Taxonomic versus trophic structure of mesozooplankton: a seasonal study of species succession and stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes in a coastal upwelling ecosystem

Abstract

Abstract Seasonal variations in mesozooplankton (>200 μm) stable carbon and nitrogen isotope abundances were compared with the seasonal species succession pattern off A Coruña (Galicia, NW Spain). Mesozooplankton biomass, numerical abundance, species composition, and natural abundance of stable isotopes, along with water column temperature, salinity, chlorophyll a and dissolved nitrate concentrations, were studied in monthly samples during the years 2000 and 2001 at a coastal station (80-m depth). Biomass and abundance of mesozooplankton followed the annual cycle with maxima in spring and summer (year 2000) and occasionally also in autumn (year 2001). The succession pattern shown by the taxonomic assemblages was recognized in both years of study, despite differences in the timing of upwelling and the large input of continental water during most of 2000. Variations in neither carbon nor nitrogen isotopes were correlated with either abundance or biomass at annual time scales, but heavy isotopes significantly accumulated during periods of zooplankton increase (spring and early summer). The consumption of nitrate during the spring can explain in part the progressive accumulation of heavy nitrogen isotopes during this period. In addition, the abundance of carnivorous zooplankton (mainly carnivorous copepods, siphonophores, and chaetognaths) was linearly related to the increase in heavy isotopes during the spring and, in the case of nitrogen, also during the whole study period. The computed linear relationships between isotope abundances and plankton species composition provided a way to further analyse the pelagic foodweb through the estimation of isotope reference values for primary consumers.