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Annual variation in Calanus sinicus abundance and population structure in the northern boundary area of the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass

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Abstract

The Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass (YSCWM) was suggested as an over-summering site of the dominant copepod species Calanus sinicus in coastal Chinese seas. Population abundance and structure were investigated by monthly sampling along three transects across the northern boundary of the YSCWM during 2009–2010. Results show that thermal stratification existed from June to October and that the vertical thermal difference increased with depth. Generally, total abundance was lowest in October and highest in June, and the female/male sex ratio was highest in February and lowest in August. Evident spatial differences in abundance were observed during the existence of the YSCWM. In June, total abundance averaged 158.8 ind/m3 at well-stratified stations, and 532.1 ind/m3 at other stations. Similarly, high abundances of 322.0 and 324.4 ind/m 3 were recorded from July to August inside the YSCWM, while the abundance decreased from 50.4 to 1.9 ind/m3 outside the water mass. C. sinicus distribution tended to even out over the study area in September when the YSCWM disappeared. We believe that the YSCWM may retard population recruitment in spring and preserve abundant cohorts in summer. The summer population was transported to neritic waters in autumn. In addition to low temperatures, stable vertical structure was also an essential condition for preservation of the summer population. C. sinicus can survive the summer in marginal areas in high abundance, but the population structure is completely different in terms of C5 proportion and sex ratio.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Jiaozhou Bay Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China

    Jiehui Yin  (尹洁慧), Guangtao Zhang  (张光涛), Zengxia Zhao  (赵增霞), Shiwei Wang  (王世伟) & Aiyong Wan  (万艾勇)

  2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Jiehui Yin  (尹洁慧)

Authors
  1. Jiehui Yin  (尹洁慧)
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  2. Guangtao Zhang  (张光涛)
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  3. Zengxia Zhao  (赵增霞)
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  4. Shiwei Wang  (王世伟)
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  5. Aiyong Wan  (万艾勇)
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Guangtao Zhang  (张光涛).

Additional information

Supported by the Knowledge Innovation Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences, the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) (No. 2011CB403604), and the IOCAS-Zhangzidao Fishery Eco-Mariculture Joint Laboratory

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Yin, J., Zhang, G., Zhao, Z. et al. Annual variation in Calanus sinicus abundance and population structure in the northern boundary area of the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass. Chin. J. Ocean. Limnol. 31, 1284–1294 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-013-3004-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-013-3004-3

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