Distribution of zooplankton in a coastal upwelling in New Zealand

Abstract

Species composition and biomass of plankton samples taken on transects across an upwelling plume off Farewell Spit in February 1981 are presented. Copepods were numerically dominant, particularly Oithona similis and Paracalanus indicus. Also abundant were large phytoplankters (Chaetoceros sp. and Trichodesmium sp.), crustacean faecal pellets, and euphausiid larvae. The distribution of zooplankton species suggests mixing of inshore waters and neritic populations with upwelled waters. These data are discussed with respect to an interpretation of the upwelling system as a northwards transport of zooplankton and its enhanced productivity into the South Taranaki Bight.

Keywords:

• zooplankton
• upwelling
• temperature
• Farewell Spit
• South Taranaki Bight
• cope‐pods
• protistans
• euphausiids