The distribution of Mysidacea in the open ocean and near-bottom over slope regions in the northern North-east Atlantic Ocean during 1979

Abstract

The vertical distribution of Mysidacea at one deep-water station in the Rockall Trough and at one deep-water station in the Porcupine Seabight is discussed together with near-bottom distributions of Mysidacea at two slope sites in the Seabight. Comparisons are made to investigate the effect of the shallowing of the sea-floor on mesopelagic and upper bathypelagic species. Of the 14 species in the survey area only six were relatively abundant. In one slope area which was intensively sampled the numerical abundance of some species tended to increase erratically with increased proximity to the bottom but other species seemed to be unaffected. It is thought that increased food availability near the bottom may be an important factor in causing increased abundance.