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This dataset contains results from the Aurora Australis Voyage 7 (KROCK) 1992-93, related to mesoscale distribution of krill and zooplankton communities in Prydz Bay in relation to physical and biological oceanographic parameters. There were five objectives of this project: to define the distribution patterns and abundance of krill in the krill dominated continental shelf area of the Prydz Bay region; to define the krill population structure within this area and the distribution pattern of developmental stages, especially spawning females; to define the distribution patterns and composition of the other two principal communities, neritic and oceanic, which border the krill dominated community; to specifically determine the zooplankton composition within the main feeding area of Adelie Penguins from Bechervaise Island monitoring site, Mawson; to record and analyse various physical and biological processes, eg. salinity, temperature, ice and phytoplankton, to determine how these parameters affect the observed distribution patterns. Surveys of krill and other zooplankton were taken in Prydz Bay, Antarctica between January and February 1993. At each station, rectangular midwater trawls and CTDs/bottle casts were made. During the program, echosounders and echointegrators were operating to provide krill abundance and distribution data, in addition to that from the RMT trawls. Initial analysis has shown that Euphausia crystallorophias dominates the neritic community on the shelf, while Euphausia superba was found not to occur in high abundance in the central Prydz Bay area between 70 and 78 degrees East. This dataset is a subset of the full cruise.
This dataset contains results from the Aurora Australis Voyage 6 1990-91. Surveys of krill and other zooplankton were taken in Prydz Bay, Antarctica between January and February 1991. Species identity and abundance data, length, age, growth rate and mortality rate data were obtained. The major species investigated were Euphausia superba, Euphausia frigidia, Euphausia crystallorophias and Thysanoessa macrura. Other pteropods and cephalopods were also studied. This dataset is a subset of the full cruise.
This data were collected on the sixth Nella Dan voyage of a long term field survey project being conducted by the Australian Antarctic Division, to collect distribution, abundance and population structure data for the krill Euphausia superba in the Prydz Bay region, Antarctica. This voyage, the Australian Antarctic Marine Biological Ecosystem Research 1986/1987 (AAMBER 86/87) cruise, operated between February and April 1987. During March, a survey of the krill population and zooplankton community was conducted, to determine the late summer distribution and abundance of krill, especially the larvae. This was done as a follow up to SIBEX II in mid-summer (Janurary) 1985. The major species investigated were Euphausia superba, Euphausia frigidia, Euphausia crystallorophias and Thysanoessa marcuria. Phytoplankton pigment analysis was also conducted at each CTD station site.
Distribution and abundance of zooplankton, krill and fish were observed on the K-axis transect using deployments of RMT1+8 net. Towing speed of the RMT1+8 were approximately 2 knots. All krill, fish and squid in the catch were sorted, identified to species and counted. The density at each station were determined from the counts per calibrated flow-meter readings attached to the net. Morphometric measures were taken and, for larger taxa. List of files K-Axis Morph combined_for data centre.xlsx: Morphological data for all krill and zooplankton captured in RMT-8 net haul. RMT data entry_v1_for data centre.xlsx: Trawl data. RMT8 filtered volume_for data centre.xlsx: Filtered volume for each haul. Map_all.tif: Map showing all trawl stations. Map_RMTR.tif: Map showing only regular trawl stations. Map_RMTT.tif: Mapn showing only target trawl stations. K-Axis description This dataset includes biological data from “K-Axis voyage, 2016 and “Voyage 3, 2015”. [Data from K-Axis voyage, 2016] Distribution and abundance of zooplankton, krill and fish were observed on the K-axis transect using deployments of RMT1+8 net. Towing speed of the RMT1+8 were approximately 2 knots. All krill, fish and squid in the catch were sorted, identified to species and counted. The density at each station were determined from the counts per calibrated flow-meter readings attached to the net. Morphometric measures were taken and, for larger taxa. -List of files- K-Axis Morph combined_for data centre.xlsx: Morphological data for all krill and zooplankton captured in RMT-8 net haul. Map_all.tif Map_RMTR.tif Map_RMTT.tif RMT data entry_v1_for data centre.xlsx: Trawl data. RMT8 filtered volume_for data centre.xlsx: Filtered volume for each haul. [Data from Voyage 3, 2015] The Australian Antarctic research and resupply vessel, RV Aurora Australis, was directed to undertake an opportunistic marine science survey for 17 days during 21 February to 10 March 2015 using ship time that became available due to unexpectedly favourable ice conditions for Mawson station resupply. The purpose of this opportunistic Marine Science work was to assess: 1. The spatial variability, particularly along the shelf break, of the prey field for penguins, flying seabirds and marine mammals in East Antarctica. 