Micronekton and Macrozooplankton of The
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University of South Florida Scholar Commons Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate School January 2012 Micronekton and Macrozooplankton of the Western Antarctic Peninsula and the Eastern Ross Sea: Contrast Between Two Different Thermal Regimes Melanie Leigh Parker University of South Florida, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd Part of the American Studies Commons, and the Other Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Commons Scholar Commons Citation Parker, Melanie Leigh, "Micronekton and Macrozooplankton of the Western Antarctic Peninsula and the Eastern Ross Sea: Contrast Between Two Different Thermal Regimes" (2012). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/4196 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Micronekton and Macrozooplankton of the Western Antarctic Peninsula and the Eastern Ross Sea: Contrast Between Two Different Thermal Regimes by Melanie L. Parker A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy College of Marine Science University of South Florida Major Professor: Joseph J. Torres, Ph.D. William S. Arnold, Ph.D. Kendra L. Daly, Ph.D. Eileen Hofmann, Ph.D. David Mann, Ph.D. Date of Approval: June 20, 2012 Keywords: Krill, Fishes, Distribution, Assemblage, Continental Shelf Copyright © 2012, Melanie L. Parker ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would first like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my advisor, Dr. Joseph J. Torres, for the amazing opportunities and priceless guidance he has given me over the years. Special thanks to Joe Donnelly for the hours spent teaching me how to identify all the various taxa, Sarah Stephenson for her support and sharp editing skills, and Angela Saul for her advice and help with data proofing. Thank you to my supervisors at FWRI, Dr. William Arnold for many years and Dr. Stephen Geiger currently, and my other committee members, Dr. Kendra Daly, Dr. Eileen Hofmann, and Dr. David Mann, for their guidance, support, and patience. Thanks also to the captains and crews of the A.S.R.V. Lawrence M. Gould and the R.V.I.B. Nathaniel B. Palmer and all of the technicians from Raytheon Polar Services for their expertise and assistance with trawl operations over six cruises. Thanks to the numerous scientists and students who assisted with trawling operations on deck: Julian Ashford, Erica Bortolotto, Tom Bailey, Joel Belluci, Scott Burghart, Christine Cass, Tammy Cullins, Nicole Dunham, Jason Ferguson, Michelle Grigsby, Lara Henry, Eloy Martinez, Cristin Murphy, Erica Hudson Ombres, Ann Peterson, Ester Quintana, Gianfranco Santovito, Chris Simoniello, Tracey Sutton, and Paul Suprenand. Scientific funding for this work was provided by NSF grant OPP 9815973, OPP 9910100, OPP 0523332, and OPP 0741348, all to J.J. Torres. TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................. iv LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................... viii ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................................... xii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE SOUTHERN OCEAN AND THE STUDY SITES IN THE WESTERN ANTARCTIC PENINSULA AND THE EASTERN ROSS SEA .....................................................................................................................1 The Southern Ocean .................................................................................................1 Study Sites ...............................................................................................................4 Summary of the Dissertation ...................................................................................6 References ................................................................................................................6 CHAPTER 2: INVERTEBRATE MICRONEKTON AND MACROZOOPLANKTON IN THE MARGUERITE BAY REGION OF THE WESTERN ANTARCTIC PENINSULA ...........................................................11 Note to Reader .......................................................................................................11 Abstract ..................................................................................................................11 Introduction ............................................................................................................13 Methods..................................................................................................................16 Study Area .................................................................................................16 Specimen Collection ..................................................................................17 Data Analyses ............................................................................................18 Results ....................................................................................................................20 Taxonomic Composition ............................................................................20 Interannual Comparisons ...........................................................................22 Vertical Distributions .................................................................................24 Multispecies Assemblages .........................................................................26 Integrated Abundance and Biomass...........................................................29 i Discussion ..............................................................................................................30 Dominant Species and Interannual Differences .........................................30 Distributions and Hydrographic Influences ...............................................33 Regional Comparisons ...............................................................................38 Conclusions ............................................................................................................41 References ..............................................................................................................43 CHAPTER 3: MICRONEKTONIC FISHES AND INVERTEBRATES IN A GRADIENT OF REGIONAL WARMING: THE WESTERN ANTARCTIC PENINSULA ...............................................................................................................78 Abstract ..................................................................................................................78 Introduction ............................................................................................................80 Methods..................................................................................................................83 Study Sites and Sample Collection ............................................................83 Data Analyses ............................................................................................84 Results ....................................................................................................................86 Hydrography ..............................................................................................86 Taxonomic Composition ............................................................................87 Vertical Distributions .................................................................................89 Site Comparisons .......................................................................................90 Multispecies Assemblages .........................................................................92 Integrated Abundance and Biomass...........................................................94 Pleuragramma antarcticum Size Distributions .........................................95 Discussion ..............................................................................................................95 Faunal Composition and Hydrographic Influences ...................................95 Hydrographic Regimes and Multispecies Assemblages ............................99 Disappearance of Pleuragramma antarcticum from the WAP Shelf ......103 Conclusions ..........................................................................................................108 References ............................................................................................................109 CHAPTER 4: INVERTEBRATE MICRONEKTON AND MACROZOOPLANKTON OF THE EASTERN ROSS SEA ..................................180 Abstract ................................................................................................................180 Introduction ..........................................................................................................181 Methods................................................................................................................183 Study Area and Sample Collection ..........................................................183 Data Analyses ..........................................................................................184 Results ..................................................................................................................186 Taxonomic