Copepod carcasses in the subtropical convergence zone of the Sargasso Sea: implications for microbial community composition, system respiration and carbon flux

Kam W. Tang; Liv Backhaus; Lasse Riemann; Marja Koski; Hans-Peter Grossart; Peter Munk; Torkel Gissel Nielsen

doi:10.1093/plankt/fbz038

Copepod carcasses in the subtropical convergence zone of the Sargasso Sea: implications for microbial community composition, system respiration and carbon flux

Kam W. Tang, Liv Backhaus, Lasse Riemann, Marja Koski, Hans-Peter Grossart, Peter Munk, Torkel Gissel Nielsen

1 Citationer (Scopus)

Abstract

The oligotrophic subtropical gyre covers a vast area of the Atlantic Ocean. Decades of time-series monitoring have generated detailed temporal information about zooplankton species and abundances at fixed locations within the gyre, but their live/dead status is often omitted, especially in the dynamic subtropical convergence zone (STCZ) where the water column stratification pattern can change considerably across the front as warm and cold water masses converge. We conducted a detailed survey in the North Atlantic STCZ and showed that over 85% of the copepods were typically concentrated in the upper 200 m. Copepod carcasses were present in all samples and their proportional numerical abundances increased with depth, reaching up to 91% at 300-400 m. Overall, 14-19% of the copepods within the upper 200 m were carcasses. Shipboard experiments showed that during carcass decomposition, microbial respiration increased, and the bacterial community associated with the carcasses diverged from that in the ambient water. Combining field and experimental data, we estimated that decomposing copepod carcasses constitute a negligible oxygen sink in the STCZ, but sinking carcasses may represent an overlooked portion of the passive carbon sinking flux and should be incorporated in future studies of carbon flux in this area.

Originalsprog	Engelsk
Tidsskrift	Journal of Plankton Research
Vol/bind	41
Udgave nummer	4
Sider (fra-til)	549-560
ISSN	0142-7873
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1093/plankt/fbz038
Status	Udgivet - 26 jul. 2019

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10.1093/plankt/fbz038

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Copepod carcasses in the subtropical convergence zone of the Sargasso Sea : implications for microbial community composition, system respiration and carbon flux. / Tang, Kam W.; Backhaus, Liv; Riemann, Lasse et al.

I: Journal of Plankton Research, Bind 41, Nr. 4, 26.07.2019, s. 549-560.

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › peer review

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title = "Copepod carcasses in the subtropical convergence zone of the Sargasso Sea: implications for microbial community composition, system respiration and carbon flux",

abstract = "The oligotrophic subtropical gyre covers a vast area of the Atlantic Ocean. Decades of time-series monitoring have generated detailed temporal information about zooplankton species and abundances at fixed locations within the gyre, but their live/dead status is often omitted, especially in the dynamic subtropical convergence zone (STCZ) where the water column stratification pattern can change considerably across the front as warm and cold water masses converge. We conducted a detailed survey in the North Atlantic STCZ and showed that over 85% of the copepods were typically concentrated in the upper 200 m. Copepod carcasses were present in all samples and their proportional numerical abundances increased with depth, reaching up to 91% at 300-400 m. Overall, 14-19% of the copepods within the upper 200 m were carcasses. Shipboard experiments showed that during carcass decomposition, microbial respiration increased, and the bacterial community associated with the carcasses diverged from that in the ambient water. Combining field and experimental data, we estimated that decomposing copepod carcasses constitute a negligible oxygen sink in the STCZ, but sinking carcasses may represent an overlooked portion of the passive carbon sinking flux and should be incorporated in future studies of carbon flux in this area.",

author = "Tang, {Kam W.} and Liv Backhaus and Lasse Riemann and Marja Koski and Hans-Peter Grossart and Peter Munk and Nielsen, {Torkel Gissel}",

year = "2019",

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doi = "10.1093/plankt/fbz038",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Copepod carcasses in the subtropical convergence zone of the Sargasso Sea

T2 - implications for microbial community composition, system respiration and carbon flux

AU - Tang, Kam W.

AU - Backhaus, Liv

AU - Riemann, Lasse

AU - Koski, Marja

AU - Grossart, Hans-Peter

AU - Munk, Peter

AU - Nielsen, Torkel Gissel

PY - 2019/7/26

Y1 - 2019/7/26

N2 - The oligotrophic subtropical gyre covers a vast area of the Atlantic Ocean. Decades of time-series monitoring have generated detailed temporal information about zooplankton species and abundances at fixed locations within the gyre, but their live/dead status is often omitted, especially in the dynamic subtropical convergence zone (STCZ) where the water column stratification pattern can change considerably across the front as warm and cold water masses converge. We conducted a detailed survey in the North Atlantic STCZ and showed that over 85% of the copepods were typically concentrated in the upper 200 m. Copepod carcasses were present in all samples and their proportional numerical abundances increased with depth, reaching up to 91% at 300-400 m. Overall, 14-19% of the copepods within the upper 200 m were carcasses. Shipboard experiments showed that during carcass decomposition, microbial respiration increased, and the bacterial community associated with the carcasses diverged from that in the ambient water. Combining field and experimental data, we estimated that decomposing copepod carcasses constitute a negligible oxygen sink in the STCZ, but sinking carcasses may represent an overlooked portion of the passive carbon sinking flux and should be incorporated in future studies of carbon flux in this area.

AB - The oligotrophic subtropical gyre covers a vast area of the Atlantic Ocean. Decades of time-series monitoring have generated detailed temporal information about zooplankton species and abundances at fixed locations within the gyre, but their live/dead status is often omitted, especially in the dynamic subtropical convergence zone (STCZ) where the water column stratification pattern can change considerably across the front as warm and cold water masses converge. We conducted a detailed survey in the North Atlantic STCZ and showed that over 85% of the copepods were typically concentrated in the upper 200 m. Copepod carcasses were present in all samples and their proportional numerical abundances increased with depth, reaching up to 91% at 300-400 m. Overall, 14-19% of the copepods within the upper 200 m were carcasses. Shipboard experiments showed that during carcass decomposition, microbial respiration increased, and the bacterial community associated with the carcasses diverged from that in the ambient water. Combining field and experimental data, we estimated that decomposing copepod carcasses constitute a negligible oxygen sink in the STCZ, but sinking carcasses may represent an overlooked portion of the passive carbon sinking flux and should be incorporated in future studies of carbon flux in this area.

U2 - 10.1093/plankt/fbz038

DO - 10.1093/plankt/fbz038

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0142-7873

VL - 41

SP - 549

EP - 560

JO - Journal of Plankton Research

JF - Journal of Plankton Research

IS - 4

ER -

Copepod carcasses in the subtropical convergence zone of the Sargasso Sea: implications for microbial community composition, system respiration and carbon flux

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