2. The small scale variability of prey in key foraging locations near to land-based colonies of penguins and flying seabirds in East Antarctica. 3. Feasibility and potential of utilising annual station resupply voyages as a cost effective means to undertake monitoring and research to better understand the ecosystem in the region. The survey completed 5 acoustic box surveys including a total of 53 RMT target and routine trawls, 6 demersal trawls, 131 phytoplankton samples from underway sampling, and 214 hourly observations of predators. These activities were successfully supervised remotely. -List of files- emm-15-22.pdf: Prelminary report of the voyage to CCAMLR WG-EMM Figure_V3_all_euphausiids.pdf: Map of Euphausiid abundance distribution. Figure_V3_Clione_antarctica.pdf: Map of Clione antarctica abundance distribution. Figure_V3_crystal_krill.pdf: Map of Euphausia crystallorophias abundance distribution. Figure_V3_frigida.pdf: Map of Euphausia frigida abundance distribution. Figure_V3_larval_fish_abundances.pdf: Map of fish larvae abundance distribution. Figure_V3_superba.pdf: Map of Antarctic krill abundance distribution. Figure_V3_tmacrura.pdf: Map of Thysanoessa macrura abundance distribution. V3_final_for data centre.xlsx: Trawl station data and density data of each taxa caught. Voyage 3 Marine Science Program Final.docx: Voyage report.
This dataset contains results from the Antarctic Division BIOMASS Experiment III (ADBEX III) cruise of the Nella Dan. It is the fifth cruise in a series of six, conducting a long term field survey providing data on distribution, abundance and population structure of the krill Euphausia superba in the Prydz Bay region, Antarctica. The prime purpose of ADBEX III was to study the ecology of the Crabeater Seal, and surveys of krill and other zooplankton were taken off Antarctica in the Australian sector (east of Mawson) in the Enderby Land region between October and November 1985. Species identity and abundance data were obtained. The major species investigated were Euphausia superba, Euphausia frigidia, Euphausia crystallorophias and Thysanoessa marcuria. Other pteropods and cephalopods were also studied. A CTD cast and water collection for phytoplankton pigment, nutrients and primary production measurements were also made at each net sampling station. Summary results are listed in the documentation. The fields in this dataset are: species Station Number Haul Type RMT Biomass Weight Flowmeter Latitude Longitude Time Date Ice Sea State Density Sea Floor Dive Maturity A minor data update was made on 2022-11-03 to add scanned copies of acoustic logs from the voyage.
This dataset contains results from the Antarctic Division BIOMASS Experiment II (ADBEX II) cruise of the Nella Dan. This is the third cruise of six, and follows the ADBEX I cruise made during late 1982. ADBEX II was to have been an international experiment, Second International BIOMASS Experiment I (SIBEX I), in cooperation with Japan, South Africa and France, however due to the delay of a supply program Australia's participation was cancelled. ADBEX II is the result of a reduced sampling program carried out during the resupply of Davis and Mawson stations. Surveys of krill and other zooplankton were taken off Antarctica in the Australian sector (Mawson to Davis region) and Prydz Bay in January 1984. Species identity and abundance data were obtained. The major species investigated were Euphausia superba, Euphausia frigidia, Euphausia crystallorophias and Thysanoessa marcuria. Other pteropods and cephalopods were also studied. Results from hydroacoustic surveys of krill biomass were also obtained, as well as CTD and chlorophyll data. Summary results are listed in the documentation.
This dataset contains results from the Antarctic Division Biomass Experiment (ADBEX I) cruise of the Nella Dan. This cruise is the second in a series of six cruises, and follows the First International BIOMASS Experiment (FIBEX) in early 1981, documentation of which can be found in ANARE Research Notes 7, or by searching the metadata records for FIBEX. ADBEX I operated between November and December 1982, and studied the distribution and abundance of krill (Euphausia superba). Surveys of krill and other zooplankton were taken off Antarctica in the Australian sector (Mawson to Davis region) and Prydz Bay. The major species investigated were Euphausia superba, Euphausia frigidia, Euphausia crystallorophias and Thysanoessa marcuria. Other pteropods and cephalopods were also studied. Physical and chemical oceanography data were also obtained at some stations, as well as phytoplankton samples. Summary results are listed in the documentation.
