Zooplankton Aggregations in the Great South Channel and their Interactions with Right Whales

大南海峡地区蕴藏着异常丰富的 三种濒临灭绝的鲸鱼种群：露脊鲸、座头鲸和 长须鲸和它们的主要捕食对象是浮游动物 桡足类 南海峡海洋生产力试验 （SCOPEX）将研究物理海洋学， 生物/生态机制负责这些聚集。 使用航空和船基调查（视觉、声学、拖曳）， 露脊鲸和浮游动物的分布和数量 区域将被确定。 详细的分布和 这些动物的行为观察，包括数据， 密集的声纳和无线电标记研究，初级生产 评估和水文特征描述将测试 关于聚集体如何形成和维持的假设。 这 该部分将侧重于浮游植物和浮游动物 调查事务所

The Great South Channel region contains unusually abundant populations of three endangered whale species: right, humpback and fin whales, and their principle prey items in the zooplankton, copepods. The South Channel Ocean Productivity Experiment (SCOPEX) will look at the physical oceanographic and biological/ecological mechanisms responsible for these aggregations. Using both aerial and ship-based surveys (visual, acoustics, tows), the distribution and abundance of right whales and zooplankton in the region will be determined. Detailed distributional and behavioral observations of these animals, including data from intensive sonar and radio-tagging studies, primary production assessments and hydrographic characterization will provide tests of hypotheses on how the aggregations form and are maintained. This component will focus on the phytoplankton and zooplankton investigations.