Seasonal vertical migration of large polar copepods reinterpreted as a dispersal mechanism throughout the water column


Contact
choppe [ at ] awi.de

Abstract

Seasonal vertical migration of large lipid-rich copepods is often described as a mass descent of animals when primary production ceases, with important implications for mesopelagic food webs and global carbon sequestration. This view ignores the existence of surface-resident individuals, but here we show that non-migrants can form a substantial part of the populations of polar migrant species. In the Central Arctic Ocean, the biomass-dominant Calanus hyperboreus was evenly distributed throughout the water column from November 2019 to March 2020, with ~20% of subadults and adult females remaining in the upper 200 m and ~41% migrating to 1000–2000 m. These vertical positions aligned with differences in the copepods’ cholesterol content, which can enhance the tissue density at higher temperatures. Gonad development and the vertical distribution of their offspring indicate that both non-migrant and migrant females contribute to the population recruitment. We reinterpret copepod seasonal migration as a bet-hedging strategy that balances nutritional benefits near the surface with survival benefits at depth, and thereby contributes to the species’ resilience under climatic change.



Item Type
Article
Authors
Divisions
Primary Division
Programs
Primary Topic
Publication Status
Published
Eprint ID
60211
DOI 10.1038/s43247-025-02389-9

Cite as
Schmidt, K. , Niehoff, B. , Cornils, A. , Hagen, W. , Flores, H. , Heuzé, C. , Welteke, N. , Knϋppel, N. , Dorschner, S. , Woll, M. , Jones, K. , Laudone, G. , Campbell, R. G. , Ashjian, C. J. , Gelfman, C. E. , Shoemaker, K. M. , Jenkins, R. , Kvile, K. Ø. , Lebreton, B. , Guillou, G. , Hoppe, C. J. , Sakinan, S. , Schaafsma, F. L. , Hildebrandt, N. , Castellani, G. , Belt, S. T. , Fong, A. A. , Atkinson, A. and Graeve, M. (2025): Seasonal vertical migration of large polar copepods reinterpreted as a dispersal mechanism throughout the water column , Communications Earth & Environment, 6 (1), p. 431 . doi: 10.1038/s43247-025-02389-9


Download
[thumbnail of Schmidt et al 2025 MPSAiC seasonal vertical migration dispersal.pdf]
Preview
PDF
Schmidt et al 2025 MPSAiC seasonal vertical migration dispersal.pdf - Other

Download (3MB) | Preview

Share
Add to AnyAdd to TwitterAdd to FacebookAdd to LinkedinAdd to PinterestAdd to Email


Citation

Research Platforms

Campaigns
PS > 122/1 (MOSAiC20192020)
PS > 122/2 (MOSAiC20192020)
PS > 122/3 (MOSAiC20192020)
PS > 122/4 (MOSAiC20192020)
PS > 122/5 (MOSAiC20192020)


Actions
Edit Item Edit Item