Metadata record for data from ASAC Project 106 See the link below for public details on this project. From the abstracts of some of the referenced papers: This paper reports the results of the first aerial photographic survey of Adelie penguin colonies in the Prydz Bay region. The area surveyed extended from the northern Vestfold Hills to the Publications Ice Shelf. More than 325,000 pairs of Adelie penguins were estimated to be breeding in this region in 1981/82. The great majority of breeding Adelie penguins occurred in the northern half of the region surveyed, in the Vestfold hills and Rauer Islands, where most colonies were located. This is probably due to the typical pattern of summer sea-ice dispersal, which usually results in sea-ice leaving the northern areas of the coast first. Prydz Bay supports nine seabird species that breed on the Princess Elizabeth Land coast: two penguins, six Procellariiformes and one skua. Information on their diet is reviewed. Apart from the scavenging South Polar Skua Catharacta maccormicki and Southern Giant Petrel Macronectes giganteus, three diet types were distinguished. First, the Emperor Penguin Aptenodytes forsteri ate almost exclusively fish; secondly the Adelie Penguin Pygoscelis adeliae, Cape Petrel Daption capense, and Wilson's Storm Petrel Oceanites oceanicus consumed at least 60% euphausiid, the remainder largely fish; and thirdly, a diet of greater than 60% fish, the rest euphausiids, was taken by the Southern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialoides, Antarctic Petrel Thalassoica antarctica and Snow Petrel Pagodroma nivea. Seasonal fluctuation in composition of Adelie Penguin, Cape Petrel and Southern Fulmar diet suggested either fluctuating foraging ranges or movement of Euphausia superba inshore during summer months. Annual fluctuation in diet composition was correlated with seabird reproductive success. When E. crystallorophias dominated the euphausiid component of Adelie Penguin diet, reproductive success was high; when E. superba was scarce in Prydz Bay, Antarctic Petrel and Southern Fulmar productivity was low. Breeding phenology, success and nest attendance of Antarctic Petrels Thalassoica antarctica and Southern Fulmars Fulmarus glacialoides at the Rauer Group, East Antarctica, are discussed. Most data were collected on Hop Island in January and February 1988, and from December 1988 to March 1989. Observations extended from the late stages of incubation to post-guard or fledging periods. Some annual breeding indices collected from 1983 onwards at census sites are compared with meteorological data and the extent of fast ice for the nearby Davis Station. Both species had a restricted hatching period, reflecting a brief and synchronised egg-laying period, reflecting a brief and synchronised egg-laying period, typical of other southern fulmarine petrels. Antarctic Petrel chicks hatched from 4 January (1989) and c. 90% appeared by 16 January (both years). Southern Fulmar hatching began on 21 January (1988) and almost all chicks appeared by 6 February (both years). Adult attendance at nests declined with increasing chick age. For Antarctic Petrels, this was most marked at about 11 days; no chicks had continuously attendant adults after 24 days, although adults returned to feed them. Incubation shifts following hatching and the post-guard period started, on average, 13 days after hatching. Egg and chick losses varied between years and sites. The South Polar Skua Catharacta maccormicki was apparently involved in the majority of losses. Nest sites of both species resemble those elsewhere: Southern Fulmars may require steeper sites, allowing a fall away from colonies. Antarctic Petrels are less affected by accumulation of snow or ice and shelter from katabatic winds may be important. Although weather may modify breeding success locally, annual success must depend on the ability of parents to produce eggs and feed chicks: this may be moderated by the extent and persistence of pack ice. Annual chick productivity and breeding success, recorded at four Adelie penguin, Pygoscelis adeliae, colonies at Magnetic Island in eastern Prydz Bay, are presented for the seven breeding seasons 1981/82 to 1987/88. The adult breeding population remained relatively stable during the first 4 years of the study, and increased in hte last 2 years. Substantial annual variation in breeding success occurred over the study period, ranging between an estimated 0.69 and 1.33 chicks surviving until late creche stage per nest for seasons 1985/86 and 1982/83 respectively. Annual patterns of chick productivity in southern fulmar, Fulmarus glacialoides, and Antarctic petrel, Thalassoica antarctica, populations within Prydz Bay were synchronous with those of Adelie penguins. In the years of highest and lowest reproductive performance, prey abundance within the likely foraging areas was correspondingly high and low. Reproductive performance was greatest in years when fast-ice breakout occurred before the end of December (1981/82, 1982/83. 1986/87 and 1987/88) and lowest when the breakout was after (1983/84, 1984/85 and 1985/86) and pack-ice cover persisted within the foraging range of the birds during the chick-rearing period.
