Patterns of mesozooplankton community composition and vertical fluxes in the global ocean

•A comprehensive analysis of variations in zooplankton community composition and vertical particle flux in the upper kilometer of the global ocean.•Epipelagic zooplankton community composition depends on the temperature, on the phytoplankton size distribution and the surface large particulate organic matter.•Oxygen was an additional important factor for structuring zooplankton in the mesopelagic.•Low vertical attenuation of zooplankton abundance and biomass goes in hand with high particle flux attenuation and vice versa. Vertical variations in physical and chemical conditions drive changes in marine zooplankton community composition. In turn, zooplankton communities play a critical role in regulating the transfer of organic matter produced in the surface ocean to deeper layers. Yet, the links between zooplankton community composition and the strength of vertical fluxes of particles remain elusive, especially on a global scale. Here, we provide a comprehensive analysis of variations in zooplankton community composition and vertical particle flux in the upper kilometer of the global ocean. Zooplankton samples were collected across five depth layers and vertical particle fluxes were assessed using continuous profiles of the Underwater Vision Profiler (UVP5) at 57 stations covering seven ocean basins. Zooplankton samples were analysed using a Zooscan and individual organisms were classified into 19 groups for the quantitative analyses. Zooplankton abundance, biomass and vertical particle flux decreased from the surface to 1000 m depth at all latitudes. The zooplankton abundance decrease rate was stronger at sites characterised by oxygen minima (