Distribution and production of plankton communities in the subtropical convergence zone of the Sargasso Sea. II. protozooplankton and copepods

The oligotrophic Sargasso Sea in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean is influenced by a complex set of oceanographic features that might introduce nutrients and enhance productivity in certain areas. To increase our understanding of the variability in plankton communities and to determine t...

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Published in:Marine Ecology Progress Series
Main Authors: Andersen, Nikolaj Gedsted, Nielsen, Torkel Gissel, Jakobsen, Hans Henrik, Munk, Peter, Riemann, Lasse
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2011
Subjects:
Online Access:https://curis.ku.dk/portal/da/publications/distribution-and-production-of-plankton-communities-in-the-subtropical-convergence-zone-of-the-sargasso-sea-ii-protozooplankton-and-copepods(bb930838-c6d4-4254-97f8-1bbc0156d996).html
https://doi.org/10.3354/meps09047
id ftcopenhagenunip:oai:pure.atira.dk:publications/bb930838-c6d4-4254-97f8-1bbc0156d996
record_format openpolar
institution Open Polar
collection University of Copenhagen: Research
op_collection_id ftcopenhagenunip
language English
topic Sargasso Sea
Ciliates
Heterotrophic dinoflagellates
Copepods
Convergence zone
ZOOPLANKTON GROWTH-RATES
ATLANTIC TIME-SERIES
EGG-PRODUCTION
PHYTOPLANKTON GROWTH
SECONDARY PRODUCTION
KINGSTON HARBOR
ACARTIA-TONSA
INDIAN-OCEAN
ANNUAL CYCLE
FOOD-WEB
spellingShingle Sargasso Sea
Ciliates
Heterotrophic dinoflagellates
Copepods
Convergence zone
ZOOPLANKTON GROWTH-RATES
ATLANTIC TIME-SERIES
EGG-PRODUCTION
PHYTOPLANKTON GROWTH
SECONDARY PRODUCTION
KINGSTON HARBOR
ACARTIA-TONSA
INDIAN-OCEAN
ANNUAL CYCLE
FOOD-WEB
Andersen, Nikolaj Gedsted
Nielsen, Torkel Gissel
Jakobsen, Hans Henrik
Munk, Peter
Riemann, Lasse
Distribution and production of plankton communities in the subtropical convergence zone of the Sargasso Sea. II. protozooplankton and copepods
topic_facet Sargasso Sea
Ciliates
Heterotrophic dinoflagellates
Copepods
Convergence zone
ZOOPLANKTON GROWTH-RATES
ATLANTIC TIME-SERIES
EGG-PRODUCTION
PHYTOPLANKTON GROWTH
SECONDARY PRODUCTION
KINGSTON HARBOR
ACARTIA-TONSA
INDIAN-OCEAN
ANNUAL CYCLE
FOOD-WEB
description The oligotrophic Sargasso Sea in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean is influenced by a complex set of oceanographic features that might introduce nutrients and enhance productivity in certain areas. To increase our understanding of the variability in plankton communities and to determine the potential reasons why Atlantic eels Anguilla spp. use this area for spawning, we investigated the distribution and productivity of the zooplankton community across the Subtropical Convergence Zone (STCZ) in the Sargasso Sea in March and April 2007. The vertical and horizontal distributions of protozoans and metazooplankton were investigated at 33 stations along 3 north to south transects ranging from 64 to 70 degrees W to a depth of 400 m. Copepods dominated the metazooplankton, while heterotrophic athecate dinoflagellates dominated the protozoan biomass. Other important groups were appendicularians, gastropod larvae and ostracods. Most of the recorded metazoan groups responded numerically to the frontal features (i.e. the surfacing of the isotherms) with high abundance in the STCZ compared with areas north and south of this. Juvenile copepod growth and egg production peaked in the STCZ, with a weight-specific growth rate of juvenile copepods ranging from 0.09 to 0.21 d(-1), and a much lower specific egg production in the order of 0.01% d(-1). The Sargasso Sea is described as oligotrophic, but the availability of athecate dinoflagellates and ciliates in the STCZ potentially leads to an enhanced mesozooplankton secondary production, which may in turn be available to organisms at higher trophic levels such as larvae of Atlantic eels The oligotrophic Sargasso Sea in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean is influenced by a complex set of oceanographic features that might introduce nutrients and enhance productivity in certain areas. To increase our understanding of the variability in