| Summary: | This presentation was held in March 2024 during the 7th International Zooplankton Production Symposium in Hobart (Australia) during the Session 10: Zooplankton in changing polar oceans. Abstract: Copepods dominate the zooplankton community in terms of species richness andnumbers in sub-Arctic and Arctic seas. They are very successful in these strong seasonal environments and to assess the different expressions of functions performed by the copepods we are using a trait based approach.The aim is to gain insights into the composition and distribution of functional traits within thespecies pool and unravel relationships among functional traits, the environment, and the community structure. We hypothesise that copepod communities will be differently shaped during different times of the year and bear different associated functions. Data were gathered within the framework of the Nansen Legacy in the Barents Sea, encompassing the eastern Svalbard region, over four distinct campaigns, notably including the sparsely st udied winter season. To achieve the results we employed ordination methods, exploring the interconnection among traits, environment, and abundances. Furthermore, different functional diversity indices were investigated to capture the seasonal variation, elucidating how the seasons impact the ecological contributions of copepods and their ecosystem role. Finally, RLQ (co inertia analysis) was carried out to gain an integrated view. Our preliminary results show that despite strong seasonal variations, the pooled copepod community assembly is rather resilient with little seasonal variability. In conclusion, by exploring the intricate relationships between copepods, their functional traits, and the environment, we are seeking a deeper understanding of the vital role copepods play in the face of seasonal variability in the Arctic.
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