Questioning the Rise of Gelatinous Zooplankton in the World's Oceans

Authors

Robert Condon, Dauphin Island Sea LabFollow
William M. Graham, University of Southern MississippiFollow
Kelly L. Robinson, University of South AlabamaFollow
Carlos M. Duarte, University of Western AustraliaFollow
Kylie A. Pitt, Griffith UniversityFollow
Cathy H. Lucas, National Oceanography Centre at University of SouthamptonFollow
Steven H.D. Haddock, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research InstituteFollow
Kelly R. Sutherland, California Institute of TechnologyFollow
Michael N. Dawson, University of California, MercedFollow
Mary Beth Decker, Yale UniversityFollow
Claudia E. Mills, University of WashingtonFollow
Jennifer E. Purcell, Shannon Point Marine CenterFollow
Alenka Malej, National Institute of BiologyFollow
Hermes Mianzan, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo PesqueroFollow
Shin-ichi Uye, Hiroshima UniversityFollow
Stefan Gelcich, Pontifical Catholic University of ChileFollow
Laurence P. Madin, Woods Hole Oceanographic InstitutionFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-1-2012

Department

Marine Science

School

Ocean Science and Engineering

Abstract

During the past several decades, high numbers of gelatinous zooplankton species have been reported in many estuarine and coastal ecosystems. Coupled with media-driven public perception, a paradigm has evolved in which the global ocean ecosystems are thought to be heading toward being dominated by "nuisance" jellyfish. We question this current paradigm by presenting a broad overview of gelatinous zooplankton in a historical context to develop the hypothesis that population changes reflect the human-mediated alteration of global ocean ecosystems. To this end, we synthesize information related to the evolutionary context of contemporary gelatinous zooplankton blooms, the human frame of reference for changes in gelatinous zooplankton populations, and whether sufficient data are available to have established the paradigm. We conclude that the current paradigm in which it is believed that there has been a global increase in gelatinous zooplankton is unsubstantiated, and we develop a strategy for addressing the critical questions about long-term, human-related changes in the sea as they relate to gelatinous zooplankton blooms.

Publication Title

Bioscience

Volume

62

Issue

2

First Page

160

Last Page

169

Recommended Citation

Condon, R., Graham, W. M., Robinson, K. L., Duarte, C. M., Pitt, K. A., Lucas, C. H., Haddock, S. H., Sutherland, K. R., Dawson, M. N., Decker, M. B., Mills, C. E., Purcell, J. E., Malej, A., Mianzan, H., Uye, S., Gelcich, S., Madin, L. P. (2012). Questioning the Rise of Gelatinous Zooplankton in the World's Oceans. Bioscience, 62(2), 160-169.
Available at: https://aquila.usm.edu/fac_pubs/228