Changes in Physical Characteristics of the Deep Scattering Layer in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean

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Abstract/Contents

Abstract: The Deep Scattering Layer (DSL), a community of organisms that exists in a defined layer in the mesopelagic zone of almost every area of the oceans, represents a significant portion and key player in the large-scale ecology of our world’s oceans. The organisms within the DSL – bioluminescent fishes, dark red shrimp, alien-like arthropods, delicate salps, and other bizarre creatures – comprise a significant portion of the ocean’s total biomass and serve as prey and predator in communities that range from the surface of the ocean to the bottom of the sea. We measured the depth and sampled the composition of the DSL across a roughly latitudinal transect using sound waves and tow nets in order to determine how basic properties of the DSL change across the oceanographically dynamic equatorial Pacific. We measured significant changes in the depth of the DSL and the biomass density and composition of its constituents. Most surprising was the negligible effect oxygen concentration held over the DSL despite the high variability of this parameter across our transect.

Type of resource	text
Date created	June 6, 2009

Author	Coville, Alex
Author	Wenner, Nicholas

Subject	Stanford@SEA
Subject	S-223
Subject	Hopkins Marine Station
Subject	Department of Biology
Subject	Department of Earth System Science
Subject	BIOHOPK 182H
Subject	BIOHOPK 323H
Subject	EARTHSYS 323
Subject	ESS 323
Subject	Deep Scattering Layer
Subject	DSL
Subject	mesopelagic
Subject	bioluminescence
Subject	shrimp
Subject	arthropod
Subject	salp
Subject	equatorial Pacific
Subject	biomass
Subject	oxygen concentration
Genre	Student project report

Location	https://purl.stanford.edu/cz591rp9623

Use and reproduction: User agrees that, where applicable, content will not be used to identify or to otherwise infringe the privacy or confidentiality rights of individuals. Content distributed via the Stanford Digital Repository may be subject to additional license and use restrictions applied by the depositor.
License: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license (CC BY).

Preferred Citation: Coville, Alex & Wenner, Nicholas. 2009. Changes in Physical Characteristics of the Deep Scattering Layer in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean. Unpublished Student Work, S-223, Stanford@SEA, Stanford Digital Repository. https://purl.stanford.edu/cz591rp9623.

Stanford@SEA -- Student papers

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