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

太平洋北极地区的几个区域关键海洋地点具有非常高的生物量，并且是顶级捕食者的集中觅食点，在多次国际航行中已被重新占领。记录这些生态系统“热点”重要性的数据提供了从白令海北部到楚科奇海和波弗特海边界的巴罗峡谷的不断增长的海洋时间序列。这些研究的结果显示了碳生产和向沉积物输出的空间变化，如动物群落组成和生物量所示，沉积物颗粒大小在南北纬度梯度上的变化，以及较低营养级的范围扩展和较高营养级生物（例如灰鲸）的进一步向北迁移。还有直接证据表明对海象和北极熊等依赖冰的物种产生了负面影响。为了更系统地跟踪对海冰消退和相关环境变化的广泛生物反应，一个国际科学家联盟正在开发一个协调的分布式生物观测站（DBO），其中包括多个营养级的选定生物测量。这些测量是与水文测量和卫星观测同时进行的。 DBO 目前重点关注沿纬度梯度的五个区域生物“热点”位置。 空间明确的 DBO 网络是通过太平洋北极组织 (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。该项目将是美国对太平洋部门 DBO 工作的贡献，其需要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界分析和生态系统建模工作中。 与当地社区和媒体的联系将确保立即受影响的人和更广泛的公众都了解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.