J. Nishikawa et al., DISTRIBUTION OF SALPS NEAR THE SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS DURING AUSTRAL SUMMER, 1990-1991 WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO KRILL DISTRIBUTION, Polar biology, 15(1), 1995, pp. 31-39
Distribution and biomass of salps and Antarctic krill (Euphausia super
ba) were investigated near the South Shetland Islands during austral s
ummer 1990-1991. Salp biomass ranged between 0 and 556 mgC.m-3 and was
greatest at a station in the Bransfield Strait in late December 1990.
Scalp biomass was lower than that of E. superba. Two species of salps
; Salpa thompsoni and Ihlea racovitzai were found, and the former was
dominant numerically. Spatial distribution and generation composition
of these two species was different. Spatial distributions of salps and
E. superba did not overlap particularly so the January-February perio
d. While E. superba was found mainly in the coastal area which showed
high-chlorophyll a values, salps exhibited high biomass in the oceanic
area with low chlorophyll a concentrations. Predation by salps on sma
ll krill and the competitive removal of food by them, are discussed as
potential reasons for the relatively low abundance of E. superba at t
he stations where salps were present in great numbers.