2012年夏季楚科奇海浮游动物垂直迁移及上升流对其生物量的影响

The diel vertical migration(DVM) of zooplankton and the influence of upwelling on zooplankton biomass were examined using water column data of current velocity and mean volume backscattering strength(MVBS)collected by moored acoustic Doppler current profilers(ADCPs) deployed in the southeastern Chukchi Sea during the 5th Chinese National Arctic Research Expedition(CHINARE) in summer 2012, combined with the satellite observational data such as sea surface temperature(SST), wind, and chlorophyll a(Chl a). Hourly acoustic data were continuously collected for 49-d in the mooring site. Spectral analysis indicated that there were different migrating patterns of zooplankton, even though precisely classifying the zooplankton taxa was not available. The prevailing 24-h cycle corresponded to the normal DVM with zooplankton swimming upwards at sunrise and returning to deep waters at sunset. There was a clear DVM in the upper 17 m of the water column during the period with distinct day-night cycles, and no active DVM throughout the water column when the sun above the horizon(polar day), suggesting that light intensity was the trigger for DVM. Also there was a second migrating pattern with 12-h cycle. The upwelling event occurring in the northwest of Alaskan coastal area had important influence on zooplankton biomass at the mooring site. During the upwelling, the SST close to the mooring site dropped significantly from maximal 6.35°C to minimal 1.31°C within five days. Simultaneously, there was a rapid increase in the MVBS and Chl a level, suggesting the aggregation of zooplankton related to upwelling.     

The diel vertical migration of the sound-scattering layer in the Yellow Sea Bottom Cold Water of the southeastern Yellow Sea：focus on its relationship with a temperature structure

Using the hydroacoustic method with a 200 kHz scientific echo sounding system,the diel vertical migration(DVM) of the sound-scattering layer(SSL) in the Yellow Sea Bottom Cold Water(YSBCW) of the southeastern Yellow Sea was studied in April(spring) and August(summer) of 2010 and 2011.For each survey,13–27 hours of acoustic data were continuously collected at a stationary station.The acoustic volume scattering strength(Sv) data were analyzed with temperature profile data.In the spring of both 2010 and 2011,the SSL clearly showed the vertical migration throughout the entire water column,moving from the surface layer at night to near the bottom during the day.Conductivity,temperature,and depth data indicated that the entire water column was well mixed with low temperature of about 8 C.However,the SSL showed different patterns in the summers of 2010 and 2011.In the summer of 2010(28 C at the surface),the SSL migrated to near the bottom during the day,but there were two SSLs above and below the thermocline at depth of 10–30 m at night.In the summer of 2011(20 C at the surface),the SSL extended throughout the entire water column at night,possibly owing to an abrupt change in sea weather conditions caused by the passage of a Typhoon Muifa over the study area.It was concluded that the DVM patterns in summer in the YSBCW area may be greatly influenced by a strengthened or weakened thermocline.     

The decomposition rate of the organic carbon content of suspended particulate matter in the tropical seagrass meadows

In terms of downward transport, suspended particulate matter(SPM) from marine or terrigenous sources is an essential contributor to the carbon cycle. Within mesoscale environments such as seagrass ecosystems, SPM flux is an essential part of the total carbon budget that is transported within the ecosystem. By assessing the total SPM transport from water column to sediment, potential carbon burial can be estimated. However, SPM may decompose or reforming aggregate during transport, so estimating the vertical flux without knowing the decomposition rate will lead to over-or underestimation of the total carbon budget. Here this paper presents the potential decomposition rate of the SPM in seagrass ecosystems in an attempt to elucidate the carbon dynamics of SPM. SPM was collected from the seagrass ecosystems located at Sikka and Sorong in Indonesia. In situ experiments using SPM traps were conducted to assess the vertical downward flux and decomposition rate of SPM. The isotopic profile of SPM was measured together with organic carbon and total nitrogen content. The results show that SPM was transported to the bottom of the seagrass ecosystem at a rate of up to(129.45±53.79)mg/(m~2·h)(according to carbon). Considering the whole period of inundation of seagrass meadows, SPM downward flux reached a maximum of 3 096 mg/(m~2·d)(according to carbon). The decomposition rate was estimated at from 5.9 μg/(mg·d)(according to carbon) to 26.6 μg/(mg·d)(according to carbon). Considering the total downward flux of SPM in the study site, the maximum decomposed SPM was estimated 39.9 mg/(m~2·d)(according to carbon) and 82.6 mg/(m~2·d)(according to carbon) for study site at Sorong and Sikka, respectively.The decomposed SPM can be 0.6%–2.7% of the total SPM flux, indicating that it is a small proportion of the total flux. The seagrass ecosystems of Sorong and Sikka SPM show an autochthonous tendency with the primary composition of marine-end materials.     

