Collaborative Research: The Distributed Biological Observatory (DBO)-A Change Detection Array in the Pacific Arctic Region

太平洋北极部分的几个区域关键海洋地点拥有非常高的生物量，是顶级掠食者的集中觅食点，在多次国际巡航中被重新占领。记录这些生态系统“热点”重要性的数据提供了一个不断增长的海洋时间序列，从白令海北部到楚科奇海和波弗特海边界的巴罗峡谷。这些研究结果表明，碳生产和向沉积物输出的空间变化表现为动物群落组成和生物量，沉积物粒度在s - n纬向梯度上的变化，以及低营养水平的范围扩展和高营养生物（如灰鲸）进一步向北迁移。也有直接证据表明对依赖冰的物种，如海象和北极熊产生了负面影响。为了更系统地跟踪对海冰退缩和相关环境变化的广泛生物反应，一个由科学家组成的国际联盟正在开发一个协调的分布式生物观测站（DBO），其中包括在多个营养水平上选择的生物测量。这些测量正在与水文测量和卫星观测同时进行。DBO目前专注于沿纬度梯度的五个区域生物“热点”地点。空间明确的DBO网络是通过太平洋北极集团（PAG）组织的，这是一个由国际北极科学委员会批准的共识驱动的国际合作组织。该项目将是美国对DBO太平洋部门工作的一项贡献，所满足的科学需求与美国国家海洋政策规划工作和NOAA战略计划中确定的研究需求一致。实施的项目将为美国领导的北极观测网络做出贡献，并将改善评估高纬度气候变化对生态系统影响的国际合作努力。在高度优先的物理和化学测量的背景下识别和收集关键的猎物-捕食者生物数据将允许将这些数据整合到科学社区分析和生态系统建模工作中。与当地社区和媒体的接触将确保那些直接受到影响的人和更广泛的公众都能意识到北极这一敏感地区正在发生的变化。

Several regionally critical marine sites in the Pacific Arctic sector that have very high biomass and are focused foraging points for apex predators, have been reoccupied during multiple international cruises. The data documenting the importance of these ecosystem "hotspots" provide a growing marine time-series from the northern Bering Sea to Barrow Canyon at the boundary of the Chukchi and Beaufort seas. Results from these studies show spatial changes in carbon production and export to the sediments as indicated by infaunal community composition and biomass, shifts in sediment grain size on a S-to-N latitudinal gradient, and range extensions for lower trophic levels and further northward migration of higher trophic organisms, such as gray whales. There is also direct evidence of negative impacts on ice dependent species, such as walruses and polar bears. To more systematically track the broad biological response to sea ice retreat and associated environmental change, an international consortium of scientists are developing a coordinated Distributed Biological Observatory (DBO) that includes selected biological measurements at multiple trophic levels. These measurements are being made simulataneously with hydrographic surveys and satellite observations. The DBO currently focuses on five regional biological "hotspot" locations along a latitudinal gradient. The spatially explicit DBO network is being organized through the Pacific Arctic Group (PAG), a consensus-driven, international collaboration sanctioned by the International Arctic Science Committee. This project will be a U.S. contribution to the DBO effort in the Pacific Sector, and the scientific needs to be met are consistent with research needs identified in the US National Ocean Policy planning effort, and the NOAA strategic plan. The implemented project will serve as a contribution to the US-led Arctic Observing Network and will improve international cooperative efforts for evaluating ecosystem impacts from high latitude climate change. Identifying and collecting key prey-predator biological data in the context of high priority physical and chemical measurements will allow for integration of these data into scientific community analyses and ecosystem modeling efforts. Outreach to local communities and media will ensure that both those immediately impacted and the broader public will be made aware of changes going on in this sensitive area of the Arctic.