[{"awards": "2338980 Kienle, Sarah", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Part 1: Non-technical summary Trait differences between males and females are widespread across the animal kingdom. Because these traits often lead to trade-offs that affect reproductive success and survival, understanding them is a fundamental question in biology. Leopard seals are large predators in the Southern Ocean and an extreme example of female-biased dimorphism in mammals, where females are the larger than males. Yet, the effects of these size differences are unknown. This project will investigate the causes and consequences of female-biased dimorphism in leopard seals and will generate new data on the life history, reproductive physiology, and breeding biology of this important and enigmatic polar predator. This information is critical for understanding leopard seals\u0027 past, present, and future\u2014from how the species evolved to predicting their resilience in an era of unprecedented environmental change. The project also has a strong education component. It aims to increase the participation of people from historically excluded groups in polar biology by training, mentoring, and supporting two postdocs, two grad students, and 25+ undergraduates. It will also engage students and the public in scientific research through outreach activities at local, national, and international scales. Part 2: Technical summary Trait differences can lead to important trade-offs that affect biological processes at multiple scales, from intraspecific differences in fitness to species-level life history strategies. Leopard seals exhibit an extreme form of female-biased size dimorphism. However, for solitary, wide-ranging polar species like leopard seals, it is difficult to study their life history and reproductive biology. As a result, it is unknown how leopard seals\u0027 size dimorphism relates to other aspects of their biology. The goal of this project is to examine fitness trade-offs associated with female-biased dimorphism in leopard seals. Specifically, this study will (1) assess differences in male and female morphology and life history, (2) compare reproductive physiology between males and females, (3) investigate their breeding behavior and reproductive activities, and (4) conduct a cross-clade synthesis of female-biased dimorphism in mammals. The team will analyze existing specimens from biological collections and conduct field efforts to generate novel, complementary data. This information is critical for understanding how leopard seals evolved to survive and persist in the Southern Ocean. The research aligns with NSF\u0027s Strategic Vision for Investments in Antarctic and Southern Ocean Research and supports ongoing efforts to create and utilize open polar research software, as well as data and sample reuse in polar research. This work relies on strong collaborations across academia, non-profits, and government institutions worldwide, and the results will be broadly shared with global audiences. This project also aims to increase the participation and retention of people from historically excluded groups in polar research. Specifically, the goals are to (1) recruit and train a diverse, inclusive, and supportive research team, (2) lead a research-intensive undergrad course (SEAL Lab), and (3) provide grad students and postdocs with hands-on leadership and mentoring experiences. The project will engage students and the public in polar research, as students will conduct research in museum, field, and lab-based settings. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Age; Ecology; Physiology; Chile; SPECIES/POPULATION INTERACTIONS; MAMMALS; Reproduction; Sub-Antarctic; Antarctica; United States Of America; MARINE ECOSYSTEMS; Livingston Island; Adaptation; Leopard Seal; Ecophysiology; South Shetland Islands", "locations": "Antarctica; Chile; Sub-Antarctic; Livingston Island; South Shetland Islands; United States Of America", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Kienle, Sarah", "platforms": null, "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "CAREER: Investigating Fitness Trade-offs In A Southern Ocean Predator, The Leopard Seal", "uid": "p0010557", "west": null}, {"awards": "2446788 Song, Bongkeun", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -60,-144 -60,-108 -60,-72 -60,-36 -60,0 -60,36 -60,72 -60,108 -60,144 -60,180 -60,180 -63,180 -66,180 -69,180 -72,180 -75,180 -78,180 -81,180 -84,180 -87,180 -90,144 -90,108 -90,72 -90,36 -90,0 -90,-36 -90,-72 -90,-108 -90,-144 -90,-180 -90,-180 -87,-180 -84,-180 -81,-180 -78,-180 -75,-180 -72,-180 -69,-180 -66,-180 -63,-180 -60))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Tue, 30 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This project explores the hidden world of microbes living inside planktonic animals called pteropods (\u201csea butterflies\u201d)\u2014specifically Limacina rangii, a key part of the Antarctic marine food web. These small, shelled planktonic snails help move energy and carbon through the ocean and are especially important in waters around the rapidly warming Western Antarctic Peninsula and the Ross Sea. Recent studies have revealed that a group of specialized bacteria called Mollicutes dominate the gut of L. rangii, but little is known about what these bacteria do or how they respond to environmental change. By analyzing samples collected over the past decade and partnering with international researchers, this project will study how the microbes inhabiting pteropods vary across time and space and how these microbial communities may help pteropods adapt to changing ocean conditions. Scientists will use modern genetic tools, including DNA sequencing and metagenomics, to uncover the diversity and function of these microbes and to understand the role they play in the health and ecology of their animal hosts. Beyond advancing science, the project serves the national interest by supporting early-career researchers, training graduate and undergraduate students, and engaging the public through hands-on educational events and classroom materials. By studying the relationship between marine animals and their microbes in one of Earth\u2019s most vulnerable ecosystems, this work helps us better understand the impacts of climate conditions on ocean life and supports broader efforts to sustain ocean health and biodiversity. This project investigates the microbiome composition and functional roles of Mollicutes and other gut-associated microbes in the Antarctic pteropod Limacina rangii, a key species in the Southern Ocean food web. Building on previous findings that Mollicutes dominate the gut microbiome of L. rangii, this study aims to characterize the spatial and temporal patterns of microbiome diversity and composition across two rapidly changing polar regions: the Western Antarctic Peninsula and the Ross Sea region. The project has three primary objectives: (1) to quantify the diversity and abundance of Mollicutes and other microbial taxa in the gut microbiomes of L. rangii and co-occurring pteropod species across space and time; (2) to identify environmental and host-associated factors influencing microbiome structure and Mollicute dominance; and (3) to determine the genomic features and potential metabolic functions of Mollicutes and other microbial associates through metagenomic analyses. The research will leverage archived samples from the Palmer Antarctica Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) program (2009\u20132023) and recently collected samples from the Ross Sea in collaboration with the Korea Polar Research Institute. High-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes will be used for microbiome profiling, while quantitative PCR will measure Mollicutes abundance. Metagenomic sequencing and genome-resolved bioinformatics will be employed to recover and characterize microbial genomes, assess functional potential, and identify adaptations across environmental gradients. This project contributes to fundamental knowledge of host-microbe interactions in polar ecosystems, advancing understanding of how microbiomes may influence host physiology and resilience in a rapidly warming environment. It also provides insights into the evolutionary ecology of Mollicutes and their potential role as bioindicators of environmental change. Graduate and undergraduate training opportunities supported by this project\u2014including research experiences, coursework integration, and public engagement activities\u2014will be open and accessible to all Americans. Broader contributions include integrative training for early-career investigators and students, enhancement of bioinformatics education, and the development of public outreach programs targeting K\u201312 and general audiences. This award reflects NSF\u0027\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": 180.0, "geometry": "POINT(0 -89.999)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "BACTERIA/ARCHAEA; United States Of America", "locations": "United States Of America", "north": -60.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": "NOT APPLICABLE", "persons": "Song, Bongkeun; Steinberg, Deborah; Thibodeau, Patricia", "platforms": null, "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": -90.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: Decoding microbiome diversity and potential function in the Antarctic pteropod Limacina rangii", "uid": "p0010545", "west": -180.0}, {"awards": "2023675 Yen, Jeannette; 2023601 Fields, David", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Wed, 23 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Small planktonic organisms like copepods live at the interface of laminar and turbulent regimes, which is a fluid environment that is not well understood. It is not turbulent, like the rumbly wake behind a ski boat. It is not predictable laminar flow, like the steady flow creeping by a smooth stone. In this transitional environment, even small changes in the viscosity of the water can impact an organism\u2019s behavior and sensory perception in unexpected ways. Waters in the polar regions have twice the viscosity as that in the subtropics. In addition to viscosity there are thermal effects on physiology and differences in organism size. Nevertheless, pilot studies indicate that polar species are dynamically similar to the subtropical ones. This suggests their fluid-object interactions with their surrounding environment is very similar from the poles to the subtropics. The goal of this study is to measure nerve impulse conduction velocities, respiration rates, swimming and escape speeds, and muscle mass to determine whether and what metabolic compensation is occurring to maintain this dynamic similarity. The broader impacts include training early career scientists at different stages of their education to work across STEM disciplines. Eight trainees ranging from undergraduate to post-doctoral levels are working within the fields of fluid dynamics, marine biology and neurophysiology to address questions surrounding the evolution of key organisms in the ocean. By creating an educational ladder in the lab, students are learning to mentor other students as they learn the scientific method. Outreach is focused on incorporating results from this project into exhibits at the Museum of Design Atlanta, Georgia to share how planktonic organisms can become part of innovative design using solutions from nature to improve the way problems are solved. Flow regimes at intermediate Reynolds number are characterized by the transition between viscous and inertia-dominated realms. Zooplankton like copepods operate within this interface. These small organisms detect prey, predators and mates by sensing small changes in the fluid that surrounds them. However, fluid viscosity alters the fluid signals that are created and perceived by the organisms and how this affects the performance of individual copepods is poorly understood. The goal of this project is to investigate the role viscosity plays as an evolutionary force leading to adaptations in body size, volume of flow field, sensor length and neural function, swimming speeds and muscle mass. The model system for this study is a group of three species in the genus Euchaeta. The target species have evolved to live in a gradient of fluid regimes spanning temperatures from 0 to 23\u00baC and viscosities from 1.84 to 1 Centistokes. The species vary in length by three-fold and swim at speeds from less than 1 to over 103 millimeters per second. Nerve impulse conduction velocities, respiration rates, swimming and escape speeds, and muscle mass are being measured experimentally under a range of viscosities to elucidate underlying mechanisms of metabolic compensation involved in the maintenance of dynamic similarity from the subtropics to the poles. The focus on the congeners offers a natural experiment to examine the effects of viscosity in an organism that lives at intermediate Reynolds number where viscous forces are important. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "ANIMAL ECOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR; Antarctica; Palmer Station; Viscosity", "locations": "Palmer Station; Antarctica", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": null, "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Fields, David; Yen, Jeannette", "platforms": null, "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "Collaborative Research: Dynamic similarity or size proportionality? Sensory ecological adaptations of Euchaeta to viscosity", "uid": "p0010527", "west": null}, {"awards": "2042032 Huckstadt, Luis", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "Crabeater seal tracking data 2022-2023", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601861", "doi": "10.15784/601861", "keywords": "Antarctica; Cryosphere", "people": "Huckstadt, Luis", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Crabeater seal tracking data 2022-2023", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601861"}], "date_created": "Wed, 27 Nov 2024 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Part I: Non-technical description: The crabeater seal is the most important predator of Antarctic krill in the western Antarctic Peninsula oceanic waters after the disappearance of large whales due to human hunting 100 years ago. The crabeater seals are expected to consume large quantities of krill due to their high abundance (about 7 million individuals), large body size (about 700 pounds in body weight), high metabolism and a diet specializing in krill. This species depends on sea ice presence all year long, living, reproducing, and diving to feed from that environment, making this marine mammal species a good indicator, or sentinel, of how the Antarctic ecosystem responds to a changing climate. As sea ice has been decreasing in the northern Antarctic Peninsula, this project aims to understand if the species food availability has changed in the last decades in response to environmental changes. In particular, the proposed work will concentrate on known populations of crabeater seals in northern (i.e., warmer, sub-polar) and southern (i.e., colder, polar) Antarctic Peninsula, 450 miles apart, making measurements on the abundance, physiology, metabolic needs and movement of the crabeater populations in both locations. The data will be combined to build models that will quantify the existing differences between northern and southern populations, as well as predict their future change, and compare present-day measurements with those collected by the British Antarctic Survey in the mid-1900s. The project is a collaboration between an international and interdisciplinary team from the United States and United Kingdom, benefitting NSF goals to facilitate collaborative geoscience research projects involving these two countries as well as aligning directly with U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) to better understand the forces shaping the global environment, both human and natural, and their impacts on society. To further increase polar literacy and education, Principal Investigators will train at least 2 graduate students and several undergraduates across two US institutions, as well as one UK-based post-doctoral researcher. Part II: Technical description: Crabeater seals (Lobodon carcinophaga) are considered an excellent sentinel species through which to examine the effects of a changing climate on the extended Antarctic krill-dependent predator community and the structure of the entire ecosystem of the western Antarctic Peninsula. Over the last forty years, there have been significant changes in the temporal and spatial patterns of primary productivity, and shifts in the population dynamics of Antarctic krill, the dominant mid-trophic level species. The impact of such changes on year-round resident species of crabeater seals (the most important predator of Antarctic krill) is more difficult to understand as they are not associated with breeding colonies where their population fluctuations could be more readily observed. The proposed research is conceived under the premise that environmental change has accentuated the differences between the northern and southern western Antarctic Peninsula crabeater seal populations due to differential reductions in sea-ice and its possible effect on prey availability. To address this question, this research will combine measurements on animal movement, stable isotope analyses, whole-animal physiology, and novel survey technologies (small Unmanned Aircraft Systems, satellite imagery) to build models. The project is a collaboration between an international and interdisciplinary team from the United States and United Kingdom. These studies will be essential to detect past, and project future, changes in the ecology of this species in response to changes in sea ice when comparing present-day measurements with those collected by the British Antarctic Survey in the mid-1900s. To further increase polar literacy and education, Principal Investigators will train at least 2 graduate students and several undergraduates across two US institutions, as well as one UK-based post-doctoral researcher. Students involved with this project will gain invaluable research experience in the lab and will have a unique opportunity to participate in Antarctic fieldwork. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "ANIMAL ECOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR; MARINE ECOSYSTEMS; Antarctica", "locations": "Antarctica", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Huckstadt, Luis", "platforms": null, "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "NSFGEO-NERC Collaborative Research: Effects of a Changing Climate on the Habitat Utilization, Foraging Ecology and Distribution of Crabeater Seals", "uid": "p0010490", "west": null}, {"awards": "2142914 Baker, Bill; 2142912 Murray, Alison; 2142913 Tresguerres, Martin", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -60,-168 -60,-156 -60,-144 -60,-132 -60,-120 -60,-108 -60,-96 -60,-84 -60,-72 -60,-60 -60,-60 -62,-60 -64,-60 -66,-60 -68,-60 -70,-60 -72,-60 -74,-60 -76,-60 -78,-60 -80,-72 -80,-84 -80,-96 -80,-108 -80,-120 -80,-132 -80,-144 -80,-156 -80,-168 -80,180 -80,178 -80,176 -80,174 -80,172 -80,170 -80,168 -80,166 -80,164 -80,162 -80,160 -80,160 -78,160 -76,160 -74,160 -72,160 -70,160 -68,160 -66,160 -64,160 -62,160 -60,162 -60,164 -60,166 -60,168 -60,170 -60,172 -60,174 -60,176 -60,178 -60,-180 -60))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Thu, 17 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Non-technical description Marine invertebrates often have mutually beneficial partnerships with microorganisms that biosynthesize compounds with nutritive or defensive functions and are integral for survival. Additionally, these \u201cnatural products\u201d often have bioactive properties with human health applications fighting infection or different types of cancer. This project focuses on the ascidian (\u201csea squirt\u201d) Synoicum adareanum, found in the Anvers Island region of the Antarctic Peninsula, and was recently discovered to contain high levels of a natural product, palmerolide A (palA) in its tissues. The microorganism that produces palA is a new bacterial species, Candidatus Synoicihabitans palmerolidicus, found in a persistent partnership with the sea squirt. There is still much to be learned about the fundamental properties of this sea squirt-microbe-palA system including the geographical range of the animal-microbe partnership, its chemical and microbiome complexity and diversity, and the biological effect of palA in the sea squirt. To address these questions, this multidisciplinary research team will investigate the sea squirt-microbiome partnership in the Antarctic Peninsula and McMurdo Sound regions of the Ross Sea using a state-of-the-art strategy that will advance our understanding of the structural and functional features of the sea squirt and microbiome in detail, and reveal the roles that the palA natural product plays in the host ecology in its native Antarctic seafloor habitat. The project will broaden diversity and provide new opportunities for early career students and postdoctoral researchers to participate in field and laboratory-based research that builds an integrative understanding of Antarctic marine biology, ecology, physiology and chemistry. In addition, advancing the understanding of palA and its biological properties may be of future benefit to biomedicine and human health. Technical description Marine invertebrates and their associated microbiomes can produce bioactive natural products; in fact, \u003e600 such compounds have been identified in species from polar waters. Although such compounds are typically hypothesized to serve ecological roles in host survival through deterring predation, fouling, and microbial infection, in most cases neither the producing organism nor the genome-encoded biosynthetic enzymes are known. This project will study an emerging biosynthetic system from a polar ascidian-microbe association that produces palA, a natural product with bioactivity against the proton-pumping enzyme V-type H+-ATPase (VHA). The objectives include: (i) Determining the microbiome composition, metabolome complexity, palA levels, and mitochondrial DNA sequence of S. adareanum morphotypes at sites in the Antarctic Peninsula and in McMurdo Sound, (ii) Characterizing the Synoicum microbiome using a multi-omics strategy, and (iii) Assessing the potential for co-occurrence of Ca. S. palmerolidicus-palA-VHA in host tissues, and (iv) exploring the role of palA in modulating VHA activity in vivo and its effects on ascidian-microbe ecophysiology. Through a coupled study of palA-producing and non-producing S. adareanum specimens, structural and functional features of the ascidian microbiome metagenome will be characterized to better understand the relationship between predicted secondary metabolite pathways and whether they are expressed in situ using a paired metatranscriptome sequencing and secondary metabolite detection strategy. Combined with tissue co-localization results, functional ecophysiological assays aim to determine the roles that the natural product plays in the host ecology in its native Antarctic seafloor habitat. The contributions of the project will inform this intimate host-microbial association in which the ascidian host bioaccumulates VHA-inhibiting palA, yet its geo-spatial distribution, cellular localization, ecological and physiological role(s) are not known. In addition to elucidating the ecophysiological roles of palA in their native ascidian-microbe association, the results will contribute to the success of translational science, which aligns with NSF\u2019s interests in promoting basic research that leads to advances in Biotechnology and Bioeconomy. The project will also broaden diversity and provide new opportunities for early career students and postdoctoral researchers to participate in field and laboratory-based research that builds an integrative understanding of Antarctic marine biology, ecology, physiology and chemistry. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": 160.0, "geometry": "POINT(-130 -70)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONS; BACTERIA/ARCHAEA; BENTHIC; R/V NBP; Antarctic Peninsula; ANIMALS/INVERTEBRATES", "locations": "Antarctic Peninsula", "north": -60.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Baker, Bill; Murray, Alison; Tresguerres, Martin", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V NBP", "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": -80.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: ANT LIA: Diving into the Ecology of an Antarctic Ascidian-Microbiome-Palmerolide Association using a Multi-omic and Functional Approach", "uid": "p0010485", "west": -60.0}, {"awards": "2317995 Herman, Rachael", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-65 -61,-64 -61,-63 -61,-62 -61,-61 -61,-60 -61,-59 -61,-58 -61,-57 -61,-56 -61,-55 -61,-55 -61.5,-55 -62,-55 -62.5,-55 -63,-55 -63.5,-55 -64,-55 -64.5,-55 -65,-55 -65.5,-55 -66,-56 -66,-57 -66,-58 -66,-59 -66,-60 -66,-61 -66,-62 -66,-63 -66,-64 -66,-65 -66,-65 -65.5,-65 -65,-65 -64.5,-65 -64,-65 -63.5,-65 -63,-65 -62.5,-65 -62,-65 -61.5,-65 -61))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Fri, 04 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) inhabit one of the fastest warming regions on Earth, the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP), where environmental shifts are measured in years, not decades. Despite this, the species is flourishing, growing in numbers and colonizing new habitats while sister species, such as Ad\u00e9lie penguins (P. adeliae), are declining in the region. This project will investigate to what extent epigenetics contributes to the success of gentoo penguins. Epigenetic variation is controlled by modifications to DNA or chromatin structure that affect the expression of genes, rather than changes to the underlying DNA sequence. This project will improve the understanding of gentoo penguin adaptation to climate change, and whether it is a result of increased flexibility in behavior and physiology driven by a greater capacity for epigenetic changes (i.e., epigenetic potential). The most studied form of epigenetic variation is the profiling of DNA methylation patterns. Environmental effects can trigger changes in DNA methylation that target specific tissues, allowing for localized gene expression shifts that result in modifications to the phenotype of an organism without any alteration to the underlying genotype. Given that epigenetic variation between populations often exceeds genetic variation, fine-scale genetic differentiation observed amongst gentoo penguin colonies suggests the possibility for local adaptation via even more divergent epigenetic changes and provides a framework for examining epigenetic variation across the gentoo penguin breeding range along multiple ecological axes. The researchers will test this by comprehensively characterizing the epigenomic profiles via patterns of DNA methylation in wild gentoo and Ad\u00e9lie penguins using cutting-edge high-resolution genomics techniques. Specifically, they will investigate whether gentoo penguins exhibit a greater degree of differences in DNA-methylation than underlying genetic differences, suggesting such epigenetic variation is driven by external environmental variables, potentially leading to improved capacity for local adaptation. This project will explore whether epigenetic potential may be selected for in individuals who disperse to new colony locations by comparing older, established colonies to new colonies at the range-edge. By implementing cutting-edge epigenetic methods in wild populations of gentoo penguins, this project will help address ecological questions on environmental plasticity that will impact conservation efforts and decisions on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) on the Antarctic Peninsula. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": -55.0, "geometry": "POINT(-60 -63.5)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Gentoo Penguin; ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS; Adaptation; Methylation; Antarctic Peninsula; Climate Change; Epigenetic Variation; PENGUINS", "locations": "Antarctic Peninsula", "north": -61.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Post Doc/Travel", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Herman, Rachael", "platforms": null, "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": -66.0, "title": "Postdoctoral Fellowship: OPP-PRF: Epigenetic Potential as a Driver of Local Adaptation in Gentoo Penguins (Pygoscelis Papua) along the Western Antarctic Peninsula", "uid": "p0010477", "west": -65.0}, {"awards": "2142491 Young, Jodi", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -60,-144 -60,-108 -60,-72 -60,-36 -60,0 -60,36 -60,72 -60,108 -60,144 -60,180 -60,180 -63,180 -66,180 -69,180 -72,180 -75,180 -78,180 -81,180 -84,180 -87,180 -90,144 -90,108 -90,72 -90,36 -90,0 -90,-36 -90,-72 -90,-108 -90,-144 -90,-180 -90,-180 -87,-180 -84,-180 -81,-180 -78,-180 -75,-180 -72,-180 -69,-180 -66,-180 -63,-180 -60))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Wed, 26 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Sea ice in Antarctic coastal waters shape ecosystems, both in the surface waters and at the bottom of the ocean, environments that depend on algae living in sea ice for their productivity. With high variability in sea ice formation and melt between years and as a response to climate change, it is of importance to obtain better understanding of the interaction of sea ice with algae, as well as provide better data for global climate models. This project will accomplish those goals by measuring phytoplankton growth and cellular properties in sea ice with experiments performed using an ice tank. Laboratory experiments will be based on previous observations in the Antarctic Peninsula coastal waters, providing realistic conditions to emulate. The scientific importance of the proposed work aligns with the National Science Foundation goals to understand the biological and chemical properties of sea ice bio-geo-chemistry and its feedbacks with seasonal sea ice dynamics and climate. The finding from this project will be of interest to a broad scientific community, including oceanographers, biologists, chemists, and ecosystem and ocean modelers. To address the scarcity of data on sea ice microbes that limits our ability to predict future Antarctic climate with accuracy, the principal investigator will develop an Antarctic Science Minor in order to train future scientists with an environmental perspective and prepare the future US workforce with a strong scientific background on Earth and Biological Sciences. There is a paucity of data to understand the processes underlying observed patters in sea ice quality and their interaction with the sea-ice microbial community. This project will provide a mechanistic understanding of primary production and physiology of sympagic algae over the seasonal cycle of formation and melt of Antarctic sea ice. Although sea ice is central to the Antarctic coastal ecosystems, little is known of how they affect, and are in turn affected, by sea-ice algae. This project concentrates on first-year sea ice, forming and melting each year, creating unique and very dynamic habitats. The study will be structured by 4 main objectives: 1) how different algal species adapt to the seasonal changes in sea ice conditions, 2) how different methods to measure primary production (carbon dioxide drawdown, oxygen production and variable fluorescence) relate in sea ice and differ from sea water measurements, 3) how sympagic algae influence the physical structure of sea ice, 4) how sympagic algae contribute to organic matter cycling during ice melt. Due to expected changes in sea ice due to climate change, this study is uniquely positioned to provide needed data on short-term and seasonal processes. Results from this study will be useful to refine models of algal production in Antarctic and Arctic ecosystems, data not available to date as sea ice and its biogeochemistry are often poorly represented in earth system models. This project will also provide education for graduate and undergraduate students as well as material to develop class curriculum for middle-school students. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": 180.0, "geometry": "POINT(0 -89.999)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "MARINE ECOSYSTEMS", "locations": null, "north": -60.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Young, Jodi", "platforms": null, "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": -90.0, "title": "CAREER: Experimentally Testing the Role of Sympagic Algae in Sea-ice Environments using a Laboratory Scale Ice-tank.", "uid": "p0010425", "west": -180.0}, {"awards": "1643575 Kanatous, Shane; 1644004 Trumble, Stephen; 1644256 Costa, Daniel", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-66.534369 -52.962091,-65.3857434 -52.962091,-64.2371178 -52.962091,-63.0884922 -52.962091,-61.9398666 -52.962091,-60.791241 -52.962091,-59.6426154 -52.962091,-58.4939898 -52.962091,-57.3453642 -52.962091,-56.1967386 -52.962091,-55.048113 -52.962091,-55.048113 -54.530129,-55.048113 -56.098167000000004,-55.048113 -57.666205000000005,-55.048113 -59.234243,-55.048113 -60.802281,-55.048113 -62.370319,-55.048113 -63.938357,-55.048113 -65.506395,-55.048113 -67.074433,-55.048113 -68.642471,-56.1967386 -68.642471,-57.3453642 -68.642471,-58.4939898 -68.642471,-59.6426154 -68.642471,-60.791241 -68.642471,-61.9398666 -68.642471,-63.0884922 -68.642471,-64.2371178 -68.642471,-65.3857434 -68.642471,-66.534369 -68.642471,-66.534369 -67.074433,-66.534369 -65.506395,-66.534369 -63.938356999999996,-66.534369 -62.370319,-66.534369 -60.802281,-66.534369 -59.234243,-66.534369 -57.666205,-66.534369 -56.098167000000004,-66.534369 -54.530129,-66.534369 -52.962091))", "dataset_titles": "Data from: Whiskers provide time-series of toxic and essential trace elements, Se:Hg molar ratios, and stable isotope values of an apex Antarctic predator, the leopard seal; Leopard Seal Diving behavior data; Leopard Seal movement data", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601689", "doi": "10.15784/601689", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Biota; Body Mass; Diving Behavior; Leopard Seal; Movement Data; Seals", "people": "Costa, Daniel", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Leopard Seal movement data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601689"}, {"dataset_uid": "200361", "doi": "https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.ksn02v75b", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "Dryad", "science_program": null, "title": "Data from: Whiskers provide time-series of toxic and essential trace elements, Se:Hg molar ratios, and stable isotope values of an apex Antarctic predator, the leopard seal", "url": "https://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061%2Fdryad.ksn02v75b"}, {"dataset_uid": "601690", "doi": "10.15784/601690", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Biota; Body Mass; Diving Behavior; Leopard Seal; Seals", "people": "Costa, Daniel", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Leopard Seal Diving behavior data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601690"}], "date_created": "Fri, 12 May 2023 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This research project is a multidisciplinary effort that brings together a diverse team of scientists from multiple institutions together to understand the foraging behavior and physiology of leopard seals and their role in the Southern Ocean food web. The project will examine the physiology and behavior of leopard seals to in an effort to determine their ability to respond to potential changes in their habitat and foraging areas. Using satellite tracking devices the team will examine the movement and diving behavior of leopard seals and couple this information with measurements of their physiological capacity. The project will determine whether leopard seals- who feed on diverse range of prey- are built differently than their deep diving relatives the Weddell and elephant seal who feed on fish and squid. The team will also determine whether leopard seals are operating at or near their physiological capability to determine how much, if any, ?reserve capacity? they might have to forage and live in changing environments. A better understanding of their home ranges, movement patterns, and general behavior will also be informative to help in managing human-leopard seal interactions. The highly visual nature of the data and analysis for this project lends itself to public and educational display and outreach, particularly as they relate to the changing Antarctic habitats. The project will use the research results to educate the public on the unique physiological and ecological adaptations to extreme environments seen in diving marine mammals, including adaptations to exercise under low oxygen conditions and energy utilization, which affect and dictate the lifestyle of these exceptional organisms. The results of the project will also contribute to the broader understanding that may enhance the aims of managing marine living resources. The leopard seal is an apex predator in the Antarctic ecosystem. This project seeks to better understand the ability of the leopard seal to cope with a changing environment. The project will first examine the foraging behavior and habitat utilization of leopard seals using satellite telemetry. Specifically, satellite telemetry tags will be used to obtain dive profiles and movement data for individuals across multiple years. Diet and trophic level positions across multiple temporal scales will then be determined from physiological samples (e.g., blood, vibrissae, blubber fatty acids, stable isotopes, fecal matter). Oceanographic data will be integrated with these measures to develop habitat models that will be used to assess habitat type, habitat utilization, habitat preference, and home range areas for individual animals. Diet composition for individual seals will be evaluated to determine whether specific animals are generalists or specialists. Second, the team will investigate the physiological adaptations that allow leopard seals to be apex predators and determine to what extent leopard seals are working at or near their physiological limit. Diving behavior and physiology of leopard seals will be evaluated (for instance the aerobic dive limit for individual animals and skeletal muscle adaptations will be determined for diving under hypoxic conditions). Data from time-depth recorders will be used to determine foraging strategies for individual seals, and these diving characteristics will be related to physiological variables (e.g., blood volume, muscle oxygen stores) to better understand the link between foraging behavior and physiology. The team will compare myoglobin storage in swimming muscles associated with both forelimb and hind limb propulsion and the use of anaerobic versus aerobic metabolic systems while foraging.", "east": -55.048113, "geometry": "POINT(-60.791241 -60.802281)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Antarctic Peninsula; Diving Behavior; MAMMALS; MARINE ECOSYSTEMS; Movement Patterns; Leopard Seal", "locations": "Antarctic Peninsula", "north": -52.962091, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Costa, Daniel; Trumble, Stephen J; Kanatous, Shane", "platforms": null, "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "Dryad; USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -68.642471, "title": "Collaborative Research: Foraging Ecology and Physiology of the Leopard Seal", "uid": "p0010419", "west": -66.534369}, {"awards": "1644004 Trumble, Stephen", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -60,-144 -60,-108 -60,-72 -60,-36 -60,0 -60,36 -60,72 -60,108 -60,144 -60,180 -60,180 -63,180 -66,180 -69,180 -72,180 -75,180 -78,180 -81,180 -84,180 -87,180 -90,144 -90,108 -90,72 -90,36 -90,0 -90,-36 -90,-72 -90,-108 -90,-144 -90,-180 -90,-180 -87,-180 -84,-180 -81,-180 -78,-180 -75,-180 -72,-180 -69,-180 -66,-180 -63,-180 -60))", "dataset_titles": "Data from: Whiskers provide time-series of toxic and essential trace elements, Se:Hg molar ratios, and stable isotope values of an apex Antarctic predator, the leopard seal", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200338", "doi": "doi:10.5061/dryad.ksn02v75b", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "Dryad", "science_program": null, "title": "Data from: Whiskers provide time-series of toxic and essential trace elements, Se:Hg molar ratios, and stable isotope values of an apex Antarctic predator, the leopard seal", "url": "https://datadryad.org/stash/share/h6UwXvfhZG26jtPTtDqyXNMnx2UWknOqmv05EBz6A10"}], "date_created": "Tue, 06 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This research project is a multidisciplinary effort that brings together a diverse team of scientists from multiple institutions together to understand the foraging behavior and physiology of leopard seals and their role in the Southern Ocean food web. The project will examine the physiology and behavior of leopard seals to in an effort to determine their ability to respond to potential changes in their habitat and foraging areas. Using satellite tracking devices the team will examine the movement and diving behavior of leopard seals and couple this information with measurements of their physiological capacity. The project will determine whether leopard seals- who feed on diverse range of prey- are built differently than their deep diving relatives the Weddell and elephant seal who feed on fish and squid. The team will also determine whether leopard seals are operating at or near their physiological capability to determine how much, if any, ?reserve capacity? they might have to forage and live in changing environments. A better understanding of their home ranges, movement patterns, and general behavior will also be informative to help in managing human-leopard seal interactions. The highly visual nature of the data and analysis for this project lends itself to public and educational display and outreach, particularly as they relate to the changing Antarctic habitats. The project will use the research results to educate the public on the unique physiological and ecological adaptations to extreme environments seen in diving marine mammals, including adaptations to exercise under low oxygen conditions and energy utilization, which affect and dictate the lifestyle of these exceptional organisms. The results of the project will also contribute to the broader understanding that may enhance the aims of managing marine living resources. The leopard seal is an apex predator in the Antarctic ecosystem. This project seeks to better understand the ability of the leopard seal to cope with a changing environment. The project will first examine the foraging behavior and habitat utilization of leopard seals using satellite telemetry. Specifically, satellite telemetry tags will be used to obtain dive profiles and movement data for individuals across multiple years. Diet and trophic level positions across multiple temporal scales will then be determined from physiological samples (e.g., blood, vibrissae, blubber fatty acids, stable isotopes, fecal matter). Oceanographic data will be integrated with these measures to develop habitat models that will be used to assess habitat type, habitat utilization, habitat preference, and home range areas for individual animals. Diet composition for individual seals will be evaluated to determine whether specific animals are generalists or specialists. Second, the team will investigate the physiological adaptations that allow leopard seals to be apex predators and determine to what extent leopard seals are working at or near their physiological limit. Diving behavior and physiology of leopard seals will be evaluated (for instance the aerobic dive limit for individual animals and skeletal muscle adaptations will be determined for diving under hypoxic conditions). Data from time-depth recorders will be used to determine foraging strategies for individual seals, and these diving characteristics will be related to physiological variables (e.g., blood volume, muscle oxygen stores) to better understand the link between foraging behavior and physiology. The team will compare myoglobin storage in swimming muscles associated with both forelimb and hind limb propulsion and the use of anaerobic versus aerobic metabolic systems while foraging.", "east": 180.0, "geometry": "POINT(0 -89.999)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "MAMMALS; Stable Isotopes; Livingston Island", "locations": "Livingston Island", "north": -60.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Trumble, Stephen J", "platforms": null, "repo": "Dryad", "repositories": "Dryad", "science_programs": null, "south": -90.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: Foraging Ecology and Physiology of the Leopard Seal", "uid": "p0010394", "west": -180.0}, {"awards": "2135184 Arrigo, Kevin; 2135186 Baumberger, Tamara; 2135185 Resing, Joseph", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((155 -61,156.5 -61,158 -61,159.5 -61,161 -61,162.5 -61,164 -61,165.5 -61,167 -61,168.5 -61,170 -61,170 -61.2,170 -61.4,170 -61.6,170 -61.8,170 -62,170 -62.2,170 -62.4,170 -62.6,170 -62.8,170 -63,168.5 -63,167 -63,165.5 -63,164 -63,162.5 -63,161 -63,159.5 -63,158 -63,156.5 -63,155 -63,155 -62.8,155 -62.6,155 -62.4,155 -62.2,155 -62,155 -61.8,155 -61.6,155 -61.4,155 -61.2,155 -61))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Fri, 30 Sep 2022 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Phytoplankton blooms throughout the world\u2019s oceans support critical marine ecosystems and help remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. Traditionally, it has been assumed that phytoplankton blooms in the Southern Ocean are stimulated by iron from either nearby land or sea-ice. However, recent work demonstrates that hydrothermal vents may be an additional iron source for phytoplankton blooms. This enhancement of phytoplankton productivity by different iron sources supports rich marine ecosystems and leads to the sequestration of carbon in the deep ocean. Our proposed work will uncover the importance of hydrothermal activity in stimulating a large phytoplankton bloom along the southern boundary of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current just north of the Ross Sea. It will also lead towards a better understanding of the overall impact of hydrothermal activity on the carbon cycle in the Southern Ocean, which appears to trigger local hotspots of biological activity which are a potential sink for atmospheric CO2. This project will encourage the participation of underrepresented groups in ocean sciences, as well as providing educational opportunities for high school and undergraduate students, through three different programs. Stanford University\u2019s Summer Undergraduate Research in Geoscience and Engineering (SURGE) program provides undergraduates from different US universities and diverse cultural backgrounds the opportunity to spend a summer doing a research project at Stanford. The Stanford Earth Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SESUR) is for Stanford undergraduates who want to learn more about environmental science by performing original research. Finally, Stanford\u2019s School of Earth, Energy, and Environmental Sciences High School Internship Program enables young scientists to serve as mentors, prepares high school students for college, and serves to strengthen the partnership between Stanford and local schools. Students present their results at the Fall AGU meeting as part of the AGU Bright STaRS program. This project will form the basis of at least two PhD dissertations. The Stanford student will participate in Stanford\u2019s Woods Institute Rising Environmental Leaders Program (RELP), a year-round program that helps graduate students hone their leadership and communication skills to maximize the impact of their research. The graduate student will also participate in Stanford\u2019s Grant Writing Academy where they will receive training in developing and articulating research strategies to tackle important scientific questions. This interdisciplinary program combines satellite and ship-based measurements of a large poorly understood phytoplankton bloom (the AAR bloom) in the northwestern Ross Sea sector of the Southern Ocean with a detailed modeling study of the physical processes linking deep dissolved iron (DFe) reservoirs to the surface phytoplankton bloom. Prior to the cruise, we will implement a numerical model (CROCO) for our study region so that we can better understand the circulation, plumes, turbulence, fronts, and eddy field around the AAR bloom and how they transport and mix hydrothermally produced DFe vertically. Post cruise, observations of the vertical distribution of 3He (combined with DMn and DFe), will be used as initial conditions for a passive tracer in the model, and tracer dispersal will be assessed to better quantify the role of the various turbulent processes in upwelling DFe-rich waters to the upper ocean. The satellite-based component of the program will characterize the broader sampling region before, during, and after our cruise. During the cruise, our automated software system at Stanford University will download and process images of sea ice concentration, Chl-a concentration, sea surface temperature (SST), and sea surface height (SSH) and send them electronically to the ship. Operationally, our goal is to use all available satellite data and preliminary model results to target shipboard sampling both geographically and temporally to optimize sampling of the AAR bloom. We will use available BGC-Argo float data to help characterize the AAR bloom. In collaboration with SOCCOM, we will deploy additional BGC-Argo floats (if available) during our transit through the study area to allow us to better characterize the bloom. The centerpiece of our program will be a 40-day process study cruise in austral summer. The cruise will consist of an initial \u201cradiator\u201d pattern of hydrographic surveys/sections along the AAR followed by CTDs to selected submarine volcanoes. When/if eddies are identified, they will be sampled either during or after the initial surveys. The radiator pattern, or parts thereof, will be repeated 2-3 times. Hydrographic survey stations will include vertical profiles of temperature, salinity, oxygen, oxidation-reduction potential, light scatter, and PAR (400-700 nm). Samples will be collected for trace metals, ligands, 3He, and total suspended matter. Where intense hydrothermal activity is identified, samples for pH and total CO2 will also be collected to characterize the hydrothermal system. Water samples will be collected for characterization of macronutrients, and phytoplankton physiology, abundance, species composition, and size. During transits, we will continuously measure atmospheric conditions, current speed and direction, and surface SST, salinity, pCO2, and fluorescence from the ship\u2019s systems to provide detailed maps of these parameters. The ship will be used as a platform for conducting phytoplankton DFe bioassay experiments at key stations throughout the study region both inside and outside the bloom. We will also perform detailed comparisons of algal taxonomic composition, physiology, and size structure inside and outside the bloom to determine the potential importance of each community on local biogeochemistry. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": 170.0, "geometry": "POINT(162.5 -62)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES; Antarctica; TRACE ELEMENTS; Hydrothermal Vent; Phytoplankton; Primary Production", "locations": "Antarctica", "north": -61.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Integrated System Science; Antarctic Integrated System Science; Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Arrigo, Kevin; Thomas, Leif N; Baumberger, Tamara; Resing, Joseph", "platforms": null, "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": -63.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: Understanding the Massive Phytoplankton Blooms over the Australian-Antarctic Ridge", "uid": "p0010381", "west": 155.0}, {"awards": "2146068 Kienle, Sarah", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "Data from: Individual specialization in a generalist apex predator: The leopard seal; ddRADseq leopard seal (SRR32669466); Genome assembly ASM5032014v1; Hydrurga leptonyx isolate:HLNZ013 (leopard seal); Leopard seals DDRAD", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200549", "doi": "10.5061/dryad.f4qrfj75k", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "Dryad", "science_program": null, "title": "Data from: Individual specialization in a generalist apex predator: The leopard seal", "url": "https://datadryad.org/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.f4qrfj75k"}, {"dataset_uid": "200551", "doi": "10.3389/fgene.2025.1561273", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI (BioProject)", "science_program": null, "title": "Hydrurga leptonyx isolate:HLNZ013 (leopard seal)", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/PRJNA1194539/"}, {"dataset_uid": "200550", "doi": "10.3389/fgene.2025.1561273", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI Genbank", "science_program": null, "title": "Genome assembly ASM5032014v1", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/datasets/genome/GCA_050320145.1/"}, {"dataset_uid": "200552", "doi": "10.1038/s41598-025-25641-w", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "SRA (NCBI)", "science_program": null, "title": "ddRADseq leopard seal (SRR32669466)", "url": "https://trace.