Larval traits interaction with the Amazon River Plume determines its role as a dispersal barrier
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Abstract
The Amazon River Plume (ARP) functions as a dynamic and porous biogeographic barrier whose permeability to larval dispersal depends on the interplay between species’ biological traits and oceanographic processes. Using biophysical modeling combined with a dual analytical framework a Multivariate Regression Tree (MRT) and a Generalized Additive Model (GAM) this study quantifies the factors regulating this permeability for eggs and larvae in the Western Tropical Atlantic. Our results reveal a clear hierarchy of controls. Planktonic Larval Duration (PLD) emerged as the primary determinant, explaining most of the variation in dispersal distances (58%). Diel Vertical Migration (DVM) was the second biologic key factor (11%), modulating whether larvae were locally retained (with DVM) or exported to distant regions (without DVM). Seasonality and the geographic context of spawning habitats further shaped larval interactions with the plume, reinforcing the spatial and temporal complexity of this system. Overall, the ARP acts not as an absolute barrier but as a continuum of permeability a selective filter that restricts dispersal of coastal species with short PLDs and low physiological tolerance, yet facilitates exchange for communities with greater dispersal capacity and behavioral plasticity.
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Abstract
The Amazon River Plume (ARP) functions as a dynamic and porous biogeographic barrier whose permeability to larval dispersal depends on the interplay between species’ biological traits and oceanographic processes. Using biophysical modeling combined with a dual analytical framework a Multivariate Regression Tree (MRT) and a Generalized Additive Model (GAM) this study quantifies the factors regulating this permeability for eggs and larvae in the Western Tropical Atlantic. Our results reveal a clear hierarchy of controls. Planktonic Larval Duration (PLD) emerged as the primary determinant, explaining most of the variation in dispersal distances (58%). Diel Vertical Migration (DVM) was the second biologic key factor (11%), modulating whether larvae were locally retained (with DVM) or exported to distant regions (without DVM). Seasonality and the geographic context of spawning habitats further shaped larval interactions with the plume, reinforcing the spatial and temporal complexity of this system. Overall, the ARP acts not as an absolute barrier but as a continuum of permeability a selective filter that restricts dispersal of coastal species with short PLDs and low physiological tolerance, yet facilitates exchange for communities with greater dispersal capacity and behavioral plasticity.
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Ramon dos Santos, Nelson Gouveia, Douglas Gherardi.
Larval traits interaction with the Amazon River Plume determines its role as a dispersal barrier. Authorea. 04 November 2025.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.176225965.51617801/v1
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.176225965.51617801/v1
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