Variability in the vertical distribution and advective transport of eight mesozooplankton taxa in spring in Rivers Inlet, British Columbia, Canada

Zooplankton vertical distribution data and velocity estimates from a hydrodynamic model were employed to determine zooplankton daily exchange during four cruises conducted from March to June 2010 in Rivers Inlet, a fjord in central British Columbia, Canada. Zooplankton transport rates varied temporally, being fastest in March when water velocities were highest. The active vertical movement of the zooplankton interacted with the vertically sheared flow field to influence zooplankton advection. Surface dwelling plankton such as Acartia longiremis and larvaceans experienced the highest advection losses of -0.4 and -0.5 day, respectively. In contrast, maximum advection losses of Paraeuchaeta elongata, a deeper dwelling copepod, were an order of magnitude lower, at 0.04 day. Transport rates varied by stage, extent of diel vertical migration and timing of ontogenetic migration. Advection rates were lower than literature-derived egg production rates, but comparable to literature-derived mortality rates. We suggest that advection may be a significant driver of population dynamics in years with similar rates of population growth. We also stress the importance of determining advection rates to obtain accurate estimates of vital rates. © 2014 The Author 2014.