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方的这些变化。调查人员对美国领土沃茨中具有重要生物意义的地点进行了采样。自2010年以来，每年对这些地点进行抽样调查。其他调查人员也对相同地点进行了采样。因此，每年对这些地点进行多次抽样。收集的数据涉及环境条件，包括作为鲸鱼、海豹和鸟类食物的水柱和海底动物。数据在国际上共享。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、私营企业和当地社区有价值，因为他们试图了解环境的变化。该项目资助四名研究生和一名博士后研究助理，观测计划包括沿位于白令海和楚科奇海北方的沿着五条样线进行一致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个地区，是因为它们是生物生产力和生物多样性高的地区。到目前为止的结果表明，太平洋海水的清新和温暖，在春季到秋季向北输送。这些变化影响了大型海洋哺乳动物和海鸟的猎物。卫星观测还用于评估海冰浓度、表层海水温度和叶绿素浓度的季节性变化。生物测量侧重于较低营养级和船上调查较高营养级生物。这项研究将增加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。收集关键的猎物-捕食者生物数据沿着物理和化学测量将允许分析和生态系统建模，这将促进对北极环境变化的更好理解。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来支持。

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 four graduate students and one postdoctoral research associate.The observational plan includes consistent 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.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.