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Traces/study/?acc=SRP569941\u0026o=acc_s%3Aa"}, {"dataset_uid": "200548", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "Github", "science_program": null, "title": "Leopard seals DDRAD", "url": "https://github.com/DavidVendrami/LeopardSeals_ddRAD"}], "date_created": "Mon, 12 Sep 2022 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx) is an enigmatic apex predator in the rapidly changing Southern Ocean. As top predators, leopard seals play a disproportionately large role in ecosystem functioning and act as sentinel species that can track habitat changes. How leopard seals respond to a warming environment depends on their adaptive capacity, that is a species\u2019 ability to cope with environmental change. However, leopard seals are one of the least studied apex predators on Earth, hindering our ability to predict how the species is responding to polar environmental changes. Investigating the adaptability of Antarctic biota in a changing system aligns with NSF\u2019s Strategic Vision for Investments in Antarctic and Southern Ocean Research. This research, which is tightly integrated with educational and outreach activities, will increase diversity in STEM and Antarctic science by recruiting students from historically underrepresented groups in STEM and providing training, mentoring, and educational opportunities at an emerging Hispanic Serving Institution and a Historically Black Colleges and Universities campus. This project will improve STEM education and science literacy via museum collaborations, creation of informational videos and original artwork depicting the research. The proposal supports data and sample reuse in polar research and long-term reuse of scientific data, thereby maximizing NSF\u2019s investment in previous field research and reducing operational costs. The researchers will investigate leopard seals adaptive capacity to the warming Southern Ocean by quantifying their ability to move (dispersal ability), adapt (genetic diversity), and change (plasticity). Aim 1 of the research will determine leopard seals\u2019 dispersal ability by assessing their distribution and movement patterns. Aim 2 will quantify genetic diversity by analyzing genetic variability and population structure and Aim 3 will examine phenotypic plasticity by evaluating changes in their ecological niche and physiological responses. The international, multidisciplinary team will analyze existing data (e.g., photographs, census data, life history data, tissue samples, body morphometrics) collected from leopard seals across the Southern Ocean over the last decade. Additionally, land- and ship-based field efforts will generate comparable data from unsampled regions in the Southern Ocean. The research project will analyze these historical and contemporary datasets to evaluate the adaptive capacity of leopard seals against the rapidly warming Southern Ocean. This research is significant because changes in the distribution, genetic diversity, and ecophysiology of leopard seals can dramatically restructure polar and subpolar communities. Further, the research will expand understanding of leopard seals\u2019 ecological role, likely characterizing the species as flexible polar and subpolar predators throughout the Southern Hemisphere. The findings of this research will be relevant for use in ecosystem-based management decisions\u2014including the design of Marine Protected Areas\u2014 across three continents. This study will highlight intrinsic traits that determine species\u2019 adaptive capacity, as well as showcase the dynamic links between polar and subpolar ecosystems. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Foraging Ecology; Sub-Antarctic; Ecophysiology; Population Genetics; FIELD SURVEYS; SPECIES/POPULATION INTERACTIONS; Livingston Island; Adaptation; Leopard Seal; MARINE ECOSYSTEMS; Movement Data; MAMMALS; ; Antarctica; Chile; Southern Ocean", "locations": "Southern Ocean; Chile; ; Antarctica; Sub-Antarctic; Livingston Island", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Kienle, Sarah; Bonin, Carolina; Borras-Chavez, Renato", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD SURVEYS", "repo": "Dryad", "repositories": "Dryad; Github; NCBI (BioProject); NCBI Genbank; SRA (NCBI)", "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "Move, Adapt, or Change: Examining the Adaptive Capacity of a Southern Ocean Apex Predator, the Leopard Seal", "uid": "p0010375", "west": null}, {"awards": "1853377 Shero, Michelle", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((162 -76,162.6 -76,163.2 -76,163.8 -76,164.4 -76,165 -76,165.6 -76,166.2 -76,166.8 -76,167.4 -76,168 -76,168 -76.2,168 -76.4,168 -76.6,168 -76.8,168 -77,168 -77.2,168 -77.4,168 -77.6,168 -77.8,168 -78,167.4 -78,166.8 -78,166.2 -78,165.6 -78,165 -78,164.4 -78,163.8 -78,163.2 -78,162.6 -78,162 -78,162 -77.8,162 -77.6,162 -77.4,162 -77.2,162 -77,162 -76.8,162 -76.6,162 -76.4,162 -76.2,162 -76))", "dataset_titles": "Weddell seal dive behavior and rhythmicity from 2010-2012 in the Ross Sea; Weddell seal iron dynamics and oxygen stores across lactation", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601835", "doi": "10.15784/601835", "keywords": "Aerobic; Antarctica; Cryosphere; Weddell Seal", "people": "Shero, Michelle", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Weddell seal dive behavior and rhythmicity from 2010-2012 in the Ross Sea", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601835"}, {"dataset_uid": "601587", "doi": "10.15784/601587", "keywords": "Aerobic; Antarctica; Dive Capacity; Iron; McMurdo Sound; Weddell Seal", "people": "Shero, Michelle", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Weddell seal iron dynamics and oxygen stores across lactation", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601587"}], "date_created": "Tue, 09 Aug 2022 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Within any population, some individuals perform better than others. These individuals may survive longer or produce more offspring. Weddell seals in Erebus Bay, Antarctica, provide an unparalleled opportunity to investigate how an animal\u0027s physiology, behavior, and genetic make-up contribute to lifetime reproductive success because they have been the subject of a long-term population monitoring study and are easily accessible during their reproductive season. This project will distinguish key differences in energy allocation, reproductive timing, and dive capacities between female Weddell seals with a history of frequently producing pups (\"high-quality\" group), versus females that have produced pups only infrequently (\"low-quality\" group). For each group of females, physiology and behavior during the nursing period will be analyzed to assess whether investments influence their probability of reproducing the following year. Whole genomes will be compared between groups to identify underlying genes that govern reproductive success and population stability in a long-lived mammal. This collaborative project will provide research opportunities and training to several undergraduate and graduate students at the three participating institutions. Results will be broadly disseminated through presentations and peer-reviewed publications, and to students via an extensive public outreach collaboration with museum programming, curriculum-aligned science lessons, and pedagogy training. Within any wild animal population there is substantial heterogeneity in reproductive rates and animal fitness. Not all individuals contribute to the population equally; some are able to produce more offspring than others and thus are considered to be of higher quality. This study aims to distinguish which physiological mechanisms (energy dynamics, aerobic capacity, and fertility) and underlying genetic factors make some Weddell seal females particularly successful at producing pups year after year, while others produce far fewer pups than the population average. In this project, an Organismal Energetics approach will identify key differences between high- and low-quality females in how they balance current and future reproductive success by tracking lactation costs, midsummer foraging success and pregnancy rates, and overwinter foraging patterns and live births the next year. Repeated sampling of individuals\u0027 physiological status (body composition, endocrinology, ovulation and pregnancy timing), will be paired with a whole-genome sequencing study. The second component of this study uses a Genome to Phenome approach to better understand how genetic differences between high- and low-quality females directly correspond to functional differences in transcription, translation, and ultimately phenotype. This component will contribute to the functional analysis and annotation of the Weddell seal genome. In combination, this project will make strides towards distinguishing the roles that plastic (physiological, behavioral) and fixed (genetic) factors play in complex, multifaceted traits such as fitness in a long-lived wild mammal. The project partners with established programs to implement extensive educational and outreach activities that will ensure wide dissemination to educators, students, and the public. It will contribute to a marine mammal exhibit at the Pink Palace Museum, and a PolarTREC science educator will participate in field work in Antarctica. This award is co-funded by the GEO-OPP-Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems Program, BIO-IOS-Physiological Mechanisms and Biomechanics Program, and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": 168.0, "geometry": "POINT(165 -77)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "McMurdo; MAMMALS", "locations": "McMurdo", "north": -76.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Shero, Michelle; Hindle, Allyson; Burns, Jennifer; Briggs, Brandon", "platforms": null, "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -78.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: Physiological and Genetic Correlates of Reproductive Success in High- versus Low-Quality Weddell seals", "uid": "p0010369", "west": 162.0}, {"awards": "2020664 Vazquez-Medina, Jose Pablo; 2020706 Hindle, Allyson", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((164 -77.2,164.3 -77.2,164.6 -77.2,164.9 -77.2,165.2 -77.2,165.5 -77.2,165.8 -77.2,166.1 -77.2,166.4 -77.2,166.7 -77.2,167 -77.2,167 -77.265,167 -77.33,167 -77.395,167 -77.46,167 -77.525,167 -77.59,167 -77.655,167 -77.72,167 -77.785,167 -77.85,166.7 -77.85,166.4 -77.85,166.1 -77.85,165.8 -77.85,165.5 -77.85,165.2 -77.85,164.9 -77.85,164.6 -77.85,164.3 -77.85,164 -77.85,164 -77.785,164 -77.72,164 -77.655,164 -77.59,164 -77.525,164 -77.46,164 -77.395,164 -77.33,164 -77.265,164 -77.2))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Thu, 09 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2). Part I: Non-technical description: The Weddell seal is an iconic Antarctic species and a superb diver, swimming down to 2,000 feet and staying underwater for up to 45 minutes. However, as for any mammal, the low oxygen concentrations in the blood during diving and the recovery once back at the surface are challenges that need to be overcome making their diving ability something unique that has fascinated scientists for decades. This research project will evaluate the underlying processes in Weddell seal\u2019s physiology that protects this species from the consequences of diving. The work will combine laboratory experiments where cells that line the blood vessels will be exposed to conditions of low oxygen, similar to those that will be measured in diving seals in Antarctica. The investigarors will test a new idea that several short-term dives, performed before a long dive, allows seals to condition themselves. Measurements on the chemical compounds released to the blood during dives, combined with experiments on the genes that regulate them will provide clues on the biochemical pathways that help the seals tolerate these extreme conditions. The project allows for documentation of individual seal dives and provisioning of such information to the broader science community that seeks to study these seals, educating graduate and undergraduate students and a post-doctoral researcher and producing a science-outreach comic book for middle-school students to illustrate the project\u0027s science activities, goals and outcomes. Part II: Technical description: The Weddell seal is a champion diver with high natural tolerance for low blood oxygen concentration (hypoxemia) and inadequate blood supply (ischemia). The processes unique to this species protects their tissues from inflammation and oxidative stress observed in other mammalian tissues exposed to such physiological conditions. This project aims to understand the signatures of the processes that protect seals from inflammation and oxidant stress, using molecular, cellular and metabolic tools. Repetitive short dives before long ones are hypothesized to precondition seal tissues and activate the protective processes. The new aspect of this work is the study of endothelial cells, which sense changes in oxygen and blood flow, providing a link between breath-holding and cellular function. The approach is one of laboratory experiments combined with 2-years of field work in an ice camp off McMurdo Station in Antarctica. The study is structured by three main objectives: 1) laboratory experiments with arterial endothelial cells exposed to changes in oxygen and flow to identify molecular pathways responsible for tolerance of hypoxia and ischemia using several physiological, biochemical and genomic tools including CRSPR/Cas9 knochout and knockdown approaches. 2) Metabolomic analyses of blood metabolites produced by seals during long dives. And 3) Metabolomic and genomic determinations of seal physiology during short dives hypothesized to pre-condition tolerance responses. In the field, blood samples will be taken after seals dive in an isolated ice hole and its diving performance recorded. It is expected that the blood will contain metabolites that can be related to molecular pathways identified in lab experiments. Expert collaborators will provide field support, with the ice camp, dive hole for the seals, and telemetry associated with the seals\u2019 dives. The project builds upon previous NSF-funded projects where the seal genome and cellular resources were produced. Undergraduate researchers will be recruited from institutional programs with a track record of attracting underrepresented minorities and a minority-serving institution. To further increase polar literacy training and educational impacts, the field team will include a blog where field experiences are shared and comic book preparation with an artist designed for K-12 students and public outreach. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": 167.0, "geometry": "POINT(165.5 -77.525)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "FIELD SURVEYS; USA/NSF; AMD; MAMMALS; McMurdo Sound; Amd/Us", "locations": "McMurdo Sound", "north": -77.2, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Hindle, Allyson; Vazquez-Medina, Jose Pablo", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD SURVEYS", "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": -77.85, "title": "Collaborative Research: Role of Endothelial Cell Activation in Hypoxia Tolerance of an Elite Diver, the Weddell Seal", "uid": "p0010257", "west": 164.0}, {"awards": "1943550 McDonald, Birgitte", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((168 -77,168.3 -77,168.6 -77,168.9 -77,169.2 -77,169.5 -77,169.8 -77,170.1 -77,170.4 -77,170.7 -77,171 -77,171 -77.1,171 -77.2,171 -77.3,171 -77.4,171 -77.5,171 -77.6,171 -77.7,171 -77.8,171 -77.9,171 -78,170.7 -78,170.4 -78,170.1 -78,169.8 -78,169.5 -78,169.2 -78,168.9 -78,168.6 -78,168.3 -78,168 -78,168 -77.9,168 -77.8,168 -77.7,168 -77.6,168 -77.5,168 -77.4,168 -77.3,168 -77.2,168 -77.1,168 -77))", "dataset_titles": "Late chick-rearing foraging ecology of emperor penguins from the Cape Crozier colony; Post-molt emperor penguin foraging ecology", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601688", "doi": "10.15784/601688", "keywords": "Animal Tracking; Antarctica; Biota; Emperor Penguin; GPS; Late Chick Rearing; Ross Sea", "people": "McDonald, Birgitte", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Late chick-rearing foraging ecology of emperor penguins from the Cape Crozier colony", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601688"}, {"dataset_uid": "601686", "doi": "10.15784/601686", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Emperor Penguin; NBP2302; Post-Molt; Ross Sea", "people": "McDonald, Birgitte", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Post-molt emperor penguin foraging ecology", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601686"}], "date_created": "Tue, 20 Jul 2021 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Part I: Non-technical Summary Understanding the mechanisms that animals use to find and acquire food is a fundamental question in ecology. The survival and success of marine predators depends on their ability to locate prey in a variable or changing environment. To do this the predators need to be able to adjust foraging behavior depending on the conditions they encounter. Emperor penguins are ice-dependent, top predators in Antarctica. However, they are vulnerable to environmental changes that alter food web or sea ice coverage, and environmental change may lead to changes in penguin foraging behavior, and ultimately survival and reproduction success. Despite their importance in the Southern Ocean ecosystem, relatively little is known about the specific mechanisms Emperor penguins use to find and acquire food. This study combines a suite of technological and analytical tools to gain essential knowledge on Ross Sea penguin foraging energetics, ecology, and habitat use during critical periods in their life history, especially during late chick-rearing periods. Energy management is particularly crucial during this time as parents need to feed both themselves and their rapidly growing offspring, while being constrained to regions near the colony. Penguin ecology and habitat preference will also be evaluated after the molt and through early reproduction. This study fills important ecological knowledge gaps on the energy balance, diet, and habitat use by penguins during these critical periods. Finally, the project furthers the NSF goals of training new generations of scientists through training of undergraduates, graduate students and a postdoctoral researcher. Public outreach activities will be aligned with another NSF funded project designed to provide science training in afterschool and camp programs that target underrepresented groups. Part II: Technical summary This project will identify behavioral and physiological variability in foraging Emperor penguins that can be directly linked to individual success in the marine environment using an ecological theoretical framework during two critical life history stages. First, this project will investigate the foraging energetics, ecology, and habitat use of Emperor penguins at Cape Crozier using fine-scale movement and video data loggers during the energetically demanding life history phase of late chick-rearing. Specifically, this study will 1) Estimate the relationship of foraging efficiency to foraging behavior and diet using an optimal foraging theory framework to identify what environmental or physiological constraints influence foraging behavior; 2) Investigate the inter- and intra-individual behavioral variability exhibited by emperor penguins, which is essential to predict how resilient these penguins are to environmental change; and 3) Integrate penguin foraging efficiency data with environmental data to identify important habitat. Next the researchers will study the ecology and habitat preference after the molt and through early reproduction using satellite-linked data loggers. The team will: 1) Investigate penguin inter- and intra-individual behavioral variability during the three-month post-molt and early winter foraging trips; and 2) Integrate penguin behavioral data with environmental data to identify which environmental features are indicative of habitat preference when penguins are not constrained to returning to the colony to feed a chick. These fine- and coarse-scale data will be combined with climate predictions to create predictive habitat models. The education objectives of this CAREER project are designed to inspire, engage, and train the next generation of scientists using the data and video generated while investigating Emperor penguins in the Antarctic ecosystem. This includes development of two university courses, training of undergraduate and graduate students, and a collaboration with the NSF funded \u201cPolar Literacy: A model for youth engagement and learning\u201d program to develop after school and camp curriculum that target undeserved and underrepresented groups. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": 171.0, "geometry": "POINT(169.5 -77.5)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Amd/Us; PENGUINS; MARINE ECOSYSTEMS; USA/NSF; Ross Sea; FIELD SURVEYS; USAP-DC; AMD", "locations": "Ross Sea", "north": -77.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "McDonald, Birgitte", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD SURVEYS", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -78.0, "title": "CAREER: Foraging Ecology and Physiology of Emperor Penguins in the Ross Sea", "uid": "p0010232", "west": 168.0}, {"awards": "1947040 Postlethwait, John", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-65.3 -63.3,-65 -63.3,-64.7 -63.3,-64.4 -63.3,-64.1 -63.3,-63.8 -63.3,-63.5 -63.3,-63.2 -63.3,-62.9 -63.3,-62.6 -63.3,-62.3 -63.3,-62.3 -63.47,-62.3 -63.64,-62.3 -63.81,-62.3 -63.98,-62.3 -64.15,-62.3 -64.32,-62.3 -64.49,-62.3 -64.66,-62.3 -64.83,-62.3 -65,-62.6 -65,-62.9 -65,-63.2 -65,-63.5 -65,-63.8 -65,-64.1 -65,-64.4 -65,-64.7 -65,-65 -65,-65.3 -65,-65.3 -64.83,-65.3 -64.66,-65.3 -64.49,-65.3 -64.32,-65.3 -64.15,-65.3 -63.98,-65.3 -63.81,-65.3 -63.64,-65.3 -63.47,-65.3 -63.3))", "dataset_titles": "18 SSU rDNA type sequences for Notoxcellia coronata (nov. sp.); 18 SSU rDNA type sequences for Notoxcellia picta (nov. sp.); Expedition Data of LMG1805; Fish pictures and skin pathology of X-cell infection in Trematomus scotti.; Gonad and skin histology of Trematomus loennbergii infected by Notoxcellia sp.; Histopathology of X-cell xenomas in Trematomus scotti and Nototheniops larseni.; In situ hybridization of X-cell and host fish 18S SSU rRNA in alternate sections of tumor xenomas.; Metagenomic analysis of apparently healthy and tumor samples using Kaiju software ; microMRI analyses of Trematomus scotti Tsco_18_08 with X-cell xenomas; Morphological and pathological data of Trematomus scotti specimens captured on May 30th, 2018 in Andvord Bay.; Morphological, fecundity, and age data of Trematomus scotti from Andvord Bay and the Weddell Sea.; Nomenclatural Act for the genus Notoxcellia; Nomenclatural Act for the species Notoxcellia coronata; Nomenclatural Act for the species Notoxcellia picta; Phylogenetic Analysis of Notoxcellia species.; Phylogenetic Analysis of Notoxcellia species, including novel Ross Sea specimen; Raw Illumina sequencing reads from skin tumors and visually healthy skins from Trematomus scotti and Nototheniops larseni; Similarity matrices of Notoxcellia spp.; Temperature profiles at five fishing locations on the West Antarctic Peninsula during austral fall 2018.; Trematomus scotti mt-co1 sequence alignment.; Trematomus scotti with X-cell xenomas", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601892", "doi": "10.15784/601892", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; CO1; COX1; Cryonotothenioid; Cryosphere; Genetic Sequences; LMG1805; MT-CO1; Nototheniidae; Notothenioid; Population Genetics", "people": "Postlethwait, John; Schiavon, Luca ; Desvignes, Thomas; Papetti, Chiara", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Trematomus scotti mt-co1 sequence alignment.", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601892"}, {"dataset_uid": "601536", "doi": "10.15784/601536", "keywords": "Alveolata; Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Notoxcellia Coronata; Notoxcellia Picta; Perkinsozoa; Xcellidae", "people": "Murray, Katrina N. ; Postlethwait, John; Desvignes, Thomas; Kent, Michael L. ", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Histopathology of X-cell xenomas in Trematomus scotti and Nototheniops larseni.", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601536"}, {"dataset_uid": "601537", "doi": "10.15784/601537", "keywords": "Alveolata; Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Notoxcellia Coronata; Notoxcellia Picta; Perkinsozoa; Xcellidae", "people": "Desvignes, Thomas; Postlethwait, John; Varsani, Arvind; Kraberger, Simona ; Fontenele, Rafaela S. ", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Metagenomic analysis of apparently healthy and tumor samples using Kaiju software ", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601537"}, {"dataset_uid": "601538", "doi": "10.15784/601538", "keywords": "Alveolata; Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Notoxcellia Coronata; Notoxcellia Picta; Perkinsozoa; Xcellidae", "people": "Lauridsen, Henrik; Postlethwait, John; Desvignes, Thomas", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "microMRI analyses of Trematomus scotti Tsco_18_08 with X-cell xenomas", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601538"}, {"dataset_uid": "200443", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data of LMG1805", "url": "https://doi.org/10.7284/907930"}, {"dataset_uid": "601916", "doi": "10.15784/601916", "keywords": "Alveolata; Antarctica; Cryosphere; Notoxcellia Coronata; Notoxcellia Picta; Perkinsozoa; Ross Sea; Xcellidae", "people": "Devine, Jennifer; Desvignes, Thomas; Postlethwait, John; P\u00e9ron, Clara", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Gonad and skin histology of Trematomus loennbergii infected by Notoxcellia sp.", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601916"}, {"dataset_uid": "601539", "doi": "10.15784/601539", "keywords": "Alveolata; Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Notoxcellia Coronata; Notoxcellia Picta; Perkinsozoa; Xcellidae", "people": "Postlethwait, John; Desvignes, Thomas", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "In situ hybridization of X-cell and host fish 18S SSU rRNA in alternate sections of tumor xenomas.", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601539"}, {"dataset_uid": "601893", "doi": "10.15784/601893", "keywords": "Age; Antarctica; Biota; Cryonotothenioid; Cryosphere; Fecundity; Growth; Length; Nototheniidae; Oceans; Otolith; Reproduction; Weight", "people": "Valdivieso, Alejandro; Cal\u00ec, Federico; Riginella, Emilio; Streeter, Margaret; Le Francois, Nathalie; Lucassen, Magnus; Mark, Felix C; Detrich, H. William; Papetti, Chiara; Postlethwait, John; La Mesa, Mario; Sguotti, Camilla; Desvignes, Thomas; Grondin, Jacob", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Morphological, fecundity, and age data of Trematomus scotti from Andvord Bay and the Weddell Sea.", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601893"}, {"dataset_uid": "200384", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "ZooBank", "science_program": null, "title": "Nomenclatural Act for the species Notoxcellia picta", "url": "https://zoobank.org/NomenclaturalActs/31062dd2-7202-47fa-86e0-7be5c55ac0e2"}, {"dataset_uid": "200383", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "ZooBank", "science_program": null, "title": "Nomenclatural Act for the species Notoxcellia coronata", "url": "https://zoobank.org/NomenclaturalActs/194d91b2-e268-4238-89e2-385819f2c35b"}, {"dataset_uid": "200382", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "ZooBank", "science_program": null, "title": "Nomenclatural Act for the genus Notoxcellia", "url": "https://zoobank.org/NomenclaturalActs/5cf9609e-0111-4386-8518-bd50b5bdde0e"}, {"dataset_uid": "200254", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data of LMG1805", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1805"}, {"dataset_uid": "200262", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "MorphoSource", "science_program": null, "title": "Trematomus scotti with X-cell xenomas", "url": "https://www.morphosource.org/projects/000405843?locale=en"}, {"dataset_uid": "601501", "doi": "10.15784/601501", "keywords": "Alveolata; Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Biota; Notoxcellia Coronata; Notoxcellia Picta; Oceans; Perkinsozoa; Xcellidae", "people": "Desvignes, Thomas; Varsani, Arvind; Postlethwait, John", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Phylogenetic Analysis of Notoxcellia species.", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601501"}, {"dataset_uid": "601494", "doi": "10.15784/601494", "keywords": "Andvord Bay; Antarctica; Fish", "people": "Desvignes, Thomas; Le Francois, Nathalie; Lauridsen, Henrik; Postlethwait, John", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Morphological and pathological data of Trematomus scotti specimens captured on May 30th, 2018 in Andvord Bay.", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601494"}, {"dataset_uid": "200277", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI SRA", "science_program": null, "title": "Raw Illumina sequencing reads from skin tumors and visually healthy skins from Trematomus scotti and Nototheniops larseni", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/?term=PRJNA789574"}, {"dataset_uid": "601496", "doi": "10.15784/601496", "keywords": "Andvord Bay; Antarctica; Fish", "people": "Desvignes, Thomas; Lauridsen, Henrik; Postlethwait, John", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Fish pictures and skin pathology of X-cell infection in Trematomus scotti.", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601496"}, {"dataset_uid": "200276", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "GenBank", "science_program": null, "title": "18 SSU rDNA type sequences for Notoxcellia picta (nov. sp.)", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/OL630145"}, {"dataset_uid": "200275", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "GenBank", "science_program": null, "title": "18 SSU rDNA type sequences for Notoxcellia coronata (nov. sp.)", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/OL630144"}, {"dataset_uid": "601495", "doi": "10.15784/601495", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula", "people": "Desvignes, Thomas", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Temperature profiles at five fishing locations on the West Antarctic Peninsula during austral fall 2018.", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601495"}, {"dataset_uid": "601917", "doi": "10.15784/601917", "keywords": "Alveolata; Antarctic; Cryosphere; Notoxcellia Coronata; Notoxcellia Picta; Perkinsozoa; Xcellidae", "people": "P\u00e9ron, Clara; Desvignes, Thomas; Postlethwait, John; Devine, Jennifer", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Similarity matrices of Notoxcellia spp.", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601917"}, {"dataset_uid": "601915", "doi": "10.15784/601915", "keywords": "Alveolata; Antarctic; Cryosphere; Notoxcellia Coronata; Notoxcellia Picta; Perkinsozoa; Xcellidae", "people": "Postlethwait, John; Devine, Jennifer; Desvignes, Thomas; P\u00e9ron, Clara", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Phylogenetic Analysis of Notoxcellia species, including novel Ross Sea specimen", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601915"}], "date_created": "Thu, 01 Jul 2021 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Antarctica\u2019s native animals face increasing stressors from warming oceans. A key unanswered question is how Antarctic life will respond. If warmer waters contribute to fish disease susceptibility, then iconic Antarctic predators they support, including penguins, seals, and killer whales, will suffer. A recent scientific cruise on the Antarctic peninsula encountered a population of crowned notothen fish that were plagued by pink, wart-like tumors that covered 10% to 30% of the body surface on about a third of the animals. Similar tumors had not previously been reported, suggesting that this might be a new disease that threatens Antarctic fish. The goal of proposed work is to identify the biological origins of the tumor and how it affects cell function and organismal physiology. The work is potentially transformative because it studies what might be a harbinger of Antarctic fish responses to global climate change. The project has several Broader Impacts. First, it will publicize the tumors. Because Antarctic researchers have never reported a tumor epidemic, the community must become aware of the outbreak and the tumor\u2019s distinct diagnostic features. Second, dissemination of project results will stir further research to determine if this is an isolated event or is becoming a general phenomenon, and thus a broad concern for Antarctic ecosystems. Third, assays the project develops to detect the disease will enhance research infrastructure. Finally, work will broaden the nation\u2019s scientific workforce by providing authentic research experiences for high school students and undergraduates from groups underrepresented in scientific research. The overall goal of proposed work is to identify the biological origins of the neoplasia and how it affects cell function and physiology. Aim 1 is to identify the pathogenic agent. Aim 1a is to test the hypothesis that a virus causes the neoplasia by isolating and sequencing viral nucleic acids from neoplasias and from animals that are not visibly affected. Aim 1b is to test neoplasias for bacteria, fungi, protozoa, or invertebrate parasites not present in healthy skin. Aim 2 is to learn how the disease alters the biology of affected cells. Aim 2a is to examine histological sections of affected and control tissues to see if the neoplasias are similar to previously reported skin diseases in temperate water fishes. Aim 2b is to examine the function of neoplastic cells by RNA-seq transcriptomics to identify genes that are differentially expressed in neoplasias and normal skin. Achieving these Aims will advance knowledge by identifying the causes and consequences of an outbreak of neoplasias in Antarctic fish. Proposed work is significant because it is the first to investigate a neoplasia cluster in Antarctic fish. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": -62.3, "geometry": "POINT(-63.8 -64.15)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "FIELD SURVEYS; Andvord Bay; Amd/Us; PROTISTS; BENTHIC; FISH; Dallmann Bay; USAP-DC; NSF/USA; AMD", "locations": "Andvord Bay; Dallmann Bay", "north": -63.3, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Postlethwait, John; Varsani, Arvind; Desvignes, Thomas", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD SURVEYS", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "GenBank; MorphoSource; NCBI SRA; R2R; USAP-DC; ZooBank", "science_programs": null, "south": -65.0, "title": "EAGER: Origin and Physiological Consequences of a Neoplasm Outbreak in Antarctic Fish ", "uid": "p0010221", "west": -65.3}, {"awards": "1850988 Teets, Nicholas", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-64.366767 -62.68104,-63.9917036 -62.68104,-63.6166402 -62.68104,-63.2415768 -62.68104,-62.8665134 -62.68104,-62.49145 -62.68104,-62.1163866 -62.68104,-61.7413232 -62.68104,-61.3662598 -62.68104,-60.9911964 -62.68104,-60.616133 -62.68104,-60.616133 -62.9537037,-60.616133 -63.2263674,-60.616133 -63.4990311,-60.616133 -63.7716948,-60.616133 -64.0443585,-60.616133 -64.3170222,-60.616133 -64.5896859,-60.616133 -64.8623496,-60.616133 -65.1350133,-60.616133 -65.407677,-60.9911964 -65.407677,-61.3662598 -65.407677,-61.7413232 -65.407677,-62.1163866 -65.407677,-62.49145 -65.407677,-62.8665134 -65.407677,-63.2415768 -65.407677,-63.6166402 -65.407677,-63.9917036 -65.407677,-64.366767 -65.407677,-64.366767 -65.1350133,-64.366767 -64.8623496,-64.366767 -64.5896859,-64.366767 -64.3170222,-64.366767 -64.0443585,-64.366767 -63.7716948,-64.366767 -63.4990311,-64.366767 -63.2263674,-64.366767 -62.9537037,-64.366767 -62.68104))", "dataset_titles": "Belgica antarctica collection sites - Summer 2023/2024 field season; Cold and dehydration tolerance of Belgica antarctica from three distinct geographic locations; Cross-tolerance in Belgica antarctica near Palmer Peninsula; Data from Edgington, H., Pavinato, V.A.C., Spacht, D., Gantz, J.D., Convey, P., Lee, R.E., Denlinger, D.L., Michel, A., 2023. Genetic history, structure and gene flow among populations of Belgica antarctica, the only free-living insect in the western Antarctic Peninsula. Polar Science 36, 100945.; Data from microplastics exposure in Belgica antarctica; Fine\u2011scale variation in microhabitat conditions influences physiology and metabolism in an Antarctic insect; Information on 2023 collection sites for Belgica antarctica; LMG2002 Expedtition Data; Long-term recovery from freezing in Belgica antarctica; Multiple stress tolerance in the Antarctic midge; Simulated winter warming negatively impacts survival of Antarcticas only endemic insect; Stress tolerance in Belgica antarctica and Eretmoptera murphyi; Temporal and spatial variation in stress tolerance in Belgica antarctica populations from distinct islands", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601872", "doi": "10.15784/601872", "keywords": "Antarctica; Belgica Antarctica; Cryosphere", "people": "Michel, Andrew; Colinet, Herve; Sousa Lima, Cleverson; Teets, Nicholas; Hayward, Scott", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Cross-tolerance in Belgica antarctica near Palmer Peninsula", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601872"}, {"dataset_uid": "601873", "doi": "10.15784/601873", "keywords": "Antarctica; Belgica Antarctica; Cryosphere; Population Genetics", "people": "Michel, Andrew; Hayward, Scott; Teets, Nicholas; Sousa Lima, Cleverson", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Temporal and spatial variation in stress tolerance in Belgica antarctica populations from distinct islands", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601873"}, {"dataset_uid": "601875", "doi": "10.15784/601875", "keywords": "Antarctica; Cryosphere", "people": "Hayward, Scott; Sousa Lima, Cleverson; Teets, Nicholas; Michel, Andrew", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Belgica antarctica collection sites - Summer 2023/2024 field season", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601875"}, {"dataset_uid": "601864", "doi": "10.15784/601864", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Cryosphere", "people": "Teets, Nicholas; Kawarasaki, Yuta", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Cold and dehydration tolerance of Belgica antarctica from three distinct geographic locations", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601864"}, {"dataset_uid": "601698", "doi": "10.15784/601698", "keywords": "Antarctica; Belgica Antarctica; Palmer Station", "people": "Sousa Lima, Cleverson; Lecheta, Melise; Devlin, Jack; Teets, Nicholas", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Long-term recovery from freezing in Belgica antarctica", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601698"}, {"dataset_uid": "601871", "doi": "10.15784/601871", "keywords": "Antarctica; Belgica Antarctica; Cryosphere", "people": "Gantz, Josiah D.; Hayward, Scott; Michel, Andrew; Sousa Lima, Cleverson; Aquilino, Monica; Kawarasaki, Yuta; Pavinato, Vitor; Devlin, Jack; Teets, Nicholas", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Stress tolerance in Belgica antarctica and Eretmoptera murphyi", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601871"}, {"dataset_uid": "601867", "doi": "10.15784/601867", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Cryosphere", "people": "Teets, Nicholas", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Multiple stress tolerance in the Antarctic midge", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601867"}, {"dataset_uid": "601866", "doi": "10.15784/601866", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Cryosphere", "people": "Devlin, Jack; Teets, Nicholas", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Data from microplastics exposure in Belgica antarctica", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601866"}, {"dataset_uid": "200222", "doi": "10.7284/908802", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "LMG2002 Expedtition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG2002"}, {"dataset_uid": "200438", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI", "science_program": null, "title": "Data from Edgington, H., Pavinato, V.A.C., Spacht, D., Gantz, J.D., Convey, P., Lee, R.E., Denlinger, D.L., Michel, A., 2023. Genetic history, structure and gene flow among populations of Belgica antarctica, the only free-living insect in the western Antarctic Peninsula. Polar Science 36, 100945.", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/PRJNA565153/"}, {"dataset_uid": "200437", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Stress tolerance in Belgica antarctica and Eretmoptera murphyi", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601874"}, {"dataset_uid": "200425", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Simulated winter warming negatively impacts survival of Antarcticas only endemic insect", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601694"}, {"dataset_uid": "601687", "doi": "10.15784/601687", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Belgica Antarctica; Biota; Sample Location", "people": "Kawarasaki, Yuta; Pavinato, Vitor; Gantz, Joseph; Devlin, Jack; Teets, Nicholas; Michel, Andrew; Peter, Convey; Sousa Lima, Cleverson", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Information on 2023 collection sites for Belgica antarctica", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601687"}, {"dataset_uid": "601865", "doi": "10.15784/601865", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Cryosphere; Seasonality", "people": "Denlinger, David; Devlin, Jack; McCabe, Eleanor; Lee, Richard; Teets, Nicholas; Spacht, Drew; Gantz, Josiah D.", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Fine\u2011scale variation in microhabitat conditions influences physiology and metabolism in an Antarctic insect", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601865"}], "date_created": "Fri, 25 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The cold, dry terrestrial environments of Antarctica are inhospitable for insects, and only three midge species make Antarctica home. Of these, Belgica antarctica is the only species found exclusively in Antarctica, and it has been a resident of Antarctica since the continent split from South America ~30 million years ago. Thus, this species is an excellent system to model the biological history of Antarctica throughout its repeated glaciation events and shifts in climate. This insect is also a classic example of extreme adaptation, and much previous work has focused on identifying the genetic and physiological mechanisms that allow this species to survive where no other insect is capable. However, it has been difficult to pinpoint the unique evolutionary adaptations that are required to survive in Antarctica due to a lack of information from closely related Antarctic and sub-Antarctic species. This project will compare adaptations, genome sequences, and population characteristics of four midge species that span an environmental gradient from sub-Antarctic to Antarctic habitats. In addition to B. antarctica, these species include two species that are strictly sub-Antarctic and a third that is native to the sub-Antarctic but has invaded parts of Antarctica. The researchers, comprised of scientists from the US, UK, Chile, and France, will sample insects from across their geographic range and measure their ability to tolerate environmental stressors (i.e., cold and desiccation), quantify molecular responses to stress, and compare the makeup of the genome and patterns of genetic diversity. This research will contribute to a greater understanding of adaptation to extremes, to an understanding of biodiversity on the planet and to understanding and predicting changes accompanying environmental change. The project will train two graduate students and two postdoctoral researchers, and a K-12 educator will be a member of the field team and will assist with fieldwork and facilitate outreach with schools in the US. The project includes partnership activities with several STEM education organizations to deliver educational content to K-12 and secondary students. This is a project that is jointly funded by the National Science Foundation\u0027s Directorate of Geosciences (NSF/GEO) and the National Environment Research Council (NERC) of the United Kingdom (UK) via the NSF/GEO-NERC Lead Agency Agreement. This Agreement allows a single joint US/UK proposal to be submitted and peer-reviewed by the Agency whose investigator has the largest proportion of the budget. Each Agency funds the proportion of the budget and the investigators associated with its own country. UK participation in this project includes deploying scientists as part of the field team, supporting field and sampling logistics at remote Antarctic sites, and genome sequencing, annotation, and analyses. This project focuses on the key physiological adaptations and molecular processes that allow a select few insect species to survive in Antarctica. The focal species are all wingless with limited dispersal capacity, suggesting there is also significant potential to locally adapt to variable environmental conditions across the range of these species. The central hypothesis is that similar molecular mechanisms drive both population-level adaptation to local environmental conditions and macroevolutionary changes across species living in different environments. The specific aims of the project are to 1) Characterize conserved and species-specific adaptations to extreme environments through comparative physiology and transcriptomics, 2) Compare the genome sequences of these species to identify genetic signatures of extreme adaption, and 3) Investigate patterns of diversification and local adaptation across each species? range using population genomics. The project establishes an international collaboration of researchers from the US, UK, Chile, and France with shared interests and complementary expertise in the biology, genomics, and conservation of Antarctic arthropods. The Broader Impacts of the project include training students and partnering with the Living Arts and Science Center to design and implement educational content for K-12 students. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": -60.616133, "geometry": "POINT(-62.49145 -64.0443585)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Antarctic Peninsula; Livingston Island; Antarctica; USAP-DC; AMD; R/V LMG; USA/NSF; ARTHROPODS; Amd/Us; Anvers Island", "locations": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Anvers Island; Livingston Island", "north": -62.68104, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Teets, Nicholas; Michel, Andrew", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V LMG", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "NCBI; R2R; USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -65.407677, "title": "NSFGEO-NERC: Mechanisms of Adaptation to Terrestrial Antarctica through Comparative Physiology and Genomics of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic Insects", "uid": "p0010203", "west": -64.366767}, {"awards": "1745130 Moran, Amy", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((163 -76,163.3 -76,163.6 -76,163.9 -76,164.2 -76,164.5 -76,164.8 -76,165.1 -76,165.4 -76,165.7 -76,166 -76,166 -76.2,166 -76.4,166 -76.6,166 -76.8,166 -77,166 -77.2,166 -77.4,166 -77.6,166 -77.8,166 -78,165.7 -78,165.4 -78,165.1 -78,164.8 -78,164.5 -78,164.2 -78,163.9 -78,163.6 -78,163.3 -78,163 -78,163 -77.8,163 -77.6,163 -77.4,163 -77.2,163 -77,163 -76.8,163 -76.6,163 -76.4,163 -76.2,163 -76))", "dataset_titles": "Benthic seawater temperature and conductivity measurements at six sites in McMurdo Sound; Effect of temperature on cleavage rate of Antarctic invertebrates; Effect of temperature on oxygen consumption rates of larvae of four Antarctic marine invertebrates; Egg diameters of Colossendeis megalonyx; Survey Metadata. All counts of Odontaster validus from SSWS surveys at the McMurdo Intake Jetty and Cinder Cones.; Temperature acclimation and acclimatization of sea spider larvae; Temperature effects on proximal composition and development rate of embryos and larvae of four Antarctic invertebrates; Video of Colossendeis megalonyx behavior around egg mass", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601888", "doi": "10.15784/601888", "keywords": "Antarctica; Cryosphere; McMurdo; Temperature", "people": "Toh, MIng Wei Aaron; Moran, Amy; Lobert, Graham", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Effect of temperature on oxygen consumption rates of larvae of four Antarctic marine invertebrates", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601888"}, {"dataset_uid": "601716", "doi": "10.15784/601716", "keywords": "Antarctica; McMurdo; Pycnogonida; Sea Spider", "people": "Lobert, Graham; Moran, Amy", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Video of Colossendeis megalonyx behavior around egg mass", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601716"}, {"dataset_uid": "601717", "doi": "10.15784/601717", "keywords": "Antarctica; McMurdo", "people": "Moran, Amy", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Egg diameters of Colossendeis megalonyx", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601717"}, {"dataset_uid": "601869", "doi": "10.15784/601869", "keywords": "Antarctica; Cryosphere; McMurdo; McMurdo Sound", "people": "Thurber, Andrew; Moran, Amy", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Survey Metadata. All counts of Odontaster validus from SSWS surveys at the McMurdo Intake Jetty and Cinder Cones.", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601869"}, {"dataset_uid": "601870", "doi": "10.15784/601870", "keywords": "Antarctica; Cryosphere; McMurdo Sound; Salinity; Temperature", "people": "Moran, Amy", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Benthic seawater temperature and conductivity measurements at six sites in McMurdo Sound", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601870"}, {"dataset_uid": "601886", "doi": "10.15784/601886", "keywords": "Antarctica; Cryosphere; McMurdo; Temperature", "people": "Toh, Ming Wei Aaron; Moran, Amy; Lobert, Graham", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Temperature effects on proximal composition and development rate of embryos and larvae of four Antarctic invertebrates", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601886"}, {"dataset_uid": "601887", "doi": "10.15784/601887", "keywords": "Antarctica; Cryosphere; McMurdo; Temperature", "people": "Toh, Ming Wei Aaron; Lobert, Graham; Moran, Amy", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Effect of temperature on cleavage rate of Antarctic invertebrates", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601887"}, {"dataset_uid": "601889", "doi": "10.15784/601889", "keywords": "Antarctica; Cryosphere; McMurdo; Temperature", "people": "Moran, Amy; Toh, MIng Wei Aaron; Lobert, Graham", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Temperature acclimation and acclimatization of sea spider larvae", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601889"}], "date_created": "Wed, 09 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Cold-blooded animals in the Antarctic ocean have survived in near-constant, extreme cold conditions for millions of years and are very sensitive to even small changes in water temperature. However, the consequences of this extreme thermal sensitivity for the energetics, development, and survival of developing embryos is not well understood. This award will investigate the effect of temperature on the metabolism, growth rate, developmental rate, and developmental energetics of embryos and larvae of Antarctic marine ectotherms. The project will also measure annual variation in temperature and oxygen at different sites in McMurdo Sound, and compare embryonic and larval metabolism in winter and summer to determine the extent to which these life stages can acclimate to seasonal shifts. This research will provide insight into the ability of polar marine animals and ecosystems to withstand warming polar ocean conditions. Antarctic marine ectotherms exhibit universally slow growth, low metabolic rates, and extended development, yet many of their rate processes related to physiology and metabolism are highly thermally sensitive. This suggests that small changes in temperature may result in dramatic changes to energy metabolism, growth, and the rate and duration of development. This project will measure the effects of temperature on metabolism, developmental rate, and the energetic cost of development of four common and ecologically important species of benthic Antarctic marine invertebrates. These effects will be measured over the functional ranges of the organisms and in the context of environmentally relevant seasonal shifts in temperature around McMurdo Sound. Recent data show that seasonal warming of ~1 deg C near McMurdo Station is accompanied by long-lasting hyperoxic events that impact the benthos in the nearshore boundary layer. This research will provide a more comprehensive understanding of both annual variation in environmental oxygen and temperature across the Sound, and whether this variation drives changes in developmental rate and energetics that are consistent with physiological acclimatization. These data will provide key information about potential impacts of warming Antarctic ectotherms. In addition, this project will support undergraduate and graduate research and partner with large-enrollment undergraduate courses and REU programs at an ANNH and AANAPISI Title III minority-serving institution. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": 166.0, "geometry": "POINT(164.5 -77)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "USAP-DC; Amd/Us; McMurdo Sound; AMD; BENTHIC; USA/NSF; FIELD INVESTIGATION", "locations": "McMurdo Sound", "north": -76.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Moran, Amy", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD INVESTIGATION", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -78.0, "title": "Thermal Sensitivity of Antarctic Embryos and Larvae: Effects of Temperature on Metabolism, Developmental Rate, and the Metabolic Cost of Development ", "uid": "p0010187", "west": 163.0}, {"awards": "1543539 Liwanag, Heather", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "metabolic measurements; Sedation dose and response; TDR and weather data", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601524", "doi": "10.15784/601524", "keywords": "Antarctica; McMurdo Sound; Metabolic Rate; Thermoregulation; Weddell Seal", "people": "Pearson, Linnea", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "metabolic measurements", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601524"}, {"dataset_uid": "601435", "doi": "10.15784/601435", "keywords": "Antarctica; McMurdo Sound; Weddell Seal", "people": "Pearson, Linnea; Liwanag, Heather; Weitzner, Emma", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "TDR and weather data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601435"}, {"dataset_uid": "601631", "doi": "10.15784/601631", "keywords": "Antarctica; McMurdo Sound; Weddell Seal", "people": "Pearson, Linnea", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Sedation dose and response", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601631"}], "date_created": "Sat, 12 Dec 2020 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The transition of young from parental care to independence is a critical stage in the life of many animals. Surviving this stage can be especially challenging for polar mammals where the extreme cold requires extra energy to keep warm, rather than using the majority of energy for growth, development and physical activities. Young Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) have only weeks to develop the capabilities to survive both on top of the sea ice and within the -1.9\u00b0C seawater where they can forage for food. The project seeks to better understand how Weddell seal pups rapidly develop (within weeks) the capacity to transition between these two extreme environments (that differ greatly in their abilities to conduct heat) and how they budget their energy during the transition. Though the biology and physiology of adult Weddell seals is well studied, the energetic and physiological strategies of pups during development is still unclear. Understanding factors that may affect survival at critical life history events is essential for better understanding factors that might affect marine mammal populations. Weddell seals are the southernmost breeding mammal and are easily recognizable as quintessential Antarctic seals. Determining potential vulnerabilities at critical life stages to change in the Antarctic environment will facilitate the researchers\u0027 ability to not only gain public interest but also communicate how research is revealing ways in which changes are occurring at the poles and how these changes may affect polar ecosystems. By collaborating with the Marine Mammal Center, the project will directly reach the public, through curricular educational materials and public outreach that will impact over 100,000 visitors annually. To elucidate the physiological strategies that facilitate the survival of Weddell seal pups from birth to independence, the proposed study examines the development of their thermoregulation and diving capability. To achieve this, the project will determine the mechanisms that Weddell seal pups use to maintain a stable, warm body temperature in air and in water and then examine the development of diving capability as the animals prepare for independent foraging. The researchers will take a fully integrative approach- making assessments from proteins to tissues to the whole-animal level- when investigating both these objectives. To assess the development of thermoregulatory capability, researchers will quantify body insulation, resting metabolic rates in air and in water, muscle thermogenesis (shivering), and body surface temperatures in the field. The project will also assess the development of dive capability by quantifying oxygen storage capacities and measuring early dive behavior. To identify possible cellular mechanisms for how Weddell seals navigate this trade-off during development, the program will quantify several key developmental regulators of increased hypoxic capacity (HIF, VEGF and EPO) using qPCR, as well as follow the proteomic changes of adipose and muscle tissue, which will include abundance changes of metabolic, antioxidant, cytoskeletal, and Ca2+-regulating proteins. The study of the physiological development leading up to the transition to independence in pinnipeds will help researchers better predict the effects of climate change on the distribution and abundance of this species and how this will affect other trophic levels. Environmental changes that alter habitat suitability have been shown to decrease population health, specifically because of declines in juvenile survival.