Metadata record for data from ASAC Project 229 See the link below for public details on this project. From the abstracts of some of the referenced papers: In January 1985 a net sampling survey was carried out on the distribution and abundance of euphausiid larvae in the Prydz Bay region. Euphausia superba occurred in low abundance, probably due to sampling preceding the main spawning period. Thysanoessa macrura occurred throughout the study area in consistently high abundance. Euphausia crystallorophias as marginally more abundant within its restricted range. Distinct north-south variations in larval age and development stages of T. macrura were observed indicating regional differences in spawning. Euphausia frigida was mainly confined to the upper 200 m of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. Larvae originating on the shelf moved rapidly west in the East Wind drift. E. crystallorophias had the same westward dispersion, but some larvae appeared to return eastward via the Prydz Bay Gyre and remain in the region. The data indicate that most E. superba larvae, providing they survive injurious cold temperature and food deprivation, will leave the area, suggests that Prydz Bay krill may not be a self sustaining stock. ##### This paper presents results of net sampling carried out in four marine science cruises between 1981 and 1985, in the Prydz Bay region of Antarctica by the Australian Antarctic Division. Krill exhibited a patchy distribution and overall low abundance. The majority of sampling sites in January 1985 returned no post-larval krill or densities of less than 1 individual per 1000 cubic metres. The estimated mean abundance of E. superba in January 1985 was 6 indivduals or 2 g (wet wt.) per 1000 cubic metres integrated for the upper 200m of the water column which represented 3.4% of the total zooplankton biomass. No more than five years-groups, including the larvae, were observed in Prydz Bay, with mean lengths of groups 1+, 2+, 3+ and 4+ being 24, 38, 46 and 53 mm (standard 1), respectively in the middle of January. A high proportion of naupliar stages observed in January 1985 indicated that spawning in Prydz Bay begins in January and examination of adult maturation showed that the spawning continues at least to March. ##### Sixty female Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba Dana) spawned in shipboard experiments and the interval between egg-laying and ecdysis was noted. The number of eggs laid per female ranged from 263-3662, most females produced only one batch of eggs before moulting, and the post spawn ovaries of all females contained few, if any, mature oocytes. As reported in other studies, the total number of eggs produced per female was not well correlated with body size. Females appeared to spawn at all times during the moulting cycle and although no diurnal rhythm in spawning was observed, moulting occurred mainly at night-time despite the animals being kept in near-constant darkness. No evidence of synchronous moulting was detected. ##### Data from this project were collected on five Antarctic voyages: HIMS - Heard Island Marine Science - 1990-05-04 - 1990-07-01 AAMBER II - Australian Antarctic Marine Biological Ecosystem Research II - 1991-01-3 - 1991-03-19 FISHOG - Fish and Oceanography - 1992-01-09 - 1992-03-27 KROCK - Krill and Rocks - 1993-01-05 - 1993-03-09 BROKE - Baseline Research on Oceanography, Krill and the Environment - 1996-01-02 - 1996-03-31 All data are available in the download file.
From the abstract of one of the papers: Three new zooplankton nets have been designed to enable improved collection of zooplankters from ice-covered waters. These nets also enable quantitative sampling of species not adequately sampled by other methods. The first net is a vertical tow net which can be folded like an umbrella to pass through a small ice hole (10 cm). This 'Umbrella Net' takes an integrated sample of zooplankton from all sample depths. The second net is a collapsible free-fall net designed to collect mobile zooplankters capable of avoiding towed nets. This was the only net used which was capable of collecting all furcilia stages of Euphausia crystallorophias from Ellis Fjord, Vestfold Hills, Antarctica. The third net is a diver-operated push net designed to collect zooplankters in the top 15 cm of the under-ice column. Because of the high standing crop of pytoplankton at and near the under-ice surface at particular times of the year, some species of zooplankton tend to congregate there. These species, particularly Paralabidocera antarctica, were collected in great abundance using the push net, but were rare in samples collected by other methods. The fields in this dataset are: species species density site sample