Variability of mesozooplankton biomass and individual size in a coast-offshore transect in the Catalan Sea:relationships with chlorophyll a and hydrographic features

  1. Miquel Alcaraz 1
  2. Albert Calbet 1
  3. Stamatina Isari 1
  4. Xabier Irigoien 2
  5. Isabel Trepat 1
  6. Enric Saiz 1
  1. 1 Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, P. Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.
  2. 2 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Red Sea Research Centre, Thuwal 23955-6900,
Journal:
Scientia Marina
  1. Vaqué, Dolors (coord.)
  2. Pelegrí Llopart, José Luis (coord.)

ISSN: 0214-8358

Year of publication: 2016

Issue Title: Planet Ocean

Volume: 80

Issue: 1

Pages: 79-87

Type: Article

DOI: 10.3989/SCIMAR.04353.15A DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openOpen access editor

More publications in: Scientia Marina

Abstract

The temporal and spatial changes of zooplankton and chlorophyll a concentration were studied during the warm stratification period (early June) at three stations whose traits corresponded to the coastal, frontal, and offshore-dome water conditions described for the Catalan Sea. We sampled the stations for 12 days at a frequency ranging from less than 10 to 102 h, with a spatial resolution ranging from 10 to 104 m. The objective was to determine the variability of mesozooplankton and phytoplankton (chlorophyll a) biomass, and average individual size (mass) across a coast-offshore transect in relation to the stratification conditions prevailing in the NW Mediterranean during summer. The vertical distribution of phytoplankton biomass displayed a clear deep maximum at 60 m depth except at the coastal station. This maximum exists during most of the year and is especially important during the density stratification period. It was accompanied during daylight hours by a coherent zooplankton maximum. At sunset mesozooplankton ascended and dispersed, with larger organisms from deeper layers joining the migrating community and increasing the average individual mass. The highest variability of mesozooplankton biomass, individual mass and chlorophyll a concentration occurred at the front station due to the coupling between the vertical migration of zooplankton and the particular characteristics of the front. According to the data shown, the highest variability was observed at the lowest scales

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