Zooplankton Distribution and Abundance in

• Main Authors: S. A. Pedersen, E. L. B. Smidt
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Key words; distribution; fish; ichthyoplankton; Greenland; shrimp; species interactions
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.512.2201; http://journal.nafo.int/J26/pedersen.pdf

Abundance indices of zooplankton obtained from offshore plankton surveys carried out in June–July from 1950 to 1984 off West Greenland were examined for trends and relationships with sea temperature and salinity. The zooplankton displacement volume and most of the zooplankton taxa showed higher abundance indices in the generally warmer period 1950–68 compared to the more variable period 1969–84. Sandeel larvae (Ammodytes sp.) were generally more abundant during cold periods after 1969. Zooplankton displacement volume showed a positive correlation (r = 0.28) with temperature, whereas correlations of individual zooplankton taxa with temperature or salinity were weaker. The relationships of zooplankton abundance indices with temperature suggest changes in zooplankton productivity during 1950–84.