Hidden Ocean 2016: Chukchi Borderlands

Ask an Explorer

Questions answered during the expedition are below.

What is the maximum ratio of lipid mass to body mass in the copepods in the 2016 study?

One of the pictures taken of a copepod at the mooring site, which was our last stop (August 3), had an animal at 35-40 percent lipid mass already. It is still early in the season, so the percentage is not be at its maximum.

During this expedition, we saw copepods that were 40-50 oercent of their maximum lipid amount in the Chukchi Borderlands.

Question from: Jim and Kendall S.
Answer from: Russell R. Hopcroft, Professor, Institute of Marine Science, University of Alaska Fairbanks and Dr. Jennifer Questel, former student with Dr. Hopcroft