Working Group on Zooplankton Ecology (WGZE)

The Working Group on Zooplankton Ecology (WGZE) brings together zooplankton researchers from the North Atlantic and adjacent regions, performing comparative analyses of zooplankton time-series, and reviewing new zooplankton sampling and analysis technologies.

The group’s ongoing activities covering central aspects of zooplankton ecology include: (i) the development of ecological indicators from existing zooplankton time-series data, (ii) the study of changes and trends of zooplankton community properties, (iii) the continued development of the Zooplankton Biometric Atlas and database, (iv) the review of emerging plankton sampling and analytical methodologies, (v) activities related to zooplankton outreach and training courses, and (vi) collaborative activities with other Expert Groups within and outside ICES.

An inventory of variables recorded by WGZE-associated time-series was produced for the design and calculations of new indicators, including data gaps and recommendations on how to address these. The Mean Size / Total Stock indicator was selected as appropriate from the available data. The WGZE abundance and biomass ranking method was developed as a robust approach that can identify community changes across zooplankton time-series data collected with a variety of sampling depths, environments, gear types, mesh sizes, and sample analysis protocols. A planned workshop will aim to interpret the preliminary analysis of community rank changes, and develop approaches to quantifying associated patterns across regions, habitats (i.e. depth and distance from shore), and traits (e.g. size, diet, life history) and linking community and environmental changes.

A particular scientific highlight was the launch of the WGZE Biometrics Atlas for the ICES North Atlantic region (https://wgze.net/traits). This will allow us to improve calculations of biomass and abundance directly from the species-level data. Emerging plankton sampling and analytical tool were reviewed via the publication of a WGZE-led Frontiers research topic entitled ‘Technological Advances for Measuring Planktonic Components of the Pelagic Ecosystem: An Integrated Approach to Data Collection and Analysis’ comprising 13 articles and an Editorial. Further scientific highlights for the 2021–2023 term include the publication of 6 new plankton identification leaflets, the motivation of an ICES JMS themed article set entitled ‘Marine zooplankton time-series: essential tools to understand variability in productivity-determining processes in the oceans.’ containing 19 articles and an Introduction paper by WGZE chairs, and the organization of the upcoming 7th ICES/PICES ZPS together with colleagues from PICES and Australia.