Loss of buoyancy control in the copepod Calanus finmarchicus

Abstract A mechanism is demonstrated that could explain large-scale aggregations of lipid-rich copepods in the surface waters of marine environments. Laboratory experiments establish that changes in salinity and temperature induce lipid-mediated buoyancy instability that entrains copepods in surface...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Plankton Research
Main Authors: Cohen, Jonathan H, Last, Kim S, Waldie, Jack, Pond, David W
Other Authors: Scottish Funding Council, Norwegian Research Council, DIAPOD and CHASE, Natural Environment Research Council, Federal Ministry of Education and Research
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Oxford University Press (OUP) 2019
Subjects:
Calanus finmarchicus
Copepods
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/plankt/fbz036
http://academic.oup.com/plankt/article-pdf/41/5/787/31061648/fbz036.pdf
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Summary:Abstract A mechanism is demonstrated that could explain large-scale aggregations of lipid-rich copepods in the surface waters of marine environments. Laboratory experiments establish that changes in salinity and temperature induce lipid-mediated buoyancy instability that entrains copepods in surface waters. Reduced hydrostatic pressure associated with forced ascent of copepods at fjordic sills, shelf breaks and seamounts would also reduce the density of the lipid reserves, forcing copepods and particularly those in diapause to the surface. We propose that salinity, temperature and hydrodynamics of the physical environment, in conjunction with the biophysical properties of lipids, explain periodic high abundances of lipid-rich copepods in surface waters.

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