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The Quantitative Significance of Gelatinous Zooplankton as Pelagic Consumers

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Flows of Energy and Materials in Marine Ecosystems

Part of the book series: NATO Conference Series ((MARS,volume 13))

Abstract

Gelatinous Zooplankton, including the planktonic coelenterates, ctenophores, molluscs and tunicates are ubiquitous and often abundant members of both neritic and oceanic communities. The quantitative impact of these primary and secondary consumers on their food stocks has been estimated in previous studies by calculating the proportion of the prey standing stock consumed per day. In general, gelatinous Zooplankton usually consume less than 10% of their food populations per day although consumption is occasionally greater than 50%. Thus, gelatinous consumers may periodically decimate their food populations. Our understanding of the quantitative significance of gelatinous Zooplankton is constrained by the relatively few studies which integrate consumption rates with information on the growth rates and population dynamics of either the Zooplankton or their prey. These few studies suggest that gelatinous consumers have the greatest affect on food populations which are already limited by other environmental requirements. Attributes shared by many gelatinous consumers including high ingestion rates at high food abundances, and the potential for high growth rates, high fecundity and short generation time enable many gelatinous consumers to reach high population densities rapidly when food resources increase or when rich patches of food are encountered. Moreover, these attributes may enable some gelatinous Zooplankton to overwhelm other, more slowly growing planktonic consumers when food densities are high. Preliminary data on excretion and on the production and sinking rates of fecal material suggest that gelatinous consumers may also contribute significantly to particulate flux and nutrient recycling. Almost all of our knowledge of the quantitative significance of gelatinous Zooplankton is based on studies of neritic forms.

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  1. Oceanic Biology Group, Department of Biological Sciences and Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, 93106, USA

    Alice L. Alldredge

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  1. Alice L. Alldredge
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  1. Institute of Oceanographic Sciences, Godalming, Surrey, UK

    M. J. R. Fasham

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Alldredge, A.L. (1984). The Quantitative Significance of Gelatinous Zooplankton as Pelagic Consumers. In: Fasham, M.J.R. (eds) Flows of Energy and Materials in Marine Ecosystems. NATO Conference Series, vol 13. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-0387-0_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-0387-0_16

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