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Winter Tales: the dark side of planktonic life

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Abstract

This paper presents the first comprehensive insight into the structure of planktonic communities, from nanoprotists to mesozooplankton in the waters north of Svalbard during the dark Arctic winter. Our investigations were carried out in two contrasting locations comparing a shallow fjord, Rijpfjorden, and a deep ice-covered region, Sofiadjupet, in January 2012. They revealed low chlorophyll a concentrations (<0.05 mg m−2), as a result of the low protist biomass (0.54–2.04 mg C m−2). Overall, 27 plastidic protist taxa were observed including 14 autotrophic taxa and one typical early Arctic spring bloom species (Entomoneis sp.). The presence of these phototrophic organisms, mostly dinoflagellates, showed that some pelagic autotrophs are able to survive the dark winter period. The high mesozooplankton biomass (6–8 g C m−2) indicated a healthy community despite the scarcity of primary producers. Three Calanus species dominated the mesoplanktonic biomass (79 %) in Rijpfjorden, whereas in Sofiadjupet carnivorous Chaetognatha (72 %) were dominant. Vertical distribution/profiles of the different trophic categories showed that herbivores were concentrated in the surface water layers (20–0 and 100–10 m) at both sites, whereas predators were occupying the deeper waters (600–100 m) of Sofiadjupet. Our results indicate that high mesozooplankton biomass is concentrated in surface waters. This contradicts the paradigm that mid-January, Arctic zooplankton communities overwinter in deep waters in a dormant state. Moreover, this work fills an evident gap in existing knowledge of Arctic plankton standing stocks and the relationships between its various size fractions during the polar night.

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Acknowledgments

We are indebted to the captain and crew of the R/V Helmer Hanssen for their assistance in field. This project was supported by Norwegian Research Council (CLEOPATRA II and CircA), Polish Scientific Council (658/W-HAUSGARTEN/2010/0), Polish National Scientific Centre (2736/UniPlankton/2013) and IOPAS statutory activity. The authors would like also to acknowledge the Arctic marine ecosystem research network (ARCTOS) for supporting a participation of PhD student—Anna Kubiszyn in the Polar Night Cruise (ARCTOS-BIO-8510). Gunilla Eriksen at Tromsø University is thanked for her contribution to cell counting. Additionally, we acknowledge the MODIS mission scientists and associated NASA personnel for the production of the data used in this research for drawing Fig. 1. We are sincerely indebted to Martin Angel (National Oceanographic Centre, Southampton) and Clare Webster (University of St. Andrew) for their valuable improvements to the text and English proof reading.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-712, Sopot, Poland

    Katarzyna Błachowiak-Samołyk, Józef Maria Wiktor & Anna Maria Kubiszyn

  2. Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, 9037, Tromsø, Norway

    Else Nøst Hegseth & Stig Falk-Petersen

  3. Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, 9296, Tromsø, Norway

    Anette Wold

  4. Akvaplan niva, Fram Centre, 9296, Tromsø, Norway

    Stig Falk-Petersen

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  1. Katarzyna Błachowiak-Samołyk
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Correspondence to Katarzyna Błachowiak-Samołyk.

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This article belongs to the special Polar Night issue, coordinated by Ole Jørgen Lønne.

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Błachowiak-Samołyk, K., Wiktor, J.M., Hegseth, E.N. et al. Winter Tales: the dark side of planktonic life. Polar Biol 38, 23–36 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-014-1597-4

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