A review of hydrographic controls on the distribution of zooplankton biomass and species in the North Sea with particular reference to a survey conducted in January–March 1987

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Abstract

Horizontal distribution patterns of zooplankton biomass and the stock-forming zooplankton taxa are presented and discussed for the entire North Sea in connection with hydrographic and climatological conditions and the general current regime.

The winter distribution pattern of the various zooplankton taxa can be divided roughly into three categories:

  • 1.

    1. Species associated with water masses of Atlantic origin, whose southernmost boundary of distribution is generally the Dogger Bank.

  • 2.

    2. Species occurring primarily in the central North Sea, concentrated mostly in the area between 56°-58°N and 2°–5°E.

  • 3.

    3. Neritic forms, with large stocks in the Continental Coastal Water, but which can also be found in relatively large numbers in the mixed oceanic/coastal water off the Scottish northeast coast where they are subject to advection in the Scottish Coastal Water and the Dooley Current.

It was generally found that the finer the taxonomic analysis of the plankton, the better it could be related to the horizontal distribution patterns of the North Sea current regime.

During both the winter cruise and the late spring cruise, the largest planktonic biomasses were found in the central and northern North Sea. However, in late spring the influence of the shelf edge was evident from the incoming Calanus stocks, whereas in late winter the greatest biomasses stemmed from the Dogger Bank and the Skagerrak regions. At this time, the Dogger Bank was already a reproductive centre for various meroplanktic and holoplanktic organisms, which apparently provided the trophic basis for large populations of predators such as Sagitta spp., amphipods and Aglantha digitale. The large biomass in the Skagerrak was mainly based on various Atlantophilic forms such as Calanus finmarchicus, Metridia spp. and diverse mesopelagic copepods as well as euphausiids and chaetognaths.

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