Ecosystem Consequences of an Anomalously High Zooplankton Biomass in the South Sea of Korea

We used long time series of hydrographic and biological variables to examine the ecosystem consequences of a rare, anomalous event in the south sea of Korea. The highest zooplankton biomass in 36 years of sampling occurred in April 1997. Zooplankton biomass exceeded 2 times than the long-term mean at 35% of the stations. Copepod abundance was low in April and June and also failed to show a seasonal peak in 1997. Mackerel (Scomber japonicus) catches were very low in spring 1997 and 1999, in spite of a positive correlation between zooplankton biomass and mackerel catches at lags of 0, 12 and 24 months. It was discussed that a high zooplankton biomass with low copepod abundance in April 1997 resulted from unusual high temperature and salps abundance. Water temperatures were ca. $2^{\circ}C$ higher than the long-term mean at the surface. Salps and doliolids (thaliaceans), especially the warm-water species Doliolum nationalis, dominated the zooplankton. An unusual incursion of the Tsushima Warm Current may have transported the thaliaceans into the area and/or produced favorable conditions for a bloom. This study suggested that taxonomic composition of zooplankton was important to decide mackerel catches.