The diel verticalmigration of sound scatterers observed by an acoustic Doppler current profiler in the Luzon Strait from July 2009 to April 2011

Acoustic Doppler current profiler （ADCP） receives echoes from sound scatterers, then their speed is calcu- lated by the Doppler effect. In the open ocean, most of these backscatterers are from the plankton. The sound scatterers descend down to depth at around dawn, their mean speed is 2.9 cm/s, then they ascend up to the surface layer at around dusk with a mean speed of 2.1 cm/s, in the Luzon Strait. The descending speed is faster, which suggests that this zooplankton population may accelerate its downward migration under the action of the gravity. The vertical distribution of a mean volume backscattering strength （MVB- S） in the nighttime has two peaks, which locate near the upper and lower boundary layers of halocline, respectively. However, the backscatterers only aggregate near the surface layer in the daytime. The diel ver- tical migration （DVM） of sound scatterers has several characteristic patterns, it is stronger in summer, but weaker in winter, and the maximum peak occurs in September. The DVM occurrence is synchronous with the seawater temperature increasing at around dawn and dusk, it may affect the ocean mixing and water stratification,     

Diel vertical migration of the copepod Calanus sinicus before and during formation of the Yellow Sea Cold Bottom Water in the Yellow Sea

To understand the effects of the Yellow Sea Cold Bottom Water(YSCBW)on the diel vertical migration(DVM)of the copepod Calanus sinicus,we surveyed vertical distribution of C.sinicus at a fixed station in the Yellow Sea before(spring)and during(summer)formation of the YSCBW.Cold water(<10 C)was observed in the bottom layer when the water column was thermally stratified in summer,but the water column was thermally well-mixed in spring 2010.Samples were collected from five different layers at 3-h intervals using an opening-closing net.Adult females(1–155 ind./m3)showed a clear normal DVM pattern throughout the entire water column in spring,whereas adult males did not migrate.DVM of copepodite V(CV)individuals was not clear,but the maximum abundance of CI–CIV occurred consistently in the upper 10–20 m layer,where there was a high concentration of chlorophyll-a(Chl-a)(0.49–1.19μg/L).In summer,weak DVM was limited to cold waters beneath the thermocline for adult females(<30 ind./m3),but not for adult males.The maximum abundance of CI–CIV also occurred consistently in the subsurface layer(20–40 m)together with high concentrations of Chl-a(0.81–2.36μg/L).CV individuals(1–272 ind./m3)moved slightly upward nocturnally to the near-surface layer(10–20 m),where the average temperature was 25.74 C,but they were not found in the surface layer(0–10 m;28.31 C).These results indicate that the existence of the YSBCW affected food availability at depth and the vertical temperature distribution,leading to variation in the amplitude and shape of stage-specific vertical distributions(CI to adults)in C.sinicus before and during the formation of cold waters in the Yellow Sea during the study period.     

环境因素对杭州湾中型浮游动物群落结构的控制作用

A quarterly study of mesozooplankton community structure and environmental variables in the Hangzhou Bay was conducted to examine the response of mesozooplankton community to the variation of water mass and environmental condition. The southeast coast of China is a typical region under the intensive influence of Asia monsoon and freshwater discharge from rivers. The water mass and environmental condition of the Hangzhou Bay, which were influenced by the interaction of currents, freshwater discharge of the Qiantang River and Changjiang River Plume, showed significant seasonal variation. Our results showed that both biomass and abundance were significantly higher in summer((247.7±148.8) mg/m~3 and(350.9±215.6) ind./m~3, respectively)than those in other seasons. Four eco-geographical regions were divided based on the cluster analysis of zooplankton community of the Hangzhou Bay throughout the year, except for winter. Monsoon and the dissolved inorganic nitrogen(DIN) input from freshwater discharge of the Qiantang River and Changjiang River resulted in temporal and spatial variations of environmental gradient in the Hangzhou Bay, which significantly influenced the structure of mesozooplankton community. Redundancy analysis(RDA) indicated that the mesozooplankton community structure was strictly correlated with the DIN gradient, while salinity gradient showed a weak influence in the Hangzhou Bay.     

