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Diel vertical migration of copepods and its environmental drivers in subtropical Bahamian blue holes

Sha, Yongcui LU ; Zhang, Huan LU ; Lee, Marcus LU orcid ; Björnerås, Caroline LU ; Škerlep, Martin LU ; Gollnisch, Raphael LU ; Herzog, Simon David LU ; Ekelund Ugge, Gustaf LU orcid ; Vinterstare, Jerker LU orcid and Hu, Nan LU , et al. (2021) In Aquatic Ecology 55(4). p.1157-1169
Abstract

Diel vertical migration (DVM) is the most common behavioral phenomenon in zooplankton, and numerous studies have evaluated DVM under strong seasonality at higher latitudes. Yet, our understanding of the environmental drivers of DVM at low latitudes, where seasonal variation is less pronounced, remains limited. Therefore, we here examined patterns of vertical distribution in copepods in six subtropical Bahamian blue holes with different food web structure and tested the role of several key environmental variables potentially affecting this behavior. Day and night samplings showed that copepods generally performed DVM, characterized by downward migration to deeper depths during the day and upward migration to surface waters at night.... (More)

Diel vertical migration (DVM) is the most common behavioral phenomenon in zooplankton, and numerous studies have evaluated DVM under strong seasonality at higher latitudes. Yet, our understanding of the environmental drivers of DVM at low latitudes, where seasonal variation is less pronounced, remains limited. Therefore, we here examined patterns of vertical distribution in copepods in six subtropical Bahamian blue holes with different food web structure and tested the role of several key environmental variables potentially affecting this behavior. Day and night samplings showed that copepods generally performed DVM, characterized by downward migration to deeper depths during the day and upward migration to surface waters at night. Across all blue holes, the daytime vertical depth distribution of calanoid copepods correlated positively with both predation risk and depth of food resources (Chlorophyll a), but was less affected by ultraviolet radiation (UVR). A potential explanation is that since UVR is a continuous threat across seasons, zooplankton have established photoprotective pigmentation making them less vulnerable to this threat. The copepods also showed a size-structured depth segregation, where larger individuals were found at deeper depths during the day, which further strengthens the suggestion that predation is a major driver of DVM in these systems. Hence, in contrast to studies performed at higher latitudes, we show that despite the constant exposure to UVR, predator avoidance and food availability are the most pronounced drivers of copepod DVM at those low latitudes, suggesting that the main driver of DVM may vary among systems, but also systematically by latitude.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Bahamas, Blue hole, Calanoid copepod, Cyclopoid copepod, Food availability, Predation, Ultraviolet radiation, Vertical distribution
in
Aquatic Ecology
volume
55
issue
4
pages
1157 - 1169
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:85094818209
ISSN
1386-2588
DOI
10.1007/s10452-020-09807-4
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
97a0f72c-5e13-481a-9c38-1bc69f290e15
date added to LUP
2020-11-23 11:31:03
date last changed
2024-05-15 21:44:10
@article{97a0f72c-5e13-481a-9c38-1bc69f290e15,
  abstract     = {{<p>Diel vertical migration (DVM) is the most common behavioral phenomenon in zooplankton, and numerous studies have evaluated DVM under strong seasonality at higher latitudes. Yet, our understanding of the environmental drivers of DVM at low latitudes, where seasonal variation is less pronounced, remains limited. Therefore, we here examined patterns of vertical distribution in copepods in six subtropical Bahamian blue holes with different food web structure and tested the role of several key environmental variables potentially affecting this behavior. Day and night samplings showed that copepods generally performed DVM, characterized by downward migration to deeper depths during the day and upward migration to surface waters at night. Across all blue holes, the daytime vertical depth distribution of calanoid copepods correlated positively with both predation risk and depth of food resources (Chlorophyll a), but was less affected by ultraviolet radiation (UVR). A potential explanation is that since UVR is a continuous threat across seasons, zooplankton have established photoprotective pigmentation making them less vulnerable to this threat. The copepods also showed a size-structured depth segregation, where larger individuals were found at deeper depths during the day, which further strengthens the suggestion that predation is a major driver of DVM in these systems. Hence, in contrast to studies performed at higher latitudes, we show that despite the constant exposure to UVR, predator avoidance and food availability are the most pronounced drivers of copepod DVM at those low latitudes, suggesting that the main driver of DVM may vary among systems, but also systematically by latitude.</p>}},
  author       = {{Sha, Yongcui and Zhang, Huan and Lee, Marcus and Björnerås, Caroline and Škerlep, Martin and Gollnisch, Raphael and Herzog, Simon David and Ekelund Ugge, Gustaf and Vinterstare, Jerker and Hu, Nan and Pärssinen, Varpu and Hulthén, Kaj and Nilsson, P. Anders and Rengefors, Karin and Brönmark, Christer and Langerhans, R. Brian and Hansson, Lars Anders}},
  issn         = {{1386-2588}},
  keywords     = {{Bahamas; Blue hole; Calanoid copepod; Cyclopoid copepod; Food availability; Predation; Ultraviolet radiation; Vertical distribution}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{1157--1169}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Aquatic Ecology}},
  title        = {{Diel vertical migration of copepods and its environmental drivers in subtropical Bahamian blue holes}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10452-020-09807-4}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s10452-020-09807-4}},
  volume       = {{55}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}