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ICES Journal of Marine Science: Journal du Conseil 2003 60(2):187-197; doi:10.1016/S1054-3139(02)00253-9
© 2003 by ICES/CIEM International Council for the Exploration of the Sea/Conseil International pour l'Exploration de la Mer
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Long-term, predation-based control of a central-west North Sea zooplankton community

Robin A Clarka,b, Chris L.J Fridb,* and Kirsty R Nicholasb

a Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) Pakefield Road, Lowestoft NR33 0HT, UK
b Dove Marine Laboratory, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne Cullercoats, North Shields NE30 4PZ, UK

*Correspondence to C. L. J. Frid; tel: +44 191 2524850. e-mail: c.l.j.frid{at}ncl.ac.uk.

Long-term monitoring of the zooplankton community at a station 5.5 miles from the English coast in the central-west North Sea has been performed since 1968. Analyses of these data have revealed an inverse relationship between annual total zooplankton abundance and the position of the Gulf Stream North Wall (GSNW). This long-term relationship is opposite to the long-term positive association observed between the GSNW and total zooplankton abundances throughout most of the oceanic NE Atlantic region and the northern and central North Sea using Continuous Plankton Recorder data.

This study investigates the mechanism behind the inverse relationship with the GSNW, focussing on the importance of zooplankton predators in influencing long-term changes in the zooplankton community of the central-west North Sea. The results suggest that the dominant zooplankton predator Sagitta elegans plays a key role in mediating spring copepod population growth rates and thus their maximum and overall productivity during any one particular year. In turn, the abundance of Sagitta during the spring appears to be related to climatic factors. The implications of this on the zooplankton community are discussed.

Keywords: zooplankton community, North Sea, long-term trends, top-down control, climatic forcing


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