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Spatial and temporal changes in biomass, production and assemblage structure of mesozooplanktonic copepods in the tropical south-west Atlantic Ocean

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 December 2014

C.O. Dias*
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Laboratório Integrado de Zooplâncton e Ictioplâncton, Prédio do CCS, Bloco A, Cidade Universitária, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro 21.941-590, Brazil
A.V. Araujo
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Laboratório Integrado de Zooplâncton e Ictioplâncton, Prédio do CCS, Bloco A, Cidade Universitária, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro 21.941-590, Brazil
S.C. Vianna
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Laboratório Integrado de Zooplâncton e Ictioplâncton, Prédio do CCS, Bloco A, Cidade Universitária, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro 21.941-590, Brazil
L.F. Loureiro Fernandes
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Departamento de Oceanografia e Ecologia, Vitória, Espírito Santo 29075-910, Brazil
R. Paranhos
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Biologia Marinha, Laboratório de Hidrobiologia, Prédio do CCS, Bloco A, Cidade Universitária, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro 21.941-590, Brazil
M.S. Suzuki
Affiliation:
Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro 28013-602, Brazil
S.L.C. Bonecker
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Laboratório Integrado de Zooplâncton e Ictioplâncton, Prédio do CCS, Bloco A, Cidade Universitária, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro 21.941-590, Brazil
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: C.O. Dias, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Laboratório Integrado de Zooplâncton e Ictioplâncton, Prédio do CCS, Bloco A, Cidade Universitária, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro 21.941-590, Brazil email: [email protected]

Abstract

We examined the spatial and temporal variations of coastal and oceanic epipelagic copepods (rainy–dry seasons of 2009) in a tropical area of the south-west Atlantic. Zooplankton samples were obtained at 48 stations along six transects perpendicular to the coast, in the subsurface water between the 25 and 3000 m isobaths, by horizontal hauls using a Multinet. Abundance (42–64,753 ind. m−3), biomass (0.08–113 mg C m−3) and daily copepod production (0.17–163.20 mg C m−3 d−1) showed longitudinal and latitudinal variability. The highest values were observed over the southern continental shelf during the dry season. Temoridae, Undinula vulgaris and Paracalanus quasimodo dominated the biomass and daily copepod production during the rainy season; while Calanoides carinatus, Calanopia americana, Clausocalanidae, Temoridae, Paracalanidae and Subeucalanidae dominated during the dry season. The copepod assemblages formed four different groups: rainy season–continental shelf (1), dry season–continental shelf (2), rainy season–continental slope (3) and dry season–continental slope (4). Temperature, salinity, chlorophyll-a and suspended particulate matter explained 45% of the productivity distribution of the dominant copepod species. This study is the first attempt to examine the biomass and daily copepod production in oceanic waters in the south-west Atlantic Ocean, and it showed that copepod biomass and production in a tropical region can be relatively high compared with other regions of the world's oceans.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2014 

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