Free Standard AU & NZ Shipping For All Book Orders Over $80!
Register      Login
Marine and Freshwater Research Marine and Freshwater Research Society
Advances in the aquatic sciences
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Implications of a regional-scale process (the Lakshadweep low) on the mesozooplankton community structure of the Arabian Sea

K. K. Karati A C , G. Vineetha A B , T. V. Raveendran A , P. K. Dineshkumar A , K. R. Muraleedharan A , T. Joseph A and K. V. Jayalakshmi A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Council of Scientific and Industrial Research–National Institute of Oceanography, Regional Centre, Kochi, Kerala, 682018, India.

B Present address: Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi, Kerala, 682018, India.

C Corresponding author. Present address: Centre for Marine Living Resources & Ecology, Kochi, Kerala, 682037, India. Email: kusum.kk1@gmail.com

Marine and Freshwater Research 70(3) 345-358 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF17238
Submitted: 30 January 2017  Accepted: 4 July 2018   Published: 22 October 2018

Abstract

The Arabian Sea, a major tropical ocean basin in the northern Indian Ocean, is one of the most productive regions in the global ocean. Although the classical Arabian Sea ‘paradox’ describes the geographical and seasonal invariability in zooplankton biomass in this region, the effect of the Lakshadweep low (LL), a regional-scale physical process, on the zooplankton community has not yet been evaluated. The LL, characterised by low sea surface height and originating around the vicinity of the Lakshadweep islands during the mid-summer monsoon, is unique to the Arabian Sea. The present study investigated the effect of the LL on the zooplankton community. The LL clearly had a positive effect, with enhanced biomass and abundance in the mixed-layer depth of the LL region. Copepods and chaetognaths formed the dominant taxa, exhibiting strong affinity towards the physical process. Of the 67 copepod species observed, small copepods belonging to the families Paracalanidae, Clausocalanidae, Calanidae, Oncaeidae and Corycaeidae dominated the LL region. Phytoplankton biomass (chlorophyll-a) was the primary determinant influencing the higher preponderance of the copepod community in this region.

Additional keywords: ecology, marine, zooplankton.


References

Alvariño, A. (1964). The Chaetognatha of the monsoon expedition in the Indian Ocean. Pacific Science 18, 336–348.

Anderson, M. J., and Willis, T. J. (2003). Canonical analysis of principal coordinates: a useful method of constrained ordination for ecology. Ecology 84, 511–525.
Canonical analysis of principal coordinates: a useful method of constrained ordination for ecology.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Baars, M. A. (1999). On the paradox of high mesozooplankton biomass, throughout the year in the western Arabian Sea: re-analysis of IIOE data and comparison with newer data. Indian Journal of Marine Sciences 28, 125–137.

Bakun, A. (2006). Fronts and eddies as key structures in the habitat of marine fish larvae: opportunity, adaptive response and competitive advantage. Scientia Marina 70, 105–122.
Fronts and eddies as key structures in the habitat of marine fish larvae: opportunity, adaptive response and competitive advantage.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Banse, K. (1959). On upwelling and bottom-trawling off the southwest coast of India. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India 1, 33–49.

Benitez-Nelson, C. R., Bidigare, R. R., Dickey, T. D., Landry, M. R., Leonard, C. L., Brown, S. L., Nencioli, F., Rii, Y. M., Maiti, K., Becker, J. W., and Bibby, T. S. (2007). Mesoscale eddies drive increased silica export in the subtropical Pacific. Ocean Science 316, 1017–1021.

Bidigare, R. R., Benitez-Nelson, C., Leonard, C. L., Quay, P. D., Parsons, M. L., Foley, D. G., and Seki, M. P. (2003). Influence of a cyclonic eddy on microheterotroph biomass and carbon export in the lee of Hawaii. Geophysical Research Letters 30, 1318.
Influence of a cyclonic eddy on microheterotroph biomass and carbon export in the lee of Hawaii.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Bruce, J. G. (1968). Comparison of near surface dynamic topography during the two monsoons in the western Indian Ocean. Deep-Sea Research 15, 665–667.