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "MAMMALS; FIELD INVESTIGATION; McMurdo Sound", "locations": "McMurdo Sound", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Liwanag, Heather; Pearson, Linnea; Tomanek, Lars; Johnson, Shawn", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD INVESTIGATION", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "RUI: Growing Up on Ice: Physiological Adaptations and Developmental Plasticity in Weddell Seal Pups Across Two Extreme Physical Environments", "uid": "p0010144", "west": null}, {"awards": "1753101 Bernard, Kim", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-65 -64,-64.7 -64,-64.4 -64,-64.1 -64,-63.8 -64,-63.5 -64,-63.2 -64,-62.9 -64,-62.6 -64,-62.3 -64,-62 -64,-62 -64.1,-62 -64.2,-62 -64.3,-62 -64.4,-62 -64.5,-62 -64.6,-62 -64.7,-62 -64.8,-62 -64.9,-62 -65,-62.3 -65,-62.6 -65,-62.9 -65,-63.2 -65,-63.5 -65,-63.8 -65,-64.1 -65,-64.4 -65,-64.7 -65,-65 -65,-65 -64.9,-65 -64.8,-65 -64.7,-65 -64.6,-65 -64.5,-65 -64.4,-65 -64.3,-65 -64.2,-65 -64.1,-65 -64))", "dataset_titles": "2019 Krill Carbon Content; 2019 Krill Morphometrics; CAREER: \"The Omnivores Dilemma\": The Effect of Autumn Diet on Winter Physiology and Condition of Juvenile Antarctic Krill; Expedition of NBP2205; Feeding Experiment - Krill Lipid Classes; Gerlache Strait Krill Demographics", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601706", "doi": "10.15784/601706", "keywords": "Abundance; Antarctica; Antarctic Krill", "people": "Bernard, Kim", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Gerlache Strait Krill Demographics", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601706"}, {"dataset_uid": "601707", "doi": "10.15784/601707", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Krill; Palmer Station; Winter", "people": "Bernard, Kim", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Feeding Experiment - Krill Lipid Classes", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601707"}, {"dataset_uid": "601709", "doi": "10.15784/601709", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Krill; Palmer Station; Winter", "people": "Bernard, Kim", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "2019 Krill Carbon Content", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601709"}, {"dataset_uid": "200368", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "BCO-DMO", "science_program": null, "title": "CAREER: \"The Omnivores Dilemma\": The Effect of Autumn Diet on Winter Physiology and Condition of Juvenile Antarctic Krill", "url": "https://www.bco-dmo.org/project/824760"}, {"dataset_uid": "601708", "doi": "10.15784/601708", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Krill; Palmer Station; Winter", "people": "Bernard, Kim", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "2019 Krill Morphometrics", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601708"}, {"dataset_uid": "200369", "doi": "10.7284/909918", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition of NBP2205", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP2205"}], "date_created": "Mon, 31 Aug 2020 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Antarctic krill are essential in the Southern Ocean as they support vast numbers of marine mammals, seabirds and fishes, some of which feed almost exclusively on krill. Antarctic krill also constitute a target species for industrial fisheries in the Southern Ocean. The success of Antarctic krill populations is largely determined by the ability of their young to survive the long, dark winter, where food is extremely scarce. To survive the long-dark winter, young Antarctic krill must have a high-quality diet in autumn. However, warming in certain parts of Antarctica is changing the dynamics and quality of the polar food web, resulting in a shift in the type of food available to young krill in autumn. It is not yet clear how these dynamic changes are affecting the ability of krill to survive the winter. This project aims to fill an important gap in current knowledge on an understudied stage of the Antarctic krill life cycle, the 1-year old juveniles. The results derived from this work will contribute to the development of improved bioenergetic, population and ecosystem models, and will advance current scientific understanding of this critical Antarctic species. This CAREER project\u0027s core education and outreach objectives seek to enhance education and increase diversity within STEM fields. An undergraduate course will be developed that will integrate undergraduate research and writing in way that promotes authentic scientific inquiry and analysis of original research data by the students, and that enhances their communication skills. A graduate course will be developed that will promote students\u0027 skills in communicating their own research to a non-scientific audience. Graduate students will be supported through the proposed study and will gain valuable research experience. Traditionally underserved undergraduate students will be recruited to conduct independent research under the umbrella of the larger project. Throughout each field season, the research team will maintain a weekly blog that will include short videos, photographs and text highlighting the research, as well as their experiences living and working in Antarctica. The aim of the blog will be to engage the public and increase awareness and understanding of Antarctic ecosystems and the impact of warming, and of the scientific process of research and discovery. In this 5-year CAREER project, the investigator will use a combination of empirical and theoretical techniques to assess the effects of diet on 1-year old krill in autumn-winter. The research is centered on four hypotheses: (H1) autumn diet affects 1-year old krill physiology and condition at the onset of winter; (H2) autumn diet has an effect on winter physiology and condition of 1-year old krill under variable winter food conditions; (H3) the rate of change in physiology and condition of 1-year old krill from autumn to winter is dependent on autumn diet; and (H4) the winter energy budget of 1-year old krill will vary between years and will be dependent on autumn diet. Long-term feeding experiments and in situ sampling will be used to measure changes in the physiology and condition of krill in relation to their diet and feeding environment. Empirically-derived data will be used to develop theoretical models of growth rates and energy budgets to determine how diet will influence the overwinter survival of 1-year old krill. The research will be integrated with an education and outreach plan to (1) develop engaging undergraduate and graduate courses, (2) train and develop young scientists for careers in polar research, and (3) engage the public and increase their awareness and understanding. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": -62.0, "geometry": "POINT(-63.5 -64.5)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Antarctic Peninsula; AMD; FIELD INVESTIGATION; ANIMALS/INVERTEBRATES; PELAGIC; Anvers Island; Amd/Us; USAP-DC; NSF/USA", "locations": "Antarctic Peninsula; Anvers Island", "north": -64.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Bernard, Kim", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD INVESTIGATION", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "BCO-DMO; R2R; USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -65.0, "title": "CAREER: \"The Omnivore\u0027s Dilemma\": The Effect of Autumn Diet on Winter Physiology and Condition of Juvenile Antarctic Krill", "uid": "p0010124", "west": -65.0}, {"awards": "1543383 Postlethwait, John", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-66 -62,-65.2 -62,-64.4 -62,-63.6 -62,-62.8 -62,-62 -62,-61.2 -62,-60.4 -62,-59.6 -62,-58.8 -62,-58 -62,-58 -62.4,-58 -62.8,-58 -63.2,-58 -63.6,-58 -64,-58 -64.4,-58 -64.8,-58 -65.2,-58 -65.6,-58 -66,-58.8 -66,-59.6 -66,-60.4 -66,-61.2 -66,-62 -66,-62.8 -66,-63.6 -66,-64.4 -66,-65.2 -66,-66 -66,-66 -65.6,-66 -65.2,-66 -64.8,-66 -64.4,-66 -64,-66 -63.6,-66 -63.2,-66 -62.8,-66 -62.4,-66 -62))", "dataset_titles": "C. aceratus pronephric kidney (head kidney) miRNA; mirtop\r\ncommand lines tool to annotate miRNAs with a standard mirna/isomir naming; Patagonotothen cornucola isolate Pcor_18_01 cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene, partial cds; mitochondrial; Patagonotothen sima isolate Psim_18_11 cardiac muscle myosin heavy chain 6 (myh6) gene, partial cds; Patagonotothen sima isolate Psim_18_11 cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene, partial cds; mitochondrial; Patagonotothen sima isolate Psim_18_12 cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene, partial cds; mitochondrial; Prost!, a tool for miRNA annotation and next generation smallRNA sequencing experiment analysis; Quantifying expression levels of smallRNAs between tissues in Danio Rerio strain AB.; Quantifying expression levels of smallRNAs between tissues in three-spined stickleback", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200128", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI SRA", "science_program": null, "title": "Quantifying expression levels of smallRNAs between tissues in three-spined stickleback", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/search/all/?term=SRP157992"}, {"dataset_uid": "200130", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI SRA", "science_program": null, "title": "C. aceratus pronephric kidney (head kidney) miRNA", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/search/all/?term=SRP069031"}, {"dataset_uid": "200131", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "GitHub", "science_program": null, "title": "Prost!, a tool for miRNA annotation and next generation smallRNA sequencing experiment analysis", "url": "https://github.com/uoregon-postlethwait/prost"}, {"dataset_uid": "200132", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "GitHub", "science_program": null, "title": "mirtop\r\ncommand lines tool to annotate miRNAs with a standard mirna/isomir naming", "url": "https://github.com/miRTop"}, {"dataset_uid": "200133", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI GenBank", "science_program": null, "title": "Patagonotothen cornucola isolate Pcor_18_01 cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene, partial cds; mitochondrial", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/search/all/?term=MN136231"}, {"dataset_uid": "200134", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI GenBank", "science_program": null, "title": "Patagonotothen sima isolate Psim_18_11 cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene, partial cds; mitochondrial", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/search/all/?term=MN136232"}, {"dataset_uid": "200135", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI GenBank", "science_program": null, "title": "Patagonotothen sima isolate Psim_18_12 cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene, partial cds; mitochondrial", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/search/all/?term=MN136233+"}, {"dataset_uid": "200136", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI GenBank", "science_program": null, "title": "Patagonotothen sima isolate Psim_18_11 cardiac muscle myosin heavy chain 6 (myh6) gene, partial cds", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/search/all/?term=MN136234+"}, {"dataset_uid": "200129", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI SRA", "science_program": null, "title": "Quantifying expression levels of smallRNAs between tissues in Danio Rerio strain AB.", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/search/all/?term=SRP039502"}], "date_created": "Wed, 26 Feb 2020 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Icefish live in frigid Antarctic seas, and have unique traits such as the absence of red blood cells, enlarged hearts, large diameter blood vessels, low bone mineral densities, and fat droplets that disrupt their muscles. These features would be harmful in other animals. In mammals and fish inhabiting warm waters, development of organs involved in these traits is modulated by genes that encode specific proteins, but the rate of protein production is often regulated by short RNA molecules called microRNAs (miRNAs). Genes that code for proteins must first make an RNA copy, and the actual protein is made from this RNA copy intermediate. MiRNAs regulate the amount of protein that is made by binding to the RNA intermediate and interrupting its production of protein. Binding of miRNAs to RNA depends strongly on temperature. Regulation of genes by miRNAs has not been studied in Antarctic fish, which live in seas with temperatures below the freezing point of fresh water. This project will compare miRNA regulation 1) in Antarctic fish vs. warm-water fish to learn how miRNAs regulate gene expression in constant cold; and 2) in Antarctic icefish with no red blood cells, enlarged hearts, and reduced bone density vs. closely related Antarctic fish containing red blood cells, normal hearts, and dense bones. The project will have broad impacts to science and society nationally and globally. First, this will be the first study of important factors in gene regulation (miRNAs) in Antarctic fish, which are an essential component of the entire ecology of the Southern Ocean, and will shed light on how these fish might respond to the warming of Antarctic waters. Second, it will bring Antarctic science to under-represented high school students at a local alternative downtown high school by conducting video conferences during the Antarctic field seasons and hosting student investigations of Antarctic fish in the research laboratory. microRNAs (miRNAs) are key post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression that modulate development and physiology in temperate animals. Although miRNAs act by binding to messenger RNAs (mRNAs), a process that is strongly sensitive to temperature, miRNAs have yet not been studied in Antarctic animals, including Notothenioid fish, which dominate the Southern Ocean. This project will compare miRNA regulation in 1) Antarctic vs. temperate fish to learn the roles of miRNA regulation in adaptation to constant cold; and in 2) bottom-dwelling, dense-boned, red-blooded Nototheniods vs. high buoyancy, osteopenic, white-blooded icefish to understand miRNA regulation in specialized organs after the evolution of the loss of hemoglobin genes and red blood cells, the origin of enlarged heart and vasculature, and the evolution of increased buoyancy, which arose by decreased bone mineralization and increased lipid deposition. Aim 1 is to test the hypothesis that Antarctic fish evolved miRNA-related genome specializations in response to constant cold. The project will compare four Antarctic Notothenioid species to two temperate Notothenioids and two temperate laboratory species to test the hypotheses that (a) Antarctic fish evolved miRNA genome repertoires by loss of ancestral genes and/or gain of new genes, (b) express miRNAs that are involved in cold tolerance, and (c) respond to temperature change by changing miRNA gene expression. Aim 2 is to test the hypothesis that the evolution of icefish from red-blooded bottom-dwelling ancestors was accompanied by an altered miRNA genomic repertoire, sequence, and/or expression. The project will test the hypotheses that (a) miRNAs in icefish evolved in sequence and/or in expression in icefish specializations, including head kidney (origin of red blood cells); heart (changes in vascular system), cranium and pectoral girdle (reduced bone mineral density); and skeletal muscle (lipid deposition), and (b) miRNAs that evolved in icefish specializations had ancestral functions related to their derived roles in icefish, as determined by functional tests of zebrafish orthologs of icefish miRNAs in developing zebrafish. The program will isolate, sequence, and determine the expression of miRNAs and mRNAs using high-throughput transcriptomics and novel software. Results will show how the microRNA system evolves in vertebrate animals pushed to physiological extremes and provide insights into the prospects of key species in the most rapidly warming part of the globe.", "east": -58.0, "geometry": "POINT(-62 -64)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "USAP-DC; Palmer Station; NOT APPLICABLE; FISH", "locations": "Palmer Station", "north": -62.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Postlethwait, John; Desvignes, Thomas", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "repo": "NCBI SRA", "repositories": "GitHub; NCBI GenBank; NCBI SRA", "science_programs": null, "south": -66.0, "title": "Antarctic Fish and MicroRNA Control of Development and Physiology", "uid": "p0010085", "west": -66.0}, {"awards": "1444167 Detrich, H. William", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-70 -58,-68.5 -58,-67 -58,-65.5 -58,-64 -58,-62.5 -58,-61 -58,-59.5 -58,-58 -58,-56.5 -58,-55 -58,-55 -59.8,-55 -61.6,-55 -63.4,-55 -65.2,-55 -67,-55 -68.8,-55 -70.6,-55 -72.4,-55 -74.2,-55 -76,-56.5 -76,-58 -76,-59.5 -76,-61 -76,-62.5 -76,-64 -76,-65.5 -76,-67 -76,-68.5 -76,-70 -76,-70 -74.2,-70 -72.4,-70 -70.6,-70 -68.8,-70 -67,-70 -65.2,-70 -63.4,-70 -61.6,-70 -59.8,-70 -58))", "dataset_titles": "Assembled Contig Dat for Daane et al. (2019); E-MTAB-6759: RNA-seq across tissues in four Notothenioid species (Antarctic icefish); Expedition Data of LMG1603; Expedition Data of LMG1604; Expedition Data of LMG1605; Expedition Data of LMG1803; Expedition Data of LMG1804; Expedition Data of LMG1805; Full raw data set, computer code, and evolutionary trajectories for all species in Damsgaard et al. (2019); Histology-, CT-, ultrasound-, and MRI-scans (~2 TB) for Damsgaard et al. (2019); PRJNA420419: Genome and Transcriptome Data for Kim et al. (2019) Blackfin Icefish Genome; PRJNA531677: Sequencing Data for Daane et al. (2019); S-BSST132: Assembled Transcriptomes for Berthelot et al. (2018); SRP047484 RAD-tag Sequences of Genetically Mapped Notothenia coriiceps embryos; SRP118539: RAD-tag Sequences of Genetically Mapped Chaenocephalus aceratus Embryos; Transposable element sequences and genome sizes, refs 142597 to MF142757", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200104", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "eLife", "science_program": null, "title": "Histology-, CT-, ultrasound-, and MRI-scans (~2 TB) for Damsgaard et al. (2019)", "url": "https://retinaevolution.bios.au.dk/eLife%20documentation/README.txt"}, {"dataset_uid": "200254", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data of LMG1805", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1805"}, {"dataset_uid": "200253", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data of LMG1605", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1605"}, {"dataset_uid": "200252", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data of LMG1604", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1604"}, {"dataset_uid": "200251", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data of LMG1804", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1804"}, {"dataset_uid": "200250", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data of LMG1603", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1603"}, {"dataset_uid": "200249", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data of LMG1803", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1803"}, {"dataset_uid": "200103", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "GitHub", "science_program": null, "title": "Full raw data set, computer code, and evolutionary trajectories for all species in Damsgaard et al. (2019)", "url": "https://github.com/elifesciences-publications/Retinaevolution"}, {"dataset_uid": "200102", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI GenBank", "science_program": null, "title": "Transposable element sequences and genome sizes, refs 142597 to MF142757", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore?LinkName=pubmed_nuccore\u0026from_uid=29739320"}, {"dataset_uid": "200099", "doi": "10.5281/zenodo.2628936", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "Zenodo", "science_program": null, "title": "Assembled Contig Dat for Daane et al. (2019)", "url": "https://zenodo.org/record/2628936#.Xegqj3dFw2w"}, {"dataset_uid": "200098", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI BioProject", "science_program": null, "title": "PRJNA531677: Sequencing Data for Daane et al. (2019)", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/PRJNA531677"}, {"dataset_uid": "200096", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI SRA", "science_program": null, "title": "SRP047484 RAD-tag Sequences of Genetically Mapped Notothenia coriiceps embryos", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sra/?term=SRP047484"}, {"dataset_uid": "200095", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "BioStudies", "science_program": null, "title": "S-BSST132: Assembled Transcriptomes for Berthelot et al. (2018)", "url": "https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-BSST132"}, {"dataset_uid": "200094", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "Array Express", "science_program": null, "title": "E-MTAB-6759: RNA-seq across tissues in four Notothenioid species (Antarctic icefish)", "url": "https://www.ebi.ac.uk/arrayexpress/experiments/E-MTAB-6759/"}, {"dataset_uid": "200093", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI SRA", "science_program": null, "title": "SRP118539: RAD-tag Sequences of Genetically Mapped Chaenocephalus aceratus Embryos", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sra/SRP118539 "}, {"dataset_uid": "200092", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI BioProject", "science_program": null, "title": "PRJNA420419: Genome and Transcriptome Data for Kim et al. (2019) Blackfin Icefish Genome", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/?term=prjna420419"}], "date_created": "Wed, 04 Dec 2019 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Antarctic fish and their early developmental stages are an important component of the food web that sustains life in the cold Southern Ocean (SO) that surrounds Antarctica. They feed on smaller organisms and in turn are eaten by larger animals, including seals and killer whales. Little is known about how rising ocean temperatures will impact the development of Antarctic fish embryos and their growth after hatching. This project will address this gap by assessing the effects of elevated temperatures on embryo viability, on the rate of embryo development, and on the gene \"toolkits\" that respond to temperature stress. One of the two species to be studied does not produce red blood cells, a defect that may make its embryos particularly vulnerable to heat. The outcomes of this research will provide the public and policymakers with \"real world\" data that are necessary to inform decisions and design strategies to cope with changes in the Earth\u0027s climate, particularly with respect to protecting life in the SO. The project will also further the NSF goals of training new generations of scientists, including providing scientific training for undergraduate and graduate students, and of making scientific discoveries available to the general public. This includes the unique educational opportunity for undergraduates to participate in research in Antarctica and engaging the public in several ways, including the development of professionally-produced educational videos with bi-lingual closed captioning. Since the onset of cooling of the SO about 40 million years ago, evolution of Antarctic marine organisms has been driven by the development of cold temperatures. Because body temperatures of Antarctic fishes fall in a narrow range determined by their habitat (-1.9 to +2.0 C) they are particularly attractive models for understanding how organismal physiology and biochemistry have been shaped to maintain life in a cooling environment. The long-term objective of this project is to understand the capacities of Antarctic fishes to acclimatize and/or adapt to rapid oceanic warming through analysis of their underlying genetic \"toolkits.\" This objective will be accomplished through three Specific Aims: 1) assessing the effects of elevated temperatures on gene expression during development of embryos; 2) examining the effects of elevated temperatures on embryonic morphology and on the temporal and spatial patterns of gene expression; and 3) evaluating the evolutionary mechanisms that have led to the loss of the red blood cell genetic program by the white-blooded fishes. Aims 1 and 2 will be investigated by acclimating experimental embryos of both red-blooded and white-blooded fish to elevated temperatures. Differential gene expression will be examined through the use of high throughput RNA sequencing. The temporal and spatial patterns of gene expression in the context of embryonic morphology (Aim 2) will be determined by microscopic analysis of embryos \"stained\" with (hybridized to) differentially expressed gene probes revealed by Aim 1; other developmental marker genes will also be used. The genetic lesions resulting from loss of red blood cells by the white-blooded fishes (Aim 3) will be examined by comparing genes and genomes in the two fish groups.", "east": -55.0, "geometry": "POINT(-62.5 -67)", "instruments": "NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "NOT APPLICABLE; Polar; South Shetland Islands; USAP-DC; COASTAL", "locations": "Polar; South Shetland Islands", "north": -58.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Detrich, H. William", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "repo": "eLife", "repositories": "Array Express; BioStudies; eLife; GitHub; NCBI BioProject; NCBI GenBank; NCBI SRA; R2R; Zenodo", "science_programs": null, "south": -76.0, "title": "Antarctic Notothenioid Fishes: Sentinel Taxa for Southern Ocean Warming", "uid": "p0010073", "west": -70.0}, {"awards": "1543419 Place, Sean", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((163 -76,163.5 -76,164 -76,164.5 -76,165 -76,165.5 -76,166 -76,166.5 -76,167 -76,167.5 -76,168 -76,168 -76.2,168 -76.4,168 -76.6,168 -76.8,168 -77,168 -77.2,168 -77.4,168 -77.6,168 -77.8,168 -78,167.5 -78,167 -78,166.5 -78,166 -78,165.5 -78,165 -78,164.5 -78,164 -78,163.5 -78,163 -78,163 -77.8,163 -77.6,163 -77.4,163 -77.2,163 -77,163 -76.8,163 -76.6,163 -76.4,163 -76.2,163 -76))", "dataset_titles": "Hspa4 MK948004; miRNA Characterization in Antarctic fish", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200057", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI GenBank", "science_program": null, "title": "miRNA Characterization in Antarctic fish", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi?acc=GSE128132"}, {"dataset_uid": "200495", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI GenBank", "science_program": null, "title": "Hspa4 MK948004", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/MK948004"}], "date_created": "Thu, 19 Sep 2019 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The project will integrate analyses of fish physiology, protein production and genetics to determine if regulation of molecular chaperones (a class of proteins that facilitate the proper folding of proteins in a cell) has been permanently lost in a key fish species (Trematomus bernacchii) inhabiting the Southern Ocean. To do so, efforts will be undertaken to analyze chaperones in these fishes and how elevated temperatures impact protein turnover and protein damage. These studies should more definitively determine if the interruption of chaperone function is environmentally controlled (which could suggest these fish could benefit in some form by increasing sea surface temperatures) or if there is complete loss of chaperone function due to a change in its structure through evolutionary processes (which would suggest these fish are less likely to be able to adapt to warming). In addition to filling key gaps in our knowledge about the diversity and evolution of fishes in the southern ocean and the potential impacts changing temperatures might have on fish populations, the project will support the training of undergraduate and graduate students at an RUI institution. Specifically, activities and content directly related to this project\u0027s aims will be incorporated into the undergraduate curriculum at Sonoma State University in an effort to increase undergraduate participation in research, especially with respect to underrepresented groups. The project has specific aims to perform a comparative analysis of nucleotide divergence resulting in non-synonymous amino acid changes in the trans-regulatory elements, namely members of the heat shock factor (HSF) family of transcription factors, in T. bernacchii and N. angustata. The project will also utilize metabolic labeling of newly synthesized proteins from isolated hepatocytes to monitor protein turnover rates in fish acclimated to both -1.5 and +4 \u00b0C for an extended period. Changes in chaperoning capacity and levels of damaged proteins will be quantified in multiple tissues to gain a better understanding of the cellular requirements for maintaining protein homeostasis under long-term acclimations to +4 \u00b0C. In combination, the work will help answer questions regarding divergence in these fishes as well a fundamental information regarding protein structure and function that may also have bio-medical implications.", "east": 168.0, "geometry": "POINT(165.5 -77)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "USAP-DC; FISH; NOT APPLICABLE; Southern Ocean", "locations": "Southern Ocean", "north": -76.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Place, Sean", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "repo": "NCBI GenBank", "repositories": "NCBI GenBank", "science_programs": null, "south": -78.0, "title": "RUI: Characterizing Protein Homeostasis and the Regulatory Mechanisms Controlling Molecular Chaperone Expression in the Highly Stenothermal Notothenioid Fish, Trematomus Bernacchii", "uid": "p0010055", "west": 163.0}, {"awards": "1744645 Young, Jodi", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-64.4 -64.2,-64.38 -64.2,-64.36 -64.2,-64.34 -64.2,-64.32 -64.2,-64.3 -64.2,-64.28 -64.2,-64.26 -64.2,-64.24 -64.2,-64.22 -64.2,-64.2 -64.2,-64.2 -64.26,-64.2 -64.32,-64.2 -64.38,-64.2 -64.44,-64.2 -64.5,-64.2 -64.56,-64.2 -64.62,-64.2 -64.68,-64.2 -64.74,-64.2 -64.8,-64.22 -64.8,-64.24 -64.8,-64.26 -64.8,-64.28 -64.8,-64.3 -64.8,-64.32 -64.8,-64.34 -64.8,-64.36 -64.8,-64.38 -64.8,-64.4 -64.8,-64.4 -64.74,-64.4 -64.68,-64.4 -64.62,-64.4 -64.56,-64.4 -64.5,-64.4 -64.44,-64.4 -64.38,-64.4 -64.32,-64.4 -64.26,-64.4 -64.2))", "dataset_titles": "Dataset: Particulate Organic Carbon and Particulate Nitrogen; Dataset: Photosynthetic Pigments; Dataset: Physical Profiles of Temperature, Salinity, and Brine Volume; Sea-ice diatom compatible solute shifts", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200377", "doi": "10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.913222.1", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "BCO-DMO", "science_program": null, "title": "Dataset: Photosynthetic Pigments", "url": "https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/913222"}, {"dataset_uid": "200322", "doi": "10.21228/M84386", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "Metabolomics workbench", "science_program": null, "title": "Sea-ice diatom compatible solute shifts", "url": "https://www.metabolomicsworkbench.org/data/DRCCMetadata.php?Mode=Study\u0026StudyID=ST001393"}, {"dataset_uid": "200378", "doi": "10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.913655.1", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "BCO-DMO", "science_program": null, "title": "Dataset: Physical Profiles of Temperature, Salinity, and Brine Volume", "url": "https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/913655"}, {"dataset_uid": "200376", "doi": "10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.913566.1", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "BCO-DMO", "science_program": null, "title": "Dataset: Particulate Organic Carbon and Particulate Nitrogen", "url": "https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/913566"}], "date_created": "Tue, 23 Jul 2019 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Rapid changes in the extent and thickness of sea ice during the austral spring subject microorganisms within or attached to the ice to large fluctuations in temperature, salinity, light and nutrients. This project aims to identify cellular responses in sea-ice algae to increasing temperature and decreasing salinity during the spring melt along the western Antarctic Peninsula and to determine how associated changes at the cellular level can potentially affect dynamic, biologically driven processes. Understanding how sea-ice algae cope with, and are adapted to, their environment will not only help predict how polar ecosystems may change as the extent and thickness of sea ice change, but will also provide a better understanding of the widespread success of photosynthetic life on Earth. The scientific context and resulting advances from the research will be communicated to the general public through outreach activities that includes work with Science Communication Fellows and the popular Polar Science Weekend at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle, Washington. The project will provide student training to college students as well as provide for educational experiences for K-12 school children. There is currently a poor understanding of feedback relationships that exist between the rapidly changing environment in the western Antarctic Peninsula region and sea-ice algal production. The large shifts in temperature and salinity that algae experience during the spring melt affect critical cellular processes, including rates of enzyme-catalyzed reactions involved in photosynthesis and respiration, and the production of stress-protective compounds. These changes in cellular processes are poorly constrained but can be large and may have impacts on local ecosystem productivity and biogeochemical cycles. In particular, this study will focus on the thermal sensitivity of enzymes and the cycling of compatible solutes and exopolymers used for halo- and cryo-protection, and how they influence primary production and the biogeochemical cycling of carbon and nitrogen. Approaches will include field sampling during spring melt, incubation experiments of natural sea-ice communities under variable temperature and salinity conditions, and controlled manipulation of sea-ice algal species in laboratory culture. Employment of a range of techniques, from fast repetition rate fluorometry and gross and net photosynthetic measurements to metabolomics and enzyme kinetics, will tease apart the mechanistic effects of temperature and salinity on cell metabolism and primary production with the goal of quantifying how these changes will impact biogeochemical processes along the western Antarctic Peninsula. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": -64.2, "geometry": "POINT(-64.3 -64.5)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "USAP-DC; SHIPS; DIATOMS; Antarctic Peninsula", "locations": "Antarctic Peninsula", "north": -64.2, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Young, Jodi; Deming, Jody", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e SHIPS", "repo": "BCO-DMO", "repositories": "BCO-DMO; Metabolomics workbench", "science_programs": null, "south": -64.8, "title": "Spring Blooms of Sea Ice Algae Along the Western Antarctic Peninsula: Effects of Warming and Freshening on Cell Physiology and Biogeochemical Cycles.", "uid": "p0010039", "west": -64.4}, {"awards": "1247510 Detrich, H. William", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "E-MTAB-6759: RNA-seq across tissues in four Notothenioid species (Antarctic icefish); Expedition Data; Expedition data of LMG1003; Expedition data of LMG1004; PRJNA420419: Chaenocephalus aceratus Genome sequencing; PRJNA66471: Notothenia coriiceps Genome Sequencing Notothenia coriiceps isolate:Sejong01 (black rockcod); S-BSST 132: Assembled Transcriptomes for Berthelot et al. (2018); SRA091269: Notothenia coriiceps RNA Raw Sequence Reads; SRP047484: RAD-tag Sequences of Genetically Mapped Notothenia coriiceps Embryos ; SRP118539: RAD-tag Sequences of Genetically Mapped Chaenocephalus aceratus Embryos", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200142", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI BioProject", "science_program": null, "title": "PRJNA66471: Notothenia coriiceps Genome Sequencing Notothenia coriiceps isolate:Sejong01 (black rockcod)", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/66471"}, {"dataset_uid": "200093", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI SRA", "science_program": null, "title": "SRP118539: RAD-tag Sequences of Genetically Mapped Chaenocephalus aceratus Embryos", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sra/SRP118539 "}, {"dataset_uid": "002684", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of LMG1003", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1003"}, {"dataset_uid": "200145", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "BioStudies", "science_program": null, "title": "S-BSST 132: Assembled Transcriptomes for Berthelot et al. (2018)", "url": "https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-BSST132"}, {"dataset_uid": "001508", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG0807"}, {"dataset_uid": "001509", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG0806"}, {"dataset_uid": "200026", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI SRA", "science_program": null, "title": "SRA091269: Notothenia coriiceps RNA Raw Sequence Reads", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sra/?term=SRA091269"}, {"dataset_uid": "200146", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI SRA", "science_program": null, "title": "SRP047484: RAD-tag Sequences of Genetically Mapped Notothenia coriiceps Embryos ", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sra/?term=SRP047484"}, {"dataset_uid": "002685", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of LMG1004", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1004"}, {"dataset_uid": "200144", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "Array Express", "science_program": null, "title": "E-MTAB-6759: RNA-seq across tissues in four Notothenioid species (Antarctic icefish)", "url": "https://www.ebi.ac.uk/arrayexpress/experiments/E-MTAB-6759/"}, {"dataset_uid": "200143", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI BioProject", "science_program": null, "title": "PRJNA420419: Chaenocephalus aceratus Genome sequencing", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/420419"}], "date_created": "Mon, 08 Apr 2019 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Since the advent of Antarctic continental glaciation, the opening of the Drake Passage between South America and the Antarctic Peninsula, and the onset of cooling of the Southern Ocean ~40-25 million years ago, evolution of the Antarctic marine biota has been driven by the development of extreme cold temperatures. As circum-Antarctic coastal temperatures declined during this period from ~20\u00b0C to the modern ?1.9 to +2.0\u00b0C (reached ~8-10 million years ago), the psychrophilic (cold-loving) ectotherms of the Southern Ocean evolved compensatory molecular, cellular, and physiological traits that enabled them to maintain normal metabolic function at cold temperatures. Today, these organisms are threatened by rapid warming of the Southern Ocean over periods measured in centuries (as much as 5\u00b0C/100 yr), a timeframe so short that re-adaptation and/or acclimatization to the ?new warm? may not be possible. Thus, the long-term goals of this research project are: 1) to understand the biochemical and physiological capacities of the embryos of Antarctic notothenioid fish to resist or compensate for rapid oceanic warming; and 2) to assess the genetic toolkit available to support the acclimatization and adaptation of Antarctic notothenioid embryos to their warming habitat. The specific aims of this work are: 1) to determine the capacity of the chaperonin complex of notothenioid fishes to assist protein folding at temperatures between ?4 and +20\u00b0C; and 2) to evaluate the genetic responses of notothenioid embryos, measured as global differential gene transcription, to temperature challenge, with ?1.9\u00b0C as the ?normal? control and +4 and +10\u00b0C as high temperature insults. The physiology of embryonic development of marine stenotherms under future climate change scenarios is an important but understudied problem. This project will provide valuable insights into the capacity of Antarctic fish embryos to acclimatize and adapt to plausible climate change scenarios by examining multiple levels of biological organization, from the biochemical to the organismal. The results should also be broadly applicable to understanding the impact of global warming on marine biota worldwide. The research will also introduce graduate and REU undergraduate students to state-of-the-art biochemical, cellular, and molecular-biological research relevant to ecological and environmental issues of the Antarctic marine ecosystem.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e SAMPLERS \u003e TRAWLS/NETS \u003e BOTTOM TRAWL", "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "AQUATIC SCIENCES; R/V LMG; USAP-DC; Southern Ocean", "locations": "Southern Ocean", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Detrich, H. William", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V LMG", "repo": "NCBI BioProject", "repositories": "Array Express; BioStudies; NCBI BioProject; NCBI SRA; R2R", "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "Protein Folding and Embryogenesis in Antarctic Fishes: A Comparative Approach to Environmental Stress", "uid": "p0010024", "west": null}, {"awards": "1341479 Marchetti, Adrian", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-72.8 -48,-67.12 -48,-61.44 -48,-55.76 -48,-50.08 -48,-44.4 -48,-38.72 -48,-33.04 -48,-27.36 -48,-21.68 -48,-16 -48,-16 -50.02,-16 -52.04,-16 -54.06,-16 -56.08,-16 -58.1,-16 -60.12,-16 -62.14,-16 -64.16,-16 -66.18,-16 -68.2,-21.68 -68.2,-27.36 -68.2,-33.04 -68.2,-38.72 -68.2,-44.4 -68.2,-50.08 -68.2,-55.76 -68.2,-61.44 -68.2,-67.12 -68.2,-72.8 -68.2,-72.8 -66.18,-72.8 -64.16,-72.8 -62.14,-72.8 -60.12,-72.8 -58.1,-72.8 -56.08,-72.8 -54.06,-72.8 -52.04,-72.8 -50.02,-72.8 -48))", "dataset_titles": "16S and 18S Sequence data; Fragilariopsis kerguelensis iron and light transcriptomes; Physiology and transcriptomes of polar isolates; Polar isolate transcriptomes; Sequence data from Ocean Station Papa seawater ; Sequence data RNA-Seq of marine phytoplankton: FeB12", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200017", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI GenBank", "science_program": null, "title": "Sequence data RNA-Seq of marine phytoplankton: FeB12", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sra/SRP074366"}, {"dataset_uid": "200016", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "iMicrobe", "science_program": null, "title": "Fragilariopsis kerguelensis iron and light transcriptomes", "url": "https://www.imicrobe.us/#/projects/104"}, {"dataset_uid": "200018", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI GenBank", "science_program": null, "title": "Sequence data from Ocean Station Papa seawater ", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sra/SRP006906"}, {"dataset_uid": "200019", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "Cyverse Data Commons", "science_program": null, "title": "Polar isolate transcriptomes", "url": "http://datacommons.cyverse.org/search/?search_term=unc_phyto_isolates"}, {"dataset_uid": "200020", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "BCO-DMO", "science_program": null, "title": "Physiology and transcriptomes of polar isolates", "url": "https://www.bco-dmo.org/project/653229"}, {"dataset_uid": "200021", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI GenBank", "science_program": null, "title": "16S and 18S Sequence data", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/PRJNA299401"}], "date_created": "Mon, 11 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica is changing rapidly in response to Earth\u0027s warming climate. These changes will undoubtedly influence communities of primary producers (the organisms at the base of the food chain, particularly plant-like organisms using sunlight for energy) by altering conditions that influence their growth and composition. Because primary producers such as phytoplankton play an important role in global biogeochemical cycling, it is essential to understand how they will respond to changes in their environment. The growth of phytoplankton in certain regions of the Southern Ocean is constrained by steep gradients in chemical and physical properties that vary in both space and time. Light and iron have been identified as key variables influencing phytoplankton abundance and distribution within Antarctic waters. Microscopic algae known as diatoms are dominant members of the phytoplankton and sea ice communities, accounting for significant proportions of primary production. The overall objective of this project is to identify the molecular bases for the physiological responses of polar diatoms to varying light and iron conditions. The project should provide a means of evaluating the extent these factors regulate diatom growth and influence net community productivity in Antarctic waters. The project will also further the NSF goals of making scientific discoveries available to the general public and of training new generations of scientists. It will facilitate the teaching and learning of polar-related topics by translating the research objectives into readily accessible educational materials for middle-school students. This project will also provide funding to enable a graduate student and several undergraduate students to be trained in the techniques and perspectives of modern biology. Although numerous studies have investigated how polar diatoms are affected by varying light and iron, the cellular mechanisms leading to their distinct physiological responses remain unknown. Using comparative transcriptomics, the expression patterns of key genes and metabolic pathways in several ecologically important polar diatoms recently isolated from Antarctic waters and grown under varying iron and irradiance conditions will be examined. In addition, molecular indicators for iron and light limitation will be developed within these polar diatoms through the identification of iron- and light-responsive genes -- the expression patterns of which can be used to determine their physiological status. Upon verification in laboratory cultures, these indicators will be utilized by way of metatranscriptomic sequencing to examine iron and light limitation in natural diatom assemblages collected along environmental gradients in Western Antarctic Peninsula waters. In order to fully understand the role phytoplankton play in Southern Ocean biogeochemical cycles, dependable methods that provide a means of elucidating the physiological status of phytoplankton at any given time and location are essential.", "east": -16.0, "geometry": "POINT(-44.4 -58.1)", "instruments": "NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "NOT APPLICABLE; AQUATIC SCIENCES; PHYTOPLANKTON; USAP-DC; Southern Ocean; Sea Surface; DIATOMS", "locations": "Sea Surface; Southern Ocean", "north": -48.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Marchetti, Adrian", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "repo": "NCBI GenBank", "repositories": "BCO-DMO; Cyverse Data Commons; iMicrobe; NCBI GenBank", "science_programs": null, "south": -68.2, "title": "Iron and Light Limitation in Ecologically Important Polar Diatoms: Comparative Transcriptomics and Development of Molecular Indicators", "uid": "p0010018", "west": -72.8}, {"awards": "1704236 Karentz, Deneb", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "2017 SCAR Biology Symposium travel award data", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601155", "doi": "10.15784/601155", "keywords": "Antarctica; Human Dimensions", "people": "Karentz, Deneb", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "2017 SCAR Biology Symposium travel award data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601155"}], "date_created": "Mon, 04 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The project will support US participation in the XIIth Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) International Biology Symposium. The theme of this meeting and ancillary workshops is Scale Matters. Meeting sessions will specifically address biodiversity and physiology spanning from molecular through ecosystem scales. The project will provide partial support (airfare and meeting registration) for up to 25 US participants enabling them to travel to Leuven, Belgium and attend the SCAR International Biology Symposium in July 2017. Preference will be given to applicants who are students and early career scientists. The call for applications will be broadly disseminated to encourage participation by underrepresented groups in the sciences. The SCAR International Biology Symposium is a unique opportunity for US scientists to present their work and learn about the most recent findings on all aspects of Antarctic organisms and ecosystems research, to establish and strengthen international contacts, and to be actively involved in the development of new directions and the establishment of new frontiers in polar biology.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": "NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS; North America; NOT APPLICABLE; USAP-DC", "locations": "North America", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Integrated System Science", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Karentz, Deneb", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "Group Travel Award: XIIth SCAR International Biology Symposium", "uid": "p0010006", "west": null}, {"awards": "1656344 Bowman, Jeff", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-64.1 -64.75,-64.08 -64.75,-64.06 -64.75,-64.04 -64.75,-64.02 -64.75,-64 -64.75,-63.98 -64.75,-63.96 -64.75,-63.94 -64.75,-63.92 -64.75,-63.9 -64.75,-63.9 -64.775,-63.9 -64.8,-63.9 -64.825,-63.9 -64.85,-63.9 -64.875,-63.9 -64.9,-63.9 -64.925,-63.9 -64.95,-63.9 -64.975,-63.9 -65,-63.92 -65,-63.94 -65,-63.96 -65,-63.98 -65,-64 -65,-64.02 -65,-64.04 -65,-64.06 -65,-64.08 -65,-64.1 -65,-64.1 -64.975,-64.1 -64.95,-64.1 -64.925,-64.1 -64.9,-64.1 -64.875,-64.1 -64.85,-64.1 -64.825,-64.1 -64.8,-64.1 -64.775,-64.1 -64.75))", "dataset_titles": "\r\nMetadata accompanying BioProject SUB4579142 ; Western Antarctic Peninsula Marine Metatranscriptomes Sep 29 2018", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601153", "doi": "", "keywords": "Antarctic; Antarctica; Bacteria; Bacteria Production; Biota; Chlorophyll; LTER Palmer Station; Primary Production; Sea Ice; Southern Ocean", "people": "Bowman, Jeff", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "\r\nMetadata accompanying BioProject SUB4579142 ", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601153"}, {"dataset_uid": "200010", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI SRA", "science_program": null, "title": "Western Antarctic Peninsula Marine Metatranscriptomes Sep 29 2018", "url": "https://submit.