engleski

Sea warming and zooplankton in the northern Adriatic

Zooplankton plays a major ecological role mediating the flow of nutrients and energy from phytoplankton to higher trophic levels, including economically important fish species. Mesozooplankton and gelatinous zooplankton are essential indicators of the impacts of climate change on coastal marine systems. Due to shallowness and geographic location, the northern Adriatic biota is exposed to variable hydrographic conditions. The surface temperature has increased at a rate of 0.08±0.01°C y -1, and since the 1980s, the occurrence of marine heatwaves increased, and cold-spells have declined. Reductions in nutrient loading in recent decades were associated with lower chlorophyll‐a and phytoplankton productivity. We explored zooplankton community response to environmental changes during 2006–2016 and compared these results to the literature and own data from an earlier period. The zooplankton biomass and abundance decreased during 2006-2016 compared to 1991-2001. Gelatinous macrozooplankton presented an increasing trend while cladoceran Penilia avirostris, cold water herbivore/omnivore copepods declined.

trophic levels ; gelatinous zooplankton ; sea surface temperature ; chlorophyll‐a ; phytoplankton productivity

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