Variability of Salpa thompsoni population structure in the Drake Passage in summer season 2010

Dynamic climate changes have become noticeable in recent decades, especially in the vulnerable region of the West Antarctic. The relatively simple food web of this area relies on krill – Euphausia superba. Presumably, as a result of climatic fluctuations, a decrease in the number of this crustacean...

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Main Authors: Słomska Angelika W., Panasiuk-Chodnicka Anna A., Żmijewska Maria I., Mańko Maciej K.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Polish Academy of Sciences 2015-12-01
Series:Polish Polar Research
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/popore.2015.36.issue-4/popore-2015-0020/popore-2015-0020.xml?format=INT
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author Słomska Angelika W.
Panasiuk-Chodnicka Anna A.
Żmijewska Maria I.
Mańko Maciej K.
author_facet Słomska Angelika W.
Panasiuk-Chodnicka Anna A.
Żmijewska Maria I.
Mańko Maciej K.
author_sort Słomska Angelika W.
collection DOAJ
description Dynamic climate changes have become noticeable in recent decades, especially in the vulnerable region of the West Antarctic. The relatively simple food web of this area relies on krill – Euphausia superba. Presumably, as a result of climatic fluctuations, a decrease in the number of this crustacean has been recorded, followed by an increase in the population of the gelatinous zooplankter Salpa thompsoni. In the research presented herein, population and morphometric analyses of Salpa thompsoni have been conducted. Specimens for this research were collected from the Drake Passage, using a Bongo net in the summer season of 2010. It has been found that the horizontal distribution of this gelatinous zooplankter was significantly irregular (Kruskal-Wallis test, p < 0.001). In the northern part of the investigated area, both blastozooids and oozooids were recorded, which confirms the dynamic development of this species. The central part of the Drake Passage was characterized by the dominance of blastozooids, with embryos found at different stages of the development. Only in the region of the South Shetland Islands, the salpid population was characterized by reduced or even stopped reproduction. The immense reproductive efficiency observed in the Salpa thompsoni population was mostly induced by the favourable thermal conditions. These observations may suggest that the ongoing climat changes in the West Antarctic will promote the population expansion of this species.
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spelling doaj.art-f98132667b0a4aecaa18fc12bafc60202022-12-22T01:38:04ZengPolish Academy of SciencesPolish Polar Research2081-82622015-12-0136439140410.1515/popore-2015-0020popore-2015-0020Variability of Salpa thompsoni population structure in the Drake Passage in summer season 2010Słomska Angelika W.0Panasiuk-Chodnicka Anna A.1Żmijewska Maria I.2Mańko Maciej K.3Zakład Badań Planktonu Morskiego, Wydział Oceanografii i Geografii, Uniwersytet Gdański Al. Piłsudskiego 46, 81-378 Gdynia, PolandZakład Badań Planktonu Morskiego, Wydział Oceanografii i Geografii, Uniwersytet Gdański Al. Piłsudskiego 46, 81-378 Gdynia, PolandZakład Badań Planktonu Morskiego, Wydział Oceanografii i Geografii, Uniwersytet Gdański Al. Piłsudskiego 46, 81-378 Gdynia, PolandZakład Badań Planktonu Morskiego, Wydział Oceanografii i Geografii, Uniwersytet Gdański Al. Piłsudskiego 46, 81-378 Gdynia, PolandDynamic climate changes have become noticeable in recent decades, especially in the vulnerable region of the West Antarctic. The relatively simple food web of this area relies on krill – Euphausia superba. Presumably, as a result of climatic fluctuations, a decrease in the number of this crustacean has been recorded, followed by an increase in the population of the gelatinous zooplankter Salpa thompsoni. In the research presented herein, population and morphometric analyses of Salpa thompsoni have been conducted. Specimens for this research were collected from the Drake Passage, using a Bongo net in the summer season of 2010. It has been found that the horizontal distribution of this gelatinous zooplankter was significantly irregular (Kruskal-Wallis test, p < 0.001). In the northern part of the investigated area, both blastozooids and oozooids were recorded, which confirms the dynamic development of this species. The central part of the Drake Passage was characterized by the dominance of blastozooids, with embryos found at different stages of the development. Only in the region of the South Shetland Islands, the salpid population was characterized by reduced or even stopped reproduction. The immense reproductive efficiency observed in the Salpa thompsoni population was mostly induced by the favourable thermal conditions. These observations may suggest that the ongoing climat changes in the West Antarctic will promote the population expansion of this species.http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/popore.2015.36.issue-4/popore-2015-0020/popore-2015-0020.xml?format=INTAntarcticplanktonic tunicatehorizontal distributionpopulation structureclimate change
spellingShingle Słomska Angelika W.
Panasiuk-Chodnicka Anna A.
Żmijewska Maria I.
Mańko Maciej K.
Variability of Salpa thompsoni population structure in the Drake Passage in summer season 2010
Polish Polar Research
Antarctic
planktonic tunicate
horizontal distribution
population structure
climate change
title Variability of Salpa thompsoni population structure in the Drake Passage in summer season 2010
title_full Variability of Salpa thompsoni population structure in the Drake Passage in summer season 2010
title_fullStr Variability of Salpa thompsoni population structure in the Drake Passage in summer season 2010
title_full_unstemmed Variability of Salpa thompsoni population structure in the Drake Passage in summer season 2010
title_short Variability of Salpa thompsoni population structure in the Drake Passage in summer season 2010
title_sort variability of salpa thompsoni population structure in the drake passage in summer season 2010
topic Antarctic
planktonic tunicate
horizontal distribution
population structure
climate change
url http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/popore.2015.36.issue-4/popore-2015-0020/popore-2015-0020.xml?format=INT
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AT zmijewskamariai variabilityofsalpathompsonipopulationstructureinthedrakepassageinsummerseason2010
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