K-Axis voyage of the Aurora Australis, 2015-16 season - Kerguelen Axis Marine Science parent metadata record

The Kerguelen Axis voyage was planned to collect data to enhance the realism of end-to-end ecosystem models being developed in the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, to investigate the effects of climate change and ocean acidification on Southern Ocean ecosystems in the Indian Sector (particularly in relation to factors affecting the northern distribution of Antarctic krill) and to contribute to assessment of the spatial relationship of mesopelagic mid-trophic level species, in particular zooplanktivores, to foraging strategies by marine mammals and birds on the Kerguelen Plateau.Nine projects were undertaken aboard the Aurora Australis. Each project had individual objectives and outputs, and there are metadata records for each data set collected. They were designed to be complementary in order that the whole data set and project analyses could be used to address the objectives of the Kerguelen Axis program. Observations will be contributed to the Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS) and will facilitate the design of future ecosystem observing in the region.

凯尔盖朗轴科考航次的规划目标为采集数据，以提升南极气候与生态系统合作研究中心正在研发的端到端生态系统模型的逼真度；同时开展三项核心研究：一是探究气候变化与海洋酸化对印度洋扇区南大洋生态系统的影响，尤其聚焦影响南极磷虾北部分布的相关因素；二是助力评估中层带中营养级物种（尤其是浮游动物食性类群）与凯尔盖朗海台上海洋哺乳动物、海鸟觅食策略之间的空间关联。本次科考依托“南极光号”（Aurora Australis）科考船实施，共开展9项独立研究项目。每项研究均设有专属的目标与产出成果，且针对所采集的每一份数据集均留存了完整的元数据记录。各项目的设计遵循互补协同原则，可通过整合全部数据集与项目分析结果，共同支撑凯尔盖朗轴科考航次整体目标的达成。本次科考获取的观测数据将提交至南大洋观测系统（SOOS），并可为该区域未来生态系统观测方案的设计提供科学支撑。