Growth and production dynamics of Calanus glacialis in an arctic pelagic food web

Abstract

A production model for the herbivorous arctic copepod Calanus glacialisis presented. The model combines data on growth rates obtained fromenergy balance studies with population structure data gathered duringthe arctic productive period. A 2 yr life cycle suggests that thespecies is present in the plankton as 2 main year classes, thus enablingit to utilize the short annual spring bloom during both spawningand the intensive growth period from CIV to CV. This pattern of lifecycle should reduce the probability of food limitation during spawningand during periods of high lipid deposition as from CIV to CV. Atentative assessment of total annual production is calculated to8.4 g C m super(-2) with a maximum of 0.16 g C m super(-2) d super(-1)during August. P/B ratios calculated from balance experiments rangedfrom 0.03 to 0.05 during July. Results from sensitivity analysisare presented in order to highlight especially important ecologicalaspects of this species in the arctic environment.