'BROKE' a biological/oceanographic survey off the coast of East Antarctica (80-150°E) carried out in January-March 1996

Abstract

A large scale biological/oceanographic survey (BROKE - Baseline Research on Oceanography, Krill and the Environment) was conducted off east Antarctica in the Austral summer of 1995/96. The prime focus was on describing the distribution and abundance of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) and on determining possible sources of Antarctic bottom water in the region. A range of other studies were also carried out on BROKE including: measurements of primary production, surveys of Zooplankton and phytoplankton community structure, and sighting surveys of seabirds and cetaceans. The large dataset collected over an area of 873 000 km 2 has led to a greater understanding of the marine ecosystem off East Antarctica and the environmental features that determine productivity in this region. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd.