Research on Ocean-Atmosphere Variability and Ecosystem Response in the Ross Sea (ROAVERRS)

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9421496 Arrigo Research on Ocean-Atmosphere Variability and Ecosystem Response in the Ross Sea (ROAVERRS) This project describes an interdisciplinary study of meteorologic forcing phenomena, sea ice dynamics, ocean hydrography, primary productivity, and benthic-pelagic coupling in the southwestern Ross Sea, Antarctica. The primary goal is to examine how changes in aspects of the polar climate system, in this case wind and temperature, influence marine productivity on a large Antarctic continental shelf. In the Ross Sea, winds off the continent and mesocyclones influence the spatial and temporal distribution of ice cover as well as upper ocean mixed-layer depth and thus control primary production in sea ice and open water systems. The structure, standing stock and productivity of bottom-dwelling biological communities are also linked to meteorologic processes through interseasonal and interannual variation in horizontal and vertical fluxes of organic carbon produced in the upper ocean. Linkages between atmospheric, oceanographic, and biological systems will be investigate during a two and half year field study of the southwestern Ross Sea ecosystem. Direct measurements include: (1) regional wind and air temperature, (2) ice cover, ice movement, and sea surface temperature, (3) hydrographic characteristics of the upper ocean and primary productivity in sea ice and upper water column, (4) vertical flux of organic materials and ocean circulation, and (5) abundance, distribution, and respiration rates of biological communities on the sea floor. Based on archived meteorologic data, these scientists expect that atmospheric variability during the study period will allow them to monitor changes in airflow patterns in the southwestern Ross Sea and to determine their influence on oceanographic and biological patterns. This study will contribute to our knowledge of atmospheric and oceanographic forcing of polar marine ecosystems, and hence lead to a better underst anding of the polar marine ecosystem response to climate variability.