plankton communities and to determine the potential reasons why Atlantic eels Anguilla spp. use this area for spawning, we investigated the distribution and productivity of the zooplankton community across the Subtropical Convergence Zone (STCZ) in the Sargasso Sea in March and April 2007. The vertical and horizontal distributions of protozoans and metazooplankton were investigated at 33 stations along 3 north to south transects ranging from 64 to 70 degrees W to a depth of 400 m. Copepods dominated the metazooplankton, while heterotrophic athecate dinoflagellates dominated the protozoan biomass. Other important groups were appendicularians, gastropod larvae and ostracods. Most of the recorded metazoan groups responded numerically to the frontal features (i.e. the surfacing of the isotherms) with high abundance in the STCZ compared with areas north and south of this. Juvenile copepod growth and egg production peaked in the STCZ, with a weight-specific growth rate of juvenile copepods ranging from 0.09 to 0.21 d(-1), and a much lower specific egg production in the order of 0.01% d(-1). The Sargasso Sea is described as oligotrophic, but the availability of athecate dinoflagellates and ciliates in the STCZ potentially leads to an enhanced mesozooplankton secondary production, which may in turn be available to organisms at higher trophic levels such as larvae of Atlantic eels
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Andersen, Nikolaj Gedsted
Nielsen, Torkel Gissel
Jakobsen, Hans Henrik
Munk, Peter
Riemann, Lasse
author_facet Andersen, Nikolaj Gedsted
Nielsen, Torkel Gissel
Jakobsen, Hans Henrik
Munk, Peter
Riemann, Lasse
author_sort Andersen, Nikolaj Gedsted
title Distribution and production of plankton communities in the subtropical convergence zone of the Sargasso Sea. II. protozooplankton and copepods
title_short Distribution and production of plankton communities in the subtropical convergence zone of the Sargasso Sea. II. protozooplankton and copepods
title_full Distribution and production of plankton communities in the subtropical convergence zone of the Sargasso Sea. II. protozooplankton and copepods
title_fullStr Distribution and production of plankton communities in the subtropical convergence zone of the Sargasso Sea. II. protozooplankton and copepods
title_full_unstemmed Distribution and production of plankton communities in the subtropical convergence zone of the Sargasso Sea. II. protozooplankton and copepods
title_sort distribution and production of plankton communities in the subtropical convergence zone of the sargasso sea. ii. protozooplankton and copepods
publishDate 2011
url https://curis.ku.dk/portal/da/publications/distribution-and-production-of-plankton-communities-in-the-subtropical-convergence-zone-of-the-sargasso-sea-ii-protozooplankton-and-copepods(bb930838-c6d4-4254-97f8-1bbc0156d996).html
https://doi.org/10.3354/meps09047
geographic Indian
geographic_facet Indian
genre North Atlantic
Copepods
genre_facet North Atlantic
Copepods
op_source Andersen , N G , Nielsen , T G , Jakobsen , H H , Munk , P & Riemann , L 2011 , ' Distribution and production of plankton communities in the subtropical convergence zone of the Sargasso Sea. II. protozooplankton and copepods ' , Marine Ecology - Progress Series , vol. 426 , pp. 71-86 . https://doi.org/10.3354/meps09047
op_rights info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
op_doi https://doi.org/10.3354/meps09047
container_title Marine Ecology Progress Series
container_volume 426
container_start_page 71
op_container_end_page 86
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spelling ftcopenhagenunip:oai:pure.atira.dk:publications/bb930838-c6d4-4254-97f8-1bbc0156d996 2023-05-15T17:34:41+02:00 Distribution and production of plankton communities in the subtropical convergence zone of the Sargasso Sea. II. protozooplankton and copepods Andersen, Nikolaj Gedsted Nielsen, Torkel Gissel Jakobsen, Hans Henrik Munk, Peter Riemann, Lasse 2011 https://curis.ku.dk/portal/da/publications/distribution-and-production-of-plankton-communities-in-the-subtropical-convergence-zone-of-the-sargasso-sea-ii-protozooplankton-and-copepods(bb930838-c6d4-4254-97f8-1bbc0156d996).html