Analysis the diet of Pagothenia borchgrevinki from stomach contents and plankton sampling near Scott Base

The stomach contents of each fish were extracted, weighed and identifiable items were noted. The samples were analysed with respect to seasonal trends, effects of fish size and correlation with the macrozooplankton fauna determined by concurrent plankton sampling.

The zooplankton was sampled in a quantified fashion to enable an assessment of the variation within that community and a correlation with the plankters that contitute the diet of the sub ice fish P. borchgrevinki. Different depths of the water column were sampled with a relatively large net and a data matrix of depth versus time against species was determined. The comparison of plankton in the water column with gut contents of fish established the planktivory of this fish.