Distribution and life history of the planktonic copepod, Eucalanus californicus, in the northwestern Pacific: Mechanisms for population maintenance within a high primary production area

We investigated the geographical and vertical distribution of the copepodid stages of Eucalanus californicus in the northwestern (NW) Pacific Ocean, and compared life history characteristics against the northeastern (NE) population of the species and the neighboring subarctic sister species, Eucalanus bungii. In the NW Pacific, multi-layered zooplankton samples were collected between 15°N and 49°N. High abundances (>1000 inds. m−2) of E. californicus were restricted to an area around 33°N, whereas E. bungii was highly abundant between 36°N and 49°N. The occurrence of E. californicus in the surface layer was associated with seasonal spring ontogenetic vertical migration (OVM), as suggested by previous studies in the NE Pacific. Gonadal analysis of adult females showed that surface reproduction occurs during the spring in the slope water area, which is a region on the continental slope north of the Kuroshio axis, and within the Kuroshio–Oyashio Transition Area (TA). The seasonal OVM strategy of E. californicus in the NW Pacific is characterized by (1) shorter periods of surface reproduction and growth and (2) deep C5 stage dormancy (500–2000 m). The former is an adaptive response to relatively high water temperatures and short bloom periods in the TA and slope water area. The latter strategy of deep dormancy is considered to be an adaptation to avoid drift caused by a local oceanic feature of deeper westward (>1000 m) recirculation currents, thus retaining the population within the high primary production zones of the TA and slope water area.

► We revealed seasonal OVM and spring reproduction of Eucalanus californicus.
► Dormant C5 stages of the species migrate into deeper layers (>1000 m).
► Adaptation to higher water temperatures facilitates deep C5 dormancy.
► Deep currents are key to retaining the species within high production areas.