Zooplankton distributions relative to a shallow hydrothermal plume

Abstract

This study used acoustic backscattering to locate zooplankton within the water column above and near the shallow seamount, Rumble III. Cofirmed was the earlier finding that zooplankton gather above the plume, but not in the plume. Additionally, sound scattering layers (SSLs) were located at surface waters above the plume, and at deep waters below the plume. Further research will help determine whether the availability of food and/or physcial processes of the plume account for the greater congregations of zooplankton.