A 12-year study of the seasonal and interannual dynamics of mesozooplankton in the Laptev Sea: Significance of salinity regime and life cycle patterns

Average zooplankton abundance varies seasonally and interannually, particularly in the southeastern Laptev Sea. The amplitude of these variations mainly depends on the state of the populations of the most common Copepoda species, the intensity of their reproduction, and their success in overwintering. Two seasonal abundance maxima were found, at the end of winter and at the end of summer. During the period of highest reproduction in summer the abundance may be 50 times greater than during overwintering. The average population abundance can vary by the factor of 2 in summer and in winter from year to year.