Effects of Yellow Sea Warm Current on zooplankton community composition and functional groups in winter

• Published in: Marine environmental research Vol. 202; p. 106715
• Main Authors: Ge, Ruping, Chen, Yiming, Chen, Hongju, Zhang, Xueqing, Shi, Jie, Li, Haoran, Zhuang, Yunyun, Liu, Guangxing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2024
• Subjects: Community composition; Functional group; Functional trait; Qingdao-shidao anticyclonic eddy; Yellow sea warm current; Zooplankton; Yellow sea warm current; Functional trait; Zooplankton; Qingdao-shidao anticyclonic eddy; Community composition; Functional group
• ISSN: 0141-1136; 1879-0291; 1879-0291
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106715

The Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC) constitutes a significant hydrological feature in the Yellow Sea, particularly prominent during winter, facilitating the transport of warm, saline waters and warm-water species from the open sea to the Bohai and Yellow Seas. The YSWC induces alterations in the community structure and function of zooplankton. However, the effects of the YSWC on the functional trait compositions and functional groups of zooplankton remain unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the influence of the YSWC on the community structure, functional trait composition, and functional groups of zooplankton during winter of 2016. The YSWC significantly impacted the zooplankton assemblage in the central Yellow Sea (CYSA), resulting in notable distinctions from the Shandong coastal assemblage (SCA) and Jiangsu coastal assemblage (JCA). Compared to the SCA and JCA (comprising 45 and 34 taxa, with abundances of 119.4 ± 114.6 ind·m−3 and 82.8 ± 62.1 ind·m−3, respectively), the CYSA exhibited higher species richness and abundance (with 51 taxa and 144.4 ± 103.4 ind·m−3, respectively). This study documented a total of 11 warm-water species, showing a decreasing trend in both species richness and abundance from south to north. The CYSA was characterized by the predominance of medium‒sized, current‒feeding, omnivorous‒herbivorous broadcast spawners, whereas the SCA and the JCA were predominantly dominated by giant‒sized, ambush‒feeding carnivores. The Qingdao-Shidao anticyclonic eddy in the southern of Shandong Province led to a significant increase in the abundance of zooplankton, potentially impacting Yellow Sea fishery resource. This research contributed to a deeper understanding of how YSWC influence the zooplankton community and offered fresh insights into the effects of YSWC on zooplankton function traits and functional groups. •The Yellow Sea Warm Current characterized by interannual variations was strong during the winter of 2016.•The distribution of warm-water species indicated the intensity and range of the Yellow Sea Warm Current.•Current‒feeding omnivore–herbivore zooplankton increased significantly in the region affected by the Yellow Sea Warm Current.•The increased zooplankton abundance caused by the Qingdao-Shidao anticyclonic eddy may promote the Yellow Sea fishery.