Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Go with the flow: tidal migration in marine animals

  • Conference paper
Migrations and Dispersal of Marine Organisms

Part of the book series: Developments in Hydrobiology ((DIHY,volume 174))

Abstract

Many shallow-water organisms are subjected to regular, frequent and considerable changes in their environment imposed by the tides. Such changes range from complex alterations in local conditions, as in the intertidal zone, to simpler variations in current speed and direction offshore. To take advantage of the opportunities these changes provide, many animals undertake regular vertical and/or horizontal migratory movements in synchrony with the tidal cycle. Others use tidal currents selectively for transport to new habitats. Such movements vary in extent from a few mm to several km and may be modulated by the diel cycle of light intensity. This paper reviews the existence of tidal migration in marine animals from various taxa and habitats. Crustacean and fish examples illustrate the various functions of tidal migration, including transport, feeding, predator avoidance and reproduction. These functions are not necessarily mutually exclusive and may change throughout ontogeny. The mechanisms involved in migration are discussed in terms of direct reactions to environmental stimuli and the interaction of these responses with endogenous rhythms of activity and responsiveness.

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

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Abello, P., D. G. Reid & E. Naylor, 1991. Comparative locomotor activity patterns in the portunid crabs Liocarcinus holsatus and L. depurator. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 71: 1–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anse11, A. D. & R. N. Gibson, 1990. Patterns of feeding and movement of juvenile flatfishes on an open sandy beach. In Barnes, M. & R. N. Gibson (eds), Trophic Relationships in the Marine Environment, Proc. 24th Europ. mar. biol. Symp., Aberdeen University Press, Aberdeen: 191–207.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arnold, G. P. & J. D. Metcalfe, 1996. Seasonal migrations of plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) through the Dover Strait. Mar. Biol. 127: 151–160.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Begon, M., J. L. Harper & C. R. Townsend, 1990. Ecology. Individuals, Populations and Communities. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berghahn, R., 1987. Effects of tidal migration on growth of 0-group plaice (Pleuronectes platessa L.) in the North Friesian Wadden Sea. Meeresforschungen 31: 209–226.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beukema, J. J. & J. de Vlas, 1989. Tidal current transport of thread-drifting postlarval juveniles of the bivalve Macoma balthica from the Wadden Sea (Netherlands) to the North Sea. Mar. Ecol. Prog Ser. 52: 193–200.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Black, R. & R. J. Miller, 1991. Use of the intertidal zone by fish in Nova Scotia. Envir. Biol. Fish. 31: 109–121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, A. C., 1982. The biology of the sandy-beach whelks of the genus Bullia (Nassariidae). Oceanogr. mar. biol. Ann. Rev. 20: 309–361.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, A. C. & A. McLachlan, 1990. Ecology of Sandy Shores. Elsevier, Amsterdam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burrows, M. T., 1994. An optimal foraging and migration model for juvenile plaice. Evol. Ecol. 8: 125–149.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burrows, M. T., R. N. Gibson, L. Robb & C. Comely, 1994. Temporal patterns of movement in juvenile flatfishes and their predators: Underwater television observations. J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 177: 251–268.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Colombini, I., R. Berti, A. Ercolini, A. Nocita & L. Chelazzi, 1995. Environmental factors influencing the zonation and activity patterns of a population of Periophthalmus sobrinus Eggert in a Kenyan mangrove. J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 190: 135–149.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cubit, J., 1969. The behaviour and physical factors causing migration and aggregation in the sand crab Emerita analoga (Stimson). Ecology 50: 118–123.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dare, P. J. & D. B. Edwards, 1981. Underwater television observations on the intertidal movements of shore crabs, Carcinus maenas, across a mudflat. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 61: 107–116.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeMartini, E. E., 1999. Intertidal spawning. In Horn, M. H., K. L. M. Martin & M. A. Chotkowski (eds), Intertidal Fishes. Life in two Worlds. Academic Press, London: 143–164.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, R. R. C. & J. H. Steele, 1968. The ecology of 0-group plaice and common dabs at Lochewe. I. Population and food. J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 2: 215–238.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ellers, O., 1995a. Behavioral control of swash-riding in the clam Donax variabilis. Biol. Bull. mar. biol. Lab. Woods Hole 189: 120–127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ellers, O., 1995b. Discrimination among wave-generated sounds by a swash-riding clam. Biol. Bull. mar. biol. Lab. Woods Hole 189: 128–137.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ellis, T. R. & R. N. Gibson, 1995. Size selective predation of 0-group flatfishes on a Scottish coastal nursery ground. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 127: 27–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emmerson, W. D., 1987. Tidal migration and feeding of the shrimp Palaemon pacificus (Stimpson). S. Afr. J. Sci. 83: 413–416.

