Research Interests (Global Research)

My research interests include basin scale, mesoscale, and microscale spatial-temporal distribution of zooplankton in the ocean.

Research regions: the Gulf of Maine, tropical and subtropical Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Black Sea.

Analyzing the above spatial-temporal scales, I am aimed to understand:

• What are the dominant spatial scales of variability within this range in the distribution of zooplankton?
• What are the dominant spatial scales of variability in the other biotic and physical parameters?
• Are these processes linked, and if so where and at what spatial scales?
• Are these linkages the same in shelf seas and in open ocean waters?
• Are the effects of these processes the same on the spatial distribution of
  
  
  • Biomass
  • Size distribution
  • Community structure

The answer to these questions will help our understanding of the potential impacts of physical changes on the distribution of zooplankton and its influence on higher trophic levels.

My current analysis is focused on the response of marine ecosystems to climate components: the El-Nino Southern Oscillation, North Atlantic Oscillation, North Pacific Oscillation, and others. The above low-frequency oscillations might be analyzed in terms of their detailed structure. This could enhance a precision of coupled physical-biological model outputs. The components of the structure are the so called atmospheric Centers of Action which might be characterized by pressure value bordering a given area, latitude and longitude. Centers of Action alter the system of zonal winds and through them, chiefly influence seasonal and interannual dynamics of the oceanic circulation, zooplankton, and fish populations.

Selected Publications

Piontkovski S.A. and C. Castellani. 2007. Long term declining trend of zooplankton biomass in the tropical Atlantic. Nature (Submitted).

Banse K., and S.A. Piontkovski (Eds.). 2006. The mesoscale structure of the epipelagic ecosystem of the open northern Arabian Sea. Universities Press, Hyderabad, 248 pp.

Piontkovski S.A. 2005. Multiscale variability of mesoplankton fields of the ocean. V.D. Fedorov (Ed). Hydrophysics Publ., Sevastopol, 194pp.

Piontkovski S.A., T.D.O’Brien, S.F.Umani, E.G.Krupa,  T.S.Stuge, K.S. Balymbetov, O.V.Grishaeva, and A.G Kasymov. 2006. Zooplankton and the North Atlantic Oscillation: a basin scale analysis. Journ.Plankton Res., 28, 11:1039-1046.

Hameed S., and S.A. Piontkovski. 2004. The dominant influence of the Icelandic Low on the position of the Gulf Stream northwall. Geophys.Res.Let.,31, L09303.

Piontkovski S.A., and M.R.Landry. 2003. Copepod species diversity and climate variability in the tropical Atlantic Ocean. Fish.Oceanogr., 12, 45: 352-359.

Piontkovski S.A., M.R.Landry, A.V. Kovalev, R.Williams, C. P. Gallienne, A. Mishonov, V.N. Skryabin, Z.Z. Finenko, Yu.N. Tokarev, and V.N.Nikolsky. 2003. Plankton communities of the macroscale anticyclonic gyre of the south Atlantic Ocean. Oceanologica Acta., 26: 255-268.

Piontkovski S.A., R.Williams, S.Ignatyev, A.Boltachev, and M.Chesalin. 2003. Structural-functional relationships in the pelagic community of the eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean. Journal Plankton Res., 25, 9: 1021-1034.

Finenko Z.Z., S.A. Piontkovski, R. Williams, and A.V. Mishonov. 2003. Variability of phytoplankton and mesozooplankton biomass in the subtropical and tropical Atlantic Ocean. Mar. Ecol. Progr. Ser.,250:125-144.

Finenko Z.Z., N.Hoepffner, R.Williams, and S.A. Piontkovski. 2003. Phytoplankton carbon to chlorophyll a ratio: response to light, temperature and nutrient limitation. Mar. Ecol. Journ., II, 2: 40-64.

Seregin S.A., and S.A. Piontkovski. 2003. Diversity and variability of the copepod behaviour in environmental gradients: an overview. Mar. Ecol. Journ., II, 1: 32-45.

Piontkovski S.A., and S.Hameed. 2002. Precursors of copepod abundance in the Gulf of Maine in atmospheric centers of action and sea surface temperature. The Global Atmosphere and Ocean System, 8, 4: 283-291.

Conversi A., S.A. Piontkovski, and S. Hameed. 2001. Seasonal and interannual dynamics of Calanus finmarchicus in the Gulf of Maine (Northeastern US Shelf) with reference to the North Atlantic Oscillation. Deep-Sea Res., II, 48: 519-530.