Preliminary study of the retention mechanism of planktonic copepods in the Jiulong Estuary in China

The horizontal and vertical distribution patterns of five planktonic copepods,Calanus sinicus, Acartia pacifica, Tortanus derjugini, Acartiella sinensis and Pseudodiaptomus poplesia, predominant in the Jiulong Estuary, were investigated from May 2003 to April 2004. The results showed that the distribution of these copepods was related to the tidal period but that each species had its own specific pattern. C. sinicus showed no tidal vertical migration behavior and was thought to be a non-resident species in this estuary. Among Acartia pacifica,T. derjugini,Acartiella sinensis, more individuals occurred in the surface than in the bottom waters during flood tide, and the pattern was reversed during ebb tide. The epibenthic copepod P. poplesia usually remained in the bottom waters in the upstream part of the estuary, but it displayed strong tidally-oriented vertical migration in the middle reaches of the estuary.Taking into account the hydrographic characteristics of the Jiulong Estuary,it was hypothesized that the planktonic copepods in this estuary had more or less adopted the mechanism of vertically migrating to the surface waters during flood tide in order to make use of the inflowing tide, and then sinking to the bottom during ebb tide to avoid being carried out of the estuary by net outflow.     

Phylogenetic diversity of planktonic bacteria in the Chukchi Borderland region in summer

Planktonic bacteria are abundant in the Chukchi Borderland region. However, little is known about their diversity and the roles of various bacteria in the ocean. Seawater samples were collected from two stations K2S and K4S where sea ice was melting obviously. The analysis of water samples with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) showed that DMSP-degrading bacteria accounted for 13% of the total bacteria at the station K2S. No aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic (AAP) bacteria were detected in both samples. The bacterial communities were characterized by two 16S rRNA gene clone libraries. Sequences fell into four major lineages of the domain Bacteria, including Proteobacteria (Alpha, Beta and Gamma subclasses), Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria and Firmicutes. No significant difference was found between the two clone libraries. SAR11 and Rhodobacteraceae clades of Alphaproteobacteria and Pseudoalteromonas of Gammapro-teobacteria constituted three dominant fractions in the clone libraries. A total of 191 heterotrophic bacterial strains were isolated and 76% showed extracellular proteolytic activity. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that the isolates fell into Gammaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria and Firmicutes. The most common genus in both the bacterial isolates and protease-producing bacteria was Pseudoalteromonas. UniFrac data showed suggestive differences in bacterial communities between the Chukchi Borderland and the northern Bering Sea.     

中国北部黄海近岸水体周丛硅藻的群落群集动态特征的研究

The colonization features of periphytic diatoms were studied in coastal waters of the Yellow Sea, northern China from May to June 2010, using glass slides as an artificial substratum. Samples were collected at a time interval of 1, 3, 7, 10, 14, 21 and 28 d from two depths of 1 and 3 m. The dynamics of diatom colonization process had a similar pattern in community structure and fitted the logistic model in growth curve at both depths. The maximum abundance and the time for reaching 50% maximum abundance （10 d） showed no significant differences （P〉0.05） between two depths 1 and 3 m. Although the diatom communities repre- sented similar taxonomic composition, they differed in the temporal pattern of structural parameters and in succession dynamics of dominant species between the two layers. The species richness showed significantly higher values during the colonization period more than 14 d, while the species diversity and evenness rep- resented a higher variability with significantly different values （P〈0.05） at a depth of 1 m than at a deeper layer. The results suggest that the diatom colonization follows the logistic model growth curve and differs in colonization features between different depths in the coastal waters, and that the sampling strategy at i m is more effective to detect the ecological features for bioassessment in marine ecosystems.     

Dark respiration in the light and in darkness of three marine macroalgal species grown under ambient and elevated CO2 concentrations

Dark respiration (non-photorespiratory mitochondrial respiration),which occurs both in the light and in darkness,is vital for growth and survival of algae and plays a critical role in modulating the carbon balance of them.In the present study,we have investigated dark respiration in the light (R L) and in darkness (R D) in three marine macroalgal species,Hizikia fusiformis (phaeophyta),Gracilaria lemaneiformis (Rhodophyta) and Ulva lactuca (Chlorophyta),cultured at 20℃ using aeration with two CO 2 conditions:current ambient (CO 2 concentration about 380 μl/L) and elevated CO 2 (approximately 720 μl/L) air.R L was estimated by using the Kok method,whereas R D was determined as the rate of O 2 influx at zero light.The results showed that both R L and R D were unchanged for the elevated CO 2-grown algae relative to ambient CO 2 concentration for all the algal species tested.However,R L was significantly lower than R D across all the algal species and growth CO 2 treatments,demonstrating that daytime respiration was partly depressed by the light.The percentage of inhibition of respiration by light was similar between ambient and elevated CO 2 grown algae.The ratio of respiration to photosynthesis,which tended to decrease when estimated using R L instead of R D,was not altered for the elevated relative to ambient CO 2 concentration.The results suggest that R L,rather than R D,is a more accurate estimate of nonphotorespiratory carbon loss in marine macroalgae during the daytime.It would not be anticipated that elevated atmospheric CO 2 would exert a substantial influence on respiratory flux either in the light or in darkness in these particular marine macroalgal species.     

Impacts of the wintertime mesozooplankton community to downward carbon flux in the subarctic and subtropical Pacific Oceans

We compared wintertime depth distributions of the mesozooplankton community and dominant copepods between the subtropical (S1) and subarctic (K2) Pacific Oceans to evaluate the relative importance of actively transported carbon by vertical migrants to sinking particulate organic carbon flux. Primary production was higher and the ratio of sinking particulate organic carbon flux to primary production was lower at S1 compared with those at K2. The mesozooplankton community was lower in abundance and biomass at S1 compared to K2. Copepods were the dominant group among both mesozooplankton abundance and biomass throughout the water column down to 1000 m at both sites. The depth distribution showed that diel vertical migration was obvious for the mesozooplankton abundance and biomass at S1 but was not apparent for the abundance at K2, because the dominant component was diurnally migrating species at S1 and overwintering species residing at mesopelagic depths at K2. The major components of diel migrants were copepods and euphausiids at S1 and only euphausiids at K2. Respiratory flux by the diurnally migrating mesozooplankton was estimated to be 2 mgC m⁻² day⁻¹ at S1 and 7 mgC m⁻² day⁻¹ at K2. The respiratory flux was equivalent to 131% of sedimentary fecal pellet flux at S1 and 136% of that at K2. Because pathways of downward carbon flux are facilitated by the mesozooplankton community, the actively transported carbon (respiration of dissolved inorganic carbon, excretion of dissolved organic carbon and egestion of fecal pellets at depth) might be larger during winter than the flux of sinking fecal pellets.     

Distribution depth of the transforming stage larvae of myctophid fishes in the subtropical–tropical waters of the western North Pacific

We describe the day–night vertical distribution patterns of 18 species or types of myctophid fish larvae at the transforming stage based on discrete depth sampling from the surface down to 1000-m depth in the subtropical–tropical western North Pacific. A total of 551 transforming stage larvae were collected at the 19 sampling stations. Except for the Diaphus species and Notolychnus valdiviae, all of the transforming stage larvae (including genera Benthosema, Bolinichthys, Centrobranchus, Ceratoscopelus, Diogenichthys, Hygophum, Lampanyctus, Lobianchia, Myctophum, Symbolophorus, and Triphoturus) were collected in the lower mesopelagic zone from 600- to 900-m depth during both day and night, showing no diel vertical migration (DVM). On the contrary, the Diaphus species and N. valdiviae larvae undergo DVM during the transforming stage, occurring below 200-m layer during the daytime and migrating up to the upper 150-m layer at night, i.e., they show earlier adaptation to juvenile–adult behaviors. Most myctophid fish larvae are known to undertake substantial ontogenetic vertical migration (OVM) from the epipelagic to mesopelagic zones during their early life stage. Although considerable sampling effort was carried out in this study, transforming larvae, except for the above two migratory ones, were not collected in the epipelagic and upper mesopelagic zones, strongly suggesting that their sinking speed would be high. It would be advantageous for survival to spend their highly vulnerable transforming stage in the lower mesopelagic zone, where predation pressures are lower and physical conditions are more stable than in the upper layers.     

Seasonal variability in carbon demand and flux by mesozooplankton communities at subarctic and subtropical sites in the western North Pacific Ocean

We investigated seasonal changes in carbon demand and flux by mesozooplankton communities at subtropical (S1) and subarctic sites (K2) in the western North Pacific Ocean to compare the impact of mesozooplankton communities on the carbon budget in surface and mesopelagic layers. Fecal pellet fluxes were one order higher at K2 than at S1, and seemed to be enhanced by copepod and euphausiid egestion under high chlorophyll a concentrations. The decrease in pellet volume and the lack of any substantial change in shape composition during sink suggest a decline in fecal pellet flux due to coprorhexy and coprophagy. While respiratory and excretory carbon by diel migrants at depth (i.e., active carbon flux) was similar between the two sites, the actively transported carbon exceeded sinking fecal pellets at S1. Mesozooplankton carbon demand in surface and mesopelagic layers was higher at K2 than S1, and an excess of demand to primary production and sinking POC flux was found during some seasons at K2. We propose that this demand was met by supplementary carbon sources such as feeding on protozoans and fecal pellets at the surface and carnivory of migrants at mesopelagic depths.     

Mesozooplankton spatial distribution and community structure in the South Adriatic Sea during two winters (2015, 2016)

Whereas the data on mesozooplankton in the epipelagic offshore Mediterranean Sea are extensive, less information is available about plankton in the deeper layers. The present study aims to describe the vertical and horizontal structure and distribution of mesozooplankton species and their associations down to 1,200 m in the water of the Southern Adriatic Sea. Zooplankton were sampled using a Nansen net of 200‐μm mesh size during two cruises in the winters of 2015 and 2016, extending from the coast to the open sea. In total, 203 zooplankton taxa were identified. The community was dominated by copepods, representing between 67% and 91% of the total abundance. The highest total densities were recorded in the upper layers where a high proportion (up to 36%) of appendicularians was also observed in the first sampled year. Five groups of samples were determined based on their community structure. In 2015 communities were distinct between the 0 and 50 m layer and the underlying one (50–100 m), whereas in 2016 epipelagic waters were inhabited by a more uniform mesozooplankton community. The mesopelagic and deep‐water fauna, especially copepods, showed a relatively stable composition in both sampling years Overall, our study confirms the oligotrophic character of the Southern Adriatic, with occasional density outbreaks of appendicularians under favourable conditions.     

Zooplankton community structure in a cyclonic and mode-water eddy in the Sargasso Sea

Mesoscale eddies are important suppliers of nutrients to the surface waters of oligotrophic gyres, but little is known about the biological response, particularly that of higher trophic levels, to these physical perturbations. During the summers of 2004 and 2005, we followed the development of a cyclonic eddy and an anti-cyclonic mode-water eddy in the Sargasso Sea. Zooplankton (>150 μm) were collected across both eddies in 9 discrete depth intervals between 0 and 700 m. Comparison of the abundance of major taxa of mesozooplankton in the upper 150 m at eddy center and outside the eddies (day and night) indicated that the cyclone and mode-water eddy supported similar mesozooplankton communities, with several taxa significantly higher in abundance inside than outside the eddies, when compared with the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study site as representative of mean conditions. In both eddies copepod peak abundance occurred in the 50-100 m depth interval, coincident with the chlorophyll a maximum, suggesting elevated food concentration in the eddies may have influenced zooplankton vertical distribution. The two eddies differed in the strength of diel vertical migration of zooplankton, as indicated by the ratio of night:day abundance in the epipelagic zone, which was higher at the center of the mode-water eddy for most taxa. Over the sampling interval of 1-2 months, abundance of the three most common taxa (copepods, chaetognaths, and ostracods) decreased in the cyclone and increased in the mode-water eddy. This further supports previous findings that over the sampling period the cyclone was in a decay phase, while the mode-water eddy was sustaining nutrient fluxes and high phytoplankton concentrations. A more detailed analysis of community structure in the mode-water eddy indicated the 0-700 m integrated abundance of doliolids was significantly higher inside the mode-water eddy than outside. The presence of a mesopelagic (200-700 m) layer of lepadid barnacle cyprids in this eddy highlights the potential of eddies to transport and disperse biota. We conclude that when compared with average ambient conditions (as measured at BATS), mesoscale eddies can influence zooplankton behavior and alter zooplankton community structure which can affect food-web interactions and biogeochemical cycling in the open ocean.     