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans, P. R. & M. W. Peinkowski, 1982. Behaviour of shelduck Tadorna tadorna in a winter flock: does regulation occur ? J. anim. Ecol. 51: 241–262.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forward, Jr, R. B. & R. A. Tankersley, 2001. Selective tidal-stream transport of marine animals. Oceanogr. mar. biol. Ann. Rev. 39: 305–353.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gamble, F. W. & F. Keeble, 1904. The bionomics of Convoluta roscoffensis, with special reference to its green cells. Q. J. microsc. Sci. 47: 363–431.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gibbons, M. J., 1989. Tidal migration of Porcellidium (Copepoda: Harpacticoida) on fronds of the rocky shore alga Gigartina radula (Esper) J. Agardh (Gigartinales: Rhodophyta). S. Afr. J. mar. Sci. 8: 3–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gibson, R. N., 1973. The intertidal movements and distribution of young fish on a sandy beach with special reference to the plaice (Pleuronectes platessa L.). J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 12: 79–102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gibson, R. N., 1980. A quantitative description of the behaviour of wild juvenile plaice (Pleuronectes platessa). Anim. Behay. 28: 1202–1216.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gibson, R. N., 1982. The effect of hydrostatic pressure cycles on the activity of young plaice Pleuronectes platessa. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 62: 621–635.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gibson, R. N., 1992. Tidally-synchronised behaviour in marine fishes. In Ali, M.A. (ed.), Rhythms in Fishes. Plenum Press, New York: 63–81.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Gibson, R. N., 1997. Behaviour and the distribution of flatfishes. J. Sea Res. 37: 241–256.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gibson, R. N., 1999. Movement and homing in intertidal fishes. In Horn, M. H., K. L. M. Martin & M. A. Chotkowski (eds), Intertidal Fishes. Life in Two Worlds. Academic Press, London: 97–125.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Gibson R. N., L. Pihl, M. T. Burrows, J. Modin, H. Wennhage & L. A. Nickell, 1998. Diel movements of juvenile plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) in relation to predators, competitors, food availability and abiotic factors on a microtidal nursery ground. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 165: 145–159.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greer Walker, M., F. R. Harden Jones & G. P. Arnold, 1978. The movements of plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) tracked in the open sea. J. Cons. perm. int. Explor. Mer. 38: 58–86.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harden Jones, F. R., 1984. A view from the ocean. In McCleave, J. D., G. P. Arnold, J. J. Dodson & W. H. Neill (eds), Mechanisms of Migration in Fishes. Plenum Press, New York and London: 1–26.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Hiddinck, J. G., R. P. Kock & W. J. Wolff, 2002. Active pelagic migrations of the bivalve Macoma halthica are dangerous. Mar. Biol. 140: 1149–1156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hunter, E. & E. Naylor, 1993. Intertidal migration by the shore crab Carcinus maenas. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 101: 131–138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jager, Z., 1999. Selective tidal stream transport of flounder larvae (Platichthys,flesus L.) in the Dollard (Ems estuary). Estuar. coast. shelf Sci. 49: 347–362.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jager, Z. & H. P. J. Mulder, 1999. Transport velocity of flounder larvae (Platichthyus flesus L.) in the Dollard (Ems estuary). Estuar. coast. shelf Sci. 49: 327–346.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Janssen, G. M. & B. R. Kuipers, 1980. On tidal migration in the shrimp Crangon crangon. Neth. J. Sea Res. 14: 339–348.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones, D. A. & C. S. T. C. Hobbins, 1970. The role of biological rhythms in some sandbeach cirolanid Isopoda. J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 93: 45–59.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, D. A. & E. Naylor, 1970. The swimming rhythm of the sand-beach isopod Eurydice pulchra. J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 4: 188–199.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kneib, R. T., 1987. Predation risk and use of intertidal habitats by young fishes and shrimp. Ecology 68: 379–386.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kneib, R. T., 1991. Flume weir for quantitative collection of nekton from vegetated intertidal habitats. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 75: 2938.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuipers, B., 1973. On the tidal migration of young plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) in the Wadden Sea. Neth. J. Sea Res. 6: 376–388.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lincoln, R. J., G. A. Boxshall & P. F. Clark, 1982. A Dictionary of Ecology, Evolution and Systematics. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, E., 1965. The activity rhythm of the amphipod Corophium volutator (Pallas) and its possible relationship to changes in hydrostatic pressure associated with the tides. J. anim. Ecol. 34: 731–746.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Naylor. E. & S. Rejeki, 1996. Tidal migrations and rhythmic behaviour of sandbeach Crustacea. Rev. Chil. Hist. nat. 69: 475–484.

