Distribution of zooplankton in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean

The community composition of zooplankton with an emphasis on copepods was assessed in the frontal zones of the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean (SO) during summer 2013. Copepods were the dominant group in both the bongo net and multiple plankton sampler across the entire region. High zooplankton...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Antarctic science 2020-06, Vol.32 (3), p.168-179
Main Authors: Venkataramana, V., Anilkumar, N., Swadling, K., Mishra, R.K., Tripathy, S.C., Sarkar, A., Augusta, Soares Melena, Sabu, P., Pillai, Honey U.K.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abundance
Antarctic front
Aquatic crustaceans
Biogeography
Biomass
Calanus propinquus
Community composition
Community structure
Copepoda
Copepods
Distribution
Frontal zones
High temperature
Indicator organisms
Indicator species
Low temperature
Oceans
Plankton
Polar fronts
Population structure
Salinity
Tropical climate
Water temperature
Zooplankton
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Summary:The community composition of zooplankton with an emphasis on copepods was assessed in the frontal zones of the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean (SO) during summer 2013. Copepods were the dominant group in both the bongo net and multiple plankton sampler across the entire region. High zooplankton abundance was recorded along each transect in the Polar Front (PF). Community structure in this front was dominated by common taxa, including Ctenocalanus citer , Clausocalanus spp., Calanoides acutus , Calanus propinquus , Calanus australis and Rhincalanus gigas , which together accounted for > 62% of the total abundance. Calocalanus spp., Neocalanus tonsus and C. propinquus were indicator species in the Sub-Tropical Front (STF), Sub-Antarctic Front and PF, respectively. A strong contrast in population structure and biovolume was observed between then PF and the STF. The community structure of smaller copepods was associated with the high-temperature region, whereas communities of larger copepods were associated with the low-temperature region. Thus, it seems probable that physical and biological characteristics of the SO frontal regions are controlling the abundance and distribution of zooplankton community structure by restricting some species to the warmer stratified zones and some species to the well-mixed zone.
ISSN:0954-1020
1365-2079
DOI:10.1017/S0954102019000579