Kiko, Rainer , Bianchi, Daniele, Hauss, Helena , Iversen, Morten H. and Maas, Amy (2023) Editorial: Zooplankton and nekton: gatekeepers of the biological pump, volume II. Frontiers in Marine Science, 10 . Art.Nr. 1298590. DOI 10.3389/fmars.2023.1298590.

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Abstract

Zooplankton and nekton organisms play multifaceted roles in marine ecosystems and are integral components of the ocean’s food web. By consuming a wide range of planktonic organisms and detrital matter, they directly impact the size-distribution of particles in the ocean by breaking large aggregates down to smaller fragments and by repackaging single phytoplankton cells into dense fecal pellets. Many zooplankton and nekton organisms also conduct diel vertical migrations (DVM). They ascend to the surface layer of the ocean at dusk to feed during the dark hours and return to midwater depths at dawn to hide from visual predation. As they metabolize and excrete organic material in deeper waters, they contribute to an “active flux” of carbon and nutrients. This active flux can have a substantial impact on the functioning of the biological pump — the process responsible for the downward export of carbon and nutrients into the ocean’s interior. In essence, zooplankton and nekton are gatekeepers of the biological pump via their diverse roles in particle dynamics, from consumption and fragmentation to the active transport of organic matter. Understanding these roles is critical for unraveling the complex mechanisms that govern the health and functioning of marine ecosystems, as well as for improving our models of global biogeochemical processes in the world’s oceans.

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