W3: MONITOR/ESSAS
Workshop (Oct. 24, 1 day)
Status of marine ecosystems in the sub-arctic and arctic seas -
Preliminary results of IPY field monitoring in 2007 and 2008
Co-Convenors:
Ken Drinkwater (Norway), George Hunt, Jr. (USA), Sei-Ichi Saitoh
(Japan), and Jin Ping Zhao (China)
Invited speakers:
Lee W. Cooper (Chesapeake Biological Laboratory
University of Maryland USA)
Robert Dickson (Centre for Environment, Fisheries
and Aquaculture Science, UK)
Rolf R. Gradinger (Institute of Marine Science,
University of Alaska Fairbanks, USA)
Kohei Mizobata
(Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology,
Japan)
The sub-Arctic and Arctic seas have distinct marine
ecosystems that are affected by seasonal sea ice. During the summer,
the water column is stratified by melt water from retreating sea
ice, and phytoplankton are found near the sea surface, where the
incoming sunlight is sufficient for photosynthesis. These summer
conditions result in the highest primary production in the world's
oceans and support high levels of fishery resources. Algae that
live on the bottom of sea ice also play an important role in maintaining
fishery resources by falling and decomposing on the sea floor in
summer. Recently, global climate change has become a cause for concern.
The greenhouse effect, produced by increasing anthropogenic CO2
emissions, has induced increases in atmospheric and seawater temperatures.
The effect of such increases on the cryosphere of the Arctic is
already visible, and understanding its direct and indirect effects
on the physical and chemical environments and the responses of marine
ecosystems is critical. However, the knowledge of most aspects and
responses of marine ecosystems to global climate change is still
inadequate. PICES nations have conducted several field programs
in these regions during the International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2008.
This workshop will discuss the features and mechanisms of the responses
of marine ecosystems to global climate change in the Arctic and
sub-Arctic seas, based on results from the IPY cruises in 2007 and
2008.
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