IPY-193-CLICOPEN-IMPACT OF CLIMATE INDUCED GLACIAL MELTING ON MARINE COASTAL COMMUNITIES OFF THE WESTERN ANTARCTIC PENINSULA

Germany IPY Project 193

Cooperation currently involves Argentina, Brasil, Canada,Germany, Korea,
Sweden, USA. All of these countries have bases or participate in bases along
the WAP. Only a joint international effort allows the approach to investigate
coastal community change along a latitudinal gradient

On the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) a recent rapid regional warming with a
temperature increase of more than 2.5 degrees K has been observed over the last
50 years. The glacial systems on the WAP show direct responses to the climatic
changes recorded over the last decades, including retreat of ice fronts and
increased melt water production. Locally increased fresh water and particle
transport are the anticipated primary effects of glacial melting on coastal
marine ecosystems. This will entail changes of water column stratification,
particulate matter composition and changes in concentrations of nutrients and
trace elements (like heavy metals, especially iron). Taken together, these
changes will impact primary production of micro- and macroalgae because of
reduced light penetration due to high concentrations of suspended particles.
Reduced primary production will also affect the quality and quantity of food
supply to the benthos. Among the introduced metals, iron is a necessary
micronutrient, but can also be hazardous for marine animals at higher
concentrations. Combined, this is expected to have a major impact on macro- and
meiobenthic community structure, biodiversity and on fitness, reproductive
success and generally life history of benthic species.

CLICOPEN proposes to monitor glacial retreat at the Antarctic Peninsula and
adjacent islands and the effects on coastal systems along a latitudinal
gradient on the Antarctic Peninsula. The WAP is an area of special research
interest, not only because of the vast glaciological retreat observed here, but
also because of the high density of scientific activity on the peninsula and
the adjacent islands. We propose a an interdisciplinary program of land based
research, currently involving Argentina, Brasil, Canada, Germany, Korea, Sweden
and the U.S., to which other countries are invited to contribute within the
framework of the IPY.

This integrated program involves: a) Satellite image based in situ observations
of glacial retreat; b) Field studies involving in situ measurements of
physical, sedimentological and biological parameters and experimental research
in 2007/08 and c) Assembly of data into the integrated geographic database
KGIS, hosted at IPG University of Freiburg, Germany, and into a more extended
spatially enabled database covering the entire WAP region, which will be
implemented based on SCAR’s Antarctic Spatial Data Infrastructure. This will
allow to relate physical and biological changes in the coastal systems to
glacial melting and describe the dynamics and spatial patterns of ongoing
changes. This will enable to link local effects of current climate warming at
the WAP to regional changes of carbon flux and zooplankton communities,
observed in the Southern Ocean. Moreover: to evaluate the variations of
parameters on local and regional scales.

Geographically, the present study is focused on the Western Antarctic Peninsula
and the adjacent islands. Year-round operated stations along the latitudinal
gradient reach from Esperanza (ARG: 63�23'42"S 56�59'46"W) to Palmer (US :
64�46'30"S 64�03'04"W). Other included stations are Jubany (ARG/GER) and King
Sejong (KOR) on King George Island (Isla 25 de Mayo).

Antarctic: Field work: 01/07 -– 12/08
Satellite observations: permanent Modelling: 03/07 -– 03/09

The integrated geographic database SCAR KGIS
http://www.geographie.uni-freiburg.de/ipg/forschung/ap3/kgis/index.php can be
used in the proposed program CLICOPEN. A similar but spatially more extended
database will be implemented based on components of SCAR’'s Antarctic Spatial
Data Infrastructure (e.g. the SCAR Feature Catalogue) to allow for
interoperability. Metadata from previous research activities are available in
all contributing countries.

PROJECT MEMBERS

Dr Doris Abele - Alfred-Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research
Dr Irene Schloss - Departamento de Ciencias del Mar, Instituto Ant�rtico
Argentino, Direcci�n Nacional del Ant�rtico (IAA-DNA).
Dr In-Young Ahn - Marine Ecology, Korea Ocean Research & Development
Jorge Arigony - N�cleo de Pesquisas Ant�rticas e Clim�ticas, Fed. University
Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Dr. Katrin Iken - School of Fisheries & Ocean Sciences, Univ. of Alaska
Fairbanks
Dr. Angela Wulf - Dept. Mar. Ecology, Mar. Botany, G�teborg University
Prof. Demers, Serge - Institut des Sciences de la Mer, Universit� du Qu�bec �
Rimouski