Pity the Copepod; Biodiversity  

Oleh:

[s.n]

Jenis: Article from Bulletin/Magazine
Dalam koleksi: The Economist (http://search.proquest.com/) vol. 403 no. 8789 (Jun. 2012), page 8-9.
Topik: Biological Diversity; Algae; Glaciers; Food Chains; Ecosystem Studies; Climate Change

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Perpustakaan Pusat (Semanggi) Nomor Panggil: EE29.72 Non-tandon: 1 (dapat dipinjam: 0) Tandon: tidak ada

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Though no charismatic, C alanus glacialis is one of the most important creatures in the Arctic. About 4mm long and almost transparent, with a single eye and fine red antennae running the length of its body, it is a copepod, a type of crustacean noted for being, microgram for microgram, the world's strongest animal. Most creatures higher up the Arctic food chain, including walruses, narwhals and polar bears, depend on it. The edge of the ice is an exceptionally busy ecosystem, thanks to two types of algae. One is ice algae, which grow within and on the underside of the sea ice from early March. The other is phytoplankton in the water column which, needing more light, start to bloom after the ice has begun to break up, between April and August. Because the freshness of its meltwater discourages mixing of the water column, nutrients linger at the surface, resulting in a strong and sustained bloom. The ice's edge is therefore rich in micro-organisms, crustaceans and everything that feeds on them: polar cod, ringed seals, polar bears, ivory gulls and so on.

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