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Title: Large mesopelagic fishes biomass and trophic efficiency in the open ocean
Authors: Irigoien, Xabier; Klevjer, T. A.; Rostad, A.; Martinez, U.; Acuna, J. L.; Bode, A.; Echevarria, F.; Hernandez-Leon, S.; Agusti, S.; Duarte, C. M.; Kaartvedt, S.; Boyra, Guillermo
Abstract: With a current estimate of similar to 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 similar to 10\% of the primary production in deep waters.
Keywords: MARINE ECOSYSTEMS; TARGET STRENGTH; FAMILY MYCTOPHIDAE; STENOBRACHIUS-LEUCOPSARUS; PARTICLE FLUXES; SEDIMENT TRAPS; PACIFIC-OCEAN; IN-SITU; LANTERNFISH; COMMUNITY
Issue Date: 2014
Publisher: NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
Type: Article
Language: English
DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4271
URI: http://dspace.azti.es/handle/24689/365
ISSN: 2041-1723
Funder: Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Consolider-Ingenio) [CSD2008-00077]
Basque Country Government
AZTI-Tecnalia
Appears in Publication types:Artículos científicos



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