Lipid content of Calanus finmarchicus during overwintering in the Faroe–Shetland Channel

Abstract

Lipid class contents and composition of the copepodite stage CV and adult female Calanus finmarchicus were measured from the autumn to the spring along a transect crossing the Faroe–Shetland Channel. The data give a detailed vertical resolution of lipid content of C. fin‐marchicus before, during and after the time of diapause. In the deep water, where C. finmarchicus was in diapause, the wax ester (WE) content did not change between the autumn and spring with the exception of that of females, which showed a significant decrease in lipid content by March. The concentrations of lipids were lower and more variable in both CV and females in surface waters over the sampling period. In March, the lipid concentration of both CV and females decreased significantly with decreasing depth. The triacylglycerol (TAG) content of both CV and females was high in October at all depths but had almost disappeared by December. The TAG was either utilized during this time period or converted to WE. TAG was most prominent in October and again in February in copepods in the upper water column. A simple diagnostic model is presented that estimates how C. finmarchicus allocates energy reserves from lipids into various metabolic functions. The cost of diapause, molting, gonad formation and ascending from depth is estimated based on the time series data. The model indicates that the major portion of the stored lipid goes into gonad formation, in physical ascent and in basic metabolism during ascent, whereas maintenance of diapause and molting is not expensive in terms of lipid utilization.