Copepod abundance and fecal pellet production, sinking rate, and degradation in samples obtained during Leg 7 of Galathea 3 cruise 2006 ...

The vertical distribution of copepods, fecal pellets and the fecal pellet production of copepods were measured at seven stations across the Southern Indian Ocean from productive areas off South Africa to oligotrophic waters off Northern Australia during October/November 2006. We quantified export of...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Møller, Eva Friis, Borg, Christian Marc A, Jónasdóttir, Sigrún Huld, Satapoomin, Suree, Jaspers, Cornelia, Nielsen, Torkel Gissel
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: PANGAEA 2011
Subjects:
IPY
Online Access:https://dx.doi.org/10.1594/pangaea.817116
https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.817116
Description
Summary:The vertical distribution of copepods, fecal pellets and the fecal pellet production of copepods were measured at seven stations across the Southern Indian Ocean from productive areas off South Africa to oligotrophic waters off Northern Australia during October/November 2006. We quantified export of copepod fecal pellet from surface waters and how much was retained. Furthermore, the potential impact of Oncaea spp. and harpacticoid copepods on fecal pellets degradation was evaluated and found to be regional substantial. The highest copepod abundance and fecal pellet production was found in the western nutrient-rich stations close to South Africa and the lowest at the central oligotrophic stations. The in situ copepod fecal pellet production varied between 1 and 1,000 µg C/m**3/day. At all stations, the retention of fecal pellets in the upper 400 m of the water column was more than 99% and the vertical export of fecal pellets was low (<0.02 mg/m**2/day). ... : Data extracted in the frame of a joint ICSTI/PANGAEA IPY effort, see http://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.150150 ...