Zooplankton production - low production

Conceptual diagram of zooplankton production in a shallow area like the Cache Slough Complex (CSC) and its export to the broader estuary. Long residence time retains production within the area, and the lower nutrient supply rate (because of low exchange rate) supports low phytoplankton productivity. Grazing by clams contributes to low productivity and also to dominance by small cells that are poorly available to zooplankton, resulting in low zooplankton growth rate and poor capacity to support predators or to provide a subsidy of zooplankton to other regions of the estuary.