title: Interannual abundance changes of gelatinous carnivore zooplankton unveil climate-driven hydrographic variations in the Iberian Peninsula, Portugal.
abstract: The persistent massive blooms of gelatinous zooplankton recorded during recent decades may be indicative of marine ecosystem changes. In this study, we investigated the potential influence of the North Atlantic climate (NAO) variability on decadal abundance changes of gelatinous carnivore zooplankton in the Mondego estuary, Portugal, over the period 2003-2013. During the 11-year study, the community of gelatinous carnivores encompassed a larger diversity of hydromedusae than siphonophores; the former dominated by Obelia spp., Lizzia blondina, Clythia hemisphaerica, Liriope tetraphylla and Solmaris corona, while the latter dominated by Muggiaea atlantica. Gelatinous carnivore zooplankton displayed marked interannual variability and mounting species richness over the period examined. Their pattern of abundance shifted towards larger abundances ca. 2007 and significant phenological changes. The latter included a shift in the mean annual pattern (from unimodal to bimodal peak, prior and after 2007 respectively) and an earlier timing of the first annual peak concurrent with enhanced temperatures. These changes were concurrent with the climate-driven environmental variability mainly controlled by the NAO, which displayed larger variance after 2007 along with an enhanced upwelling activity. Structural equation modelling allowed depicting cascading effects derived from the NAO influence on regional climate and upwelling variability further shaping water temperature. Such cascading effect percolated the structure and dynamics of the community of gelatinous carnivore zooplankton in the Mondego estuary.
authors: Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE), Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: mdambrosio@student.uc.pt.
authors: Mariaelena
authors: M
authors: D'Ambrosio
authors: GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Marine Ecology/Food Webs, Duesternbrooker Weg 20, D-24105 Kiel, Germany.
authors: Juan C
authors: JC
authors: Molinero
authors: Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE), Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal; Department of Science and Technology, University Aberta, 4200-055 Porto, Portugal.
authors: Ulisses M
authors: UM
authors: Azeiteiro
authors: Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE), Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal.
authors: Miguel A
authors: MA
authors: Pardal
authors: Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE), Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal.
authors: Ana L
authors: AL
authors: Primo
authors: Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE), Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal.
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Nyitrai
authors: Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE), Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal; IPMA - Portuguese Sea and Atmosphere Institute, Lisbon, Portugal; MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Escola Superior de Turismo e Tecnologia do Mar - Instituto Politécnico de Leiria, Leiria, Portugal.
authors: Sónia C
authors: SC
authors: Marques
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D002980:Climate; D057231:Climate Change; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D011174:Portugal; D015048:Zooplankton / Q000254:growth & development*
keywords: Gelatinous carnivore zooplankton; Mondego estuary; NAO; North Atlantic climate; Upwelling