Seasonal development of invertebrate zooplankton on the Flemish Cap

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Abstract
Flemish Cap was dominated by the calanoid copepod Calanus finmarchicus. It constituted 37 to 69% of all zooplankton sampled with coarse mesh nets (0.333 and 0.505 mm) and 15 to 33% in fine mesh nets (0.165 mm) during March to August. Owing to its large size, C. finmarchicus dominated the biomass of all species sampled in both coarse and fine mesh samples. The dominant copepod species in fine mesh samples (0.165 mm) were Oithona similis and O. atlantica which together comprised 20 to 42% of all species sampled. C. finmarchicus formed a discrete population on Flemish Cap with peak spawning in mid-April, beginning first in waters .ltoreq. 200 m depth. Peak biomass occurred in late May and probably early June coincident with peak abundance of late-stage compepodites. Significant differences were observed in the rate of C. finmarchicus development and absolute abundance among years sampled on Flemish Cap. Differences in development were related to differences in the seasonal heating of surface waters on Flemish Cap in different years. It is hypothesized that these differences in rate of development and absolute abundance of C. finmarchicus and other copepods will have a significant effect on larval fish feeding, growth and survival.
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