Modelling the dispersal of Calanus finmarchicus on the Newfoundland Shelf: implications for the analysis of population dynamics from a high frequency monitoring site

• Published in: Fisheries Oceanography
• Main Authors: Pepin, Pierre, Han, Guoqi, Head, Erica J.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2013
• Subjects: Calanus finmarchicus; Newfoundland; Copepods
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/fog.12028; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Ffog.12028; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/fog.12028

Abstract We investigated the drift of passive particles on the N ewfoundland S helf and western L abrador S ea using numerical simulations to assess the possible sources of plankton collected at a high frequency sampling site (S27; 47.55°N, 52.59°W) located near the coast of N ewfoundland, C anada. We also summarized data detailing the seasonal stage succession of C alanus finmarchicus at that site, as well as along three oceanographic sections sampled in the spring, summer and autumn across the adjacent continental shelf. Simulations indicated that the L abrador and N ewfoundland S helves represent the major sources of particles transiting through the S 27 site, with relatively minor contributions from the western L abrador S ea which are significant during a few months each year. The latter point may be affected by uncertainty in the representation of cross‐shelf transport associated with seasonal or short‐term variations in atmospheric and oceanic forcing, which may also affect the strength and location of bifurcation of the inner branch of the L abrador C urrent around the G rand B anks. Nevertheless, our results indicated that drift along the inner shelf is likely to be the primary source of copepods collected at S 27 throughout most of the year. This in turn suggested that there may be a higher degree of connectivity between conditions in coastal areas of N ewfoundland and those in B affin B ay and west G reenland than with the southern half of the L abrador S ea.