Human and climate forcing of zooplankton populations

Human and climate forcing of zooplankton populations

Abstract

Introduction Michael Dagg Convener and Guest Editor Shin-ichi Uye Local Organizer, Convener, and Guest Editor ´ Luis Valdes and Roger Harris Conveners and Guest Editors Zooplankton play a key role in the pelagic foodweb by controlling phytoplankton production and shaping pelagic ecosystems. In addition, because of their critical role as a food source for larval and juvenile fish, the dynamics of zooplankton populations have a significant influence on recruitment to fish stocks. In 1961, ICES convened the First Zooplankton Production Symposium in Charlottenlund, Denmark. ICES also played a leading role in the Second Zooplankton Production Symposium on “Zooplankton Production: measurement and role in global ecosystem dynamics and biogeochemical cycles”, held in Plymouth, UK, in 1994. The increasing importance of international programmes such as GLOBEC, the general concerns about global change, and the changing role of zooplankton in ocean ecosystems were reflected in the development of this Symposium. This trend was developed further in the Third Zooplankton Production Symposium on “The role of zooplankton in global ecosystem dynamics: comparative studies ´ from the world oceans”, held in Gijon, Spain, in 2003. It was the first time that the Symposium was co-sponsored by ICES, PICES, and GLOBEC. The Fourth International