Mesoscale structure of neuston assemblages across the southern Indian Ocean subtropical gyre

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorGibbons, Mark J.
dc.contributor.authorParker, Yasmeen
dc.contributor.authorCedras, Riaan B.
dc.contributor.authorThibault, Delphine
dc.date.accessioned2023-04-12T08:17:20Z
dc.date.available2023-04-12T08:17:20Z
dc.date.issued2022-12-28
dc.description.abstractDespite concern around plastic pollution in subtropical gyres, our understanding of the biological component of the neustonic layer (upper 20 cm of the ocean) in these areas is poor. Here we investigate the neuston (excluding copepods) assemblages across the Southern Indian Subtropical Gyre using triplicate samples collected by mantatrawls from 28 stations along a transect at latitude 20 S during June/July 2015. The vertical structure of the water column at each station was assessed using a CTD. With the exception of siphonophores, all non-copepod neuston were identified to morphospecies. Assemblages were dominated by ostracods, mysids, larval chaetognaths and siphonophores. The majority of collected specimens comprised facultative neuston, which were more common at night than during the day. Neuston assemblages from the east were quite distinct from the balance of samples, and their distribution reflected that of the warm, low salinity water associated with the Indonesian Throughflow. Two anticyclonic eddies had been documented at the time of the survey between 70 and 85◦ E, and this area was associated with a distinct neuston assemblage of generally low abundance. The key environmental factors that were linked to assemblage structure were associated with longitude – salinity, fluorescence and temperature at 200 m, emphasising the interaction between Indonesian Throughflow Water and the South Equatorial Current, eddy-related process and settlement of meroplankton. The study highlights the value of using morphospecies in studies of plankton assemblages.en_US
dc.identifier.citationGibbons, M. J. et al. (2023) Mesoscale structure of neuston assemblages across the southern Indian Ocean subtropical gyre. Deep-sea research. Part II, Topical studies in oceanography.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10566/8750
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherElsevieren_US
dc.subjectAir-sea interphaseen_US
dc.subjectBiogeographyen_US
dc.subjectBiological communitiesen_US
dc.subjectIndian oceanen_US
dc.subjectNeustonen_US
dc.subjectPlanktonen_US
dc.subjectSubtropical gyreen_US
dc.titleMesoscale structure of neuston assemblages across the southern Indian Ocean subtropical gyreen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Gibbons_Mesoscale structure of neuston assemblages across the southern Indian_2022.pdf
Size:
4.4 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.71 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download

Collections

Research Articles (Biodiversity and Conservation Biology)