Spatial heterogeneity as a multiscale characteristic of zooplankton community

Zooplankton spatial heterogeneity has profound effects on understanding and modelling of zooplankton population dynamics and interactions with other planktonic compartments, and consequently, on the structure and function of planktonic ecosystems. On the one hand, zooplankton heterogeneity at spatial and temporal scales of ecological interest is an important focus of aquatic ecology research because of its implications in models of productivity, herbivory, nutrient cycling and trophic interactions in planktonic ecosystems. On the other hand, estimating zooplankton spatial variation at the scale of an ecosystem, is a powerful tool to achieve accurate sampling design. This review concentrates on the spatial heterogeneity of marine and freshwater zooplankton with respect to scale. First to be examined are the concept of spatial heterogeneity, the sampling and statistical methods used to estimate zooplankton heterogeneity, and the scales at which marine and freshwater zooplankton heterogeneity occurs. Then, the most important abiotic and biotic processes driving zooplankton heterogeneity over a range of spatial scales are presented and illustrated by studies conducted over large and fine scales in both oceans and lakes. Coupling between abiotic and biotic processes is finally discussed in the context of the "multiple driving forces hypothesis".