Spatial patterns of richness and abundance of benthic decapod crustaceans and fishes in the North-west Atlantic as measured by cobble-filled bio-collectors

Examination of spatial patterns of organisms in the rocky subtidal zone is logistically challenging, particularly over large geographic distances. In the present study, we describe patterns of richness and abundance of decapod crustaceans and small demersal fishes colonizing cobble-filled bio-collectors in 2008 and 2009 at nearshore sites across an important oceanographic and biogeographic gradient in the North-west Atlantic from Rhode Island, USA to Newfoundland, Canada. At least 17 decapod and 24 fish genera were caught, including cryptic fish taxa not readily sampled with other gear. Species richness and abundance of decapods and fishes in collectors at shallow sites (5–10 m) was similar among nearby sites and was greatest in the southernmost region, but did not follow a simple latitudinal cline. The lack of clear latitudinal patterns is likely to be a result of the complex geography of summer temperatures along this coast, with the lowest temperatures at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy, the centre of the study domain. In 2008, the abundance of crabs was positively related to temperature while that of shrimp was negatively related. There was also a significant interaction between depth and study area, with greater similarity among areas at greater depths (up to 76 m), and greater similarity among depths in areas with little temperature stratification. Our results indicate that bio-collectors are a powerful tool for sampling decapod crustaceans and small demersal fishes in nearshore rocky habitats. Given the anthropogenic impacts in coastal habitats, this information is likely to prove useful for detecting changes in rocky subtidal habitats.