Distribution patterns of appendicularians and copepods and their relationship on the northwest continental shelf of South China Sea during summer

The potential suppression of copepods on appendicularians was found in field and experimental conditions. The abundance and distribution of appendicularians and planktonic copepods were studied with reference to their correlations during summer on the northwest continental shelf of the South China Sea (SCS). Based on the topography and water mass of the surveyed region, it was divided into three subregions:Region I (inshore waters of the east Leizhou Peninsula) with low temperature, salinity and high chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentration, Region II (inshore waters of the east and southeast Hainan Island) with low temperature, high salinity and moderate Chl a concentration and Region III (offshore waters from the Leizhou Peninsula to Hainan Island) with high temperature, high salinity and low Chl a concentration. The species richness of appendicularians and copepods increased from the inshore to offshore waters, and high values were observed in Region III. The distribution of appendicularian and copepod abundance decreased generally from the inshore to offshore waters, with the highest values at Region I. Our results suggest that the distribution patterns of appendicularians and copepods differed significantly, as a result of the influence of physical and biological factors. The negative impact of pelagic copepods on appendicularians was not found based on in situ data in the northwest continental shelf of SCS.