Community structure in Antarctic zooplankton Bransfield Strait area of Elephant Island, austral summer 2007, ANTAR XVII.

Abstract

This report presents Antarctic zooplankton community structure from the Bransfield Strait and around Elephant Island during austral summer 2007. A total of 10 groups of zooplankton were identified. Copepoda, Euphausida and Siphonophora were the most frequent and abundant. The highest abundance was located southwest of King George Island and between it and the Gibbs Island and north of D’Urville Island. Abundance levels ranged from 612 to 21592 ind/1000 m3 for 300 μm mesh and 137 to 12988 ind/1000 m3 for 500 μm mesh. Diversity analysis showed values between 1.32 and 2.32 bits to 300 μm mesh and between 0.68 and 2.35 bits to 500 μm mesh. The highest values were found southwest Bransfield Strait near the Island Tower, and northeast of the South Shetland Islands, between King George and Gibbs islands; while less diverse stations were located in the central Bransfield Strait and northeast of the D’Urville Island.