Quantitative Estimations of Temporal Variations of Zooplankton off the Coast of Washington and British Columbia

Quantitative sampling off the coast of Washington and British Columbia shows a regular seasonal variation of zooplankton volumes. Average volumes for the upper 200 meters of water in this area varied from a winter minimum of 0.035 cc/m 3 in December 1956 to a maximum of 0.139 cc/m 3 in May 1957. Pse...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada
Main Author: Frolander, Herbert F.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1962
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f62-044
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f62-044
Description
Summary:Quantitative sampling off the coast of Washington and British Columbia shows a regular seasonal variation of zooplankton volumes. Average volumes for the upper 200 meters of water in this area varied from a winter minimum of 0.035 cc/m 3 in December 1956 to a maximum of 0.139 cc/m 3 in May 1957. Pseudocalanus minutus (Krøyer) and Oithona similis Claus were the most numerous zooplankters; Acartia danae Giesbrecht was found to be potentially important as a species indicative of intrusion of near surface waters from the south.Washington coastal waters yielded zooplankton volumes (1) approximately four to five times those reported for the equatorial Pacific, (2) similar to those recorded for the Gulf of Alaska, but (3) less than those reported in comparable areas of the northwestern Pacific.The "normal" population of the area has not been established. The fact that in February 1958 the zooplankton populations were entirely different from those found a year earlier demonstrates the need for further study to determine long-term averages.