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Southern Ocean Calcareous Zooplankton Response to Ocean Acidification

Entry ID: ASAC_3046

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Summary

Abstract: Metadata record for data from AAS (ASAC) project 3046.

Public
The overall objective is to characterise the response of Southern Ocean calcareous zooplankton to ocean acidification resulting from anthropogenic CO2 emissions. Simulated increases in anthropogenic CO2 suggest a reduction in the calcification rates of calcareous organisms. A change in the calcification in the Southern Ocean may cause ... marine ecosystem shifts and in turn alter the capacity for the ocean to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. We plan to take advantage of naturally-occurring, persistent, zonal variations in Southern Ocean primary production and biomass to investigate the effects of CO2 addition from anthropogenic sources on Southern Ocean calcareous zooplankton communities.

A download file containing an excel spreadsheet of data can be found at the provided URL.

Project objectives:
The overall objective of this project is to characterise the impacts of recent, primarily anthropogenic, increases in atmospheric CO2 and related changes in the carbonate chemistry on shell formation by calcareous zooplankton in the Australian sector of the Southern Ocean. Calcareous zooplankton (e.g. planktonic foraminifera and pteropods) will be collected using plankton nets at five Southern Ocean localities during high seasonal flux periods. Planktonic foraminiferal and pteropod species and abundances, calcification rates and geochemistry (stable isotope and trace-metal) will be determined on plankton tow samples. Data from recent plankton tow samples will be compared with data deposited historically in the Southern Ocean and recovered from existing deep ocean sediment cores to provides insights about the extent to which modern carbon conditions may have already generated ecological impacts. The project will also provide a baseline of the present-day impact of ocean acidification and can be used to monitor the influence of future anthropogenic CO2 emissions in Southern Ocean ecosystems.

Taken from the 2008-2009 Progress Report:
Progress against objectives:
Because of logistical delays to the Aurora Australis shipping schedule, ship time for this project was deferred to the 2009/2010 season. We have made progress in analysing other materials form previous voyages which will assist in the sampling design for the upcoming season. We are making good progress in planning the upcoming voyage currently scheduled for late 2009.

Taken from the 2009-2010 Progress Report:

Progress against objectives:
Project scientists participated in Voyage 2 of the Aurora Australis, from Hobart to Casey Station in December 2009. Using the Rectangular Midwater Trawl we collected a total of eight plankton samples for examination of calcareous plankton distribution and shell characteristics in the summer Southern Ocean. We were targeting pteropods and planktonic foraminifera, two sets of calcifiers whose calcification response to ocean acidification we had previously reported on in publications in Nature Geoscience, Biogeosciences Discussions, and Deep-Sea Research Part II (in press). Project participants included collaborators from Australian National University and Scottish Natural Heritage, UK.

There were low abundance of planktonic calclfiers in this particular seasons and sector, but we consider the initial collection a god start. Samples included approx. 18 pteropods; other samples are still being held by Biosecurity Australia and will be examined as soon as they are released. Other samples have already been sent to researchers at the Australian Institute of Marine Science for genetic (RNA) sequencing. This latter collaboration is a key one which will help answer questions about evolutionary responses to ocean acidification; if there are genotypes which are more or less vulnerable to acidification we may already be seeing selective pressure in the ecosystem and a change in the structure of assemblages as "winners" and "losers" are differentially affected by the impact.

Related URL

Link: GET DATA

Description: Download point for the data

Geographic Coverage

(Click for Interactive Map)

Spatial coordinates

N: -45.0

S: -68.0

E: 170.0

W: 60.0

Temporal Coverage

Start Date: 2008-09-30

Stop Date: 2011-03-31

Location Keywords

OCEAN > SOUTHERN OCEAN

GEOGRAPHIC REGION > POLAR

Science Keywords

OCEANS > MARINE SEDIMENTS

OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > CARBON DIOXIDE

ISO Topic Category

BIOTA

CLIMATOLOGY/METEOROLOGY/ATMOSPHERE

OCEANS

Platform

SHIPS

Instrument

PLANKTON NETS

SEDIMENT CORERS

Quality The values provided in temporal and spatial coverage are approximate only.

Taken from the 2008-2009 Progress Report:
Difficulties affecting project:
Because of logistical delays to the Aurora Australis shipping schedule, ship time for this project was deferred to the 2009/2010 season. Thus we have not done any of the sampling for the project.
...

Access Constraints These data are not yet publicly available.

Use Constraints This data set conforms to the PICCCBY Attribution License
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).

Please follow instructions listed in the citation reference provided at http://data.aad.gov.au/aadc/metadata/citation.cfm?entry_id=ASAC_3046 when using these data.

Ancillary Keywords

Calcareous zooplankton

ocean acidification

CO2

Carbon Dioxide

Data Set Progress

IN WORK

Data Center

Australian Antarctic Data Centre, Australia

Data Center URL: http://data.aad.gov.au

Data Center Personnel
Name: DATA OFFICER AADC Phone: +61 3 6232 3244 Fax: +61 3 6232 3351 Email: metadata at aad.gov.au Contact Address: Australian Antarctic Division 203 Channel Highway City: Kingston Province or State: Tasmania Postal Code: 7050 Country: Australia

Distribution

Distribution Media: HTTP

Distribution Size: 17 kb

Distribution Format: Excel

Fees: Free

Personnel

WILLIAM HOWARD

Role: INVESTIGATOR

Role: TECHNICAL CONTACT

Phone: +61 2 6213 6776

Email: will.r.howard at gmail.com

Contact Address:

Office of The Chief Scientist

GPO Box 9839

City: Canberra

Province or State: ACT

Postal Code: 2601

Country: Australia

DAVE CONNELL

Role: DIF AUTHOR

Phone: +61 3 6232 3244

Fax: +61 3 6232 3351

Email: dave.connell at aad.gov.au

Contact Address:

Australian Antarctic Division

203 Channel Highway

City: Kingston

Province or State: Tasmania

Postal Code: 7050

Country: Australia

Creation and Review Dates

DIF Creation Date: 2009-04-16

Last DIF Revision Date: 2011-02-07

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