Diversity and Copepods’composition off Moroccan Atlantic Coast (Northwest Africa): A Review

Abstract

This overview sums up the results of main investigations and knowledge about zooplankton off Moroccan Atlantic coast. Copepods diversity, spatial distribution, seasonal variability and hydrology off Moroccan Atlantic coast are given. A compilation of taxonomic list of copepods' species found therein was established from published studies, they accounted for 210. Diversity and richness varied strongly between seasons, an onshore offshore gradient was observed as well. Species composition differed from northern to southern Moroccan Atlantic coast although most dominant species off Morocco's coasts were Calanus helgolandicus, Paracalanus parvus, Acartia clausi and Corycaeus typicus. In addition, the largest number of species was found in upwelling regions. A synthesis study was established in order to spatial distribution of copepods along Moroccan Atlantic coast. The Factorial Correspondence Analysis of copepod species characterizing the most important sectors has shown different patterns of copepods distribution across Moroccan Atlantic coast; three main areas were clearly segregated according to their taxonomic composition (Northern, Central and Southern Atlantic).

Diversity and Distribution of Mesozooplankton in the Coastal Southwestern Mediterranean Alboran Sea, during Summer: What Are the Driving Factors?

“…Several studies involving zooplankton sampling with mesh sizes ranging from 147 to 200 microns showed the dominance of copepods in different Mediterranean ecosystems greater than 60% in the eastern and western Alboran Sea [57][58][59]. The dominance of copepods was previously demonstrated in the Moroccan Mediterranean [22,30] and in the Moroccan Atlantic coasts [36,37,60,61], as well as in the Canary Current Large Marine Ecosystem (CCLME) region [38]. Although samples were collected in these areas using nets with different mesh sizes, copepod dominance remains significant and consistent across all these zones.…”