scholarly journals Distribution of known macrozooplankton abundance and biomass in the global ocean

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 241-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Moriarty ◽  
E. T. Buitenhuis ◽  
C. Le Quéré ◽  
M.-P. Gosselin
Keyword(s):  
Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Deep Ocean ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Data Depth ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Abundance Data ◽  
Carbon Biomass ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
Species Specific

Abstract. Macrozooplankton are an important link between higher and lower trophic levels in the oceans. They serve as the primary food for fish, reptiles, birds and mammals in some regions, and play a role in the export of carbon from the surface to the intermediate and deep ocean. Little, however, is known of their global distribution and biomass. Here we compiled a dataset of macrozooplankton abundance and biomass observations for the global ocean from a collection of four datasets. We harmonise the data to common units, calculate additional carbon biomass where possible, and bin the dataset in a global 1 × 1 degree grid. This dataset is part of a wider effort to provide a global picture of carbon biomass data for key plankton functional types, in particular to support the development of marine ecosystem models. Over 387 700 abundance data and 1330 carbon biomass data have been collected from pre-existing datasets. A further 34 938 abundance data were converted to carbon biomass data using species-specific length frequencies or using species-specific abundance to carbon biomass data. Depth-integrated values are used to calculate known epipelagic macrozooplankton biomass concentrations and global biomass. Global macrozooplankton biomass, to a depth of 350 m, has a mean of 8.4 μg C L−1, median of 0.2 μg C L−1 and a standard deviation of 63.5 μg C L−1. The global annual average estimate of macrozooplankton biomass in the top 350 m, based on the median value, is 0.02 Pg C. There are, however, limitations on the dataset; abundance observations have good coverage except in the South Pacific mid-latitudes, but biomass observation coverage is only good at high latitudes. Biomass is restricted to data that is originally given in carbon or to data that can be converted from abundance to carbon. Carbon conversions from abundance are restricted by the lack of information on the size of the organism and/or the absence of taxonomic information. Distribution patterns of global macrozooplankton biomass and statistical information about biomass concentrations may be used to validate biogeochemical and plankton functional type models. Macrozooplankton abundance and biomass dataset doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.777398.

scholarly journals Distribution of known macrozooplankton abundance and biomass in the global ocean

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 187-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Moriarty ◽  
E. T. Buitenhuis ◽  
C. Le Quéré ◽  
M.-P. Gosselin
Keyword(s):  
Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Deep Ocean ◽  
Data Depth ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Abundance Data ◽  
Carbon Biomass ◽  
Biogeochemical Models ◽  
Original Dataset ◽  
Species Specific

Abstract. Macrozooplankton are an important link between higher and lower trophic levels in the oceans. They serve as the primary food for fish, reptiles, birds and mammals in some regions, and play a role in the export of carbon from the surface to the intermediate and deep ocean. Little, however, is known of their global distribution and biomass. Here we compiled a dataset of macrozooplankton abundance and biomass observations for the global ocean from a collection of four datasets. We harmonise the data to common units, calculate additional carbon biomass where possible, and bin the dataset in a global 1 × 1 degree grid. This dataset is part of a wider effort to provide a global picture of carbon biomass data for key plankton functional types, in particular to support the development of marine ecosystem models. Over 387 700 abundance data and 1330 carbon biomass data have been collected from pre-existing datasets. A further 34 938 abundance data were converted to carbon biomass data using species-specific length frequencies or using species-specific abundance to carbon biomass data. Depth-integrated values are used to calculate known epipelagic macrozooplankton biomass concentrations and global biomass. Global macrozooplankton biomass has a mean of 8.4 μg C l−1, median of 0.15 μg C l−1 and a standard deviation of 63.46 μg C l−1. The global annual average estimate of epipelagic macrozooplankton, based on the median value, is 0.02 Pg C. Biomass is highest in the tropics, decreasing in the sub-tropics and increasing slightly towards the poles. There are, however, limitations on the dataset; abundance observations have good coverage except in the South Pacific mid latitudes, but biomass observation coverage is only good at high latitudes. Biomass is restricted to data that is originally given in carbon or to data that can be converted from abundance to carbon. Carbon conversions from abundance are restricted in the most part by the lack of information on the size of the organism and/or the absence of taxonomic information. Distribution patterns of global macrozooplankton biomass and statistical information about biomass concentrations may be used to validate biogeochemical models and Plankton Functional Type models. Original dataset http://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.777398 Gridded dataset http://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.777398

