Plankton abundance and feeding characteristics of Thysanoessa raschii from Godthabsfjord, Greenland, supplement to: Agersted, Mette Dalgaard; Nielsen, Torkel Gissel; Munk, Peter; Vismann, Bent; Arendt, Kristine Engel (2011): The functional biology and trophic role of krill (Thysanoessa raschii) in a Greenlandic fjord. Marine Biology, 158(6), 1387-1402

• Main Authors: Agersted, Mette Dalgaard, Nielsen, Torkel Gissel, Munk, Peter, Vismann, Bent, Arendt, Kristine Engel
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA - Data Publisher for Earth & Environmental Science 2011
• Subjects: International Polar Year 2007-2008 IPY; Arctic; Greenland; Munk; greenlandic; International Polar Year; IPY; Thysanoessa raschii; Zooplankton
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.1594/pangaea.805981; https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.805981

Despite being a key zooplankton group, knowledge on krill biology from the Arctic is inadequate. The present study examine the functional biology and evaluate the trophic role of krill in the Godthabsfjord (64°N, 51°W) SW Greenland, through a combination of fieldwork and laboratory experiments. Krill biomass was highest in the middle fjord and inner fjord, whereas no krill was found offshore. The dominating species Thysanoessa raschii revealed a type III functional response when fed with the diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii. At food saturation, T. raschii exhibited a daily ration of 1% body C/d. Furthermore, T. raschii was capable of exploiting plankton cells from 5 to 400 µm, covering several trophic levels of the pelagic food web. The calculated grazing impact by T. raschii on the fjord plankton community was negligible. However, the schooling and migratory behaviour of krill will concentrate and elevate the grazing in specific areas of the euphotic zone. : Data extracted in the frame of a joint ICSTI/PANGAEA IPY effort, see http://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.150150