Mesopelagic community structure on the southern Kerguelen Axis

• Main Authors: Trebilco, R, Walters, A, Melbourne-Thomas, J, Bestley, S, Cox, M, Gastauer, S, Constable, A
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: Australian Antarctic Division 2019
• Subjects: Biological Sciences; Ecology; Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl. Marine Ichthyology); Antarctic; The Antarctic; Kerguelen; Prydz Bay; Princess Elizabeth Trough; Antarc*
• Online Access: http://heardisland.antarctica.gov.au/research/kerguelen-plateau-symposium/the-kerguelen-plateau-marine-ecosystems-and-fisheries; http://ecite.utas.edu.au/128575

From January to March 2016, the Antarctic Climateand Ecosystems Corporate Research Centre (ACECRC) led an integrated ecosystem survey voyage onthe Southern Kerguelen Axis (the region spanningBANZARE Bank and the Princess Elizabeth Trough(PET), south toward the Antarctic continental shelfand Prydz Bay). The voyage track spanned 8 850 km,comprised of eight sampling transects, which weredesigned to encompass major environmental transitionsin the area (Figure 1). Overarching goals of thisvoyage were to characterise pelagic food-web structureand major energy pathways in the region, and to pilotmethodologies for future ecosystem observation andmonitoring. A key component of the study was samplingthe mesopelagic community to resolve key drivers ofthe abundance and biomass of major mesopelagic taxa(fishes, crustaceans, squids and gelatinous zooplankton),which are key prey for higher-trophic levels, and representan important alternative energy pathway to krill.