Chen, Y. L. L., Chen, H. Y., Lin, I. I., Lee, M. A., and Chang, J. (2007). Effects of cold eddy on phytoplankton production and assemblages in Luzon Strait bordering the South China Sea. Journal of Oceanography 63, 671–683.
Effects of cold eddy on phytoplankton production and assemblages in Luzon Strait bordering the South China Sea.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Clarke, K. R., and Gorley, R. N. (2015). ‘PRIMER v7: User Manual/Tutorial.’ (PRIMER-E: Plymouth, UK.)

Clifford, H. T., and Stephensen, W. (1975). ‘An Introduction to Numerical Classification.’ (Academic Press: New York, NY, USA.)

Conway, D. V. P., White, R. G., Hugues-Dit-Ciles, J., Gallienne, C. P., and Robins, D. B. (2003). ‘Guide to the Coastal and Surface Zooplankton of the South-western Indian Ocean.’ (Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom: Plymouth, UK.)

Daly, K. L., and Smith, W. O. (1993). Physical–biological interactions influencing marine plankton production. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 24, 555–585.
Physical–biological interactions influencing marine plankton production.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Ducklow, H. W., Steinberg, D. K., and Buesseler, K. O. (2001). Upper ocean carbon export and the biological pump. Oceanography 14, 50–58.
Upper ocean carbon export and the biological pump.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Eden, B. R., Steinberg, D. K., Goldthwait, S. A., and McGillicuddy, D. J. (2009). Zooplankton community structure in a cyclonic and mode-water eddy in the Sargasso Sea. Deep-sea Research – I. Oceanographic Research Papers 56, 1757–1776.
Zooplankton community structure in a cyclonic and mode-water eddy in the Sargasso Sea.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Escribano, R., Hidalgo, P., González, H., Giesecke, R., Riqueme-Bugueño, R., and Manríquez, K. (2007). Seasonal and inter-annual variation of mesozooplankton in the coastal upwelling zone off central-southern Chile. Progress in Oceanography 75, 470–485.
Seasonal and inter-annual variation of mesozooplankton in the coastal upwelling zone off central-southern Chile.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Escribano, R., Hidalgo, P., Fuentes, M., and Donoso, K. (2012). Zooplankton time series in the coastal zone off Chile: variation in upwelling and responses of the copepod community. Progress in Oceanography 97–100, 174–186.
Zooplankton time series in the coastal zone off Chile: variation in upwelling and responses of the copepod community.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Fernandes, V. (2008). The effect of semi-permanent eddies on the distribution of mesozooplankton in the central Bay of Bengal. Journal of Marine Research 66, 465–488.
The effect of semi-permanent eddies on the distribution of mesozooplankton in the central Bay of Bengal.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Fernandes, V., and Ramaiah, N. (2013). Mesozooplankton community structure in the upper 1000 m along the western Bay of Bengal during the 2002 fall intermonsoon. Zoological Studies 52, 31.
Mesozooplankton community structure in the upper 1000 m along the western Bay of Bengal during the 2002 fall intermonsoon.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Gauns, M. (2005). The biology of the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal. In ‘Glimpses of the Work on Environment and Development in India’. (Eds J. S. Singh and V. P. Sharma.) pp. 183–210. (Angkor Publishers: New Delhi, India.)

Giesecke, R., and González, H. E. (2004). Mandible characteristics and allometric relations in copepods: a reliable method to estimate prey size and composition from mandible occurrence in predator guts. Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 77, 607–616.
Mandible characteristics and allometric relations in copepods: a reliable method to estimate prey size and composition from mandible occurrence in predator guts.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Grasshoff, K. (1983). Determination of oxygen. In ‘Methods of Sea Water Analysis’. (Eds K. Grasshoff, M. Ehrhardt, and K. Kremling.) pp. 61–72. (Verlag Chemie: Weinheim, Germany.)

Harris, R., Wiebe, P., Lenz, J., Skjoldal, H. R., and Huntley, M. E. (Eds) (2000). ‘ICES Zooplankton Methodology Manual.’ (Academic Press: London, UK.)

