# Annual Variations and Influencing Factors of Zooplankton Community Structure in the Coastal Waters of Northern Shandong Peninsula, China

## TL;DR

This study examines how zooplankton communities in northern Shandong Peninsula waters change over time and what environmental factors influence these changes.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into the annual variations and environmental drivers of zooplankton community structure in a key fish spawning area.

## Key findings

- Zooplankton abundance and biomass showed a decreasing then increasing trend over the study period.
- Coastal areas had higher zooplankton abundance and biomass compared to offshore regions.
- Larger zooplankton species were more influenced by phytoplankton, while smaller species were affected by water temperature.

## Abstract

As an important food organism for fish, zooplankton is of great significance to ecological environment and evaluation of spawning grounds. However, the depth and systematic research on the variation patterns and influencing factors of zooplankton communities in the spawning grounds of the northern Shandong Peninsula waters are poorly understood. In this study, we conducted field sampling and investigated the spatiotemporal distribution of zooplankton community structure and the major environmental factors to explore the principles underlying their effects on the zooplankton community. The results showed that the abundance and biomass of zooplankton in the surveyed area exhibited significant annual variations, both showing a trend of first decreasing and then increasing, and nearshore higher than offshore. The overall low level of community diversity and its significant annual variations indicated that the zooplankton community structure in the surveyed area was unstable and showed a trend of degenerative succession. The community structure of zooplankton and larger-bodied dominant species showed stronger correlations with phytoplankton dynamics, whereas smaller-bodied species were more influenced by water temperature. Our study can provide references for habitat assessment of spawning grounds, as well as the protection and restoration of marine biodiversity in the coastal waters of the northern Shandong Peninsula.

The coastal waters of the northern Shandong Peninsula have abundant fishery resources, which serve as a critical transitional fishing ground for economic fish migrating into the Bohai Sea for spawning and departing for overwintering habitats. However, anthropogenic pressures such as garbage dumping have led to severe degradation of local fishery resources and concomitant adverse effects on zooplankton communities. To assess these impacts, we analyzed the spatiotemporal distribution, community structure, dominant species, and diversity indices of zooplankton based on sampling data collected in spring from 2015 to 2018 in this region. A total of 24 zooplankton species and 11 larval classes were identified, with the highest species richness observed in 2016. Calanus sinicus and Centropages abdominalis were the primary dominant species, with C. sinicus consistently predominant across all four years. Notably, the dominant species exhibited marked annual variability. The abundance and biomass of zooplankton in the surveyed area exhibited significant annual variations, both showing a trend of first decreasing and then increasing. Peak abundance occurred in 2015 (594.36 ind/m3), while the lowest was recorded in 2017 (118.73 ind/m3). Spatially, abundance and biomass were heterogeneous, with coastal waters exhibiting higher concentrations than offshore areas. The overall low level of community diversity and its significant annual variations indicated that the zooplankton community structure in the surveyed sea area was unstable and showed a trend of degenerative succession. The community structure of zooplankton and larger-bodied dominant species showed stronger correlations with phytoplankton dynamics, whereas smaller-bodied species were more influenced by water temperature.