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Variability of Euphausia superba populations near Elephant Island and the South Shetlands: 1981 vs. 1984

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Summary

March 1981 and 1984 Euphausia superba populations were compared using acoustics and net catches near Elephant Island, the South Shetlands, and in the Bransfield Strait. In 1981, krill tended to form large, thick swarms and in 1984, smaller, more dispersed, shallower patches. March body lengths of juvenile-adult krill were 22–59 mm in 1981 and 13–59 mm in 1984. Near Elephant I. in 1981, krill >45 mm were most numerous; in 1984 sizes <45 mm were dominant. In March 1984, the larger (>45 mm) body-size group was prereproductive and occurred from just west of Elephant I. westward into waters north of the South Shetlands; in 1981 the larger krill were postreproductive and more widely distributed in the Elephant I. area. Overall, netted postlarval krill, 1981 vs. 1984, averaged 73 vs. 48 individuals/m2, or 54 vs. 16 g/m2; acoustic biomass estimates were 229 vs. 134–201 g/m2. Larvae near Elephant I. averaged >2000/m2 in 1981 vs. <1/m2 in 1984—compatible with respective March reproductive states. Net-type comparisons revealed short-term (15 min to 6h) variability of a similar scale in both MOCNESS and bongo net catches, but bongo abundances averaged greater. Variation in maturity composition across 1981 swarms, patches, and random transects was like variation among the random 1984 tows; spatial distributions were more heterogeneous in 1984. The March 1984 krill of 20–44 mm (Year-2, mode 34 mm) relate to November 1983 krill of 9–30 mm (mode 21 mm), indicating growth averaging 12 mm during the season. Body-lengths and size-frequency modes of Year-2 and combined Years-3,3+ krill from comparable Feb-Mar data collected since 1968 suggest trends between times when (1) Year-2 krill average small and peak reproduction seems to be late in the season and/or weak (1979, 1982–1984), and (2) Year-2 krill are larger, and reproduction is possibly earlier and more successful (1976, 1980, 1981).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Scripps Institution of Oceanography, A-001, 92093, La Jolla, CA, USA

    Edward Brinton

  2. Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, P.O. Box 450, 95039, Moss Landing, CA, USA

    Valerie J. Loeb

  3. Northwest Alaska Fisheries Center, 98115, Seattle, WA, USA

    Michael C. Macaulay

  4. Natural History Museum, P.O. Box 1390, 92112, San Diego, CA, USA

    Eric Shulenberger

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  1. Edward Brinton
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  2. Valerie J. Loeb
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  3. Michael C. Macaulay
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  4. Eric Shulenberger
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Brinton, E., Loeb, V.J., Macaulay, M.C. et al. Variability of Euphausia superba populations near Elephant Island and the South Shetlands: 1981 vs. 1984. Polar Biol 7, 345–362 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00293225

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