scholarly journals Evolutionary diversification of tiny ocean predators

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco Latorre ◽  
Ina M. Deutschmann ◽  
Aurelie Labarre ◽  
Aleix Obiol ◽  
Anders Krabberød ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Single Cells ◽  
Prey Type ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Glycoside Hydrolases ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Heterotrophic Flagellates ◽  
Evolutionary Diversification ◽  
Niche Adaptation ◽  
Different Temperatures

ABSTRACTUnicellular eukaryotic predators have a crucial role in the functioning of the ocean ecosystem by recycling nutrients and energy that are channeled to upper trophic levels. Traditionally, these evolutionary-diverse organisms have been combined into a single functional group (Heterotrophic flagellates), overlooking their organismal differences. Here we investigate four evolutionary related species belonging to one cosmopolitan family of uncultured marine picoeukaryotic predators: MAST-4 (species A, B, C, and E). Co-occurrence and distribution analyses in the global surface ocean indicated contrasting patterns in MAST-4A & C, suggesting adaptation to different temperatures. We then investigated whether these spatial distribution patterns were mirrored by MAST-4 genomic content using Single-Cell Genomics. Analyses of 69 single-cells recovered 66-83% of the MAST-4A/B/C/E genomes, which displayed substantial inter-species divergence. MAST-4 genomes were similar in terms of broad gene functional categories, but they differed in enzymes of ecological relevance, such as glycoside hydrolases (GHs), which are part of the food degradation machinery in MAST-4. Interestingly, MAST-4 species featuring a similar GH composition co-excluded each other (A & C) in the surface global ocean, while species with a different set of GHs appeared to be able to co-exist (species B & C) suggesting further niche diversification associated to prey digestion. We propose that differential niche adaptation to temperature and prey type has promoted adaptive evolutionary diversification in MAST-4. Altogether, we show that minute ocean predators from the same family may have different biogeography and genomic content, which need to be accounted to better comprehend marine food webs.

scholarly journals Distribution of mesozooplankton biomass in the global ocean

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 893-919
Author(s):  
R. Moriarty ◽  
T. D. O'Brien
Keyword(s):  
Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Original Data ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Ecosystem Models ◽  
Mesozooplankton Biomass ◽  
Carbon Biomass ◽  
Community Effort ◽  
Marine Ecosystem Models ◽  
The Tropics

Abstract. Mesozooplankton are cosmopolitan within the sunlit layers of the global ocean. They are important in the classical food web, having a significant feedback to primary production through their consumption of phytoplankton and microzooplankton. They are also the primary contributor to vertical particle flux in the oceans. Through both they affect the biogeochemical cycling of carbon and other nutrients in the oceans. Little, however, is known about their global distribution and biomass. While global maps of mesozooplankton biomass do exist in the literature they are usually in the form of hand-drawn maps and the original data associated with these maps are not readily available. The dataset presented in this synthesis has been in development since the late 1990's, is an integral part of the Coastal & Oceanic Plankton Ecology, Production, & Observation Database (COPEPOD), and is now also part of a wider community effort to provide a global picture of carbon biomass data for key plankton functional types, in particular to support the development of marine ecosystem models. A total of 153 163 biomass values were collected, from a variety of sources, for mesozooplankton. Of those 2% were originally recorded as dry mass, 26% as wet mass, 5% as settled volume, and 68% as displacement volume. Using a variety of non-linear biomass conversions from the literature, the data have been converted from their original units to carbon biomass. Depth-integrated values were then used to calculate mesozooplankton global biomass. Global mesozooplankton biomass, to a depth of 200 m, had a mean of 5.9 μg C l−1, median of 2.7 μg C l−1 and a standard deviation of 10.6 μg C l−1. The global annual average estimate of mesozooplankton, based on the median value, was 0.19 Pg C. Biomass was highest in the Northern Hemisphere, but the general trend shows a slight decrease from polar oceans to temperate regions with values increasing again in the tropics. Gridded dataset http://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.785501x.

