Project Title

PAL-LTER: Ecological Response to "Press Pulse" Disturbances Along a Rapidly Changing West Antarctic Peninsula

Summary

Event Number:
C-020-N/P
NSF / OPP Award 2224611

Program Director:
Dr. William Ambrose

ASC POC/Implementer:
Ryan Steiner / Jamee Johnson

Principal Investigator(s)

Dr. Deborah Steinberg
debbies@vims.edu
Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences
Department of Biological Sciences
Gloucester Point, Virginia

Location

Supporting Stations: Research Vessel, Palmer Station
Research Locations: Palmer Station

Description

Seasonal sea ice-influenced marine ecosystems at both poles are characterized by high productivity concentrated in space and time by local, regional, and remote physical forcing. These polar ecosystems are among the most rapidly changing on Earth. The Palmer Long-Term Ecological Research (PAL-LTER) seeks to build on three decades of research along the West Antarctic Peninsula to gain new mechanistic and predictive understanding of ecosystem changes in response to disturbances spanning long-term, subdecadal, and higher frequency “pulses” driven by a range of processes, including long-term climate warming, natural climate variability, and storms. These disturbances alter food web composition and ecological interactions across temporal and spatial scales that are not well understood. Researchers will contribute fundamental understanding of how population dynamics and biogeochemical processes are responding within a polar marine ecosystem undergoing profound change.

Field Season Overview

At Palmer Station, two team members will use net tows and acoustic surveys to sample the zooplankton and ichthyofaunal (i.e., larval fish) communities. Acoustic, net tow, and conductivity, temperature, depth (CTD) surveys in predator foraging areas will be coordinated among all Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) field teams.

Net tows and concurrent acoustic surveys will be carried out twice per week at LTER Station E from a rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) equipped with a research winch and hull-mounted EK80 echo sounder. At least two and up to five net tows will be conducted. Live samples will be stored and processed on the research vessel. Twice weekly trips in collaboration with other LTER groups into the Palmer Deep Canyon (Adélie penguin foraging area) and Bismarck Strait (gentoo penguin foraging) will be conducted through the field season. Participants will conduct krill heat-shock tolerance experiments.

Deploying Team Members