Hirche, Hans-Jurgen. 1991. Distribution of dominant calanoid copepod species 
     in the Greenland Sea during late fall. Polar Biol., 11: 351-362.

Spatial Coverage:  Greenland Sea
Temporal Coverage: November 6-December 12, 1988
Language: English

Abstract: Between 6 November adn 12 December 1988, vertical distributions of 
          Calanus finmarchicus, C. hyperboreus, C. glacialis adn Metridia long
          were studied at three stations in the Arctic water of the Greenland 
          Sea Gyre (GSG) and compared with two stations in the Atlantic wter 
          (AW) of the Westspitsbergen Current. Nine depth strata down to 3,000
          m were sampled. C. finmarchicus was most abundant in AW. 
          C.hyperboreus in GSG, M. longa showed no preference and C. glacialis
          was rare everywhere. Stage composition differed with species and 
          water mass. Vertical distribution varied also with water mass in all
          species but C. hyperboreus,which was always centered between 1,000 
          and 1,500 m. The other species were concentrated in the upper 300 m 
          in AW and between 1,000 and 1,500 m in GSG, although not all stages 
          followed this trend. Ontogenetic vertical migration leads to 
          significant dislocations of organic matter from the euphotic zone to
          great depth in the Greenland Sea. In egg production experiments, 
          C.hyperboreus spawned up to 149 eggs per female per day. Implications
          of stage composition, sex ratio, and gonad maturation on copepod life
          cycles are discussed.