Dark plumes of glacial meltwater affect vertical distribution of zooplankton in the Arctic

Abstract

Abstract In polar regions, the release of glacial meltwater resulting in turbid plumes is expected to transform coastal waters with numerous consequences on the marine ecosystem. This study aimed to determine the influence of turbidity regimes on the vertical distribution of copepods together with their potential food (chlorophyll a fluorescence) and non-visual predators (gelatinous zooplankton). Hydrography, turbidity, suspended particulate matter and chlorophyll a were studied in July and August 2019 in West Spitsbergen waters (European Arctic). Fine-scale vertical distribution patterns of zooplankton were assessed by an optical counter (LOPC) and underwater camera (UVP) and verified by plankton nets. In waters with the shallow impact of dark plumes, Calanus spp. and gelatinous zooplankton were concentrated in the upper water layers, whereas in areas with a thick turbid layer, they were distributed evenly in the water column. However, chlorophyll a peaks were found to be restricted to the surface in the turbid waters and there were subsurface maxima in the shallow turbidity regime. Regardless of the region, the turbidity regime was a significant factor shaping the vertical distribution of Calanus spp. We speculate that similar trends might be observed in other rapidly emerging turbid ecosystems and urge that future plankton research should also include relatively simple turbidity measurements.