Mesozooplankton Dynamics in Subantarctic Marine Ecosystems
Summary
Mesozooplankton in subantarctic waters form a critical link between primary producers and higher trophic levels, governing carbon export and nutrient cycling in one of the planet’s most dynamic yet understudied regions. Strong seasonality drives pulses of phytoplankton blooms beneath sharply defined pycnoclines, to which mesozooplankton respond through synchronised reproduction, vertical migration and selective feeding on pico- and nanoplankton. Complex hydrographic features – including sills, glacial melt-driven stratification and interoceanic exchanges – create mosaic habitats that shape community structure and biomass distribution. These assemblages influence regional fisheries, sequester atmospheric carbon and modulate global biogeochemical cycles. Understanding their dynamics underpins predictions of ecosystem responses to climate-induced shifts in temperature, stratification and freshwater inputs.
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Mesozooplankton Dynamics in Subantarctic Marine Ecosystems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in mesozooplankton dynamics in subantarctic marine ecosystems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Mesozooplankton: Planktonic organisms 200–2000 µm in size serving as primary consumers of phytoplankton and prey for higher trophic levels.
Holoplankton: Species that remain in the plankton throughout their entire life cycle.
Meroplankton: Temporary planktonic larvae of benthic or nektonic organisms.
Pycnocline: A water-column layer with a rapid increase in density, often limiting vertical mixing.
Bentho-pelagic coupling: Exchange of organic matter and nutrients between the seabed and the overlying water column, linking benthic and pelagic ecosystems.
References
- General Hydrography of the Beagle Channel, a Subantarctic Interoceanic Passage at the Southern Tip of South America. Frontiers in Marine Science (2021).
- Hydrographic features of Magellan and Fuegian inland passages and adjacent Subantarctic waters. Scientia Marina (1999).
- Plankton of Southern Chilean fjords: trends and linkages. Scientia Marina (1999).
- FEEDING AND REPRODUCTIVE ACTIVITY OF THE COPEPODS Drepanopus forcipatus AND Calanus australis DURING LATE SUMMER ON THE SOUTHERN PATAGONIAN SHELF (ARGENTINA, 47°-55°S). Ocean and Coastal Research (2014).
- Mesozooplankton communities in the Magellan region. Scientia Marina (1999).
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