Impact of an eddy dipole of the Mozambique channel on mesopelagic organisms, highlighted by multifrequency backscatter classification

The impact of a cyclonic (C), an anticyclonic (AC) eddy and transition zone (TZ), which is the area between the two eddies, on acoustic groups representing various mesopelagic organisms, was investigated using a semi-supervised multifrequency classification approach (hereafter, Escore algorithm). The Escore algorithm involved selecting regions of interest (ROIs) within multifrequency (18, 38, 70, and 120 kHz) echograms and classifying into four clusters or echo-classes using Sv differences (Sv18-38, Sv70-38, and Sv120-38). Acoustic densities and diel vertical migration strength varied between the AC, C, and TZ according to the frequency. The vertical stratification of temperature, salinity and fluorescence within the oceanographic structures had varied influences on the vertical structure of each echo-class which represent zooplankton-like organisms, small and large fish with swimbladders, and small and large siphonophores with pneumatophores. The echo-classes within the C were influenced by surface fluorescence, whereas in the AC and TZ, the echo-classes were influenced by deeper fluorescence and strong EKE. Our study provides new insights into the environmental variables within mesoscale and sub-mesoscale features impacting different groups of mesopelagic communities in the Indian Ocean.

Full Text

FilePagesSizeAccess
Publisher's official version
283 Mo
S1 File. Data classification according to oceanographic structures.
-117 Ko
S2 File. Implementation of the Escore algorithm
-840 Ko
S3 File. Description of theoretical scattering models.
-77 Ko
S4 File. Acoustic modelling—GAMM.
-15 Ko
S5 File. Testing for collinearity between environmental covariates.
-6 Mo
How to cite
Annasawmy Pavanee, Roudaut Gildas, Lebourges Dhaussy Anne (2024). Impact of an eddy dipole of the Mozambique channel on mesopelagic organisms, highlighted by multifrequency backscatter classification. Plos One. 19 (9). e0309840 (28p.). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0309840, https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00907/101922/

Copy this text