Induction of settlement in Merozooplankton.

Abstract

The merozooplankton consists mostly of embryos and larvae that drift in the water column for a limited time period before settling on the seafloor to become benthic organisms. The time at which settlement occurs and the selection of settlement sites are key events in the life cycles of most species and have important consequences for population demography, community structure, speciation and extinction. For these reasons, manipulation of merozooplankton settlement is viewed as a promising tool for enhanced sustainable exploitation and restoration of marine populations. It is now known that the time of settling and the site at which settlement occurs can be influenced by a variety of exogenous environmental factors, some of which are referred to as settlement cues. Comprehensive understanding of the nature of cues and their action mechanisms is crucial for achieving reliable manipulation of merozooplankton settlement. This article summarizes the main biological and environmental forces that influence merozooplankton life and particularly the cues that influence settlement, pointing to major gaps in the current understanding.