Size and stage composition of age class 0 Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) in the ice–water interface layer during winter/early spring

• Published in: Polar Biology
• Main Authors: Schaafsma, F.L., David, C., Pakhomov, E.A., Hunt, B.P.V., Lange, B.A., Flores, H., van Franeker, J.A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: Antarctic krill; Furcilia; Juveniles; Size distribution; Under-ice habitat; Vertical distribution; Antarc*; Antarctic; Antarctic Krill; Euphausia superba; Polar Biology; Sea ice; Weddell Sea
• Online Access: https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/size-and-stage-composition-of-age-class-0-antarctic-krill-euphaus; https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-015-1877-7

The condition and survival of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) strongly depends on sea ice conditions during winter. How krill utilize sea ice depends on several factors such as region and developmental stage. A comprehensive understanding of sea ice habitat use by krill, however, remains largely unknown. The aim of this study was to improve the understanding of the krill’s interaction with the sea ice habitat during winter/early spring by conducting large-scale sampling of the ice–water interface (0–2 m) and comparing the size and developmental stage composition of krill with the pelagic population (0–500 m). Results show that the population in the northern Weddell Sea consisted mainly of krill that were