Glaciers caused zooplankton mortality?

• Published in: Journal of Plankton Research
• Main Authors: W, J. M. Wçslawski, Legezytnska, J.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford University Press 1998
• Subjects: ORIGINAL ARTICLES; Svalbard; Svalbard Archipelago; Kongsfjord*; Kongsfjorden; Copepods
• Online Access: http://plankt.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/20/7/1233; https://doi.org/10.1093/plankt/20.7.1233

Dead zooplankton were found in grab samples collected in Kongsfjorden (79�N, Svalbard archipelago) in summer of 1995 and 1996. The concentration of dead plankters reached over 500 individuals of copepods and 130 individuals of Themicto per square metre. The biomass of dead zooplank ton reached 0.17 g C m−2 locally, and was not correlated with the depth of the locality, nor with the surface salinity. The bulk of sedimented plankton was, however, found behind the sill of the inner fjord basin. We assume that massive discharge of glacial waters in summer causes mass mortality of surface zooplankton, which drift away and sink in the innerfjord pool, thus supplying benthic communities with organic carbon.