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ICES Journal of Marine Science: Journal du Conseil 2005 62(3):333-338; doi:10.1016/j.icesjms.2005.01.002
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© 2005 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea

Monitoring pelagic ecosystems using plankton indicators

Grégory Beaugranda,b,*

a CNRS, UMR 8013 ELICO, Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille 1 BP 80, 28 avenue Foch, 62930 Wimereux, France
b Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science, Citadel Hill, The Laboratory Plymouth PL1 2PB, England, UK

*Correspondence to G. Beaugrand: tel: +33 321 992938; fax: +33 321 992901. e-mail: Gregory.Beaugrand{at}univ-lille1.fr.

Planktonic organisms are an important food resource of pelagic ecosystems, but they also serve as an integrator of hydroclimatic forcing. Four types of recently developed plankton indicator, based on the Continuous Plankton Recorder survey, are summarized here: indicators based on individual taxa; indicators based on functional attributes of the ecosystem (diversity); species assemblage indicators; and indicators of larval fish survival. All provide information on the state of a pelagic ecosystem, but have different limitations. Therefore, their combined application provides the most accurate diagnosis of ecosystem state. In most of the examples described, statistical analyses help to identify major spatial and temporal patterns, and may allow future ecosystem changes to be anticipated.

Keywords: Continuous Plankton Recorder survey, hydroclimatic forcing, monitoring, plankton

Received 1 April 2004; accepted 15 October 2004.


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