Temperature, trophic state, and carrying capacity govern pelagic size spectra in the Atlantic Ocean

@article{Schwamborn2026,
  Title = {Temperature, trophic state, and carrying capacity govern pelagic size spectra in the Atlantic Ocean},
  Author = {Schwamborn, Ralf and Dudeck, Tim and Carré, Claire and Farias, Gabriel Bittencourt and Couret, María and Díaz-Pérez, Javier and Dugenne, Mathilde and Figueiredo, Gabriela Guerra Araújo Abrantes de and Frédou, Thierry and Lucena-Frédou, Flávia and Díaz, Xiomara F.G. and Yemane, Dawit and González-García, Cristina and Kiko, Rainer and Lüskow, Florian and Hernández-León, Santiago and Lira, Simone Maria de Albuquerque and Dalaut, Laureline and Maury, Olivier and Müller, Marius N. and Marañón, Emilio and Landeira, José M. and Melo, Pedro Augusto Mendes de Castro and Neumann-Leitão, Sigrid and Ekau, Werner and Eduardo, Leandro Nole and Stemmann, Lars and Bertrand, Arnaud},
  Journal = {Progress In Oceanography},
  Year = {2026},
  Pages = {103813},
  Volume = {248},
  Doi = {10.1016/j.pocean.2026.103813},
  Abstract = {Numerous ambient drivers affect pelagic size spectra, but their relative importance and combined effects are still poorly understood. Here, we present a dataset spanning from picoplankton to mesopelagic fish (across > 15 orders of magnitude), integrating net-caught and in situ imaging data, and encompassing tropical, subtropical, and upwelling systems in the Atlantic. Overall median normalized biomass size spectrum (NBSS) slope was close to −1 (b = −0.955, 95 % CI: −0.960 to −0.949). A sharp peak within the nanoplankton was often found, possibly related to a mesozooplankton grazing size horizon and nutrient dynamics. Phytoplankton biomass fell far below the carrying capacity spectrum in hyper-oligotrophic environments, whereas most other systems were stabilized by top-down control. Nano- to microphytoplankton NBSS slope was not related to sea surface temperature (SST), but to trophic status, with flatter NBSS (i.e., relatively more microplankton) in more chlorophyll-rich waters. Conversely, picoplankton NBSS was positively associated with changes in SST. Picoplankton NBSS was steeper in warm, oligotrophic waters, with high biomass in the smallest picoplankton size classes. While there was also a minor (but significant) negative association with chlorophyll a, SST was the key driver for picoplankton. SST was also important in determining the slope and shape of UVP (Underwater Vision Profiler) zooplankton size spectra. NBSS of net-caught zooplankton was similar to the pelagic ecosystem NBSS. Our findings reveal universal mechanisms regulating pelagic biomass and size structure within the “predator–prey-efficiency theory of size spectra” (PETS), and provide a mechanistic foundation for predicting responses of size-structured communities to global change.},
}

TY  - JOUR
AU  - Schwamborn, Ralf
AU  - Dudeck, Tim
AU  - Carré, Claire
AU  - Farias, Gabriel Bittencourt
AU  - Couret, María
AU  - Díaz-Pérez, Javier
AU  - Dugenne, Mathilde
AU  - Figueiredo, Gabriela Guerra Araújo Abrantes de
AU  - Frédou, Thierry
AU  - Lucena-Frédou, Flávia
AU  - Díaz, Xiomara F.G.
AU  - Yemane, Dawit
AU  - González-García, Cristina
AU  - Kiko, Rainer
AU  - Lüskow, Florian
AU  - Hernández-León, Santiago
AU  - Lira, Simone Maria de Albuquerque
AU  - Dalaut, Laureline
AU  - Maury, Olivier
AU  - Müller, Marius N.
AU  - Marañón, Emilio
AU  - Landeira, José M.
AU  - Melo, Pedro Augusto Mendes de Castro
AU  - Neumann-Leitão, Sigrid
AU  - Ekau, Werner
AU  - Eduardo, Leandro Nole
AU  - Stemmann, Lars
AU  - Bertrand, Arnaud
TI  - Temperature, trophic state, and carrying capacity govern pelagic size spectra in the Atlantic Ocean
T2  - Progress In Oceanography
PY  - 2026
SP  - 103813
VL  - 248
DO  - 10.1016/j.pocean.2026.103813
AB  - Numerous ambient drivers affect pelagic size spectra, but their relative importance and combined effects are still poorly understood. Here, we present a dataset spanning from picoplankton to mesopelagic fish (across > 15 orders of magnitude), integrating net-caught and in situ imaging data, and encompassing tropical, subtropical, and upwelling systems in the Atlantic. Overall median normalized biomass size spectrum (NBSS) slope was close to −1 (b = −0.955, 95 % CI: −0.960 to −0.949). A sharp peak within the nanoplankton was often found, possibly related to a mesozooplankton grazing size horizon and nutrient dynamics. Phytoplankton biomass fell far below the carrying capacity spectrum in hyper-oligotrophic environments, whereas most other systems were stabilized by top-down control. Nano- to microphytoplankton NBSS slope was not related to sea surface temperature (SST), but to trophic status, with flatter NBSS (i.e., relatively more microplankton) in more chlorophyll-rich waters. Conversely, picoplankton NBSS was positively associated with changes in SST. Picoplankton NBSS was steeper in warm, oligotrophic waters, with high biomass in the smallest picoplankton size classes. While there was also a minor (but significant) negative association with chlorophyll a, SST was the key driver for picoplankton. SST was also important in determining the slope and shape of UVP (Underwater Vision Profiler) zooplankton size spectra. NBSS of net-caught zooplankton was similar to the pelagic ecosystem NBSS. Our findings reveal universal mechanisms regulating pelagic biomass and size structure within the “predator–prey-efficiency theory of size spectra” (PETS), and provide a mechanistic foundation for predicting responses of size-structured communities to global change.
ER  -