| Summary: | Progress Code: completed Statement: No known problems are associated with this dataset. Purpose The purpose of this dataset was to examine the abundance and distribution of krill and salps across the sampling regions, and to analyse key environmental drivers that could account for the distributions observed. Further, we used the data to feed into broader analyses of the food web/s of the region; in particular highlighting the krill trophic pathway and the copepod-fish trophic pathway. Zooplankton were collected with a Rectangular Midwater Trawl (RMT 8+1 net) from 37 sampling sites on and near the Southern Kerguelen Plateau. The contents of each net were preserved in 5% buffered formaldehyde. This dataset covers the counts of the contents of the RMT8 net and includes the abundances for the euphausiid Thysanoessa macrura and the salp Salpa thompsoni. The contents were identified and counted under a Leica M165C stereo-microscope. A flow meter attached to the mouth of the RMT 8 was used to record the volume of seawater passing through the net. The count for Thysanoessa macrura includes the total of all developmental stages. For the salps abundances are shown for the 2 developmental phases - solitary individuals and aggregates.
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