Benthic Community Structure and Biomass in the Western Arctic: Linkage to Biological and Physical Processes

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This project will utilize existing data sets on the biomass, density, and composition of benthic organisms in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas as an indicator of the patterns of sinking organic matter that provides the energy to sustain the benthic community. In addition to the biologic data sets, physical properties of the water column, sediments, and sea ice will be used as environmental variables controlling distribution patterns. Geographic Information System (GIS) software will be used to examine and graphically display relationships between predominant physical forcing processes and ecosystem productivity. The resulting data set will allow examination of the effects of changing climate conditions on the distribution of biologic productivity patterns in the Arctic Ocean. The results of this project will provide input for planning a large Phase 2 field program of the Shelf Basin Interactions project in 2002.