The variability of zooplankton community structure in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23310013
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Environmental dynamic analysis
• Research Institution: National Institute of Polar Research
• Principal Investigator: Fukuchi Mitsuo 国立極地研究所, 名誉教授 (80099936)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TANIMURA Atsushi 国立極地研究所, 研究教育系, 教授 (10125213) ; TAKAHASHI Kunio 国立極地研究所, 研究教育系, 助教 (50413919)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): ISHIMARU Takashi 東京海洋大学, 海洋科学部, 教授 (90114371) ; NISHIDA Shuhei 東京大学, 大気海洋研究所, 教授 (70134658)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 南極海 / 動物プランクトン / カイアシ類 / 変動解析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We focused on the composition, abundance, and distribution patterns of small-sized zooplankton communities in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean. Because these small zooplankton is difficult to evaluate its abundance precisely. The distribution patterns of small-sized zooplankton communities showed no clear relationship with the frontal structure and/or sea-ice condition. These results suggest that they have a greater tolerance to change in the physical environment. The major contributors to the total zooplankton abundance were small copepods of the genera Oithona, Oncaea, Ctenocalanus, and Microcalanus, and they tended to be ubiquitously distributed. In particular, Oithona similis and Ctenocalanus citer were important contributors to the community structure. They are considered to be key species of the change of planktonic food web of the Southern Ocean. Intensive discussion and collaboration with the Australian scientists have developed over the present study.

Free Research Field

極域生物海洋学