Brief description
Zooplankton samples were collected at ten stations within the Derwent River estuary, in south eastern Tasmania, between the years 1973 and 1974. Temperature and salinity data was collected at the same time.
Lineage
Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlanned
Statement: Zooplankton samples were collected by oblique tows of approximately 2 mintues duration with a standard WP-2 net (mesh size 200um, mouth opening 0.25m2), fitted with a flow metre of the type Tsurumi-Seiki-Kosakusho. The net was attached to a wire depressor. The samples were collected from the Zoology Department Research Vessel "Neotrigonia" and preserved in approximately 5% formalin immediately after each collection. Sub-sampling was carried out by the Modified Whirling Apparatus, and counting was done by using the modified counting disc and apparatus (as described in the thesis).
Two cruises were made, one on 1sr October 1973, and the other on 23rd April 1974, when 10 stations were operated for each cruise. These months were selected to cover wet (high freshwater flow) and dry (low freshwater flow) periods in the river. The extreme upstream station was just below New Norfolk jetty and the furthest downstream station was at the mouth of the river (off Pierson's Point). The length of the river covered was approximately 50 kilometres.
Temperature - A thermometer marked in 0.5oC was used to measure the temperature until Jan 1972. From February onwards, a thermometer marked 0.1oC was used. Sub-surface water temperature was measured from the water sample bought to the surface by the Nansen Reversing bottle.
Salinity - A Nansen Reversing bottle was used to collect sub-surface water samples. The wate samples were collected immediately after the plankton sampling and were stored in screw tight narrow necked unbreakable polyethylene bottles. The Inductive Salinometer was used to determine the salinity for all the samples collected during both cruises. The apparatus was calibrated before each batch of determinations using Copenhagen Standard sea water.
Notes
Purpose
The purpose of the study was to gain better knowledge of the Derwent Estuary as a whole.