Winter and summer biogeography of macrozooplankton community structure in the northern Antarctic Peninsula ecosystem

Abstract Climate forcing is impacting polar marine ecosystems through increased variability of winter sea-ice dynamics, which likely influences the distribution, abundance and structure of zooplankton assemblages, and thereby trophodynamics of marine food webs. Due to the challenges of working in polar marine ecosystems, most knowledge on polar zooplankton community structure is derived from summer surveys. Here we examine the spatial distribution, abundance and community structure of macrozooplankton in relation to sea-ice and ocean-climate dynamics within the Antarctic Peninsula marine ecosystem over five consecutive winters. We compare the patterns revealed during winter with historical data collected in the same region during austral summer. Hydrographic and macrozooplankton data were collected from >100 standard stations off the northern Antarctic Peninsula during summer (2003–2011) and winter (2012–2016). Using multivariate methods, the environmental drivers and geographic structuring of the macrozooplankton community during winter and summer were investigated. Eight taxa made up 90% of total macrozooplankton abundance in winter including Metridia species, post-larval and larval Euphausia superba, post-larval Thysanoessa macrura, Limacina helicina, Chaetognatha, Ostracoda and Radiozoa. Eight slightly different taxa including Calanoides acutus, Salpa thompsoni, T. macrura (post-larvae and larvae), Metridia spp., E. superba larvae, Chaetognatha, and Rhincalanus spp. made up 87% of the total abundance in summer. Macrozooplankton clustered into five groups in winter and seven groups in summer. Winter macrozooplankton structure was more spatially consistent among years compared to summer regardless of sea-ice conditions. Salinity, chlorophyll a biomass, upper mixed layer depth and time of day were most strongly correlated with the multivariate ordination in winter whereas salinity, phaeopigment biomass and year had the highest correlations for summer, indicating the importance of similar physical features in both seasons. However, the importance of time scales differed among seasons. Although environmental determinants of summer and winter macrozooplankton community structure indicate that community structure and occurrence were strongly tied to regional variability of salinity and primary productivity gradients, macrozooplankton community structure is likely much more complex than only a few hydrographic variables can explain. Cluster boundaries are likely driven by dynamic locations of currents, fronts and localized eddies in any given season or year.