Mesopelagic fish gut content data from the Kerguelen Axis ecosystem study (AAS_4344): These data are based on samples collected as part of the Kerguelen Axis marine ecosystem study (AAS_4344), chief scientist Andrew Constable. This research was supported by the Australian government under the (i) Cooperative Research Centre Program through the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre (ACE CRC), (ii) Australian Antarctic Science Program (Projects 4343, 4344, 4347 and 4366), and (iii) Australian Research Council’s Special Research Initiative for Antarctic Gateway Partnership (Project ID SR140300001). The preferred citation is: Riaz, J., Walters, A., Trebilco, R., Bestley, S., Lea, M-A. (2019) Stomach content analysis of mesopelagic fish from the southern Kerguelen Axis. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography. Samples for gut content analysis were collected on board the R.S.V Aurora Australis during the austral summer of 2016 (22 January-17 February) during the Kerguelen Axis marine ecosystem survey (AAS_4344). Analyses focused on four of the most common and widespread Southern Ocean mesopelagic fish species: three myctophids (Electrona antarctica, Gymnoscopelus braueri, Krefftichthys anderssoni), and one bathylagid (Bathylagus antarcticus). Species were sampled across a broad range of size classes to investigate the influence of predator size on predator and prey size relationships. Fish were collected from six sampling stations along the major south-to-north transect of the Kerguelen Axis. Three sampling sites were located in subpolar waters south of the Southern Boundary (SB) of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) over the Princess Elizabeth Trough. The other three sampling sites were located north of the Southern Antarctic Circumpolar Circulation Front (SACCF) over the Banzare Bank on the southern Kerguelen Plateau.The contribution and relative importance of prey taxa to stomach contents was quantified with four traditional metrics of dietary composition (Hyslop 1980). These were calculated for each fish species separately at northern and southern sampling stations, and across species within all stations. Hyslop, E. J. (1980) Stomach contents analysis-a review of methods and their application. Journal of Fish Biology 17:411.

Mesopelagic fish bulk stable isotope data from the Kerguelen Axis ecosystem study (AAS_4344): These data are based on samples collected as part of the Kerguelen Axis marine ecosystem study (AAS_4344), chief scientist Andrew Constable. This research was supported by the Australian government under the (i) Cooperative Research Centre Program through the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre (ACE CRC), (ii) Australian Antarctic Science Program (Projects 4343, 4344, 4347 and 4366), and (iii) Australian Research Council’s Special Research Initiative for Antarctic Gateway Partnership (Project ID SR140300001). The preferred citation is: Woods, B., Walters, A., Hindell, M.A., Trebilco, R. (2019) Isotopic insights into mesopelagic niche space and energy pathways on the southern Kerguelen Plateau. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography Samples for stable isotope analysis were collected on board the R.S.V Aurora Australis during the austral summer of 2016 (22 January – 17 February) as part of the Kerguelen Axis marine ecosystem study (AAS_4344). Samples were collected from 15 sampling stations along two transects from the Antarctic continental shelf to the BANZARE Bank over the Kerguelen Plateau and in an east to west direction across the Kerguelen Plateau. Mesopelagic fish were sampled from the surface to 1000 m depth using an IYGPT (International Young Gadoid Pelagic Trawl) net equipped with a MIDOC (Mid-water Open Close) multiple cod-end device. Analyses focused on an assemblage including genera from the family Myctophidae (Electrona, Gymnoscopelus, Krefftichthys and Protomyctophum), and the genus Bathylagus from the family Bathylagidae, as these are dominant genera in the Southern Ocean (Pusch et al., 2004; Hulley and Duhamel, 2011; Collins et al., 2012). Muscle tissue from each fish was analysed for δ15N and δ13C. Collins, M. A., Stowasser, G., Fielding, S., Shreeve, R., Xavier, J. C., Venables, H. J., . . . Van de Putte, A. (2012). Latitudinal and bathymetric patterns in the distribution and abundance of mesopelagic fish in the Scotia Sea. Deep-Sea Research Part Ii-Topical Studies in Oceanography, 59, 189-198. doi:10.1016/j.dsr2.2011.07.003 Hulley, P. A., and Duhamel, G. (2011). Aspects of lanternfish distribution in the Kerguelen Plateau region. The Kerguelen Plateau: marine ecosystems and fisheies. G. Duhamel and DC Welsford, Editors, 183-195. Pusch, C., Hulley, P. A., and Kock, K. H. (2004). Community structure and feeding ecology of mesopelagic fishes in the slope waters of King George Island (South Shetland Islands, Antarctica). Deep-Sea Research Part I-Oceanographic Research Papers, 51(11), 1685-1708. doi:10.1016/j.dsr.2004.06.008

