The Southern Ocean ecosystem is thought to be experiencing a long-term increase in Salpa thompsoni. Uncertainty surrounds the environmental drivers behind variable S. thompsoni abundances, particularly within the East Antarctic region. In this study, S. thompsoni populations were sampled in the Indian Sector of the Southern Ocean, as part of the January–February 2016 Kerguelen Axis voyage. These recent data were compared against historical density records in the broader Kerguelen Plateau region from voyages during 1985–2006. Results show that 2016 maximum S. thompsoni densities across the Kerguelen Plateau were higher, and more southerly located, than those previously sampled in the area. The highest 2016 S. thompsoni abundances exceeded 2500 individuals 1000 m^-3 and were located between the Southern Boundary of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and the Southern Antarctic Circumpolar Current Front. The life-stage composition of S. thompsoni comprised approximately 90% aggregates (blastozooids) and 10% solitaries (oozoids). Generalised Additive Models associated low chlorophyll-a concentration and low solar elevation (outside of peak daylight) with higher S. thompsoni abundances. In addition, elevated abundances occurred in locations from where the sea ice retreated at least eight weeks previously. These abundance-environment relationships are consistent with results from several previous surveys in the region and the West Antarctic. Due to the complex life cycle of S. thompsoni, and the unpredictability of their distribution patterns, multi-seasonal and multi-year surveys are needed to confirm whether the 2016 distribution patterns are indicative of a long-term increase or southerly shift in abundances. The new information from this study provides much needed baseline abundance and distribution data (which can be used to assess future change in a currently understudied oceanographic region) on a species capable of shaping the future ecosystem structure and function in the Indian Sector of the Southern Ocean.

据认为，南部海洋生态系统正在经历长白斑病菌的长期增加。不确定性围绕着多种硫链球菌丰度背后的环境驱动因素，特别是在南极东部地区。在这项研究中，作为2016年1月至2月的克格伦轴心之旅的一部分，在南大洋的印度洋部分采样了S. thompsoni种群。将这些最新数据与更广的Kerguelen高原地区从1985年至2006年的航行中的历史密度记录进行了比较。结果显示，2016年整个克格伦高原最大的沙门氏菌密度比该地区以前采样的更高，并且更位于南部。最高的2016 S. thompsoni丰度超过2500个个体1000 m ^-3，位于南极绕极洋流的南边界和南极绕极洋流前线之间。的生命阶段组合物S. thompsoni由约90％的聚集体（blastozooids）和10个％孤独者（oozoids）。通用添加模型将低叶绿素a浓度和低太阳高度（在高峰日光之外）与较高的S. thompsoni相关联丰富。另外，在至少八周前海冰消退的位置，丰度升高。这些丰度与环境的关系与该地区和南极西部先前几次调查的结果一致。由于猪链球菌的生命周期复杂，以及其分布方式的不可预测性，需要进行多个季节和多年的调查，以确认2016年的分布方式是否表明长期的增加或向南的转移。这项研究提供的新信息提供了一种能够塑造南洋印度洋地区未来生态系统结构和功能的物种急需的基线丰度和分布数据（可用于评估当前被研究的海洋学区域的未来变化） 。