Abstract Zooplankton diversity and biomass are integral to marine ecosystem functioning. Functional trait-based approaches enable an examination of ecosystem dynamics in which species groups are defined by their functional roles (i.e. functional groups) within the ecosystem, rather their taxonomic identity. Changes in the relative and absolute biomass of zooplankton functional groups may affect the productivity of higher trophic levels via change in secondary production rates and the efficiency of energy transfer. Traits from 55 mesozooplankton species were assembled from the literature and applied to a 35-year time series (1980-2016) for the southern shelf area off the west coast of Vancouver Island, Canada. Eight functional groups were identified by clustering species on the basis of functional trait similarity. A time series of biomass anomalies was calculated for each functional group, after which links between functional group biomass anomalies and several environmental variables were examined. Generalized additive modeling (GAM) identified local sea surface temperature as the most important driver of biomass anomaly patterns for three groups: Doliolids, Omnivore-Herbivores, and the Active Ambush Omnivores. The Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) was also a main driver for three groups: Egg-Brooding Carnivores, Broadcast Carnivores, and Cruise Carnivores-A. The Ocean Nino Index (ONI) was significant for Active Ambush Omnivores and Egg-Brooding Carnivores, whereas the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) was a driver of Broadcast Carnivores and Cruise Carnivores-A. The Doliolids group also varied with surface salinity, and Cruise Carnivores-B with the North Pacific Gyre Oscillation (NPGO). The relative contribution of several zooplankton functional groups to the overall biomass showed no temporal trends but some groups had increased or decreased abundance contributions. This suggests functional redundancy within groups, as smaller or larger species may dominate based on environmental conditions. Our analysis demonstrates that functional group biomass anomalies vary with environmental variables, where conditions may favor certain functional groups, therefore dictating how the ecosystem is functioning.

中文翻译：

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浮游动物功能组对加拿大温哥华岛西海岸环境驱动因素的反应

摘要 浮游动物多样性和生物量是海洋生态系统功能不可或缺的一部分。基于功能特征的方法可以检查生态系统动态，其中物种群是由它们在生态系统中的功能角色（即功能群）而不是它们的分类特性来定义的。浮游动物功能群的相对和绝对生物量的变化可能会通过次级生产力和能量转移效率的变化影响更高营养级的生产力。从文献中收集了 55 种中型浮游动物的特征，并将其应用于加拿大温哥华岛西海岸南部陆架区的 35 年时间序列（1980-2016）。根据功能性状相似性，通过聚类物种确定了八个功能组。计算每个功能组的生物量异常的时间序列，然后检查功能组生物量异常与几个环境变量之间的联系。广义加性模型 (GAM) 将局部海面温度确定为三组生物量异常模式的最重要驱动因素：Doliolids、杂食动物-食草动物和活跃的伏击杂食动物。南方涛动指数 (SOI) 也是三个群体的主要驱动因素：蛋育食肉动物、广播食肉动物和巡航食肉动物-A。海洋尼诺指数 (ONI) 对活跃伏击杂食动物和卵育食肉动物很重要，而太平洋年代际振荡 (PDO) 是广播食肉动物和巡航食肉动物-A 的驱动因素。Doliolids 群也随着地表盐度的变化而变化，和带有北太平洋环流振荡 (NPGO) 的 Cruise Carnivores-B。几个浮游动物功能群对总生物量的相对贡献没有显示出时间趋势，但一些群的丰度贡献增加或减少。这表明群体内的功能冗余，因为较小或较大的物种可能会根据环境条件占主导地位。我们的分析表明，功能群生物量异常随环境变量而变化，其中条件可能有利于某些功能群，因此决定了生态系统的运作方式。因为较小或较大的物种可能会根据环境条件占主导地位。我们的分析表明，功能群生物量异常随环境变量而变化，其中条件可能有利于某些功能群，因此决定了生态系统的运作方式。因为较小或较大的物种可能会根据环境条件占主导地位。我们的分析表明，功能群生物量异常随环境变量而变化，其中条件可能有利于某些功能群，因此决定了生态系统的运作方式。