During the K-Axis marine voyage from mid Jan-late Feb 2016, a diverse range of sampling techniques were employed to collect specimens and data. Each sampling event was recorded by scientists and technical support staff in a logbook that was kept in the operations room on board the Aurora Australis. This is a PDF of the scanned original document, compiled on paper during the voyage. event_number: A unique event identifier in the log, in the order that the events were written down (usually but not always chronologically) event_type: The code defined and used by each research project to identify the types of equipment deployed or samples collected for an event. event_type_prefix: A non-mandatory prefix field used by some research projects to identify the type of an event event_type_number: A sequential number or alphanumeric-number combination defined and used by each research project to identify unique equipment deployment or sample collection events station_number: A universal (voyage-wide) station number used across all projects to identify a nominal lat/lon position defined during voyage planning leg: A nominally straight-line section of the voyage track defined during voyage planning. The voyage track was planned as a series of roughly N-S and E-W transects that intersected in some locations. Legs start at a station and continue through more stations to a vertex-station which is the start of the next leg. Legs are numbered consecutively. waypoint: A GPS waypoint used by Aurora Australis crew, AAD science technical support and researchers to identify target lat/lon positions in the voyage. Some waypoints correspond with station numbers. start_date_utc: The start date of the event in UTC start_time_utc: The start time of the event in UTC start_lat_deg: The latitude (whole degrees) of the vessel at the beginning of the event start_lat_min: The latitude (minutes) of the vessel at the beginning of the event start_lat_dec_deg: The latitude (decimal degrees) of the vessel at the beginning of the event start_lon_deg: The longitude (whole degrees) of the vessel at the beginning of the event start_lon_min: The longitude (minutes) of the vessel at the beginning of the event start_lon_dec_deg: The longitude (decimal degrees) of the vessel at the beginning of the event end_date_utc: The end date of the event in UTC end_time_utc: The end time of the event in UTC end_lat_deg: The latitude (whole degrees) of the vessel at the end of the event end_lat_min: The latitude (minutes) of the vessel at the end of the event end_lat_dec_deg: The latitude (decimal degrees) of the vessel at the end of the event end_lon_deg: The longitude (whole degrees) of the vessel at the end of the event end_lon_min: The longitude (minutes) of the vessel at the end of the event end_lon_dec_deg: The longitude (decimal degrees) of the vessel at the end of the event remarks: Comments/remarks written by researchers when completing the paper log

