Research on Antarctic Coastal Ecosystem Rates (RACER): an interdisciplinary field experiment

Huntley, Mark E.; Karl, David M.; Niller, Pearn P.; Holm‐Hansen, Osmund

doi:10.1016/0198-0149(91)90090-3

Cited by 101 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…That krill are able to migrate such large distances implies that a gradient exists which they can follow. This gradient may be regular and continuous, or patchy and discrete; whichever, it must lead the mature krill to the deeper waters of the Drake Passage away from the richer feeding grounds of the Bransfied Strait (Huntley et al 1991). Water depth is one gradient that krill could follow and the observation that mature krill have been found over the deep central basin of the Bransfield Strait (Siegel 1988) lends some support to this.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Spatial variability of Antarctic krill in relation to mesoscale hydrography

Trathan¹,

Priddle²,

Watkins³

et al. 1993

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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To examine the mesoscale distribution of Antarctic krill Euphausia superba Dana, length frequency and maturity stage data were subjected to multivariate analysis. The results showed that the population was heterogeneous with respect to size and maturity, with small immature krill found primarily inside the Bransfield Strait and large mature krill mainly north of the South Shetland Islands. Multivariate analysis of hydrographic data collected at the same stations revealed that the oceanography corresponded to previous classifications of the area, with Weddell Sea water in the southeast and east and South East Pacific water in the northwest. Further multivanate analysis using both krill variabhty and hydrographic data showed that a strong correlation existed between the krill distribution and the oceanography. Several hypotheses to explain the observed distribution of krill are dscussed. It is judged that neither simple processes, such as growth during the sampling period, nor processes whereby knll are advected passively through the area by water movement, can completely explain the observed distribution. Instead, it IS concluded that the observed gradient of krill size and matunty probably arises, at least in part, from an active ontogenetic migration.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Spatial variability of Antarctic krill in relation to mesoscale hydrography

Trathan¹,

Priddle²,

Watkins³

et al. 1993

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…3) were in the lower range of the values reported for prokaryotic assemblages in the photic zone (Cole et al 1988). These observations seem to indicate that the microbial loop was relatively inactive at the beginning of the algal spring bloom (Karl et al 1991;Karl 1993). Ribosomal RNA hybridization experiments with the whole water revealed similar amounts of eucaryal and bacterial rRNA at 5 and 75 m and a predominance of bacterial rRNA at 250 m (Table 2).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…This region has been studied in several RACER field campaigns during different seasons (Huntley et al 1990(Huntley et al , 1991. Calculated geostrophic flows Niiler et al 1991) and Lagrangian drifter observations (Niiler et al 1990) have demonstrated a consistent flow of surface waters from the southwest to the northeast along the main axis of the Gerlache Strait, with currents of lo-18 cm s ~I in the middle of the strait and residence times of a few weeks.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vertical distribution and temporal variation of marine planktonic archaea in the Gerlache Strait, Antarctica, during early spring

Massana

Taylor

Murray

et al. 1998

Limnology & Oceanography

113

107

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A station located in the Gerlache Strait (Antarctic Peninsula) was sampled during early spring to determine the vertical distribution of marine planktonic archaea and to further describe the dynamic environment where they live. Chlorophyll concentration indicated that sampling occurred during the early stages of austral spring algal development. As expected, prokaryote abundance was higher at surface than at depth, and prokaryotic activity estimated by leucine incorporation was low at the surface and extremely low at 500 m. The relative abundance of planktonic archaeal, eucaryal, and bacterial ribosomal RNA was determined by quantitative rRNA hybridization, and the performance of two different universal probes used to normalize group-specific probe hybridization response was compared. Archaeal rRNA was detected in all samples analyzed, and was more abundant at depth (up to 25% of total rRNA) than at the surface. In both years, the archaeal signal decreased during the sampling period, particularly at surface. Most of the archaeal signal was attributable to group I archaea, affiliated with the kingdom Crenarchaeota. Planktonic euryarchaeotes (group II archaea) showed a larger contribution to the archaeal assemblage in surface waters than at depth. In total, our results verify that planktonic archaea are dynamic and abundant components in marine picoplankton assemblages of the Antarctic Peninsula.

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“…Given the maximal flush-ing measured on JD 357, the integrated biomass at Stn E in the most productive upper 20 m would range from 33.1 to 165.7 mg chl a m over the course of the day, showing characteristics of both the ~n s h o r e bloom waters and the less productive Bismark Strait waters, at least 3 km on either side of the station. This 5-fold variation in the daily signal also has implications for spatial sampling, whlch in the Southern Ocean is often on scales larger than the lateral watermass movement due to tidal forcing (Smith & Nelson 1985, Huntley et al 1991 Consistent annual pattern in the development of cryptophyte-dominated phytoplankton is determined by the timing of the glacial meltwater runoff…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term monitoring and analyses of physical factors regulating variability in coastal Antarctic phytoplankton biomass, in situ productivity and taxonomic composition over subseasonal, seasonal and interannual time scales

Moline¹,

Prézelin²

1996

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

130

106

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A 3 yr high-resolution temporal data base related to phytoplankton dynamics was collected during the austral spring/sumrner periods of 1991 to 1994 in shelf waters adjacent to Palmer Statlon, Antarctica. Here, the data base is used [ l ) to quantlfy the vanabillty in phytoplankton biomass, In sjtu productivity and taxonomic composition over subseasonal, seasonal and interannual time scales; (2) to elucidate environmental mechanisms controlling these temporal patterns; and (3) to ascertain which phytoplankton markers are most suitable-for detecting longer-term (i.e. decadal) trends in phytoplankton dynamlcs in coastal waters of the Southel-n Ocean. The Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) coastal study sites showed hlgh interannual var~abillty In peak phytoplankton blomass (75 to 494 mg chl a m-') and integrated pnmary productlon 11.08 to 6.58 g C m -' d ' ) . Seasonal and annual patterns in biomass and productivity were shown to be driven by shorter-t~me-scale phys~cal forcing by local wind stress. Low daily wind speeds (c10 m S") were associated with water-column stabilization. However, extended periods ( > l wk) of low wind stress were required for increased phytoplankton growth and biomass accumulation. Temperature data supports the view that water masses can be replaced on time scales of a less than a day to a few days In these coastal waters. Such disruptions are associated with abrupt changes in local pnmary productlon and may lead to sudden shifts In local phytoplankton community structure. Desp~te the high seasonal and interannual variability in b~o m a s s and associated In situ productivity in this coastal environment, the replacement sequence of one dominant phytoplankton group by another was very similar on subseasonal time scales for all 3 years. LVe suggest that changes i n phytoplankton successional patterns may be a more sensitive marker for detecting long-term trends in Southern Ocean ecosystems than either biomass or productivity indices, where short-term variability of the latter IS as great or greater than interannual variations documented to date

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Research on Antarctic Coastal Ecosystem Rates (RACER): an interdisciplinary field experiment

Cited by 101 publications

References 55 publications

Spatial variability of Antarctic krill in relation to mesoscale hydrography

Spatial variability of Antarctic krill in relation to mesoscale hydrography

Vertical distribution and temporal variation of marine planktonic archaea in the Gerlache Strait, Antarctica, during early spring

Long-term monitoring and analyses of physical factors regulating variability in coastal Antarctic phytoplankton biomass, in situ productivity and taxonomic composition over subseasonal, seasonal and interannual time scales

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