Probing the response of Southern Ocean phytoplankton to changes in iron biogeochemistry, light and pH associated with climate change. Determining factors that influence the health and vitality of coastal and open-ocean regions is crucial to maintaining marine biodiversity and the Earth’s climatic balance. This research project will determine the role climate change and ocean acidification will have on the ability of Southern Ocean phytoplankton to flourish.
Diatom lipids to reveal sea-ice history in remote Antarctic regions. This project aims to understand seasonal Antarctic sea-ice extent using molecular, geochemical, elemental and genomic characteristics of specific marine phytoplankton (diatoms). Little is known of the seasonal sea-ice variation and the position of the summer sea-ice extent a million years before satellite records, but this information is critical to determining air-sea gas exchange and ecosystem food web regulation. This projec ....Diatom lipids to reveal sea-ice history in remote Antarctic regions. This project aims to understand seasonal Antarctic sea-ice extent using molecular, geochemical, elemental and genomic characteristics of specific marine phytoplankton (diatoms). Little is known of the seasonal sea-ice variation and the position of the summer sea-ice extent a million years before satellite records, but this information is critical to determining air-sea gas exchange and ecosystem food web regulation. This project will unite geochemical and biological approaches to provide the data to improve past Antarctic ecosystem and climate models where sea-ice data is missing. Studying diatom biomarkers in deep sea cores from Australia’s Southern Ocean will redefine knowledge of Antarctic climate and provide data necessary to improve global ecosystem and climate models.Read moreRead less
How isolated is Antarctica? Assessing past and present plant colonisations. The project aims to assess how biologically isolated Antarctica is by discovering how, when and where natural colonisations of the continent have occurred. The research will focus on mosses, the dominant plant group in the Antarctic. genomic tools will be combined with environmental, spatial, and ecological data to assess mechanisms and directions of dispersal to and around Antarctica, and to predict areas most likely to ....How isolated is Antarctica? Assessing past and present plant colonisations. The project aims to assess how biologically isolated Antarctica is by discovering how, when and where natural colonisations of the continent have occurred. The research will focus on mosses, the dominant plant group in the Antarctic. genomic tools will be combined with environmental, spatial, and ecological data to assess mechanisms and directions of dispersal to and around Antarctica, and to predict areas most likely to be colonised in the future. This will help understand the processes underpinning the evolution and diversity of Antarctic species, and the vulnerability and adaptability of Antarctic ecosystems. Read moreRead less
Utilising innovative fishing technology to address key questions on the biology of Antarctic krill. Antarctic krill are an important species in the Southern Ocean supporting most of the Antarctic birds and mammals. A sustainable krill fishery is developing with krill products used in aquaculture and increasingly for human consumption. A new omega 3 krill oil industry has emerged and is rapidly expanding. The aim of the project is to predict the factors governing oil levels and the biochemical co ....Utilising innovative fishing technology to address key questions on the biology of Antarctic krill. Antarctic krill are an important species in the Southern Ocean supporting most of the Antarctic birds and mammals. A sustainable krill fishery is developing with krill products used in aquaculture and increasingly for human consumption. A new omega 3 krill oil industry has emerged and is rapidly expanding. The aim of the project is to predict the factors governing oil levels and the biochemical composition in krill which will help us understand growth, reproduction and recruitment. The research aims to also assess the possible effects of climate change on krill. Outcomes of this research aim to be used to manage the expanding krill fishery.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140101715
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$395,220.00
Summary
Volcanoes as safe-havens for Antarctic species during ice ages. Understanding how plants and animals responded to past changes in climate can help us to predict what might happen in the future, yet there are key gaps in our knowledge of past processes. Genetic evidence shows that many Antarctic species have been isolated on the continent for millions of years, but during the last Ice Age, Antarctica was blanketed in glaciers. How could species have survived such extreme conditions and how did th ....Volcanoes as safe-havens for Antarctic species during ice ages. Understanding how plants and animals responded to past changes in climate can help us to predict what might happen in the future, yet there are key gaps in our knowledge of past processes. Genetic evidence shows that many Antarctic species have been isolated on the continent for millions of years, but during the last Ice Age, Antarctica was blanketed in glaciers. How could species have survived such extreme conditions and how did they respond to past global warming? This project will analyse genetic diversity patterns to test whether Antarctic species survived ice ages on ice-free land near volcanoes and, capitalising on the unique setting of Antarctica, will give insights into the role of volcanoes in promoting biodiversity in cold regions.Read moreRead less
