Increased Chlorophyll Levels in the Southern Caspian Sea Following an Invasion of Jellyfish

KIDEYS, Ahmet E.; ROOHI, Abolghaseem; EKER, DEVELI Elif; MELIN, Frederic; BEARE, Douglas

doi:10.1155/2008/185642

A significant correlation was observed between satellite derived chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentrations and the biomass of the invasive comb jellyfish Mnemiopsis leidyi in the southern Caspian Sea. By consuming the herbivorous zooplankton, the predatory ctenophore M. leidyi may have caused levels of Chl a to rise to very high values (~9 mg m-3) in the southern Caspian Sea. There might also be several other factors concurrent with predation effects of M. leidyi influencing Chl a levels in this region, such as eutrophication and climatic changes which play major roles in nutrient, phytoplankton and zooplankton variations. The decrease in pelagic fishes due to overfishing, natural and anthropogenic impacts might have provided a suitable environment for M. leidyi to spread throughout this enclosed basin.

KIDEYS Ahmet E.; ROOHI Abolghaseem; EKER DEVELI Elif; MELIN Frederic; BEARE Douglas;

2008-05-16

Hindawi Publishing Corporation

JRC43586

http://www.hindawi.com/GetArticle.aspx?doi=10.1155/2008/185642&e=cta, https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC43586,

10.1155/2008/185642,

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