Abstract
The vertical distribution of plankton and hydrographic factors was studied at five stations within the Irish Sea, differing in depth, strength of tidal currents and location with respect to non-tidal currents. Neither the plankton nor the hydrographic factors showed vertical homogeneity at any station, even when there were strong tidal currents. The day depth of bothPseudocalanus elongatus andMicrocalanus pusillus varied considerably at different stations and at different seasons at the same station.P. elongatus showed diurnal migrations on some but not all occasions. No clear diurnal migration was shown byM. pusillus. Some of the vertical distributions of both species, both by day and over 24 h, could be correlated with physical or chemical factors. These included stratification involving differences in temperature or salinity, but in some cases only differences in nutrient concentration were detected. Although layers of seawater of similar density are unlikely to maintain their identity for very long periods they are probably more common than is generally realized and sufficiently persistent to have important effects on the distribution of plankton. The determination of nutrient concentrations provides a convenient and effective means of detecting such layers.
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Lee, J.W., Williamson, D.I. The vertical distribution and diurnal migration of copepods at different stations in the Irish Sea. Journal of the Oceanographical Society of Japan 31, 199–211 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02150959
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02150959