Open AccessHEAVY METALS IN ZOOPLANKTON ORGANISMS OF THE BARENTS SEA
Author(s) -
Л. Л. Демина,
A. S. Solomatina,
Galina Abyzova
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
okeanologičeskie issledovaniâ
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2587-9634
pISSN - 1564-2291
DOI - 10.29006/1564-2291.jor-2019.47(4).4
Subject(s) - zooplankton , oceanography , environmental science , trophic level , bioaccumulation , food chain , water mass , food web , arctic , phytoplankton , environmental chemistry , ecosystem , organic matter , ecology , geology , chemistry , biology , nutrient
Zooplankton plays a Central role in the transfer of matter and energy from primary producers to high trophic organisms, and zooplankton serves as an essential component of sedimentary material that supplies organic matter to the bottom of marine basins. The paper presents new data on the distribution of a number of heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb) and As in the Calanus zooplankton collected in July–August 2017 in the North-Eastern, Eastern and Central parts of the Barents Sea. It is shown that the spatial distribution of metals in zooplankton organisms is influenced by both biotic ecosystem factors associated with bioproductivity and hydrological and geochemical parameters of the habitat (North Polar Front). In the zooplankton of the Arctic water mass to the South-East of Franz Josef Land, there was an increased content of essential heavy metals Cu, Zn and Cr in comparison with the coastal and Atlantic water masses. Zooplankton from the Central part of the sea (Atlantic water mass), where phytoplankton production is reduced, is characterized by the lowest concentrations of most elements (Ni, Cu, Zn, As and Pb). The highest concentrations were found for both essential heavy metals (Zn and Cu) and toxic metalloid As, which may indicate non-selective bioaccumulation of trace elements by copepods.