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/subs/sra/SUB4579142/overview"}], "date_created": "Thu, 31 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This EAGER project will compare gene expression patterns in the planktonic communities under ice covers that form in coastal embayment\u0027s in the Antarctic Peninsula. Previous efforts taking advantage of unique ice conditions in November and December of 2015 allowed researchers to conduct an experiment to examine the role of sea ice cover on microbial carbon and energy transfer during the winter-spring transition. The EAGER effort will enable the researchers to conduct the \"omics\" analyses of the phytoplankton to determine predominant means by which energy is acquired and used in these settings. This EAGER effort will apply new expertise to fill an existing gap in ecological observations along the West Antarctic Peninsula. The principle product of the proposed work will be a novel dataset to be analyzed and by an early career researcher from an underserved community (veteran). The critical baseline data contained in this dataset enable a comparison of eukaryotic and prokaryotic gene expression patterns to establish the relative importance of chemoautotrophy, heterotrophy, mixotrophy, and phototrophy during the experiments. this information and data will be made immediately available to the broader scientific community, and will enable the development of further hypotheses on ecosystem change as sea ice cover changes in the region. Very little gene expression data is currently available for the Antarctic marine environment, and no gene expression data is available during the ecologically critical winter to spring transition. Moreover, ice cover in bays is common along the West Antarctic Peninsula yet the opportunity to study cryptophyte phytoplankton physiology beneath such ice conditions in coastal embayments is rare.", "east": -63.9, "geometry": "POINT(-64 -64.875)", "instruments": "NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "USAP-DC; NOT APPLICABLE; Antarctica; COASTAL", "locations": "Antarctica", "north": -64.75, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Bowman, Jeff", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "NCBI SRA; USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -65.0, "title": "A Preliminary Assessment of the Influence of Ice Cover on Microbial Carbon and Energy Acquisition during the Antarctic Winter-spring Seasonal Transition", "uid": "p0010003", "west": -64.1}, {"awards": "1341476 Moran, Amy", "bounds_geometry": "POINT(166.666 -77.84999)", "dataset_titles": "Cuticle morphology and oxygen gradients of Antarctic sea spiders; Physiological and biochemical measurements on Pycnogonida from McMurdo Sound; Physiological, biomechanical, and locomotory data on Antarctic sea spiders fouled and unfouled with epibionts; Size scaling of oxygen physiology and metabolic rate of Antarctic sea spiders", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601149", "doi": "10.15784/601149", "keywords": "Antarctica; Barnacles; Biota; Cuticle; Epibionts; Fouling; Grooming; Locomotion; Oxygen; Respiration", "people": "Moran, Amy; Shishido, Caitlin; Tobalske, Bret; Lane, Steven J.; Woods, H. Arthur", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Physiological, biomechanical, and locomotory data on Antarctic sea spiders fouled and unfouled with epibionts", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601149"}, {"dataset_uid": "601150", "doi": "10.15784/601150", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Body Size; Cuticle; Metabolic Rate; Oxygen; Polar Gigantism; Respiration; Size Limits; Southern Ocean; Temperature", "people": "Lane, Steven J.; Woods, H. Arthur; Shishido, Caitlin; Moran, Amy", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Size scaling of oxygen physiology and metabolic rate of Antarctic sea spiders", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601150"}, {"dataset_uid": "601142", "doi": "10.15784/601142", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biomechanics; Biota; Cold Adaptation; McMurdo Sound; Metabolism; Oceans; Oxygen; Pycnogonida; Southern Ocean", "people": "Woods, H. Arthur; Tobalske, Bret; Moran, Amy", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Physiological and biochemical measurements on Pycnogonida from McMurdo Sound", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601142"}, {"dataset_uid": "601145", "doi": "10.15784/601145", "keywords": "Antarctica; Benthos; Biota; Body Size; Cuticle; McMurdo Sound; Microelectrodes; Microscope; Microscopy; Oxygen; Pore; Respiration; Sea Spider; Southern Ocean", "people": "Woods, H. Arthur; Arthur Woods, H.", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Cuticle morphology and oxygen gradients of Antarctic sea spiders", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601145"}], "date_created": "Mon, 10 Dec 2018 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Beginning with the earliest expeditions to the poles, scientists have noted that many polar taxa grow to unusually large body sizes, a phenomenon now known as \u0027polar gigantism.\u0027 Although scientists have been interested in polar giants for many years, many questions still remain about the biology of this significant form of polar diversity. This award from the Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems program within the Polar Sciences Division at the National Science Foundation will investigate the respiratory and biomechanical mechanisms underlying polar gigantism in Antarctic pycnogonids (commonly known as sea spiders). The project will use a series of manipulative experiments to investigate the effects of temperature and oxygen availability on respiratory capacity and biomechanical strength, and will compare Antarctic sea spiders to related species from temperate and tropical regions. The research will provide insight into the ability of polar giants to withstand the warming polar ocean temperatures associated with climate change.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe prevailing hypothesis to explain the evolution of gigantism invokes shifts in respiratory relationships in extremely cold ocean waters: in the cold, oxygen is more plentiful while at the same time metabolic rates are very low. Together these effects alleviate constraints on oxygen supply that restrict organisms living in warmer waters. Respiratory capacity must evolve in the context of adaptive tradeoffs, so for organisms including pycnogonids there must be tradeoffs between respiratory capacity and resistance to biomechanical stresses. The investigators will test a novel hypothesis that respiratory challenges are not associated with particular body sizes, and will answer the following questions: What are the dynamics of oxygen transport and consumption in Antarctic pycnogonids; how do structural features related to oxygen diffusion trade off with requirements for body support and locomotion; how does body size influence vulnerability to environmental hypoxia and to temperature-oxygen interactions; and does the cold-driven high oxygen availability in the Antarctic raise the limit on body size by reducing trade-offs between diffusivity and structural integrity? The research will explore the effects of increased ocean temperatures upon organisms that have different body sizes. In addition, it will provide training for graduate and undergraduate students affiliated with universities in EPSCOR states.", "east": 166.666, "geometry": "POINT(166.666 -77.84999)", "instruments": "NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "USAP-DC; NOT APPLICABLE", "locations": null, "north": -77.84999, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Moran, Amy; Woods, H. Arthur", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -77.84999, "title": "Collaborative Research: Body Size, Oxygen, and Vulnerability to Climate Change in Antarctic Pycnogonida", "uid": "p0000007", "west": 166.666}, {"awards": "1341612 Bowser, Samuel", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "Aerial survey of Explorers Cove shoreline, late January 2005; Astrammina rara genome sequencing and assembly; Astrammina triangularis genome sequencing and assembly; Crithionina delacai mitochondrial genome sequence and assembly; Scanning electron micrographs: Influence of heavy metal (Pb, Cd) exposure on shell morphogenesis in Astrammina rara, a giant agglutinated Antarctic foraminiferan protist", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601138", "doi": "10.15784/601138", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Foraminifera; Heavy Metal Toxicity; Scanning Electron Microscop; Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) Images; Scanning Electron Microscopy; Transantarctic Mountains", "people": "Andreas, Amanda; Bowser, Samuel", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Scanning electron micrographs: Influence of heavy metal (Pb, Cd) exposure on shell morphogenesis in Astrammina rara, a giant agglutinated Antarctic foraminiferan protist", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601138"}, {"dataset_uid": "200091", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI GenBank", "science_program": null, "title": "Crithionina delacai mitochondrial genome sequence and assembly", "url": "https://dataview.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/object/PRJNA592714?reviewer=ivse8455h3gfaiilg4nqle0vm1"}, {"dataset_uid": "601229", "doi": "10.15784/601229", "keywords": "Aerial Imagery; Antarctica; Camera; Delta; Freshwater; Helicopter; Moat; Shoreline Survey; Small Ponds; Snow Melt; Tide Pools", "people": "Bowser, Samuel; Alexander, Steve", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Aerial survey of Explorers Cove shoreline, late January 2005", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601229"}, {"dataset_uid": "200089", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI GenBank", "science_program": null, "title": "Astrammina triangularis genome sequencing and assembly", "url": "https://dataview.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/object/PRJNA521279?reviewer=g418tpq02sif2g6do94dpmmjdv"}, {"dataset_uid": "200090", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI GenBank", "science_program": null, "title": "Astrammina rara genome sequencing and assembly", "url": "https://dataview.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/object/PRJNA521081?reviewer=25e190ih1svottjkrrpfa7huoe"}], "date_created": "Thu, 29 Nov 2018 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Agglutinated foraminifera (forams for short) are early-evolving, single-celled organisms. These \"living fossils\" construct protective shells using sediment grains held together by adhesive substances that they secrete. During shell construction, agglutinated forams display amazing properties of selection - for example, some species build their shells of clear quartz grains, while other species use only grains of a specific size. Understanding how these single cells assemble complex structures may contribute to nanotechnology by enabling people to use forams as \"cellular machines\" to aid in the construction of nano-devices. This project will analyze the genomes of at least six key foram species, and then \"mine\" these genomes for technologically useful products and processes. The project will focus initially on the adhesive materials forams secrete, which may have wide application in biomedicine and biotechnology. Furthermore, the work will further develop a molecular toolkit which could open up new avenues of research on the physiology, ecology, and population dynamics of this important group of Antarctic organisms. The project will also further the NSF goals of making scientific discoveries available to the general public and of training new generations of scientists. Educational experiences related to the \"thrill of scientific exploration and discovery\" for students and the general public will be provided through freely-available short films and a traveling art/science exhibition. The project will also provide hands-on research opportunities for undergraduate students. Explorers Cove, situated on the western shore of McMurdo Sound, harbors a unique population of foraminiferan taxa at depths accessible by scuba diving that otherwise are primarily found in the deep sea. The project will use next-generation DNA sequencing and microdissection methods to obtain and analyze nuclear and mitochondrial genomes from crown members of two species each from three distinct, early-evolving foraminiferal groups. It will also use next generation sequencing methods to characterize the in-situ prokaryotic assemblages (microbiomes) of one of these groups and compare them to reference sediment microbiomes. The phyogenomic studies of the targeted Antarctic genera will help fill significant gaps in our current understanding of early foram evolution. Furthermore, comparative genomic analyses of these six species are expected to yield a better understanding of the physiology of single-chambered agglutinated forams, especially the bioadhesive proteins and regulatory factors involved in shell composition and morphogenesis. Additionally, the molecular basis of cold adaptation in forams will be examined, particularly with respect to key proteins.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": "NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "USAP-DC; NOT APPLICABLE", "locations": null, "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Bowser, Samuel", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "NCBI GenBank; USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "Assembling and Mining the Genomes of Giant Antarctic Foraminifera", "uid": "p0000004", "west": null}, {"awards": "1142122 Miller, Nathan", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((166.163 -76.665,166.2635 -76.665,166.364 -76.665,166.4645 -76.665,166.565 -76.665,166.6655 -76.665,166.766 -76.665,166.8665 -76.665,166.967 -76.665,167.0675 -76.665,167.168 -76.665,167.168 -76.782,167.168 -76.899,167.168 -77.016,167.168 -77.133,167.168 -77.25,167.168 -77.367,167.168 -77.484,167.168 -77.601,167.168 -77.718,167.168 -77.835,167.0675 -77.835,166.967 -77.835,166.8665 -77.835,166.766 -77.835,166.6655 -77.835,166.565 -77.835,166.4645 -77.835,166.364 -77.835,166.2635 -77.835,166.163 -77.835,166.163 -77.718,166.163 -77.601,166.163 -77.484,166.163 -77.367,166.163 -77.25,166.163 -77.133,166.163 -77.016,166.163 -76.899,166.163 -76.782,166.163 -76.665))", "dataset_titles": "Antarctic emerald rockcod have the capacity to compensate for warming when uncoupled from CO2-acidification; Physiological and biochemical measurements on Antarctic dragonfish (Gymnodraco acuticeps) from McMurdo Sound; Physiological and biochemical measurements on juvenile Antarctic rockcod (Trematomus bernacchii) from McMurdo Sound; Thermal windows and metabolic performance curves in a developing Antarctic fish", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601040", "doi": "10.15784/601040", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Fish; McMurdo Sound; Oceans; Ross Sea; Sample/collection Description; Sample/Collection Description; Southern Ocean", "people": "Todgham, Anne; Miller, Nathan", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Thermal windows and metabolic performance curves in a developing Antarctic fish", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601040"}, {"dataset_uid": "601039", "doi": "10.15784/601039", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Chemistry:fluid; Chemistry:Fluid; CTD Data; Fish; McMurdo Sound; Ocean Acidification; Oceans; Physical Oceanography; Ross Sea; Southern Ocean", "people": "Todgham, Anne; Miller, Nathan", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Antarctic emerald rockcod have the capacity to compensate for warming when uncoupled from CO2-acidification", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601039"}, {"dataset_uid": "601025", "doi": "10.15784/601025", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Fish; McMurdo Sound; Oceans; Ross Sea; Southern Ocean", "people": "Flynn, Erin; Miller, Nathan; Davis, Brittany; Todgham, Anne", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Physiological and biochemical measurements on juvenile Antarctic rockcod (Trematomus bernacchii) from McMurdo Sound", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601025"}, {"dataset_uid": "601026", "doi": "10.15784/601026", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Chemistry:fluid; Chemistry:Fluid; CTD Data; Fish; McMurdo Sound; Ocean Acidification; Oceans; Physical Oceanography; Ross Sea; Southern Ocean", "people": "Miller, Nathan; Todgham, Anne; Davis, Brittany; Flynn, Erin", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Physiological and biochemical measurements on Antarctic dragonfish (Gymnodraco acuticeps) from McMurdo Sound", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601026"}], "date_created": "Tue, 15 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Ocean acidification and increased temperatures are projected to be the primary impacts of global climate change on polar marine ecosystems over the next century. While recent research has focused on the effects of these drivers on calcifying organisms, less is known about how these changes may affect vertebrates. This research will focus on two Antarctic fishes, Trematomus bernacchii and Pagothenia borchgrevinki. Fish eggs and larvae will be collected in McMurdo Sound and reared under different temperature and pH regimes. Modern techniques will be used to examine subsequent changes in physiology, growth, development and gene expression over both short and long timescales. The results will fill a missing gap in our knowledge about the response of non-calcifying organisms to projected changes in pH and temperature. Results will be widely disseminated through publications as well as through presentations at national and international meetings; raw data will also be made available through open-access, web-based databases. This project will support the research and training of three graduate and three undergraduate students. As well, this project will foster the development of two modules on climate change and ocean acidification for an Introduction to Biology course.", "east": 167.168, "geometry": "POINT(166.6655 -77.25)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -76.665, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Miller, Nathan; Todgham, Anne", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -77.835, "title": "RUI: Synergistic effects of Ocean Acidification and Warming on Larval Development in Antarctic Fishes", "uid": "p0000411", "west": 166.163}, {"awards": "1443554 Buys, Emmanuel", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((166.163 -76.665,166.2635 -76.665,166.364 -76.665,166.4645 -76.665,166.565 -76.665,166.6655 -76.665,166.766 -76.665,166.8665 -76.665,166.967 -76.665,167.0675 -76.665,167.168 -76.665,167.168 -76.782,167.168 -76.899,167.168 -77.016,167.168 -77.133,167.168 -77.25,167.168 -77.367,167.168 -77.484,167.168 -77.601,167.168 -77.718,167.168 -77.835,167.0675 -77.835,166.967 -77.835,166.8665 -77.835,166.766 -77.835,166.6655 -77.835,166.565 -77.835,166.4645 -77.835,166.364 -77.835,166.2635 -77.835,166.163 -77.835,166.163 -77.718,166.163 -77.601,166.163 -77.484,166.163 -77.367,166.163 -77.25,166.163 -77.133,166.163 -77.016,166.163 -76.899,166.163 -76.782,166.163 -76.665))", "dataset_titles": "Biosamples and observations from Weddell Seal colonies in McMurdo Sound during the 2015-2016 Antarctic field season", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601028", "doi": "10.15784/601028", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; McMurdo Sound; Ross Sea; Sample/collection Description; Sample/Collection Description; Seals", "people": "Buys, Emmanuel; Hindle, Allyson", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Biosamples and observations from Weddell Seal colonies in McMurdo Sound during the 2015-2016 Antarctic field season", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601028"}], "date_created": "Fri, 26 May 2017 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The Weddell seal is a champion diving mammal. The physiology that permits these animals to sustain extended breath-hold periods and survive the extreme pressure of diving deep allows them to thrive in icy Antarctic waters. Key elements of their physiological specializations to breath-hold diving are their ability for remarkable adjustment of their heart and blood vessel system, coordinating blood pressure and flow to specific body regions based on their metabolic requirements, and their ability to sustain periods without oxygen. Identifying the details of these strategies has tremendous potential to better inform human medicine, helping us to develop novel therapies for cardiovascular trauma (e.g. stroke, heart attack) and diseases associated with blunted oxygen delivery to tissues (e.g. pneumonia, sepsis, or cancer). The goal of this project is to document specific genes that control these cardiovascular adjustments in seals, and to compare their abundance and activity with humans. Specifically, the investigators will study a signaling pathway that coordinates local blood flow. They will also use tissue samples to generate cultured cells from Weddell seals that can be used to study the molecular effects of low oxygen conditions in the laboratory. The project will further the NSF goals of training new generations of scientists and of making scientific discoveries available to the general public. The project will train a pre-veterinary student researcher will conduct public outreach via a center for community health improvement, a multicultural affairs office, and a public aquarium. The goal of this study is to unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying the dive response. A hallmark of the dive response is tissue-specific vascular system regulation, likely resulting from variation in both nerve inputs and in production of local signaling molecules produced by blood vessel cells. The investigators will use emerging genomic information to begin to unravel the genetics underlying redistribution of the circulation during diving. They will also directly test the hypothesis that modifications in the signaling system prevent local blood vessel changes under low oxygen conditions, thereby allowing the centrally mediated diving reflex to override local physiological responses and to control the constriction of blood vessel walls in Weddell seals. They will perform RNA-sequencing of Weddell seal tissues and use the resulting sequence, along with information from other mammals such as dog, to obtain a full annotation (identifying all genes based on named features of reference genomes) of the existing genome assembly for the Weddell seal, facilitating comparative and species-specific genomic research. They will also generate a Weddell seal pluripotent stem cell line which should be a valuable research tool for cell biologists, molecular biologists and physiologists that will allow them to further test their hypotheses. It is expected that the proposed studies will advance our knowledge of the biochemical and physiological adaptations that allow the Weddell seal to thrive in the Antarctic environment.", "east": 167.168, "geometry": "POINT(166.6655 -77.25)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -76.665, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Buys, Emmanuel; Costa, Daniel; Zapol, Warren; Hindle, Allyson", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -77.835, "title": "Unraveling the Genomic and Molecular Basis of the Dive Response: Nitric Oxide Signaling and Vasoregulation in the Weddell Seal", "uid": "p0000072", "west": 166.163}, {"awards": "1246463 Burns, Jennifer", "bounds_geometry": "POINT(149 -80)", "dataset_titles": "1970s - 1980s Kooyman-Billups TDR Dive Records from Weddell Seals in McMurdo Sound; Cortisol levels in Weddell seal fur; Seasonal Dive Data ; Specimen logs and observations from Weddell Seal colonies in Erebus Bay, 2013-2017; Weddell Seal Heat Flux Dataset; Weddell seal iron dynamics and oxygen stores across lactation; Weddell seal metabolic hormone data; Weddell Seal Molt Phenology Dataset; Weddell Seal Molt Survey Data; Weddell seal reproductive physiology data ; Weddell seal summer diving behavior", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601993", "doi": "10.15784/601993", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Cryosphere; Hormones; McMurdo Sound; Physiology; Ross Sea; Weddell Seal", "people": "Kirkham, Amy", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Weddell seal reproductive physiology data ", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601993"}, {"dataset_uid": "601338", "doi": "10.15784/601338", "keywords": "Animal Behavior Observation; Antarctica; Biota; McMurdo Sound; Ross Sea; Seal Dive Data; Weddell Seal", "people": "Burns, Jennifer", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Seasonal Dive Data ", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601338"}, {"dataset_uid": "601027", "doi": "10.15784/601027", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; McMurdo Sound; Oceans; Ross Sea; Sample/collection Description; Sample/Collection Description; Seals", "people": "Burns, Jennifer", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Specimen logs and observations from Weddell Seal colonies in Erebus Bay, 2013-2017", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601027"}, {"dataset_uid": "601131", "doi": "10.15784/601131", "keywords": "Antarctica; B-292-M; Biota; Ross Sea; Seals; Southern Ocean; Weddell Seal", "people": "Burns, Jennifer", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Weddell Seal Molt Phenology Dataset", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601131"}, {"dataset_uid": "601840", "doi": "10.15784/601840", "keywords": "Antarctica; Cryosphere; Hormones; McMurdo Sound; Ross Sea; Weddell Seal", "people": "Kirkham, Amy", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Weddell seal metabolic hormone data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601840"}, {"dataset_uid": "601271", "doi": "10.15784/601271", "keywords": "Antarctica; Heat Flux; Infrared Thermography; Physiological Conditions; Surface Temperatures; Thermoregulation; Weddell Seal", "people": "Walcott, Skyla", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Weddell Seal Heat Flux Dataset", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601271"}, {"dataset_uid": "601560", "doi": "10.15784/601560", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Diving Behavior; McMurdo Sound; Weddell Seal", "people": "Tsai, EmmaLi", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "1970s - 1980s Kooyman-Billups TDR Dive Records from Weddell Seals in McMurdo Sound", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601560"}, {"dataset_uid": "601134", "doi": "10.15784/601134", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Cortisol; Fur; Ross Sea; Seals; Southern Ocean; Visual Observations; Weddell Seal", "people": "Burns, Jennifer", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Cortisol levels in Weddell seal fur", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601134"}, {"dataset_uid": "601133", "doi": "10.15784/601133", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Ross Sea; Seals; Visual Observations; Weddell Seal", "people": "Burns, Jennifer", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Weddell Seal Molt Survey Data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601133"}, {"dataset_uid": "601587", "doi": "10.15784/601587", "keywords": "Aerobic; Antarctica; Dive Capacity; Iron; McMurdo Sound; Weddell Seal", "people": "Shero, Michelle", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Weddell seal iron dynamics and oxygen stores across lactation", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601587"}, {"dataset_uid": "601137", "doi": "10.15784/601137", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Ross Sea; Seals; Southern Ocean; Weddell Seal", "people": "Burns, Jennifer; Beltran, Roxanne", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Weddell seal summer diving behavior", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601137"}], "date_created": "Wed, 24 May 2017 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Marine mammals that inhabit high latitude environments have evolved unique mechanisms to execute a suite of energetically-costly life history events (CLHEs) within a relatively short timeframe when conditions are most favorable. Understanding the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that regulate CLHEs is particularly important in species such as Weddell seals, as both reproduction and molt are associated with large reductions in foraging effort, and the timing and outcome of each appears linked with the other. The long-term mark recapture program on Erebus Bay\u0027s Weddell seals provides a unique opportunity to examine CLHEs in a known-history population. The proposed work will monitor physiological condition, pregnancy status, and behavior at various times throughout the year to determine if molt timing is influenced by prior reproductive outcome, and if it, in turn, influences future reproductive success. These data will then be used to address the demographic consequences of trade-offs between CLHEs in Weddell seals. The impact of environmental conditions and CLHE timing on population health will also be modeled so that results can be extended to other climates and species. An improved understanding of the interactions between CLHEs and the environment is important in predicting the response of organisms from higher trophic levels to climate change. Results will be widely disseminated through publications as well as through presentations at national and international meetings. In addition, raw data will be made available through open-access databases. This project will support the research and training of graduate students and a post-doctoral researcher and will further foster an extensive public outreach collaboration.", "east": 165.0, "geometry": "POINT(165 -77)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "FIELD INVESTIGATION; USAP-DC; Seal Dive Data; Weddell Seal", "locations": null, "north": -77.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Burns, Jennifer", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD INVESTIGATION", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -77.0, "title": "The Cost of A New Fur Coat: Interactions between Molt and Reproduction in Weddell Seals", "uid": "p0000229", "west": 165.0}, {"awards": "1141877 Aronson, Richard", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-111.18 -49.98,-105.429 -49.98,-99.678 -49.98,-93.927 -49.98,-88.176 -49.98,-82.425 -49.98,-76.674 -49.98,-70.923 -49.98,-65.172 -49.98,-59.421 -49.98,-53.67 -49.98,-53.67 -52.826,-53.67 -55.672,-53.67 -58.518,-53.67 -61.364,-53.67 -64.21,-53.67 -67.056,-53.67 -69.902,-53.67 -72.748,-53.67 -75.594,-53.67 -78.44,-59.421 -78.44,-65.172 -78.44,-70.923 -78.44,-76.674 -78.44,-82.425 -78.44,-88.176 -78.44,-93.927 -78.44,-99.678 -78.44,-105.429 -78.44,-111.18 -78.44,-111.18 -75.594,-111.18 -72.748,-111.18 -69.902,-111.18 -67.056,-111.18 -64.21,-111.18 -61.364,-111.18 -58.518,-111.18 -55.672,-111.18 -52.826,-111.18 -49.98))", "dataset_titles": "Climate Change and Predatory Invasion of the Antarctic Benthos; Expedition Data; Material properties of the exoskeleton of Paralomis birsteini", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "600385", "doi": "10.15784/600385", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Anvers Island; Benthos; Biota; Camera Tow; LMG1502; Marguerite Bay; NBP1002; NBP1310; Oceans; Photo/video; Photo/Video; Sample/collection Description; Sample/Collection Description; Southern Ocean", "people": "Aronson, Richard", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Climate Change and Predatory Invasion of the Antarctic Benthos", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600385"}, {"dataset_uid": "600171", "doi": "10.15784/600171", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Anvers Island; Benthos; Biota; Camera Tow; LMG1502; Marguerite Bay; NBP1002; NBP1310; Oceans; Photo/video; Photo/Video; Sample/collection Description; Sample/Collection Description; Southern Ocean", "people": "Aronson, Richard", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Climate Change and Predatory Invasion of the Antarctic Benthos", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600171"}, {"dataset_uid": "601109", "doi": "10.15784/601109", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Callinectes; Exoskeleton; Fish; Glaciers/ice Sheet; Glaciers/Ice Sheet; Paralomis", "people": "Steffel, Brittan", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Material properties of the exoskeleton of Paralomis birsteini", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601109"}, {"dataset_uid": "001417", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP1310"}], "date_created": "Wed, 14 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Elevated temperatures and ocean acidification are both threatening the Southern Ocean. The effects of these environmental changes are poorly understood, but preliminary data suggest that they are driving a biological invasion. Specifically, large populations of skeleton-crushing king crabs, Paralomis birsteini, have been detected off Marguerite Bay on the West Antarctic Peninsula. These crabs appear to be invading the continental shelf region where benthic communities have evolved in the absence of such top-predators. Thus, this invasion could result in a wholesale restructuring of the Antarctic benthic ecosystem. The proposed work seeks to document this invasion and better understand the effects of the introduction of P. birsteini on the ecology of this region. A towed underwater vehicle will be used to photographically image communities, and communities with and without P. birsteini will be compared quantitatively. Additionally, crabs will trapped and various aspects of their morphology and physiology will be assessed. This research is unique in that it will document a biological invasion in real-time and it will therefore enhance our general understandings of the drivers of invasion and resilience in biological communities. Results will be widely disseminated through publications as well as through presentations at national and international meetings. In addition, raw data will be made available through open-access databases. This project will support the research and training of undergraduate and graduate students and will foster an international collaboration with British scientists. Researchers on this project will participate in outreach thorough the development of K-12 curricular materials.", "east": -53.67, "geometry": "POINT(-82.425 -64.21)", "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e CTD; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e CHEMICAL METERS/ANALYZERS \u003e FLUOROMETERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e RECORDERS/LOGGERS \u003e AWS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e POSITIONING/NAVIGATION \u003e GPS \u003e GPS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e ACTIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e ACOUSTIC SOUNDERS \u003e ECHO SOUNDERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e ACOUSTIC SOUNDERS \u003e MBES; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e THERMOSALINOGRAPHS", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "R/V NBP; Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -49.98, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Aronson, Richard", "platforms": "Not provided; WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V NBP", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "R2R; USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -78.44, "title": "Collaborative Research: Climate Change and Predatory Invasion of the Antarctic Benthos", "uid": "p0000303", "west": -111.18}, {"awards": "1142018 Arrigo, Kevin", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-75.8 -61.08,-74.457 -61.08,-73.114 -61.08,-71.771 -61.08,-70.428 -61.08,-69.085 -61.08,-67.742 -61.08,-66.399 -61.08,-65.056 -61.08,-63.713 -61.08,-62.37 -61.08,-62.37 -61.684,-62.37 -62.288,-62.37 -62.892,-62.37 -63.496,-62.37 -64.1,-62.37 -64.704,-62.37 -65.308,-62.37 -65.912,-62.37 -66.516,-62.37 -67.12,-63.713 -67.12,-65.056 -67.12,-66.399 -67.12,-67.742 -67.12,-69.085 -67.12,-70.428 -67.12,-71.771 -67.12,-73.114 -67.12,-74.457 -67.12,-75.8 -67.12,-75.8 -66.516,-75.8 -65.912,-75.8 -65.308,-75.8 -64.704,-75.8 -64.1,-75.8 -63.496,-75.8 -62.892,-75.8 -62.288,-75.8 -61.684,-75.8 -61.08))", "dataset_titles": "Adaptive Responses of Phaeocystis Populations in Antarctic Ecosystems; Expedition Data", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "001417", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP1310"}, {"dataset_uid": "600161", "doi": "10.15784/600161", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Biota; Chlorophyll; CTD Data; NBP1310; NBP1409; Oceans; Physical Oceanography; Phytoplankton; Sea Surface; Southern Ocean", "people": "Arrigo, Kevin", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Adaptive Responses of Phaeocystis Populations in Antarctic Ecosystems", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600161"}], "date_created": "Mon, 11 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Global climate change is having significant effects on areas of the Southern Ocean, and a better understanding of this ecosystem will permit predictions about the large-scale implications of these shifts. The haptophyte Phaeocystis antarctica is an important component of the phytoplankton communities in this region, but little is known about the factors controlling its distribution. Preliminary data suggest that P. antarctica posses unique adaptations that allow it to thrive in regions with dynamic light regimes. This research will extend these results to identify the physiological and genetic mechanisms that affect the growth and distribution of P. antarctica. This work will use field and laboratory-based studies and a suite of modern molecular techniques to better understand the biogeography and physiology of this key organism. Results will be widely disseminated through publications as well as through presentations at national and international meetings. In addition, raw data will be made available through open-access databases. This project will support the research and training of two graduate students and will foster an established international collaboration with Dutch scientists. Researchers on this project will participate in outreach programs targeting K12 teachers as well as high school students.", "east": -62.37, "geometry": "POINT(-69.085 -64.1)", "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e CTD; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e CHEMICAL METERS/ANALYZERS \u003e FLUOROMETERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e RECORDERS/LOGGERS \u003e AWS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e POSITIONING/NAVIGATION \u003e GPS \u003e GPS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e ACTIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e ACOUSTIC SOUNDERS \u003e ECHO SOUNDERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e ACOUSTIC SOUNDERS \u003e MBES; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e THERMOSALINOGRAPHS", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "R/V NBP; Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -61.08, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Arrigo, Kevin", "platforms": "Not provided; WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V NBP", "repo": "R2R", "repositories": "R2R; USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -67.12, "title": "Collaborative Research: Adaptive Responses of Phaeocystis Populations in Antarctic Ecosystems", "uid": "p0000446", "west": -75.8}, {"awards": "0944686 Kieber, David; 0944659 Kiene, Ronald", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -68,-177 -68,-174 -68,-171 -68,-168 -68,-165 -68,-162 -68,-159 -68,-156 -68,-153 -68,-150 -68,-150 -69,-150 -70,-150 -71,-150 -72,-150 -73,-150 -74,-150 -75,-150 -76,-150 -77,-150 -78,-153 -78,-156 -78,-159 -78,-162 -78,-165 -78,-168 -78,-171 -78,-174 -78,-177 -78,180 -78,178 -78,176 -78,174 -78,172 -78,170 -78,168 -78,166 -78,164 -78,162 -78,160 -78,160 -77,160 -76,160 -75,160 -74,160 -73,160 -72,160 -71,160 -70,160 -69,160 -68,162 -68,164 -68,166 -68,168 -68,170 -68,172 -68,174 -68,176 -68,178 -68,-180 -68))", "dataset_titles": "Ecophysiology of DMSP and related compounds and their contributions to carbon and sulfur dynamics in Phaeocystis antarctica", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "600117", "doi": "10.15784/600117", "keywords": "Biota; Ross Sea; Southern Ocean", "people": "Kieber, David John", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Ecophysiology of DMSP and related compounds and their contributions to carbon and sulfur dynamics in Phaeocystis antarctica", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600117"}, {"dataset_uid": "600150", "doi": "10.15784/600150", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Chemistry:fluid; Chemistry:Fluid; Geochemistry; Oceans; Ross Sea", "people": "Kiene, Ronald", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Ecophysiology of DMSP and related compounds and their contributions to carbon and sulfur dynamics in Phaeocystis antarctica", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600150"}], "date_created": "Wed, 16 Dec 2015 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Spectacular blooms of Phaeocystis antarctica in the Ross Sea, Antarctica are the source of some of the world\u0027s highest concentrations of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) and its volatile degradation product, dimethylsulfide (DMS). The flux of DMS from the oceans to the atmosphere in this region and its subsequent gas phase oxidation generates aerosols that have a strong influence on cloud properties and possibly climate. In the oceans, DMS and DMSP are quantitatively significant components of the carbon, sulfur, and energy flows in marine food webs, especially in the Ross Sea. Despite its central role in carbon and sulfur biogeochemistry in the Ross Sea, surprisingly little is known about the physiological functions of DMSP in P. Antarctica. The research will isolate and characterize DMSP lyases from P. antarctica, with the goal of obtaining amino acid and gene sequence information on these important enzymes. The physiological studies will focus on the effects of varying intensities of photosynthetically active radiation, with and without ultraviolet radiation as these are factors that we have found to be important controls on DMSP and DMS dynamics. The research also will examine the effects of prolonged darkness on the dynamics of DMSP and related compounds in P. antarctica, as survival of this species during the dark Antarctic winter and at sub-euphotic depths appears to be an important part of the Phaeocystis? ecology. A unique aspect of this work is the focus on measurements of intracellular MSA, which if detected, would provide strong evidence for in vivo radical scavenging functions for methyl sulfur compounds. The study will advance understanding of what controls DMSP cycling and ultimately DMS emissions from the Ross Sea and also provide information on what makes P. antarctica so successful in this extreme environment. The research will directly benefit and build on several interrelated ocean-atmosphere programs including the International Surface Ocean Lower Atmosphere Study (SOLAS) program. The PIs will participate in several activities involving K-12 education, High School teacher training, public education and podcasting through the auspices of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab Discovery Hall program and SUNY ESF. Two graduate students will be employed full time, and six undergraduates (2 each summer) will be trained as part of this project.", "east": -150.0, "geometry": "POINT(-175 -73)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Amd/Us; Not provided; Ecophysiology; AMD; USAP-DC; FIELD SURVEYS", "locations": null, "north": -68.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Kiene, Ronald; Kieber, David John", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD SURVEYS; Not provided", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -78.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: Ecophysiology of DMSP and related compounds and their contributions to carbon and sulfur dynamics in Phaeocystis antarctica", "uid": "p0000085", "west": 160.0}, {"awards": "0944411 Ainley, David; 0944141 Ballard, Grant; 0944358 Dugger, Katie", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((165.9 -76.9,166.25 -76.9,166.6 -76.9,166.95 -76.9,167.3 -76.9,167.65 -76.9,168 -76.9,168.35 -76.9,168.7 -76.9,169.05 -76.9,169.4 -76.9,169.4 -76.97,169.4 -77.04,169.4 -77.11,169.4 -77.18,169.4 -77.25,169.4 -77.32,169.4 -77.39,169.4 -77.46,169.4 -77.53,169.4 -77.6,169.05 -77.6,168.7 -77.6,168.35 -77.6,168 -77.6,167.65 -77.6,167.3 -77.6,166.95 -77.6,166.6 -77.6,166.25 -77.6,165.9 -77.6,165.9 -77.53,165.9 -77.46,165.9 -77.39,165.9 -77.32,165.9 -77.25,165.9 -77.18,165.9 -77.11,165.9 -77.04,165.9 -76.97,165.9 -76.9))", "dataset_titles": "Adelie penguin banding data 1994-2009; Adelie penguin chick counts 1997-2009; Adelie penguin chick measurements 1996 - 2009; Adelie penguin diet data 1996 - 2009; Adelie penguin dive data 1999-2009; Adelie penguin Geolocation Sensor data 2003-2007; Adelie penguin resighting data 1997-2009; Adelie penguin resighting data 1997-2021 from the California Avian Data Center hosted by Point Reyes Bird Observatory Conservation Science; Adelie penguin satellite position data 2000-2009; Adelie penguin weighbridge data 1994-2009; Daily weather observations 1996-2009; Leopard Seal counts 1997-2009; PRBO/California Avian Data Center (CADC)", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "600008", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": "Ballard, Grant", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Adelie penguin diet data 1996 - 2009", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600008"}, {"dataset_uid": "600006", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": "Ballard, Grant", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Adelie penguin chick measurements 1996 - 2009", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600006"}, {"dataset_uid": "600005", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": "Ballard, Grant", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Adelie penguin banding data 1994-2009", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600005"}, {"dataset_uid": "000154", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "CADC", "science_program": null, "title": "PRBO/California Avian Data Center (CADC)", "url": "http://data.prbo.org/apps/penguinscience/"}, {"dataset_uid": "601444", "doi": "10.15784/601444", "keywords": "Adelie Penguin; Antarctica; Biota; Demography; Mark-Recapture; Monitoring; Penguin; Ross Island", "people": "Ballard, Grant", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Adelie penguin resighting data 1997-2021 from the California Avian Data Center hosted by Point Reyes Bird Observatory Conservation Science", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601444"}, {"dataset_uid": "600015", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": "Ballard, Grant", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Daily weather observations 1996-2009", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600015"}, {"dataset_uid": "600014", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": "Ballard, Grant", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Adelie penguin weighbridge data 1994-2009", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600014"}, {"dataset_uid": "600013", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": "Ballard, Grant", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Adelie penguin dive data 1999-2009", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600013"}, {"dataset_uid": "600012", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": "Ballard, Grant", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Adelie penguin satellite position data 2000-2009", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600012"}, {"dataset_uid": "600011", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": "Ballard, Grant", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Adelie penguin resighting data 1997-2009", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600011"}, {"dataset_uid": "600010", "doi": "", "keywords": "Biota; Oceans", "people": "Ballard, Grant", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Leopard Seal counts 1997-2009", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600010"}, {"dataset_uid": "600009", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": "Ballard, Grant", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Adelie penguin Geolocation Sensor data 2003-2007", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600009"}, {"dataset_uid": "600007", "doi": "", "keywords": "Biota", "people": "Ballard, Grant", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Adelie penguin chick counts 1997-2009", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600007"}], "date_created": "Sun, 13 Dec 2015 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "While changes in populations typically are tracked to gauge the impact of climate or habitat change, the process involves the response of individuals as each copes with an altered environment. In a study of Adelie penguins that spans 13 breeding seasons, results indicate that only 20% of individuals within a colony successfully raise offspring, and that they do so because of their exemplary foraging proficiency. Moreover, foraging appears to require more effort at the largest colony, where intraspecific competition is higher than at small colonies, and also requires more proficiency during periods of environmental stress. When conditions are particularly daunting, emigration dramatically increases, countering the long-standing assumption that Ad\u00e9lie penguins are highly philopatric. The research project will 1) determine the effect of age, experience and physiology on individual foraging efficiency; 2) determine the effect of age, experience, and individual quality on breeding success and survival in varying environmental and competitive conditions at the colony level; and 3) develop a comprehensive model for the Ross-Beaufort Island metapopulation dynamics. Broader impacts include training of interns, continuation of public outreach through the highly successful project website penguinscience.com, development of classroom materials and other standards-based instructional resources.", "east": 169.4, "geometry": "POINT(167.65 -77.25)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -76.9, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Ainley, David; Dugger, Katie; Ballard, Grant", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "CADC; USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -77.6, "title": "COLLABORATIVE: Adelie Penguin Response to Climate Change at the Individual, Colony and Metapopulation Levels", "uid": "p0000318", "west": 165.9}, {"awards": "0944220 Ponganis, Paul", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -68,-147 -68,-114 -68,-81 -68,-48 -68,-15 -68,18 -68,51 -68,84 -68,117 -68,150 -68,150 -69,150 -70,150 -71,150 -72,150 -73,150 -74,150 -75,150 -76,150 -77,150 -78,117 -78,84 -78,51 -78,18 -78,-15 -78,-48 -78,-81 -78,-114 -78,-147 -78,180 -78,178 -78,176 -78,174 -78,172 -78,170 -78,168 -78,166 -78,164 -78,162 -78,160 -78,160 -77,160 -76,160 -75,160 -74,160 -73,160 -72,160 -71,160 -70,160 -69,160 -68,162 -68,164 -68,166 -68,168 -68,170 -68,172 -68,174 -68,176 -68,178 -68,-180 -68))", "dataset_titles": "The Physiological Ecology of Two Antarctic Icons: Emperor Penguins and Leopard Seals", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "600113", "doi": "10.15784/600113", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Electrocardiogram; Penguin; Southern Ocean", "people": "Ponganis, Paul", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "The Physiological Ecology of Two Antarctic Icons: Emperor Penguins and Leopard Seals", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600113"}], "date_created": "Mon, 24 Nov 2014 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri) and leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) are iconic, top predators in Antarctica. Understanding their physiological ecology is essential to the assessment of their adaptability to the threats of climate change, pollution, and overfishing. The proposed research has multipronged objectives. Prior results suggest that Emperor penguins have flexible (vs. static) aerobic dive limits (ADL) that vary with the type of dive, and that the role of heart rate in utilization of oxygen stores also varies with dive type. A series of physiological measurements are proposed with backpack electrocardiogram recorders, that will allow further delineation of patterns and interrelationships among heart rate, dive behavior, and oxygen stores. Importantly, the research will be done on free diving emperors, and not individuals confined to a dive hole, thereby providing a more genuine measure of diving physiology and behavior. A separate objective is to examine foraging behavior of leopard seals, using a backpack digital camera and time depth recorder. Leopard seal behavior and prey intake is poorly quantified, but known to be significant. Accordingly the research is somewhat exploratory but will provide important baseline data. Finally, the P.I. proposes to continue long term overflight censuses of Emperor penguin colonies in the Ross Sea. Broader impacts include collaboration with National Geographic television, graduate student training, and development of sedation techniques for leopard seals.", "east": 150.0, "geometry": "POINT(-25 -73)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -68.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Ponganis, Paul", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -78.0, "title": "The Physiological Ecology of Two Antarctic Icons: Emperor Penguins and Leopard Seals", "uid": "p0000349", "west": 160.0}, {"awards": "0838996 Hollibaugh, James", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-79 -63,-77.5 -63,-76 -63,-74.5 -63,-73 -63,-71.5 -63,-70 -63,-68.5 -63,-67 -63,-65.5 -63,-64 -63,-64 -63.8,-64 -64.6,-64 -65.4,-64 -66.2,-64 -67,-64 -67.8,-64 -68.6,-64 -69.4,-64 -70.2,-64 -71,-65.5 -71,-67 -71,-68.5 -71,-70 -71,-71.5 -71,-73 -71,-74.5 -71,-76 -71,-77.5 -71,-79 -71,-79 -70.2,-79 -69.4,-79 -68.6,-79 -67.8,-79 -67,-79 -66.2,-79 -65.4,-79 -64.6,-79 -63.8,-79 -63))", "dataset_titles": "Ammonia Oxidation Versus Heterotrophy in Crenarchaeota Populations from Marine Environments West of the Antarctic Peninsula; Expedition data of LMG1006", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "002722", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of LMG1006", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1006"}, {"dataset_uid": "600105", "doi": "10.15784/600105", "keywords": "Biota; Chemistry:fluid; Chemistry:Fluid; LMG1006; LMG1101; LTER Palmer Station; Oceans; Southern Ocean", "people": "Hollibaugh, James T.", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Ammonia Oxidation Versus Heterotrophy in Crenarchaeota Populations from Marine Environments West of the Antarctic Peninsula", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600105"}], "date_created": "Thu, 13 Mar 2014 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Ammonia oxidation is the first step in the conversion of regenerated nitrogen to dinitrogen gas, a 3-step pathway mediated by 3 distinct guilds of bacteria and archaea. Ammonia oxidation and the overall process of nitrification-denitrification have received relatively little attention in polar oceans where the effects of climate change on biogeochemical rates are likely to be pronounced. Previous work on Ammonia Oxidizing Archaea (AOA) in the Palmer LTER study area West of the Antarctic Peninsula (WAP), has suggested strong vertical segregation of crenarchaeote metabolism, with the \"winter water\" (WW, ~50-100 m depth range) dominated by non-AOA crenarchaeotes, while Crenarchaeota populations in the \"circumpolar deep water\" (CDW), which lies immediately below the winter water (150-3500 m), are dominated by AOA. Analysis of a limited number of samples from the Arctic Ocean did not reveal a comparable vertical segregation of AOA, and suggested that AOA and Crenarchaeota abundance is much lower there than in the Antarctic. These findings led to 3 hypotheses that will be tested in this project: 1) the apparent low abundance of Crenarchaeota and AOA in Arctic Ocean samples may be due to spatial or temporal variability in populations; 2) the WW population of Crenarchaeota in the WAP is dominated by a heterotroph; 3) the WW population of Crenarchaeota in the WAP \"grows in\" during spring and summer after this water mass forms. