Here we present a new, pan-Atlantic compilation and analysis of data on Calanus finmarchicus abundance, demography, dormancy, egg production and mortality in relation to basin-scale patterns of temperature, phytoplankton biomass, circulation and other environmental characteristics in the context of understanding factors determining the distribution and abundance of C. finmarchicus across its North Atlantic habitat. A number of themes emerge: (1) the south-to-north transport of plankton in the northeast Atlantic contrasts with north-to-south transport in the western North Atlantic, which has implications for understanding population responses of C. finmarchicus to climate forcing, (2) recruitment to the youngest copepodite stages occurs during or just after the phytoplankton bloom in the east whereas it occurs after the bloom at many western sites, with up to 3.5months difference in recruitment timing, (3) the deep basin and gyre of the southern Norwegian Sea is the centre of production and overwintering of C. finmarchicus, upon which the surrounding waters depend, whereas, in the Labrador/Irminger Seas production mainly occurs along the margins, such that the deep basins serve as collection areas and refugia for the overwintering populations, rather than as centres of production, (4) the western North Atlantic marginal seas have an important role in sustaining high C. finmarchicus abundance on the nearby coastal shelves, (5) differences in mean temperature and chlorophyll concentration between the western and eastern North Atlantic are reflected in regional differences in female body size and egg production, (6) regional differences in functional responses of egg production rate may reflect genetic differences between western and eastern populations, (7) dormancy duration is generally shorter in the deep waters adjacent to the lower latitude western North Atlantic shelves than in the east, (8) there are differences in stage-specific daily mortality rates between eastern and western shelves and basins, but the survival trajectories for cohort development from CI to CV are similar, and (9) early life stage survival is much lower in regions where C. finmarchicus is found with its congeners, C. glacialis and/or C. hyperboreus. This compilation and analysis provides new knowledge for evaluation and parameterisation of population models of C. finmarchicus and their responses to climate change in the North Atlantic. The strengths and weaknesses of modeling approaches, including a statistical approach based on ecological niche theory and a dynamical approach based on knowledge of spatial population dynamics and life history, are discussed, as well as needs for further research

Heterocapsa rotundata is a mixotrophic dinoflagellate that can ingest picoplankton, including bacteria, and is known to form large blooms in temperate estuaries during wet winters, particularly when grazing pressure on phytoplankton is low. We hypothesized that phagotrophy gives H. rotundata an advantage over other phytoplankton species during low light conditions. We used laboratory and field experiments to investigate changes in phagotrophy by H. rotundata in response to changes in light availability. Prey removal experiments with a non‐axenic culture of H. rotundata were used to determine changes in H. rotundata's ingestion rates in response to changes in irradiance. Fluorescent microspheres were used to measure in situ ingestion rates of H. rotundata collected on 20 different occasions from the Choptank River during the winter of 2016. In situ H. rotundata ingestion rates were tested for correlation with inorganic nutrient concentrations and irradiance levels. Ingestion rates measured with cultured and in situ H. rotundata followed similar patterns and ingestion rates increased as irradiance decreased. H. rotundata has the potential to obtain nutrients from multiple nutrient sources, switching from phototrophy to partial heterotrophy as irradiance decreases. This response may allow H. rotundata to survive and to potentially form blooms when growth rates of most other estuarine phytoplankton species is low.

Many species of euphausiids (Euphausiacea, Crustacea) are distinguished by subtle or geographically variable morphological characters, and erroneous identification of euphausiid species may be more frequent than currently acknowledged. DNA barcodes (short DNA sequences that discriminate species and aid in recognition of unknown species) are of use for this group. A ∼650 bp region of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mtCOI) was sequenced for 40 species of 10 euphausiid genera: Bentheuphausia, Euphausia, Meganyctiphanes, Nematobrachion, Nematoscelis, Nyctiphanes, Stylocheiron, Tessarabrachion, Thyssanoessa and Thysanopoda. mtCOI sequence variation discriminated all species; pairwise differences averaged 16.4% (range 7–24%); mean generalized time reversible (GTR) genetic distance was 26.7%. mtCOI reliably identified euphausiid species: variation within species was typically < 1% and GTR distance was typically < 2%. Atlantic and Pacific Ocean populations of Euphausia brevis differed by 13% (GTR genetic distance = 28%) and may deserve status as distinct species. mtCOI gene trees were reconstructed for five genera using maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian algorithms; best-fit models of nucleotide evolution were determined for each genus. The mtCOI gene tree for 20 species of Euphausia reproduced one of three morphologically defined species groups. mtCOI resolved relationships among closely related species of most genera, usually in accord with morphological groupings. A comprehensive DNA barcode database for euphausiids will help ensure accurate species identification, recognition of cryptic species and evaluation of taxonomically meaningful geographic variation.

The environmental conditions and mesozooplankton community were monitored during summer cruises in 2003, 2004 and 2006–2008 in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Data were collected on temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll-a and zooplankton taxonomic abundances. Environmental conditions were largely related to the influence of the Mississippi River plume. The zooplankton community was numerically dominated by copepods, with various meroplankton and other non-copepod zooplankton present in lower abundances. Cluster analysis revealed four distinct groups of co-occurring zooplankton taxa. Two of these were numerically dominant, one characterized by the copepod Acartia spp. and a second consisting of several copepod taxa (including larger-bodied genera) and salps. Relative to the group containing Acartia spp., this second dominant group was more abundant at higher salinity, lower temperature and greater vertical extent of hypoxic water into the water column above the seafloor. Dissolved oxygen, as vertical extent of hypoxia, was of comparable importance to temperature and salinity in predicting the abundances of zooplankton taxa. Variability of the zooplankton community with environmental conditions, and particularly the greater abundance of larger taxa in association with hypoxia, has implications for the contribution of zooplankton-mediated vertical flux to oxygen drawdown, and for the quality of the food environment for larval and other planktivorous fish.