts in a coastal lagoon in Taiwan. ICES J Mar Sci 65:453–461

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lucas CH (2001) Reproduction and life history strategies of the common jellyfish, Aurelia aurita, in relation to its ambient environment. Hydrobiologia 451:229–246

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lucas CH, Graham WM, Widmer C (2012) Jellyfish life histories: role of polyps in forming and maintaining scyphomedusa populations. In: Lesser M (ed) Adv Mar Biol, 1st edn. Academic Press, Amsterdam, pp 133–196

  • Makabe R, Furukawa R, Takao M, Uye S (2014) Marine artificial structures as amplifiers of Aurelia aurita s.l. blooms: a case study of a newly installed floating pier. J Oceanogr 70:447–455. doi:10.1007/s10872-014-0249-1

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Malej A, Kogovšek T, Ramšak A, Catenacci L (2012) Blooms and population dynamics of moon jellyfish in the northern Adriatic. Cah Biol Mar 53:337–342

    Google Scholar 

  • Mills CE (2001) Jellyfish blooms: are populations increasing globally in response to changing ocean conditions? Hydrobiologia 451:55–68

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miyake H, Terazaki M, Kakinuma Y (2002) On the polyps of the common jellyfish Aurelia aurita in Kagoshima Bay. J Oceanogr 58:451–459

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mongruel R, Vanhoutte-Brunier A, Fiandrino A, Valette F, Ballé-Béganton J, Agúndez JAP, Gallai N, Derolez V, Roussel S, Lample M, Laugier T (2013) Why, how, and how far should microbiological contamination in a coastal zone be mitigated? An application of the systems approach to the Thau lagoon (France). J Environ Manag 118:55–71. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2012.12.038

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mutlu E (2001) Distribution and abundance of moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita) and its zooplankton food in the Black Sea. Mar Biol 138:329–339

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pitt KA (2000) Life history and settlement preferences of the edible jellyfish Catostylus mosaicus (Scyphozoa: Rhizostomeae). Mar Biol 136:269–279

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pitt KA, Welsh DT, Condon RH (2009) Influence of jellyfish blooms on carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycling and plankton production. Hydrobiologia 616:133–149. doi:10.1007/s10750-008-9584-9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Purcell JE (2012) Jellyfish and ctenophore blooms coincide with human proliferations and environmental perturbations. Ann Rev Mar Sci 4:209–235. doi:10.1146/annurev-marine-120709-142751

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Purcell JE, Hoover RA, Schwarck NT (2009) Interannual variation of strobilation by the scyphozoan Aurelia labiata in relation to polyp density, temperature, salinity, and light conditions in situ. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 375:139–149. doi:10.3354/meps07785

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qiu J (2014) Coastal havoc boosts jellies. Nature 514:545

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Richardson AJ, Bakun A, Hays GC, Gibbons MJ (2009) The jellyfish joyride: causes, consequences and management responses to a more gelatinous future. Trends Ecol Evol 24:312–322. doi:10.1016/j.tree.2009.01.010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schroth W, Jarms G, Streit B, Schierwater B (2002) Speciation and phylogeography in the cosmopolitan marine moon jelly, Aurelia sp. BMC Evol Biol 2:1–10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Takao M, Okawachi H, Uye SI (2014) Natural predators of polyps of Aurelia aurita s.l. (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa: Semaeostomeae) and their predation rates. Plankton Benthos Res 9:105–113

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Toyokawa M, Aoki K, Yamada S, Yasuda A, Murata Y, Kikuchi T (2011) Distribution of ephyrae and polyps of jellyfish Aurelia aurita (Linnaeus 1758) sensu lato in Mikawa Bay, Japan. J Oceanogr 67:209–218. doi:10.1007/s10872-011-0021-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vitousek PM, Mooney HA, Lubchenco J, Melillo JM (1997) Human domination of earth’s ecosystems. Science 277:494–499

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Watanabe T, Ishii H (2001) In situ estimation of ephyrae liberated from polyps of Aurelia aurita using settling plates in Tokyo Bay, Japan. Hydrobiologia 451:247–258

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Willcox S, Moltschaniwskyj NA, Crawford CM (2008) Population dynamics of natural colonies of Aurelia sp. scyphistomae in Tasmania, Australia. Mar Biol 154:661–670. doi:10.1007/s00227-008-0959-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Laure Paradis from the Center for Bio-Archeology and Ecology, UMR5059, for her assistence with the GIS software and map editing. The study was funded by EC2CO «Ecosphère Continentale et Côtière» through the DYNAMO programme (2012–2014) (PI: D. Bonnet). The research of JCM is a contribution to the EU project OCEAN-CERTAIN (European Commission, OCEAN-CERTAIN, FP7-ENV-2013-6.1-1; No: 603773).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire MARBEC, UMR5119, Université de Montpellier, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095, Montpellier Cedex 05, France

    Raquel Marques & Delphine Bonnet

  2. Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139, Faro, Portugal

    Raquel Marques

  3. Station Méditerranéenne de l’Environnement Littoral, Université Montpellier 2, 2 Rue des Chantiers, 34200, Sète, France

    Michel Cantou & Solenn Soriano

  4. GEOMAR - Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Marine Ecology/Food Webs, Duesternbrooker Weg 20, 24105, Kiel, Germany

    Juan-Carlos Molinero

Authors
  1. Raquel Marques
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Michel Cantou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Solenn Soriano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Juan-Carlos Molinero
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Delphine Bonnet
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Raquel Marques.

Additional information

Communicated by J. Purcell.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Marques, R., Cantou, M., Soriano, S. et al. Mapping distribution and habitats of Aurelia sp. polyps in Thau lagoon, north-western Mediterranean Sea (France). Mar Biol 162, 1441–1449 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-015-2680-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-015-2680-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation