2 research outputs found
Zooplankton Abundance and Diversity in the Tropical and Subtropical Ocean
The abundance and composition of zooplankton down to 3000 m depth was studied in
the subtropical and tropical latitudes across the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans (35 N–40 S).
Samples were collected from December 2010 to June 2011 during the Malaspina Circumnavigation
Expedition. Usually, low abundances were observed with the highest values found in the North
Pacific Ocean, Benguela, and o Mauritania, and the lowest in the South Pacific Ocean. No significant
di erences in abundance and zooplankton composition were found among oceans, with depth being
consistently the most important factor a ecting their distribution. Each depth strata were inhabited by
distinct copepod assemblages, which significantly di ered among the strata. The contribution
of copepods to the zooplankton community increased with the depth although, as expected,
their abundance strongly decreased. Among the copepods, 265 species were identified but 85%
were rare and contributed less than 1% in abundance. Clausocalanus furcatus and Nannocalanus minor
dominated the epipelagic strata. Pleuromamma abdominalis and Lucicutia clausi were of importance in
the mesopelagic layer, and Pareucalanus, Triconia, Conaea and Metridia brevicauda in the bathypelagic
layer. Our results provide a global-scale assessment of copepod biodiversity and distribution,
providing a contemporary benchmark to follow future ocean changes at low latitudes