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Author (up) Decima, M.; Landry, M.R.; Stukel, M.R.; Lopez-Lopez, L.; Krause, J.W.
Title Mesozooplankton biomass and grazing in the Costa Rica Dome: amplifying variability through the plankton food web Type $loc['typeJournal Article']
Year 2016 Publication Journal of Plankton Research Abbreviated Journal J Plankton Res
Volume 38 Issue 2 Pages 317-330
Keywords Omz; efficiency; food chain; secondary production; trophic transfer
Abstract We investigated standing stocks and grazing rates of mesozooplankton assemblages in the Costa Rica Dome (CRD), an open-ocean upwelling ecosystem in the eastern tropical Pacific. While phytoplankton biomass in the CRD is dominated by picophytoplankton (<2-microm cells) with especially high concentrations of Synechococcus spp., we found high mesozooplankton biomass ( approximately 5 g dry weight m-2) and grazing impact (12-50% integrated water column chlorophyll a), indicative of efficient food web transfer from primary producers to higher levels. In contrast to the relative uniformity in water-column chlorophyll a and mesozooplankton biomass, variability in herbivory was substantial, with lower rates in the central dome region and higher rates in areas offset from the dome center. While grazing rates were unrelated to total phytoplankton, correlations with cyanobacteria (negative) and biogenic SiO2 production (positive) suggest that partitioning of primary production among phytoplankton sizes contributes to the variability observed in mesozooplankton metrics. We propose that advection of upwelled waters away from the dome center is accompanied by changes in mesozooplankton composition and grazing rates, reflecting small changes within the primary producers. Small changes within the phytoplankton community resulting in large changes in the mesozooplankton suggest that the variability in lower trophic level dynamics was effectively amplified through the food web.
Address Dauphin Island Sea Lab , 101 Bienville Blvd, Dauphin Island, AL 36528 , USA
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0142-7873 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Funding PMID:27275033; PMCID:PMC4889985 Approved $loc['no']
Call Number COAPS @ mfield @ Serial 75
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