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- Title
Spring-time zooplankton size structure over the continental shelf of the Bay of Biscay.
- Authors
Vandromme, P.; Nogueira, E.; Huret, M.; Lopez-Urrutia, Á.; González, G. González-Nuevo; Sourisseau, M.; Petitgas, P.
- Abstract
Linking lower to higher trophic levels requires a special focus on the pivotal role played by mid-trophic levels, i.e. the zooplankton. One of the most relevant information on zooplankton in term of fluxes of matter lies in its size structure. We present here an extensive dataset of size measurements covering part of the western European shelf and slope, from the Galician coast to the Ushant front, during springs from 2005 to 2012. Zooplankton size spectra were estimated using both measurements carried out in situ by the Laser-Optical Plankton Counter (LOPC, 816 records) and WP2 net (200 µm mesh size) samples scanned following the ZooScan methodology and image analysis (a total of 89 samples were analyzed). The LOPC counts and sizes all particles in the range 100 to 2000 µm of spherical equivalent diameter (ESD) whereas the WP2/ZooScan allows the counting, sizing and identification of zooplankton from 400 µm ESD. The difference between the LOPC (all particles) and the WP2/ZooScan (zooplankton only) is assumed to provide the size distribution of non-living particles whose descriptors are further related to a set of explanatory variables (including physical, biological and geographic descriptors). A statistical correction based on these explanatory variables is then applied to LOPC measurements to removed the part due to non-living particles and estimate zooplankton size spectra. This extensive data set provides a new look at regional and inter-annual variability of the pelagic ecosystem of the Bay of Biscay.
- Subjects
BAY of Biscay (France &; Spain); ZOOPLANKTON; INFORMATION theory; BIOLOGICAL models; STATISTICS; PELAGE
- Publication
Ocean Science Discussions, 2013, Vol 10, Issue 6, p2207
- ISSN
1812-0806
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.5194/osd-10-2207-2013