Relationships between anchovy and environment at different temporal scales

Abstract

The relationship between the environment and the Peruvian anchovy (Engraulis ringens) was studied in the Peruvian Upwelling Ecosystem (PUE). It is hypothesized that in the upwelling zone between 5°S and 13°S there is a negative relationship between temperature, oxygen concentration and landings of anchoveta at decadal timescales. In monthly time series observed between 1950 – 2008, the sea surface temperature, subsurface temperature, oxygen, chlorophyll-a, anchoveta and sardine landings were analyzed applying statistical and spectral methods to obtain decadal temporal modes and characterize the low frequency modulation of their seasonal cycles. In addition, reanalysis data were used to characterize the seasonal changes from the environmental forcing (remote and local) of PUE. Strong associations at decadal scales between coastal environmental and anchoveta landings time series were found, and it is suggested that environmental covariability at seasonal, intraseasonal, interannual, decadal and secular time scales in PUE will increase during the next decade.