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe study will contribute substantially to understanding an important aspect of the nitrogen cycle in the Palmer LTER (Long Term Ecological Research) study area by providing insights into the ecology and physiology of AOA. The natural segregation of crenarchaeote phenotypes in waters of the WAP, coupled with metagenomic studies in progress in the same area by others (A. Murray, H. Ducklow), offers the possibility of major breakthroughs in understanding of the metabolic capabilities of these organisms. This knowledge is needed to model how water column nitrification will respond to changes in polar ecosystems accompanying global climate change. The Principal Investigator will participate fully in the education and outreach efforts of the Palmer LTER, including making highlights of our findings available for posting to their project web site and participating in outreach (for example, Schoolyard LTER). The research also will involve undergraduates (including the field work if possible) and will support high school interns in the P.I.\u0027s laboratory over the summer.", "east": -64.0, "geometry": "POINT(-71.5 -67)", "instruments": "EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e POSITIONING/NAVIGATION \u003e GPS \u003e GPS", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "R/V LMG", "locations": null, "north": -63.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Hollibaugh, James T.", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V LMG", "repo": "R2R", "repositories": "R2R; USAP-DC", "science_programs": "LTER", "south": -71.0, "title": "Ammonia Oxidation Versus Heterotrophy in Crenarchaeota Populations from Marine Environments West of the Antarctic Peninsula", "uid": "p0000359", "west": -79.0}, {"awards": "0741301 O\u0027Brien, Kristin; 1142720 Crockett, Elizabeth", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-64.45 -63.29,-64.249 -63.29,-64.048 -63.29,-63.847 -63.29,-63.646 -63.29,-63.445 -63.29,-63.244 -63.29,-63.043 -63.29,-62.842 -63.29,-62.641 -63.29,-62.44 -63.29,-62.44 -63.370999999999995,-62.44 -63.452,-62.44 -63.533,-62.44 -63.614,-62.44 -63.69499999999999,-62.44 -63.775999999999996,-62.44 -63.857,-62.44 -63.937999999999995,-62.44 -64.01899999999999,-62.44 -64.1,-62.641 -64.1,-62.842 -64.1,-63.043 -64.1,-63.244 -64.1,-63.445 -64.1,-63.646 -64.1,-63.847 -64.1,-64.048 -64.1,-64.249 -64.1,-64.45 -64.1,-64.45 -64.01899999999999,-64.45 -63.937999999999995,-64.45 -63.857,-64.45 -63.775999999999996,-64.45 -63.69499999999999,-64.45 -63.614,-64.45 -63.533,-64.45 -63.452,-64.45 -63.370999999999995,-64.45 -63.29))", "dataset_titles": "Linkages among Mitochondrial Form, Function and Thermal Tolerance of Antarctic Notothenioid Fishes", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "600084", "doi": "10.15784/600084", "keywords": "Biota; Oceans; Pot; Southern Ocean; Trawl", "people": "O\u0027Brien, Kristin", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Linkages among Mitochondrial Form, Function and Thermal Tolerance of Antarctic Notothenioid Fishes", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600084"}], "date_created": "Sat, 30 Nov 2013 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Abstract Antarctic notothenioid fishes have evolved in the Southern Ocean for 10-14 MY under an unusual set of circumstances. Their characteristics include the complete absence of the circulating oxygen-binding protein, hemoglobin (Hb) within the Channichthyid (Icefish) family of notothenioids. Moreover, some species within the 16 members of this family have also lost the ability to express the oxygen-binding and storage protein, myoglobin (Mb) in cardiac muscle. Our previous work has determined that the loss of Hb and/or Mb is correlated with significant increases in densities of mitochondria within oxidative tissues, and extensive remodeling of these vital organelles. To date, nothing is known about how modifications in mitochondrial architecture of icefishes affect organelle function, or more importantly, how they affect organismal-level physiology. Most critical for Antarctic fishes is that mitochondrial characteristics have been linked to how well ectotherms can withstand increases in temperature. This collaborative research project will address the hypothesis that the unusual mitochondrial architecture of Antarctic Channichthyids has led to changes in function that impact their ability to withstand elevations in temperature. Specifically, the research will (1) determine if the unusual mitochondrial architecture of icefishes affects function and contributes to organismal thermal sensitivity, (2) identify differences in organismal thermal tolerance between red- and white- blooded notothenioids, (3) identify molecular mechanisms regulating changes in mitochondrial structure in icefishes. The results may establish channichthyid icefishes as a sentinel taxon for signaling the impact of global warming on the Southern Ocean. Broad impacts of this project will be realized by participation of high school biology teachers in field work through cooperation with the ARMADA project at the University of Rhode Island, as well as graduate education.", "east": -62.44, "geometry": "POINT(-63.445 -63.695)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -63.29, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Crockett, Elizabeth; O\u0027Brien, Kristin", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -64.1, "title": "Collaborative Research: Linkages among Mitochondrial Form, Function and Thermal Tolerance of Antarctic Notothenioid Fishes", "uid": "p0000483", "west": -64.45}, {"awards": "0838850 Gooseff, Michael", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((162.32 -77.62,162.418 -77.62,162.516 -77.62,162.614 -77.62,162.712 -77.62,162.81 -77.62,162.90800000000002 -77.62,163.006 -77.62,163.104 -77.62,163.202 -77.62,163.3 -77.62,163.3 -77.631,163.3 -77.64200000000001,163.3 -77.653,163.3 -77.664,163.3 -77.67500000000001,163.3 -77.686,163.3 -77.697,163.3 -77.708,163.3 -77.71900000000001,163.3 -77.73,163.202 -77.73,163.104 -77.73,163.006 -77.73,162.90800000000002 -77.73,162.81 -77.73,162.712 -77.73,162.614 -77.73,162.516 -77.73,162.418 -77.73,162.32 -77.73,162.32 -77.71900000000001,162.32 -77.708,162.32 -77.697,162.32 -77.686,162.32 -77.67500000000001,162.32 -77.664,162.32 -77.653,162.32 -77.64200000000001,162.32 -77.631,162.32 -77.62))", "dataset_titles": "The Role of Snow Patches on the Spatial Distribution of Soil Microbial Communities and Biogeochemical Cycling in the Antarctic Dry Valleys", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "600100", "doi": "10.15784/600100", "keywords": "Antarctica; Critical Zone; Mps-1 Water Potential Sensor; Physical Properties; Soil Moisture; Soil Temperature", "people": "Gooseff, Michael N.", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "The Role of Snow Patches on the Spatial Distribution of Soil Microbial Communities and Biogeochemical Cycling in the Antarctic Dry Valleys", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600100"}], "date_created": "Tue, 26 Nov 2013 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eTwo models have been proposed to describe controls over microbial biogeography. One model proposes that microbes are ubiquitously distributed across the global environment, and that environmental conditions select for taxa physiologically adapted to local physical conditions. An alternative model predicts that dispersal is the important limitation to the distribution of microorganisms and that spatial heterogeneity of microbial communities is a result of both dispersal and local environmental limitations. According to both models, spatial heterogeneity of microbial communities may be especially pronounced in extreme ecosystems where the environmental selection for organisms with suitable physiology is most strongly manifest. We propose that Antarctic terrestrial environments are ideal places to examine microbial biogeography for 3 reasons: 1) the pristine nature and remoteness of Antarctica minimizes the prevalence of exotic species dispersed through human vectors; 2) the extreme conditions of Antarctic environments provide a strong environmental filter which limits the establishment of non-indigenous taxa; and 3) extreme heterogeneity in the terrestrial environment provides natural gradients of soil conditions (temperature, water and nutrient availability). In the proposed research we will investigate the influence of snow on the composition and spatial distribution of soil microbial communities and linked biogeochemical cycling in the McMurdo Dry Valleys. We will conduct fieldwork at the landscape scale (repeated remote sensing to characterize snow distribution), at the valley and patch scales (quantify snow patch ablation, microbial communities and biogeochemical cycling in subnivian soils). We hypothesize that snow patches play an important role in structuring the spatial distribution of soil microbial communities and their associated ecosystem functioning because of the physical and hydrological influences that snow patches have on the soil environment. The research will contribute to greater public awareness of the importance of polar research to fundamental questions of biology, ecology and hydrology through direct linkages with International Antarctic Institute public outreach activities, including dissemination of web-based learning units on environmental science and microbiology, targeted as resources for secondary and post-secondary educators. Three graduate students, one postdoctoral scholar and multiple undergraduates will participate in the research activities.", "east": 163.3, "geometry": "POINT(162.81 -77.675)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -77.62, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Gooseff, Michael N.", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -77.73, "title": "Collaborative Research: The Role of Snow Patches on the Spatial Distribution of Soil Microbial Communities and Biogeochemical Cycling in the Antarctic Dry Valleys", "uid": "p0000489", "west": 162.32}, {"awards": "0838937 Costa, Daniel; 0838892 Burns, Jennifer; 0838911 Hofmann, Eileen", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((160 -68,162 -68,164 -68,166 -68,168 -68,170 -68,172 -68,174 -68,176 -68,178 -68,180 -68,180 -68.8,180 -69.6,180 -70.4,180 -71.2,180 -72,180 -72.8,180 -73.6,180 -74.4,180 -75.2,180 -76,178 -76,176 -76,174 -76,172 -76,170 -76,168 -76,166 -76,164 -76,162 -76,160 -76,160 -75.2,160 -74.4,160 -73.6,160 -72.8,160 -72,160 -71.2,160 -70.4,160 -69.6,160 -68.8,160 -68))", "dataset_titles": "Weddell seal dive behavior and rhythmicity from 2010-2012 in the Ross Sea; Weddell seal reproductive physiology data ; Weddell seals as autonomous sensors of the winter oceanography of the Ross Sea", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601835", "doi": "10.15784/601835", "keywords": "Aerobic; Antarctica; Cryosphere; Weddell Seal", "people": "Shero, Michelle", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Weddell seal dive behavior and rhythmicity from 2010-2012 in the Ross Sea", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601835"}, {"dataset_uid": "600025", "doi": "10.15784/600025", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Oceans; Ross Sea; Southern Ocean", "people": "Costa, Daniel", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Weddell seals as autonomous sensors of the winter oceanography of the Ross Sea", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600025"}, {"dataset_uid": "600101", "doi": "10.15784/600101", "keywords": "Biota; Oceans; Ross Sea; Seals; Southern Ocean", "people": "Burns, Jennifer", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Weddell seals as autonomous sensors of the winter oceanography of the Ross Sea", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600101"}, {"dataset_uid": "601993", "doi": "10.15784/601993", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Cryosphere; Hormones; McMurdo Sound; Physiology; Ross Sea; Weddell Seal", "people": "Kirkham, Amy", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Weddell seal reproductive physiology data ", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601993"}], "date_created": "Mon, 11 Nov 2013 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Abstract \u003cbr/\u003eThis award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eMarine mammals of the Southern Ocean have evolved diverse life history patterns and foraging strategies to accommodate extreme fluctuations in the physical and biological environment. In light of ongoing climate change and the dramatic shifts in the extent and persistence of sea ice in the Ross Sea, it is critical to understand how Weddell seals, Leptonychotes weddellii, a key apex predator, select and utilize foraging habitats. Recent advances in satellite-linked animal-borne conductivity, temperature and depth (CTD) tags make it possible to simultaneously collect data on seal locations, their diving patterns, and the temperature and salinity profiles of the water columns they utilize. In other ecosystems, such data have revealed that marine predators selectively forage in areas where currents and fronts serve to locally concentrate prey resources, and that these conditions are required to sustain populations. Weddell seals will be studied in McMurdo Sound and at Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea and will provide the first new data on Weddell seal winter diving behavior and habitat use in almost two decades. The relationship between an animal\u0027s diving behavior and physical habitat has enormous potential to enhance monitoring studies and to provide insight into how changes in ice conditions (due either to warming or the impact of large icebergs, such as B15) might impact individual time budgets and foraging success. The second thrust of this project is to use the profiles obtained from CTD seal tags to model the physical oceanography of this region. Current mathematical models of physical oceanographic processes in the Southern Ocean are directed at better understanding the role that it plays in global climate processes, and the linkages between physical and biological oceanographic processes. However, these efforts are limited by the scarcity of oceanographic data at high latitudes in the winter months; CTD tags deployed on animals will collect data at sufficient spatial and temporal resolution to improve data density. The project will contribute to two IPY endorsed initiatives: MEOP (Marine Mammals as Explorers of the Ocean Pole to Pole) and CAML (Census of Antarctic Marine Life). In addition, the highly visual nature of the data and analysis lends itself to public and educational display and outreach, particularly as they relate to global climate change, and we have collaborations with undergraduate and graduate training programs, the Seymour Marine Discovery Center, and the ARMADA program to foster these broader impacts.", "east": 180.0, "geometry": "POINT(170 -72)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -68.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Burns, Jennifer; Hofmann, Eileen; Costa, Daniel", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -76.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: Weddell seals as autonomous sensors of the winter oceanography of the Ross Sea", "uid": "p0000661", "west": 160.0}, {"awards": "0538479 Seibel, Brad", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((166 -77,166.1 -77,166.2 -77,166.3 -77,166.4 -77,166.5 -77,166.6 -77,166.7 -77,166.8 -77,166.9 -77,167 -77,167 -77.1,167 -77.2,167 -77.3,167 -77.4,167 -77.5,167 -77.6,167 -77.7,167 -77.8,167 -77.9,167 -78,166.9 -78,166.8 -78,166.7 -78,166.6 -78,166.5 -78,166.4 -78,166.3 -78,166.2 -78,166.1 -78,166 -78,166 -77.9,166 -77.8,166 -77.7,166 -77.6,166 -77.5,166 -77.4,166 -77.3,166 -77.2,166 -77.1,166 -77))", "dataset_titles": "Impacts of Elevated pCO2 on a Dominant Aragonitic Pteropod (Thecosomata) and its Specialist Predator (Gymnosomata) in the Ross Sea", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "600055", "doi": "10.15784/600055", "keywords": "Biota; CO2; Mcmurdo Station; Oceans; Ross Island; Sample/collection Description; Sample/Collection Description; Shell Fish; Southern Ocean", "people": "Seibel, Brad", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Impacts of Elevated pCO2 on a Dominant Aragonitic Pteropod (Thecosomata) and its Specialist Predator (Gymnosomata) in the Ross Sea", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600055"}], "date_created": "Sat, 18 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations have resulted in greater oceanic uptake of anthropogenic carbon dioxide. Elevated partial pressure of carbon dioxide can impact marine organisms both via decreased carbonate saturation that affects calcification rates and via disturbance to acid-base (metabolic) physiology. Pteropod molluscs (Thecosomata) form shells made of aragonite, a type of calcium carbonate that is highly soluble, suggesting that these organisms may be particularly sensitive to increasing carbon dioxide and reduced carbonate ion concentration. Thecosome pteropods, which dominate the calcium carbonate export south of the Antarctic Polar Front, will be the first major group of marine calcifying organisms to experience carbonate undersaturation within parts of their present-day geographical ranges as a result of anthropogenic carbon dioxide. An unusual, co-evolved relationship between thecosomes and their specialized gymnosome predators provides a unique backdrop against which to assess the physiological and ecological importance of elevated partial pressure of carbon dioxide. Pteropods are functionally important components of the Antarctic ecosystem with potential to influence phytoplankton stocks, carbon export, and dimethyl sulfide levels that, in turn, influence global climate through ocean-atmosphere feedback loops. The research will quantify the impact of elevated carbon dioxide on a dominant aragonitic pteropod, Limacina helicina, and its specialist predator, the gymnosome Clione antarctica, in the Ross Sea through laboratory experimentation. Results will be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific understanding in this field. The project involves collaboration between researchers at a predominantly undergraduate institution with a significant enrollment of students that are typically underrepresented in the research environment (California State University San Marcos - CSUSM) and at a Ph.D.-granting institution (University of Rhode Island - URI). The program will promote education and learning through the joint education of undergraduate students and graduate students at CSUSM and URI as part of a research team, as well as through the teaching activities of the principal investigators. Dr. Keating, CSUSM professor of science education, will participate in the McMurdo fieldwork and lead the outreach opportunities for the project.", "east": 167.0, "geometry": "POINT(166.5 -77.5)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -77.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Seibel, Brad", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -78.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: Impacts of Elevated pCO2 on a Dominant Aragonitic Pteropod (Thecosomata) and its Specialist Predator (Gymnosomata) in the Ross Sea", "uid": "p0000694", "west": 166.0}, {"awards": "0649609 Horning, Markus", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((165.975 -77.54,166.0631 -77.54,166.1512 -77.54,166.2393 -77.54,166.3274 -77.54,166.4155 -77.54,166.5036 -77.54,166.5917 -77.54,166.6798 -77.54,166.7679 -77.54,166.856 -77.54,166.856 -77.5709,166.856 -77.6018,166.856 -77.6327,166.856 -77.6636,166.856 -77.6945,166.856 -77.7254,166.856 -77.7563,166.856 -77.7872,166.856 -77.8181,166.856 -77.849,166.7679 -77.849,166.6798 -77.849,166.5917 -77.849,166.5036 -77.849,166.4155 -77.849,166.3274 -77.849,166.2393 -77.849,166.1512 -77.849,166.0631 -77.849,165.975 -77.849,165.975 -77.8181,165.975 -77.7872,165.975 -77.7563,165.975 -77.7254,165.975 -77.6945,165.975 -77.6636,165.975 -77.6327,165.975 -77.6018,165.975 -77.5709,165.975 -77.54))", "dataset_titles": "Aging in Weddell Seals: Proximate Mechanisms of Age-Related Changes in Adaptations to Breath-Hold Hunting in an Extreme Environment", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "600071", "doi": "10.15784/600071", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; McMurdo; Oceans; Seals; Southern Ocean", "people": "Horning, Markus", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Aging in Weddell Seals: Proximate Mechanisms of Age-Related Changes in Adaptations to Breath-Hold Hunting in an Extreme Environment", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600071"}], "date_created": "Wed, 04 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The primary objectives of this research are to investigate the proximate effects of aging on diving capability in the Weddell Seal and to describe mechanisms by which aging may influence foraging ecology, through physiology and behavior. This model pinniped species has been the focus of three decades of research in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. Compared to the knowledge of pinniped diving physiology and ecology during early development and young adulthood, little is known about individuals nearing the upper limit of their normal reproductive age range. Evolutionary aging theories predict that elderly diving seals should exhibit senescence. This should be exacerbated by surges in the generation of oxygen free radicals via hypoxia-reoxygenation during breath-hold diving and hunting, which are implicated in age-related damage to cellular mitochondria. Surprisingly, limited observations of non-threatened pinniped populations indicate that senescence does not occur to a level where reproductive output is affected. The ability of pinnipeds to avoid apparent senescence raises two major questions: what specific physiological and morphological changes occur with advancing age in pinnipeds and what subtle adjustments are made by these animals to cope with such changes? This investigation will focus on specific, functional physiological and behavioral changes relating to dive capability with advancing age. The investigators will quantify age-related changes in general health and body condition, combined with fine scale assessments of external and internal ability to do work in the form of diving. Specifically, patterns of oxidative status and oxygen use with age will be examined. The effects of age on muscular function, contractile capacity in vascular smooth muscle, and exercise capacity via exercise performance in skeletal muscle will be examined. Data will be compared between Weddell seals in the peak, and near the end, of their reproductive age range. An assessment will be made of the ability to do external work (i.e. diving) as well as muscle functionality (ability to do internal work). The investigators hypothesize that senescence does occur in Weddell seals at the level of small-scale, proximate physiological effects and performance, but that behavioral plasticity allows for a given degree of compensation. Broader impacts include the training of students and outreach activities including interviews and articles written for the popular media. Photographs and project summaries will be available to the interested public on the project website. This study should also establish diving seals as a novel model for the study of cardiovascular and muscular physiology of aging. Research on Weddell seals could validate this model and thus develop a foundation for similar research on other species. Advancement of the understanding of aging by medical science has been impressive in recent years and the development of new models for the study of aging has tremendous potential benefits to society at large", "east": 166.856, "geometry": "POINT(166.4155 -77.6945)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -77.54, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Horning, Markus", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -77.849, "title": "Collaborative Research: Aging in Weddell Seals: Proximate Mechanisms of Age-Related Changes in Adaptations to Breath-Hold Hunting in an Extreme Environment", "uid": "p0000487", "west": 165.975}, {"awards": "0338097 DiTullio, Giacomo; 0338157 Smith, Walker; 0127037 Neale, Patrick; 0338350 Dunbar, Robert; 0741411 Hutchins, David", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((173.31833 -46.5719,173.757539 -46.5719,174.196748 -46.5719,174.635957 -46.5719,175.075166 -46.5719,175.514375 -46.5719,175.953584 -46.5719,176.392793 -46.5719,176.832002 -46.5719,177.271211 -46.5719,177.71042 -46.5719,177.71042 -48.759516,177.71042 -50.947132,177.71042 -53.134748,177.71042 -55.322364,177.71042 -57.50998,177.71042 -59.697596,177.71042 -61.885212,177.71042 -64.072828,177.71042 -66.260444,177.71042 -68.44806,177.271211 -68.44806,176.832002 -68.44806,176.392793 -68.44806,175.953584 -68.44806,175.514375 -68.44806,175.075166 -68.44806,174.635957 -68.44806,174.196748 -68.44806,173.757539 -68.44806,173.31833 -68.44806,173.31833 -66.260444,173.31833 -64.072828,173.31833 -61.885212,173.31833 -59.697596,173.31833 -57.50998,173.31833 -55.322364,173.31833 -53.134748,173.31833 -50.947132,173.31833 -48.759516,173.31833 -46.5719))", "dataset_titles": "Expedition Data; Interactive Effects of Iron, Light and Carbon Dioxide on Phytoplankton Community Dynamics in the Ross Sea; Processed Fluid Chemistry Data from the Ross Sea acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP0601", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "001580", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP0601"}, {"dataset_uid": "001545", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP0608"}, {"dataset_uid": "001584", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP0508"}, {"dataset_uid": "601340", "doi": null, "keywords": "Antarctica; Chemistry:fluid; Chemistry:Fluid; Fluid Chemistry Data; Geochemistry; NBP0601; Niskin Bottle; Oceans; Ross Sea; R/v Nathaniel B. Palmer; Southern Ocean; Water Measurements", "people": "DiTullio, Giacomo; Smith, Walker", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Processed Fluid Chemistry Data from the Ross Sea acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP0601", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601340"}, {"dataset_uid": "001687", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP0305"}, {"dataset_uid": "600036", "doi": "10.15784/600036", "keywords": "Biota; Chemistry:fluid; Chemistry:Fluid; Diatom; Oceans; Phytoplankton; Ross Sea; Southern Ocean", "people": "DiTullio, Giacomo", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Interactive Effects of Iron, Light and Carbon Dioxide on Phytoplankton Community Dynamics in the Ross Sea", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600036"}], "date_created": "Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The objectives of this proposal are to investigate the controls on the large-scale distribution and production of the two major bloom-forming phytoplankton taxa in the Southern Ocean, diatoms and Phaeocystis Antarctica. These two groups, through their involvement in the biogeochemical cycles of carbon, sulfur and nutrient elements, may have played important roles in the climate variations of the late Quaternary, and they also may be key players in future environmental change. A current paradigm is that irradiance and iron availability drive phytoplankton dynamics in the Southern Ocean. Recent work, however, suggests that carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations may also be important in structuring algal assemblages, due to species-specific differences in the physiology. This proposal examines the interactive effects of iron, light and CO2 on the physiology, ecology and relative dominance of Phaeocystis and diatoms in the Southern Ocean. The Ross Sea is an ideal system in which to investigate the environmental factors that regulate the distribution and production of these two algal groups, since it is characterized by seasonal blooms of both P. Antarctica and diatoms that are typically separated in both space and time. This study will take the form of an interdisciplinary investigation that includes a field survey and statistical analysis of algal assemblage composition, iron, mixed layer depth, and CO2 levels in the southern Ross Sea, coupled with shipboard experiments to examine the response of diatom and P. Antarctica assemblages to high and low levels of iron, light and CO2 during spring and summer. \u003cbr/\u003eThis project will provide information on some of the major factors controlling the production and distribution of the two major bloom forming phytoplankton in the Southern Ocean and the related biogeochemical cycling of carbon, sulfur and nutrient elements. The results may ultimately advance the ability to predict how the Southern Ocean will be affected by and possibly modulate future climate change. This project will also make significant educational contributions at several levels, including the planned research involvement of graduate and undergraduate students, postdoctoral associates, a student teacher, and community outreach and educational activities. A number of activities are planned to interface the project with K-12 education. Presentations will be made at local schools to discuss the research and events of the research cruise. During the cruise there will be daily interactive email contact with elementary classrooms. Established websites will be used to allow students to learn about the ongoing research, and to allow researchers to communicate with students through text and downloaded images.", "east": 177.71042, "geometry": "POINT(175.514375 -57.50998)", "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e CTD; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e MAGNETIC/MOTION SENSORS \u003e GRAVIMETERS \u003e GRAVIMETERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PRESSURE/HEIGHT METERS \u003e PRESSURE SENSORS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PHOTON/OPTICAL DETECTORS \u003e TURBIDITY METERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e ACOUSTIC SOUNDERS \u003e ADCP; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e CHEMICAL METERS/ANALYZERS \u003e FLUOROMETERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e CHEMICAL METERS/ANALYZERS \u003e FRRF; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e CHEMICAL METERS/ANALYZERS \u003e FLUOROMETERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e CHEMICAL METERS/ANALYZERS \u003e FRRF", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "B-15J; OCEAN PLATFORMS; FIELD SURVEYS; R/V NBP", "locations": "B-15J", "north": -46.5719, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences; Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Ditullio, Giacomo; Smith, Walker; Dryer, Jennifer; Neale, Patrick", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD SURVEYS; WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIXED PLATFORMS \u003e SURFACE \u003e OCEAN PLATFORMS; WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V NBP", "repo": "R2R", "repositories": "R2R; USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -68.44806, "title": "Collaborative Research: Interactive Effects of Iron, Light and Carbon Dioxide on Phytoplankton Community Dynamics in the Ross Sea", "uid": "p0000540", "west": 173.31833}, {"awards": "0132032 Detrich, H. William", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-68.84315 -42.87167,-61.576321 -42.87167,-54.309492 -42.87167,-47.042663 -42.87167,-39.775834 -42.87167,-32.509005 -42.87167,-25.242176 -42.87167,-17.975347 -42.87167,-10.708518 -42.87167,-3.441689 -42.87167,3.82514 -42.87167,3.82514 -44.482708,3.82514 -46.093746,3.82514 -47.704784,3.82514 -49.315822,3.82514 -50.92686,3.82514 -52.537898,3.82514 -54.148936,3.82514 -55.759974,3.82514 -57.371012,3.82514 -58.98205,-3.441689 -58.98205,-10.708518 -58.98205,-17.975347 -58.98205,-25.242176 -58.98205,-32.509005 -58.98205,-39.775834 -58.98205,-47.042663 -58.98205,-54.309492 -58.98205,-61.576321 -58.98205,-68.84315 -58.98205,-68.84315 -57.371012,-68.84315 -55.759974,-68.84315 -54.148936,-68.84315 -52.537898,-68.84315 -50.92686,-68.84315 -49.315822,-68.84315 -47.704784,-68.84315 -46.093746,-68.84315 -44.482708,-68.84315 -42.87167))", "dataset_titles": "Expedition Data", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "001655", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP0404"}], "date_created": "Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Notothenioid fish are a major group of fish in the Southern Ocean. The ancestral notothenioid fish stock of Antarctica probably arose as a sluggish, bottom-dwelling perciform species that evolved some 40-60 million years ago in the then temperate shelf waters of the Antarctic continent. The grounding of the ice sheet on the continental shelf and changing trophic conditions may have eliminated the taxonomically diverse late Eocene fauna and initiated the original diversification of notothenioids. On the High Antarctic shelf, notothenioids today dominate the ichthyofauna in terms of species diversity, abundance and biomass, the latter two at levels of 90-95%. Since the International Geophysical Year of 1957-58, fish biologists from the Antarctic Treaty nations have made impressive progress in understanding the notothenioid ichthyofauna of the cold Antarctic marine ecosystem. However, integration of this work into the broader marine context has been limited, largely due to lack of access to, and analysis of, specimens of Sub-Antarctic notothenioid fishes. Sub-Antarctic fishes of the notothenioid suborder are critical for a complete understanding of the evolution, population dynamics, eco-physiology, and eco-biochemistry of their Antarctic relatives. This project will support an international, collaborative research cruise to collect and study fish indigenous to sub-antarctic habitats. The topics included in the research plans of the international team of researchers includes Systematics and Evolutionary Studies; Life History Strategies and Population Dynamics; Physiological, Biochemical, and Molecular Biological Investigations of Major Organ and Tissue Systems; Genomic Resources for the Sub-Antarctic Notothenioids; and Ecological Studies of Transitional Benthic Invertebrates. In a world that is experiencing changes in global climate, the loss of biological diversity, and the depletion of marine fisheries, the Antarctic, Sub-Antarctic, and their biota offer compelling natural laboratories for understanding the evolutionary impacts of these processes. The proposed work will contribute to development of a baseline understanding of these sensitive ecosystems, one against which future changes in species distribution and survival may be evaluated judiciously.", "east": 3.82514, "geometry": "POINT(-32.509005 -50.92686)", "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e CTD; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e MAGNETIC/MOTION SENSORS \u003e GRAVIMETERS \u003e GRAVIMETERS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e POSITIONING/NAVIGATION \u003e GPS \u003e GPS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e ACOUSTIC SOUNDERS \u003e ADCP", "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "R/V NBP", "locations": null, "north": -42.87167, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Detrich, H. 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As a result, this group of animals is uniquely suited to studies aimed at understanding and identifying features of physiology and biochemistry that result from the process of evolution at cold body temperature. This project has three major objectives aimed at examining adaptations for life in cold environments: \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e1. Identify the amino acid substitutions in the fatty acid-binding pocket of fatty acyl CoA synthetase (FACS) that explain its substrate specificity. Fatty acids are a major fuel of energy metabolism in Antarctic fishes. FACS catalyzes the condensation of CoASH and fatty acids to fatty acyl CoA esters, a step required for subsequent metabolism of these important compounds. This research may permit us to resolve the specific amino acid substitutions that explain both substrate specificity and preservation of catalytic rate of notothenioid FACS at cold physiological temperatures.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e2. Produce a rigorous biochemical and biophysical characterization of the intracellular calcium-binding protein, parvalbumin, from white axial musculature of Antarctic fishes. Parvalbumin plays a pivotal role in facilitating the relaxation phase of fast-contracting muscles and is a likely site of strong selective pressure. Preliminary data strongly indicate that the protein from Antarctic fishes has been modified to ensure function at cold temperature. A suite of physical techniques will be used to determine dissociation constants of Antarctic fish parvalbumins for calcium and magnesium and unidirectional rate constants of ion-dissociation from the protein. Full-length cDNA clones for Antarctic fish parvalbumin(s) will permit deduction of primary amino acid sequence These data will yield insight into structural elements that permit the protein from notothenioid fishes to function at very cold body temperature.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e3. Conduct a broad survey of the pattern of cardiac myoglobin expression in the Suborder Notothenoidei. Previous work has indicated a variable pattern of presence or absence of the intracellular oxygen-binding protein, myoglobin (Mb), in hearts of one family of Antarctic notothenioid fishes (Channichthyidae; icefishes). Because Mb is of physiological value in species that express the protein, the observed pattern of interspecific expression has been attributed to unusually low niche competition in the Southern Ocean. This leads to the prediction that similar loss of cardiac Mb should be observed in other notothenioid taxa. This part of the project will survey for the presence and absence of cardiac Mb in as many notothenioid species as possible and, if Mb-lacking species are detected, will extend analyses to determine the mechanism(s) responsible for loss of its expression using molecular biological techniques.", "east": -61.4786, "geometry": "POINT(-64.80995 -58.7765)", "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PRESSURE/HEIGHT METERS \u003e PRESSURE SENSORS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e CTD; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e POSITIONING/NAVIGATION \u003e GPS \u003e GPS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e ACOUSTIC SOUNDERS \u003e ADCP", "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "R/V LMG", "locations": null, "north": -52.6755, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Sidell, Bruce; Detrich, H. William", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V LMG", "repo": "R2R", "repositories": "R2R", "science_programs": null, "south": -64.8775, "title": "Cold Body Temperature as an Evolutionary Shaping force in the Physiology of Antarctic Fishes", "uid": "p0000241", "west": -68.1413}, {"awards": "0523166 Hofmann, Eileen", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "Expedition data of NBP0103", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "002601", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of NBP0103", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP0103"}, {"dataset_uid": "002595", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of NBP0103", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP0103"}], "date_created": "Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The objective of the proposed work is to provide for the operation of a Planning Office for the synthesis and modeling phase of the Southern Ocean Global Ocean Ecosystems Dynamics (SO-Globec) program. The office will ensure that synthesis and integration activities that are developed as part of SO-Globec are coordinated with those undertaken by the international and U.S. Globec programs through: 1) organization of special sessions at meetings, 2) preparation of dedicated publications focused on program results, 3) maintenance of a project web site, 4) development of program outreach efforts, and 5) ensuring coordination with International Globec and other national and international programs and organizations. The office will consist of one faculty member and one program specialist.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSO-Globec is a multidisciplinary effort focused on understanding the physical and biological factors that influence growth, reproduction, recruitment and survival of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba). The program uses a multi-trophic level approach that includes the predators and competitors of Antarctic krill, represented by other zooplankton, fish, penguins, seals, and cetaceans. Extensive studies describing the ecology and physiology of important species at all trophic levels contributed to the ecosystem approach which is the essence of SO-Globec. The Planning Office will provide a central focal point for ensuring that the results from SO-Globec are made available to the broader scientific community and to the general public, and that the results will be incorporated into the planning of future Southern Ocean programs.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e MAGNETIC/MOTION SENSORS \u003e GRAVIMETERS \u003e GRAVIMETERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e ACOUSTIC SOUNDERS \u003e MSBS", "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "R/V NBP", "locations": null, "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Hofmann, Eileen", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V NBP", "repo": "R2R", "repositories": "R2R", "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "U.S. SO GLOBEC Synthesis and Modeling: Southern Ocean GLOBEC (SO GLOBEC) Planning Office", "uid": "p0000817", "west": null}, {"awards": "9910100 Torres, Joseph", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "Expedition data of LMG0104; Expedition data of LMG0203; Expedition data of NBP0204", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "002717", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of LMG0203", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG0203"}, {"dataset_uid": "002694", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of LMG0104", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG0104"}, {"dataset_uid": "002696", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of LMG0104", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG0104"}, {"dataset_uid": "002643", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of NBP0204", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP0204"}, {"dataset_uid": "002593", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of NBP0204", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP0204"}, {"dataset_uid": "002700", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of LMG0203", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG0203"}], "date_created": "Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The U.S. Global Ocean Ecosystems Dynamics (U.S. GLOBEC) program has the goal of understanding and ultimately predicting how populations of marine animal species respond to natural and anthropogenic changes in climate. Research in the Southern Ocean (SO) indicates strong coupling between climatic processes and ecosystem dynamics via the annual formation and destruction of sea ice. The Southern Ocean GLOBEC Program (SO GLOBEC) will investigate the dynamic relationship between physical processes and ecosystem responses through identification of critical parameters that affect the distribution, abundance and population dynamics of target species. The overall goals of the SO GLOBEC program are to elucidate shelf circulation processes and their effect on sea ice formation and krill distribution, and to examine the factors which govern krill survivorship and availability to higher trophic levels, including penguins, seals and whales. The focus of the U.S. contribution to the international SO GLOBEC program will be on winter processes. This component will focus on krill physiology, using measures of respiration, excretion, and proximate analysis. Additionally, the distribution and abundance of fishes and squid, which are krill predators, will be investigated using acoustic and net tow methods. This research will be coordinated with components studying krill in both the water column and under the ice. The result of the integrated SO GLOBEC program will be to improve the predictability of living marine resources, especially with respect to local and global climatic shifts.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e MAGNETIC/MOTION SENSORS \u003e GRAVIMETERS \u003e GRAVIMETERS", "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "R/V NBP; R/V LMG", "locations": null, "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Torres, Joseph; Fraser, William", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V LMG; WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V NBP", "repo": "R2R", "repositories": "R2R", "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "GLOBEC: Winter Distribution and Success of Southern Ocean Krill", "uid": "p0000812", "west": null}, {"awards": "0338164 Sedwick, Peter", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "Expedition Data; Expedition data of NBP0601", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "002619", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of NBP0601", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP0601"}, {"dataset_uid": "001580", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP0601"}], "date_created": "Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The objectives of this proposal are to investigate the controls on the large-scale distribution and production of the two major bloom-forming phytoplankton taxa in the Southern Ocean, diatoms and Phaeocystis Antarctica. These two groups, through their involvement in the biogeochemical cycles of carbon, sulfur and nutrient elements, may have played important roles in the climate variations of the late Quaternary, and they also may be key players in future environmental change. A current paradigm is that irradiance and iron availability drive phytoplankton dynamics in the Southern Ocean. Recent work, however, suggests that carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations may also be important in structuring algal assemblages, due to species-specific differences in the physiology. This proposal examines the interactive effects of iron, light and CO2 on the physiology, ecology and relative dominance of Phaeocystis and diatoms in the Southern Ocean. The Ross Sea is an ideal system in which to investigate the environmental factors that regulate the distribution and production of these two algal groups, since it is characterized by seasonal blooms of both P. Antarctica and diatoms that are typically separated in both space and time. This study will take the form of an interdisciplinary investigation that includes a field survey and statistical analysis of algal assemblage composition, iron, mixed layer depth, and CO2 levels in the southern Ross Sea, coupled with shipboard experiments to examine the response of diatom and P. Antarctica assemblages to high and low levels of iron, light and CO2 during spring and summer. \u003cbr/\u003eThis project will provide information on some of the major factors controlling the production and distribution of the two major bloom forming phytoplankton in the Southern Ocean and the related biogeochemical cycling of carbon, sulfur and nutrient elements. The results may ultimately advance the ability to predict how the Southern Ocean will be affected by and possibly modulate future climate change. This project will also make significant educational contributions at several levels, including the planned research involvement of graduate and undergraduate students, postdoctoral associates, a student teacher, and community outreach and educational activities. A number of activities are planned to interface the project with K-12 education. Presentations will be made at local schools to discuss the research and events of the research cruise. During the cruise there will be daily interactive email contact with elementary classrooms. Established websites will be used to allow students to learn about the ongoing research, and to allow researchers to communicate with students through text and downloaded images.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e CTD; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e MAGNETIC/MOTION SENSORS \u003e GRAVIMETERS \u003e GRAVIMETERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PRESSURE/HEIGHT METERS \u003e PRESSURE SENSORS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e SAMPLERS \u003e BOTTLES/FLASKS/JARS \u003e WATER BOTTLES; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PHOTON/OPTICAL DETECTORS \u003e TURBIDITY METERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e ACOUSTIC SOUNDERS \u003e ADCP", "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "R/V NBP", "locations": null, "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Ditullio, Giacomo", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V NBP", "repo": "R2R", "repositories": "R2R", "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "Collaborative Research: Interactive Effects of Iron, Light and CO2 on Phytoplankton Community Dynamics in the Ross Sea", "uid": "p0000831", "west": null}, {"awards": "0636696 DeVries, Arthur", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-68.0025 -52.7599,-67.07254 -52.7599,-66.14258 -52.7599,-65.21262 -52.7599,-64.28266 -52.7599,-63.3527 -52.7599,-62.42274 -52.7599,-61.49278 -52.7599,-60.56282 -52.7599,-59.63286 -52.7599,-58.7029 -52.7599,-58.7029 -53.98242,-58.7029 -55.20494,-58.7029 -56.42746,-58.7029 -57.64998,-58.7029 -58.8725,-58.7029 -60.09502,-58.7029 -61.31754,-58.7029 -62.54006,-58.7029 -63.76258,-58.7029 -64.9851,-59.63286 -64.9851,-60.56282 -64.9851,-61.49278 -64.9851,-62.42274 -64.9851,-63.3527 -64.9851,-64.28266 -64.9851,-65.21262 -64.9851,-66.14258 -64.9851,-67.07254 -64.9851,-68.0025 -64.9851,-68.0025 -63.76258,-68.0025 -62.54006,-68.0025 -61.31754,-68.0025 -60.09502,-68.0025 -58.8725,-68.0025 -57.64998,-68.0025 -56.42746,-68.0025 -55.20494,-68.0025 -53.98242,-68.0025 -52.7599))", "dataset_titles": "Expedition Data; Expedition data of LMG0809; Metadata associated with the description of Akarotaxis gouldae n. sp. (Bathydraconidae)", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "002728", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of LMG0809", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG0809"}, {"dataset_uid": "601811", "doi": "10.15784/601811", "keywords": "Antarctica; Bellingshausen Sea; Cryosphere; Southern Ocean", "people": "Desvignes, Thomas; Biesack, Ellen; Steinberg, Deborah; Hilton, Eric; Corso, Andrew; Cheng, Chi-Hing; McDowell, Jan", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": "LTER", "title": "Metadata associated with the description of Akarotaxis gouldae n. sp. (Bathydraconidae)", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601811"}, {"dataset_uid": "001493", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG0810"}, {"dataset_uid": "001504", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG0809"}], "date_created": "Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Antarctic notothenioid fish evolved antifreeze (AF) proteins that prevent ice crystals that enter their body fluids from growing, and thereby avoid freezing in their icy habitats. However, even in the extreme cold Antarctic marine environment, regional gradations of severity are found. The biological correlate for environmental severity in fish is the endogenous ice load, which likely determines the tolerable limit of environmental severity for notothenioid habitation. The endogenous ice load develops from environmental ice crystals entering through body surfaces and somehow localizing to the spleen. How prone the surface tissues are to ice entry, how ice reaches the spleen, and what the fate of splenic ice is, requires elucidation. Spleen sequestration of ice raises the hypothesis that macrophages may play a role in the translocation and perhaps elimination of AF-bound ice crystals. Antifreeze glycoproteins (AFGP) act in concert with a second, recently discovered antifreeze called antifreeze potentiating protein (AFPP), necessitating an assessment of the contribution of AFPP to freezing avoidance. Recent research suggests that the exocrine pancreas and the anterior stomach, not the liver, synthesize AFGPs and secrete them into the intestine, from where they may be returned to the blood. A GI-to-blood transport is a highly unconventional path for a major plasma protein and also begs the questions, What is the source of blood AFPP?. Why are two distinct AF proteins needed and what is the chronology of their evolution? What genomic changes in the DNA are associated with the development or loss of the antifreeze trait? Experiments described in this proposal address these interrelated questions of environmental, organismal, and evolutionary physiology, and will further our understanding of novel vertebrate physiologies, the limits of environmental adaptation, and climatically driven changes in the genome. The proposed research will (1) determine the temporal and spatial heterogeneity of environmental temperature and iciness in progressively more severe fish habitats in the greater McMurdo Sound area, and in the milder Arthur Harbor at Palmer Station. The splenic ice load in fishes inhabiting these sites will be determined to correlate to environmental severity and habitability. (2) Assess the surface tissue site of ice entry and their relative barrier properties in intact fish and isolated tissues preparations (3) Assess the role of immune cells in the fate of endogenous ice, (4) determine whether the blood AFGPs are from intestinal/rectal uptake, (5) examine the contribution of AFPP to the total blood AF activity (6) evaluate the progression of genomic changes in the AFGP locus across Notothenioidei as modulated by disparate thermal environments, in four selected species through the analyses of large insert DNA BAC clones. The origin and evolution of AFPP will be examined also by analyzing BAC clones encompassing the AFPP genomic locus. The broader impacts of the proposed research include training of graduate and undergraduate students in research approaches ranging from physical field measurements to cutting edge genomics. Undergraduate research projects have lead to co-authored publications and will continue to do so. Outreach includes establishing Wiki websites on topics of Antarctic fish biology and freeze avoidance, providing advisory services to the San Francisco Science Exploratorium, and making BAC libraries available to interested polar biologists. This research theme has repeatedly received national and international science news coverage and will continue to be disseminated to the public in that manner.", "east": -58.7029, "geometry": "POINT(-63.3527 -58.8725)", "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e CTD; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e POSITIONING/NAVIGATION \u003e GPS \u003e GPS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e ACOUSTIC SOUNDERS \u003e ADCP", "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "R/V LMG", "locations": null, "north": -52.7599, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Devries, Arthur", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V LMG", "repo": "R2R", "repositories": "R2R; USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -64.9851, "title": "Environmental, Organismal and Evolutionary Physiology of Freeze Avoidance in Antarctic Notothenioid Fishes", "uid": "p0000560", "west": -68.0025}, {"awards": "0551969 Moran, Amy", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This project seeks to understand the evolutionary physiology of reproductive strategies in Southern Ocean marine invertebrates. The fauna of the Southern Ocean has evolved under stable, cold temperatures for approximately 14 million years. These conditions have led to the evolution of unusual physiological and biochemical characteristics, many of which may reflect adaptations to relatively low oxygen availability and high larval oxygen demands. The goal of the proposed projects is to understand latitudinal variation in the function of invertebrate egg masses in relation to oxygen availability and temperature. This relationship is critical to larval survival in the low-temperature, high-oxygen conditions found at high latitudes. In particular, the investigators will: (1) use first principles to model the diffusion of oxygen into egg and embryo masses of Antarctic organisms at environmentally relevant temperatures; (2) test model assumptions by measuring the temperature-dependence of embryonic metabolism and oxygen diffusivity through natural and artificial gels; (3) test model predictions by using oxygen microelectrodes to measure oxygen gradients in both artificial and natural egg masses, and by measuring developmental rates of embryos at different positions in masses; and (4) compare the structure and function of egg masses from the Southern Ocean to those from temperate waters. These components of the study constitute an integrated examination of the evolutionary physiology of egg mass structure and function. Studies of masses endemic to polar conditions will increase the understanding of egg mass evolution across equator-to-pole gradients in temperature and across gradients in oxygen partial pressure. The proposal will support graduate students and will involve several undergraduates in research. The PIs will also design and implement units on polar biology for undergraduate classes at their respective institutions. These educational units will focus on the PIs\u0027 photographs, video footage, experiments, and data from this project. The PIs will use web-linked video and instructional technologies to design and co-teach a new class on polar ecological physiology, will work with local grade school institutions to involve high school students in research, and will develop high school course modules about polar biology.