Expanding exploration and using innovative technologies to assess the rapidly changing Bering and Chukchi Seas

PI: Stabeno, Phyllis (NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory)
Co-PI(s): Ladd, Carol (NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory) : Stepien, Carol (NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory) : Mordy, Calvin (University of Washington Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies) : Chang, Bonnie (University of Washington Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies) : Lomas, Mike (Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences) : Duffy-Anderson, Janet (NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center) : Farley, Ed (NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center) : Logerwell, Libby (NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center) : Berchok, Catherine (NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center) : Eisner, Lisa (NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center) : Kimmel, David (NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center) : Du, Xiuning (Oregon State University) : Gann, Jeanette (collaborator, NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center) : Nielsen, Jens (collaborator, University of Washington Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies)
Start Year: 2020 | Duration: 2 years
Partners: NOAA, Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, & Ecosystem Studies, University of Washington, Oregon State University, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences

Project Abstract:

The ecosystems of the U.S. Arctic are undergoing dramatic, unprecedented changes in response to ocean warming and declines in winter sea ice. In addition to the physical changes, biological shifts across all trophic levels have been observed including: changes in phytoplankton community composition and bloom timing; zooplankton dynamics; and spatial shifts in fish distributions. This project expands ecosystem observations in the northern Bering and southern Chukchi Seas using traditional and innovative technologies. Emergent technologies include new profiling platforms, speciation techniques (‘omics), in situ visualization, uncrewed vehicles and underwater sensing. This project will create new Ecosystem Observatories in the U.S. Arctic which will be used to improve understanding and forecasting for these ecosystems.

Project External URL(s): https://www.ecofoci.noaa.gov/ https://www.pmel.noaa.gov/itae/