THE ZOOPLANCTON OF THE PATAGONIUM SLOPE AND ADJACENT WATERS IN THE AUTUMN

Abstract

In autumn period from March till May 1988 in Patagonium shelf and slope zones, the system of waters current modified and water temperature decreased. The biomass of seston and abundance of zooplancton decreased simultaneonsly, especially of subantarctic species Calanus simillimus. The zooplancton organisms started going down to deeper water layers. Antarctic species Rhincalanus gigas was common in upper layers in March. In May, R. gigas was rare and occured at larger depths. Subtropical zooplancton species dominated in shelf zone while subantarctic species dominated in the slope zone within the Folkiand current.
In May, the abundance of the shelf speciesin the slope zone increased because of wcakining of Falkland current and is dislocation to the east. The zooplancton biomass and abundance increased at the zone of water divergence in the cast and at the slope frontal zone in the west.