Seasonality of occurrence and recruitment of Arctic marine benthic invertebrate larvae in relation to environmental variables

• DOI: 10.1007/s00300-012-1283-3
• Publication Date: 2013-01-17T22:04:34Z
• Authors: Piotr Kuklinski; Jørgen Berge; Laurel McFadden; Katarzyna Dmoch; Marek Zajaczkowski; Henrik Nygård; Kasia Piwosz; Agnieszka Tatarek
• Keywords: Seasonality

The Arctic system is one of the regions most influenced by ongoing global climate change, but there are still critical gaps in our knowledge regarding a substantial number biological processes. This especially true for processes taking place during winter also seasonal processes, such as dynamics intra-annual meroplankton occurrence. Here, we report on 1-year study variability from fjordic Archipelago Svalbard. combines an examination phytoplankton, zooplankton, and hard bottom benthic settlement with measurements environmental parameters (e.g., water temperature, particulate organic matter, dissolved carbon). Samples were taken bi-weekly or monthly basis, total 11 taxa representing six phyla recorded over period January to December 2007. occurrence larvae varied between seasons, reaching maximum both abundance taxon richness late spring through early summer. Meroplanktonic absent winter. However, organisms was months (February March), which indicates individual trade-offs related timing reproduction competition. In addition, it suggests that these not relying higher summer nutrient concentrations, instead dependent alternative food sources. parallel abundance, all other measured parameters, phyto- zooplankton diversity) physical matter), exhibited peaks warmer year.