The Arctic Ocean is undergoing significant environmental changes that are altering the functioning of its ecosystems. Gelatinous zooplankton (GZ), commonly known as jellyfish, are an important component of the Arctic marine food web. Despite their importance and abundances, GZ remain largely ignored in pelagic studies, challenging predictions on their role and impact in the future state of the Arctic ecosystem. We collected presence records of the distribution of dominant GZ species (2 scyphozoans, 2 hydrozoans, 2 ctenophores, and 2 larvaceans) throughout the Arctic Ocean and adjacent marginal seas using existing scientific literature and public databases. We used this information to build three-dimensional species distribution models to understand the current distribution of species and their realized niches. These models, combined with climate change scenarios, allowed us to project future range shifts, and identify potential climate-change winners and losers. Our projections show that as temperatures continue to rise, several boreal species, such as Cyanea capillata and Periphylla periphylla, will expand their range further north. We discuss the consequences of these projected shifts in the context of the GZ species’ roles in the food web, interactions with fish stocks and the biological carbon pump.
Primary Presenter: Dmitrii Pantiukhin, Alfred Wegener Institute (dmitrii.pantiu@gmail.com)
Authors:
Dmitrii Pantiukhin, Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) (dmitrii.pantiukhin@awi.de)
Gerlien Verhaegen, Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) // University of Greifswald; Zoological Institute and Museum (gerlien.verhaegen@awi.de)
Charlotte Havermans, Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) (charlotte.havermans@awi.de)
Mapping the Current and Future Distribution of Arctic Jellyfish
Category
Scientific Sessions > SS056 Jellyfish in the Changing Ocean
Description
Time: 06:30 PM
Date: 7/6/2023
Room: Mezzanine