Huggett, J. A. (2014). Mesoscale distribution and community composition of zooplankton in the Mozambique Channel. Deep-sea Research – II. Topical Studies in Oceanography 100, 119–135.
Mesoscale distribution and community composition of zooplankton in the Mozambique Channel.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Jyothibabu, R., Madhu, N. V., Habeebrehman, H., Jayalakshmy, K. V., Nair, K. K. C., and Achuthankutty, C. T. (2010). Re-evaluation of ‘paradox of mesozooplankton’ in the eastern Arabian Sea based on ship and satellite observations. Journal of Marine Systems 81, 235–251.
Re-evaluation of ‘paradox of mesozooplankton’ in the eastern Arabian Sea based on ship and satellite observations.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Kasturirangan, L. R. (1963). ‘A Key for the Identification of the More Common Planktonic Copepod of Indian Coastal Waters.’ (Indian National Committee on Oceanic Research, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research: New Delhi, India.)

Kehayias, G. (2003). Quantitative aspects of feeding of chaetognaths in the eastern Mediterranean pelagic waters. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 83, 559–569.
Quantitative aspects of feeding of chaetognaths in the eastern Mediterranean pelagic waters.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Khodami, S., McArthur, J. V., Blanco-Bercial, L., and Martinez Arbizu, P. (2017). Molecular phylogeny and revision of copepod orders (Crustacea: Copepoda). Scientific Reports 7, –9164.
Molecular phylogeny and revision of copepod orders (Crustacea: Copepoda).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Kiørboe, T. (2011). What makes pelagic copepods so successful? Journal of Plankton Research 33, 677–685.
What makes pelagic copepods so successful?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Kruskal, J. B. (1964). Multidimensional scaling by optimizing goodness of fit to a nonmetric hypothesis. Psychometrika 29, 1–27.
Multidimensional scaling by optimizing goodness of fit to a nonmetric hypothesis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Kusum, K. K., Vineetha, G., Raveendran, T. V., Muraleedharan, K. R., Nair, M., and Achuthankutty, C. T. (2011). Impact of oxygen-depleted water on the vertical distribution of chaetognaths in the northeastern Arabian Sea. Deep-sea Research – I. Oceanographic Research Papers 58, 1163–1174.
Impact of oxygen-depleted water on the vertical distribution of chaetognaths in the northeastern Arabian Sea.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Kusum, K. K., Vineetha, G., Raveendran, T. V., Nair, V. R., Muraleedharan, K. R., and Achuthankutty, C. T. (2014a). Chaetognath community and their responses to varying environmental factors in the northern Indian Ocean. Journal of Plankton Research 36, 1146–1152.
Chaetognath community and their responses to varying environmental factors in the northern Indian Ocean.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Kusum, K. K., Vineetha, G., Raveendran, T. V., Muraleedharan, K. R., Biju, A., and Achuthankutty, C. T. (2014b). Influence of upwelling on distribution of chaetognath (zooplankton) in the oxygen deficient zone of the eastern Arabian Sea. Continental Shelf Research 78, 16–28.
Influence of upwelling on distribution of chaetognath (zooplankton) in the oxygen deficient zone of the eastern Arabian Sea.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Lebourges-Dhaussy, A., Huggett, J., Ockhuis, S., Roudaut, G., Josse, E., and Verheye, H. (2014). Zooplankton size and distribution within mesoscale structures in the Mozambique Channel: a comparative approach using the TAPS acoustic profiler, a multiple net sampler and ZooScan image analysis. Deep-sea Research – II. Topical Studies in Oceanography 100, 136–152.
Zooplankton size and distribution within mesoscale structures in the Mozambique Channel: a comparative approach using the TAPS acoustic profiler, a multiple net sampler and ZooScan image analysis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Lochte, K., and Pfannkuche, O. (1987). Cyclonic cold-core eddy in the eastern North Atlantic. II. Nutrients, phytoplankton and bacteriaplankton. Marine Ecology Progress Series 39, 153–164.
Cyclonic cold-core eddy in the eastern North Atlantic. II. Nutrients, phytoplankton and bacteriaplankton.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Lopes, R. M., Brandini, F. P., and Gaeta, S. A. (1999). Distribution patterns of epipelagic copepods off Rio de Janeiro (SE Brazil) in summer 1991/1992 and winter 1992. Hydrobiologia 411, 161–174.
Distribution patterns of epipelagic copepods off Rio de Janeiro (SE Brazil) in summer 1991/1992 and winter 1992.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Madhupratap, M., Nair, S. R. S., Haridas, P., and Padmavati, G. (1990). Response of zooplankton to physical change in the environment: coastal upwelling along the central west coast of India. Journal of Coastal Research 6, 413–426.