Tokarev Yu.N., E.P. Bitukov, R. Williams, V.I. Vasilenko, S.A. Piontkovski, and B.G. Sokolov. 1999. The bioluminescence field as an indicator of the spatial structure and physiological state of the planktonic community at the Mediterranean Sea basin. In: The Eastern Mediterranean as a Laboratory Basin for the Assessment of Contrasting Ecosystems. P. Malanotte-Rizzoli and V.N. Eremeev (eds.). Kluwer Academic Publishers, pp. 407-416.

Seregin S.A., and S.A. Piontkovski. 1998. Behavior of Acartia clausi Giesbrecht (Copepoda) in the salinity gradient. Oebalia, 24: 145-159.

Piontkovski S.A., S.van der Spoel, and I. Prusova. 1998. Diurnal rhythm of biodiversity in a zooplankton community of a macroscale anticyclonic gyre. Crustaceana, 72, 1: 1-15.

Tokarev Yu.N., R. Williams, and S.A. Piontkovski. 1998. Small-scale plankton patchiness in the Black Sea euphotic layer. Hydrobiologia, 375/376: 363-367.

Kovalev A.V., and S.A. Piontkovski. 1998. Interannual changes of the Black Sea gelatinous zooplankton. Journ. Plankton Res., 20, 7: 1377-1385.

Piontkovski S.A. 1998. Spatial-temporal structure of Indian Ocean ecosystems: a large-scale approach. P.223-233. In: Large Marine Ecosystems of the Indian Ocean. Assessment, Sustainability and Management. K.Sherman, E.N.Okemwa, and M.J.Ntiba (eds.). Blackwell Science.

Kushnir V.M., Yu.N.Tokarev, R.Williams, S.A. Piontkovski, and P.V. Evstigneev. 1997. Spatial heterogeneity of the bioluminescence field of the tropical Atlantic Ocean and its relationship with internal waves. Mar. Ecol. Progr. Ser., 160: 1-11.

Kovalev A.V., and S.A. Piontkovski. 1997. Biogeographical basis of the large marine ecosystems studies: The macroscale gyre of the South Atlantic Ocean. In: A.C. Pierrot-Bults & S. van der Spoel. Pelagic Biogeography ICoPB II. Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference. IOC/UNESCO, Paris: 235-248.

Piontkovski S.A., Yu.N. Tokarev, E.P. Bitukov, R. Williams, and D. Kiefer. 1997. The bioluminescent field of the Atlantic Ocean. Mar. Ecol. Progr. Ser.,156: 33-41.

Piontkovski S.A., and S.van der Spoel. 1995. Similarities in size, in taxonomic and in ecological mesoscale structure of tropical zooplankton communities. In: A.C. Pierrot-Bults & S. van der Spoel (Eds.). Pelagic Biogeography ICoPB II. Proceedings of the Second International Conference. IOC/UNESCO, Paris: 297-306.

Goldberg G.A., S.A. Piontkovski, and R. Williams. 1997. Zooplankton field heterogeneity formation on the mesoscale: elements of the theory and empirical characteristics. Ecol. Modelling, 96: 41-49.

Piontkovski, S.A., R. Williams, W.T. Peterson, O.A. Yunev, N.A. Minkina, V.L. Vladimirov, and V. Blinkov. 1997. Spatial heterogeneity of the planktonic fields in the upper mixed layer of the open ocean. Mar. Ecol. Progr. Ser.,148: 145-154.

Tiselius P., B. Hansen, P. Jonsson, T. Kiorboe, T.G. Nielsen, S. Piontkovski, and E. Saiz. 1995. Can we use laboratory reared copepods for feeding experiments? A comparison of behavior between a field and a laboratory population of Acartia tonsa. ICES Journal Mar. Sci., 52: 369-376.

Piontkovski S.A., R. Williams, W. Peterson, and V.K. Kosnirev. 1995. Relationship between oceanic zooplankton and energy of eddy fields. Mar. Ecol. Progr.Ser., 128: 35-41.

Piontkovski S.A., and R. Williams. 1995. Multiscale variability of tropical ocean zooplankton biomass. ICES Journ. Mar. Sci., 52: 643-656.

Piontkovski S.A., R. Williams, and T.A. Melnik. 1995. Spatial heterogeneity and size structure of plankton of the Indian Ocean: some general trends. Mar. Ecol. Progr. Ser., 117: 219-227.