Project Title

Palmer, Antarctica Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER): Land-shelf-ocean connectivity, ecosystem resilience and transformation in a sea-ice influenced pelagic ecosystem

Summary

Event Number:
C-013-L/P
NSF/OPP Award 1440435

Program Manager:
Dr. Karla Heidelberg

ASC POC/Implementer:
Samina Ouda/Jamee Johnson/Bruce Felix

Principal Investigator(s)

Dr. Oscar Schofield
oscar@marine.rutgers.edu
Rutgers University
Institute for Marine & Coastal Sciences
New Brunswick, New Jersey

Location

Supporting Stations: ARSV Laurence M. Gould, Palmer Station
Research Locations: Palmer Station, ARSV Laurence M Gould

Description

Palmer Long-Term Ecological Research (PAL-LTER) started in 1990 to address the hypothesis that the annual sea ice cycle may be the major determinant of spatial/temporal changes in the structure and function of Antarctic marine communities. Research now includes bacteria, viruses, phytoplankton, krill, macrozooplankton, penguins, seabirds, and marine mammals. The PAL-LTER model traces the effects of changing climate and the extent, duration, and seasonality of sea ice on ecosystem composition and dynamics in the Western Antarctic Peninsula, where satellite observations over the past 35 years indicate the average duration of sea ice cover is now about 90 days shorter. Six collaborative projects on the ARSV Laurence M. Gould cruise and at Palmer Station will use moorings, numerical modeling, oceanographic cruises, and environmental sampling to address core hypotheses.

Field Season Overview

Due to COVID restrictions, a participant of the C-013 project will embark on the ARSV Laurence M. Gould cruise, boarding the ship in Punta Arenas in late December. The reduced personnel due to the COVID outbreak will likely result in another LTER team member aiding in C-013 research. The vessel will drop two researchers at Avian Island where they will establish a field camp and conduct research for five days. When onboard and underway, the participant records observations from the bridge. Researchers will be dropped off at the Dion Islands to deploy remote cameras to record the potential breeding behavior of emperor penguins and researches will conduct population censuses at other accessible islands of interest along the WAP as possible.

The Palmer Station component of the project will deploy from roughly mid October until mid April. Due to the COVID outbreak, only two team members will live at Palmer Station while conducting their research (colony surveys and tag deployment/recovery), with a total of four LTER members that will also contribute to field work when possible. While sampling will be much reduced this year, the team will use small boats to access local islands in the Palmer vicinity and will make frequent day trips to seabird colonies in the extended boating area including Dream Island, Biscoe Point, the Joubin Islands, the Wauwermans Islands, and the Rosenthal Islands.

Deploying Team Members