Spatial and temporal distribution of mesozooplankton in the coastal waters of Cyprus (Eastern Mediterranean)
Abstract
This study provides elements on the spatial and temporal mesozooplankton variability during a three-year study, encompassing vertical hauls from 50 m deep to the surface from four coastal locations of Cyprus. The total mesozooplankton abundance fluctuated between 190.4 and 882.5 individuals m-3. A total of 90 holoplanktonic and meroplanktonic taxa were recorded. Copepods dominated in the community and accounted for 71.7% of the total mesozooplankton, followed by appendicularians, molluscs, cladocerans, and siphonophores, which contributed 8.04%, 5.48%, 4.60%, and 3.31%, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences among the four sampling sites for any of the mesozooplanktonic taxa, though seasonal and interannual differences were recorded for several of them. The community composition reinforced the evidence for a higher resemblance of the Cyprus mesozooplankton to the offshore communities of the northern and central Levantine Sea and those around Rhodes Island, instead of the northeastern Mediterranean coastal areas. Comparisons of the seasonal abundance variation of the mesozooplankton taxa with other coastal areas of the Levantine Sea are provided. Considering the seasonality of the mesozooplankton, there was a separation of the taxa into distinct groups representing the summer, the winter-spring, and the autumn periods. The temperature was the most important variable that shaped the formation of the distinct seasonal groups of taxa, while chlorophyll-α, dissolved oxygen, and salinity contributed to a lesser extent. Chlorophyll-α concentrations verified the oligotrophic character of the area and seem to be unaffected by inland inputs. The mesozooplankton community showed a spatial consistency, probably as the result of the open sea influence, and seems to be regulated mainly by the properties of the central Levantine pelagic waters and less by terrestrial inputs of inland waters.
Article Details
- Come citare
-
Vasilopoulou, G., Kehayias, G., Kletou, D., Kleitou, P., Antoniadis, K., Rousou, M., Papadopoulos, V., Polykarpou, P., & Tsiamis, G. (2022). Spatial and temporal distribution of mesozooplankton in the coastal waters of Cyprus (Eastern Mediterranean). Mediterranean Marine Science, 23(3). https://doi.org/10.12681/mms.28702
- Fascicolo
- V. 23 N. 3 (2022): VOL 23, No 3 (2022)
- Sezione
- Research Article
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g. post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (preferably in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
Downloads
I dati di download non sono ancora disponibili.
Riferimenti bibliografici
Aliçli, B.T., Sarihan, E., 2016. Seasonal Changes of Zooplankton Species and Groups Composition in Iskenderun Bay (North East Levantine, Mediterranean Sea). Pakistan Journal of Zoology, 48 (5), 1395-1405.
Al-Yamani, F.Y., Skryabin, V., Gubanova, A., Khvorov, S., Prusova, I., 2011a. Marine zooplankton practical guide for the Northwestern Arabian Gulf. Volume 1. First Edition. Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (Publisher), Kuwait, 196 pp.
Al-Yamani, F.Y., Skryabin, V., Gubanova, A., Khvorov, S., Prusova, I., 2011b. Marine zooplankton practical guide for the Northwestern Arabian Gulf. Volume 2. First Edition. Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (Publisher), Kuwait, 197 pp.
Antoniadis, K., Rousou, M., Marcou, M. Stavrou, P., Vasileiou, E. et al., 2020. Updated water-bodies report according to the Article 5 of the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/ EC for the period 2013-2019. Department of Fisheries and Marine Research, Cyprus. 151 pages (in Greek).
Arar, E.J., Collins, G.B., 1997. Method 445.0 In Vitro Determination of Chlorophyll-α and Pheophytin-a in Marine and Freshwater Algae by Fluorescence. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, 1997.
Azov, Y., 1986. Seasonal patterns of phytoplankton productivity and abundance in nearshore oligotrophic waters of the Levant Basin (Mediterranean). Journal of Plankton Research, 8, 41-53.
Bachiller, E., Albo‑Puigserver, M., Giménez, J., Pennino, M.G., Mari‑Mena, N. et al., 2020. A trophic latitudinal gradient revealed in anchovy and sardine from the Western Mediterranean Sea using a multi‑proxy approach. Scientific Reports, 10, 17598.
Berline, L., Siokou-Frangou, I., Marasovic, I., Vidjak, O., Fernández de Puelles, M.L. et al., 2012. Intercomparison of six Mediterranean zooplankton time series. Progress in Oceanography, 97-100C, 76-91.
Beşiktepe, S., Tang, K.W., Mantha, G., 2015. Seasonal variations of abundance and live/dead compositions of copepods in Mersin Bay, northeastern Levantine Sea (eastern Mediterranean). Turkish Journal of Zoology, 39, 494-506.
Bowman, T.E., 1973. Pelagic Amphipods of the Genus Hyperia and Closely Related Genera (Hyperiidea: Hyperiidae). Smithsonian contributions to zoology, number 136, Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, 76 pp.
Calbet, A., Garrido, S., Saiz, E., Alcaraz, M., Duarte, C.M., 2001. Annual zooplankton succession in coastal NW Mediterranean waters: the importance of the smaller size fractions. Journal of Plankton Research, 23, 319-331.
Cappelletto, M., Santoleri, R., Evangelista, L., Galgani, F., Garcés, E. et al., 2021. The Mediterranean Sea we want. Ocean and Coastal Research, 69, e21031. Christou, E.D., 1998. Interannual variability of copepods in a Mediterranean coastal area (Saronikos Gulf, Aegen Sea). Journal of Marine Systems, 15, 523-532.
Christou E.D., Stergiou K.I. 1998. Modelling and forecasting the fortnightly cladoceran abundance in the Saronikos Gulf (Aegean Sea). Journal of Plankton Research, 20, 1313- 1320.
Conway, D.V.P., 2012a. Marine zooplankton of southern Britain. Part 1: Radiolaria, Heliozoa, Foraminifera, Ciliophora, Cnidaria, Ctenophora, Platyhelminthes, Nemertea, Rotifera and Mollusca. A.W.G. John (ed.). Occasional Publications. Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, No. 25, Plymouth, United Kingdom, 138 pp.
Conway, D.V.P., 2012b. Marine zooplankton of southern Britain. Part 2: Arachnida, Pycnogonida, Cladocera, Facetotecta, Cirripedia and Copepoda (ed. A.W.G. John). Occasional Publications. Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, No 26 Plymouth, United Kingdom 163 pp.
Conway, D.V.P., 2015. Marine zooplankton of southern Britain. Part 3: Ostracoda, Stomatopoda, Nebaliacea, Mysida, Amphipoda, Isopoda, Cumacea, Euphausiacea, Decapoda, Annelida, Tardigrada, Nematoda, Phoronida, Bryozoa, Entoprocta, Brachiopoda, Echinodermata, Chaetognatha, Hemichordata and Chordata. A.W.G. John (ed.). Occasional Publications. Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, No 26 Plymouth, United Kingdom 271 pp.
Dos Santos, A.N., Gonzalez-Gordillo, J.I., 2004. Illustrated keys for the identification of the Pleocyemata (Crustacea: Decapoda) zoeal stages, from the coastal region of south-western Europe. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 84, 205-227.
Dufrêne, M., Legendre, P., 1997. Species assemblages and indicator species: the need for a flexible asymmetrical approach. Ecological Monographs, 67, 345–366.
Fernández de Puelles, M.L., Grás, D., Hernández de León, S., 2003. Annual cycle of zooplankton, biomass, abundance and species composition in the neritic area of the Balearic Sea, Western Mediterranean. Marine Ecology, 24 (2), 123- 139.
Gravili, C., De Vito, D., Di Camillo, C.G., Martell, L., Piraino, S. et al., 2015. The non-Siphonophoran Hydrozoa (Cnidaria) of Salento, Italy with notes on their life-cycles: an illustrated guide. Zootaxa, 3908 (1), 001-187.
Grossmann, M.M., Collins, A.G., Lindsay, D.J., 2014. Description of the eudoxid stages of Lensia havock and Lensia leloupi (Cnidaria: Siphonophora: Calycophorae), with a review of all known Lensia eudoxid bracts. Systematics and Biodiversity, 12 (2), 163-180.
Guglielmo, L., Granata, A., Guglielmo, R., 2015. Class Malacostraca: Order Euphausiacea. Revista IDE@ - SEA, nº 86B, 1-20. Hamad, N., Millot, C., Taupier-Letage, I., 2006. The surface circulation in the eastern basin of the Mediterranean Sea. Scientia Marina, 70 (3), 457-503.
Hannides, C.C.S., Siokou, I., Zervoudaki, S., Frangoulis, C., Lange, M.A., 2015. Mesozooplankton biomass and abundance in Cyprus coastal waters and comparison with the Aegean Sea (Eastern Mediterranean). Mediterranean Marine Science, 16 (2), 373-384.
