Macrozooplankton Metadata

Study Extent

The study occurred in two western Spitsbergen fjords (Isfjorden and Kongsfjorden), a seep site west of Magdalenefjorden, and a site in the marginal ice zone northwest of Spitsbergen.

Sampling

The macrozooplankton was collected using a macrozooplankton net with a mesh size of 1.55mm. The net was trawled through the water at a speed around 1,5 knots for up to 35 minutes at a depth of 10-64m above the bottom. All individuals were counted and identified in the Isfjorden (IsK) sample and the seep site sample. Due to the large number of individuals in the Kongsfjorden (KB3) sample 1/2 of the total sample was analyzed and 1/8 of the total krill was counted and identified. In the marginal ice zone (MIZ) sample 1/2 of the krill was counted and identified and 1/8 of the Eukrohnia hamata was counted and identified. These numbers were then multiplied to estimate the total number of these species within the samples.

Method steps

1. A macrozooplankton net with a mesh size of 1.55mm was placed into the water with a depth sensor. The net was dropped until it reached 10-64m above the bottom to ensure the net did not contact the seafloor. The net was trawled from 11-35 minutes depending on the location. The liter volume entering the net was calculated for each of the four locations to determine the total flow into the net. The water was filtered out of the sample and the individuals were identified and counted. The length of krill and arrowworms was measured.

1. Chaetognatha
   rank: phylum
2. Arthropoda
   rank: phylum
3. Others
   rank: phylum
4. chaetognatha
   rank: phylum
5. Cnidaria
   rank: phylum
6. cnidaria
   rank: phylum

The sampling occurred in two fjords on the west coast of Spitsbergen (Isfjorden and Kongsfjorden), a seep site west of Magdalenefjorden, and the marginal ice zone northwest of Spitsbergen.