K-Axis voyage of the Aurora Australis, 2015-16 season - Kerguelen Axis Marine Science parent metadata record

The Kerguelen Axis voyage was planned to collect data to enhance the realism of end-to-end ecosystem models being developed in the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, to investigate the effects of climate change and ocean acidification on Southern Ocean ecosystems in the Indian Sector (particularly in relation to factors affecting the northern distribution of Antarctic krill) and to contribute to assessment of the spatial relationship of mesopelagic mid-trophic level species, in particular zooplanktivores, to foraging strategies by marine mammals and birds on the Kerguelen Plateau.

Nine projects were undertaken aboard the Aurora Australis. Each project had individual objectives and outputs, and there are metadata records for each data set collected. They were designed to be complementary in order that the whole data set and project analyses could be used to address the objectives of the Kerguelen Axis program. Observations will be contributed to the Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS) and will facilitate the design of future ecosystem observing in the region.

Identification info

Alternate title: K-Axis voyage of the Aurora Australis, 2015-16 season - Kerguelen Axis Marine Science parent metadata record

Date (Publication): 2016-08-16

Edition: 1

Originator

Constable, A. and Swadling, K.

Publisher

Australian Antarctic Data Centre

Principal investigator

CONSTABLE, ANDREW

203 Channel Highway

Australian Antarctic Division

Kingston

Tasmania

7050

Australia

+61 3 6232 3558

Principal investigator

SWADLING, KERRIE

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

and

Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems CRC

University of Tasmania

PB 129

Hobart

Tasmania

7001

Australia

(03) 6226-6903

Collaborator

CONSTABLE, ANDREW

203 Channel Highway

Australian Antarctic Division

Kingston

Tasmania

7050

Australia

+61 3 6232 3558

Name: CAASM Metadata

Website: https://data.aad.gov.au/metadata/records/AAS_4344_K-AXIS_Voyage

Purpose: Complimentary studies were designed to investigate: i) the key physical and biological drivers of Antarctic krill distribution, including factors that determine its northern limits, that can be used in ecosystem models aimed at investigating the dynamics of the krill-based food web and how this may be impacted by climate change and ocean acidification on Southern Ocean ecosystem; ii) the relative importance of different sources of iron to primary production on the Kerguelen Axis, notably the difference between supply from the shallow plateau with and without islands compared to areas of open ocean, and how this affects the composition of phytoplankton assemblages and production and the consequent effects on zooplankton. This will provide for correct representation and parameterisation in ecosystem models of many key lower trophic species in the Indian Sector; iii) change in the oceanography of the Indian Sector of the Southern Ocean based on repeat measurements of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW); iv) the relationship between myctophid fish, zooplankton and oceanographic features of the region of BANZARE Bank and the northern Kerguelen Plateau; ii) the potential for the spatial distribution of mesopelagic fish to determine the foraging hotspots of marine mammals and birds in the region; iii) implementation and evaluation of size-structured fish-based food web models for the northern Kerguelen Plateau as well as of a regional application of the mesopelagic fish model within the ecosystem model, SEAPODYM.

Status: On going

Custodian

AU/AADC > Australian Antarctic Data Centre, Australia - AADC, DATA OFFICER (DATA CENTER CONTACT)

Australian Antarctic Division

203 Channel Highway

Kingston

Tasmania

7050

Australia

+61 3 6232 3244

+61 3 6232 3351 (facsimile)

Topic category

Biota
Climatology, meteorology, atmosphere
Environment
Oceans

Extent