Zooplankton long-term changes in the NW Mediterranean Sea: Decadal periodicity forced by winter hydrographic conditions related to large-scale atmospheric changes?

• Published in: Journal of Marine Systems
• Main Authors: Garcia-Comas, Carmen, Stemmann, Lars, Ibanez, Frederic, Berline, Léo, Mazzocchi, Maria Grazia, Gasparini, Stephane, Picheral, Marc, Gorsky, Gabriel
• Other Authors: Open University of Catalonia Barcelona, Laboratoire d'océanographie de Villefranche (LOV), Observatoire océanologique de Villefranche-sur-mer (OOVM), Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire des Écoulements Géophysiques et Industriels Grenoble (LEGI), Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (SZN), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de la Mer de Villefranche (IMEV), Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2011
• Subjects: [SDU.STU.OC]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Oceanography; North Atlantic; North Atlantic oscillation
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-03502020; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmarsys.2011.04.003

Copepod, chaetognath, decapod larva, siphonophore and jellyfish monthly abundances, from 1974 to 2003 at Point B (northwestern Mediterranean), were obtained with the ZooScan. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed on zooplankton, and another PCA on local environment. Almost-decadal periods (1974-1982, 1983-1991, 1992-1999, and 2000-2003) were distinguished in the 1st PC of zooplankton, and that of local environment (1974-1980, 1981-1991, 1992-1998, and 1999-2003). The 1st PC of local environment was correlated with winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) until early 19905. In early 1980s, all groups increased and the majority of the decade abundances were above the long-term average for most groups. In the 1990s, all decreased, and in early 2000s they increased. This synchrony suggests bottom-up control as main mechanism structuring these groups. The 1980s were characterized by low winter temperature and high salinity. We hypothesize that phytoplankton production was favored during that decade due to increased nutrient uprise to surface by strong winter vertical mixing. In the 1990s salinity decreased probably to the detriment of vertical mixing and carrying capacity of the system. These results stress the role of salinity as physical forcing on water-column stability, in the NW Mediterranean, and the importance of winter conditions to determine the state of pelagic ecosystems. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.