Current meter and wind data are used to describe flow patterns and infer transport of Strombus
gigas (queen conch) larvae near Lee Stocking Island, Exuma Cays, Bahamas. A time series
recorded near mid-depth over the continental shelf on the Exuma Sound side of the island
showed an almost purely along-shelf flow to the northwest during the summer spawning
season. Along-shelf flow averaged 2.4 cm sˉ¹ during this 182-day study period in 1989. Across shelf
current components were very weak and tidal motions were minimal at the shelf study site.
Current meter records from two tidal passes connecting Exuma Sound with Great Bahama Bank
indicate that the instantaneous current is dominated by tidal ebbs and floods. Tidal excursions,
the horizontal distance a parcel of water travels during one half of the tidal cycle, were
quantified at 9.8 km for Adderley Channel and 4.9 km for Bock Pass. Both tidal channel records
show a quasi-steady, long-term net flow from sound to bank that averaged 8.6 cm sˉ¹ for 131
days through Adderley Channel and 3.8 cm sˉ¹ for 219 days through Bock Pass. This low frequency
along-channel flow through the passes is closely coupled with wind stress out of the
northeast over most time scales greater than about 2 days. Results suggest that local flow
patterns facilitate transport of S. gigas larvae from Exuma Sound, where breeding adults are
found, to nursery areas on the Great Bahama Bank side of the island chain.
Member of
Contributors
Publisher
American Academy of Underwater Sciences
Date Issued
1998
Note
Language
Type
Genre
Form
Extent
18 p.
Subject (Topical)
Identifier
FA00007311
Additional Information
Current meter and wind data are used to describe flow patterns and infer transport of Strombus
gigas (queen conch) larvae near Lee Stocking Island, Exuma Cays, Bahamas. A time series
recorded near mid-depth over the continental shelf on the Exuma Sound side of the island
showed an almost purely along-shelf flow to the northwest during the summer spawning
season. Along-shelf flow averaged 2.4 cm sˉ¹ during this 182-day study period in 1989. Across shelf
current components were very weak and tidal motions were minimal at the shelf study site.
Current meter records from two tidal passes connecting Exuma Sound with Great Bahama Bank
indicate that the instantaneous current is dominated by tidal ebbs and floods. Tidal excursions,
the horizontal distance a parcel of water travels during one half of the tidal cycle, were
quantified at 9.8 km for Adderley Channel and 4.9 km for Bock Pass. Both tidal channel records
show a quasi-steady, long-term net flow from sound to bank that averaged 8.6 cm sˉ¹ for 131
days through Adderley Channel and 3.8 cm sˉ¹ for 219 days through Bock Pass. This low frequency
along-channel flow through the passes is closely coupled with wind stress out of the
northeast over most time scales greater than about 2 days. Results suggest that local flow
patterns facilitate transport of S. gigas larvae from Exuma Sound, where breeding adults are
found, to nursery areas on the Great Bahama Bank side of the island chain.
gigas (queen conch) larvae near Lee Stocking Island, Exuma Cays, Bahamas. A time series
recorded near mid-depth over the continental shelf on the Exuma Sound side of the island
showed an almost purely along-shelf flow to the northwest during the summer spawning
season. Along-shelf flow averaged 2.4 cm sˉ¹ during this 182-day study period in 1989. Across shelf
current components were very weak and tidal motions were minimal at the shelf study site.
Current meter records from two tidal passes connecting Exuma Sound with Great Bahama Bank
indicate that the instantaneous current is dominated by tidal ebbs and floods. Tidal excursions,
the horizontal distance a parcel of water travels during one half of the tidal cycle, were
quantified at 9.8 km for Adderley Channel and 4.9 km for Bock Pass. Both tidal channel records
show a quasi-steady, long-term net flow from sound to bank that averaged 8.6 cm sˉ¹ for 131
days through Adderley Channel and 3.8 cm sˉ¹ for 219 days through Bock Pass. This low frequency
along-channel flow through the passes is closely coupled with wind stress out of the
northeast over most time scales greater than about 2 days. Results suggest that local flow
patterns facilitate transport of S. gigas larvae from Exuma Sound, where breeding adults are
found, to nursery areas on the Great Bahama Bank side of the island chain.
Florida Atlantic University. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute contribution 1254
This manuscript is an author version with
the final publication available and may be cited as: Pitts, P. A. (1998). An investigation of nearshore
flow patterns in the central Bahamas: implications for transport of queen conch (Strombus gigas)
larvae. In B. Hartwick, E. Banister, & G. Morariu (Eds.), Diving for science 1998: proceedings of the
American Academy of Underwater Sciences eighteenth annual Scientific Diving Symposium, in
association with Canadian Association for Underwater Science, annual meeting, October 8-11, 1998,
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (pp. 34-50). Nahant, MA: American Academy of Underwater
Sciences.
the final publication available and may be cited as: Pitts, P. A. (1998). An investigation of nearshore
flow patterns in the central Bahamas: implications for transport of queen conch (Strombus gigas)
larvae. In B. Hartwick, E. Banister, & G. Morariu (Eds.), Diving for science 1998: proceedings of the
American Academy of Underwater Sciences eighteenth annual Scientific Diving Symposium, in
association with Canadian Association for Underwater Science, annual meeting, October 8-11, 1998,
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (pp. 34-50). Nahant, MA: American Academy of Underwater
Sciences.
Date Backup
1998
Date Text
1998
Date Issued (EDTF)
1998
Extension
FAU
IID
FA00007311
Organizations
Attributed name: Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute
Person Preferred Name
Pitts, Patrick A.
Physical Description
18 p.
Title Plain
An investigation of nearshoreflow patterns in the central Bahamas: implications for transport of queen conch (Strombus gigas)larvae
Origin Information
1998
American Academy of Underwater Sciences
Nahant, MA
Place
Nahant, MA
Title
An investigation of nearshoreflow patterns in the central Bahamas: implications for transport of queen conch (Strombus gigas)larvae
Other Title Info
An investigation of nearshoreflow patterns in the central Bahamas: implications for transport of queen conch (Strombus gigas)larvae