During the K-Axis marine voyage from mid Jan-late Feb 2016, a diverse range of sampling techniques were employed to collect specimens and data. Each sampling event was recorded by scientists and technical support staff in a logbook that was kept in the operations room on board the Aurora Australis. This is a direct digital copy/transcription of the paper logbook. event_number: A unique event identifier in the log, in the order that the events were written down (usually but not always chronologically) event_type: The code defined and used by each research project to identify the types of equipment deployed or samples collected for an event. event_type_prefix: A non-mandatory prefix field used by some research projects to identify the type of an event event_type_number: A sequential number or alphanumeric-number combination defined and used by each research project to identify unique equipment deployment or sample collection events station_number: A universal (voyage-wide) station number used across all projects to identify a nominal lat/lon position defined during voyage planning leg: A nominally straight-line section of the voyage track defined during voyage planning. The voyage track was planned as a series of roughly N-S and E-W transects that intersected in some locations. Legs start at a station and continue through more stations to a vertex-station which is the start of the next leg. Legs are numbered consecutively. waypoint: A GPS waypoint used by Aurora Australis crew, AAD science technical support and researchers to identify target lat/lon positions in the voyage. Some waypoints correspond with station numbers. start_date_utc: The start date of the event in UTC start_time_utc: The start time of the event in UTC start_lat_deg: The latitude (whole degrees) of the vessel at the beginning of the event start_lat_min: The latitude (minutes) of the vessel at the beginning of the event start_lat_dec_deg: The latitude (decimal degrees) of the vessel at the beginning of the event start_lon_deg: The longitude (whole degrees) of the vessel at the beginning of the event start_lon_min: The longitude (minutes) of the vessel at the beginning of the event start_lon_dec_deg: The longitude (decimal degrees) of the vessel at the beginning of the event end_date_utc: The end date of the event in UTC end_time_utc: The end time of the event in UTC end_lat_deg: The latitude (whole degrees) of the vessel at the end of the event end_lat_min: The latitude (minutes) of the vessel at the end of the event end_lat_dec_deg: The latitude (decimal degrees) of the vessel at the end of the event end_lon_deg: The longitude (whole degrees) of the vessel at the end of the event end_lon_min: The longitude (minutes) of the vessel at the end of the event end_lon_dec_deg: The longitude (decimal degrees) of the vessel at the end of the event remarks: Comments/remarks written by researchers when completing the paper log transcribe_comments: Comments/remarks made by the transcriber when the log was digitised

Untreated, macerated wastewater effluent has been discharged to the sea at Davis Station since 2005, when the old wastewater treatment infrastructure was removed. This environmental assessment was instigated to guide the choice of the most suitable wastewater treatment facility at Davis. The assessment will support decisions that enable Australia to meet the standards set for the discharge of wastewaters in Antarctica in national legislation (Waste Management Regulations of the Antarctic Treaty Environmental Protection Act - ATEP) and to meet international commitments (the Madrid Protocol) and to meet Australia's aspirations to be a leader in Antarctic environmental protection. The overall objective was to provide environmental information in support of an operational infrastructure project to upgrade wastewater treatment at Davis. This information is required to ensure that the upgrade satisfies national legislation (ATEP/Waste Management Regulations), international commitments (the Madrid Protocol) and maintain the AAD's status as an international leader in environmental management. The specific objectives were to: 1. Wastewater properties: Determine the properties of discharged wastewater (contaminant levels, toxicity, microbiological hazards) as the basis for recommendations on the required level of treatment and provide further consideration of what might constitute adequate dilution and dispersal for discharge to the nearshore marine environment 2. Dispersal and dilution characteristics of marine environment: Assess the dispersing characteristics of the immediate nearshore marine environment in the vicinity of Davis Station to determine whether conditions at the existing site of effluent discharge are adequate to meet the ATEP requirement of initial dilution and rapid dispersal. 3. Environmental impacts: Describe the nature and extent of impacts to the marine environment associated with present wastewater discharge practices at Davis and determine whether wastewater discharge practices have adversely affected the local environment. 4. Evaluate treatment options: Evaluate the different levels of treatment required to mitigate and/or prevent various environmental impacts and reduce environmental risks.

Project Objectives 1) To describe trophic relationships in near shore marine benthic ecosystems of East Antarctica and determine the importance of environmental forces (such as sea ice and primary production) to the structure of food webs and biological interactions in benthic assemblages. 2) To determine how marine benthic food webs in East Antarctica respond to local scale disturbances (such as sewage outfalls and abandoned waste disposal sites) and develop predictive models of the influence of local human activities on trophic relationships. 3) To develop predictive models for the potential effects of global climate change on the trophic structure and function of near shore marine benthic assemblages and determine the sensitivity of Antarctic near shore ecosystems as sentinels of climate change. 4) To measure toxicity of organic contaminants to Antarctic marine benthic invertebrates, determine concentrations in upper trophic level fauna and to model the risk of bioaccumulation of organic contaminants (from local and global sources) in near shore marine benthic food webs in East Antarctica. Collections of organisms from coastal ecosystems around Casey and Davis stations were made between 2006/07 and 2010/11. These samples have been used in a variety of ways to examine trophic interactions in Antarctic coastal ecosystems. Methods include stable isotope analysis, diet and gut contents DNA analysis, analysis of POPs (persistent organic pollutants) and the impacts of local disturbances on food webs.

