Nutrient-driven poleward expansion of the Northeast Atlantic mackerel ( Scomber scombrus) stock: A new hypothesis
Abstract The Northeast Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) stock has increased and expanded its summer feeding migration west- and northwards since 2006, entailing large geopolitical challenges for the countries harvesting this species. A common perspective is that climatic warming opens up new reg...
Published in: | Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene |
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Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
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University of California Press
2016
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.12952/journal.elementa.000105 http://online.ucpress.edu/elementa/article-pdf/doi/10.12952/journal.elementa.000105/474258/29-250-1-ce.pdf |
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crunicaliforniap:10.12952/journal.elementa.000105 2024-09-15T18:13:18+00:00 Nutrient-driven poleward expansion of the Northeast Atlantic mackerel ( Scomber scombrus) stock: A new hypothesis Pacariz, Selma V. Hátún, Hjálmar Jacobsen, Jan Arge Johnson, Clare Eliasen, Sólva Rey, Francisco Deming, Jody W. Thomsen, Laurenz 2016 http://dx.doi.org/10.12952/journal.elementa.000105 http://online.ucpress.edu/elementa/article-pdf/doi/10.12952/journal.elementa.000105/474258/29-250-1-ce.pdf en eng University of California Press Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene volume 4 ISSN 2325-1026 journal-article 2016 crunicaliforniap https://doi.org/10.12952/journal.elementa.000105 2024-08-15T04:15:38Z Abstract The Northeast Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) stock has increased and expanded its summer feeding migration west- and northwards since 2006, entailing large geopolitical challenges for the countries harvesting this species. A common perspective is that climatic warming opens up new regions for biota in the north. It has also been suggested that the presently large pelagic fish stocks deplete prey resources in the eastern North Atlantic during their summer feeding phase, forcing the stocks west towards the Irminger Sea in their search for food. Here, we suggest that the declining nutrient (silicate) concentrations observed along the northern European continental slope reduce primary and thus secondary production, exacerbating food scarceness in the east and adding to the incentive to migrate westward. The new westward feeding route requires that the fish cross the Iceland Basin, which during the summer season quickly becomes nutrient-depleted and thus might act as a barrier to migration after the spring bloom. Using mackerel and zooplankton abundance data from the International Ecosystem Summer Surveys in the Nordic Seas, we suggest that the oligotrophic waters in the central Iceland Basin force the fish to migrate through a narrow ‘corridor’ along the south Iceland shelf, where nutrients are replenished and both primary and secondary production are higher. Article in Journal/Newspaper Iceland Nordic Seas North Atlantic Northeast Atlantic University of California Press Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene 4 000105 |
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Open Polar |
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University of California Press |
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crunicaliforniap |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract The Northeast Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) stock has increased and expanded its summer feeding migration west- and northwards since 2006, entailing large geopolitical challenges for the countries harvesting this species. A common perspective is that climatic warming opens up new regions for biota in the north. It has also been suggested that the presently large pelagic fish stocks deplete prey resources in the eastern North Atlantic during their summer feeding phase, forcing the stocks west towards the Irminger Sea in their search for food. Here, we suggest that the declining nutrient (silicate) concentrations observed along the northern European continental slope reduce primary and thus secondary production, exacerbating food scarceness in the east and adding to the incentive to migrate westward. The new westward feeding route requires that the fish cross the Iceland Basin, which during the summer season quickly becomes nutrient-depleted and thus might act as a barrier to migration after the spring bloom. Using mackerel and zooplankton abundance data from the International Ecosystem Summer Surveys in the Nordic Seas, we suggest that the oligotrophic waters in the central Iceland Basin force the fish to migrate through a narrow ‘corridor’ along the south Iceland shelf, where nutrients are replenished and both primary and secondary production are higher. |
author2 |
Deming, Jody W. Thomsen, Laurenz |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Pacariz, Selma V. Hátún, Hjálmar Jacobsen, Jan Arge Johnson, Clare Eliasen, Sólva Rey, Francisco |
spellingShingle |
Pacariz, Selma V. Hátún, Hjálmar Jacobsen, Jan Arge Johnson, Clare Eliasen, Sólva Rey, Francisco Nutrient-driven poleward expansion of the Northeast Atlantic mackerel ( Scomber scombrus) stock: A new hypothesis |
author_facet |
Pacariz, Selma V. Hátún, Hjálmar Jacobsen, Jan Arge Johnson, Clare Eliasen, Sólva Rey, Francisco |
author_sort |
Pacariz, Selma V. |
title |
Nutrient-driven poleward expansion of the Northeast Atlantic mackerel ( Scomber scombrus) stock: A new hypothesis |
title_short |
Nutrient-driven poleward expansion of the Northeast Atlantic mackerel ( Scomber scombrus) stock: A new hypothesis |
title_full |
Nutrient-driven poleward expansion of the Northeast Atlantic mackerel ( Scomber scombrus) stock: A new hypothesis |
title_fullStr |
Nutrient-driven poleward expansion of the Northeast Atlantic mackerel ( Scomber scombrus) stock: A new hypothesis |
title_full_unstemmed |
Nutrient-driven poleward expansion of the Northeast Atlantic mackerel ( Scomber scombrus) stock: A new hypothesis |
title_sort |
nutrient-driven poleward expansion of the northeast atlantic mackerel ( scomber scombrus) stock: a new hypothesis |
publisher |
University of California Press |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.12952/journal.elementa.000105 http://online.ucpress.edu/elementa/article-pdf/doi/10.12952/journal.elementa.000105/474258/29-250-1-ce.pdf |
genre |
Iceland Nordic Seas North Atlantic Northeast Atlantic |
genre_facet |
Iceland Nordic Seas North Atlantic Northeast Atlantic |
op_source |
Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene volume 4 ISSN 2325-1026 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.12952/journal.elementa.000105 |
container_title |
Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene |
container_volume |
4 |
container_start_page |
000105 |
_version_ |
1810451015333314560 |