scholarly journals Diatoms Are Selective Segregators in Global Ocean Planktonic Communities

mSystems ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Flora Vincent ◽  
Chris Bowler
Keyword(s):  
Open Access ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Biotic Interactions ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Microbial Association ◽  
Species Specific

ABSTRACT Diatoms are a major component of phytoplankton, believed to be responsible for around 20% of the annual primary production on Earth. As abundant and ubiquitous organisms, they are known to establish biotic interactions with many other members of plankton. Through analyses of cooccurrence networks derived from the Tara Oceans expedition that take into account both biotic and abiotic factors in shaping the spatial distributions of species, we show that only 13% of diatom pairwise associations are driven by environmental conditions; the vast majority are independent of abiotic factors. In contrast to most other plankton groups, on a global scale, diatoms display a much higher proportion of negative correlations with other organisms, particularly toward potential predators and parasites, suggesting that their biogeography is constrained by top-down pressure. Genus-level analyses indicate that abundant diatoms are not necessarily the most connected and that species-specific abundance distribution patterns lead to negative associations with other organisms. In order to move forward in the biological interpretation of cooccurrence networks, an open-access extensive literature survey of diatom biotic interactions was compiled, of which 18.5% were recovered in the computed network. This result reveals the extent of what likely remains to be discovered in the field of planktonic biotic interactions, even for one of the best-known organismal groups. IMPORTANCE Diatoms are key phytoplankton in the modern ocean that are involved in numerous biotic interactions, ranging from symbiosis to predation and viral infection, which have considerable effects on global biogeochemical cycles. However, despite recent large-scale studies of plankton, we are still lacking a comprehensive picture of the diversity of diatom biotic interactions in the marine microbial community. Through the ecological interpretation of both inferred microbial association networks and available knowledge on diatom interactions compiled in an open-access database, we propose an ecosystems approach for exploring diatom interactions in the ocean.

scholarly journals Niche adaptation promoted the evolutionary diversification of tiny ocean predators

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (25) ◽  
pp. e2020955118
Author(s):  
Francisco Latorre ◽  
Ina M. Deutschmann ◽  
Aurélie Labarre ◽  
Aleix Obiol ◽  
Anders K. Krabberød ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Single Cells ◽  
Prey Type ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Glycoside Hydrolases ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Heterotrophic Flagellates ◽  
Evolutionary Diversification ◽  
Niche Adaptation ◽  
Different Temperatures

Unicellular eukaryotic predators play a crucial role in the functioning of the ocean ecosystem by recycling nutrients and energy that are channeled to upper trophic levels. Traditionally, these evolutionarily diverse organisms have been combined into a single functional group (heterotrophic flagellates), overlooking their organismal differences. Here, we investigated four evolutionarily related species belonging to one cosmopolitan group of uncultured marine picoeukaryotic predators: marine stramenopiles (MAST)-4 (species A, B, C, and E). Co-occurrence and distribution analyses in the global surface ocean indicated contrasting patterns in MAST-4A and C, suggesting adaptation to different temperatures. We then investigated whether these spatial distribution patterns were mirrored by MAST-4 genomic content using single-cell genomics. Analyses of 69 single cells recovered 66 to 83% of the MAST-4A/B/C/E genomes, which displayed substantial interspecies divergence. MAST-4 genomes were similar in terms of broad gene functional categories, but they differed in enzymes of ecological relevance, such as glycoside hydrolases (GHs), which are part of the food degradation machinery in MAST-4. Interestingly, MAST-4 species featuring a similar GH composition (A and C) coexcluded each other in the surface global ocean, while species with a different set of GHs (B and C) appeared to be able to coexist, suggesting further niche diversification associated with prey digestion. We propose that differential niche adaptation to temperature and prey type has promoted adaptive evolutionary diversification in MAST-4. We show that minute ocean predators from the same phylogenetic group may have different biogeography and genomic content, which needs to be accounted for to better comprehend marine food webs.

