Distribution of Water Column Zooplankton on the Continental Shelf near

Marguerite Bay, Antarctic Peninsula during Austral Fall and Winter 2001

Carin Ashjian, Gaelin Rosenwaks, Nancy Copley, Peter Wiebe, Cabell Davis, Scott Gallager, Philip Alatalo

Abundance and biomass of zooplankton taxa have been estimated from 12 MOCNESS tows conducted during both the fall and winter cruises at locations on the shelf, in Marguerite Bay, and off the shelf. Eleven tows (6 from fall 2001 and 5 from winter 2001) have been analyzed to date from locations that provide both along- and cross-shelf information. After measuring the displacement volume of a sample, a silhouette image of an aliquot was made. The individuals present on the image in each taxonomic group were counted and their length measured. Both regional and temporal differences in biomass and abundance were observed. Taxonomic composition varied also between locations and seasons.