Wax ester composition influences the diapause patterns in the copepod Calanoides acutus

摘要: Many calanoid copepods inhabiting high latitude environments overwinter at depth in the water column a state of diapause and large wax ester reserves that they contain are central to this process. Here we compare abundance, distribution, lipid content composition individual CV Calanoides acutus collected from Southern Ocean horizons ranging surface 1000 m. Abundances C. varied considerably between locations, 44 1256 m−2. Levels total increased with rate around 100 μg per m 200 Fatty acid esters reflected local prey community, spectrum diatom flagellate dominated profiles corresponding different microplankton environments. Copepods highest levels also contained highly unsaturated fatty biomarker 20:5(n-3), occupied deepest depths during diapause. In addition, unsaturation both alcohol moieties depth. This has implications for buoyancy these organisms: higher makes likely change liquid solid overwintering depths, increasing their specific gravity. These findings emphasise functional role n-3 acids life-phase particular importance diatoms overwintering.