Comparison of mesh size effects on mesozooplankton collection efficiency in the Southern Ocean

Abstract

Mesozooplankton abundance and species composition in the upper 200 m at seven sites in Lutzow-Holm Bay, Antarctica, were compared using plankton nets with 60, 100 or 330 mm mesh during the austral summer of 2007-2008. While the collection efficiency of the 330 mm mesh was low, ranging from 2.0 to 5.6%, owing to the significant underestimation of small copepod species, no significant underestimation of abundance was found using the 100 mm mesh, except for copepod nauplii.