Effect of Global Change on the Primary Production of Antarctic coastal Ecosystems

随着气候变暖，南极沿海地区的海冰将减少。目前，大多数初级生产都发生在海冰中。我们建议，减少冰的范围将导致减少冰生产，但更大的底栖生物生产;浮游植物生产将保持相对稳定。 这些变化将显著影响浮游（即鱼类）和底栖（海星、海胆等）种群的规模，进而影响海豹和企鹅种群的规模。我们的项目将允许预测这些变化已引起的减少安全程度

As the climate warms, sea ice in Antarctic coastal areas will reduce. Most primary production currently occurs within the sea ice. We propose that a reduction in ice extent will lead to a reduction in ice production but greater benthic production; phytoplankton production will stay relatively constant. These changes will significantly effect the size of pelagic (ie fish) and benthic (starfish, sea urchins etc) stocks, which in turn will impact on the size of seal and penguin populations. Our project will allow predictions of these changes that have been induced by a reduction in sa ice extent