Seasonal cycles and long-term trends of plankton in shelf and oceanic habitats of the Norwegian Sea in relation to environmental variables

The plankton abundance data of the Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) route from Bergen or Rotterdam to Weather Station Mike ( 64 ∘ 44 ′ N , 2 ∘ E ) from 1949 to 1981 were analysed for long-term trends and seasonal production cycles, and were related to environmental data. The data were explored using the canonical correlation analysis and nonparametric techniques like the Nadaraya–Watson regression. While large copepods such as Calanus spp. and Metridia lucens did not show any temporal trends, a sharp decrease in the abundances of smaller copepods and phytoplankton was observed after 1960. The temporal trends were not related to the NAO, but did show a correlation with the wind direction. Seasonal abundance curves showed that production of both phytoplankton and zooplankton taxa started earlier in coastal water compared to Atlantic water. From the 1950s to the 1970s most taxa showed a delay in the start of the seasonal production cycles, indicating a reduction in the length of the productive cycle. This may to some extent explain the reduced abundance of smaller copepods, phytoplankton and other species during the 1960s and 1970s.