Foundations for Ecological Research West of the Antarctic Peninsula

About this book

This book provides a framework for interpreting the long-term environmental studies currently underway west of the Antarctic Peninsula. These studies are necessary for understanding and identifying ecosystem changes that arise from natural and anthropogenic influences. Palmer Station, Antarctica has been established as a site for a long-term ecological research program that is focused on studying the effect of interannual variability in the extent and duration of sea ice on the marine ecosystem. As part of this effort, the historical, meteorological, hydrographical, biological, and ecological observations from the region have been compiled in this volume, including a historical perspective of research in this region, as well as descriptions and discussions of the habitat, distribution and control of biological populations (including top predators), and the effects of human disturbance.

Contents

Historical Perspective

Historical Perspective of Research in the Antarctic Peninsula Region - Sayed Z. El-Sayed

Habitat Description

Terrestrial and Freshwater Biotic Components of the Western Antarctic Peninsula - Ronald I. Lewis Smith
Water Mass Distribution and Circulation West of the Antarctic Peninsula and Including Bransfield Strait - Eileen E. Hofmann, John M. Klinck, Cathy M. Lascara, and David A. Smith
Spatial and Temporal Variability of Western Antarctic Peninsula Sea Ice Coverage - S. E. Stammerjohn and R. C. Smith
Surface Air Temperature Variations in the Western Antarctic Peninsula Region - Raymond C. Smith, Sharon E. Stammerjohn, and Karen S. Baker
Benthic Marine Habitats in Antarctica - Andrew Clarke
Accumulation of Glacial Marine Sediments in Fjords of the Antarctic Peninsula and Their Use as Late Holocene Paleoenvironmental Indicators - Eugene W. Domack and Charles E. McClennen

Distributions of Biological Populations

Pelagic and Sea Ice Microbial Communities - David L. Garrison and Sylvie Mathot
Phytoplankton: Quantitative and Qualitative Assessments - R. R. Bidigare, J. L. Iriarte, S.-H. Kang, D. Karentz, M. E. Ondrusek, and G. A. Fryxell
Distribution of Antarctic Krill and Dominant Zooplankton West of the Antarctic Peninsula - Robin M. Ross, Langdon B. Quetin, and Cathy M. Lascara
The Distribution of Antarctic Marine Benthic Communities - Andrew Clarke
Midwater Fish Ecology - Adolf K. Kellermann
Factors Controlling the Distribution of Seabirds: Winter-Summer Heterogeneity in the Distribution of Ad#lie Penguin Populations - William R. Fraser and Wayne Z. Trivelpiece
The Breeding Biology and Distribution of Ad#lie Penguins: Adaptations to Environmental Variability - Wayne Z. Trivelpiece and William R. Fraser
Marine Mammals of the Southern Ocean - Daniel P. Costa and Daniel E. Crocker

Control of Biological Distributions

Microbiological Oceanography in the Region West of the Antarctic Peninsula: Microbial Dynamics, Nitrogen Cycle and Carbon Flux - David M. Karl, James R. Christian, John E. Dore, and Ricardo M. Letelier Phytoplankton Biomass and Productivity in the Western Antarctic Peninsula Region - Raymond C. Smith, Heidi Dierssen, and Maria Vernet
Factors Affecting Distribution and Abundance of Zooplankton, With an Emphasis on Antarctic Krill, Euphausia superba - Langdon B. Quetin, Robin M. Ross, Thomas K. Frazer, and Karen L. Haberman
Marine Benthic Populations in Antarctica: Patterns and Processes - Andrew Clarke

Human Disturbance

Human Activity and Disturbance: Building an Antarctic Site Inventory - Ron Naveen
Marine Disturbance-Contaminants - Mahlon C. Kennicutt II and Susanne J. McDonald
Marine Disturbances-Commercial Fishing - David J. Agnew and Steve Nicol

Summary

The Western Antarctic Peninsula Region: Summary of Environmental and Ecological Processes - The Palmer LTER Group

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