scholarly journals Surfing and dining on the “plastisphere”: Microbial life on plastic marine debris

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Grazia Marina Quero ◽  
Gian Marco Luna
Keyword(s):  
Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Marine Debris ◽  
Microbial Consortia ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Marine Microbes ◽  
Plastic Pollution ◽  
Marine Fauna ◽  
Degrading Bacteria ◽  
Plastic Degradation

Plastic marine debris represents a global threat for the marine environment, having serious consequences for the ocean, the wildlife and the human health. While the plastics distribution, fate, persistence and toxicity mechanisms for the marine fauna have been more studied in the last decade, small efforts have been devoted to identify and characterize marine microbes that colonize plastic and microplastic debris in the ocean, and their potential to degrade plastics. Here we review the knowledge on the microbial biodiversity and degradation mechanisms of marine plastic debris, and present data, based on metagenomic analyses, on the distribution patterns of genes potentially involved in microbially-mediated plastic degradation in coastal locations across the global ocean. Most studies on plastic-colonizing microbes have focused on seawater rather than sediment, with most studies underlining striking differences in composition between assemblages attached to plastic particles and those in the surrounding environment. The diversity of microbes attached to plastic is high, and the core epiplastic microbial assemblages include often hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria, as well as prokaryotic and eukaryotic phototrophs. Several marine microbes have shown to be able to degrade or deteriorate plastic in the laboratory, or to grow on plastic as the only source of carbon, while indirect evidences suggest that microbially-mediated degradation of recalcitrant plastics also occur in the ocean, though at very low rates. Metagenomic analyses show that plastic degradation-related genes are present in microbial assemblages in several coastal ocean sites, with relative abundance related to the magnitude of plastic pollution at each site. Further research is required to study microbial plastic-degraders in the marine ecosystem, to decipher and exploit the potential of microbial consortia to degrade or mineralize plastic compounds, and to better understand the fate and residence times of plastic waste in the ocean.

scholarly journals Michael John Robert Fasham. 29 May 1942 — 7 June 2008

2015 ◽  
Vol 61 ◽  
pp. 103-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas R. Anderson ◽  
Harry L. Bryden
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Cycling ◽  
Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Deep Ocean ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Ecosystem Models ◽  
Use Of Data ◽  
Extensive Field ◽  
Big Picture ◽  
Ocean Carbon ◽  
Marine Ecosystem Models

Professor Michael Fasham played a pioneering role in the development of marine ecosystem models for the study of nutrient and carbon cycling in the ocean. He is particularly celebrated for his famous Fasham–Ducklow–McKelvie model, which was the first of its kind to separate new and regenerated forms of nutrient, as well as including microbial recycling pathways. Fasham's models provided key understanding of the links between primary production, carbon cycling and export (of organic matter from the surface to deep ocean) based on both deep and insightful parameterization inspired by his many collaborations with leading experimental and field biologists of the day, and by his expert use of data for model calibration and validation. He had the ability to see the big picture, linking observation and models to achieve a unified understanding of system dynamics. As well as the direct contributions of his own science, Fasham played a pivotal role in steering the international scientific agenda, notably his leadership of the Joint Global Ocean Flux Study which had the aim of understanding ocean carbon cycling and sinks via the coordination of extensive field programmes, synthesis and modelling. He will be remembered by those who knew him for his openness, enthusiasm and modesty, a man who was fun to know and to work with and who loved the thrill of scientific adventure and discovery.