Madhupratap, M., Gopalakrishnan, T. C., Haridas, P., Nair, K. K. C., Aravindakshan, P. N., Padmavati, G., and Paul, S. (1996a). Lack of seasonal and geographic variation in mesozooplankton biomass in the Arabian Sea and its structure in the mixed layer. Current Science 71, 863–868.

Madhupratap, M., Prasanna Kumar, S., Bhattathari, P. M. A., Dileep Kumar, M., Raghukumar, S., Nair, K. K. C., and Ramaiah, N. (1996b). Mechanism of the biological response to winter cooling in the northeastern Arabian Sea. Nature 384, 549–552.
Mechanism of the biological response to winter cooling in the northeastern Arabian Sea.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Marra, J., and Barber, R. T. (2005). Primary productivity in the Arabian Sea: a synthesis of JGOFS data. Progress in Oceanography 65, 159–175.
Primary productivity in the Arabian Sea: a synthesis of JGOFS data.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Mauchline, J. (1998). ‘The Biology of Calanoid Copepods.’ (Academic Press: London, UK.)

Muraleedharan, K. R., Jasmine, P., Achuthankutty, C. T., Revichandran, C., Dinesh Kumar, P. K., Anand, P., and Rejomon, G. (2007). Influence of basin scale and mesoscale physical processes on biological productivity in the Bay of Bengal during the summer monsoon. Progress in Oceanography 72, 364–383.
Influence of basin scale and mesoscale physical processes on biological productivity in the Bay of Bengal during the summer monsoon.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Nair, V. R. (1975). Chaetognaths from three different environments. Mahasagar 8, 81–86.

Nair, V. R. (1978). Bathymetric distribution of chaetognaths in the Indian Ocean. Indian Journal of Marine Sciences 7, 276–282.

Nair, V. R. (2003). Chaetognatha. (National Institute of Oceanography: Kochi, India.) Available at http://www.nio.org/index/option/com_nomenu/task/show/tid/2/sid/18/id/6 [Verified 27 August 2018].

Nair, V. R., Peter, G., and Paulinose, V. T. (1978). Zooplankton studies in the Indian Ocean II. From the Arabian Sea during the post-monsoon period. Mahasagar 11, 35–43.

Nair, K. K. C., Madhupratap, M., Gopalakrishnan, T. C., Haridas, P., and Gauns, M. (1999). The Arabian Sea: physical environment, zooplankton and mytctophid abundance. Indian Journal of Marine Sciences 28, 138–145.

Nair, V. R., Kusum, K. K., Gireesh, R., and Nair, M. (2015). The distribution of the chaetognath population and its interaction with environmental characteristics in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. Marine Biology Research 11, 269–282.
The distribution of the chaetognath population and its interaction with environmental characteristics in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Nerem, R. S., Schrama, E. J., Koblinsky, C. J., and Beckley, B. D. (1994). A preliminary evaluation of ocean topography from the TOPEX/Poseidon mission. Journal of Geophysical Research 99, 24565–24583.
A preliminary evaluation of ocean topography from the TOPEX/Poseidon mission.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Oke, P. R., and Griffin, D. A. (2011). The cold-core eddy and strong upwelling off the coast of New South Wales in early 2007. Deep-sea Research – II. Topical Studies in Oceanography 58, 574–591.
The cold-core eddy and strong upwelling off the coast of New South Wales in early 2007.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Pearre, S. (1980). Feeding by chaetognatha: the relation of prey size to predator size in several species. Marine Ecology Progress Series 3, 125–134.
Feeding by chaetognatha: the relation of prey size to predator size in several species.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Piontkovski, S. A., Williams, R., Peterson, W., and Kosnirev, V. K. (1995). Relationship between oceanic mesozooplankton and energy of eddy fields. Marine Ecology Progress Series 128, 35–41.
Relationship between oceanic mesozooplankton and energy of eddy fields.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Prasanna Kumar, S., Madhupratap, M., Dileep Kumar, M., Gauns, M., Muraleedharan, P. M., Sarma, V. V. S. S., and De Souza, S. N. (2000). Physical control of primary productivity on a seasonal scale in central and eastern Arabian Sea. Journal of Earth System Science 109, 433–441.
Physical control of primary productivity on a seasonal scale in central and eastern Arabian Sea.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Rao, A. D., Joshi, M., and Ravichandran, M. (2008). Oceanic upwelling and downwelling processes in waters off the west coast if India. Ocean Dynamics 58, 213–226.
Oceanic upwelling and downwelling processes in waters off the west coast if India.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Resplandy, L., Lévy, M., Madec, G., Pous, S., Aumont, O., and Kumar, D. (2011). Contribution of mesoscale processes to nutrient budgets in the Arabian Sea. Journal of Geophysical Research. Oceans 116, C11007.
Contribution of mesoscale processes to nutrient budgets in the Arabian Sea.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Riandey, V., Champalbert, G., Carlotti, F., Taupier-Letage, I., and Thibault-Botha, D. (2005). Zooplankton distribution related to the hydrodynamic features in the Algerian Basin (western Mediterranean Sea) in summer 1997. Deep-sea Research – I. Oceanographic Research Papers 52, 2029–2048.
Zooplankton distribution related to the hydrodynamic features in the Algerian Basin (western Mediterranean Sea) in summer 1997.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Saraswathy, M., and Iyer, H. K. (1986). Ecology of Pleuromamma indica Wolfenden (Copepoda-Calanoida) in the Indian Ocean. Indian Journal of Marine Sciences 15, 219–222.

