Potential effect of ice formation on Antarctic pelagic copepods: salinity induced mortality of Calanus propinquus and Metridia gerlachei in comparison to sympagic acoel turbellarians

The salinity tolerance of two dominant Antarctic planktic copepods (Calanus propinquus and Metridia gerlachei) was tested over a range from 34 to 85 PSU and compared with that of sympagic turbellarians. The copepods survived only at a salinity of 34, higher salinities causing death within days. The turbellarians survived at salinities up to 75. The data imply that C. propinquus and M. gerlachei will not survive incorporation into newly forming sea ice because of the increasing brine salinity in new ice.