scholarly journals ERSEM 15.06: a generic model for marine biogeochemistry and the ecosystem dynamics of the lower trophic levels

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 1293-1339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Momme Butenschön ◽  
James Clark ◽  
John N. Aldridge ◽  
Julian Icarus Allen ◽  
Yuri Artioli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Web ◽  
Current Model ◽  
Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Ecosystem Model ◽  
Essential Elements ◽  
Ecosystem Dynamics ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Generic Model ◽  
The North

Abstract. The European Regional Seas Ecosystem Model (ERSEM) is one of the most established ecosystem models for the lower trophic levels of the marine food web in the scientific literature. Since its original development in the early nineties it has evolved significantly from a coastal ecosystem model for the North Sea to a generic tool for ecosystem simulations from shelf seas to the global ocean. The current model release contains all essential elements for the pelagic and benthic parts of the marine ecosystem, including the microbial food web, the carbonate system, and calcification. Its distribution is accompanied by a testing framework enabling the analysis of individual parts of the model. Here we provide a detailed mathematical description of all ERSEM components along with case studies of mesocosm-type simulations, water column implementations, and a brief example of a full-scale application for the north-western European shelf. Validation against in situ data demonstrates the capability of the model to represent the marine ecosystem in contrasting environments.

scholarly journals ERSEM 15.06: a generic model for marine biogeochemistry and the ecosystem dynamics of the lower trophic levels

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 7063-7187 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Butenschön ◽  
J. Clark ◽  
J. N. Aldridge ◽  
J. I. Allen ◽  
Y. Artioli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Web ◽  
Current Model ◽  
Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Essential Elements ◽  
Ecosystem Dynamics ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Generic Model ◽  
North West ◽  
The North

Abstract. The ERSEM model is one of the most established ecosystem models for the lower trophic levels of the marine food-web in the scientific literature. Since its original development in the early nineties it has evolved significantly from a coastal ecosystem model for the North-Sea to a generic tool for ecosystem simulations from shelf seas to the global ocean. The current model release contains all essential elements for the pelagic and benthic part of the marine ecosystem, including the microbial food-web, the carbonate system and calcification. Its distribution is accompanied by a testing framework enabling the analysis of individual parts of the model. Here we provide a detailed mathematical description of all ERSEM components along with case-studies of mesocosm type simulations, water column implementations and a brief example of a full-scale application for the North-West European shelf. Validation against in situ data demonstrates the capability of the model to represent the marine ecosystem in contrasting environments.

scholarly journals Trophic level decoupling drives future change in phytoplankton bloom phenology

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryohei Yamaguchi ◽  
Keith Rodgers ◽  
Karl Stein ◽  
Axel Timmermann ◽  
Sarah Schlunegger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Phytoplankton Bloom ◽  
Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Growth Period ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
High Latitudes ◽  
Future Change ◽  
Climate Change Projections ◽  
The Tropics

Abstract Anthropogenic climate change is affecting marine ecosystems by altering the strength of phytoplankton blooms and driving shifts in the seasonality (phenology) of productivity. Here, we analyze a new 30-member Large Ensemble of climate change projections to quantify the sensitivity of phytoplankton bloom phenology (initiation, peak timing, and net growth period length) to anthropogenic forcing. Forced changes in the duration of net growth vary widely across the global ocean, with high latitudes experiencing a reduction of up to one month, and the tropics and subtropics experiencing an extension of up to one month. Changes in duration reflect shifts in both bloom initiation and peak bloom timing, which result from subtle decoupling between phytoplankton growth and zooplankton predation driven by temperature, nutrients and light variations. Changes in bloom strength and timing will alter the flow of energy in the marine ecosystem, with implications for higher trophic levels and fisheries.

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