Full-depth profiles of prokaryotes,heterotrophic nanoflagellates,and ciliates along a transect from the equatorial to the subarctic central Pacific Ocean

Studies in epipelagic waters report higher heterotrophic microbial biomass in the productive high latitudes than in the oligotrophic low latitudes; however, biogeographical data are scarce in the deep ocean. To examine the hypothesis that the observed latitudinal differences in heterotrophic microbial biomass in the epipelagic zone also occur at depth, abundance and biomass of heterotrophic prokaryotes, nanoflagellates (HNF), and ciliates were determined at depths of 5–5000 m in the central Pacific between August and September of 2005. Heterotrophic microbial biomass increased from the tropical to the subarctic region over the full water column, with latitudinal differences in prokaryotic biomass increasing from 2.3-fold in the epipelagic zone to 4.4-fold in the bathypelagic zone. However, the latitudinal difference in HNF and ciliate biomass decreased with depth. In the mesopelagic zone, the vertical attenuation rate of prokaryotic abundance, which was calculated as the linear regression slope of log-log plot of abundance versus depth, ranged from –0.55 to –1.26 and was more pronounced (steeper slope) in the lower latitudes. In contrast, the vertical attenuation rate of HNF in the mesopelagic zone (–1.06 to –1.27) did not differ with latitude. In the subarctic, the attenuation rate of HNF was 1.7 times steeper than for prokaryotes. These results suggest the accumulation of prokaryotes in the deep subarctic Pacific, possibly due to low grazing pressure. Although the vertical attenuation rate of ciliates was steepest in the bathypelagic zone, HNF abundance did not further decrease at depths below 1000 m, except for at 2000 m where HNF was lowest across the study area. Ciliate abundance ranged 0.3–0.8 cells l^–1 at 4000 m, and were below the detection limit (<0.1 cells l ^–1) at 5000 m. To our knowledge, this study presents the first data for ciliates below 2000 m.     

High concentrations of marine snow and diatom algal mats in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre: Implications for carbon and nitrogen cycles in the oligotrophic ocean

A video plankton recorder (VPR) and a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) were utilized on three cruises in the oligotrophic North Pacific Subtropical Gyre (NPSG) between 1995 and 2002 to quantify the size and abundance of marine snow and Rhizosolenia diatom mats within the upper 305 m of the water column. Quantitative image analysis of video collected by the VPR and an ROV-mounted particle imaging system provides the first transect of marine snow size and abundance across the central North Pacific Gyre extending from 920 km NW of Oahu to 555 km off Southern California. Snow abundance in the upper 55 m was surprisingly high for this oligotrophic region, with peak values of 6.0–13.0×10³ aggregates m⁻³ at the western- and easternmost stations. At stations located in the middle of the transect (farthest from HI and CA), upper water column snow abundance displayed values of 0.5–1.0×10³ aggregates m⁻³. VPR and ROV imagery also provided in situ documentation of the presence of nitrogen-transporting, vertically migrating Rhizosolenia mats from the surface to >300 m with mat abundances ranging from 0 to 10 mats m⁻³. There was clear evidence that Rhizosolenia mats commonly reach sub-nutricline depths. The mats were noted to be a common feature in the North Pacific Gyre, with the lower salinity edge of the California Current appearing to be the easternmost extent of their oceanic distribution. Based on ROV observations at depth, flux by large (1.5 cm) mats is revised upward 4.5-fold, yielding an average value of 40 μmol N m⁻² d⁻¹, a value equaling previous estimates that included much smaller mats visible only to towed optical systems. Our results suggest that the occurrence across a broad region of the NPSG of particulate organic matter production events represented by high concentrations of Rhizosolenia mats, associated mesozooplankton, and abundant detrital marine aggregates may represent significant stochastic components in the overall carbon, nitrogen, and silica budgets of the oligotrophic subtropical gyre. Likewise, their presence has important implications for the proposed climate-driven, ecosystem reorganization or domain shift occurring in the NPSG.     

