Contribution of zooplankton faecal pellets to carbon transport of the mesopelagic layers in the polynya region of Prydz Bay, Antarctica

Seasonal changes in the zooplankton swimmer (those actively swimming into sediment traps) and faecal pellet contribution to particulate organic carbon (POC) were analysed based on sediment trap samples deployed at 450 m in the polynya region of Prydz Bay during March 2013-February 2014. The zooplank...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science
Main Authors: Yang, Guang, Han, Zhengbing, Pan, Jianming, Zhou, Konglin, Wang, Yanqing, Li, Chaolun
Format: Report
Language:English
Published: ACADEMIC PRESS LTD- ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD 2019
Subjects:
Zooplankton
Faecal pellet
Carbon flux
Pteropods
Prydz Bay
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Oceanography
TERRA-NOVA BAY
PARTICULATE ORGANIC-CARBON
LIFE-CYCLE STRATEGIES
LIMACINA-HELICINA
VERTICAL FLUX
SOUTHERN-OCEAN
EXPORT FLUX
EUPHAUSIA-CRYSTALLOROPHIAS
ROSS SEA
COPEPOD
Austral
Ross Sea
Southern Ocean
Terra Nova Bay
Antarc*
Antarctica
Limacina helicina
Online Access:http://ir.qdio.ac.cn/handle/337002/156961
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2019.04.006
Description
Summary:Seasonal changes in the zooplankton swimmer (those actively swimming into sediment traps) and faecal pellet contribution to particulate organic carbon (POC) were analysed based on sediment trap samples deployed at 450 m in the polynya region of Prydz Bay during March 2013-February 2014. The zooplankton swimmer flux ranged from 6.18 ind m(-2) day(-1) to 20.00 ind m(-2) day(-1) and pteropods (mainly Limacina helicina) were the most abundant group. Part of the L. helicina population could make a large contribution to the organic carbon flux by passive sinking after death during the austral autumn and winter. The potential contribution of sinking L. helicina to the POC flux could reach 15.21% during winter. Four types of faecal pellets were found: cylindrical, round, ellipsoidal and ovoid. The faecal pellet carbon flux (0.01-4.36 mg C m(-2) day(-1)) contributed 5.54%-62.00% of the POC flux. Cylindrical faecal pellets, which had low abundance in winter but higher abundance in the early austral summer, were attributed to the ice krill Euphausia crystallorophias. The faecal pellet carbon flux showed a high value (1.03 mg C m(-2) day(-1)) but made little contribution (9.18%) to the POC flux during early summer (December) in relation to the large amount of ungrazed algae. The high faecal pellet carbon flux (1.98 mg C m(-2) day(-1)) during mid-summer (January) made the greatest contribution (62.00%) to the POC flux. During autumn and winter, the faecal pellet carbon flux was low and ovoid pellets (mostly generated by L. helicina) were the most abundant. The occurrence of intact fresh pellets and faecal fluff (degraded faecal pellets) in the winter samples suggested that zooplankton activities (diel vertical migration and fragmentation of faecal pellets) had an effect on the carbon flux. The results demonstrated that zooplankton could play an important role in the carbon flux in the polynya region of Prydz Bay.

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