Palmer Station Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) R/V Polar Duke Annual Cruise Data, January 1993

There were two, inshore and offshore, stations for physiology with diel productivity observations and targeted tows for krill for spawning frequency experiments. The Palmer finescale grid (stations B-J) were sampled on Jan 7 and Jan 17. Phase II (18 Jan to 25 Jan - 8 days) for intensive samplinig of the Palmer Basin and nearshore marine environments.

This area is hypothesized to be the foraging area important the ecology of South Polar Skuas and Adelie Penguins breeding in the vicinity of Palmer Station and our sampling strategy was designed to investigate the abundance and distribution of birds (and associated biological & nutrient distributions and physical hydrography) within this foraginig area. Sampling included a "fast track" with a 10km spacing and a "slow track" with a 20km spacing within a 50km by 50km grid west south west of palmer station.

Surveys inicluded simultaneous observations of: seabird census, acoustics (krill), surface chlorophyll, temperature and salinity. Station observations included: BOPS (20km grid) or XBT (10km grid) and net tows. Phase III (25 Jan to 8 Feb - 14 days) surveyed the Adelaide (400), Watkins (300) Island and Rothera (200) transect lines as for Phase I. The back side of Biscoe Islands were then surveyed for larval fish (1m net) hypothesized to be important for the Skuas.

Palmer finescale grid (B-J) were sampled on 26 Jan and 8 Feb so as to maintain continunity of the Palmer nearshore sampling program.