Atkinson A, Siegel V, Pakhomov EA, Rothery P, Loeb V, Ross RM, Quetin LB, Schmidt K, Fretwell P, Murphy EJ, Tarling GA, Fleming AH

Oceanic circumpolar habitats of Antarctic krill

Krill Euphausia superba populations, which have a large biomass and a circumpolar distribution, are a key element of the Antarctic food web. Atkinson and co-workers have compiled all available net-based data collected during the austral summer. They found that 70% of the krill stock is located in the Atlantic sector, and 87% is located over deep oceanic water, which is only moderately productive. This is in contrast to current thinking that krill depends on highly productive areas such as the continental shelf. Oceanic distribution, however, shelters krill from the most intense predation, while still allowing for adequate growth.

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