Explaining process, pattern and dynamics of marine predator hotspots in the Southern Ocean

尽管南大洋是现存最大的海洋荒野之一，但它仍然受到气候变化和人类活动的影响。南大洋生态系统的养护和管理有赖于对导致海洋生物分布的模式和过程的了解，但这在后勤上是困难的。最近，南极跟踪数据回顾分析(RAATD)[1]汇编了17种海鸟和海洋哺乳动物的动物跟踪数据，以建立具有生态意义的区域(AES)的模型，理由是这些区域代表着高猎物丰度、多样性和可访问性的地方[1]。然而，这些海洋环境的机制和动力学只得到了表面上的关注--是什么原因使这些区域成为海鸟和海洋哺乳动物的重要区域？因此，该PHD项目将利用RAATD数据集[2]，并结合各种物理和生物海洋学数据集，来调查：1)南大洋存在和持续存在和持续存在AES的海洋学过程和模式；2)年内和年际环境和行为变化对南大洋AES的存在和持久性的影响程度。结果将用于评估动态和/或基于过程的保护和管理方法的可能性，以及在多大程度上可以预测AES。

Despite being among the largest remaining 'marine wildernesses', the Southern Ocean is impacted by climate change and human activities. Conservation and management of Southern Ocean ecosystems relies on understanding patterns of and processes causing the distribution of marine life, but this is logistically difficult. Recently, the Retrospective Analysis of Antarctic Tracking Data (RAATD) [1] compiled animal tracking data for 17 seabird and marine mammal species to model Areas of Ecological Significance (AES) with the rationale that these areas represent places of high prey abundance, diversity and accessibility [1]. However, the mechanisms and dynamics of these AES have only received superficial attention - what causes these to be important areas for seabirds and marine mammals? This PhD project will thus use the RAATD dataset [2], augmented with additional tracking data, in conjunction with various physical and biological oceanographic datasets to investigate: 1) what oceanographic processes and patterns underly AES in the Southern Ocean; and 2) the extent to which intra- and inter-annual environmental and behavioural variation affects the presence and persistence of AES in the Southern Ocean. The results will be used to assess the possibility of dynamic and/or process-based conservation and management approaches, and to what extent AES can be forecast.