February 10, 2023 — The following was released SeafoodSource:
From fish to whales, nearly every predator in the sea eats zooplankton, or eats something that does. Understanding how climate impacts zooplankton can help us predict ecosystem changes to build resilient, climate-ready fisheries and communities.
A new collaborative NOAA Fisheries study looked at northern Bering Sea zooplankton over 17 years (2002–2018) of both cold conditions and unprecedented heat. The research revealed that loss of sea ice resulted in dramatic shifts. Large, high-fat copepods that are important food for many predators dwindled, while small zooplankton expanded in both number and range. This altered prey field may have contributed to ecosystem-wide impacts on fish, seabirds, and marine mammals.
“Zooplankton are near the base of the marine food web. If the base changes, we will see changes higher in the foodweb. There will be species that respond better than others,” said study lead Dave Kimmel, NOAA Fisheries, Alaska Fisheries Science Center EcoFOCI program. “By studying zooplankton we can see what the future ecosystem might look like. That knowledge can help people who make a living on it, or manage it, adapt and prepare.”