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Moran, Amy", "platforms": "Not provided", "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "Collaborative Research: Effects of Oxygen and Temperature on Egg Mass Function of Southern Ocean Marine Minvertebrates", "uid": "p0000716", "west": null}, {"awards": "0538594 Ponganis, Paul", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((165.983 -77.683,166.0164 -77.683,166.0498 -77.683,166.0832 -77.683,166.1166 -77.683,166.15 -77.683,166.1834 -77.683,166.2168 -77.683,166.2502 -77.683,166.2836 -77.683,166.317 -77.683,166.317 -77.6897,166.317 -77.6964,166.317 -77.7031,166.317 -77.7098,166.317 -77.7165,166.317 -77.7232,166.317 -77.7299,166.317 -77.7366,166.317 -77.7433,166.317 -77.75,166.2836 -77.75,166.2502 -77.75,166.2168 -77.75,166.1834 -77.75,166.15 -77.75,166.1166 -77.75,166.0832 -77.75,166.0498 -77.75,166.0164 -77.75,165.983 -77.75,165.983 -77.7433,165.983 -77.7366,165.983 -77.7299,165.983 -77.7232,165.983 -77.7165,165.983 -77.7098,165.983 -77.7031,165.983 -77.6964,165.983 -77.6897,165.983 -77.683))", "dataset_titles": "The Aerobic Dive Limit: Oxygen Transport and Depletion in Emperor Penguins", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "600057", "doi": "10.15784/600057", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Oceans; Penguin; Southern Ocean", "people": "Ponganis, Paul", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "The Aerobic Dive Limit: Oxygen Transport and Depletion in Emperor Penguins", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600057"}], "date_created": "Sun, 20 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The research will examine blood and muscle oxygen store depletion in relation to the documented aerobic dive limit (ADL, onset of post-dive blood lactate accumulation) in diving of emperor penguins. The intellectual merits of this proposal involve its evaluation of the physiological basis of the ADL concept. The ADL is probably the most commonly-used, but rarely measured, factor to interpret and model the behavior and foraging ecology of diving animals. Based on prior studies, and on recent investigations of respiratory and blood oxygen depletion during dives of emperor penguins, it is hypothesized that the ADL is a result of the depletion of myoglobin (Mb)-bound oxygen and increased glycolysis in the primary locomotory muscles. This project will accurately define the physiological mechanisms underlying the ADL through 1) evaluation of the rate and magnitude of muscle oxygen depletion during dives in relation to the previously measured ADL, 2) characterization of the hemoglobin-oxygen dissociation curve in blood of emperor penguins and comparison of that curve to those of other diving and non-diving species, 3) application of the emperor hemoglogin-oxygen dissociation curve to previously collected oxygen and hemoglobin data in order to estimate the rate and magnitude of blood oxygen depletion during dives, and 4) measurement of muscle phosphoocreatine and glycogen concentrations in order to estimate their potential contributions to muscle energy metabolism during diving. The project also continues the census and monitoring of the emperor colonies in the Ross Sea, which is especially important in light of both fisheries activity and the movement of iceberg B15-A. Broader impacts of the project include: 1) technological development of microprocessor-based, \"backpack\" near-infrared spectrophotometer, which will be applicable not only to other species, but also to other fields (i.e., exercise physiology), 2) collaboration with the Department of Anesthesia at the U.S. Naval Hospital in San Diego in the training of anesthesia residents in research techniques, 3) the training and thesis research of two graduate students in these techniques and in Antarctic field research, and 4) a better understanding of the ADL concept and its use in the fields of diving behavior and physiology. In addition the annual census of emperor penguin colonies in the Ross Sea, in conjunction with the continued evaluation of previously developed remote cameras to monitor colony status, will form the basis of a new educational web site, and allow development of an educational outreach program to school children through SeaWorld of San Diego.", "east": 166.317, "geometry": "POINT(166.15 -77.7165)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -77.683, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Ponganis, Paul", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -77.75, "title": "The Aerobic Dive Limit: Oxygen Transport and Depletion in Emperor Penguins", "uid": "p0000535", "west": 165.983}, {"awards": "0634682 Kanatous, Shane", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((160 -77,160.7 -77,161.4 -77,162.1 -77,162.8 -77,163.5 -77,164.2 -77,164.9 -77,165.6 -77,166.3 -77,167 -77,167 -77.1,167 -77.2,167 -77.3,167 -77.4,167 -77.5,167 -77.6,167 -77.7,167 -77.8,167 -77.9,167 -78,166.3 -78,165.6 -78,164.9 -78,164.2 -78,163.5 -78,162.8 -78,162.1 -78,161.4 -78,160.7 -78,160 -78,160 -77.9,160 -77.8,160 -77.7,160 -77.6,160 -77.5,160 -77.4,160 -77.3,160 -77.2,160 -77.1,160 -77))", "dataset_titles": "The Molecular Signals that Regulate the Ontogeny of Aerobic Capacity, Lipid Metabolism and Elevated Myoglobin Concentrations in the Skeletal Muscles of Weddell Seals", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "600063", "doi": "10.15784/600063", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Oceans; Seals; Sea Surface; Southern Ocean", "people": "Lyons, W. Berry; Kanatous, Shane", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "The Molecular Signals that Regulate the Ontogeny of Aerobic Capacity, Lipid Metabolism and Elevated Myoglobin Concentrations in the Skeletal Muscles of Weddell Seals", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600063"}], "date_created": "Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "During the past three decades, intensive field studies have revealed much about the\u003cbr/\u003ebehavior, physiology, life history, and population dynamics of the Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddelli) population of McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. These animals are marine predators that are highly adapted for an aquatic life in shore-fast and pack ice habitats. They must locate and capture sparsely distributed under the ice. Most of what is known about their diving behavior is based on studies of adult animals with little known about the development or the genetic controls of diving behavior of young animals. The goal of this project is to examine the temporal development of aerobic capacity, lipid metabolism and oxygen stores in the skeletal muscles of young Weddell seals and to determine which aspects of the cellular environment are important in the regulation of these adaptations during maturation. This project builds on past results to investigate the molecular controls that underlie the development of these adaptations. The first objective is to further characterize the ontogenetic changes in muscle aerobic capacity, lipid metabolism and myoglobin concentration and distribution using enzymatic, immuno-histochemical and myoglobin assays in newly weaned, subadult, and adult seals. The second objective is to determine the molecular controls that regulate these changes in aerobic capacity, fiber type distribution and myoglobin in skeletal muscles during maturation. Through subtractive hybridization and subsequent analysis, differences in mRNA populations in the swimming muscles of the different age classes of Weddell seals will be determined. These techniques will allow for the identification of the proteins and transcription factors that influence the ontogenetic changes in myoglobin concentration, fiber type distribution and aerobic capacity. These results will increase our\u003cbr/\u003eunderstanding of both the ontogeny and molecular mechanisms by which young seals acquire the physiological capabilities to make deep (up to 700 m) and long aerobic dives (ca 20 min). This study will advance knowledge of the molecular regulation for the\u003cbr/\u003eadaptations that enable active skeletal muscle to function under hypoxic conditions; this has a broader application for human medicine especially in regards to cardiac and pulmonary disease. Additional broader impacts include the participation of underrepresented scientists and a continuation of a website in collaboration\u003cbr/\u003ewith the Science Teachers Access to Resources at Southwestern University (STARS Program) which involves weekly updates about research efforts during the field season, weekly questions/answer session involving students and teachers, and updates on research results throughout the year.", "east": 167.0, "geometry": "POINT(163.5 -77.5)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -77.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Kanatous, Shane; Lyons, W. Berry", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -78.0, "title": "The Molecular Signals that Regulate the Ontogeny of Aerobic Capacity, Lipid Metabolism and Elevated Myoglobin Concentrations in the Skeletal Muscles of Weddell Seals", "uid": "p0000536", "west": 160.0}, {"awards": "0440478 Tang, Kam", "bounds_geometry": "POINT(166.66267 -77.85067)", "dataset_titles": "Environmental and Ecological Regulation of Differences and Interactions between Solitary and Colonial Forms of Phaeocystis Antarctica", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "600043", "doi": "10.15784/600043", "keywords": "Biota; McMurdo Sound; Oceans; Phytoplankton; Ross Sea; Southern Ocean; Zooplankton", "people": "Tang, Kam; Smith, Walker", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Environmental and Ecological Regulation of Differences and Interactions between Solitary and Colonial Forms of Phaeocystis Antarctica", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600043"}], "date_created": "Mon, 04 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Phaeocystis Antarctica is a widely distributed phytoplankton that forms dense blooms and aggregates in the Southern Ocean. This phytoplankton and plays important roles in polar ecology and biogeochemistry, in part because it is a dominant primary producer, a main component of organic matter vertical fluxes, and the principal producer of volatile organic sulfur in the region. Yet P. Antarctica is also one of the lesser known species in terms of its physiology, life history and trophic relationships with other organisms; furthermore, information collected on other Phaeocystis species and from different locations may not be applicable to P. Antarctica in the Ross Sea. P. Antarctica occurs mainly as two morphotypes: solitary cells and mucilaginous colonies, which differ significantly in size, architecture and chemical composition. Relative dominance between solitary cells and colonies determines not only the size spectrum of the population, but also its carbon dynamics, nutrient uptake and utilization. Conventional thinking of the planktonic trophic processes is also challenged by the fact that colony formation could effectively alter the predator-prey interactions and interspecific competition. However, the factors that regulate the differences between solitary and colonial forms of P. Antarctica are not well-understood. The research objective of this proposal is therefore to address these over-arching questions:\u003cbr/\u003eo Do P. Antarctica solitary cells and colonies differ in growth, composition and\u003cbr/\u003ephotosynthetic rates?\u003cbr/\u003eo How do nutrients and grazers affect colony development and size distribution of P. \u003cbr/\u003eAntarctica?\u003cbr/\u003eo How do nutrients and grazers act synergistically to affect the long-term population\u003cbr/\u003edynamics of P. Antarctica? Experiments will be conducted in the McMurdo station with natural P. Antarctica assemblages and co-occurring grazers. Laboratory experiments will be conducted to study size-specific growth and photosynthetic rates of P. Antarctica, size-specific grazing mortality due to microzooplankton and mesozooplankton, the effects of macronutrients on the (nitrogen compounds) relative dominance of solitary cells and colonies, and the effects of micronutrient (Fe) and grazing related chemical signals on P. Antarctica colony development. Because this species is of critical importance in the Southern Ocean, and because this research will provide critical information on factors that regulate the role of P.Antarctica in food webs and biogeochemical cycles, a major gap in knowledge will be addressed. This project will train two marine science PhD students. The investigators will also collaborate with the School of Education and a marine science museum to communicate polar science to a broader audience.", "east": 166.66267, "geometry": "POINT(166.66267 -77.85067)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -77.85067, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Tang, Kam; Smith, Walker", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -77.85067, "title": "Environmental and Ecological Regulation of Differences and Interactions between Solitary and Colonial forms of Phaeocystis antarctica", "uid": "p0000214", "west": 166.66267}, {"awards": "0234249 Hollibaugh, James", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-73 -64,-72.1 -64,-71.2 -64,-70.3 -64,-69.4 -64,-68.5 -64,-67.6 -64,-66.7 -64,-65.8 -64,-64.9 -64,-64 -64,-64 -64.4,-64 -64.8,-64 -65.2,-64 -65.6,-64 -66,-64 -66.4,-64 -66.8,-64 -67.2,-64 -67.6,-64 -68,-64.9 -68,-65.8 -68,-66.7 -68,-67.6 -68,-68.5 -68,-69.4 -68,-70.3 -68,-71.2 -68,-72.1 -68,-73 -68,-73 -67.6,-73 -67.2,-73 -66.8,-73 -66.4,-73 -66,-73 -65.6,-73 -65.2,-73 -64.8,-73 -64.4,-73 -64))", "dataset_titles": "Ammonia Oxidizing Bacteria and Archaea Abundance", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "000117", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "LTER", "science_program": null, "title": "Ammonia Oxidizing Bacteria and Archaea Abundance", "url": "http://oceaninformatics.ucsd.edu/datazoo/data/pallter/datasets?action=summary\u0026id=114"}], "date_created": "Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This project will investigate the distribution, phylogenetic affinities and ecological aspects of ammonium-oxidizing bacteria in the Palmer Long-Term Ecological Research study area. Ammonia oxidation is the first step in the conversion of regenerated nitrogen to dinitrogen gas via denitrification, a 3-step pathway mediated by three distinct guilds of bacteria. As such, ammonia oxidation is important to the global nitrogen cycle. Ammonia oxidation and the overall process of nitrification-denitrification have received little attention in polar oceans where it is significant and where the effects of climate change on biogeochemical rates are likely to be pronounced. The goals of the studies proposed here are A) to obtain more conclusive information concerning composition of Antarctic ammonia oxidizers; B) to begin characterizing their ecophysiology and ecology; and C) to obtain cultures of the organism for more detailed studies. Water column and sea ice AOB assemblages will be characterized phylogenetically and the different kinds of AOB in various samples will be quantified. Nitrification rates will be measured across the LTER study area in water column, sea ice and sediment samples. Grazing rates on AOB will be determined and their sensitivity to UV light evaluated. In addition, the significance of urea nitrogen as a source of reduced nitrogen to AOB will be assessed and the temperature response of nitrification over temperature ranges appropriate to polar regions will be evaluated. This work will provide insights into the ecology of AOB and the knowledge needed to model how water column nitrification will respond to changes in the polar ecosystems accompanying global climate change.", "east": -64.0, "geometry": "POINT(-68.5 -66)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -64.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Hollibaugh, James T.", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "LTER", "repositories": "LTER", "science_programs": "LTER", "south": -68.0, "title": "Distribution And Ecology Of Ammonia Oxidizing Bacteria In The Palmer LTER Study Area", "uid": "p0000225", "west": -73.0}, {"awards": "0229638 Ponganis, Paul", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((163 -77,163.4 -77,163.8 -77,164.2 -77,164.6 -77,165 -77,165.4 -77,165.8 -77,166.2 -77,166.6 -77,167 -77,167 -77.1,167 -77.2,167 -77.3,167 -77.4,167 -77.5,167 -77.6,167 -77.7,167 -77.8,167 -77.9,167 -78,166.6 -78,166.2 -78,165.8 -78,165.4 -78,165 -78,164.6 -78,164.2 -78,163.8 -78,163.4 -78,163 -78,163 -77.9,163 -77.8,163 -77.7,163 -77.6,163 -77.5,163 -77.4,163 -77.3,163 -77.2,163 -77.1,163 -77))", "dataset_titles": "Diving Physiology and Behavior of Emperor Penguins", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "600031", "doi": "10.15784/600031", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Oceans; Penguin; Southern Ocean", "people": "Ponganis, Paul", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Diving Physiology and Behavior of Emperor Penguins", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600031"}], "date_created": "Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The emperor penguin, Aptenodytes forsteri, is the premier avian diver and a top predator in the Antarctic ecosystem. The routine occurrence of 500-m diver during foraging trips to sea is both a physiological and behavior enigma. The objectives of this project address how and why emperors dive as deep and long as they do. The project examines four major topics in the diving biology of emperor penguins: pressure tolerance, oxygen store management, end-organ tolerance of diving hypoxemia/ischemia, and deep-dive foraging behavior. These subjects are relevant to the role of the emperor as a top predator in the Antarctic ecosystem, and to critical concepts in diving physiology, including decompression sickness, nitrogen narcosis, shallow water blackout, hypoxemic tolerance, and extension of aerobic dive time. The following hypotheses will be tested: 1) Prevention of nitrogen narcosis and decompression sickness in emperor penguins is achieved by inhibition of pulmonary gas exchange at depth. 2) Shallow water black out does not occur because of greater cerebral hypoxemic tolerance, and, in deep dives, because of resumption of pulmonary gas exchange during final ascent. 3) The rate of depletion of the blood oxygen store is a function of depth of dive and heart rate. 4) The aerobic dive limit (ADL) reflects the onset of lactate accumulation in locomotory muscle, not total depletion of all oxygen stores. 5) Elevation of tissue antioxidant capacity and free-radical scavenging enzyme activities protect against the routine ischemia/reperfusion which occur during diving. 6) During deep dives, the Antarctic silverfish, Pleuorogramma antarcticum, is the primary prey item for emperors. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn addition to evaluation of the hypotheses below, the project has broader impacts in several areas such as partnership with foreign and national institutes and organizations (e.g., the National Institute of Polar Research of Japan, Centro de Investigacioines del Noroeste of Mexico, National Geographic, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and Sea World). Participation in National Geographic television documentaries will provide unique educational opportunities for the general public; development of state-of-the-art technology (e.g., blood oxygen electrode recorders, blood samplers, and miniaturized digital cameras) will lay the groundwork for future research by this group and others; and the effects of the B15 iceberg on breeding success of emperor penguins will continue to be evaluated with population censuses during planned fieldwork at several Ross Sea emperor penguin colonies.", "east": 167.0, "geometry": "POINT(165 -77.5)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -77.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Ponganis, Paul", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -78.0, "title": "Diving Physiology and Behavior of Emperor Penguins", "uid": "p0000239", "west": 163.0}]
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Part 1: Non-technical summary Trait differences between males and females are widespread across the animal kingdom. Because these traits often lead to trade-offs that affect reproductive success and survival, understanding them is a fundamental question in biology. Leopard seals are large predators in the Southern Ocean and an extreme example of female-biased dimorphism in mammals, where females are the larger than males. Yet, the effects of these size differences are unknown. This project will investigate the causes and consequences of female-biased dimorphism in leopard seals and will generate new data on the life history, reproductive physiology, and breeding biology of this important and enigmatic polar predator. This information is critical for understanding leopard seals' past, present, and future—from how the species evolved to predicting their resilience in an era of unprecedented environmental change. The project also has a strong education component. It aims to increase the participation of people from historically excluded groups in polar biology by training, mentoring, and supporting two postdocs, two grad students, and 25+ undergraduates. It will also engage students and the public in scientific research through outreach activities at local, national, and international scales. Part 2: Technical summary Trait differences can lead to important trade-offs that affect biological processes at multiple scales, from intraspecific differences in fitness to species-level life history strategies. Leopard seals exhibit an extreme form of female-biased size dimorphism. However, for solitary, wide-ranging polar species like leopard seals, it is difficult to study their life history and reproductive biology. As a result, it is unknown how leopard seals' size dimorphism relates to other aspects of their biology. The goal of this project is to examine fitness trade-offs associated with female-biased dimorphism in leopard seals. Specifically, this study will (1) assess differences in male and female morphology and life history, (2) compare reproductive physiology between males and females, (3) investigate their breeding behavior and reproductive activities, and (4) conduct a cross-clade synthesis of female-biased dimorphism in mammals. The team will analyze existing specimens from biological collections and conduct field efforts to generate novel, complementary data. This information is critical for understanding how leopard seals evolved to survive and persist in the Southern Ocean. The research aligns with NSF's Strategic Vision for Investments in Antarctic and Southern Ocean Research and supports ongoing efforts to create and utilize open polar research software, as well as data and sample reuse in polar research. This work relies on strong collaborations across academia, non-profits, and government institutions worldwide, and the results will be broadly shared with global audiences. This project also aims to increase the participation and retention of people from historically excluded groups in polar research. Specifically, the goals are to (1) recruit and train a diverse, inclusive, and supportive research team, (2) lead a research-intensive undergrad course (SEAL Lab), and (3) provide grad students and postdocs with hands-on leadership and mentoring experiences. The project will engage students and the public in polar research, as students will conduct research in museum, field, and lab-based settings. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
This project explores the hidden world of microbes living inside planktonic animals called pteropods (“sea butterflies”)—specifically Limacina rangii, a key part of the Antarctic marine food web. These small, shelled planktonic snails help move energy and carbon through the ocean and are especially important in waters around the rapidly warming Western Antarctic Peninsula and the Ross Sea. Recent studies have revealed that a group of specialized bacteria called Mollicutes dominate the gut of L. rangii, but little is known about what these bacteria do or how they respond to environmental change. By analyzing samples collected over the past decade and partnering with international researchers, this project will study how the microbes inhabiting pteropods vary across time and space and how these microbial communities may help pteropods adapt to changing ocean conditions. Scientists will use modern genetic tools, including DNA sequencing and metagenomics, to uncover the diversity and function of these microbes and to understand the role they play in the health and ecology of their animal hosts. Beyond advancing science, the project serves the national interest by supporting early-career researchers, training graduate and undergraduate students, and engaging the public through hands-on educational events and classroom materials. By studying the relationship between marine animals and their microbes in one of Earth’s most vulnerable ecosystems, this work helps us better understand the impacts of climate conditions on ocean life and supports broader efforts to sustain ocean health and biodiversity. This project investigates the microbiome composition and functional roles of Mollicutes and other gut-associated microbes in the Antarctic pteropod Limacina rangii, a key species in the Southern Ocean food web. Building on previous findings that Mollicutes dominate the gut microbiome of L. rangii, this study aims to characterize the spatial and temporal patterns of microbiome diversity and composition across two rapidly changing polar regions: the Western Antarctic Peninsula and the Ross Sea region. The project has three primary objectives: (1) to quantify the diversity and abundance of Mollicutes and other microbial taxa in the gut microbiomes of L. rangii and co-occurring pteropod species across space and time; (2) to identify environmental and host-associated factors influencing microbiome structure and Mollicute dominance; and (3) to determine the genomic features and potential metabolic functions of Mollicutes and other microbial associates through metagenomic analyses. The research will leverage archived samples from the Palmer Antarctica Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) program (2009–2023) and recently collected samples from the Ross Sea in collaboration with the Korea Polar Research Institute. High-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes will be used for microbiome profiling, while quantitative PCR will measure Mollicutes abundance. Metagenomic sequencing and genome-resolved bioinformatics will be employed to recover and characterize microbial genomes, assess functional potential, and identify adaptations across environmental gradients. This project contributes to fundamental knowledge of host-microbe interactions in polar ecosystems, advancing understanding of how microbiomes may influence host physiology and resilience in a rapidly warming environment. It also provides insights into the evolutionary ecology of Mollicutes and their potential role as bioindicators of environmental change. Graduate and undergraduate training opportunities supported by this project—including research experiences, coursework integration, and public engagement activities—will be open and accessible to all Americans. Broader contributions include integrative training for early-career investigators and students, enhancement of bioinformatics education, and the development of public outreach programs targeting K–12 and general audiences. This award reflects NSF''s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation''s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Small planktonic organisms like copepods live at the interface of laminar and turbulent regimes, which is a fluid environment that is not well understood. It is not turbulent, like the rumbly wake behind a ski boat. It is not predictable laminar flow, like the steady flow creeping by a smooth stone. In this transitional environment, even small changes in the viscosity of the water can impact an organism’s behavior and sensory perception in unexpected ways. Waters in the polar regions have twice the viscosity as that in the subtropics. In addition to viscosity there are thermal effects on physiology and differences in organism size. Nevertheless, pilot studies indicate that polar species are dynamically similar to the subtropical ones. This suggests their fluid-object interactions with their surrounding environment is very similar from the poles to the subtropics. The goal of this study is to measure nerve impulse conduction velocities, respiration rates, swimming and escape speeds, and muscle mass to determine whether and what metabolic compensation is occurring to maintain this dynamic similarity. The broader impacts include training early career scientists at different stages of their education to work across STEM disciplines. Eight trainees ranging from undergraduate to post-doctoral levels are working within the fields of fluid dynamics, marine biology and neurophysiology to address questions surrounding the evolution of key organisms in the ocean. By creating an educational ladder in the lab, students are learning to mentor other students as they learn the scientific method. Outreach is focused on incorporating results from this project into exhibits at the Museum of Design Atlanta, Georgia to share how planktonic organisms can become part of innovative design using solutions from nature to improve the way problems are solved. Flow regimes at intermediate Reynolds number are characterized by the transition between viscous and inertia-dominated realms. Zooplankton like copepods operate within this interface. These small organisms detect prey, predators and mates by sensing small changes in the fluid that surrounds them. However, fluid viscosity alters the fluid signals that are created and perceived by the organisms and how this affects the performance of individual copepods is poorly understood. The goal of this project is to investigate the role viscosity plays as an evolutionary force leading to adaptations in body size, volume of flow field, sensor length and neural function, swimming speeds and muscle mass. The model system for this study is a group of three species in the genus Euchaeta. The target species have evolved to live in a gradient of fluid regimes spanning temperatures from 0 to 23ºC and viscosities from 1.84 to 1 Centistokes. The species vary in length by three-fold and swim at speeds from less than 1 to over 103 millimeters per second. Nerve impulse conduction velocities, respiration rates, swimming and escape speeds, and muscle mass are being measured experimentally under a range of viscosities to elucidate underlying mechanisms of metabolic compensation involved in the maintenance of dynamic similarity from the subtropics to the poles. The focus on the congeners offers a natural experiment to examine the effects of viscosity in an organism that lives at intermediate Reynolds number where viscous forces are important. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Part I: Non-technical description: The crabeater seal is the most important predator of Antarctic krill in the western Antarctic Peninsula oceanic waters after the disappearance of large whales due to human hunting 100 years ago. The crabeater seals are expected to consume large quantities of krill due to their high abundance (about 7 million individuals), large body size (about 700 pounds in body weight), high metabolism and a diet specializing in krill. This species depends on sea ice presence all year long, living, reproducing, and diving to feed from that environment, making this marine mammal species a good indicator, or sentinel, of how the Antarctic ecosystem responds to a changing climate. As sea ice has been decreasing in the northern Antarctic Peninsula, this project aims to understand if the species food availability has changed in the last decades in response to environmental changes. In particular, the proposed work will concentrate on known populations of crabeater seals in northern (i.e., warmer, sub-polar) and southern (i.e., colder, polar) Antarctic Peninsula, 450 miles apart, making measurements on the abundance, physiology, metabolic needs and movement of the crabeater populations in both locations. The data will be combined to build models that will quantify the existing differences between northern and southern populations, as well as predict their future change, and compare present-day measurements with those collected by the British Antarctic Survey in the mid-1900s. The project is a collaboration between an international and interdisciplinary team from the United States and United Kingdom, benefitting NSF goals to facilitate collaborative geoscience research projects involving these two countries as well as aligning directly with U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) to better understand the forces shaping the global environment, both human and natural, and their impacts on society. To further increase polar literacy and education, Principal Investigators will train at least 2 graduate students and several undergraduates across two US institutions, as well as one UK-based post-doctoral researcher. Part II: Technical description: Crabeater seals (Lobodon carcinophaga) are considered an excellent sentinel species through which to examine the effects of a changing climate on the extended Antarctic krill-dependent predator community and the structure of the entire ecosystem of the western Antarctic Peninsula. Over the last forty years, there have been significant changes in the temporal and spatial patterns of primary productivity, and shifts in the population dynamics of Antarctic krill, the dominant mid-trophic level species. The impact of such changes on year-round resident species of crabeater seals (the most important predator of Antarctic krill) is more difficult to understand as they are not associated with breeding colonies where their population fluctuations could be more readily observed. The proposed research is conceived under the premise that environmental change has accentuated the differences between the northern and southern western Antarctic Peninsula crabeater seal populations due to differential reductions in sea-ice and its possible effect on prey availability. To address this question, this research will combine measurements on animal movement, stable isotope analyses, whole-animal physiology, and novel survey technologies (small Unmanned Aircraft Systems, satellite imagery) to build models. The project is a collaboration between an international and interdisciplinary team from the United States and United Kingdom. These studies will be essential to detect past, and project future, changes in the ecology of this species in response to changes in sea ice when comparing present-day measurements with those collected by the British Antarctic Survey in the mid-1900s. To further increase polar literacy and education, Principal Investigators will train at least 2 graduate students and several undergraduates across two US institutions, as well as one UK-based post-doctoral researcher. Students involved with this project will gain invaluable research experience in the lab and will have a unique opportunity to participate in Antarctic fieldwork. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Non-technical description Marine invertebrates often have mutually beneficial partnerships with microorganisms that biosynthesize compounds with nutritive or defensive functions and are integral for survival. Additionally, these “natural products” often have bioactive properties with human health applications fighting infection or different types of cancer. This project focuses on the ascidian (“sea squirt”) Synoicum adareanum, found in the Anvers Island region of the Antarctic Peninsula, and was recently discovered to contain high levels of a natural product, palmerolide A (palA) in its tissues. The microorganism that produces palA is a new bacterial species, Candidatus Synoicihabitans palmerolidicus, found in a persistent partnership with the sea squirt. There is still much to be learned about the fundamental properties of this sea squirt-microbe-palA system including the geographical range of the animal-microbe partnership, its chemical and microbiome complexity and diversity, and the biological effect of palA in the sea squirt. To address these questions, this multidisciplinary research team will investigate the sea squirt-microbiome partnership in the Antarctic Peninsula and McMurdo Sound regions of the Ross Sea using a state-of-the-art strategy that will advance our understanding of the structural and functional features of the sea squirt and microbiome in detail, and reveal the roles that the palA natural product plays in the host ecology in its native Antarctic seafloor habitat. The project will broaden diversity and provide new opportunities for early career students and postdoctoral researchers to participate in field and laboratory-based research that builds an integrative understanding of Antarctic marine biology, ecology, physiology and chemistry. In addition, advancing the understanding of palA and its biological properties may be of future benefit to biomedicine and human health. Technical description Marine invertebrates and their associated microbiomes can produce bioactive natural products; in fact, >600 such compounds have been identified in species from polar waters. Although such compounds are typically hypothesized to serve ecological roles in host survival through deterring predation, fouling, and microbial infection, in most cases neither the producing organism nor the genome-encoded biosynthetic enzymes are known. This project will study an emerging biosynthetic system from a polar ascidian-microbe association that produces palA, a natural product with bioactivity against the proton-pumping enzyme V-type H+-ATPase (VHA). The objectives include: (i) Determining the microbiome composition, metabolome complexity, palA levels, and mitochondrial DNA sequence of S. adareanum morphotypes at sites in the Antarctic Peninsula and in McMurdo Sound, (ii) Characterizing the Synoicum microbiome using a multi-omics strategy, and (iii) Assessing the potential for co-occurrence of Ca. S. palmerolidicus-palA-VHA in host tissues, and (iv) exploring the role of palA in modulating VHA activity in vivo and its effects on ascidian-microbe ecophysiology. Through a coupled study of palA-producing and non-producing S. adareanum specimens, structural and functional features of the ascidian microbiome metagenome will be characterized to better understand the relationship between predicted secondary metabolite pathways and whether they are expressed in situ using a paired metatranscriptome sequencing and secondary metabolite detection strategy. Combined with tissue co-localization results, functional ecophysiological assays aim to determine the roles that the natural product plays in the host ecology in its native Antarctic seafloor habitat. The contributions of the project will inform this intimate host-microbial association in which the ascidian host bioaccumulates VHA-inhibiting palA, yet its geo-spatial distribution, cellular localization, ecological and physiological role(s) are not known. In addition to elucidating the ecophysiological roles of palA in their native ascidian-microbe association, the results will contribute to the success of translational science, which aligns with NSF’s interests in promoting basic research that leads to advances in Biotechnology and Bioeconomy. The project will also broaden diversity and provide new opportunities for early career students and postdoctoral researchers to participate in field and laboratory-based research that builds an integrative understanding of Antarctic marine biology, ecology, physiology and chemistry. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) inhabit one of the fastest warming regions on Earth, the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP), where environmental shifts are measured in years, not decades. Despite this, the species is flourishing, growing in numbers and colonizing new habitats while sister species, such as Adélie penguins (P. adeliae), are declining in the region. This project will investigate to what extent epigenetics contributes to the success of gentoo penguins. Epigenetic variation is controlled by modifications to DNA or chromatin structure that affect the expression of genes, rather than changes to the underlying DNA sequence. This project will improve the understanding of gentoo penguin adaptation to climate change, and whether it is a result of increased flexibility in behavior and physiology driven by a greater capacity for epigenetic changes (i.e., epigenetic potential). The most studied form of epigenetic variation is the profiling of DNA methylation patterns. Environmental effects can trigger changes in DNA methylation that target specific tissues, allowing for localized gene expression shifts that result in modifications to the phenotype of an organism without any alteration to the underlying genotype. Given that epigenetic variation between populations often exceeds genetic variation, fine-scale genetic differentiation observed amongst gentoo penguin colonies suggests the possibility for local adaptation via even more divergent epigenetic changes and provides a framework for examining epigenetic variation across the gentoo penguin breeding range along multiple ecological axes. The researchers will test this by comprehensively characterizing the epigenomic profiles via patterns of DNA methylation in wild gentoo and Adélie penguins using cutting-edge high-resolution genomics techniques. Specifically, they will investigate whether gentoo penguins exhibit a greater degree of differences in DNA-methylation than underlying genetic differences, suggesting such epigenetic variation is driven by external environmental variables, potentially leading to improved capacity for local adaptation. This project will explore whether epigenetic potential may be selected for in individuals who disperse to new colony locations by comparing older, established colonies to new colonies at the range-edge. By implementing cutting-edge epigenetic methods in wild populations of gentoo penguins, this project will help address ecological questions on environmental plasticity that will impact conservation efforts and decisions on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) on the Antarctic Peninsula. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Sea ice in Antarctic coastal waters shape ecosystems, both in the surface waters and at the bottom of the ocean, environments that depend on algae living in sea ice for their productivity. With high variability in sea ice formation and melt between years and as a response to climate change, it is of importance to obtain better understanding of the interaction of sea ice with algae, as well as provide better data for global climate models. This project will accomplish those goals by measuring phytoplankton growth and cellular properties in sea ice with experiments performed using an ice tank. Laboratory experiments will be based on previous observations in the Antarctic Peninsula coastal waters, providing realistic conditions to emulate. The scientific importance of the proposed work aligns with the National Science Foundation goals to understand the biological and chemical properties of sea ice bio-geo-chemistry and its feedbacks with seasonal sea ice dynamics and climate. The finding from this project will be of interest to a broad scientific community, including oceanographers, biologists, chemists, and ecosystem and ocean modelers. To address the scarcity of data on sea ice microbes that limits our ability to predict future Antarctic climate with accuracy, the principal investigator will develop an Antarctic Science Minor in order to train future scientists with an environmental perspective and prepare the future US workforce with a strong scientific background on Earth and Biological Sciences. There is a paucity of data to understand the processes underlying observed patters in sea ice quality and their interaction with the sea-ice microbial community. This project will provide a mechanistic understanding of primary production and physiology of sympagic algae over the seasonal cycle of formation and melt of Antarctic sea ice. Although sea ice is central to the Antarctic coastal ecosystems, little is known of how they affect, and are in turn affected, by sea-ice algae. This project concentrates on first-year sea ice, forming and melting each year, creating unique and very dynamic habitats. The study will be structured by 4 main objectives: 1) how different algal species adapt to the seasonal changes in sea ice conditions, 2) how different methods to measure primary production (carbon dioxide drawdown, oxygen production and variable fluorescence) relate in sea ice and differ from sea water measurements, 3) how sympagic algae influence the physical structure of sea ice, 4) how sympagic algae contribute to organic matter cycling during ice melt. Due to expected changes in sea ice due to climate change, this study is uniquely positioned to provide needed data on short-term and seasonal processes. Results from this study will be useful to refine models of algal production in Antarctic and Arctic ecosystems, data not available to date as sea ice and its biogeochemistry are often poorly represented in earth system models. This project will also provide education for graduate and undergraduate students as well as material to develop class curriculum for middle-school students. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
This research project is a multidisciplinary effort that brings together a diverse team of scientists from multiple institutions together to understand the foraging behavior and physiology of leopard seals and their role in the Southern Ocean food web. The project will examine the physiology and behavior of leopard seals to in an effort to determine their ability to respond to potential changes in their habitat and foraging areas. Using satellite tracking devices the team will examine the movement and diving behavior of leopard seals and couple this information with measurements of their physiological capacity. The project will determine whether leopard seals- who feed on diverse range of prey- are built differently than their deep diving relatives the Weddell and elephant seal who feed on fish and squid. The team will also determine whether leopard seals are operating at or near their physiological capability to determine how much, if any, ?reserve capacity? they might have to forage and live in changing environments. A better understanding of their home ranges, movement patterns, and general behavior will also be informative to help in managing human-leopard seal interactions. The highly visual nature of the data and analysis for this project lends itself to public and educational display and outreach, particularly as they relate to the changing Antarctic habitats. The project will use the research results to educate the public on the unique physiological and ecological adaptations to extreme environments seen in diving marine mammals, including adaptations to exercise under low oxygen conditions and energy utilization, which affect and dictate the lifestyle of these exceptional organisms. The results of the project will also contribute to the broader understanding that may enhance the aims of managing marine living resources. The leopard seal is an apex predator in the Antarctic ecosystem. This project seeks to better understand the ability of the leopard seal to cope with a changing environment. The project will first examine the foraging behavior and habitat utilization of leopard seals using satellite telemetry. Specifically, satellite telemetry tags will be used to obtain dive profiles and movement data for individuals across multiple years. Diet and trophic level positions across multiple temporal scales will then be determined from physiological samples (e.g., blood, vibrissae, blubber fatty acids, stable isotopes, fecal matter). Oceanographic data will be integrated with these measures to develop habitat models that will be used to assess habitat type, habitat utilization, habitat preference, and home range areas for individual animals. Diet composition for individual seals will be evaluated to determine whether specific animals are generalists or specialists. Second, the team will investigate the physiological adaptations that allow leopard seals to be apex predators and determine to what extent leopard seals are working at or near their physiological limit. Diving behavior and physiology of leopard seals will be evaluated (for instance the aerobic dive limit for individual animals and skeletal muscle adaptations will be determined for diving under hypoxic conditions). Data from time-depth recorders will be used to determine foraging strategies for individual seals, and these diving characteristics will be related to physiological variables (e.g., blood volume, muscle oxygen stores) to better understand the link between foraging behavior and physiology. The team will compare myoglobin storage in swimming muscles associated with both forelimb and hind limb propulsion and the use of anaerobic versus aerobic metabolic systems while foraging.
This research project is a multidisciplinary effort that brings together a diverse team of scientists from multiple institutions together to understand the foraging behavior and physiology of leopard seals and their role in the Southern Ocean food web. The project will examine the physiology and behavior of leopard seals to in an effort to determine their ability to respond to potential changes in their habitat and foraging areas. Using satellite tracking devices the team will examine the movement and diving behavior of leopard seals and couple this information with measurements of their physiological capacity. The project will determine whether leopard seals- who feed on diverse range of prey- are built differently than their deep diving relatives the Weddell and elephant seal who feed on fish and squid. The team will also determine whether leopard seals are operating at or near their physiological capability to determine how much, if any, ?reserve capacity? they might have to forage and live in changing environments. A better understanding of their home ranges, movement patterns, and general behavior will also be informative to help in managing human-leopard seal interactions. The highly visual nature of the data and analysis for this project lends itself to public and educational display and outreach, particularly as they relate to the changing Antarctic habitats. The project will use the research results to educate the public on the unique physiological and ecological adaptations to extreme environments seen in diving marine mammals, including adaptations to exercise under low oxygen conditions and energy utilization, which affect and dictate the lifestyle of these exceptional organisms. The results of the project will also contribute to the broader understanding that may enhance the aims of managing marine living resources. The leopard seal is an apex predator in the Antarctic ecosystem. This project seeks to better understand the ability of the leopard seal to cope with a changing environment. The project will first examine the foraging behavior and habitat utilization of leopard seals using satellite telemetry. Specifically, satellite telemetry tags will be used to obtain dive profiles and movement data for individuals across multiple years. Diet and trophic level positions across multiple temporal scales will then be determined from physiological samples (e.g., blood, vibrissae, blubber fatty acids, stable isotopes, fecal matter). Oceanographic data will be integrated with these measures to develop habitat models that will be used to assess habitat type, habitat utilization, habitat preference, and home range areas for individual animals. Diet composition for individual seals will be evaluated to determine whether specific animals are generalists or specialists. Second, the team will investigate the physiological adaptations that allow leopard seals to be apex predators and determine to what extent leopard seals are working at or near their physiological limit. Diving behavior and physiology of leopard seals will be evaluated (for instance the aerobic dive limit for individual animals and skeletal muscle adaptations will be determined for diving under hypoxic conditions). Data from time-depth recorders will be used to determine foraging strategies for individual seals, and these diving characteristics will be related to physiological variables (e.g., blood volume, muscle oxygen stores) to better understand the link between foraging behavior and physiology. The team will compare myoglobin storage in swimming muscles associated with both forelimb and hind limb propulsion and the use of anaerobic versus aerobic metabolic systems while foraging.