HELCOM 2017. Manual for Marine Monitoring in the COMBINE Programme of HELCOM. http://www.helcom.fi/ Documents/Action%20areas/Monitoring%20and%20assessment/ Manuals%20and%20Guidelines/Manual%20 for%20Marine%20Monitoring%20in%20the%20COMBINE% 20Programme%20of%20HELCOM.pdf. (Accessed 28/9/2018).
Hure, Μ., Mustać, Β., 2020. Feeding ecology of Sardina pilchardus considering co-occurring small pelagic fish in the eastern Adriatic Sea. Marine Biodiversity, 50, 40.
Isari S., Psarra S., Pitta P., Mara, P., Tomprou, M.O. et al., 2007. Differential patterns of mesozooplankters’ distribution in relation to physical and biological variables of the northeastern Aegean Sea (eastern Mediterranean). Marine Biology, 151 (3), 1035-1050.
Karagianni, A., Artemiou, A., Tsikliras, A.C., Michaloudi, E., 2022. Summer mesozooplankton assemblages in relation to environmental parameters in Kavala Gulf, northern Aegean Sea. Scientia Marina, 83 (1), 41-52.
Kehayias, G., 1996. Contribution to the study of the biology and ecology of chaetognaths in Greek waters. PhD Thesis, University of Patras. 211 pp. (in Greek).
Kehayias, G., 2004. Spatial and temporal abundance distribution of chaetognaths in Eastern Mediterranean pelagic waters. Bulletin of Marine Science, 74 (2), 253-270.
Kehayias, G., Fragopoulu, N., Lykakis, J.J., 1999. An identification key for the chaetognath species of the Mediterranean. Biologia Gallo-hellenica, 25 (2), 105-124.
Kramp, P.L., 1961. Synopsis of the medusae of the world. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 40, 1-469.
Lacuna, M.L.D.G., Mejorada, R.O., Simyunn, D.J.D., 2016. Details on the morphological characteristics of marine copepods, Copilia mirabilis, Sapphirina stellata and Macrosetella gracilis, in Iligan and Sarangani bays, Mindanao, southern Philippines. Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences, 9 (3), 90-101.
Lakkis, S., 1990. Composition, diversité et successions des copépods planctoniques des eaux libanaises (Méditerranée Orientale). Oceanologia Acta, 13 (4), 489-501.
Martel, A.I., Tremblay, R., Toupoint, N., Olivier, F., Myrand, B., 2014. Veliger size at metamorphosis and temporal variability in prodissoconch ii morphometry in the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis): potential impact on recruitment. Journal of Shellfish Research, 33 (2), 443-455.
Mazzocchi, M.G., Christou, E., Fragopoulu, N., Siokou- Frangou, I., 1997. Mesozooplankton distribution from Sicily to Cyprus (Eastern Mediterranean): I. General aspects. Oceanologica Acta, 20 (3), 521-535.
Mazzocchi, M.G., Siokou, I., Tirelli, V., Bandelj, V., Fernández de Puelles, M.L. et al., 2014. Regional and seasonal characteristics of epipelagic mesozooplankton in the Mediterranean Sea based on an artificial neural network analysis. Journal of Marine Systems, 135, 64-80.
Menna, M., Gerin, R., Notarstefano, G., Mauri, E., Bussani, A. et al., 2021. On the Circulation and Thermohaline Properties of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Frontiers in Marine Science, 8, 671469.
Mills, C.E., Haddock, S.H.D., Dunn, C.W., Pugh, P.R., 2007. Key to the Siphonophora. pp.150-166. In: The Light and Smith Manual. Intertidal Invertebrates from central California to Oregon. Editors: J.T. Carlton, Publisher: University of California Press, Berkley.
Naomi, T.S., Antony, G., George, R.M., Jasmine, S., 2006. Monograph on the Planktonic Shrimps of the Genus Lucifer (Family Luciferidae) from the Indian EEZ. Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, (Indian Council of Agricultural Research), Niseema Printers & Publishers, Cochin - 18, Kenla, India. 54 pp.
Nowaczyk, A., Carlotti, F., Thibault-Botha, D., Pagano, M., 2011. Distribution of epipelagic metazooplankton across the Mediterranean Sea during the summer BOUM cruise. Biogeosciences, 8 (8), 2159-2177.
