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

北极正在发生变化。分布式生物观测站研究白令海和楚科奇海北部的这些变化。调查人员对美国领海内具有重要生物意义的地点进行了抽样。自2010年以来，每年都对这些地点进行抽样。其他调查人员也对相同的地点进行了抽样。因此，每年都要对这些地点进行多次抽样。收集有关环境条件的数据，包括作为鲸鱼、海豹和鸟类食物的水柱和海底动物。数据在全球范围内共享。该项目为美国国家海洋政策和机构间北极研究政策委员会的五年计划做出了贡献。这些数据将对美国和国际科学和管理机构、私营行业和当地社区有价值，因为他们试图了解环境的变化。该项目支持三名研究生。观测计划包括位于白令海和楚科奇海北部的五条横断线上的标准水文和生物测量。这些采样点从南到北排列，反映了季节性海冰变化和海水变暖的梯度。研究人员之所以选择这5个区域，是因为它们是高生物生产力和生物多样性的区域。到目前为止的结果表明，在春季到秋季期间，太平洋海水向北传输的淡水和变暖。这些变化影响了大型海洋哺乳动物和海鸟的猎物。卫星观测也被用来评估海冰浓度、表层海水温度和叶绿素浓度的季节变化。生物测量的重点是低营养级和高营养级生物的船上调查。这项研究将加深我们对关键环境强迫参数对系统中生物变化的影响的理解。收集关键的捕食者-捕食者生物数据以及物理和化学测量将使分析和生态系统建模成为可能，这将促进对北极环境变化的更好了解。

The Arctic is changing. The Distributed Biological Observatory studies these changes in the northern Bering and Chukchi seas. Investigators sample locations that are biologically important in U.S. territorial waters. These locations have been sampled annually since 2010. Other investigators also sample the same locations. As a result, the locations are sampled multiple times a year. Data are collected on environmental conditions including water column and sea floor animals that are food for whales, seals, and birds. Data are shared internationally. The project contributes to the U.S. National Ocean Policy and Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee 5-year plan. The data will be of value to U.S. and international science and management agencies, private industry, and local communities as they try to understand changes to the environment. The project supports three graduate students.The observational plan includes standard hydrographic and biological measurements along five transect lines located in the northern Bering and Chukchi Seas. These sampling locations are arrayed south-to-north and reflect a gradient of seasonal sea ice change and seawater warming. The investigators chose these 5 regions because they are zones of high biological productivity and biodiversity. Results so far indicate a freshening and warming of Pacific seawater which transits northward over the spring to fall season. These changes have impacted prey for larger marine mammals and seabirds. Satellite observations are also used to evaluate seasonal changes in sea ice concentration, surface seawater temperature, and chlorophyll concentration. The biological measurements focus on lower trophic levels and shipboard surveys of upper trophic level organisms. This research will increase our understanding of the impact of key environmental forcing parameters on biological change in the system. The collection of key prey-predator biological data along with physical and chemical measurements will allow for analyses and ecosystem modeling which will promote better understanding of Arctic environmental changes.