TY - JOUR T1 - Influence of plankton concentration on gametogenesis and spawning of the black lip pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera in Ahe atoll lagoon (Tuamotu archipelago, French polynesia) A1 - Fournier,Jonathan A1 - Levesque,Emmanuelle A1 - Pouvreau,Stephane A1 - Le Pennec,Marcel A1 - Le Moullac,Gilles AD - IFREMER, Ctr Pacifique, Taravao 98719, Tahiti, Fr Polynesia. AD - IFREMER, UMR 100, F-29840 Presquile Du Vivier, Argenton, France. AD - Univ Polynesie Francaise, EA42639, Faaa 98702, Tahiti, Fr Polynesia. UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2012.03.027 DO - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2012.03.027 KW - Pearl Oyster KW - Gametogenesis KW - Spawning KW - Phytoplankton KW - French Polynesia N2 - Pearl culture industry represents one of the dominant business sector of French Polynesia. However, it still entirely relies on unpredictable spat collection success. Our aim was to assess the influence of natural plankton concentration fluctuations on maturation and spawning of the black lip pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera, during a 4 months survey conducted in Ahe atoll lagoon. Plankton concentration was assessed by chlorophyll a extraction and by microscope counts while gonadic index, gonado-visceral dry weights and histology were used to measure pearl oysters reproduction activity. We found that (i) plankton concentration fluctuations were mainly related to wind regime, (ii) gametogenesis rate was mainly related to plankton concentration, (iii) spawning occurred when maximal gonad storage was reached. (iv) plankton concentration was the main spawning synchronizing factor. These results contribute explaining P. margaritifera spat collection variability in French Polynesian atoll lagoon. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Y1 - 2012 PB - Pergamon-elsevier Science Ltd JF - Marine Pollution Bulletin SN - 0025-326X VL - 65 IS - 10-12 SP - 463 EP - 470 ID - 21201 ER -