Occhipinti-Ambrogi, A., Galil, B., 2010. Marine alien species as an aspect of global change. Advances in Oceanography and Limnology, 1 (1), 199-218.
Pancucci-Papadopoulou, M.-A., Siokou-Frangou, I., Theocharis, A., Georgopoulos, D., 1992. Zooplankton vertical distribution in relation to the hydrology in the NW Levantine and the SE Aegean seas (spring 1986). Oceanologica Acta, 15 (4), 365-381.
Pasternak, A., Wassman, P., Riser, C.W., 2005. Does mesozooplankton respond to episodic P inputs in the Eastern Mediteranean? Deep-Sea Research, Pt. II, 52, 2975-2989.
Plate, S., Husemann, E., 1994. Identification guide to the planktonic polychaete larvae around the island of Helgoland (German Bight). Helgoländer Meeresunters, 48, 1-58.
Pohle, G., Santana, W., 2014. Gebiidea and Axiidea (= Thalassinidea). pp. 263-271. In: Atlas of Crustacean Larvae Edition: 1, Chapter: 50. Joel W. Martin, Jørgen Olesen, Jens T. Høeg. (Eds). John Hopkins University, Baltimore.
Protopapa, Μ., Zervoudaki, S., Assimakopoulou, G., Velaoras, D., Koppelmann, R., 2020. Mesozooplankton community structure in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Journal of Marine Systems, 211, 103401.
Prusova, I., Smith, S.L., Popova, E., 2012. Calanoid Copepods of the Arabian Sea Region. Sultan Qaboos University, Muscate, Sultanate of Oman. 240 pp.
Ramfos, A., Somarakis, S., Koutsikopoulos, C., Fragopoulu, N., 2005. Summer mesozooplankton distribution in coastal waters of central Greece (eastern Mediterranean). I. Hydrology and group composition. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the U.K., 85, 755-764.
Ramfos, A., Isari, S., Somarakis, S., Georgopoulos, D., Koutsikopoulos, C. et al., 2006. Mesozooplankton community structure in offshore and coastal waters of the Ionian Sea (eastern Mediterranean) during mixed and stratified conditions. Marine Biology, 150 (1), 29-44.
Robinson, A.R., Leslie, W.G., Theocharis, A., Lascaratos, A., 2001. Mediterranean Sea circulation. In: Steele, J.H. (Ed.), Encyclopaedia of Ocean Sciences. Academic Press, Oxford, pp. 1689-1705.
Robinson, C., Steinberg, D.K., Anderson, T.R., Arístegui, J., Carlson, C.A. et al., 2010. Mesopelagic zone ecology and biogeochemistry – a synthesis. Deep-Sea Res. II 57, 1504- 1518.
Rossano, C., Milstein, A., Nuccio, C., Tamburini, E., Scapini, F., 2020. Variables affecting the plankton network in Mediterranean ports. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 158, 111362.
Saiz, E., Calbet, A., Atienza, D., Alcaraz, M., 2007. Feeding and production of zooplankton in the Catalan Sea (NW Mediterranean). Progress in Oceanography, 74, 2-3, 313- 328.
Schroeder, K., Millot, C., Bengara, L., Ben Ismail, S., Bensi, M. et al., 2013. Long-term monitoring programme of the hydrological variability in the Mediterranean Sea: a first overview of the HYDROCHANGES network Ocean Science, 9 (2), 301-324.
Semenikhina, O.Y., Kolotukhina, N.K., Evseev, G.A., 2008. Morphology of larvae of the family Mytilidae (Bivalvia) from the north-western part of the Sea of Japan. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 88 (2), 331-339.
Siokou-Frangou, I., Papathanassiou, E., 1989. Aspects of coastal zooplankton of the Rhodes Island (Aegean Sea, Greece), Vie Milieu, 39, (2), 77-85.
Siokou-Frangou, I., Christou, E.D., Fragopoulu, N., Mazzocchi, M.G., 1997. Mesozooplankton distribution from Sicily to Cyprus (Eastern Mediterranean): copepod assemblages. Oceanologica Acta, 20 (3), 537-548.
Siokou-Frangou, I., Papathanassiou, E., Lepretre, A., Frontier, S., 1998. Zooplankton assemblages and influence of environmental parameters on them in a Mediterranean coastal area. Journal of Plankton Research, 20, 847-870.
Siokou-Frangou, I., Christaki, U., Mazzocchi, M.G., Montresor, M., Ribera d’Alcala, M. et al., 2010. Plankton in the open Mediterranean Sea: a review. Biogeosciences, 7, 1543-1586.
