Temporal fluctuations in zooplankton size, abundance, and taxonomic composition since 1995 in the North Western Mediterranean Sea

Type Article
Date 2022-04
Language English
Author(s) Feuilloley GuillaumeORCID1, Fromentin Jean-MarcORCID1, Saraux Claire2, Irisson Jean-Olivier3, Jalabert Laetitia3, Stemmann Lars3
Affiliation(s) 1 : MARBEC, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, Sète, France
2 : IPHC UMR 7178, DEPE, University of Strasbourg, CNRS, 67000 Strasbourg, France
3 : Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire d’Océanographie de Villefranche, 06230 Villefranche-sur-mer, France
Source Ices Journal Of Marine Science (1054-3139) (Oxford University Press (OUP)), 2022-04 , Vol. 79 , N. 3 , P. 882-900
DOI 10.1093/icesjms/fsab190
WOS© Times Cited 13
Keyword(s) environment, North Western Mediterranean Sea, time series, zooplankton
Abstract

In the Gulf of Lions, small pelagic fish have shown reduced body size and body condition after 2007 that would result from changes in zooplankton community. We therefore examined zooplankton density, body size, and taxonomic composition at the closest long-term monitoring station (1995–2019): the coastal Point-B. To cover a broader spectrum of zooplankton community, samples obtained from two nets, the WP2 (200 µm mesh size) and the Regent (690 µm), were analysed with the imaging Zooscan method. One important result was the high stability through time of the zooplankton community. No long-term monotonous trends in density, size, and taxonomic composition were detected. Interannual variations in zooplankton size and density were not significantly correlated to any environmental variable, suggesting the possible importance of biotic interactions. Still, an increase in temperature was followed by a sharp decrease of zooplankton density in 2015, after which only gelatinous groups recovered. No change in the zooplankton community was detected around 2007 to support bottom-up control on small pelagic fish. Whether this derives from different local processes between the Gulf of Lions and the Ligurian Sea cannot be excluded, highlighting the need for simultaneous monitoring of different ecosystem compartments to fully understand the impact of climate change.

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Feuilloley Guillaume, Fromentin Jean-Marc, Saraux Claire, Irisson Jean-Olivier, Jalabert Laetitia, Stemmann Lars (2022). Temporal fluctuations in zooplankton size, abundance, and taxonomic composition since 1995 in the North Western Mediterranean Sea. Ices Journal Of Marine Science, 79(3), 882-900. Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsab190 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00732/84366/