Arrigo, Kevin; Thomas, Leif N; Baumberger, Tamara; Resing, Joseph
No dataset link provided
Phytoplankton blooms throughout the world’s oceans support critical marine ecosystems and help remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. Traditionally, it has been assumed that phytoplankton blooms in the Southern Ocean are stimulated by iron from either nearby land or sea-ice. However, recent work demonstrates that hydrothermal vents may be an additional iron source for phytoplankton blooms. This enhancement of phytoplankton productivity by different iron sources supports rich marine ecosystems and leads to the sequestration of carbon in the deep ocean. Our proposed work will uncover the importance of hydrothermal activity in stimulating a large phytoplankton bloom along the southern boundary of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current just north of the Ross Sea. It will also lead towards a better understanding of the overall impact of hydrothermal activity on the carbon cycle in the Southern Ocean, which appears to trigger local hotspots of biological activity which are a potential sink for atmospheric CO2. This project will encourage the participation of underrepresented groups in ocean sciences, as well as providing educational opportunities for high school and undergraduate students, through three different programs. Stanford University’s Summer Undergraduate Research in Geoscience and Engineering (SURGE) program provides undergraduates from different US universities and diverse cultural backgrounds the opportunity to spend a summer doing a research project at Stanford. The Stanford Earth Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SESUR) is for Stanford undergraduates who want to learn more about environmental science by performing original research. Finally, Stanford’s School of Earth, Energy, and Environmental Sciences High School Internship Program enables young scientists to serve as mentors, prepares high school students for college, and serves to strengthen the partnership between Stanford and local schools. Students present their results at the Fall AGU meeting as part of the AGU Bright STaRS program. This project will form the basis of at least two PhD dissertations. The Stanford student will participate in Stanford’s Woods Institute Rising Environmental Leaders Program (RELP), a year-round program that helps graduate students hone their leadership and communication skills to maximize the impact of their research. The graduate student will also participate in Stanford’s Grant Writing Academy where they will receive training in developing and articulating research strategies to tackle important scientific questions. This interdisciplinary program combines satellite and ship-based measurements of a large poorly understood phytoplankton bloom (the AAR bloom) in the northwestern Ross Sea sector of the Southern Ocean with a detailed modeling study of the physical processes linking deep dissolved iron (DFe) reservoirs to the surface phytoplankton bloom. Prior to the cruise, we will implement a numerical model (CROCO) for our study region so that we can better understand the circulation, plumes, turbulence, fronts, and eddy field around the AAR bloom and how they transport and mix hydrothermally produced DFe vertically. Post cruise, observations of the vertical distribution of 3He (combined with DMn and DFe), will be used as initial conditions for a passive tracer in the model, and tracer dispersal will be assessed to better quantify the role of the various turbulent processes in upwelling DFe-rich waters to the upper ocean. The satellite-based component of the program will characterize the broader sampling region before, during, and after our cruise. During the cruise, our automated software system at Stanford University will download and process images of sea ice concentration, Chl-a concentration, sea surface temperature (SST), and sea surface height (SSH) and send them electronically to the ship. Operationally, our goal is to use all available satellite data and preliminary model results to target shipboard sampling both geographically and temporally to optimize sampling of the AAR bloom. We will use available BGC-Argo float data to help characterize the AAR bloom. In collaboration with SOCCOM, we will deploy additional BGC-Argo floats (if available) during our transit through the study area to allow us to better characterize the bloom. The centerpiece of our program will be a 40-day process study cruise in austral summer. The cruise will consist of an initial “radiator” pattern of hydrographic surveys/sections along the AAR followed by CTDs to selected submarine volcanoes. When/if eddies are identified, they will be sampled either during or after the initial surveys. The radiator pattern, or parts thereof, will be repeated 2-3 times. Hydrographic survey stations will include vertical profiles of temperature, salinity, oxygen, oxidation-reduction potential, light scatter, and PAR (400-700 nm). Samples will be collected for trace metals, ligands, 3He, and total suspended matter. Where intense hydrothermal activity is identified, samples for pH and total CO2 will also be collected to characterize the hydrothermal system. Water samples will be collected for characterization of macronutrients, and phytoplankton physiology, abundance, species composition, and size. During transits, we will continuously measure atmospheric conditions, current speed and direction, and surface SST, salinity, pCO2, and fluorescence from the ship’s systems to provide detailed maps of these parameters. The ship will be used as a platform for conducting phytoplankton DFe bioassay experiments at key stations throughout the study region both inside and outside the bloom. We will also perform detailed comparisons of algal taxonomic composition, physiology, and size structure inside and outside the bloom to determine the potential importance of each community on local biogeochemistry. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
The leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx) is an enigmatic apex predator in the rapidly changing Southern Ocean. As top predators, leopard seals play a disproportionately large role in ecosystem functioning and act as sentinel species that can track habitat changes. How leopard seals respond to a warming environment depends on their adaptive capacity, that is a species’ ability to cope with environmental change. However, leopard seals are one of the least studied apex predators on Earth, hindering our ability to predict how the species is responding to polar environmental changes. Investigating the adaptability of Antarctic biota in a changing system aligns with NSF’s Strategic Vision for Investments in Antarctic and Southern Ocean Research. This research, which is tightly integrated with educational and outreach activities, will increase diversity in STEM and Antarctic science by recruiting students from historically underrepresented groups in STEM and providing training, mentoring, and educational opportunities at an emerging Hispanic Serving Institution and a Historically Black Colleges and Universities campus. This project will improve STEM education and science literacy via museum collaborations, creation of informational videos and original artwork depicting the research. The proposal supports data and sample reuse in polar research and long-term reuse of scientific data, thereby maximizing NSF’s investment in previous field research and reducing operational costs. The researchers will investigate leopard seals adaptive capacity to the warming Southern Ocean by quantifying their ability to move (dispersal ability), adapt (genetic diversity), and change (plasticity). Aim 1 of the research will determine leopard seals’ dispersal ability by assessing their distribution and movement patterns. Aim 2 will quantify genetic diversity by analyzing genetic variability and population structure and Aim 3 will examine phenotypic plasticity by evaluating changes in their ecological niche and physiological responses. The international, multidisciplinary team will analyze existing data (e.g., photographs, census data, life history data, tissue samples, body morphometrics) collected from leopard seals across the Southern Ocean over the last decade. Additionally, land- and ship-based field efforts will generate comparable data from unsampled regions in the Southern Ocean. The research project will analyze these historical and contemporary datasets to evaluate the adaptive capacity of leopard seals against the rapidly warming Southern Ocean. This research is significant because changes in the distribution, genetic diversity, and ecophysiology of leopard seals can dramatically restructure polar and subpolar communities. Further, the research will expand understanding of leopard seals’ ecological role, likely characterizing the species as flexible polar and subpolar predators throughout the Southern Hemisphere. The findings of this research will be relevant for use in ecosystem-based management decisions—including the design of Marine Protected Areas— across three continents. This study will highlight intrinsic traits that determine species’ adaptive capacity, as well as showcase the dynamic links between polar and subpolar ecosystems. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Within any population, some individuals perform better than others. These individuals may survive longer or produce more offspring. Weddell seals in Erebus Bay, Antarctica, provide an unparalleled opportunity to investigate how an animal's physiology, behavior, and genetic make-up contribute to lifetime reproductive success because they have been the subject of a long-term population monitoring study and are easily accessible during their reproductive season. This project will distinguish key differences in energy allocation, reproductive timing, and dive capacities between female Weddell seals with a history of frequently producing pups ("high-quality" group), versus females that have produced pups only infrequently ("low-quality" group). For each group of females, physiology and behavior during the nursing period will be analyzed to assess whether investments influence their probability of reproducing the following year. Whole genomes will be compared between groups to identify underlying genes that govern reproductive success and population stability in a long-lived mammal. This collaborative project will provide research opportunities and training to several undergraduate and graduate students at the three participating institutions. Results will be broadly disseminated through presentations and peer-reviewed publications, and to students via an extensive public outreach collaboration with museum programming, curriculum-aligned science lessons, and pedagogy training. Within any wild animal population there is substantial heterogeneity in reproductive rates and animal fitness. Not all individuals contribute to the population equally; some are able to produce more offspring than others and thus are considered to be of higher quality. This study aims to distinguish which physiological mechanisms (energy dynamics, aerobic capacity, and fertility) and underlying genetic factors make some Weddell seal females particularly successful at producing pups year after year, while others produce far fewer pups than the population average. In this project, an Organismal Energetics approach will identify key differences between high- and low-quality females in how they balance current and future reproductive success by tracking lactation costs, midsummer foraging success and pregnancy rates, and overwinter foraging patterns and live births the next year. Repeated sampling of individuals' physiological status (body composition, endocrinology, ovulation and pregnancy timing), will be paired with a whole-genome sequencing study. The second component of this study uses a Genome to Phenome approach to better understand how genetic differences between high- and low-quality females directly correspond to functional differences in transcription, translation, and ultimately phenotype. This component will contribute to the functional analysis and annotation of the Weddell seal genome. In combination, this project will make strides towards distinguishing the roles that plastic (physiological, behavioral) and fixed (genetic) factors play in complex, multifaceted traits such as fitness in a long-lived wild mammal. The project partners with established programs to implement extensive educational and outreach activities that will ensure wide dissemination to educators, students, and the public. It will contribute to a marine mammal exhibit at the Pink Palace Museum, and a PolarTREC science educator will participate in field work in Antarctica. This award is co-funded by the GEO-OPP-Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems Program, BIO-IOS-Physiological Mechanisms and Biomechanics Program, and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2). Part I: Non-technical description: The Weddell seal is an iconic Antarctic species and a superb diver, swimming down to 2,000 feet and staying underwater for up to 45 minutes. However, as for any mammal, the low oxygen concentrations in the blood during diving and the recovery once back at the surface are challenges that need to be overcome making their diving ability something unique that has fascinated scientists for decades. This research project will evaluate the underlying processes in Weddell seal’s physiology that protects this species from the consequences of diving. The work will combine laboratory experiments where cells that line the blood vessels will be exposed to conditions of low oxygen, similar to those that will be measured in diving seals in Antarctica. The investigarors will test a new idea that several short-term dives, performed before a long dive, allows seals to condition themselves. Measurements on the chemical compounds released to the blood during dives, combined with experiments on the genes that regulate them will provide clues on the biochemical pathways that help the seals tolerate these extreme conditions. The project allows for documentation of individual seal dives and provisioning of such information to the broader science community that seeks to study these seals, educating graduate and undergraduate students and a post-doctoral researcher and producing a science-outreach comic book for middle-school students to illustrate the project's science activities, goals and outcomes. Part II: Technical description: The Weddell seal is a champion diver with high natural tolerance for low blood oxygen concentration (hypoxemia) and inadequate blood supply (ischemia). The processes unique to this species protects their tissues from inflammation and oxidative stress observed in other mammalian tissues exposed to such physiological conditions. This project aims to understand the signatures of the processes that protect seals from inflammation and oxidant stress, using molecular, cellular and metabolic tools. Repetitive short dives before long ones are hypothesized to precondition seal tissues and activate the protective processes. The new aspect of this work is the study of endothelial cells, which sense changes in oxygen and blood flow, providing a link between breath-holding and cellular function. The approach is one of laboratory experiments combined with 2-years of field work in an ice camp off McMurdo Station in Antarctica. The study is structured by three main objectives: 1) laboratory experiments with arterial endothelial cells exposed to changes in oxygen and flow to identify molecular pathways responsible for tolerance of hypoxia and ischemia using several physiological, biochemical and genomic tools including CRSPR/Cas9 knochout and knockdown approaches. 2) Metabolomic analyses of blood metabolites produced by seals during long dives. And 3) Metabolomic and genomic determinations of seal physiology during short dives hypothesized to pre-condition tolerance responses. In the field, blood samples will be taken after seals dive in an isolated ice hole and its diving performance recorded. It is expected that the blood will contain metabolites that can be related to molecular pathways identified in lab experiments. Expert collaborators will provide field support, with the ice camp, dive hole for the seals, and telemetry associated with the seals’ dives. The project builds upon previous NSF-funded projects where the seal genome and cellular resources were produced. Undergraduate researchers will be recruited from institutional programs with a track record of attracting underrepresented minorities and a minority-serving institution. To further increase polar literacy training and educational impacts, the field team will include a blog where field experiences are shared and comic book preparation with an artist designed for K-12 students and public outreach. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Part I: Non-technical Summary Understanding the mechanisms that animals use to find and acquire food is a fundamental question in ecology. The survival and success of marine predators depends on their ability to locate prey in a variable or changing environment. To do this the predators need to be able to adjust foraging behavior depending on the conditions they encounter. Emperor penguins are ice-dependent, top predators in Antarctica. However, they are vulnerable to environmental changes that alter food web or sea ice coverage, and environmental change may lead to changes in penguin foraging behavior, and ultimately survival and reproduction success. Despite their importance in the Southern Ocean ecosystem, relatively little is known about the specific mechanisms Emperor penguins use to find and acquire food. This study combines a suite of technological and analytical tools to gain essential knowledge on Ross Sea penguin foraging energetics, ecology, and habitat use during critical periods in their life history, especially during late chick-rearing periods. Energy management is particularly crucial during this time as parents need to feed both themselves and their rapidly growing offspring, while being constrained to regions near the colony. Penguin ecology and habitat preference will also be evaluated after the molt and through early reproduction. This study fills important ecological knowledge gaps on the energy balance, diet, and habitat use by penguins during these critical periods. Finally, the project furthers the NSF goals of training new generations of scientists through training of undergraduates, graduate students and a postdoctoral researcher. Public outreach activities will be aligned with another NSF funded project designed to provide science training in afterschool and camp programs that target underrepresented groups. Part II: Technical summary This project will identify behavioral and physiological variability in foraging Emperor penguins that can be directly linked to individual success in the marine environment using an ecological theoretical framework during two critical life history stages. First, this project will investigate the foraging energetics, ecology, and habitat use of Emperor penguins at Cape Crozier using fine-scale movement and video data loggers during the energetically demanding life history phase of late chick-rearing. Specifically, this study will 1) Estimate the relationship of foraging efficiency to foraging behavior and diet using an optimal foraging theory framework to identify what environmental or physiological constraints influence foraging behavior; 2) Investigate the inter- and intra-individual behavioral variability exhibited by emperor penguins, which is essential to predict how resilient these penguins are to environmental change; and 3) Integrate penguin foraging efficiency data with environmental data to identify important habitat. Next the researchers will study the ecology and habitat preference after the molt and through early reproduction using satellite-linked data loggers. The team will: 1) Investigate penguin inter- and intra-individual behavioral variability during the three-month post-molt and early winter foraging trips; and 2) Integrate penguin behavioral data with environmental data to identify which environmental features are indicative of habitat preference when penguins are not constrained to returning to the colony to feed a chick. These fine- and coarse-scale data will be combined with climate predictions to create predictive habitat models. The education objectives of this CAREER project are designed to inspire, engage, and train the next generation of scientists using the data and video generated while investigating Emperor penguins in the Antarctic ecosystem. This includes development of two university courses, training of undergraduate and graduate students, and a collaboration with the NSF funded “Polar Literacy: A model for youth engagement and learning” program to develop after school and camp curriculum that target undeserved and underrepresented groups. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Antarctica’s native animals face increasing stressors from warming oceans. A key unanswered question is how Antarctic life will respond. If warmer waters contribute to fish disease susceptibility, then iconic Antarctic predators they support, including penguins, seals, and killer whales, will suffer. A recent scientific cruise on the Antarctic peninsula encountered a population of crowned notothen fish that were plagued by pink, wart-like tumors that covered 10% to 30% of the body surface on about a third of the animals. Similar tumors had not previously been reported, suggesting that this might be a new disease that threatens Antarctic fish. The goal of proposed work is to identify the biological origins of the tumor and how it affects cell function and organismal physiology. The work is potentially transformative because it studies what might be a harbinger of Antarctic fish responses to global climate change. The project has several Broader Impacts. First, it will publicize the tumors. Because Antarctic researchers have never reported a tumor epidemic, the community must become aware of the outbreak and the tumor’s distinct diagnostic features. Second, dissemination of project results will stir further research to determine if this is an isolated event or is becoming a general phenomenon, and thus a broad concern for Antarctic ecosystems. Third, assays the project develops to detect the disease will enhance research infrastructure. Finally, work will broaden the nation’s scientific workforce by providing authentic research experiences for high school students and undergraduates from groups underrepresented in scientific research. The overall goal of proposed work is to identify the biological origins of the neoplasia and how it affects cell function and physiology. Aim 1 is to identify the pathogenic agent. Aim 1a is to test the hypothesis that a virus causes the neoplasia by isolating and sequencing viral nucleic acids from neoplasias and from animals that are not visibly affected. Aim 1b is to test neoplasias for bacteria, fungi, protozoa, or invertebrate parasites not present in healthy skin. Aim 2 is to learn how the disease alters the biology of affected cells. Aim 2a is to examine histological sections of affected and control tissues to see if the neoplasias are similar to previously reported skin diseases in temperate water fishes. Aim 2b is to examine the function of neoplastic cells by RNA-seq transcriptomics to identify genes that are differentially expressed in neoplasias and normal skin. Achieving these Aims will advance knowledge by identifying the causes and consequences of an outbreak of neoplasias in Antarctic fish. Proposed work is significant because it is the first to investigate a neoplasia cluster in Antarctic fish. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
The cold, dry terrestrial environments of Antarctica are inhospitable for insects, and only three midge species make Antarctica home. Of these, Belgica antarctica is the only species found exclusively in Antarctica, and it has been a resident of Antarctica since the continent split from South America ~30 million years ago. Thus, this species is an excellent system to model the biological history of Antarctica throughout its repeated glaciation events and shifts in climate. This insect is also a classic example of extreme adaptation, and much previous work has focused on identifying the genetic and physiological mechanisms that allow this species to survive where no other insect is capable. However, it has been difficult to pinpoint the unique evolutionary adaptations that are required to survive in Antarctica due to a lack of information from closely related Antarctic and sub-Antarctic species. This project will compare adaptations, genome sequences, and population characteristics of four midge species that span an environmental gradient from sub-Antarctic to Antarctic habitats. In addition to B. antarctica, these species include two species that are strictly sub-Antarctic and a third that is native to the sub-Antarctic but has invaded parts of Antarctica. The researchers, comprised of scientists from the US, UK, Chile, and France, will sample insects from across their geographic range and measure their ability to tolerate environmental stressors (i.e., cold and desiccation), quantify molecular responses to stress, and compare the makeup of the genome and patterns of genetic diversity. This research will contribute to a greater understanding of adaptation to extremes, to an understanding of biodiversity on the planet and to understanding and predicting changes accompanying environmental change. The project will train two graduate students and two postdoctoral researchers, and a K-12 educator will be a member of the field team and will assist with fieldwork and facilitate outreach with schools in the US. The project includes partnership activities with several STEM education organizations to deliver educational content to K-12 and secondary students. This is a project that is jointly funded by the National Science Foundation's Directorate of Geosciences (NSF/GEO) and the National Environment Research Council (NERC) of the United Kingdom (UK) via the NSF/GEO-NERC Lead Agency Agreement. This Agreement allows a single joint US/UK proposal to be submitted and peer-reviewed by the Agency whose investigator has the largest proportion of the budget. Each Agency funds the proportion of the budget and the investigators associated with its own country. UK participation in this project includes deploying scientists as part of the field team, supporting field and sampling logistics at remote Antarctic sites, and genome sequencing, annotation, and analyses. This project focuses on the key physiological adaptations and molecular processes that allow a select few insect species to survive in Antarctica. The focal species are all wingless with limited dispersal capacity, suggesting there is also significant potential to locally adapt to variable environmental conditions across the range of these species. The central hypothesis is that similar molecular mechanisms drive both population-level adaptation to local environmental conditions and macroevolutionary changes across species living in different environments. The specific aims of the project are to 1) Characterize conserved and species-specific adaptations to extreme environments through comparative physiology and transcriptomics, 2) Compare the genome sequences of these species to identify genetic signatures of extreme adaption, and 3) Investigate patterns of diversification and local adaptation across each species? range using population genomics. The project establishes an international collaboration of researchers from the US, UK, Chile, and France with shared interests and complementary expertise in the biology, genomics, and conservation of Antarctic arthropods. The Broader Impacts of the project include training students and partnering with the Living Arts and Science Center to design and implement educational content for K-12 students. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Cold-blooded animals in the Antarctic ocean have survived in near-constant, extreme cold conditions for millions of years and are very sensitive to even small changes in water temperature. However, the consequences of this extreme thermal sensitivity for the energetics, development, and survival of developing embryos is not well understood. This award will investigate the effect of temperature on the metabolism, growth rate, developmental rate, and developmental energetics of embryos and larvae of Antarctic marine ectotherms. The project will also measure annual variation in temperature and oxygen at different sites in McMurdo Sound, and compare embryonic and larval metabolism in winter and summer to determine the extent to which these life stages can acclimate to seasonal shifts. This research will provide insight into the ability of polar marine animals and ecosystems to withstand warming polar ocean conditions. Antarctic marine ectotherms exhibit universally slow growth, low metabolic rates, and extended development, yet many of their rate processes related to physiology and metabolism are highly thermally sensitive. This suggests that small changes in temperature may result in dramatic changes to energy metabolism, growth, and the rate and duration of development. This project will measure the effects of temperature on metabolism, developmental rate, and the energetic cost of development of four common and ecologically important species of benthic Antarctic marine invertebrates. These effects will be measured over the functional ranges of the organisms and in the context of environmentally relevant seasonal shifts in temperature around McMurdo Sound. Recent data show that seasonal warming of ~1 deg C near McMurdo Station is accompanied by long-lasting hyperoxic events that impact the benthos in the nearshore boundary layer. This research will provide a more comprehensive understanding of both annual variation in environmental oxygen and temperature across the Sound, and whether this variation drives changes in developmental rate and energetics that are consistent with physiological acclimatization. These data will provide key information about potential impacts of warming Antarctic ectotherms. In addition, this project will support undergraduate and graduate research and partner with large-enrollment undergraduate courses and REU programs at an ANNH and AANAPISI Title III minority-serving institution. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
The transition of young from parental care to independence is a critical stage in the life of many animals. Surviving this stage can be especially challenging for polar mammals where the extreme cold requires extra energy to keep warm, rather than using the majority of energy for growth, development and physical activities. Young Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) have only weeks to develop the capabilities to survive both on top of the sea ice and within the -1.9°C seawater where they can forage for food. The project seeks to better understand how Weddell seal pups rapidly develop (within weeks) the capacity to transition between these two extreme environments (that differ greatly in their abilities to conduct heat) and how they budget their energy during the transition. Though the biology and physiology of adult Weddell seals is well studied, the energetic and physiological strategies of pups during development is still unclear. Understanding factors that may affect survival at critical life history events is essential for better understanding factors that might affect marine mammal populations. Weddell seals are the southernmost breeding mammal and are easily recognizable as quintessential Antarctic seals. Determining potential vulnerabilities at critical life stages to change in the Antarctic environment will facilitate the researchers' ability to not only gain public interest but also communicate how research is revealing ways in which changes are occurring at the poles and how these changes may affect polar ecosystems. By collaborating with the Marine Mammal Center, the project will directly reach the public, through curricular educational materials and public outreach that will impact over 100,000 visitors annually. To elucidate the physiological strategies that facilitate the survival of Weddell seal pups from birth to independence, the proposed study examines the development of their thermoregulation and diving capability. To achieve this, the project will determine the mechanisms that Weddell seal pups use to maintain a stable, warm body temperature in air and in water and then examine the development of diving capability as the animals prepare for independent foraging. The researchers will take a fully integrative approach- making assessments from proteins to tissues to the whole-animal level- when investigating both these objectives. To assess the development of thermoregulatory capability, researchers will quantify body insulation, resting metabolic rates in air and in water, muscle thermogenesis (shivering), and body surface temperatures in the field. The project will also assess the development of dive capability by quantifying oxygen storage capacities and measuring early dive behavior. To identify possible cellular mechanisms for how Weddell seals navigate this trade-off during development, the program will quantify several key developmental regulators of increased hypoxic capacity (HIF, VEGF and EPO) using qPCR, as well as follow the proteomic changes of adipose and muscle tissue, which will include abundance changes of metabolic, antioxidant, cytoskeletal, and Ca2+-regulating proteins. The study of the physiological development leading up to the transition to independence in pinnipeds will help researchers better predict the effects of climate change on the distribution and abundance of this species and how this will affect other trophic levels. Environmental changes that alter habitat suitability have been shown to decrease population health, specifically because of declines in juvenile survival.
Antarctic krill are essential in the Southern Ocean as they support vast numbers of marine mammals, seabirds and fishes, some of which feed almost exclusively on krill. Antarctic krill also constitute a target species for industrial fisheries in the Southern Ocean. The success of Antarctic krill populations is largely determined by the ability of their young to survive the long, dark winter, where food is extremely scarce. To survive the long-dark winter, young Antarctic krill must have a high-quality diet in autumn. However, warming in certain parts of Antarctica is changing the dynamics and quality of the polar food web, resulting in a shift in the type of food available to young krill in autumn. It is not yet clear how these dynamic changes are affecting the ability of krill to survive the winter. This project aims to fill an important gap in current knowledge on an understudied stage of the Antarctic krill life cycle, the 1-year old juveniles. The results derived from this work will contribute to the development of improved bioenergetic, population and ecosystem models, and will advance current scientific understanding of this critical Antarctic species. This CAREER project's core education and outreach objectives seek to enhance education and increase diversity within STEM fields. An undergraduate course will be developed that will integrate undergraduate research and writing in way that promotes authentic scientific inquiry and analysis of original research data by the students, and that enhances their communication skills. A graduate course will be developed that will promote students' skills in communicating their own research to a non-scientific audience. Graduate students will be supported through the proposed study and will gain valuable research experience. Traditionally underserved undergraduate students will be recruited to conduct independent research under the umbrella of the larger project. Throughout each field season, the research team will maintain a weekly blog that will include short videos, photographs and text highlighting the research, as well as their experiences living and working in Antarctica. The aim of the blog will be to engage the public and increase awareness and understanding of Antarctic ecosystems and the impact of warming, and of the scientific process of research and discovery. In this 5-year CAREER project, the investigator will use a combination of empirical and theoretical techniques to assess the effects of diet on 1-year old krill in autumn-winter. The research is centered on four hypotheses: (H1) autumn diet affects 1-year old krill physiology and condition at the onset of winter; (H2) autumn diet has an effect on winter physiology and condition of 1-year old krill under variable winter food conditions; (H3) the rate of change in physiology and condition of 1-year old krill from autumn to winter is dependent on autumn diet; and (H4) the winter energy budget of 1-year old krill will vary between years and will be dependent on autumn diet. Long-term feeding experiments and in situ sampling will be used to measure changes in the physiology and condition of krill in relation to their diet and feeding environment. Empirically-derived data will be used to develop theoretical models of growth rates and energy budgets to determine how diet will influence the overwinter survival of 1-year old krill. The research will be integrated with an education and outreach plan to (1) develop engaging undergraduate and graduate courses, (2) train and develop young scientists for careers in polar research, and (3) engage the public and increase their awareness and understanding. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Icefish live in frigid Antarctic seas, and have unique traits such as the absence of red blood cells, enlarged hearts, large diameter blood vessels, low bone mineral densities, and fat droplets that disrupt their muscles. These features would be harmful in other animals. In mammals and fish inhabiting warm waters, development of organs involved in these traits is modulated by genes that encode specific proteins, but the rate of protein production is often regulated by short RNA molecules called microRNAs (miRNAs). Genes that code for proteins must first make an RNA copy, and the actual protein is made from this RNA copy intermediate. MiRNAs regulate the amount of protein that is made by binding to the RNA intermediate and interrupting its production of protein. Binding of miRNAs to RNA depends strongly on temperature. Regulation of genes by miRNAs has not been studied in Antarctic fish, which live in seas with temperatures below the freezing point of fresh water. This project will compare miRNA regulation 1) in Antarctic fish vs. warm-water fish to learn how miRNAs regulate gene expression in constant cold; and 2) in Antarctic icefish with no red blood cells, enlarged hearts, and reduced bone density vs. closely related Antarctic fish containing red blood cells, normal hearts, and dense bones. The project will have broad impacts to science and society nationally and globally. First, this will be the first study of important factors in gene regulation (miRNAs) in Antarctic fish, which are an essential component of the entire ecology of the Southern Ocean, and will shed light on how these fish might respond to the warming of Antarctic waters. Second, it will bring Antarctic science to under-represented high school students at a local alternative downtown high school by conducting video conferences during the Antarctic field seasons and hosting student investigations of Antarctic fish in the research laboratory. microRNAs (miRNAs) are key post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression that modulate development and physiology in temperate animals. Although miRNAs act by binding to messenger RNAs (mRNAs), a process that is strongly sensitive to temperature, miRNAs have yet not been studied in Antarctic animals, including Notothenioid fish, which dominate the Southern Ocean. This project will compare miRNA regulation in 1) Antarctic vs. temperate fish to learn the roles of miRNA regulation in adaptation to constant cold; and in 2) bottom-dwelling, dense-boned, red-blooded Nototheniods vs. high buoyancy, osteopenic, white-blooded icefish to understand miRNA regulation in specialized organs after the evolution of the loss of hemoglobin genes and red blood cells, the origin of enlarged heart and vasculature, and the evolution of increased buoyancy, which arose by decreased bone mineralization and increased lipid deposition. Aim 1 is to test the hypothesis that Antarctic fish evolved miRNA-related genome specializations in response to constant cold. The project will compare four Antarctic Notothenioid species to two temperate Notothenioids and two temperate laboratory species to test the hypotheses that (a) Antarctic fish evolved miRNA genome repertoires by loss of ancestral genes and/or gain of new genes, (b) express miRNAs that are involved in cold tolerance, and (c) respond to temperature change by changing miRNA gene expression. Aim 2 is to test the hypothesis that the evolution of icefish from red-blooded bottom-dwelling ancestors was accompanied by an altered miRNA genomic repertoire, sequence, and/or expression. The project will test the hypotheses that (a) miRNAs in icefish evolved in sequence and/or in expression in icefish specializations, including head kidney (origin of red blood cells); heart (changes in vascular system), cranium and pectoral girdle (reduced bone mineral density); and skeletal muscle (lipid deposition), and (b) miRNAs that evolved in icefish specializations had ancestral functions related to their derived roles in icefish, as determined by functional tests of zebrafish orthologs of icefish miRNAs in developing zebrafish. The program will isolate, sequence, and determine the expression of miRNAs and mRNAs using high-throughput transcriptomics and novel software. Results will show how the microRNA system evolves in vertebrate animals pushed to physiological extremes and provide insights into the prospects of key species in the most rapidly warming part of the globe.
Antarctic fish and their early developmental stages are an important component of the food web that sustains life in the cold Southern Ocean (SO) that surrounds Antarctica. They feed on smaller organisms and in turn are eaten by larger animals, including seals and killer whales. Little is known about how rising ocean temperatures will impact the development of Antarctic fish embryos and their growth after hatching. This project will address this gap by assessing the effects of elevated temperatures on embryo viability, on the rate of embryo development, and on the gene "toolkits" that respond to temperature stress. One of the two species to be studied does not produce red blood cells, a defect that may make its embryos particularly vulnerable to heat. The outcomes of this research will provide the public and policymakers with "real world" data that are necessary to inform decisions and design strategies to cope with changes in the Earth's climate, particularly with respect to protecting life in the SO. The project will also further the NSF goals of training new generations of scientists, including providing scientific training for undergraduate and graduate students, and of making scientific discoveries available to the general public. This includes the unique educational opportunity for undergraduates to participate in research in Antarctica and engaging the public in several ways, including the development of professionally-produced educational videos with bi-lingual closed captioning. Since the onset of cooling of the SO about 40 million years ago, evolution of Antarctic marine organisms has been driven by the development of cold temperatures. Because body temperatures of Antarctic fishes fall in a narrow range determined by their habitat (-1.9 to +2.0 C) they are particularly attractive models for understanding how organismal physiology and biochemistry have been shaped to maintain life in a cooling environment. The long-term objective of this project is to understand the capacities of Antarctic fishes to acclimatize and/or adapt to rapid oceanic warming through analysis of their underlying genetic "toolkits." This objective will be accomplished through three Specific Aims: 1) assessing the effects of elevated temperatures on gene expression during development of embryos; 2) examining the effects of elevated temperatures on embryonic morphology and on the temporal and spatial patterns of gene expression; and 3) evaluating the evolutionary mechanisms that have led to the loss of the red blood cell genetic program by the white-blooded fishes. Aims 1 and 2 will be investigated by acclimating experimental embryos of both red-blooded and white-blooded fish to elevated temperatures. Differential gene expression will be examined through the use of high throughput RNA sequencing. The temporal and spatial patterns of gene expression in the context of embryonic morphology (Aim 2) will be determined by microscopic analysis of embryos "stained" with (hybridized to) differentially expressed gene probes revealed by Aim 1; other developmental marker genes will also be used. The genetic lesions resulting from loss of red blood cells by the white-blooded fishes (Aim 3) will be examined by comparing genes and genomes in the two fish groups.
The project will integrate analyses of fish physiology, protein production and genetics to determine if regulation of molecular chaperones (a class of proteins that facilitate the proper folding of proteins in a cell) has been permanently lost in a key fish species (Trematomus bernacchii) inhabiting the Southern Ocean. To do so, efforts will be undertaken to analyze chaperones in these fishes and how elevated temperatures impact protein turnover and protein damage. These studies should more definitively determine if the interruption of chaperone function is environmentally controlled (which could suggest these fish could benefit in some form by increasing sea surface temperatures) or if there is complete loss of chaperone function due to a change in its structure through evolutionary processes (which would suggest these fish are less likely to be able to adapt to warming). In addition to filling key gaps in our knowledge about the diversity and evolution of fishes in the southern ocean and the potential impacts changing temperatures might have on fish populations, the project will support the training of undergraduate and graduate students at an RUI institution. Specifically, activities and content directly related to this project's aims will be incorporated into the undergraduate curriculum at Sonoma State University in an effort to increase undergraduate participation in research, especially with respect to underrepresented groups. The project has specific aims to perform a comparative analysis of nucleotide divergence resulting in non-synonymous amino acid changes in the trans-regulatory elements, namely members of the heat shock factor (HSF) family of transcription factors, in T. bernacchii and N. angustata. The project will also utilize metabolic labeling of newly synthesized proteins from isolated hepatocytes to monitor protein turnover rates in fish acclimated to both -1.5 and +4 °C for an extended period. Changes in chaperoning capacity and levels of damaged proteins will be quantified in multiple tissues to gain a better understanding of the cellular requirements for maintaining protein homeostasis under long-term acclimations to +4 °C. In combination, the work will help answer questions regarding divergence in these fishes as well a fundamental information regarding protein structure and function that may also have bio-medical implications.
Rapid changes in the extent and thickness of sea ice during the austral spring subject microorganisms within or attached to the ice to large fluctuations in temperature, salinity, light and nutrients. This project aims to identify cellular responses in sea-ice algae to increasing temperature and decreasing salinity during the spring melt along the western Antarctic Peninsula and to determine how associated changes at the cellular level can potentially affect dynamic, biologically driven processes. Understanding how sea-ice algae cope with, and are adapted to, their environment will not only help predict how polar ecosystems may change as the extent and thickness of sea ice change, but will also provide a better understanding of the widespread success of photosynthetic life on Earth. The scientific context and resulting advances from the research will be communicated to the general public through outreach activities that includes work with Science Communication Fellows and the popular Polar Science Weekend at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle, Washington. The project will provide student training to college students as well as provide for educational experiences for K-12 school children. There is currently a poor understanding of feedback relationships that exist between the rapidly changing environment in the western Antarctic Peninsula region and sea-ice algal production. The large shifts in temperature and salinity that algae experience during the spring melt affect critical cellular processes, including rates of enzyme-catalyzed reactions involved in photosynthesis and respiration, and the production of stress-protective compounds. These changes in cellular processes are poorly constrained but can be large and may have impacts on local ecosystem productivity and biogeochemical cycles. In particular, this study will focus on the thermal sensitivity of enzymes and the cycling of compatible solutes and exopolymers used for halo- and cryo-protection, and how they influence primary production and the biogeochemical cycling of carbon and nitrogen. Approaches will include field sampling during spring melt, incubation experiments of natural sea-ice communities under variable temperature and salinity conditions, and controlled manipulation of sea-ice algal species in laboratory culture. Employment of a range of techniques, from fast repetition rate fluorometry and gross and net photosynthetic measurements to metabolomics and enzyme kinetics, will tease apart the mechanistic effects of temperature and salinity on cell metabolism and primary production with the goal of quantifying how these changes will impact biogeochemical processes along the western Antarctic Peninsula. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Since the advent of Antarctic continental glaciation, the opening of the Drake Passage between South America and the Antarctic Peninsula, and the onset of cooling of the Southern Ocean ~40-25 million years ago, evolution of the Antarctic marine biota has been driven by the development of extreme cold temperatures. As circum-Antarctic coastal temperatures declined during this period from ~20°C to the modern ?1.9 to +2.0°C (reached ~8-10 million years ago), the psychrophilic (cold-loving) ectotherms of the Southern Ocean evolved compensatory molecular, cellular, and physiological traits that enabled them to maintain normal metabolic function at cold temperatures. Today, these organisms are threatened by rapid warming of the Southern Ocean over periods measured in centuries (as much as 5°C/100 yr), a timeframe so short that re-adaptation and/or acclimatization to the ?new warm? may not be possible. Thus, the long-term goals of this research project are: 1) to understand the biochemical and physiological capacities of the embryos of Antarctic notothenioid fish to resist or compensate for rapid oceanic warming; and 2) to assess the genetic toolkit available to support the acclimatization and adaptation of Antarctic notothenioid embryos to their warming habitat. The specific aims of this work are: 1) to determine the capacity of the chaperonin complex of notothenioid fishes to assist protein folding at temperatures between ?4 and +20°C; and 2) to evaluate the genetic responses of notothenioid embryos, measured as global differential gene transcription, to temperature challenge, with ?1.9°C as the ?normal? control and +4 and +10°C as high temperature insults. The physiology of embryonic development of marine stenotherms under future climate change scenarios is an important but understudied problem. This project will provide valuable insights into the capacity of Antarctic fish embryos to acclimatize and adapt to plausible climate change scenarios by examining multiple levels of biological organization, from the biochemical to the organismal. The results should also be broadly applicable to understanding the impact of global warming on marine biota worldwide. The research will also introduce graduate and REU undergraduate students to state-of-the-art biochemical, cellular, and molecular-biological research relevant to ecological and environmental issues of the Antarctic marine ecosystem.
The Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica is changing rapidly in response to Earth's warming climate. These changes will undoubtedly influence communities of primary producers (the organisms at the base of the food chain, particularly plant-like organisms using sunlight for energy) by altering conditions that influence their growth and composition. Because primary producers such as phytoplankton play an important role in global biogeochemical cycling, it is essential to understand how they will respond to changes in their environment. The growth of phytoplankton in certain regions of the Southern Ocean is constrained by steep gradients in chemical and physical properties that vary in both space and time. Light and iron have been identified as key variables influencing phytoplankton abundance and distribution within Antarctic waters. Microscopic algae known as diatoms are dominant members of the phytoplankton and sea ice communities, accounting for significant proportions of primary production. The overall objective of this project is to identify the molecular bases for the physiological responses of polar diatoms to varying light and iron conditions. The project should provide a means of evaluating the extent these factors regulate diatom growth and influence net community productivity in Antarctic waters. The project will also further the NSF goals of making scientific discoveries available to the general public and of training new generations of scientists. It will facilitate the teaching and learning of polar-related topics by translating the research objectives into readily accessible educational materials for middle-school students. This project will also provide funding to enable a graduate student and several undergraduate students to be trained in the techniques and perspectives of modern biology. Although numerous studies have investigated how polar diatoms are affected by varying light and iron, the cellular mechanisms leading to their distinct physiological responses remain unknown. Using comparative transcriptomics, the expression patterns of key genes and metabolic pathways in several ecologically important polar diatoms recently isolated from Antarctic waters and grown under varying iron and irradiance conditions will be examined. In addition, molecular indicators for iron and light limitation will be developed within these polar diatoms through the identification of iron- and light-responsive genes -- the expression patterns of which can be used to determine their physiological status. Upon verification in laboratory cultures, these indicators will be utilized by way of metatranscriptomic sequencing to examine iron and light limitation in natural diatom assemblages collected along environmental gradients in Western Antarctic Peninsula waters. In order to fully understand the role phytoplankton play in Southern Ocean biogeochemical cycles, dependable methods that provide a means of elucidating the physiological status of phytoplankton at any given time and location are essential.
The project will support US participation in the XIIth Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) International Biology Symposium. The theme of this meeting and ancillary workshops is Scale Matters. Meeting sessions will specifically address biodiversity and physiology spanning from molecular through ecosystem scales. The project will provide partial support (airfare and meeting registration) for up to 25 US participants enabling them to travel to Leuven, Belgium and attend the SCAR International Biology Symposium in July 2017. Preference will be given to applicants who are students and early career scientists. The call for applications will be broadly disseminated to encourage participation by underrepresented groups in the sciences. The SCAR International Biology Symposium is a unique opportunity for US scientists to present their work and learn about the most recent findings on all aspects of Antarctic organisms and ecosystems research, to establish and strengthen international contacts, and to be actively involved in the development of new directions and the establishment of new frontiers in polar biology.
This EAGER project will compare gene expression patterns in the planktonic communities under ice covers that form in coastal embayment's in the Antarctic Peninsula. Previous efforts taking advantage of unique ice conditions in November and December of 2015 allowed researchers to conduct an experiment to examine the role of sea ice cover on microbial carbon and energy transfer during the winter-spring transition. The EAGER effort will enable the researchers to conduct the "omics" analyses of the phytoplankton to determine predominant means by which energy is acquired and used in these settings. This EAGER effort will apply new expertise to fill an existing gap in ecological observations along the West Antarctic Peninsula. The principle product of the proposed work will be a novel dataset to be analyzed and by an early career researcher from an underserved community (veteran). The critical baseline data contained in this dataset enable a comparison of eukaryotic and prokaryotic gene expression patterns to establish the relative importance of chemoautotrophy, heterotrophy, mixotrophy, and phototrophy during the experiments. this information and data will be made immediately available to the broader scientific community, and will enable the development of further hypotheses on ecosystem change as sea ice cover changes in the region. Very little gene expression data is currently available for the Antarctic marine environment, and no gene expression data is available during the ecologically critical winter to spring transition. Moreover, ice cover in bays is common along the West Antarctic Peninsula yet the opportunity to study cryptophyte phytoplankton physiology beneath such ice conditions in coastal embayments is rare.
Beginning with the earliest expeditions to the poles, scientists have noted that many polar taxa grow to unusually large body sizes, a phenomenon now known as 'polar gigantism.' Although scientists have been interested in polar giants for many years, many questions still remain about the biology of this significant form of polar diversity. This award from the Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems program within the Polar Sciences Division at the National Science Foundation will investigate the respiratory and biomechanical mechanisms underlying polar gigantism in Antarctic pycnogonids (commonly known as sea spiders). The project will use a series of manipulative experiments to investigate the effects of temperature and oxygen availability on respiratory capacity and biomechanical strength, and will compare Antarctic sea spiders to related species from temperate and tropical regions. The research will provide insight into the ability of polar giants to withstand the warming polar ocean temperatures associated with climate change.<br/><br/>The prevailing hypothesis to explain the evolution of gigantism invokes shifts in respiratory relationships in extremely cold ocean waters: in the cold, oxygen is more plentiful while at the same time metabolic rates are very low. Together these effects alleviate constraints on oxygen supply that restrict organisms living in warmer waters. Respiratory capacity must evolve in the context of adaptive tradeoffs, so for organisms including pycnogonids there must be tradeoffs between respiratory capacity and resistance to biomechanical stresses. The investigators will test a novel hypothesis that respiratory challenges are not associated with particular body sizes, and will answer the following questions: What are the dynamics of oxygen transport and consumption in Antarctic pycnogonids; how do structural features related to oxygen diffusion trade off with requirements for body support and locomotion; how does body size influence vulnerability to environmental hypoxia and to temperature-oxygen interactions; and does the cold-driven high oxygen availability in the Antarctic raise the limit on body size by reducing trade-offs between diffusivity and structural integrity? The research will explore the effects of increased ocean temperatures upon organisms that have different body sizes. In addition, it will provide training for graduate and undergraduate students affiliated with universities in EPSCOR states.
Agglutinated foraminifera (forams for short) are early-evolving, single-celled organisms. These "living fossils" construct protective shells using sediment grains held together by adhesive substances that they secrete. During shell construction, agglutinated forams display amazing properties of selection - for example, some species build their shells of clear quartz grains, while other species use only grains of a specific size. Understanding how these single cells assemble complex structures may contribute to nanotechnology by enabling people to use forams as "cellular machines" to aid in the construction of nano-devices. This project will analyze the genomes of at least six key foram species, and then "mine" these genomes for technologically useful products and processes. The project will focus initially on the adhesive materials forams secrete, which may have wide application in biomedicine and biotechnology. Furthermore, the work will further develop a molecular toolkit which could open up new avenues of research on the physiology, ecology, and population dynamics of this important group of Antarctic organisms. The project will also further the NSF goals of making scientific discoveries available to the general public and of training new generations of scientists. Educational experiences related to the "thrill of scientific exploration and discovery" for students and the general public will be provided through freely-available short films and a traveling art/science exhibition. The project will also provide hands-on research opportunities for undergraduate students. Explorers Cove, situated on the western shore of McMurdo Sound, harbors a unique population of foraminiferan taxa at depths accessible by scuba diving that otherwise are primarily found in the deep sea. The project will use next-generation DNA sequencing and microdissection methods to obtain and analyze nuclear and mitochondrial genomes from crown members of two species each from three distinct, early-evolving foraminiferal groups. It will also use next generation sequencing methods to characterize the in-situ prokaryotic assemblages (microbiomes) of one of these groups and compare them to reference sediment microbiomes. The phyogenomic studies of the targeted Antarctic genera will help fill significant gaps in our current understanding of early foram evolution. Furthermore, comparative genomic analyses of these six species are expected to yield a better understanding of the physiology of single-chambered agglutinated forams, especially the bioadhesive proteins and regulatory factors involved in shell composition and morphogenesis. Additionally, the molecular basis of cold adaptation in forams will be examined, particularly with respect to key proteins.
Ocean acidification and increased temperatures are projected to be the primary impacts of global climate change on polar marine ecosystems over the next century. While recent research has focused on the effects of these drivers on calcifying organisms, less is known about how these changes may affect vertebrates. This research will focus on two Antarctic fishes, Trematomus bernacchii and Pagothenia borchgrevinki. Fish eggs and larvae will be collected in McMurdo Sound and reared under different temperature and pH regimes. Modern techniques will be used to examine subsequent changes in physiology, growth, development and gene expression over both short and long timescales. The results will fill a missing gap in our knowledge about the response of non-calcifying organisms to projected changes in pH and temperature. Results will be widely disseminated through publications as well as through presentations at national and international meetings; raw data will also be made available through open-access, web-based databases. This project will support the research and training of three graduate and three undergraduate students. As well, this project will foster the development of two modules on climate change and ocean acidification for an Introduction to Biology course.
