A study of zooplankton from 10 stations located in nearshore waters adjacent to two catchments (one near-pristine - Princess Charlotte Bay, and the other intensely farmed - Innisfail) of the Great Barrier Reef. CTD casts were made through the water column at each station for salinity and temperature data. Water samples for chlorophyll a were made. Environmental variables include day and night, location and date (can allocate season, year).Mesozooplankton community structure and biomass were sampled by triplicate bottom to surface plankton hauls. Half of each sample was analysed for community composition (65 zooplankton taxa found) and the other for DW biomass estimates based on size (73-150µm, 150-350µm, >350µm).Juvenile growth rates of cyclopoid and calanoid copepods, mature female copepod (Paracaluanus aculaeatus, P. aculaeatus minor, P. indicus, Acrocalanus gracilis, Bestiolina similis, Parvocalanus crassirostris) egg production, and secondary production were measured.
This research was undertaken to examine zooplankton dynamics from two catchments.
A subset of the data has been provided to the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS, http://iobis.org/OBISWEB/DisplayMetaData.jsp?content=meta/1464.html).Zooplankton species: Acartia fossae, Acartia pacifica, Acrocalanus gibber, Acrocalanus gracilis, Acrocalanus monachus, Bestiolina similis, Calanopia sp., Calanopia aurivilli, Calanopia elliptica, Calanopia herdmani, Calanus minor, Calanus sp., Calocalanus plumulosus, Calocalanus spp., Candacia catula, Canthocalanus pauper, Centropages elongatus, Centropages furcatus, Centropages orsinii, Clausocalanus arcuicornis, Clausocalanus farrani, Clausocalanus furcatus, Corycaeus agilis, Corycaeus andrewsi, Corycaeus asiaticus, Corycaeus catus, Corycaeus clausi, Corycaeus crassiusculus, Corycaeus dahli, Corycaeus erythraea, Corycaeus pacificus, Corycaeus speciosus, Corycaeus spp., Corycaeus subtilis, Delius sp., Eucalanus crassus, Eucalanus pileatus, Euchaeta concinna, Euchaeta spp., Euterpina acutifrons, Farranula carinata, Farranula concinna, Farranula gibbula, Labidocera farrani, Labidocera spp., Lucicutia spp., Mecynocera clausi, Microsetella sp., Oithona attenuata, Oithona fallax, Oithona nana, Oithona plumifera, Oithona rigida, Oithona simplex, Oithona tenuis, Oncaea spp., Paracalanus aculeatus, Paracalanus aculeatus minor, Paracalanus indicus, Paracalanus sp. 1, Parvocalanus crassirostris, Temora turbinata, Unidentified harpacticoids, Undinula vulgaris.Other generic identifications: Appendicularia, Bivalves, Chaetognaths, Decapod larvae, Euphausiid larvae, Fish larvae, Gastropods, Ostracods, Phyllosoma, Polychaete, Pteropod, Salp, Shrimp, Zoea.
