Gelatinous zooplankton, sometimes referred to as ‘jellies’, include some of the fastest growing and largest drifting organisms on Earth. At times, they can contribute more to secondary production than crustacean zooplankton. Despite their widespread distribution and high population densities, gelatinous zooplankton are understudied and overlooked in most food web studies as they are still considered a dead end in the food chain. Recent data suggests that gelatinous zooplankton abundances have increased and benefit from global change. Hence, anthropogenic stressors such as eutrophication, bio-invasions and overfishing have been linked to increased jellyfish and comb jelly abundances, as well as documented changes in food web structure, functioning and productivity of many marine ecosystems around the world. This includes areas of concern to the ICES and PICES communities.
Within this thematic session, we will discuss the function of gelatinous and non-gelatinous zooplankton and their interactions within marine ecosystems now and in the future. We welcome presentations on new breakthroughs in optical, hydroacoustic and satellite technology. These advances will provide unparalleled spatial and temporal resolution of marine life, from surface waters to mesopelagic depths. We especially encourage contributions that combine traditional with new technology, address marine ecosystem functioning, anthropogenic impacts on food web structure, sustainable harvest and biodiversity conservation and restoration efforts.
Specifically, we invite presentations on gelatinous zooplankton and their
- Spatial and temporal distribution patterns.
- Interaction with fish and fisheries.
- Contribution to carbon transfer in pelagic and benthic habitats.
- Population dynamics or interactions of native and invasive groups.
- Potential as a fast growing, renewable resource.
- Population responses to multiple pressures, including modelling studies and projections.
- Impacts of jellyfish blooms on fisheries, aquaculture and tourism.
