Antarctic Fish and Zooplankton Trawl Data from BROKE Survey

Nearly 2000 individual fish and zooplankton specimens were collected from the upper 200 meters of ocean during the BROKE survey in CCAMLR Division 58.4.1. The data, gathered by the Australian Antarctic Data Centre, documents species distributions, abundances, and community structures across three biogeographic zones. This collection supports research on low Antarctic ichthyoplankton biomass and was last updated in March 1996.

Use Cases

• Identify three distinct biogeographic zones (Oceanic, Shelf Break, Shelf) based on characteristic ichthyo- and zooplankton assemblages.
• Analyze niche-partitioning of prey taxa and size classes between sympatric fish species and different ontogenetic stages using stomach content data.
• Define zooplankton communities (e.g., Main Oceanic Community, Salpa thompsoni-dominated, neritic zone) using cluster analysis and species abundance data from routine trawls.
• Compare krill (Euphausia superba) abundance and distribution patterns against previous net surveys in Prydz Bay.
• Investigate feeding ecology by correlating fish stomach contents with locally abundant zooplankton taxa from the trawl data.

Strengths

• Collection from approximately 1.5 million cubic meters of sampled ocean water.
• Identifies three distinct biogeographic zones with characteristic species assemblages.
• Includes quantitative abundance data, such as mean krill density of 1149 individuals per 1000 cubic meters for specific groups.

Limitations

• Dataset is temporally stale, with the last update recorded in March 1996.
• Sample size is limited, with nearly 2000 individual specimens collected.
• Geographic coverage is restricted to a specific Antarctic region (CCAMLR Division 58.4.1, 80-150 E).

Provenance

Source

Australian Antarctic Data Centre (AU_AADC) via NASA Earthdata.

Collection Method

Specimens collected by RMT-8 net hauls (Rectangular Midwater Trawl) from 0-200 m oblique trawls during the BROKE voyage.

Time Range

Data reflects the BROKE survey period, culminating in a last updated date of 1996-03-31.

Geography

Eastern Antarctica, specifically CCAMLR Division 58.4.1, between 80-150 degrees East longitude.