Meroplankton

Meroplankton are a wide variety of aquatic organisms which have both planktonic and benthic stages in their life cycles. Much of the meroplankton consists of larval stages of larger organism.^[1] Meroplankton can be contrasted with holoplankton, which are planktonic organisms that stay in the pelagic zone as plankton throughout their entire life cycle.^[2]

After a period of time in the plankton, many meroplankton graduate to the nekton or adopt a benthic (often sessile) lifestyle on the seafloor. The larval stages of benthic invertebrates make up a significant proportion of planktonic communities.^[3] The planktonic larval stage is particularly crucial to many benthic invertebrate in order to disperse their young. Depending on the particular species and the environmental conditions, larval or juvenile-stage meroplankton may remain in the pelagic zone for durations ranging from hour to months.^[1]

Not all meroplankton are larvae or juvenile stages of larger organisms. Many dinoflagellates are meroplanktonic, undergoing a seasonal cycle of encystment and dormancy in the benthic zone followed by excystment and reproduction in the pelagic zone before returning to the benthic zone once more.^[4]^[5] There also exist meroplanktonic diatoms; these have a seasonal resting phase below the photic zone and can be found commonly amongst the benthos of lakes and coastal zones.^[6]

^ ^a ^b Stübner, E. I.; Søreide, J. E. (2016-01-27). "Year-round meroplankton dynamics in high-Arctic Svalbard". Journal of Plankton Research. 38 (3): 522–536. doi:10.1093/plankt/fbv124.
^ "Plankton". Britannica. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
^ Ershova, E. A.; Descoteaux, R. (2019-08-13). "Diversity and Distribution of Meroplanktonic Larvae in the Pacific Arctic and Connectivity With Adult Benthic Invertebrate Communities". Frontiers in Marine Science. 6. doi:10.3389/fmars.2019.00490. hdl:10037/16483. S2CID 199638114.
^ Morquecho, Lourdes; Lechuga-Devéze, Carlos H. (2004-01-01). "Seasonal occurrence of planktonic dinoflagellates and cyst production in relationship to environmental variables in subtropical Bahı´a Concepción, Gulf of California". Botanica Marina. 47 (4). doi:10.1515/BOT.2004.037. ISSN 0006-8055. S2CID 85192840.
^ Kremp, A. (2013), Lewis, J. M.; Marret, F.; Bradley, L. R. (eds.), "Diversity of dinoflagellate life cycles: facets and implications of complex strategies", Biological and Geological Perspectives of Dinoflagellates, Geological Society of London, pp. 197–205, doi:10.1144/tms5.18, ISBN 978-1-86239-368-4, retrieved 2020-06-13
^ Lashaway, A. R.; Carrick, H. J. (2010-04-01). "Effects of light, temperature and habitat quality on meroplanktonic diatom rejuvenation in Lake Erie: implications for seasonal hypoxia". Journal of Plankton Research. 32 (4): 479–490. doi:10.1093/plankt/fbp147. ISSN 0142-7873.

[:0-1] Stübner, E. I.; Søreide, J. E. (2016-01-27). "Year-round meroplankton dynamics in high-Arctic Svalbard". Journal of Plankton Research. 38 (3): 522–536. doi:10.1093/plankt/fbv124.

[2] "Plankton". Britannica. Retrieved 2020-06-13.

[3] Ershova, E. A.; Descoteaux, R. (2019-08-13). "Diversity and Distribution of Meroplanktonic Larvae in the Pacific Arctic and Connectivity With Adult Benthic Invertebrate Communities". Frontiers in Marine Science. 6. doi:10.3389/fmars.2019.00490. hdl:10037/16483. S2CID 199638114.

[4] Morquecho, Lourdes; Lechuga-Devéze, Carlos H. (2004-01-01). "Seasonal occurrence of planktonic dinoflagellates and cyst production in relationship to environmental variables in subtropical Bahı´a Concepción, Gulf of California". Botanica Marina. 47 (4). doi:10.1515/BOT.2004.037. ISSN 0006-8055. S2CID 85192840.

[5] Kremp, A. (2013), Lewis, J. M.; Marret, F.; Bradley, L. R. (eds.), "Diversity of dinoflagellate life cycles: facets and implications of complex strategies", Biological and Geological Perspectives of Dinoflagellates, Geological Society of London, pp. 197–205, doi:10.1144/tms5.18, ISBN 978-1-86239-368-4, retrieved 2020-06-13

[6] Lashaway, A. R.; Carrick, H. J. (2010-04-01). "Effects of light, temperature and habitat quality on meroplanktonic diatom rejuvenation in Lake Erie: implications for seasonal hypoxia". Journal of Plankton Research. 32 (4): 479–490. doi:10.1093/plankt/fbp147. ISSN 0142-7873.

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