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Large mesopelagic fishes biomass and trophic efficiency in the open ocean

Author

Listed:
  • Xabier Irigoien

    (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Red Sea Research Center)

  • T. A. Klevjer

    (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Red Sea Research Center)

  • A. Røstad

    (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Red Sea Research Center)

  • U. Martinez

    (AZTI, Arrantza eta Elikaigintzarako Institutu Teknologikoa, Herrera Kaia Portualdea)

  • G. Boyra

    (AZTI, Arrantza eta Elikaigintzarako Institutu Teknologikoa, Herrera Kaia Portualdea)

  • J. L. Acuña

    (Universidad de Oviedo, Calle Catedrático Rodrigo Uría, Sin Número)

  • A. Bode

    (Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), Centro Oceanográfico de A Coruña, Apdo 130)

  • F. Echevarria

    (Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, Universidad de Cádiz, Campus de Excelencia Internacional del Mar (CEI·MAR))

  • J. I. Gonzalez-Gordillo

    (Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, Universidad de Cádiz, Campus de Excelencia Internacional del Mar (CEI·MAR))

  • S. Hernandez-Leon

    (Institute of Oceanography and Global Change, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Campus Universitario de Tafira)

  • S. Agusti

    (The UWA Oceans Institute and School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia
    IMEDEA (UIB-CSIC), Instituto Mediterráneo de Estudios Avanzados)

  • D. L. Aksnes

    (University of Bergen)

  • C. M. Duarte

    (The UWA Oceans Institute and School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia
    IMEDEA (UIB-CSIC), Instituto Mediterráneo de Estudios Avanzados)

  • S. Kaartvedt

    (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Red Sea Research Center)

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Xabier Irigoien & T. A. Klevjer & A. Røstad & U. Martinez & G. Boyra & J. L. Acuña & A. Bode & F. Echevarria & J. I. Gonzalez-Gordillo & S. Hernandez-Leon & S. Agusti & D. L. Aksnes & C. M. Duarte & S, 2014. "Large mesopelagic fishes biomass and trophic efficiency in the open ocean," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 5(1), pages 1-10, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:5:y:2014:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms4271
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4271
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    Cited by:

    1. Carlier, Alexis & Treich, Nicolas, 2020. "Directly Valuing Animal Welfare in (Environmental) Economics," International Review of Environmental and Resource Economics, now publishers, vol. 14(1), pages 113-152, April.
    2. Priyadarshi, Anupam & Chandra, Ram & Kishi, Michio J. & Smith, S.Lan & Yamazaki, Hidekatsu, 2022. "Understanding plankton ecosystem dynamics under realistic micro-scale variability requires modeling at least three trophic levels," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 467(C).

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