Detecting relationships between the interannual variability in ecological time series and climate using a multivariate statistical approach - a case study on Helgoland Roads zooplankton

A multivariate statistical approach is presented that allows a systematic s earch for potential relationships between the variability in ecological tim e series and climate records. In this study, interannual variability in lar ge- and mesoscale climate variables in the North Sea region is compared wit h variability in local zooplankton observations from Helgoland. The species Noctiluca scintillans (Protozoa), Temora longicornis and Acartia sp. (Cope poda), and spionid larvae (Polychaeta) are examined. The multivariate model detected several high correlations between zooplankton abundance and winte r climate. Based on these correlations, complementary hypotheses about the causal relationships are discussed using available local data.