Sleep walking copepods? Calanus diapausing in hypoxic waters adjust their vertical position during winter
Type
ArticleKAUST Department
Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE) DivisionRed Sea Research Center (RSRC)
Date
2021-02-18Online Publication Date
2021-02-18Print Publication Date
2021-03-30Submitted Date
2020-06-09Permanent link to this record
http://hdl.handle.net/10754/667618
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Abstract While hypoxia is generally associated with negative connotations, some animals may also take advantage of reduced oxygen concentrations. However, the dynamics of such processes for zooplankton are poorly understood. We made continuous acoustic studies of Calanus helgolandicus overwintering in hypoxic waters (Oslofjorden, Norway). Their apparent minimum oxygen tolerance was 0.2–0.3 mL O2 L−1 at 8°C. The copepods adjusted their vertical distribution in concert with the upward progression of hypoxia as oxygen contents declined in the course of winter. The hypoxic overwintering habitat largely excluded potential predators and mortality appeared low in early winter. As the copepod distribution shallowed in phase with declining oxygen contents at depth, mortality increased. In contrast to recent predictions, C. helgolandicus had sufficient energy reserves to sustain long-term overwintering. Termination of the overwintering phase in spring was gradual but appeared to accelerate during the development of the spring bloom. Enhanced oceanic deoxygenation with climate change may affect seasonally migrating copepods in unpredictable ways.Citation
Kaartvedt, S., Røstad, A., & Titelman, J. (2021). Sleep walking copepods? Calanus diapausing in hypoxic waters adjust their vertical position during winter. Journal of Plankton Research. doi:10.1093/plankt/fbab004Sponsors
Thor A. Klevjer was instrumental during the fieldwork. Rita Amundsen did the species identification of Calanus helgolandicus.The study was funded by the University of Oslo and The Research Council of Norway [grant number 173478/S40].
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)Journal
Journal of Plankton Researchae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1093/plankt/fbab004
Scopus Count
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