Habitat modelling of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Electrona antarctica</Emphasis> (Myctophidae,Pisces) in Kerguelen by generalized additive models and geographic information systems

Electrona antarctica is one of the most abundant mesopelagic fishes in the oceanic zone surrounding the Kerguelen Archipelago in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean. Generalized additive models (GAM) combined with geographical information systems (GIS) were used to predict and map the abundance of this species according to three environmental variables: sea surface temperature, bathymetry and surface chlorophyll a. The model was applied on the Antarctic Polar Front in the eastern part of Kerguelen Archipelago. E. antarctica seems to be linked to areas presenting low chlorophyll a concentrations, depths greater than 500 m and temperatures lower than 5°C. The model was then applied to the Kerguelen’s plateau for three different years: 1998, 1999 and 2000. The position of Antarctic Polar Front and the intensity of an upwelling play an important role in the abundance variability of E. antarctica. Furthermore, the model allows the understanding of the habitat of E. antarctica and its trophic place in the pelagic ecosystem.