Antarctic Zooplankton Survey from 1991 Aurora Australis Voyage

Survey data for krill and other zooplankton species collected in Prydz Bay, Antarctica, during January and February 1991. The dataset includes species identity, abundance, length, age, growth rate, and mortality rate information. It was collected by the Aurora Australis Voyage 6 (AAMBER2) and is a subset of the full cruise data managed by the Australian Antarctic Data Centre (AU_AADC).

Use Cases

• Analyze species_abundance and length data for Euphausia superba to model population density in Prydz Bay.
• Compare growth_rate and mortality_rate across key species like Euphausia frigidia and Thysanoessa macrura.
• Study the distribution of pteropods and cephalopods relative to the primary krill species investigated.
• Use age and species_identity data to assess life-stage composition within the sampled zooplankton community.

Strengths

• Data covers four major krill species (Euphausia superba, frigidia, crystallorophias, Thysanoessa macrura) plus other zooplankton.
• Includes multiple biological metrics: abundance, length, age, growth rate, and mortality rate.
• Temporally focused on a specific research voyage from January to February 1991.

Limitations

• Sample size and row count are unknown, limiting statistical assessment.
• Geographic coverage is restricted to Prydz Bay, Antarctica.
• Data is from 1991 and may not reflect current conditions.

Provenance

Source

Australian Antarctic Data Centre (AU_AADC) via NASA Earthdata.

Collection Method

Surveys conducted from the Aurora Australis research vessel during Voyage 6.

Time Range

January 1991 to February 1991.

Freshness

Last updated 1991-02-04; static historical dataset.

Geography

Prydz Bay, Antarctica.