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BSEP116B Biodiversity in the Baltic Sea - Helcom

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<strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand, is not selected by herr<strong>in</strong>g or sprat<br />

and, <strong>in</strong> fact, has a very effective escape reaction<br />

(Viitasalo et al. 1998).<br />

Temora longicornis, which <strong>in</strong>creased dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />

period, is also strongly selected by clupeids (cf.<br />

references given above). However, T. longicornis<br />

is not as sensitive to sal<strong>in</strong>ity changes as Pseudocalanus<br />

and <strong>the</strong> species is fur<strong>the</strong>rmore a <strong>the</strong>rmophile<br />

and may possibly have been stimulated<br />

by <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g summer temperatures dur<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>the</strong> period (Figure 3.3.4c) (Hernroth & Ackefors<br />

1979).<br />

The <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g trend <strong>in</strong> biomass concentrations<br />

of T. longicornis and partly Acartia spp. may also<br />

have o<strong>the</strong>r complex reasons. It could be <strong>the</strong> result<br />

of a potential carry<strong>in</strong>g capacity for calanoids. In<br />

addition, decreas<strong>in</strong>g eutrophication may affect<br />

<strong>the</strong> smallest calanoids <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Baltic</strong> <strong>Sea</strong>, <strong>the</strong> Acartia<br />

spp. (Figure 3.3.3c), as <strong>the</strong> biomass concentrations<br />

of <strong>the</strong> Acartia spp. follow a decadal course of <strong>the</strong><br />

w<strong>in</strong>ter concentrations of nitrate <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> upper 10 m<br />

of <strong>the</strong> central Bornholm Bas<strong>in</strong> (Figure 3.3.4d). The<br />

causal mechanisms are unclear at <strong>the</strong> moment but<br />

are probably related to food web <strong>in</strong>teractions.<br />

Dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> observation period <strong>the</strong> <strong>Baltic</strong> Proper,<br />

with <strong>the</strong> exception of <strong>the</strong> Åland <strong>Sea</strong>, has suffered<br />

from severe oxygen depletion periods <strong>in</strong> deep<br />

bas<strong>in</strong>s. This has significantly decreased <strong>the</strong> water<br />

volume available for species that thrive <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> deep<br />

sal<strong>in</strong>e water under <strong>the</strong> halocl<strong>in</strong>e. As discussed<br />

above, this affects Pseudocalanus spp., perhaps <strong>the</strong><br />

most important zooplanktonic prey item for <strong>Baltic</strong><br />

herr<strong>in</strong>g. Hence, it may well be that human-<strong>in</strong>duced<br />

Figure 3.3.4. (a) Sal<strong>in</strong>ity <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> upper<br />

3 m, (b) sal<strong>in</strong>ity <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> layer between 70 m<br />

and 80 m, (c) temperature <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> upper<br />

3 m <strong>in</strong> July–August, and (d) w<strong>in</strong>ter nitrate<br />

concentrations (February, March) <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

upper 10 m <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> central Bornholm Bas<strong>in</strong><br />

between 1976 and 2007 (from IOW database)<br />

after Postel, <strong>in</strong> prep.<br />

(a)<br />

Sal<strong>in</strong>ity (psu)<br />

8.5<br />

8.0<br />

7.5<br />

7.0<br />

R 2 = 0.3418<br />

r = 0.5846<br />

p< 0.001<br />

6.5<br />

6.0<br />

1976<br />

1977<br />

1978<br />

1979<br />

1980<br />

1981<br />

1982<br />

1983<br />

1984<br />

1985<br />

1986<br />

1987<br />

1988<br />

1989<br />

1990<br />

1991<br />

1992<br />

1993<br />

1994<br />

1995<br />

1996<br />

1997<br />

1998<br />

1999<br />

2000<br />

2001<br />

2002<br />

2003<br />

2004<br />

2005<br />

2006<br />

2007<br />

(b)<br />

20<br />

19<br />

18<br />

R 2 = 0.2407<br />

r = 0.4906<br />

p< 0.001<br />

17<br />

Sal<strong>in</strong>ity (psu)<br />

16<br />

15<br />

14<br />

13<br />

12<br />

11<br />

10<br />

1976<br />

1977<br />

1978<br />

1979<br />

1980<br />

1981<br />

1982<br />

1983<br />

1984<br />

1985<br />

1986<br />

1987<br />

1988<br />

1989<br />

1990<br />

1991<br />

1992<br />

1993<br />

1994<br />

1995<br />

1996<br />

1997<br />

1998<br />

1999<br />

2000<br />

2001<br />

2002<br />

2003<br />

2004<br />

2005<br />

2006<br />

2007<br />

46

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