Project Information

Title: A CPR-Based Survey to Monitor the GOA and Detect Ecosystem Change 030624

Project Year and Number: 2003: 030624

Other Fiscal Years and Numbers for this Project: 2010: 10100624, 2007: 070624, 2004: 040624, 2002: 02624-BAA

Principal Investigator (PI): Sonia Batten (Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science (SAHFOS))

Managing Agency: NOAA

Assisting Personnel: David Welch

Research Location: North Pacific

Restoration Category: Monitoring

Injured Resources Addressed: Not Specified

Abstract: Plankton are a critical link in the marine food chain that respond rapidly to climate change and form the link between the atmosphere and upper trophic levels. Many important marine resources in the Gulf of Alaska are strongly influenced by changes in ocean climate. We present evidence from recent Continuous Plankton Recorder work showing that significant changes occurred in all plankton communities in the gulf, associated with the recent climate shift, and that the Continuous Plankton Recorder is an appropriate tool for detecting such changes. This project will test the Continuous Plankton Recorder as an almost real-time indicator of ecosystem change across the gulf (the Alaska Coastal Current and offshore). Ships of Opportunity are a cost-effective platform for large scale monitoring. This project builds on collaborative efforts measuring physical parameters and marine bird/mammal populations. Simultaneous data collection and synthesis will assist in determining the underlying mechanisms and aid the GEM program in devising its long-term monitoring strategy.


Proposal: View (505 KB)

Reports:
Final Report: See Project 070624

Publications from this Project: None Available