Decadal comparisons identify the drivers of persistent changes in the zooplankton community structure in the northwest Atlantic

Abstract

Abstract Plankton community structure changes seasonally in response to the annual cycles of stratification, temperature, and primary productivity. These communities also change from year-to-year, in some cases exhibiting persistent regime shifts. How changes in physical conditions structure the plankton community and why conditions persist is a fundamental question in oceanography. Continuous plankton recorders have been used to sample the plankton community across the Gulf of Maine since 1961. Historically, this community has had a classic subarctic structure dominated by Calanus finmarchicus. However, during the 1990s, C. finmarchicus became less prominent, and a more diverse community of smaller copepods emerged. This shift was related to an influx of cold, low-salinity water. We show that a similar community shift occurred around 2012. We use high-resolution hydrographic data to link the shift to an influx of saltier water and warmer conditions. By comparing the 1990s with the recent decade, we develop a synthesis for how physical changes lead to community shifts. Our synthesis suggests that the link between the 1990s and 2010s is enhanced water column stratification. We further propose that ecological interactions link declines in C. finmarchicus with the emergence of the more diverse community, drawing parallels with classic food web ecology.