The Weddell seal is a champion diving mammal. The physiology that permits these animals to sustain extended breath-hold periods and survive the extreme pressure of diving deep allows them to thrive in icy Antarctic waters. Key elements of their physiological specializations to breath-hold diving are their ability for remarkable adjustment of their heart and blood vessel system, coordinating blood pressure and flow to specific body regions based on their metabolic requirements, and their ability to sustain periods without oxygen. Identifying the details of these strategies has tremendous potential to better inform human medicine, helping us to develop novel therapies for cardiovascular trauma (e.g. stroke, heart attack) and diseases associated with blunted oxygen delivery to tissues (e.g. pneumonia, sepsis, or cancer). The goal of this project is to document specific genes that control these cardiovascular adjustments in seals, and to compare their abundance and activity with humans. Specifically, the investigators will study a signaling pathway that coordinates local blood flow. They will also use tissue samples to generate cultured cells from Weddell seals that can be used to study the molecular effects of low oxygen conditions in the laboratory. The project will further the NSF goals of training new generations of scientists and of making scientific discoveries available to the general public. The project will train a pre-veterinary student researcher will conduct public outreach via a center for community health improvement, a multicultural affairs office, and a public aquarium. The goal of this study is to unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying the dive response. A hallmark of the dive response is tissue-specific vascular system regulation, likely resulting from variation in both nerve inputs and in production of local signaling molecules produced by blood vessel cells. The investigators will use emerging genomic information to begin to unravel the genetics underlying redistribution of the circulation during diving. They will also directly test the hypothesis that modifications in the signaling system prevent local blood vessel changes under low oxygen conditions, thereby allowing the centrally mediated diving reflex to override local physiological responses and to control the constriction of blood vessel walls in Weddell seals. They will perform RNA-sequencing of Weddell seal tissues and use the resulting sequence, along with information from other mammals such as dog, to obtain a full annotation (identifying all genes based on named features of reference genomes) of the existing genome assembly for the Weddell seal, facilitating comparative and species-specific genomic research. They will also generate a Weddell seal pluripotent stem cell line which should be a valuable research tool for cell biologists, molecular biologists and physiologists that will allow them to further test their hypotheses. It is expected that the proposed studies will advance our knowledge of the biochemical and physiological adaptations that allow the Weddell seal to thrive in the Antarctic environment.
Marine mammals that inhabit high latitude environments have evolved unique mechanisms to execute a suite of energetically-costly life history events (CLHEs) within a relatively short timeframe when conditions are most favorable. Understanding the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that regulate CLHEs is particularly important in species such as Weddell seals, as both reproduction and molt are associated with large reductions in foraging effort, and the timing and outcome of each appears linked with the other. The long-term mark recapture program on Erebus Bay's Weddell seals provides a unique opportunity to examine CLHEs in a known-history population. The proposed work will monitor physiological condition, pregnancy status, and behavior at various times throughout the year to determine if molt timing is influenced by prior reproductive outcome, and if it, in turn, influences future reproductive success. These data will then be used to address the demographic consequences of trade-offs between CLHEs in Weddell seals. The impact of environmental conditions and CLHE timing on population health will also be modeled so that results can be extended to other climates and species. An improved understanding of the interactions between CLHEs and the environment is important in predicting the response of organisms from higher trophic levels to climate change. Results will be widely disseminated through publications as well as through presentations at national and international meetings. In addition, raw data will be made available through open-access databases. This project will support the research and training of graduate students and a post-doctoral researcher and will further foster an extensive public outreach collaboration.
Elevated temperatures and ocean acidification are both threatening the Southern Ocean. The effects of these environmental changes are poorly understood, but preliminary data suggest that they are driving a biological invasion. Specifically, large populations of skeleton-crushing king crabs, Paralomis birsteini, have been detected off Marguerite Bay on the West Antarctic Peninsula. These crabs appear to be invading the continental shelf region where benthic communities have evolved in the absence of such top-predators. Thus, this invasion could result in a wholesale restructuring of the Antarctic benthic ecosystem. The proposed work seeks to document this invasion and better understand the effects of the introduction of P. birsteini on the ecology of this region. A towed underwater vehicle will be used to photographically image communities, and communities with and without P. birsteini will be compared quantitatively. Additionally, crabs will trapped and various aspects of their morphology and physiology will be assessed. This research is unique in that it will document a biological invasion in real-time and it will therefore enhance our general understandings of the drivers of invasion and resilience in biological communities. Results will be widely disseminated through publications as well as through presentations at national and international meetings. In addition, raw data will be made available through open-access databases. This project will support the research and training of undergraduate and graduate students and will foster an international collaboration with British scientists. Researchers on this project will participate in outreach thorough the development of K-12 curricular materials.
Global climate change is having significant effects on areas of the Southern Ocean, and a better understanding of this ecosystem will permit predictions about the large-scale implications of these shifts. The haptophyte Phaeocystis antarctica is an important component of the phytoplankton communities in this region, but little is known about the factors controlling its distribution. Preliminary data suggest that P. antarctica posses unique adaptations that allow it to thrive in regions with dynamic light regimes. This research will extend these results to identify the physiological and genetic mechanisms that affect the growth and distribution of P. antarctica. This work will use field and laboratory-based studies and a suite of modern molecular techniques to better understand the biogeography and physiology of this key organism. Results will be widely disseminated through publications as well as through presentations at national and international meetings. In addition, raw data will be made available through open-access databases. This project will support the research and training of two graduate students and will foster an established international collaboration with Dutch scientists. Researchers on this project will participate in outreach programs targeting K12 teachers as well as high school students.
Spectacular blooms of Phaeocystis antarctica in the Ross Sea, Antarctica are the source of some of the world's highest concentrations of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) and its volatile degradation product, dimethylsulfide (DMS). The flux of DMS from the oceans to the atmosphere in this region and its subsequent gas phase oxidation generates aerosols that have a strong influence on cloud properties and possibly climate. In the oceans, DMS and DMSP are quantitatively significant components of the carbon, sulfur, and energy flows in marine food webs, especially in the Ross Sea. Despite its central role in carbon and sulfur biogeochemistry in the Ross Sea, surprisingly little is known about the physiological functions of DMSP in P. Antarctica. The research will isolate and characterize DMSP lyases from P. antarctica, with the goal of obtaining amino acid and gene sequence information on these important enzymes. The physiological studies will focus on the effects of varying intensities of photosynthetically active radiation, with and without ultraviolet radiation as these are factors that we have found to be important controls on DMSP and DMS dynamics. The research also will examine the effects of prolonged darkness on the dynamics of DMSP and related compounds in P. antarctica, as survival of this species during the dark Antarctic winter and at sub-euphotic depths appears to be an important part of the Phaeocystis? ecology. A unique aspect of this work is the focus on measurements of intracellular MSA, which if detected, would provide strong evidence for in vivo radical scavenging functions for methyl sulfur compounds. The study will advance understanding of what controls DMSP cycling and ultimately DMS emissions from the Ross Sea and also provide information on what makes P. antarctica so successful in this extreme environment. The research will directly benefit and build on several interrelated ocean-atmosphere programs including the International Surface Ocean Lower Atmosphere Study (SOLAS) program. The PIs will participate in several activities involving K-12 education, High School teacher training, public education and podcasting through the auspices of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab Discovery Hall program and SUNY ESF. Two graduate students will be employed full time, and six undergraduates (2 each summer) will be trained as part of this project.
While changes in populations typically are tracked to gauge the impact of climate or habitat change, the process involves the response of individuals as each copes with an altered environment. In a study of Adelie penguins that spans 13 breeding seasons, results indicate that only 20% of individuals within a colony successfully raise offspring, and that they do so because of their exemplary foraging proficiency. Moreover, foraging appears to require more effort at the largest colony, where intraspecific competition is higher than at small colonies, and also requires more proficiency during periods of environmental stress. When conditions are particularly daunting, emigration dramatically increases, countering the long-standing assumption that Adélie penguins are highly philopatric. The research project will 1) determine the effect of age, experience and physiology on individual foraging efficiency; 2) determine the effect of age, experience, and individual quality on breeding success and survival in varying environmental and competitive conditions at the colony level; and 3) develop a comprehensive model for the Ross-Beaufort Island metapopulation dynamics. Broader impacts include training of interns, continuation of public outreach through the highly successful project website penguinscience.com, development of classroom materials and other standards-based instructional resources.
Emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri) and leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) are iconic, top predators in Antarctica. Understanding their physiological ecology is essential to the assessment of their adaptability to the threats of climate change, pollution, and overfishing. The proposed research has multipronged objectives. Prior results suggest that Emperor penguins have flexible (vs. static) aerobic dive limits (ADL) that vary with the type of dive, and that the role of heart rate in utilization of oxygen stores also varies with dive type. A series of physiological measurements are proposed with backpack electrocardiogram recorders, that will allow further delineation of patterns and interrelationships among heart rate, dive behavior, and oxygen stores. Importantly, the research will be done on free diving emperors, and not individuals confined to a dive hole, thereby providing a more genuine measure of diving physiology and behavior. A separate objective is to examine foraging behavior of leopard seals, using a backpack digital camera and time depth recorder. Leopard seal behavior and prey intake is poorly quantified, but known to be significant. Accordingly the research is somewhat exploratory but will provide important baseline data. Finally, the P.I. proposes to continue long term overflight censuses of Emperor penguin colonies in the Ross Sea. Broader impacts include collaboration with National Geographic television, graduate student training, and development of sedation techniques for leopard seals.
Ammonia oxidation is the first step in the conversion of regenerated nitrogen to dinitrogen gas, a 3-step pathway mediated by 3 distinct guilds of bacteria and archaea. Ammonia oxidation and the overall process of nitrification-denitrification have received relatively little attention in polar oceans where the effects of climate change on biogeochemical rates are likely to be pronounced. Previous work on Ammonia Oxidizing Archaea (AOA) in the Palmer LTER study area West of the Antarctic Peninsula (WAP), has suggested strong vertical segregation of crenarchaeote metabolism, with the "winter water" (WW, ~50-100 m depth range) dominated by non-AOA crenarchaeotes, while Crenarchaeota populations in the "circumpolar deep water" (CDW), which lies immediately below the winter water (150-3500 m), are dominated by AOA. Analysis of a limited number of samples from the Arctic Ocean did not reveal a comparable vertical segregation of AOA, and suggested that AOA and Crenarchaeota abundance is much lower there than in the Antarctic. These findings led to 3 hypotheses that will be tested in this project: 1) the apparent low abundance of Crenarchaeota and AOA in Arctic Ocean samples may be due to spatial or temporal variability in populations; 2) the WW population of Crenarchaeota in the WAP is dominated by a heterotroph; 3) the WW population of Crenarchaeota in the WAP "grows in" during spring and summer after this water mass forms. <br/><br/>The study will contribute substantially to understanding an important aspect of the nitrogen cycle in the Palmer LTER (Long Term Ecological Research) study area by providing insights into the ecology and physiology of AOA. The natural segregation of crenarchaeote phenotypes in waters of the WAP, coupled with metagenomic studies in progress in the same area by others (A. Murray, H. Ducklow), offers the possibility of major breakthroughs in understanding of the metabolic capabilities of these organisms. This knowledge is needed to model how water column nitrification will respond to changes in polar ecosystems accompanying global climate change. The Principal Investigator will participate fully in the education and outreach efforts of the Palmer LTER, including making highlights of our findings available for posting to their project web site and participating in outreach (for example, Schoolyard LTER). The research also will involve undergraduates (including the field work if possible) and will support high school interns in the P.I.'s laboratory over the summer.
Abstract Antarctic notothenioid fishes have evolved in the Southern Ocean for 10-14 MY under an unusual set of circumstances. Their characteristics include the complete absence of the circulating oxygen-binding protein, hemoglobin (Hb) within the Channichthyid (Icefish) family of notothenioids. Moreover, some species within the 16 members of this family have also lost the ability to express the oxygen-binding and storage protein, myoglobin (Mb) in cardiac muscle. Our previous work has determined that the loss of Hb and/or Mb is correlated with significant increases in densities of mitochondria within oxidative tissues, and extensive remodeling of these vital organelles. To date, nothing is known about how modifications in mitochondrial architecture of icefishes affect organelle function, or more importantly, how they affect organismal-level physiology. Most critical for Antarctic fishes is that mitochondrial characteristics have been linked to how well ectotherms can withstand increases in temperature. This collaborative research project will address the hypothesis that the unusual mitochondrial architecture of Antarctic Channichthyids has led to changes in function that impact their ability to withstand elevations in temperature. Specifically, the research will (1) determine if the unusual mitochondrial architecture of icefishes affects function and contributes to organismal thermal sensitivity, (2) identify differences in organismal thermal tolerance between red- and white- blooded notothenioids, (3) identify molecular mechanisms regulating changes in mitochondrial structure in icefishes. The results may establish channichthyid icefishes as a sentinel taxon for signaling the impact of global warming on the Southern Ocean. Broad impacts of this project will be realized by participation of high school biology teachers in field work through cooperation with the ARMADA project at the University of Rhode Island, as well as graduate education.
This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).<br/><br/>Two models have been proposed to describe controls over microbial biogeography. One model proposes that microbes are ubiquitously distributed across the global environment, and that environmental conditions select for taxa physiologically adapted to local physical conditions. An alternative model predicts that dispersal is the important limitation to the distribution of microorganisms and that spatial heterogeneity of microbial communities is a result of both dispersal and local environmental limitations. According to both models, spatial heterogeneity of microbial communities may be especially pronounced in extreme ecosystems where the environmental selection for organisms with suitable physiology is most strongly manifest. We propose that Antarctic terrestrial environments are ideal places to examine microbial biogeography for 3 reasons: 1) the pristine nature and remoteness of Antarctica minimizes the prevalence of exotic species dispersed through human vectors; 2) the extreme conditions of Antarctic environments provide a strong environmental filter which limits the establishment of non-indigenous taxa; and 3) extreme heterogeneity in the terrestrial environment provides natural gradients of soil conditions (temperature, water and nutrient availability). In the proposed research we will investigate the influence of snow on the composition and spatial distribution of soil microbial communities and linked biogeochemical cycling in the McMurdo Dry Valleys. We will conduct fieldwork at the landscape scale (repeated remote sensing to characterize snow distribution), at the valley and patch scales (quantify snow patch ablation, microbial communities and biogeochemical cycling in subnivian soils). We hypothesize that snow patches play an important role in structuring the spatial distribution of soil microbial communities and their associated ecosystem functioning because of the physical and hydrological influences that snow patches have on the soil environment. The research will contribute to greater public awareness of the importance of polar research to fundamental questions of biology, ecology and hydrology through direct linkages with International Antarctic Institute public outreach activities, including dissemination of web-based learning units on environmental science and microbiology, targeted as resources for secondary and post-secondary educators. Three graduate students, one postdoctoral scholar and multiple undergraduates will participate in the research activities.
Abstract <br/>This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). <br/><br/>Marine mammals of the Southern Ocean have evolved diverse life history patterns and foraging strategies to accommodate extreme fluctuations in the physical and biological environment. In light of ongoing climate change and the dramatic shifts in the extent and persistence of sea ice in the Ross Sea, it is critical to understand how Weddell seals, Leptonychotes weddellii, a key apex predator, select and utilize foraging habitats. Recent advances in satellite-linked animal-borne conductivity, temperature and depth (CTD) tags make it possible to simultaneously collect data on seal locations, their diving patterns, and the temperature and salinity profiles of the water columns they utilize. In other ecosystems, such data have revealed that marine predators selectively forage in areas where currents and fronts serve to locally concentrate prey resources, and that these conditions are required to sustain populations. Weddell seals will be studied in McMurdo Sound and at Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea and will provide the first new data on Weddell seal winter diving behavior and habitat use in almost two decades. The relationship between an animal's diving behavior and physical habitat has enormous potential to enhance monitoring studies and to provide insight into how changes in ice conditions (due either to warming or the impact of large icebergs, such as B15) might impact individual time budgets and foraging success. The second thrust of this project is to use the profiles obtained from CTD seal tags to model the physical oceanography of this region. Current mathematical models of physical oceanographic processes in the Southern Ocean are directed at better understanding the role that it plays in global climate processes, and the linkages between physical and biological oceanographic processes. However, these efforts are limited by the scarcity of oceanographic data at high latitudes in the winter months; CTD tags deployed on animals will collect data at sufficient spatial and temporal resolution to improve data density. The project will contribute to two IPY endorsed initiatives: MEOP (Marine Mammals as Explorers of the Ocean Pole to Pole) and CAML (Census of Antarctic Marine Life). In addition, the highly visual nature of the data and analysis lends itself to public and educational display and outreach, particularly as they relate to global climate change, and we have collaborations with undergraduate and graduate training programs, the Seymour Marine Discovery Center, and the ARMADA program to foster these broader impacts.
Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations have resulted in greater oceanic uptake of anthropogenic carbon dioxide. Elevated partial pressure of carbon dioxide can impact marine organisms both via decreased carbonate saturation that affects calcification rates and via disturbance to acid-base (metabolic) physiology. Pteropod molluscs (Thecosomata) form shells made of aragonite, a type of calcium carbonate that is highly soluble, suggesting that these organisms may be particularly sensitive to increasing carbon dioxide and reduced carbonate ion concentration. Thecosome pteropods, which dominate the calcium carbonate export south of the Antarctic Polar Front, will be the first major group of marine calcifying organisms to experience carbonate undersaturation within parts of their present-day geographical ranges as a result of anthropogenic carbon dioxide. An unusual, co-evolved relationship between thecosomes and their specialized gymnosome predators provides a unique backdrop against which to assess the physiological and ecological importance of elevated partial pressure of carbon dioxide. Pteropods are functionally important components of the Antarctic ecosystem with potential to influence phytoplankton stocks, carbon export, and dimethyl sulfide levels that, in turn, influence global climate through ocean-atmosphere feedback loops. The research will quantify the impact of elevated carbon dioxide on a dominant aragonitic pteropod, Limacina helicina, and its specialist predator, the gymnosome Clione antarctica, in the Ross Sea through laboratory experimentation. Results will be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific understanding in this field. The project involves collaboration between researchers at a predominantly undergraduate institution with a significant enrollment of students that are typically underrepresented in the research environment (California State University San Marcos - CSUSM) and at a Ph.D.-granting institution (University of Rhode Island - URI). The program will promote education and learning through the joint education of undergraduate students and graduate students at CSUSM and URI as part of a research team, as well as through the teaching activities of the principal investigators. Dr. Keating, CSUSM professor of science education, will participate in the McMurdo fieldwork and lead the outreach opportunities for the project.
The primary objectives of this research are to investigate the proximate effects of aging on diving capability in the Weddell Seal and to describe mechanisms by which aging may influence foraging ecology, through physiology and behavior. This model pinniped species has been the focus of three decades of research in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. Compared to the knowledge of pinniped diving physiology and ecology during early development and young adulthood, little is known about individuals nearing the upper limit of their normal reproductive age range. Evolutionary aging theories predict that elderly diving seals should exhibit senescence. This should be exacerbated by surges in the generation of oxygen free radicals via hypoxia-reoxygenation during breath-hold diving and hunting, which are implicated in age-related damage to cellular mitochondria. Surprisingly, limited observations of non-threatened pinniped populations indicate that senescence does not occur to a level where reproductive output is affected. The ability of pinnipeds to avoid apparent senescence raises two major questions: what specific physiological and morphological changes occur with advancing age in pinnipeds and what subtle adjustments are made by these animals to cope with such changes? This investigation will focus on specific, functional physiological and behavioral changes relating to dive capability with advancing age. The investigators will quantify age-related changes in general health and body condition, combined with fine scale assessments of external and internal ability to do work in the form of diving. Specifically, patterns of oxidative status and oxygen use with age will be examined. The effects of age on muscular function, contractile capacity in vascular smooth muscle, and exercise capacity via exercise performance in skeletal muscle will be examined. Data will be compared between Weddell seals in the peak, and near the end, of their reproductive age range. An assessment will be made of the ability to do external work (i.e. diving) as well as muscle functionality (ability to do internal work). The investigators hypothesize that senescence does occur in Weddell seals at the level of small-scale, proximate physiological effects and performance, but that behavioral plasticity allows for a given degree of compensation. Broader impacts include the training of students and outreach activities including interviews and articles written for the popular media. Photographs and project summaries will be available to the interested public on the project website. This study should also establish diving seals as a novel model for the study of cardiovascular and muscular physiology of aging. Research on Weddell seals could validate this model and thus develop a foundation for similar research on other species. Advancement of the understanding of aging by medical science has been impressive in recent years and the development of new models for the study of aging has tremendous potential benefits to society at large
The objectives of this proposal are to investigate the controls on the large-scale distribution and production of the two major bloom-forming phytoplankton taxa in the Southern Ocean, diatoms and Phaeocystis Antarctica. These two groups, through their involvement in the biogeochemical cycles of carbon, sulfur and nutrient elements, may have played important roles in the climate variations of the late Quaternary, and they also may be key players in future environmental change. A current paradigm is that irradiance and iron availability drive phytoplankton dynamics in the Southern Ocean. Recent work, however, suggests that carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations may also be important in structuring algal assemblages, due to species-specific differences in the physiology. This proposal examines the interactive effects of iron, light and CO2 on the physiology, ecology and relative dominance of Phaeocystis and diatoms in the Southern Ocean. The Ross Sea is an ideal system in which to investigate the environmental factors that regulate the distribution and production of these two algal groups, since it is characterized by seasonal blooms of both P. Antarctica and diatoms that are typically separated in both space and time. This study will take the form of an interdisciplinary investigation that includes a field survey and statistical analysis of algal assemblage composition, iron, mixed layer depth, and CO2 levels in the southern Ross Sea, coupled with shipboard experiments to examine the response of diatom and P. Antarctica assemblages to high and low levels of iron, light and CO2 during spring and summer. <br/>This project will provide information on some of the major factors controlling the production and distribution of the two major bloom forming phytoplankton in the Southern Ocean and the related biogeochemical cycling of carbon, sulfur and nutrient elements. The results may ultimately advance the ability to predict how the Southern Ocean will be affected by and possibly modulate future climate change. This project will also make significant educational contributions at several levels, including the planned research involvement of graduate and undergraduate students, postdoctoral associates, a student teacher, and community outreach and educational activities. A number of activities are planned to interface the project with K-12 education. Presentations will be made at local schools to discuss the research and events of the research cruise. During the cruise there will be daily interactive email contact with elementary classrooms. Established websites will be used to allow students to learn about the ongoing research, and to allow researchers to communicate with students through text and downloaded images.
Notothenioid fish are a major group of fish in the Southern Ocean. The ancestral notothenioid fish stock of Antarctica probably arose as a sluggish, bottom-dwelling perciform species that evolved some 40-60 million years ago in the then temperate shelf waters of the Antarctic continent. The grounding of the ice sheet on the continental shelf and changing trophic conditions may have eliminated the taxonomically diverse late Eocene fauna and initiated the original diversification of notothenioids. On the High Antarctic shelf, notothenioids today dominate the ichthyofauna in terms of species diversity, abundance and biomass, the latter two at levels of 90-95%. Since the International Geophysical Year of 1957-58, fish biologists from the Antarctic Treaty nations have made impressive progress in understanding the notothenioid ichthyofauna of the cold Antarctic marine ecosystem. However, integration of this work into the broader marine context has been limited, largely due to lack of access to, and analysis of, specimens of Sub-Antarctic notothenioid fishes. Sub-Antarctic fishes of the notothenioid suborder are critical for a complete understanding of the evolution, population dynamics, eco-physiology, and eco-biochemistry of their Antarctic relatives. This project will support an international, collaborative research cruise to collect and study fish indigenous to sub-antarctic habitats. The topics included in the research plans of the international team of researchers includes Systematics and Evolutionary Studies; Life History Strategies and Population Dynamics; Physiological, Biochemical, and Molecular Biological Investigations of Major Organ and Tissue Systems; Genomic Resources for the Sub-Antarctic Notothenioids; and Ecological Studies of Transitional Benthic Invertebrates. In a world that is experiencing changes in global climate, the loss of biological diversity, and the depletion of marine fisheries, the Antarctic, Sub-Antarctic, and their biota offer compelling natural laboratories for understanding the evolutionary impacts of these processes. The proposed work will contribute to development of a baseline understanding of these sensitive ecosystems, one against which future changes in species distribution and survival may be evaluated judiciously.
Notothenioid fishes that dominate the fish fauna surrounding Antarctica have been evolving for 10-14 million years at a nearly constant body temperature of ~0C throughout their life histories. As a result, this group of animals is uniquely suited to studies aimed at understanding and identifying features of physiology and biochemistry that result from the process of evolution at cold body temperature. This project has three major objectives aimed at examining adaptations for life in cold environments: <br/><br/>1. Identify the amino acid substitutions in the fatty acid-binding pocket of fatty acyl CoA synthetase (FACS) that explain its substrate specificity. Fatty acids are a major fuel of energy metabolism in Antarctic fishes. FACS catalyzes the condensation of CoASH and fatty acids to fatty acyl CoA esters, a step required for subsequent metabolism of these important compounds. This research may permit us to resolve the specific amino acid substitutions that explain both substrate specificity and preservation of catalytic rate of notothenioid FACS at cold physiological temperatures.<br/><br/>2. Produce a rigorous biochemical and biophysical characterization of the intracellular calcium-binding protein, parvalbumin, from white axial musculature of Antarctic fishes. Parvalbumin plays a pivotal role in facilitating the relaxation phase of fast-contracting muscles and is a likely site of strong selective pressure. Preliminary data strongly indicate that the protein from Antarctic fishes has been modified to ensure function at cold temperature. A suite of physical techniques will be used to determine dissociation constants of Antarctic fish parvalbumins for calcium and magnesium and unidirectional rate constants of ion-dissociation from the protein. Full-length cDNA clones for Antarctic fish parvalbumin(s) will permit deduction of primary amino acid sequence These data will yield insight into structural elements that permit the protein from notothenioid fishes to function at very cold body temperature.<br/><br/>3. Conduct a broad survey of the pattern of cardiac myoglobin expression in the Suborder Notothenoidei. Previous work has indicated a variable pattern of presence or absence of the intracellular oxygen-binding protein, myoglobin (Mb), in hearts of one family of Antarctic notothenioid fishes (Channichthyidae; icefishes). Because Mb is of physiological value in species that express the protein, the observed pattern of interspecific expression has been attributed to unusually low niche competition in the Southern Ocean. This leads to the prediction that similar loss of cardiac Mb should be observed in other notothenioid taxa. This part of the project will survey for the presence and absence of cardiac Mb in as many notothenioid species as possible and, if Mb-lacking species are detected, will extend analyses to determine the mechanism(s) responsible for loss of its expression using molecular biological techniques.
The objective of the proposed work is to provide for the operation of a Planning Office for the synthesis and modeling phase of the Southern Ocean Global Ocean Ecosystems Dynamics (SO-Globec) program. The office will ensure that synthesis and integration activities that are developed as part of SO-Globec are coordinated with those undertaken by the international and U.S. Globec programs through: 1) organization of special sessions at meetings, 2) preparation of dedicated publications focused on program results, 3) maintenance of a project web site, 4) development of program outreach efforts, and 5) ensuring coordination with International Globec and other national and international programs and organizations. The office will consist of one faculty member and one program specialist.<br/><br/>SO-Globec is a multidisciplinary effort focused on understanding the physical and biological factors that influence growth, reproduction, recruitment and survival of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba). The program uses a multi-trophic level approach that includes the predators and competitors of Antarctic krill, represented by other zooplankton, fish, penguins, seals, and cetaceans. Extensive studies describing the ecology and physiology of important species at all trophic levels contributed to the ecosystem approach which is the essence of SO-Globec. The Planning Office will provide a central focal point for ensuring that the results from SO-Globec are made available to the broader scientific community and to the general public, and that the results will be incorporated into the planning of future Southern Ocean programs.
The U.S. Global Ocean Ecosystems Dynamics (U.S. GLOBEC) program has the goal of understanding and ultimately predicting how populations of marine animal species respond to natural and anthropogenic changes in climate. Research in the Southern Ocean (SO) indicates strong coupling between climatic processes and ecosystem dynamics via the annual formation and destruction of sea ice. The Southern Ocean GLOBEC Program (SO GLOBEC) will investigate the dynamic relationship between physical processes and ecosystem responses through identification of critical parameters that affect the distribution, abundance and population dynamics of target species. The overall goals of the SO GLOBEC program are to elucidate shelf circulation processes and their effect on sea ice formation and krill distribution, and to examine the factors which govern krill survivorship and availability to higher trophic levels, including penguins, seals and whales. The focus of the U.S. contribution to the international SO GLOBEC program will be on winter processes. This component will focus on krill physiology, using measures of respiration, excretion, and proximate analysis. Additionally, the distribution and abundance of fishes and squid, which are krill predators, will be investigated using acoustic and net tow methods. This research will be coordinated with components studying krill in both the water column and under the ice. The result of the integrated SO GLOBEC program will be to improve the predictability of living marine resources, especially with respect to local and global climatic shifts.
The objectives of this proposal are to investigate the controls on the large-scale distribution and production of the two major bloom-forming phytoplankton taxa in the Southern Ocean, diatoms and Phaeocystis Antarctica. These two groups, through their involvement in the biogeochemical cycles of carbon, sulfur and nutrient elements, may have played important roles in the climate variations of the late Quaternary, and they also may be key players in future environmental change. A current paradigm is that irradiance and iron availability drive phytoplankton dynamics in the Southern Ocean. Recent work, however, suggests that carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations may also be important in structuring algal assemblages, due to species-specific differences in the physiology. This proposal examines the interactive effects of iron, light and CO2 on the physiology, ecology and relative dominance of Phaeocystis and diatoms in the Southern Ocean. The Ross Sea is an ideal system in which to investigate the environmental factors that regulate the distribution and production of these two algal groups, since it is characterized by seasonal blooms of both P. Antarctica and diatoms that are typically separated in both space and time. This study will take the form of an interdisciplinary investigation that includes a field survey and statistical analysis of algal assemblage composition, iron, mixed layer depth, and CO2 levels in the southern Ross Sea, coupled with shipboard experiments to examine the response of diatom and P. Antarctica assemblages to high and low levels of iron, light and CO2 during spring and summer. <br/>This project will provide information on some of the major factors controlling the production and distribution of the two major bloom forming phytoplankton in the Southern Ocean and the related biogeochemical cycling of carbon, sulfur and nutrient elements. The results may ultimately advance the ability to predict how the Southern Ocean will be affected by and possibly modulate future climate change. This project will also make significant educational contributions at several levels, including the planned research involvement of graduate and undergraduate students, postdoctoral associates, a student teacher, and community outreach and educational activities. A number of activities are planned to interface the project with K-12 education. Presentations will be made at local schools to discuss the research and events of the research cruise. During the cruise there will be daily interactive email contact with elementary classrooms. Established websites will be used to allow students to learn about the ongoing research, and to allow researchers to communicate with students through text and downloaded images.
Antarctic notothenioid fish evolved antifreeze (AF) proteins that prevent ice crystals that enter their body fluids from growing, and thereby avoid freezing in their icy habitats. However, even in the extreme cold Antarctic marine environment, regional gradations of severity are found. The biological correlate for environmental severity in fish is the endogenous ice load, which likely determines the tolerable limit of environmental severity for notothenioid habitation. The endogenous ice load develops from environmental ice crystals entering through body surfaces and somehow localizing to the spleen. How prone the surface tissues are to ice entry, how ice reaches the spleen, and what the fate of splenic ice is, requires elucidation. Spleen sequestration of ice raises the hypothesis that macrophages may play a role in the translocation and perhaps elimination of AF-bound ice crystals. Antifreeze glycoproteins (AFGP) act in concert with a second, recently discovered antifreeze called antifreeze potentiating protein (AFPP), necessitating an assessment of the contribution of AFPP to freezing avoidance. Recent research suggests that the exocrine pancreas and the anterior stomach, not the liver, synthesize AFGPs and secrete them into the intestine, from where they may be returned to the blood. A GI-to-blood transport is a highly unconventional path for a major plasma protein and also begs the questions, What is the source of blood AFPP?. Why are two distinct AF proteins needed and what is the chronology of their evolution? What genomic changes in the DNA are associated with the development or loss of the antifreeze trait? Experiments described in this proposal address these interrelated questions of environmental, organismal, and evolutionary physiology, and will further our understanding of novel vertebrate physiologies, the limits of environmental adaptation, and climatically driven changes in the genome. The proposed research will (1) determine the temporal and spatial heterogeneity of environmental temperature and iciness in progressively more severe fish habitats in the greater McMurdo Sound area, and in the milder Arthur Harbor at Palmer Station. The splenic ice load in fishes inhabiting these sites will be determined to correlate to environmental severity and habitability. (2) Assess the surface tissue site of ice entry and their relative barrier properties in intact fish and isolated tissues preparations (3) Assess the role of immune cells in the fate of endogenous ice, (4) determine whether the blood AFGPs are from intestinal/rectal uptake, (5) examine the contribution of AFPP to the total blood AF activity (6) evaluate the progression of genomic changes in the AFGP locus across Notothenioidei as modulated by disparate thermal environments, in four selected species through the analyses of large insert DNA BAC clones. The origin and evolution of AFPP will be examined also by analyzing BAC clones encompassing the AFPP genomic locus. The broader impacts of the proposed research include training of graduate and undergraduate students in research approaches ranging from physical field measurements to cutting edge genomics. Undergraduate research projects have lead to co-authored publications and will continue to do so. Outreach includes establishing Wiki websites on topics of Antarctic fish biology and freeze avoidance, providing advisory services to the San Francisco Science Exploratorium, and making BAC libraries available to interested polar biologists. This research theme has repeatedly received national and international science news coverage and will continue to be disseminated to the public in that manner.
This project seeks to understand the evolutionary physiology of reproductive strategies in Southern Ocean marine invertebrates. The fauna of the Southern Ocean has evolved under stable, cold temperatures for approximately 14 million years. These conditions have led to the evolution of unusual physiological and biochemical characteristics, many of which may reflect adaptations to relatively low oxygen availability and high larval oxygen demands. The goal of the proposed projects is to understand latitudinal variation in the function of invertebrate egg masses in relation to oxygen availability and temperature. This relationship is critical to larval survival in the low-temperature, high-oxygen conditions found at high latitudes. In particular, the investigators will: (1) use first principles to model the diffusion of oxygen into egg and embryo masses of Antarctic organisms at environmentally relevant temperatures; (2) test model assumptions by measuring the temperature-dependence of embryonic metabolism and oxygen diffusivity through natural and artificial gels; (3) test model predictions by using oxygen microelectrodes to measure oxygen gradients in both artificial and natural egg masses, and by measuring developmental rates of embryos at different positions in masses; and (4) compare the structure and function of egg masses from the Southern Ocean to those from temperate waters. These components of the study constitute an integrated examination of the evolutionary physiology of egg mass structure and function. Studies of masses endemic to polar conditions will increase the understanding of egg mass evolution across equator-to-pole gradients in temperature and across gradients in oxygen partial pressure. The proposal will support graduate students and will involve several undergraduates in research. The PIs will also design and implement units on polar biology for undergraduate classes at their respective institutions. These educational units will focus on the PIs' photographs, video footage, experiments, and data from this project. The PIs will use web-linked video and instructional technologies to design and co-teach a new class on polar ecological physiology, will work with local grade school institutions to involve high school students in research, and will develop high school course modules about polar biology.
The research will examine blood and muscle oxygen store depletion in relation to the documented aerobic dive limit (ADL, onset of post-dive blood lactate accumulation) in diving of emperor penguins. The intellectual merits of this proposal involve its evaluation of the physiological basis of the ADL concept. The ADL is probably the most commonly-used, but rarely measured, factor to interpret and model the behavior and foraging ecology of diving animals. Based on prior studies, and on recent investigations of respiratory and blood oxygen depletion during dives of emperor penguins, it is hypothesized that the ADL is a result of the depletion of myoglobin (Mb)-bound oxygen and increased glycolysis in the primary locomotory muscles. This project will accurately define the physiological mechanisms underlying the ADL through 1) evaluation of the rate and magnitude of muscle oxygen depletion during dives in relation to the previously measured ADL, 2) characterization of the hemoglobin-oxygen dissociation curve in blood of emperor penguins and comparison of that curve to those of other diving and non-diving species, 3) application of the emperor hemoglogin-oxygen dissociation curve to previously collected oxygen and hemoglobin data in order to estimate the rate and magnitude of blood oxygen depletion during dives, and 4) measurement of muscle phosphoocreatine and glycogen concentrations in order to estimate their potential contributions to muscle energy metabolism during diving. The project also continues the census and monitoring of the emperor colonies in the Ross Sea, which is especially important in light of both fisheries activity and the movement of iceberg B15-A. Broader impacts of the project include: 1) technological development of microprocessor-based, "backpack" near-infrared spectrophotometer, which will be applicable not only to other species, but also to other fields (i.e., exercise physiology), 2) collaboration with the Department of Anesthesia at the U.S. Naval Hospital in San Diego in the training of anesthesia residents in research techniques, 3) the training and thesis research of two graduate students in these techniques and in Antarctic field research, and 4) a better understanding of the ADL concept and its use in the fields of diving behavior and physiology. In addition the annual census of emperor penguin colonies in the Ross Sea, in conjunction with the continued evaluation of previously developed remote cameras to monitor colony status, will form the basis of a new educational web site, and allow development of an educational outreach program to school children through SeaWorld of San Diego.
During the past three decades, intensive field studies have revealed much about the<br/>behavior, physiology, life history, and population dynamics of the Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddelli) population of McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. These animals are marine predators that are highly adapted for an aquatic life in shore-fast and pack ice habitats. They must locate and capture sparsely distributed under the ice. Most of what is known about their diving behavior is based on studies of adult animals with little known about the development or the genetic controls of diving behavior of young animals. The goal of this project is to examine the temporal development of aerobic capacity, lipid metabolism and oxygen stores in the skeletal muscles of young Weddell seals and to determine which aspects of the cellular environment are important in the regulation of these adaptations during maturation. This project builds on past results to investigate the molecular controls that underlie the development of these adaptations. The first objective is to further characterize the ontogenetic changes in muscle aerobic capacity, lipid metabolism and myoglobin concentration and distribution using enzymatic, immuno-histochemical and myoglobin assays in newly weaned, subadult, and adult seals. The second objective is to determine the molecular controls that regulate these changes in aerobic capacity, fiber type distribution and myoglobin in skeletal muscles during maturation. Through subtractive hybridization and subsequent analysis, differences in mRNA populations in the swimming muscles of the different age classes of Weddell seals will be determined. These techniques will allow for the identification of the proteins and transcription factors that influence the ontogenetic changes in myoglobin concentration, fiber type distribution and aerobic capacity. These results will increase our<br/>understanding of both the ontogeny and molecular mechanisms by which young seals acquire the physiological capabilities to make deep (up to 700 m) and long aerobic dives (ca 20 min). This study will advance knowledge of the molecular regulation for the<br/>adaptations that enable active skeletal muscle to function under hypoxic conditions; this has a broader application for human medicine especially in regards to cardiac and pulmonary disease. Additional broader impacts include the participation of underrepresented scientists and a continuation of a website in collaboration<br/>with the Science Teachers Access to Resources at Southwestern University (STARS Program) which involves weekly updates about research efforts during the field season, weekly questions/answer session involving students and teachers, and updates on research results throughout the year.
Phaeocystis Antarctica is a widely distributed phytoplankton that forms dense blooms and aggregates in the Southern Ocean. This phytoplankton and plays important roles in polar ecology and biogeochemistry, in part because it is a dominant primary producer, a main component of organic matter vertical fluxes, and the principal producer of volatile organic sulfur in the region. Yet P. Antarctica is also one of the lesser known species in terms of its physiology, life history and trophic relationships with other organisms; furthermore, information collected on other Phaeocystis species and from different locations may not be applicable to P. Antarctica in the Ross Sea. P. Antarctica occurs mainly as two morphotypes: solitary cells and mucilaginous colonies, which differ significantly in size, architecture and chemical composition. Relative dominance between solitary cells and colonies determines not only the size spectrum of the population, but also its carbon dynamics, nutrient uptake and utilization. Conventional thinking of the planktonic trophic processes is also challenged by the fact that colony formation could effectively alter the predator-prey interactions and interspecific competition. However, the factors that regulate the differences between solitary and colonial forms of P. Antarctica are not well-understood. The research objective of this proposal is therefore to address these over-arching questions:<br/>o Do P. Antarctica solitary cells and colonies differ in growth, composition and<br/>photosynthetic rates?<br/>o How do nutrients and grazers affect colony development and size distribution of P. <br/>Antarctica?<br/>o How do nutrients and grazers act synergistically to affect the long-term population<br/>dynamics of P. Antarctica? Experiments will be conducted in the McMurdo station with natural P. Antarctica assemblages and co-occurring grazers. Laboratory experiments will be conducted to study size-specific growth and photosynthetic rates of P. Antarctica, size-specific grazing mortality due to microzooplankton and mesozooplankton, the effects of macronutrients on the (nitrogen compounds) relative dominance of solitary cells and colonies, and the effects of micronutrient (Fe) and grazing related chemical signals on P. Antarctica colony development. Because this species is of critical importance in the Southern Ocean, and because this research will provide critical information on factors that regulate the role of P.Antarctica in food webs and biogeochemical cycles, a major gap in knowledge will be addressed. This project will train two marine science PhD students. The investigators will also collaborate with the School of Education and a marine science museum to communicate polar science to a broader audience.
This project will investigate the distribution, phylogenetic affinities and ecological aspects of ammonium-oxidizing bacteria in the Palmer Long-Term Ecological Research study area. Ammonia oxidation is the first step in the conversion of regenerated nitrogen to dinitrogen gas via denitrification, a 3-step pathway mediated by three distinct guilds of bacteria. As such, ammonia oxidation is important to the global nitrogen cycle. Ammonia oxidation and the overall process of nitrification-denitrification have received little attention in polar oceans where it is significant and where the effects of climate change on biogeochemical rates are likely to be pronounced. The goals of the studies proposed here are A) to obtain more conclusive information concerning composition of Antarctic ammonia oxidizers; B) to begin characterizing their ecophysiology and ecology; and C) to obtain cultures of the organism for more detailed studies. Water column and sea ice AOB assemblages will be characterized phylogenetically and the different kinds of AOB in various samples will be quantified. Nitrification rates will be measured across the LTER study area in water column, sea ice and sediment samples. Grazing rates on AOB will be determined and their sensitivity to UV light evaluated. In addition, the significance of urea nitrogen as a source of reduced nitrogen to AOB will be assessed and the temperature response of nitrification over temperature ranges appropriate to polar regions will be evaluated. This work will provide insights into the ecology of AOB and the knowledge needed to model how water column nitrification will respond to changes in the polar ecosystems accompanying global climate change.
The emperor penguin, Aptenodytes forsteri, is the premier avian diver and a top predator in the Antarctic ecosystem. The routine occurrence of 500-m diver during foraging trips to sea is both a physiological and behavior enigma. The objectives of this project address how and why emperors dive as deep and long as they do. The project examines four major topics in the diving biology of emperor penguins: pressure tolerance, oxygen store management, end-organ tolerance of diving hypoxemia/ischemia, and deep-dive foraging behavior. These subjects are relevant to the role of the emperor as a top predator in the Antarctic ecosystem, and to critical concepts in diving physiology, including decompression sickness, nitrogen narcosis, shallow water blackout, hypoxemic tolerance, and extension of aerobic dive time. The following hypotheses will be tested: 1) Prevention of nitrogen narcosis and decompression sickness in emperor penguins is achieved by inhibition of pulmonary gas exchange at depth. 2) Shallow water black out does not occur because of greater cerebral hypoxemic tolerance, and, in deep dives, because of resumption of pulmonary gas exchange during final ascent. 3) The rate of depletion of the blood oxygen store is a function of depth of dive and heart rate. 4) The aerobic dive limit (ADL) reflects the onset of lactate accumulation in locomotory muscle, not total depletion of all oxygen stores. 5) Elevation of tissue antioxidant capacity and free-radical scavenging enzyme activities protect against the routine ischemia/reperfusion which occur during diving. 6) During deep dives, the Antarctic silverfish, Pleuorogramma antarcticum, is the primary prey item for emperors. <br/><br/>In addition to evaluation of the hypotheses below, the project has broader impacts in several areas such as partnership with foreign and national institutes and organizations (e.g., the National Institute of Polar Research of Japan, Centro de Investigacioines del Noroeste of Mexico, National Geographic, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and Sea World). Participation in National Geographic television documentaries will provide unique educational opportunities for the general public; development of state-of-the-art technology (e.g., blood oxygen electrode recorders, blood samplers, and miniaturized digital cameras) will lay the groundwork for future research by this group and others; and the effects of the B15 iceberg on breeding success of emperor penguins will continue to be evaluated with population censuses during planned fieldwork at several Ross Sea emperor penguin colonies.