Large mesopelagic fishes biomass and trophic efficiency in the open ocean.

Xabier Irigoien; Thor Aleksander Klevjer; Anders Røstad; U Martinez; G Boyra; J L Acuña; A Bode; F Echevarria; J I Gonzalez-Gordillo; S Hernandez-Leon; Susana Agusti; D L Aksnes; Carlos M. Duarte; Stein Kaartvedt

doi:10.1038/ncomms4271

Large mesopelagic fishes biomass and trophic efficiency in the open ocean.

Xabier Irigoien, Thor Aleksander Klevjer, Anders Røstad, U Martinez, G Boyra, J L Acuña, A Bode, F Echevarria, J I Gonzalez-Gordillo, S Hernandez-Leon, Susana Agusti, D L Aksnes, Carlos M. Duarte, Stein Kaartvedt

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

592 Scopus citations

Abstract

With a current estimate of ~1,000 million tons, mesopelagic fishes likely dominate the world total fishes biomass. However, recent acoustic observations show that mesopelagic fishes biomass could be significantly larger than the current estimate. Here we combine modelling and a sensitivity analysis of the acoustic observations from the Malaspina 2010 Circumnavigation Expedition to show that the previous estimate needs to be revised to at least one order of magnitude higher. We show that there is a close relationship between the open ocean fishes biomass and primary production, and that the energy transfer efficiency from phytoplankton to mesopelagic fishes in the open ocean is higher than what is typically assumed. Our results indicate that the role of mesopelagic fishes in oceanic ecosystems and global ocean biogeochemical cycles needs to be revised as they may be respiring ~10% of the primary production in deep waters.

Original language	English (US)
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	5
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms4271
State	Published - Feb 7 2014

Bibliographical note

KAUST Repository Item: Exported on 2020-10-01

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1038/ncomms4271

https://repository.kaust.edu.sa/bitstream/10754/323591/1/Article%20-%20Nature%20Communications%20-%20Large%20mesopelagic%20fishes%20biomass%20and%20trophic%20efficiency%20in%20the%20open%20ocean%20-%202014.pdf

Cite this

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title = "Large mesopelagic fishes biomass and trophic efficiency in the open ocean.",

abstract = "With a current estimate of ~1,000 million tons, mesopelagic fishes likely dominate the world total fishes biomass. However, recent acoustic observations show that mesopelagic fishes biomass could be significantly larger than the current estimate. Here we combine modelling and a sensitivity analysis of the acoustic observations from the Malaspina 2010 Circumnavigation Expedition to show that the previous estimate needs to be revised to at least one order of magnitude higher. We show that there is a close relationship between the open ocean fishes biomass and primary production, and that the energy transfer efficiency from phytoplankton to mesopelagic fishes in the open ocean is higher than what is typically assumed. Our results indicate that the role of mesopelagic fishes in oceanic ecosystems and global ocean biogeochemical cycles needs to be revised as they may be respiring ~10% of the primary production in deep waters.",

author = "Xabier Irigoien and Klevjer, {Thor Aleksander} and Anders R{\o}stad and U Martinez and G Boyra and Acu{\~n}a, {J L} and A Bode and F Echevarria and Gonzalez-Gordillo, {J I} and S Hernandez-Leon and Susana Agusti and Aksnes, {D L} and Duarte, {Carlos M.} and Stein Kaartvedt",

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doi = "10.1038/ncomms4271",

language = "English (US)",

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journal = "Nature Communications",

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T1 - Large mesopelagic fishes biomass and trophic efficiency in the open ocean.

AU - Irigoien, Xabier

AU - Klevjer, Thor Aleksander

AU - Røstad, Anders

AU - Martinez, U

AU - Boyra, G

AU - Acuña, J L

AU - Bode, A

AU - Echevarria, F

AU - Gonzalez-Gordillo, J I

AU - Hernandez-Leon, S

AU - Agusti, Susana

AU - Aksnes, D L

AU - Duarte, Carlos M.

AU - Kaartvedt, Stein

N1 - KAUST Repository Item: Exported on 2020-10-01

PY - 2014/2/7

Y1 - 2014/2/7

N2 - With a current estimate of ~1,000 million tons, mesopelagic fishes likely dominate the world total fishes biomass. However, recent acoustic observations show that mesopelagic fishes biomass could be significantly larger than the current estimate. Here we combine modelling and a sensitivity analysis of the acoustic observations from the Malaspina 2010 Circumnavigation Expedition to show that the previous estimate needs to be revised to at least one order of magnitude higher. We show that there is a close relationship between the open ocean fishes biomass and primary production, and that the energy transfer efficiency from phytoplankton to mesopelagic fishes in the open ocean is higher than what is typically assumed. Our results indicate that the role of mesopelagic fishes in oceanic ecosystems and global ocean biogeochemical cycles needs to be revised as they may be respiring ~10% of the primary production in deep waters.

AB - With a current estimate of ~1,000 million tons, mesopelagic fishes likely dominate the world total fishes biomass. However, recent acoustic observations show that mesopelagic fishes biomass could be significantly larger than the current estimate. Here we combine modelling and a sensitivity analysis of the acoustic observations from the Malaspina 2010 Circumnavigation Expedition to show that the previous estimate needs to be revised to at least one order of magnitude higher. We show that there is a close relationship between the open ocean fishes biomass and primary production, and that the energy transfer efficiency from phytoplankton to mesopelagic fishes in the open ocean is higher than what is typically assumed. Our results indicate that the role of mesopelagic fishes in oceanic ecosystems and global ocean biogeochemical cycles needs to be revised as they may be respiring ~10% of the primary production in deep waters.

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UR - http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2014/140207/ncomms4271/full/ncomms4271.html

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DO - 10.1038/ncomms4271

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SN - 2041-1723

VL - 5

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

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ER -

Large mesopelagic fishes biomass and trophic efficiency in the open ocean.

Abstract

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

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Other files and links

Fingerprint

Raw EK60 echosounder data (38 and 120 kHz) collected during the Malaspina 2010 Spanish Circumnavigation Expedition (14th December 2010, Cádiz - 14th July 2011, Cartagena)

Integrated daytime EK60 echosounder data from Malaspina-2010 cruise

Cite this

Large mesopelagic fishes biomass and trophic efficiency in the open ocean.

Abstract

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Datasets

Raw EK60 echosounder data (38 and 120 kHz) collected during the Malaspina 2010 Spanish Circumnavigation Expedition (14th December 2010, Cádiz - 14th July 2011, Cartagena)

Integrated daytime EK60 echosounder data from Malaspina-2010 cruise

Cite this