Sewell, R. B. S. (1999). ‘The Copepod of Indian Seas.’ (Biotech Books: Delhi, India.)

Shankar, D. (1998). Low-frequency variability of sea level along the coast of India. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Goa, Goa, India.

Shankar, D., and Shetye, S. R. (1997). On the dynamics of the Lakshadweep high and low in the southeastern Arabian Sea. Journal of Geophysical Research 102, 12551–12562.
On the dynamics of the Lakshadweep high and low in the southeastern Arabian Sea.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Shetye, S. R. (1998). West India coastal current and Lakshadweep high/low. Sadhana 23, 637–651.
West India coastal current and Lakshadweep high/low.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Smith, S. L. (1992). Secondary production in waters influenced by upwelling off the coast of Somalia. In ‘Oceanography of the Indian Ocean’. (Ed. B. N. Desai.) pp. 191–200. (Oxford and IBH Publishing Company: New Delhi, India.)

Smith, S. L. (2001). Understanding the Arabian Sea: reflections on the 1994–1996 Arabian Sea expedition. Deep-sea Research – II. Topical Studies in Oceanography 48, 1385–1402.
Understanding the Arabian Sea: reflections on the 1994–1996 Arabian Sea expedition.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Smith, S. L., and Madhupratap, M. (2005). Mesozooplankton of the Arabian Sea: patterns influenced by seasons, upwelling and oxygen concentrations. Progress in Oceanography 65, 214–239.
Mesozooplankton of the Arabian Sea: patterns influenced by seasons, upwelling and oxygen concentrations.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Tang, D., Kawamura, H., and Luis, A. J. (2002). Short-term variability of phytoplankton blooms associated with a cold eddy in the northwestern Arabian Sea. Remote Sensing of Environment 81, 82–89.
Short-term variability of phytoplankton blooms associated with a cold eddy in the northwestern Arabian Sea.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Tapley, B. D., Chambers, D. P., Shum, C. K., Eanes, R. J., Ries, J. C., and Stewart, R. H. (1994). Accuracy assessment of the large scale dynamic ocean topography from TOPEX/POSEIDON altimetry. Journal of Geophysical Research 99, 24605–24617.
Accuracy assessment of the large scale dynamic ocean topography from TOPEX/POSEIDON altimetry.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

UNESCO (1965) ‘International Indian Ocean Expedition. Collected Reprints I.’ (Les Presses Saint-Augustin: Bruges, Belgium.)

Weikert, H., and John, H. C. (1981). Experiences with a modified multiple opening closing plankton net. Journal of Plankton Research 3, 167–176.
Experiences with a modified multiple opening closing plankton net.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Wyrtki, K. (1971). ‘Oceanographic Atlas of the International Indian Ocean Expedition.’ (National Science Foundation: Washington, DC, USA.)