Siokou, I., Zervoudaki, S., Christou, E.D., 2013. Mesozooplankton community distribution down to 1000 m along a gradient of oligotrophy in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea (Aegean Sea). Journal of Plankton Research, 35 (6), 1313- 1330.
Siokou, I., Zervoudaki, S., Velaoras, D., Theocharis, A., Christou, E.D. et al., 2019. Mesozooplankton vertical patterns along an east-west transect in the oligotrophic Mediterranean Sea. Deep Sea research Part II, 164, 170-189.
Tregouboff , G., Rose, M., 1978. Manuel de planctonologie méditerranéenne. Vols I and 2. Editions du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris.
Terbiyik, Τ., Cevic, C., Toclu-Aliçli, B., Sarihan, E., 2007. First record of Ferosagitta galerita (Dallot, 1971) [Chaetognatha] in the Mediterranean Sea. Journal of Plankton Research, 29 (8), 721-726.
Terbiyik-Kurt, T., Polat, S., 2013. Seasonal distribution of coastal mesozooplankton community in relation to the environmental factors in İskenderun Bay (north-east Levantine, Mediterranean Sea). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 93 (5), 1163-1174.
Terbiyik-Kurt, T., Polat, S., 2015. Zooplankton abundance, biomass, and size structure in the coastal waters of the northeastern Mediterranean Sea. Turkish Journal of Zoology, 39, 378-387.
Terbiyik-Kurt, T., Polat, S., 2017. Introduction of a new Indo- Pacific marine cladoceran to the Mediterranean Sea. Mediterranean Marine Science, 18 (3), 517-523.
Terbiyik-Kurt, T., Polat, S., Guy-Haim, T., 2022. New invasive copepod species from the Levantine Sea, north-eastern Mediterranean: Oithona davisae (Ferrari and Orsi, 1984) (Cyclopoida: Oithonidae). Bioinvasions Records, 11 (1), 215-226.
TerBraak, C.J.F., Šmilauer, P., 2002. CANOCO reference manual and users guide to Canoco for windows: software for canonical community ordination (version 4). Microcomputer Power, Ithaca, New York, 351 pp.
Uysal, Z., Kideys, A.E., Shmeleva, A.A., Zagorodnyaya, J.A., Gubanova, A.D., 2002. Checklist of copepods (Calanoida and Podoplea) from the northern Levantine basin shelf waters. Hydrobiologia, 482 (1), 15-21.
Uysal, Z., Shmeleva, A.A., 2012. Species composition, abundance and biomass of Copepoda in plankton of Northern Levantine Basin (Eastern Mediterranean). Crustaceana, 85 (8), 909-935.
Vidjak, O., Bojanic, N., Kuspilic, G., Gladan, Z.N., Ticina V., 2007. Zooplankton community and hydrographical properties of the Neretva Channel (eastern Adriatic Sea). Helgoland Marine Research, 61 (4), 267-282.
Yacobi, Y.Z., Zohari, T., Kress, N., Hecht, A., Robarts, R.D. et al., 1995. Chlorophyll distribution throughout the southeastern Mediterranean in relation to the physical structure of the water mass. Journal of Marine Systems, 6 (3), 179189.
Yilmaz A, Beşiktepe, S., 2010. Annual variations in biochemical composition of size fractionated particulate matter and zooplankton abundance and biomass in Mersin Bay, NE Mediterranean Sea. Journal of Marine Systems, 81 (3), 260-271.
Zakaria, H.Y., 2006. The zooplankton community in Egyptian Mediterranean waters: a review. Acta Adriatica, 47 (2), 195-206.
Zakaria, H.Y., Hassan A-K.M., Abo-Senna, F.M., El-Naggar, H.A., 2016. Abundance, distribution, diversity and zoogeography of epipelagic copepods off the Egyptian Coast (Mediterranean Sea). Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Research, 42 (4), 459-473.
Zervoudaki, S., Christou, E.D., Nielsen, T.G., Siokou-Frangou, I., Assimakopoulou, G. et al., 2007. The importance of small-sized copepods in a frontal area of the Aegean Sea. Journal of Plankton Research, 29 (4), 317-338.
Zodiatis, G., Lardner, R., Hayes, D.R., Georgiou, G., Sofianos S., et al., 2008. Operational ocean forecasting in the Eastern Mediterranean: implementation and evaluation. Ocean Science, 4 (1), 31-47.
