Marine Ecology Progress Series
MEPS is a leading hybrid research journal on all aspects of marine, coastal and estuarine ecology. Priority is given to outstanding research that advances our ecological understanding.
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps308101
copiedArctic zooplankton do not perform diel vertical migration (DVM) during periods of midnight sun
- Katarzyna Blachowiak-Samolyk
- Slawek Kwasniewski
- Katherine Richardson
- Katarzyna Dmoch
- Edmond Hansen
- Haakon Hop
- Stig Falk-Petersen
- Lone Thybo Mouritsen
Diel vertical distribution patterns of dominant zooplankton taxa were studied during a period of midnight sun (May 1999) in the Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ) of the Barents Sea along 2 transects across the ice edge. Eight stations were sampled every 6 h over 24 h at 5 depth intervals. Our study confirmed that copepod nauplii (most probably Calanus hyperboreus and C. glacialis) together with Pseudocalanus spp. preferred the surface water layer. The herbivores C. finmarchicus, C. glacialis, and C. hyperboreus concentrated in the upper 50 m depth interval, whereas the omnivores Metridia longa and Microcalanus spp. were generally found in deeper waters. As a result of vertical distribution patterns of the numerically abundant taxa, a bulk of zooplankton was concentrated within the 0–50 m layer. Vertical distribution patterns of all examined taxa/groups varied in time as a result of habitat changes (with respect to water mass distribution and sea depth) as well as random patchiness. Based on our data and on a comprehensive literature survey on Arctic zooplankton diel vertical migration (DVM), we postulate that common zooplankton taxa in the MIZ of the Barents Sea do not perform DVM under the midnight sun. Arctic C. glacialis in May 1999 occupied deeper layers at stations with more ice cover and less melt water. This distribution pattern was probably related to the species’ reproduction. At the same time, Atlantic C. finmarchicus was concentrated further away from the ice edge and chlorophyll a maximum, and presumably had not begun its seasonal reproduction.
KEYWORDS
Katarzyna Blachowiak-Samolyk (Corresponding Author)
- Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstancow Warszawy Street 55, 81-712 Sopot, Poland
Slawek Kwasniewski (Co-author)
- Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstancow Warszawy Street 55, 81-712 Sopot, Poland
Katherine Richardson (Co-author)
- University of Aarhus, Department of Marine Ecology, University of Aarhus, Finlandsgade 14, 8200 Aarhus, Denmark
Katarzyna Dmoch (Co-author)
- Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstancow Warszawy Street 55, 81-712 Sopot, Poland
Edmond Hansen (Co-author)
- Norwegian Polar Institute, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
Haakon Hop (Co-author)
- Norwegian Polar Institute, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
Stig Falk-Petersen (Co-author)
- Norwegian Polar Institute, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
Lone Thybo Mouritsen (Co-author)
- University of Aarhus, Department of Marine Ecology, University of Aarhus, Finlandsgade 14, 8200 Aarhus, Denmark