IMOS BA SOOP - Bio Acoustic Data from Sealord F.V. Janas in the Tasman Sea from the 19th of April 2012 to the 25th of April 2012.

This Bio Acoustic data was collected in April 2012 under the IMOS Ship of Opportunity (SOOP) Bio Acoustic (BA) program on Sealord F.V. Janas (IMOS platform code: ZMTW).

Departed: New Zealand, Australia, April 19, 2011
Arrived: Australia, April 25, 2011

Bio acoustic signals allow understanding how mid-water prey species (known collectively as micronekton) such as small fish, squid, krill and jellyfish are distributed.

Mid-water prey form the core of the ocean food web, transferring energy from primary producers at the ocean surface to top predators such as tunas, billfish, sharks, seals and seabirds.The mass and distribution of micronekton reflects broad-scale patterns in the structure and function of the ocean, as well as the dynamics of marine ecosystems.

Acoustic mapping is done from fishing and scientific vessels that are equipped with scientifically-calibrated 38 kHz digital echo-sounders that record a slice of acoustic backscatter to a depth of 1500 meters.

本生物声学数据采集于2012年4月，依托整合海洋观测系统（Integrated Marine Observing System, IMOS）的机会船计划（Ship of Opportunity, SOOP）生物声学（Bio Acoustic, BA）项目，搭载平台为西洛德F.V.亚纳斯号捕捞渔船（IMOS平台代码：ZMTW）。

起航：2011年4月19日，新西兰、澳大利亚
抵达：2011年4月25日，澳大利亚

生物声学信号可用于解析中层水域猎物类群（统称为中层游泳生物（micronekton））的分布特征，该类群涵盖小型鱼类、头足类、磷虾与水母等。

中层游泳生物是海洋食物网的核心组成部分，可将能量从海洋表层的初级生产者传递至金枪鱼、旗鱼、鲨鱼、海豹与海鸟等顶级捕食者。该类群的生物量与分布格局，能够反映海洋生态系统结构与功能的宏观模式，以及海洋生态系统的动态变化过程。

本次声学测绘作业依托捕捞渔船与科考船开展，此类船舶搭载经过科学校准的38 kHz数字回声测深仪，可记录深度达1500米的声学反向散射信号切片。