How iron is cycled in Southern Ocean waters. This project aims to probe the Southern Ocean phytoplankton’s ability to take up and retain iron, using iron isotope tracer techniques. The Southern Ocean regulates Earth's climate, but the supply of iron to Southern Ocean surface waters is low, restricting the ability of phytoplankton to flourish and draw down carbon dioxide. The results are expected to reveal survival strategies of phytoplankton in this iron-poor environment and their potential abil ....How iron is cycled in Southern Ocean waters. This project aims to probe the Southern Ocean phytoplankton’s ability to take up and retain iron, using iron isotope tracer techniques. The Southern Ocean regulates Earth's climate, but the supply of iron to Southern Ocean surface waters is low, restricting the ability of phytoplankton to flourish and draw down carbon dioxide. The results are expected to reveal survival strategies of phytoplankton in this iron-poor environment and their potential ability to adapt to environmental change. This knowledge could be used to develop models to manage this climate-sensitive region.Read moreRead less
The role of Eastern Antarctic polynyas in global ocean circulation. This project aims to study Antarctic polynyas, an important, but poorly observed marine habitat, which profoundly influence the global climate. The major water masses of the world's oceans are formed there, making a large contribution to the ocean heat and carbon dioxide uptake. This study will collect data on ocean properties to 2000m from polynyas in eastern Antarctica throughout the Antarctic winter. The outcomes will be the ....The role of Eastern Antarctic polynyas in global ocean circulation. This project aims to study Antarctic polynyas, an important, but poorly observed marine habitat, which profoundly influence the global climate. The major water masses of the world's oceans are formed there, making a large contribution to the ocean heat and carbon dioxide uptake. This study will collect data on ocean properties to 2000m from polynyas in eastern Antarctica throughout the Antarctic winter. The outcomes will be the provision of data of critical importance to oceanographic and climate studies.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100184
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,000.00
Summary
Understanding Antarctic dense water formation. This project aims to use a high-resolution global modelling approach to understand how Antarctic dense water formation changed in past climates and how to predict future changes. The Southern Ocean is critical in the uptake of heat and carbon from the atmosphere into the deep ocean. The sinking of cold and saline dense water around the coast of Antarctica transports heat and carbon into the deep ocean. Climate models fail to simulate this process an ....Understanding Antarctic dense water formation. This project aims to use a high-resolution global modelling approach to understand how Antarctic dense water formation changed in past climates and how to predict future changes. The Southern Ocean is critical in the uptake of heat and carbon from the atmosphere into the deep ocean. The sinking of cold and saline dense water around the coast of Antarctica transports heat and carbon into the deep ocean. Climate models fail to simulate this process and little is known about how dense water formation responds to changes in climate. Identification of critical vulnerabilities associated with Antarctic ice shelf melting and sea level rise will guide Southern Ocean observation systems and Australian climate adaptation programs.Read moreRead less
Risks of rapid ocean warming at the Antarctic continental margin. This project aims to comprehensively understand the interconnected processes by which oceanic heat is circulated towards Antarctica. The risk of rapid ocean warming at the Antarctic margin is profound, with change already detected via deep ocean warming, land-ice melt, and ice shelf collapse. Yet this region remains poorly understood, with only limited observations due to both a harsh environment and a lack of standard data stream ....Risks of rapid ocean warming at the Antarctic continental margin. This project aims to comprehensively understand the interconnected processes by which oceanic heat is circulated towards Antarctica. The risk of rapid ocean warming at the Antarctic margin is profound, with change already detected via deep ocean warming, land-ice melt, and ice shelf collapse. Yet this region remains poorly understood, with only limited observations due to both a harsh environment and a lack of standard data streams. This project will use high-resolution global and regional ocean/sea-ice models to examine mechanisms for rapid warming of Antarctic continental shelf waters via both large-scale drivers and fine-scale processes, including mesoscale eddies, tide-topography interactions, and bottom boundary flows. This work will better constrain future rates of ice melt around Antarctica by providing vital knowledge of the ocean processes, dynamics, and feedbacks relating to warm water intrusion onto the Antarctic continental shelf.Read moreRead less
Using animal-borne sensors to unravel East Antarctic coastal productivity. This project will examine the mechanisms underpinning the high productivity in Antarctic coastal polynyas, which are ice-free oases within the sea ice supporting abundant marine life. The study expects to generate essential new biochemical and biological observations using autonomous platforms to understand phytoplankton dynamics in these inaccessible habitats along Australia’s Antarctic Territory. Expected outcomes inclu ....Using animal-borne sensors to unravel East Antarctic coastal productivity. This project will examine the mechanisms underpinning the high productivity in Antarctic coastal polynyas, which are ice-free oases within the sea ice supporting abundant marine life. The study expects to generate essential new biochemical and biological observations using autonomous platforms to understand phytoplankton dynamics in these inaccessible habitats along Australia’s Antarctic Territory. Expected outcomes include novel insight into the role of iron supply from melting glaciers in supporting marine production. This should reduce the high uncertainty in prognoses for polynya activity under anthropogenic climate change, and support Australia’s international leadership in conservation and management of important Antarctic ecosystems.Read moreRead less