zooplankton
Zooplankton are the animal component of the planktonic community ("zoo" comes from the Greek word for ''animal''). Plankton are aquatic organisms that are unable to swim effectively against currents, and consequently drift or are carried along by ...
and then to use the sensitivity of
plankton
Plankton are the diverse collection of organisms found in water (or air) that are unable to propel themselves against a current (or wind). The individual organisms constituting plankton are called plankters. In the ocean, they provide a crucia ...
to environmental change as early warning indicators of the health of the
Southern Ocean
The Southern Ocean, also known as the Antarctic Ocean, comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60° S latitude and encircling Antarctica. With a size of , it is regarded as the second-small ...
. It also serves as reference for other Southern Ocean and Antarctic monitoring programs.
Several countries collaborate in the survey providing vessels to tow Continuous Plankton Recorders (CPRs) in a near circum- Antarctic survey. Tows conducted between Hobart and the French Antarctic station Dumont d’Urville are also conducted in collaboration with th IMOS ustralian Continuous Plankton Recorder Survey. The SO-CPR Survey is supported by th Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research and its Expert Group on Continuous Plankton Research, which helps promote and develop the survey.
The CPRs are towed from research and supply vessels. The CPR is towed at about 10 metres below the surface and for about 450 nautical miles (830 km) per tow. The plankton enters a small opening in the device and is trapped and preserved between two layers of silk mesh. These vessels also collect at the same time underway data such as
sea surface temperature
Sea surface temperature (SST), or ocean surface temperature, is the ocean temperature close to the surface. The exact meaning of ''surface'' varies according to the measurement method used, but it is between and below the sea surface. Air mas ...
fluorometry
Fluorescence spectroscopy (also known as fluorimetry or spectrofluorometry) is a type of electromagnetic spectroscopy that analyzes fluorescence from a sample. It involves using a beam of light, usually ultraviolet light, that excites the elect ...
, light and other oceanographic-meteorological parameters. All plankton in five nautical mile (9 km) equivalent sections are identified to the lowest possible taxa, usually species and counted. Antarctic krill and other
euphausiids
Krill are small crustaceans of the order Euphausiacea, and are found in all the world's oceans. The name "krill" comes from the Norwegian word ', meaning "small fry of fish", which is also often attributed to species of fish.
Krill are consid ...
are identified to developmental stage. Plankton counts are combined with averaged environmental data for each .
Approximately 40-50 tows are made each year. More than 80 tows were completed in 2007-0 International Polar Year in support of th Census of Antarctic Marine Life {{convert, 135000, nmi, km of data have been collected since 1991, producing more than 27,000 samples for 200+ taxa coupled with environmental data. Most data comes from the October to April period. Few ships operate in the region during winter but some winter tows south of Australia have been made.
Use of the SO-CPR data for research purposes is encouraged. Data are made available soon after the CPR samples are processed. Data are held at th Australian Antarctic Data Centre and at th SCAR Marine Biodiversity Information Network
References
* Hosie, G.W., Fukuchi, M. and Kawaguchi, S. (2003) Development of the Southern Ocean Continuous Plankton Recorder Survey. Progress in Oceanography 58 (2-4), 263-283.
* Hosie, G.W. (2004) Plankton survey uses old technology to monitor the future. Australian Antarctic Magazine Issue 6, 15-17 click here to download a pdf of this paper