Jelly-falls historic and recent observations: a review to drive future research directions

Lebrato, Mario; Pitt, Kylie A.; Sweetman, Andrew K.; Jones, Daniel O.B. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5218-1649; Cartes, Joan E.; Oschlies, Andreas; Condon, Robert H.; Molinero, Juan Carlos; Adler, Laetitia; Gaillard, Christian; Lloris, Domingo; Billett, David S.M.. 2012 Jelly-falls historic and recent observations: a review to drive future research directions. Hydrobiologia, 690 (1). 227-245. 10.1007/s10750-012-1046-8

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Abstract/Summary

The biological pump describes the transport of particulate matter from the sea surface to the ocean’s interior including the seabed. The contribution by gelatinous zooplankton bodies as particulate organic matter (POM) vectors (“jelly-falls”) has been neglected owing to technical and spatiotemporal sampling limitations. Here, we assess the existing evidence on jelly-falls from early ocean observations to present times. The seasonality of jelly-falls indicates that they mostly occur after periods of strong upwelling and/or spring blooms in temperate/subpolar zones and during late spring/early summer. A conceptual model helps to define a jelly-fall based on empirical and field observations of biogeochemical and ecological processes. We then compile and discuss existing strategic and observational oceanographic techniques that could be implemented to further jelly-falls research. Seabed video- and photography-based studies deliver the best results, and the correct use of fishing techniques, such as trawling, could provide comprehensive regional datasets. We conclude by considering the possibility of increased gelatinous biomasses in the future ocean induced by upper ocean processes favouring their populations, thus increasing jelly-POM downward transport. We suggest that this could provide a “natural compensation” for predicted losses in pelagic POM with respect to fuelling benthic ecosystems.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1007/s10750-012-1046-8
Programmes:	NOC Programmes
ISSN:	00188158
Additional Keywords:	Biological pump, Gelatinous zooplankton, Jelly-fall, Organic matter
Date made live:	02 Jul 2012 12:24 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/440758

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1007/s10750-012-1046-8

Programmes:

NOC Programmes

ISSN:

00188158

Additional Keywords:

Biological pump, Gelatinous zooplankton, Jelly-fall, Organic matter

Date made live:

02 Jul 2012 12:24 +0 (UTC)