Jelly-falls historic and recent observations: a review to drive future research directions.

Lebrato, Mario, Pitt, K. A., Sweetman, A. K., Jones, D. O. B., Cartes, J. E., Oschlies, Andreas , Condon, R. H., Molinero, Juan Carlos, Adler, L., Gaillard, C., Lloris, D. and Billett, D. S. M. (2012) Jelly-falls historic and recent observations: a review to drive future research directions. Hydrobiologia, 690 (1). pp. 227-245. DOI 10.1007/s10750-012-1046-8.

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Abstract

The biological pump describes the transport of particulate matter from the sea surface to the ocean's interior including the seabed. The contribution by gelatinous zooplankton bodies as particulate organic matter (POM) vectors ("jelly-falls") has been neglected owing to technical and spatiotemporal sampling limitations. Here, we assess the existing evidence on jelly-falls from early ocean observations to present times. The seasonality of jelly-falls indicates that they mostly occur after periods of strong upwelling and/or spring blooms in temperate/subpolar zones and during late spring/early summer. A conceptual model helps to define a jelly-fall based on empirical and field observations of biogeochemical and ecological processes. We then compile and discuss existing strategic and observational oceanographic techniques that could be implemented to further jelly-falls research. Seabed video- and photography-based studies deliver the best results, and the correct use of fishing techniques, such as trawling, could provide comprehensive regional datasets. We conclude by considering the possibility of increased gelatinous biomasses in the future ocean induced by upper ocean processes favouring their populations, thus increasing jelly-POM downward transport. We suggest that this could provide a "natural compensation" for predicted losses in pelagic POM with respect to fuelling benthic ecosystems.

Document Type: Article
Funder compliance: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/FP7/211384
Keywords: Biogeochemistry; Biological pump; Gelatinous zooplankton; Jelly-fall; Organic matter; WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN SLOPE; SEA SPECIES-DIVERSITY; YORK RIVER ESTUARY; LONG-TERM CHANGES; DEEP-SEA; ORGANIC-MATTER; SOUTHERN-OCEAN; NORTHEAST PACIFIC; CHESAPEAKE BAY; CARBON FLUX
Research affiliation: OceanRep > GEOMAR > FB3 Marine Ecology > FB3-EOE-N Experimental Ecology - Food Webs
OceanRep > GEOMAR > FB2 Marine Biogeochemistry > FB2-BM Biogeochemical Modeling
OceanRep > The Future Ocean - Cluster of Excellence
Refereed: Yes
Open Access Journal?: No
Publisher: Springer
Projects: EPOCA, Becas miners. exp., Future Ocean
Date Deposited: 12 Dec 2011 11:50
Last Modified: 02 Jul 2018 08:48
URI: https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/12933

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