Zooplankton standing stock and community size structure within the epipelagic zone: a comparison between the central Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden
Schneider, G.; Lenz, J.; Rolke, M. (1994). Zooplankton standing stock and community size structure within the epipelagic zone: a comparison between the central Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Mar. Biol. (Berl.) 119(2): 191-198
In: Marine Biology: International Journal on Life in Oceans and Coastal Waters. Springer: Heidelberg; Berlin. ISSN 0025-3162; e-ISSN 1432-1793, more
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| Keywords |
Abundance
Aquatic communities > Plankton > Zooplankton
Chemical compounds > Phosphorus compounds > Phosphates
Data > Hydrographic data > Salinity data
Developmental stages
Distribution > Geographical distribution > Vertical distribution
Population characteristics > Biomass
Properties > Water properties > Temperature > Water temperature
Size distribution
Surveys > Hydrographic surveys
Copepoda [WoRMS]
Marine/Coastal |
| Authors | | Top |
- Schneider, G.
- Lenz, J.
- Rolke, M.
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| Abstract |
Standing stock and size composition of the zooplankton comunity (>100 µm) were studied in four depth strata of the upper 200 m of the water column during a "Meteor" cruise to the central Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in spring 1987. The central Red Sea was divided into a northern area of higher salinity and a less saline southern part. Both areas exhibited significant differences in zooplankton abundance and standing stock. The latter increased by the ratio 1:2:3 from the northern central Red Sea to its southern part and further south to the Gulf of Aden. For size structure analysis samples were fractionated into three size classes (100 to 300, 300 to 500, 500 to 5000 µm). In the central Red Sea the smallest size was dominant whereas in the Gulf of Aden the largest size fraction played a greater relative role than in the central Red Sea. This shift in size structure of the zooplankton community from the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden is apparently primarily related to ecosystem difference between both areas, leading to a change in species composition. In addition, size reduction of individual species common to both seas may be of some significance in the extreme environment of the Red Sea. |
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