Variability in Transport and Recruitment of Antarctic Krill Across the Scotia Sea

南极半岛地区的南极磷虾种群与南格鲁吉亚地区的南极磷虾种群之间的联系取决于：1）在南极半岛成功地招募了幼虾和幼虾年龄组，2）将南极半岛磷虾夹带到与南极绕极流南部的锋面相关的洋流中，3）磷虾在穿越斯科舍海的运输期间的存活，以及4）在一系列空间和时间尺度上成功地招募到当地磷虾种群。 这项研究的总体目标是研究与这些组成部分中的每一个相关的环境和生物变异性，以确定对南极磷虾生存和招募的相对影响。 第一个研究问题考虑控制/影响大尺度环流特征位置变化的因素，如南极绕极流锋和边界。 这个问题的基本原理是，这些环流特征的位置影响磷虾夹带，体积的上绕极深水，是磷虾在南格鲁吉亚的上涌到达时间，并可能从威德尔海的极地斜坡电流流出的程度。 第二个研究问题考虑的环境和生物因素，使南极磷虾之间的南极半岛和南格鲁吉亚的成功运输。 第三个研究问题考虑了导致南极磷虾成功补充到南格鲁吉亚种群的物理和生物因素。 第四个研究问题的重点是整个南极半岛-斯科舍海系统，旨在确定导致南极磷虾招募成功或失败的位置和/或条件。 这个问题将考虑是否有其他地点的磷虾生产和招聘是可能的被动平流，食物供应和招聘的限制。 本研究是E.霍夫曼和J.克林克在旧自治领大学和尤金墨菲博士在英国南极考察（BAS）在剑桥，英格兰。 这项研究将与正在调查南格鲁吉亚生态系统可变性的BAS海洋生态系统动力学方案密切联系。 该研究将包括分析，综合和整合BAS在南格鲁吉亚周围收集的大型环境和磷虾数据集，以及来自南极半岛地区的历史来源，如BIOMASS和帕尔默长期生态研究（LTER）计划，以及来自南设得兰群岛和象岛地区的数据，这些数据是通过生物和环流模型获得的各种数据集的一部分这是解决研究问题的关键，将导致对南极海洋生态系统的更好的理解。

Connection between Antarctic krill populations from the Antarctic Peninsula region with those at South Georgia is dependant upon: 1) successful recruitment of larval and juvenile age groups at the Antarctic Peninsula, 2) entrainment of Antarctic Peninsula krill into the currents associated with fronts in the southern portion of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, 3) survival of the krill during transport across the Scotia Sea, and 4) successful recruitment to the local krill population at a range of space and time scales. The overall goal of this research is to examine environmental and biological variability associated with each of these components to determine the relative effect on Antarctic krill survival and recruitment. The first research question considers the factors that control/influence variability in location of the large-scale circulation features, such as the southern Antarctic Circumpolar Current front and boundary. The rationale underlying this question is that the location of these circulation features affects krill entrainment, the volume of Upper Circumpolar Deep water that is upwelled arrival time of krill at South Georgia, and potentially the extent of the Polar Slope Current outflow from the Weddell Sea. The second research question considers the environmental and biological factors that allow successful transport of Antarctic krill between the Antarctic Peninsula and South Georgia. The third research question considers the physical and biological factors that result in successful recruitment of Antarctic krill to South Georgia populations. The fourth research question is focused on the entire Antarctic Peninsula-Scotia Sea system and is directed at determining the locations and/or conditions that result in success or failure in recruitment of Antarctic krill. This question will consider if other locations for krill production and recruitment are possible given the constraints of passive advection, food availability, and recruitment. This study is a joint effort between E. Hofmann and J. Klinck at Old Dominion University and Dr. Eugene Murphy at the British Antarctic Surve (BAS) in Cambridge, England. The study will closely link to the BAS Ocean Ecosystem Dynamics Programme, which is investigating the variability of the South Georgia ecosystem. The research will include analyzing, synthesizing, and integrating the large environmental and krill data sets collected by BAS around South Georgia with those from the Antarctic Peninsula region that are from historical sources, such as BIOMASS and the Palmer Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) Program, and those from the South Shetland Islands and Elephant Island region obtained as part of the various data sets with biological and circulation models are essential for addressing the research questions and will lead to a greater understanding of the Antarctic Marine Ecosystem.