The 1989 german bight invasion of muggiaea atlantica

Abstract

In July 1989 a population of Muggiaea atlantica invaded the German Bight where it reached abundances of up to 500 colonies m−3, becoming a key population of great impact on the ecosystem. Predation on small copepods caused a lowering in the grazing pressure on phytoplankton, enabling the growth of the algal populations and a reduction of phosphates. © 1994 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea.