Time and depth comparisons of sub-ice zooplankton in McMurdo Sound,Antarctica

Summary Zooplankton was sampled through a hole in the sea ice off Scott Base from 28 October to 17 November 1987. Vertical hauls through 100 m and 300 m were taken to compare with data from the same place two years earlier. Wide variations of abundance occurred for each taxon identified over each occasion, but there is general consistency between abundance and dominance for each species between years. For Clione limacina antarctica 1987 was demonstrably a poorer year, but better for Limacina helicina and Conchoecia belgicae. Samples taken by nets set to stream with water currents below the ice, showed increasing density of most species (and total zooplankton) with depth, with only Clione antarctica and pilidium larvae more abundant near the surface. Numbers were very low in the top 40 m. Rarer macrozooplankton were caught by using larger nets for longer times at 50 m and deeper.