Cnidarians play an important role in the pelagic marine
environment, as they prey on zooplankton, fish eggs and
larvae (Lucas & Henderson 1936; Purcell 1989; Bouillon
1999), and larvae of other organisms of economic importance,
such as crustaceans and mollusks (Russell 1970).
As heavy consumers of zooplankton (Alldredge 1984) and
as higher-order carnivores in plankton communities
(Mills 2001), a disproportionate increase in jellyfish populations
may harm commercial fishing (Gomez-Aguirre
1991; Boero 2009) and tourism (Mills 1995). However,
these gelatinous organisms also contribute to the diet of
some fish and turtles (Arai 1988, 2005; Ates 1988; Purcell
& Arai 2001; James et al. 2006).
Jellyfish (the term here is used only in reference to
pelagic members of the Phylum Cnidaria) have also been
considered good indicators of abiotic factors within the
water column because the distribution of some cnidarian
species depends on their narrow tolerance to salinity and
temperature variation (Russell 1953). Traditional methods
for sampling marine plankton tend to under-sample
jellyfish and, consequently, underestimate their importance
in the ecosystems in which they occur (Boltovskoy
1981, 1999).
Cnidarians play an important role in the pelagic marineenvironment, as they prey on zooplankton, fish eggs andlarvae (Lucas & Henderson 1936; Purcell 1989; Bouillon1999), and larvae of other organisms of economic importance,such as crustaceans and mollusks (Russell 1970).As heavy consumers of zooplankton (Alldredge 1984) andas higher-order carnivores in plankton communities(Mills 2001), a disproportionate increase in jellyfish populationsmay harm commercial fishing (Gomez-Aguirre1991; Boero 2009) and tourism (Mills 1995). However,these gelatinous organisms also contribute to the diet ofsome fish and turtles (Arai 1988, 2005; Ates 1988; Purcell& Arai 2001; James et al. 2006).Jellyfish (the term here is used only in reference topelagic members of the Phylum Cnidaria) have also beenconsidered good indicators of abiotic factors within thewater column because the distribution of some cnidarianspecies depends on their narrow tolerance to salinity andtemperature variation (Russell 1953). Traditional methodsfor sampling marine plankton tend to under-samplejellyfish and, consequently, underestimate their importancein the ecosystems in which they occur (Boltovskoy1981, 1999).
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