Swimming Against the Flow: A Mechanism of Zooplankton Aggregation
A. Genin
J. S. Jaffe
R. Reef
C. Richter
Peter J. S. Franks
Abstract
Zooplankton reside in a constantly flowing environment. However, information about their response to ambient flow has remained elusive, because of the difficulties of following the individual motions of these minute, nearly transparent animals in the ocean. Using a three-dimensional acoustic imaging system, we tracked >375,000 zooplankters at two coastal sites in the Red Sea. Resolution of their motion from that of the water showed that the animals effectively maintained their depth by swimming against upwelling and downwelling currents moving at rates of up to tens of body lengths per second, causing their accumulation at frontal zones. This mechanism explains how oceanic fronts become major feeding grounds for predators and targets for fishermen.
Genin A., Jaffe J.S., Reef R., Richter C. and Franks P.J.S. (2005) Swimming Against the Flow: A Mechanism of Zooplankton Aggregation. Science 308(5723): 860-862. 10.1126/science.1107834
@article{Genin2005,
Title = {Swimming Against the Flow: A Mechanism of Zooplankton Aggregation},
Author = {Genin, A. and Jaffe, J. S. and Reef, R. and Richter, C. and Franks, Peter J. S.},
Editor = {},
Journal = {Science},
Year = {2005},
Pages = {860-862},
Volume = {308},
Doi = {10.1126/science.1107834},
Abstract = {Zooplankton reside in a constantly flowing environment. However, information about their response to ambient flow has remained elusive, because of the difficulties of following the individual motions of these minute, nearly transparent animals in the ocean. Using a three-dimensional acoustic imaging system, we tracked >375,000 zooplankters at two coastal sites in the Red Sea. Resolution of their motion from that of the water showed that the animals effectively maintained their depth by swimming against upwelling and downwelling currents moving at rates of up to tens of body lengths per second, causing their accumulation at frontal zones. This mechanism explains how oceanic fronts become major feeding grounds for predators and targets for fishermen.},
}
TY - JOUR
AU - Genin, A.
AU - Jaffe, J. S.
AU - Reef, R.
AU - Richter, C.
AU - Franks, Peter J. S.
TI - Swimming Against the Flow: A Mechanism of Zooplankton Aggregation
T2 - Science
PY - 2005
SP - 860-862
VL - 308
DO - 10.1126/science.1107834
AB - Zooplankton reside in a constantly flowing environment. However, information about their response to ambient flow has remained elusive, because of the difficulties of following the individual motions of these minute, nearly transparent animals in the ocean. Using a three-dimensional acoustic imaging system, we tracked >375,000 zooplankters at two coastal sites in the Red Sea. Resolution of their motion from that of the water showed that the animals effectively maintained their depth by swimming against upwelling and downwelling currents moving at rates of up to tens of body lengths per second, causing their accumulation at frontal zones. This mechanism explains how oceanic fronts become major feeding grounds for predators and targets for fishermen.
ER -
