Mesoscale distribution of protozooplankton communities and their herbivory in the western Scotia Sea of the Southern Ocean during the austral spring

► We investigated protozooplankton community and herbivory in the western Scotia Sea. ► Phytoplankton community clearly differed in different water masses. ► Distribution of protozooplankton governed by phytoplankton biomass and composition. ► Protozooplankton grazing is one of the loss processes affecting phytoplankton.