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JPR Advance Access originally published online on February 25, 2009
Journal of Plankton Research 2009 31(6):669-686; doi:10.1093/plankt/fbp013
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© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Trophic relationships of zooplankton in the eastern Mediterranean based on stable isotope measurements

Rolf Koppelmann1,*, Ruth Böttger-Schnack2,{dagger}, Jürgen Möbius3 and Horst Weikert1

1 Institut für Hydrobiologie und Fischereiwissenschaft, Universität Hamburg, Große Elbstraße 133, 22767 Hamburg, Germany 2 Biolab Research Institute, Hohenwestedt, Kieler STRAßE 51, 24594 Hohenwestedt, Germany 3 Institut für Biogeochemie und Meereschemie, Universität Hamburg, Bundesstraße 55, 20146 Hamburg, Germany

* CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: koppelmann{at}uni-hamburg.de

Received on November 24, 2008; accepted on February 4, 2009


  Abstract

Abundance and stable isotope composition of large and small mesozooplankton were analyzed in samples taken with 333 and 100 µm nets, respectively, at four sites in the eastern Mediterranean down to 4200 m depth in October 2001. Large mesozooplankton (333 µm nets) was sieved into five size fractions, and the {delta}13C and {delta}15N values of the fractions were measured as well as the {delta}15N values of total small mesozooplankton (100 µm nets) and specific mesozooplankton taxa. These measurements allow insights into the source of the diet and the trophic level relative to sinking and suspended particulate organic matter. Overall, biomass and abundance of zooplankton was low, reflecting the oligotrophic character of the eastern Mediterranean. Stable nitrogen isotope values of mesozooplankton were low (1–4{per thousand}) and close to zero in suspended particles at the surface. This indicates that the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen probably contributes to the N-pool in the eastern Mediterranean. Such low values were also found in sinking particles in deep waters and in most zooplankton size classes. However, suspended particles and mesozooplankton in the size class 0.5–1 mm, which was primarily composed of the deep-sea species Lucicutia longiserrata, showed higher values at depths below 1000 m. There is some indication that L. longiserrata was able to utilize the suspended particle pool in the deep eastern Mediterranean.

{dagger} Present Address: Moorsehdener Weg 8, 24211 Rastorf/Rosenfeld, Germany

Corresponding editor: Roger Harris


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