Size-fractioned zooplankton biomass in the Barents Sea ecosystem: changes during four decades of warming and four capelin collapses (1980-2020)

Zooplankton in the Barents Sea has been monitored by the Institute of Marine Research in Norway on autumn cruises since 1986, using a standardized procedure with determination of dry weight biomass in three size fractions following splitting of the sample in two halves. Along with summer data for the early 1980s, we can now describe changes of zooplankton biomass over four decades. The biomass of the central Barents Sea has fluctuated inversely with collapses and recoveries of the Barents Sea capelin stock, which is a major planktivore. Zooplankton biomass in the central Barents Sea was low in 1983 and 1984, driven by low abundance of Calanus finmarchicus, followed by a pronounced peak in 1987 associated with a first collapse of the capelin stock. Biomass showed another pronounced peak in 1994, driven by the small size fraction and interpreted to reflect an advective signal from the adjacent Norwegian Sea. In the two most recent decades, there have been divergent trends, with a relatively high biomass in the inflowing Atlantic water, reflecting a second summer generation of C. finmarchicus, and decreased biomass in the central area, reflecting a lower abundance of Calanus glacialis driven by a combined effect of capelin predation and climate.

Automated summary

Zooplankton biomass in the Barents Sea has undergone changes over four decades, with fluctuations related to the stock of Barents Sea capelin. The biomass was low in the 1980s but peaked in 1987 and 1994. In recent decades, there have been divergent trends, with high biomass in the inflowing Atlantic water and decreased biomass in the central area.