Zooplankton community structure and dominant copepod population structure on the southern Kerguelen Plateau during summer 2016

• Published in: Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography
• Main Authors: Matsuno, K, Wallis, JR, Kawaguchi, S, Bestley, S, Swadling, KM
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Pergamon-Elsevier Science Ltd 2020
• Subjects: Biological Sciences; Ecology; Marine and estuarine ecology (incl. marine ichthyology); Antarctic; Fawn Trough; Kerguelen; Antarc*
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2020.104788; http://ecite.utas.edu.au/139016

The influence of environmental factors on the horizontal community structure of zooplankton over the southern Kerguelen Plateau was investigated during summer in 2016. Zooplankton abundance ranged from 1490 to 363,484 ind. 1000 m -3 , with highest numbers observed in the eastern and central areas. Based on cluster analysis the zooplankton were divided into six groups (A−F), and these were only distinguished based on water masses and frontal systems. Groups A to C had abundant zooplankton and were consistent with areas of high chlorophyll a concentration. Group D represented low abundance near the southern Antarctic Circumpolar Current front, while group E was clustered south of the Southern Boundary and group F comprised two stations to the east of the Fawn Trough. Generalised linear model (GLM) highlighted both fronts and chlorophyll a concentration as drivers of overall zooplankton distribution. However, the population structures of key species were more likely a result of species-specific life cycles rather than water masses and frontal systems.