Abstract The sub-Antarctic Namuncura Marine Protected Area at Burdwood Bank (NMPA/BB) is an area of favorable conditions for the development of planktonic organisms and the sustenance of numerous species of ecological importance. The current study aimed to evaluate the spatial distribution of the abundance, biomass, community structure, and functional diversity of the mesozooplankton from the NMPA/BB during spring 2014. We also assessed the potential of zooplankton as prey for upper trophic levels, in particular the larvae of the Fuegian sprat (Sprattus fuegensis), a key species in the food web of the NMPA/BB. A total of 26 zooplankton taxa were identified. Nauplii and copepods evidenced the highest abundances, with the latter representing the dominant group in terms of biomass. Copepods showed a strong eastward gradient in their abundance, biomass, and diversity. This spatial structure in the community composition seems to be modulated by a west-to-east decreasing trend in the size of available preys, with nano- and picoplankton playing a major role in the eastern part of the NMPA/BB. Such pattern would be, in turn, a consequence of productivity gradients along hydrographic features. The high abundance of nauplii and copepods suggests that spring is an appropriate time for their reproduction and, given their size structure, they represent an adequate food source for Fuegian sprat larvae. This would be enhanced by anticyclonic cells present in the NMPA/BB, which can gather and retain sprat larvae along with their zooplanktonic preys. The results of our study, which is the first comprehensive approach addressing the zooplanktonic indicators of the NMPA/BB, serve as a baseline for future ecosystem-based policies aiming to manage and protect the natural marine resources sheltered here.

中文翻译：

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远洋亚南极 Namuncurá 海洋保护区/Burdwood Bank, SW 大西洋春季浮游动物组合的空间梯度

摘要 Burdwood Bank 的亚南极纳蒙库拉海洋保护区 (NMPA/BB) 为浮游生物的发展和众多具有生态重要性的物种提供了有利条件。目前的研究旨在评估 2014 年春季 NMPA/BB 中浮游动物的丰度、生物量、群落结构和功能多样性的空间分布。我们还评估了浮游动物作为上营养级猎物的潜力，特别是Fuegian sprat (Sprattus fuegensis) 的幼虫，NMPA/BB 食物网中的一个关键物种。共鉴定出 26 个浮游动物类群。无节幼体和桡足类的丰度最高，后者在生物量方面占主导地位。桡足类的丰度呈现出强烈的向东梯度，生物量和多样性。群落组成中的这种空间结构似乎受到可用猎物大小从西向东减小的趋势的调节，纳米浮游生物和微型浮游生物在 NMPA/BB 的东部发挥着主要作用。反过来，这种模式将是沿水文特征的生产力梯度的结果。无节幼体和桡足类的高丰度表明春天是它们繁殖的合适时间，并且鉴于它们的大小结构，它们代表了 Fuegian 鲱鱼幼虫的充足食物来源。这将被 NMPA/BB 中存在的反气旋细胞增强，这些细胞可以收集和保留鲱鱼幼虫及其浮游动物猎物。我们的研究结果是第一个解决 NMPA/BB 浮游动物指标的综合方法，