Current and Future Threats to Marine Zooplankton in Changing Polar Oceans and Their Potential for Adaption and Coping

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About this Research Topic

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Background

Marine zooplankton are a crucial component of polar food webs, acting as intermediaries that transfer energy from primary producers to apex predators. However, the rapidly changing environmental conditions in polar regions, such as ocean warming and acidification, pose significant threats to zooplankton populations. These changes can affect their distribution, biodiversity, reproductive success, and survival, potentially disrupting the entire food web. Additionally, the decline in sea ice, coupled with increased anthropogenic activities like pollution from long-range transport, local communities, tourism, and shipping, adds further stress to these ecosystems. Despite their importance, the fate of zooplankton in the Arctic and Antarctic under these changing conditions remains poorly understood, necessitating comprehensive research on large spatial and temporal scales to predict their future.

This research topic aims to assess the effects of environmental changes and anthropogenic pollution, both individually and in combination, on the fitness of polar zooplankton. The focus will be on understanding the consequences of habitat changes, such as sea-ice decline due to rising seawater temperatures, and other anthropogenic pressures like ocean acidification and pollution. Additionally, the research will explore the presence and impact of various pollutants, including microplastics, heavy metals, and persistent organic pollutants, on zooplankton and their communities. By investigating these factors, the research seeks to uncover the cumulative impact of multiple stressors and the potential coping and adaptation mechanisms of zooplankton.

To gather further insights into the complex dynamics affecting polar zooplankton, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- Impact of rising temperatures on zooplankton distribution and biodiversity
- Changes in phenology of primary production events and their effects on zooplankton
- Intake, accumulation, and transfer of contaminants in zooplankton species
- Effects of ocean acidification on zooplankton physiology and reproduction
- Cumulative impact of multiple stressors on zooplankton communities
- Innovative experimental approaches and ecological modeling to predict future changes
- Poleward migrations of zooplankton species due to climate change
- Potential coping and adaptation mechanisms of zooplankton to environmental stressors

By addressing these themes, the research aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how climate change and anthropogenic activities are reshaping polar marine ecosystems and the critical role of zooplankton within them.

Keywords: Polar food webs, Climate change, Marine zooplankton, Sea-ice retreat, Ocean acidification, Anthropogenic pollution

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