Project Objectives 1) To describe trophic relationships in near shore marine benthic ecosystems of East Antarctica and determine the importance of environmental forces (such as sea ice and primary production) to the structure of food webs and biological interactions in benthic assemblages. 2) To determine how marine benthic food webs in East Antarctica respond to local scale disturbances (such as sewage outfalls and abandoned waste disposal sites) and develop predictive models of the influence of local human activities on trophic relationships. Collections of organisms from coastal ecosystems around Casey and Davis stations were made between 2006/07 and 2010/11.

During the K-Axis marine voyage from mid Jan-late Feb 2016, a diverse range of sampling techniques were employed to collect specimens and data. Each sampling event was recorded by scientists and technical support staff in a logbook that was kept in the operations room on board the Aurora Australis. This is a direct digital transcription of the paper logbook with interpolated lat/lon from underway data to supplement start times as recorded in the log. The method used to obtain the supplementary position is described in the associated eventlog_matchup.html file. event_number: A unique event identifier in the log, in the order that the events were written down (usually but not always chronologically) event_type: The code defined and used by each research project to identify the types of equipment deployed or samples collected for an event. event_type_prefix: A non-mandatory prefix field used by some research projects to identify the type of an event event_type_number: A sequential number or alphanumeric-number combination defined and used by each research project to identify unique equipment deployment or sample collection events station_number: A universal (voyage-wide) station number used across all projects to identify a nominal lat/lon position defined during voyage planning leg: A nominally straight-line section of the voyage track defined during voyage planning. The voyage track was planned as a series of roughly N-S and E-W transects that intersected in some locations. Legs start at a station and continue through more stations to a vertex-station which is the start of the next leg. Legs are numbered consecutively. waypoint: A GPS waypoint used by Aurora Australis crew, AAD science technical support and researchers to identify target lat/lon positions in the voyage. Some waypoints correspond with station numbers. start_date_utc: The start date of the event in UTC start_time_utc: The start time of the event in UTC start_lat_deg: The latitude (whole degrees) of the vessel at the beginning of the event start_lat_min: The latitude (minutes) of the vessel at the beginning of the event start_lat_dec_deg: The latitude (decimal degrees) of the vessel at the beginning of the event start_lon_deg: The longitude (whole degrees) of the vessel at the beginning of the event start_lon_min: The longitude (minutes) of the vessel at the beginning of the event start_lon_dec_deg: The longitude (decimal degrees) of the vessel at the beginning of the event end_date_utc: The end date of the event in UTC end_time_utc: The end time of the event in UTC end_lat_deg: The latitude (whole degrees) of the vessel at the end of the event end_lat_min: The latitude (minutes) of the vessel at the end of the event end_lat_dec_deg: The latitude (decimal degrees) of the vessel at the end of the event end_lon_deg: The longitude (whole degrees) of the vessel at the end of the event end_lon_min: The longitude (minutes) of the vessel at the end of the event end_lon_dec_deg: The longitude (decimal degrees) of the vessel at the end of the event remarks: Comments/remarks written by researchers when completing the paper log transcribe_comments: Comments/remarks made by the transcriber when the log was digitised utc: The start date and time of the event in UTC start_lon_dec_deg_interp: The latitude (decimal degrees) of the vessel at the beginning of the event interpolated from the vessel underway data start_lat_dec_deg_interp: The longitude (decimal degrees) of the vessel at the beginning of the event interpolated from the vessel underway data