CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

Mesozooplankton constitutes the most important food source for larval and planktivorous fish and also plays a key role as an energetic link between primary producers and secondary consumers. Thus, estimation of esozooplankton biomass and density is relevant from both fisheries and biological oceanography viewpoints. This study is the first attempt to evaluate the mesozooplankton biomass variation in Ushuaia and Golondrina Bays in the Beagle Channel. The main objective was to analyze the seasonal and spatial variation of mesozooplankton biomass in these bays taking into account some environmental factors that could be modulating its dynamics. Differences in physical and hydrological features as well as the availability of phytoplankton biomass are some of the factors that could influence mesozooplankton biomass distribution in Ushuaia and Golondrina Bays. Others factors that could affect the mesozooplankton biomass distribution are: the action of winds, different depths and water circulation, seasonal and spatial variations of mesozooplankton abundance and composition, phytoplankton biomass, seasonal conditions of temperature, salinity and nutrients, anthropogenic influence in the coastal area, distribution of the Macrocystis forests. The results obtained in this study demonstrate that mesozooplankton biomass displays a different spatial and seasonal pattern in both bays. Finally, this research not only puts emphasis on the mesozooplankton biomass dynamic in both bays but also highlights the presence of copepods that can play akey role in the pelagic-food web of the study area.