Distribution, population structure and trophodynamics of Southern Ocean Gymnoscopelus (Myctophidae) in the Scotia Sea
Gymnoscopelus braueri, Gymnoscopelus fraseri and Gymnoscopelus nicholsi are common in the Southern Ocean mesopelagic fish community. However, their ecology is poorly understood in the region. This study investigated spatial and temporal patterns in their abundance, population structure and diets at...
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ftnerc:oai:nora.nerc.ac.uk:508573 2023-05-15T13:48:08+02:00 Distribution, population structure and trophodynamics of Southern Ocean Gymnoscopelus (Myctophidae) in the Scotia Sea Saunders, Ryan A. Collins, Martin A. Ward, Peter Stowasser, Gabriele Shreeve, Rachael Tarling, Geraint A. 2015-03 text http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/508573/ https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/508573/1/Pol_Bio_gymno_resubmission.docx https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-014-1584-9 en eng Springer https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/508573/1/Pol_Bio_gymno_resubmission.docx Saunders, Ryan A. orcid:0000-0002-1157-7222 Collins, Martin A.; Ward, Peter; Stowasser, Gabriele orcid:0000-0002-0595-0772 Shreeve, Rachael; Tarling, Geraint A. orcid:0000-0002-3753-5899 . 2015 Distribution, population structure and trophodynamics of Southern Ocean Gymnoscopelus (Myctophidae) in the Scotia Sea. Polar Biology, 38 (3). 287-308. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-014-1584-9 <https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-014-1584-9> Publication - Article PeerReviewed 2015 ftnerc https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-014-1584-9 2023-02-04T19:40:24Z Gymnoscopelus braueri, Gymnoscopelus fraseri and Gymnoscopelus nicholsi are common in the Southern Ocean mesopelagic fish community. However, their ecology is poorly understood in the region. This study investigated spatial and temporal patterns in their abundance, population structure and diets at different times of year within the Scotia Sea to ascertain their functional role in the pelagic food web. G. braueri was the most abundant species (0.07–0.17 ind. 1,000 m−3) throughout the Scotia Sea. G. fraseri was absent from the sea-ice sectors and occurred mostly around the Antarctic Polar Front (APF), comprising densities of 0.01–0.04 ind. 1,000 m−3. G. nicholsi occurred in low abundance (<0.01 ind. 1,000 m−3) throughout the region. G. braueri and G. fraseri had a lifespan of ~4 and 3 years, respectively, but spatial variation in their population structures was evident and recruitment appeared to occur only around the APF. G. nicholsi had a lifespan of >4 years. There was evidence of seasonal variation in depth distribution, size-related sexual dimorphism and vertical segregation in size classes for each species. Overall, diets were dominated by copepods (Metridia spp., Rhincalanus gigas, Pleuromamma robusta) and euphausiids (Thysanoessa spp. and Euphausia superba), although G. fraseri did not predate E. superba. Regional, seasonal and ontogenetic patterns in diet were evident for all species. This study provides new insight into the ecology of these Gymnoscopelus species in the Scotia Sea. Such details contribute towards resolving how pelagic food webs are structured in the Southern Ocean and their sensitivity to ongoing environmental change. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Euphausia superba Polar Biology Scotia Sea Sea ice Southern Ocean Copepods Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive Antarctic Southern Ocean The Antarctic Scotia Sea Polar Biology 38 3 287 308 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive |
op_collection_id |
ftnerc |
language |
English |
description |
Gymnoscopelus braueri, Gymnoscopelus fraseri and Gymnoscopelus nicholsi are common in the Southern Ocean mesopelagic fish community. However, their ecology is poorly understood in the region. This study investigated spatial and temporal patterns in their abundance, population structure and diets at different times of year within the Scotia Sea to ascertain their functional role in the pelagic food web. G. braueri was the most abundant species (0.07–0.17 ind. 1,000 m−3) throughout the Scotia Sea. G. fraseri was absent from the sea-ice sectors and occurred mostly around the Antarctic Polar Front (APF), comprising densities of 0.01–0.04 ind. 1,000 m−3. G. nicholsi occurred in low abundance (<0.01 ind. 1,000 m−3) throughout the region. G. braueri and G. fraseri had a lifespan of ~4 and 3 years, respectively, but spatial variation in their population structures was evident and recruitment appeared to occur only around the APF. G. nicholsi had a lifespan of >4 years. There was evidence of seasonal variation in depth distribution, size-related sexual dimorphism and vertical segregation in size classes for each species. Overall, diets were dominated by copepods (Metridia spp., Rhincalanus gigas, Pleuromamma robusta) and euphausiids (Thysanoessa spp. and Euphausia superba), although G. fraseri did not predate E. superba. Regional, seasonal and ontogenetic patterns in diet were evident for all species. This study provides new insight into the ecology of these Gymnoscopelus species in the Scotia Sea. Such details contribute towards resolving how pelagic food webs are structured in the Southern Ocean and their sensitivity to ongoing environmental change. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Saunders, Ryan A. Collins, Martin A. Ward, Peter Stowasser, Gabriele Shreeve, Rachael Tarling, Geraint A. |
spellingShingle |
Saunders, Ryan A. Collins, Martin A. Ward, Peter Stowasser, Gabriele Shreeve, Rachael Tarling, Geraint A. Distribution, population structure and trophodynamics of Southern Ocean Gymnoscopelus (Myctophidae) in the Scotia Sea |
author_facet |
Saunders, Ryan A. Collins, Martin A. Ward, Peter Stowasser, Gabriele Shreeve, Rachael Tarling, Geraint A. |
author_sort |
Saunders, Ryan A. |
title |
Distribution, population structure and trophodynamics of Southern Ocean Gymnoscopelus (Myctophidae) in the Scotia Sea |
title_short |
Distribution, population structure and trophodynamics of Southern Ocean Gymnoscopelus (Myctophidae) in the Scotia Sea |
title_full |
Distribution, population structure and trophodynamics of Southern Ocean Gymnoscopelus (Myctophidae) in the Scotia Sea |
title_fullStr |
Distribution, population structure and trophodynamics of Southern Ocean Gymnoscopelus (Myctophidae) in the Scotia Sea |
title_full_unstemmed |
Distribution, population structure and trophodynamics of Southern Ocean Gymnoscopelus (Myctophidae) in the Scotia Sea |
title_sort |
distribution, population structure and trophodynamics of southern ocean gymnoscopelus (myctophidae) in the scotia sea |
publisher |
Springer |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/508573/ https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/508573/1/Pol_Bio_gymno_resubmission.docx https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-014-1584-9 |
geographic |
Antarctic Southern Ocean The Antarctic Scotia Sea |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Southern Ocean The Antarctic Scotia Sea |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Euphausia superba Polar Biology Scotia Sea Sea ice Southern Ocean Copepods |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Euphausia superba Polar Biology Scotia Sea Sea ice Southern Ocean Copepods |
op_relation |
https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/508573/1/Pol_Bio_gymno_resubmission.docx Saunders, Ryan A. orcid:0000-0002-1157-7222 Collins, Martin A.; Ward, Peter; Stowasser, Gabriele orcid:0000-0002-0595-0772 Shreeve, Rachael; Tarling, Geraint A. orcid:0000-0002-3753-5899 . 2015 Distribution, population structure and trophodynamics of Southern Ocean Gymnoscopelus (Myctophidae) in the Scotia Sea. Polar Biology, 38 (3). 287-308. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-014-1584-9 <https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-014-1584-9> |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-014-1584-9 |
container_title |
Polar Biology |
container_volume |
38 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
287 |
op_container_end_page |
308 |
_version_ |
1766248777177366528 |