IMIS

Cluster analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling revealed three distinct mesozooplankton assemblages. A neritic assemblage occurred on the Mackenzie Shelf and in Franklin Bay, while distinct off-shelf assemblages prevailed in the Cape Bathurst Polynya and on the Beaufort Slope respectively. Over 95% of the mesozooplankton was comprised of eight copepod taxa. Pseudocalanus spp. contributed predominantly to the discrimination of the three assemblages and was the only significant indicator of the Shelf assemblage. Oithona similis, Oncaea borealis, Metridia longa and Calanus hyperboreus were indicators of the Polynya assemblage. Cyclopina sp. And Microcalanus pygmaeus were indicative of the overall off-shelf community (Polynya and Slope assemblages). The importance of omnivores and carnivores increased from the shelf to the polynya and the slope.

This dataset was presented in a publication by Darnis et al (2008) and exists in an Excel format. This resource contains the species distribution and abundance information associated with this dataset. This resource contains abundance (#/m3) information from this dataset.