    Google Scholar 

  • Connor, R. J., 1974. Feeding behaviour of the kittiwake. Bird Study 21: 185–192.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Power, J.J., 1997. Time and tide wait for no animal: seasonal and regional opportunities for tidal stream transport or retention. Estuaries 20: 312–318.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reid, D. G. & E. Naylor, 1989. Variations in rhythmic behaviour of an estuarine population of Eurydice pulchra (Leach). Proc. 21st Europ. mar. biol. Symp., Polish Academy of Sciences, Gdansk: 143–153.

    Google Scholar 

  • Slater, P. J. B., 1976. Tidal rhythm in a seabird. Nature 264: 636–638.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, R. J. F., 1985. The Control of Fish Migration. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Speirs, D., S. Lawrie, D. Raffaelli, W. Gurney & C.Eames, 2002. Why do shallow-water predators migrate? Strategic models and empirical evidence from an estuarine mysid. J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 280: 13–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Szedlmayer, S. T. & K. W. Able, 1993. Ultrasonic telemetry of age-0 summer flounder, Paralichthys dentatus, movements in a southern New Jersey estuary. Copeia 1993: 728–736.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Takahashi, K. & K. Kawaguchi, 1997. Diel and tidal migrations of the sand-burrowing mysids, Archaeomysis kokuboi, A. japonica and Iliella ohshimai, in Otsuchi Bay, northeastern Japan. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 148: 95–107.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tyler, A. V., 1971. Surges of winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus, into the intertidal zone. J. Fish. Res. Bd Can. 28: 1727–1732.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van der Veer, H. W. & M. J. N. Bergman, 1987. Development of tidally related behaviour of a newly settled O-group plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) population in the western Wadden Sea. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 31: 121–129.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warman, C. G., D. G. Reid & E. Naylor, 1993a. Circatidal variability in the behavioural responses of a sand-beach isopod Eurydice pulchra (Leach) to operational cues. J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 168: 59–70.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warman, C. G., D. G. Reid & E. Naylor, 1993b. Variation in the tidal migratory behaviour and rhythmic light-responsiveness in the shore crab Carcinus maenas. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 73: 355–364.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warman, C. G., T. J. O’Hare & E. Naylor, 1991. Vertical swimming in wave-induced currents as a control mechanism of intertidal migration by a sandy-beach isopod. Mar. Biol. 111: 49–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watkin, E. E., 1941. Observations on the night tidal migrant Crustacea of Kames Bay. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 25: 81–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Welch, J. M. & R. B. Forward, Jr, 2001. Flood tide transport of blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, postlarvae: behavioral responses to salinity and turbulence. Mar. Biol. 139: 911–918.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wirjoatmodjo, S. & T. J. Pitcher, 1980. Flounders follow the tides to feed: Evidence from ultrasonic tracking in an estuary. Estuar. coast. shelf Sci. 19: 231–241.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolff, W. J., M. A. Manders & A. J. J. Sandee, 1981. Tidal migration of plaice and flounders as a feeding strategy. In Jones, N. V. & W. J. Wolff (eds), Feeding and Survival Strategies of Estuarine Organisms. Plenum Press, London: 159–171.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Zeng, C. & E. Naylor, 1996. Endogenous tidal rhythms of vertical migration in field collected zoea-1 larvae of the shore crab Carcinus maenas: implications for ebb tide offshore dispersal. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 132: 71–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory, Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, Argyll, PA37 1QA, Scotland

    R. N. Gibson

Authors
  1. R. N. Gibson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological Sciences (Plymouth Environmental Research Centre), University of Plymouth, UK

    M. B. Jones

  2. Institute of Biology, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland

    A. Ingólfsson , G. V. Helgason  & J. Svavarsson ,  & 

  3. Department of Zoology, University of Stockholm, Sweden

    E. Ólafsson

  4. Marine Research Institute, Reykjavík, Iceland

    K. Gunnarsson

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2003 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this paper

Cite this paper

Gibson, R.N. (2003). Go with the flow: tidal migration in marine animals. In: Jones, M.B., Ingólfsson, A., Ólafsson, E., Helgason, G.V., Gunnarsson, K., Svavarsson, J. (eds) Migrations and Dispersal of Marine Organisms. Developments in Hydrobiology, vol 174. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-2276-6_17

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-2276-6_17

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-90-481-6480-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-017-2276-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation