Prosome, urosome, and total length measurements were taken for key zooplankton species during two Antarctic research voyages. Data originates from samples collected in the Indian Sector of the Southern Ocean during the SIPEX (2007) and SIPEX II (2012) expeditions. The Australian Antarctic Data Centre (AU_AADC) curated this dataset from specimens gathered using umbrella nets, RMT1 nets, and sea ice cores.
Use Cases
- Model biomass estimates for key species using prosome, urosome, and total length measurements.
- Analyze size distribution changes in zooplankton communities between the 2007 and 2012 winter-spring transitions.
- Compare morphological measurements (e.g., prosome length) across species collected from different gear types like umbrella nets and sea ice cores.
- Investigate spatial or temporal patterns in zooplankton size structure within the Indian Sector of the Southern Ocean.
Strengths
- Measurements include prosome, urosome, and total length for multiple key species.
- Data spans two distinct research cruises separated by 5 years (2007 and 2012).
- Specimens were measured using a calibrated microscope with a precision of +/- 0.01 um.
Limitations
- Sample size and number of rows are unknown, potentially limiting statistical power.
- Geographic coverage is limited to the specific cruise tracks in the Indian Sector of the Southern Ocean.
- Data is temporally stale, with the last update from the final cruise in 2012.
Provenance
- Source
- Australian Antarctic Data Centre (AU_AADC) via NASA Earthdata.
- Collection Method
- Zooplankton collected via umbrella nets, RMT1 net, and sea ice cores; measured under a Leica M165C stereomicroscope with a calibrated ocular micrometer.
- Time Range
- 2007, 2012
- Freshness
- 2012-11-03
- Geography
- Indian Sector of the Southern Ocean