Plankton climatology in North Norwegian waters - concepts, mechanisms and monitoring

In the Norwegian Sea field data during the winter demonstrates that the winter habitats of CV C. finmarchicus are basically associated with the distribution of cold deep water. The platform for this project have emerged from the MARE project “Plankton Adv ection in the Barents Sea” funded for 2000-2002, which successfully has provided new data to test the hypothesis in the mechanisms between climate and plankton in the North Norwegian waters. The project has shown striking evidence of hot spots of overwint ering CV’s associated with deep located gyres, one off Troms and another in the SW part if the Lofoten basin. This proposal will explore the temporal and spatial structures of the deep water located gyre off Troms. Combining this with concurrent Calanus d ata, we will be able to identify the mechanisms, which may dictate the formation of an important overwintering habitat (hot spot) in North Norwegian waters. The project will provide data needed to establish a monitoring site for North Norwegian waters and the Barents Sea proper close to the shelf break off Troms. Based on climate, advection and copepod biomass signatures a prognostic tool for the North Norwegian waters and the Barents Sea can be one of the end products.