Patterns of mesozooplankton community composition and vertical fluxes in the global ocean

Vertical variations in physical and chemical conditions drive changes marine zooplankton community composition. In turn, communities play a critical role regulating the transfer of organic matter produced surface ocean to deeper layers. Yet, links between composition strength vertical fluxes particles remain elusive, especially on global scale. Here, we provide comprehensive analysis particle flux upper kilometer ocean. Zooplankton samples were collected across five depth layers assessed using continuous profiles Underwater Vision Profiler (UVP5) at 57 stations covering seven basins. analysed Zooscan individual organisms classified into 19 groups for quantitative analyses. abundance, biomass decreased from 1000 m all latitudes. The abundance decrease rate was stronger sites characterised by oxygen minima (<5µmol O2.kg−1) where most showed marked decline except jellyfishes, molluscs, annelids, large protists few copepod families. attenuation weaker such oxygen-depleted sites. Canonical redundancy analyses that epipelagic depended temperature, phytoplankton size distribution particulate while an additional important factor structuring mesopelagic. Our results further suggest future taxa mesopelagic loss might lead profound shift structure both euphotic These may affect export hereby biological carbon pump.