Seasonal changes in the mesozooplankton biomass and community structure in subarctic and subtropical time-series stations in the western North Pacific

Seasonal changes in mesozooplankton biomass and their community structures were observed at time-series stations K2 (subarctic) and S1 (subtropical) in the western North Pacific Ocean. At K2, the maximum biomass was observed during the spring when primary productivity was still low. The annual mean biomasses in the euphotic and 200- to 1000-m layers were 1.39 (day) and 2.49 (night) g C m^?2 and 4.00 (day) and 3.63 (night) g C m^?2, respectively. Mesozooplankton vertical distribution was bimodal and mesopelagic peak was observed in a 200- to 300-m layer; it mainly comprised dormant copepods. Copepods predominated in most sampling layers, but euphausiids were dominant at the surface during the night. At S1, the maximum biomass was observed during the spring and the peak timing of biomass followed those of chlorophyll a and primary productivity. The annual mean biomasses in the euphotic and 200- to 1000-m layers were 0.10 (day) and 0.21 (night) g C m^?2 and 0.47 (day) and 0.26 (night) g C m^?2, respectively. Copepods were dominant in most sampling layers, but their mean proportion was lower than that in K2. Mesozooplankton community characteristics at both sites were compared with those at other time-series stations in the North Pacific and with each other. The annual mean primary productivities and sinking POC fluxes were equivalent at both sites; however, mesozooplankton biomasses were higher at K2 than at S1. The difference of biomasses was probably caused by differences of individual carbon losses, population turnover rates, and trophic structures of communities between the two sites.     

Diel variations of the bathymetric distribution of zooplankton groups and biomass in Cap-Ferret Canyon,France

The bathymetric distribution, abundance and diel vertical migrations (DVM) of zooplankton were investigated along the axis of the Cap-Ferret Canyon (Bay of Biscay, French Atlantic coast) by a consecutive series of synchronous net hauls that sampled the whole water column (0–2000 m in depth) during a diel cycle. The distribution of appendicularians (maximum 189 individuals m⁻³), cladocerans (maximum 287 individuals m⁻³), copepods (copepods<4 mm, maximum 773 individuals m⁻³, copepods>4 mm, maximum 13 individuals m⁻³), ostracods (maximum 8 individuals m⁻³), siphonophores (maximum >2 individuals m⁻³) and peracarids (maximum >600 individuals 1000 m⁻³) were analysed and represented by isoline diagrams. The biomass of total zooplankton (maximum 18419 μg C m⁻³, 3780 μg N m⁻³) and large copepods (>4 mm maximum 2256 μg C m⁻³, 425 μg N m⁻³) also were determined. Vertical migration was absent or affected only the epipelagic zone for appendicularians, cladocerans, small copepods and siphonophores. Average amplitude of vertical migration was about 400–500 m for ostracods, some hyperiids and mysids, and large copepods, which were often present in the epipelagic, mesopelagic, and bathypelagic zones. Large copepods can constitute more than 80% of the biomass corresponding to total zooplankton. They may play an important role in the active vertical transfer of carbon and nitrogen.     

Biomass, Abundance, and Vertical Distribution of Micronekton and Large Gelatinous Zooplankton in the Subarctic Pacific and the Bering Sea during the Summer of 1997

The biomass, abundance, and vertical distribution of micronekton, including enidarians, mysids, euphausiids, decapods, thaliaceans, and fishes, were studied on the basis of samples collected with an 8-m² opening-closing rectangular midwater trawl (RMT-8, mesh size: 4.5 mm) at three stations in the subarctic Pacific (the western subarctic gyre, the central Subarctic, and the Gulf of Alaska) and one station in the oceanic Bering Sea. The total biomass in the 0–1000 m water column ranged from 2.9 to 5.1 gDW m^–2. Except for primary consumers that showed highly variable biomass (thaliaceans and euphausiids), biomass was highest in the oceanic Bering Sea followed by the central (boundary between eastern and western gyres), western gyre, and eastern Gulf of Alaska. The biomass compositions by higher taxa were basically similar between regions: fishes were most dominant, followed by enidarians at all stations, except for the marked predominance of thaliaceans in the Gulf of Alaska. High biomasses of gelatinous animals (31% of overall dry weight), occasionally comparable to those of fishes and crustaceans, suggest their potential importance in the subarctic Pacific. Characteristics in vertical patterns of micronekton biomass common in all stations were: (1) a mesopelagic peak around 500–600 m both day and night, (2) a layer of low biomass in the cold intermediate water and/or in the upper mesopelagic zone, (3) a nighttime shift of biomass to upper layers, and (4) an highly variable biomass of epipelagic/interzonal migrants (euphausiids and thaliaceans).