Discrete water samples collected from the Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) rosette at specific depths, Norseman II, Northern Bering Sea to Chukchi Sea, 2020

The Pacific sector of the Arctic Ocean is experiencing major reductions in seasonal sea ice extent and increases in sea surface temperatures. One of the key uncertainties in this region is how the marine ecosystem will respond to seasonal shifts in the timing of spring sea ice retreat and/or delays in fall sea ice formation. Variations in upper ocean water hydrography, planktonic production, pelagic-benthic coupling and sediment carbon cycling are all influenced by sea ice and temperature change. To more systematically track the broad biological response to sea ice retreat and associated environmental change, an international consortium of scientists have developed a coordinated Distributed Biological Observatory (DBO) that includes selected biological measurements at multiple trophic levels, along with satellite and mooring measurements. The DBO currently focuses on five regional biological "hotspot" locations along a latitudinal gradient that allows for consistent sampling and monitoring at five biologically productive locations across a latitudinal gradient: DBO 1 (SLIP)-south of St. Lawrence Island (SLI), DBO2 (Chirikov)-north of SLI, DBO3 (southern Chukchi Sea), DBO4-NE Chukchi Sea, and DBO5-Barrow Canyon.

北冰洋太平洋扇区正经历季节性海冰范围的显著缩减与海表温度的持续攀升。该区域存在的核心不确定性之一，是海洋生态系统将如何响应春季海冰消退时间的季节性偏移，以及秋季海冰形成的延迟现象。上层海洋水文状况、浮游生物生产力、水层-底栖耦合作用以及沉积物碳循环的变化，均受海冰与温度变化的影响。为更系统地追踪生态系统对海冰消退及相关环境变化的整体生物学响应，一支国际科学家联盟已构建一套协同式分布式生物观测站（Distributed Biological Observatory, DBO），该观测站包含多营养级的选定生物学测量项目，同时配套卫星与锚系观测数据。目前，该观测站聚焦沿纬度梯度分布的5处区域生物学"热点"点位，可在横跨该纬度梯度的5个生物高生产力区域开展标准化采样与监测：DBO 1（SLIP）——圣劳伦斯岛（St. Lawrence Island, SLI）以南区域、DBO 2（Chirikov）——圣劳伦斯岛以北区域、DBO 3（楚科奇海南部区域）、DBO 4——楚科奇海东北区域，以及DBO 5——巴罗峡谷（Barrow Canyon）。