Energy distribution in an Arctic coastal macrozooplankton community. Arctic 38

• Main Authors: J. A. Percy, F. J. Fife
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1985
• Subjects: Key words; macrozooplankton; Frobisher Bay; caloric content; Mertensia ovum; ctenophores; Sagitta elegans; Pamthemikto libeliula; lirysanoessa; Arctic
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.522.1082; http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic38-1-39.pdf

ABSTRACT. The proportion of caloric energy associated with each of t emacrozooplankton populations at wo stations in upper Frobisher Bay was determined at intervals during three consecutive open-water SeBsons. In the upper 50 m of the water column three species (the ctenophore Merrensia ovum, the chaetognath Sagitta elegans, and the hyperiid amphipod Parathemiszo l i b e l l u l a) consistently accounted for 90 % of the caloric content of the macrozooplankton community. The ctenophore dominated the samples and accounted for 60-95 % of the total calories. In deeper water (> 70 m) euphausiids, primarily lirysanwssn inemis, accounted for most of the macrozooplankton calories. Ctenophores do not appear to be major prey of arctic marine vertebrates. Thus, in Frobisher Bay surface waters a large proportion of the available energy ends up in an apparent trophic dead end of low specific caloricity. The ctenophores ’ precise role in this northern marine ecosystem is as yet unclear.