TY - JOUR
T1 - Expanding zooplankton standing stock estimation from meso- to metazooplankton
T2 - A case study in the N. Aegean Sea (Mediterranean Sea)
AU - Frangoulis, Constantin
AU - Grigoratou, Maria
AU - Zoulias, Theodore
AU - Hannides, Cecelia C.S.
AU - Pantazi, Maria
AU - Psarra, Stella
AU - Siokou, Ioanna
PY - 2017/10/1
Y1 - 2017/10/1
N2 - Although metazooplankton includes a wide size range of organisms, our knowledge is essentially based on mesozooplankton. A first estimation of the metazooplankton standing stock in a Mediterranean area, and of its size fractions and functional groups are provided by combining data out of three nets with different mesh sizes (45, 200 and 500 µm). Data were collected along a gradient of oligotrophy in the frontal area created, where the waters of Black Sea origin meet those of Levantine Sea origin (Northeast Aegean Sea, Eastern Mediterranean). Metazooplankton biomass was dominated by mesozooplankton (0.2–2 mm), while meso- and microzooplankton (<0.2 mm) shared dominance of abundance. Copepods dominated both in abundance and biomass and were followed by nauplii in abundance and gelatinous carnivores or decapod-euphausiid larvae in biomass. The spatiotemporal variability of metazoans stock, biomass-size spectra linearity, carnivorous group contribution and copepod diversity, supported that metazooplankton tends to recede from steady-state when approaching less oligotrophic dynamic areas (such as fronts) or dynamic periods (such as the spring bloom). The need and the difficulties of obtaining a larger picture from a wider size range of metazoans for understanding the role of zooplankton are stressed.
AB - Although metazooplankton includes a wide size range of organisms, our knowledge is essentially based on mesozooplankton. A first estimation of the metazooplankton standing stock in a Mediterranean area, and of its size fractions and functional groups are provided by combining data out of three nets with different mesh sizes (45, 200 and 500 µm). Data were collected along a gradient of oligotrophy in the frontal area created, where the waters of Black Sea origin meet those of Levantine Sea origin (Northeast Aegean Sea, Eastern Mediterranean). Metazooplankton biomass was dominated by mesozooplankton (0.2–2 mm), while meso- and microzooplankton (<0.2 mm) shared dominance of abundance. Copepods dominated both in abundance and biomass and were followed by nauplii in abundance and gelatinous carnivores or decapod-euphausiid larvae in biomass. The spatiotemporal variability of metazoans stock, biomass-size spectra linearity, carnivorous group contribution and copepod diversity, supported that metazooplankton tends to recede from steady-state when approaching less oligotrophic dynamic areas (such as fronts) or dynamic periods (such as the spring bloom). The need and the difficulties of obtaining a larger picture from a wider size range of metazoans for understanding the role of zooplankton are stressed.
KW - Biomass
KW - Functional groups
KW - Mediterranean Sea
KW - Metazooplankton
KW - Size distribution
KW - Zooplankton
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85005976168&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.csr.2016.10.004
DO - 10.1016/j.csr.2016.10.004
M3 - Article (Academic Journal)
AN - SCOPUS:85005976168
SN - 0278-4343
VL - 149
SP - 151
EP - 161
JO - Continental Shelf Research
JF - Continental Shelf Research
ER -