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JPR Advance Access published online on September 4, 2006
Journal of Plankton Research, doi:10.1093/plankt/fbl039
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© The Author 2006. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org
Received March 29, 2006
Accepted August 31, 2006

Article

The seasonal abundance and production of Oithona nana (Copepoda:Cyclopoida) in Southampton Water

J.A. Williams 1 * and E. Muxagata 1

1 School of Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton, European Way, SO14 3ZH, Southampton, United Kingdom

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
J.A. Williams, E-mail: jxw{at}noc.soton.ac.uk


  Abstract

Recent studies indicate that Oithona spp. contribute significantly to total copepod biomass. Little is known, however, about their ecological significance, particularly in the case of the estuarine Oithona nana. A study comprising three sites within Southampton Water was conducted to evaluate the late-stage copepodite/adult (stages IV to VI) O. nana community, using 120 µm mesh nets. Although present throughout the estuary, there was a striking spatial gradient with O. nana most common in the upper estuary. A clear seasonal pattern was observed with O. nana as the most abundant copepod species from late-summer until early-winter. It comprised 61% of all copepods recorded, with a biomass of 757.22 mg C m-3. Production estimates of O. nana were derived from the "instantaneous-growth" approach, using appropriate growth equations. The estimated production of O. nana ranged from 1.50 mg C m-3 yr-1 within the lower estuary to 146.77 mg C m-3 yr-1 in the upper estuary. In the upper estuary this compares with production rates of 187.47 mg C m-3 y-1 for all Acartia congeners (excluding nauplii), the most common calanoid genus. Throughout the estuary O. nana annual production represented 18% of total copepod production clearly indicating that, at least in the upper estuary, O. nana production may be directly comparable to calanoid production.

Communicating Editor: RP Harris


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