https://doi.org/10.3354/meps09047 eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess Andersen , N G , Nielsen , T G , Jakobsen , H H , Munk , P & Riemann , L 2011 , ' Distribution and production of plankton communities in the subtropical convergence zone of the Sargasso Sea. II. protozooplankton and copepods ' , Marine Ecology - Progress Series , vol. 426 , pp. 71-86 . https://doi.org/10.3354/meps09047 Sargasso Sea Ciliates Heterotrophic dinoflagellates Copepods Convergence zone ZOOPLANKTON GROWTH-RATES ATLANTIC TIME-SERIES EGG-PRODUCTION PHYTOPLANKTON GROWTH SECONDARY PRODUCTION KINGSTON HARBOR ACARTIA-TONSA INDIAN-OCEAN ANNUAL CYCLE FOOD-WEB article 2011 ftcopenhagenunip https://doi.org/10.3354/meps09047 2022-02-24T00:08:41Z The oligotrophic Sargasso Sea in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean is influenced by a complex set of oceanographic features that might introduce nutrients and enhance productivity in certain areas. To increase our understanding of the variability in plankton communities and to determine the potential reasons why Atlantic eels Anguilla spp. use this area for spawning, we investigated the distribution and productivity of the zooplankton community across the Subtropical Convergence Zone (STCZ) in the Sargasso Sea in March and April 2007. The vertical and horizontal distributions of protozoans and metazooplankton were investigated at 33 stations along 3 north to south transects ranging from 64 to 70 degrees W to a depth of 400 m. Copepods dominated the metazooplankton, while heterotrophic athecate dinoflagellates dominated the protozoan biomass. Other important groups were appendicularians, gastropod larvae and ostracods. Most of the recorded metazoan groups responded numerically to the frontal features (i.e. the surfacing of the isotherms) with high abundance in the STCZ compared with areas north and south of this. Juvenile copepod growth and egg production peaked in the STCZ, with a weight-specific growth rate of juvenile copepods ranging from 0.09 to 0.21 d(-1), and a much lower specific egg production in the order of 0.01% d(-1). The Sargasso Sea is described as oligotrophic, but the availability of athecate dinoflagellates and ciliates in the STCZ potentially leads to an enhanced mesozooplankton secondary production, which may in turn be available to organisms at higher trophic levels such as larvae of Atlantic eels The oligotrophic Sargasso Sea in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean is influenced by a complex set of oceanographic features that might introduce nutrients and enhance productivity in certain areas. To increase our understanding of the variability in plankton communities and to determine the potential reasons why Atlantic eels Anguilla spp. use this area for spawning, we investigated the distribution and productivity of the zooplankton community across the Subtropical Convergence Zone (STCZ) in the Sargasso Sea in March and April 2007. The vertical and horizontal distributions of protozoans and metazooplankton were investigated at 33 stations along 3 north to south transects ranging from 64 to 70 degrees W to a depth of 400 m. Copepods dominated the metazooplankton, while heterotrophic athecate dinoflagellates dominated the protozoan biomass. Other important groups were appendicularians, gastropod larvae and ostracods. Most of the recorded metazoan groups responded numerically to the frontal features (i.e. the surfacing of the isotherms) with high abundance in the STCZ compared with areas north and south of this. Juvenile copepod growth and egg production peaked in the STCZ, with a weight-specific growth rate of juvenile copepods ranging from 0.09 to 0.21 d(-1), and a much lower specific egg production in the order of 0.01% d(-1). The Sargasso Sea is described as oligotrophic, but the availability of athecate dinoflagellates and ciliates in the STCZ potentially leads to an enhanced mesozooplankton secondary production, which may in turn be available to organisms at higher trophic levels such as larvae of Atlantic eels Article in Journal/Newspaper North Atlantic Copepods University of Copenhagen: Research Indian Marine Ecology Progress Series 426 71 86