Tropical Zooplankton Enzyme (AARS and ETS) Activities From Kimberley Region and Great Barrier Reef

The activity of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (AARS), an index of growth rate, and of the electron transport system (ETS), an index of respiration, was measured in three size fractions (73-150 µm, >150 µm and >350 µm) of zooplankton during five cruises to tropical coastal waters of the Kimberley coast (North West Australia) and four cruises to waters of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR, North East Australia). Temperature, salinity and chlorophyll a data was also recorded. Data enables comparison of growth and secondary production of tropical zooplankton from waters of NW and NE Australia based on both AARS and ETS measurements, and also facilitates comparison of zooplankton respiration derived from ETS measurements. These estimates of growth and respiration enable calculation of grazing rates to better understand the fate of primary production in Australian tropical waters and the nature of pelagic food chains in these regions.