Project Information

Title: LTM Program: The Seward Line - Marine Ecosystem monitoring in the Northern Gulf of Alaska 20120114-L

Project Year and Number: 2020: 20120114-L

Other Fiscal Years and Numbers for this Project: 2024: 24120114-L , 2023: 23120114-L , 2022: 22120114-L , 2021: 21120114-L, 2019: 19120114-L, 2018: 18120114-L, 2017: 17120114-L, 2016: 16120114-J, 2015: 15120114-J, 2014: 14120114-J, 2013: 13120114-J, 2012: 12120114-J

Principal Investigator (PI): Russ Hopcroft (University of Alaska Fairbanks), Seth Danielson (University of Alaska Fairbanks), Ken Coyle (University of Alaska Fairbanks)

Managing Agency: NOAA

Assisting Personnel: None

Project Website: https://gulfwatchalaska.org/monitoring/environmental-drivers/the-seward-line-marine-ecosystem-monitoring-in-the-northern-gulf-of-alaska/

Research Location: Gulf of Alaska, Resurrection Bay

Restoration Category: Monitoring

Injured Resources Addressed: Not Specified

Abstract:

Long times-series are required for scientists to tease out pattern and causation in the presence of substantial year-to-year variability. For the 5-year period beginning in 2017, we are continuing multi-disciplinary oceanographic observations begun in fall 1997 in the northern Gulf of Alaska. Cruises occur in early May and early September to capture the typical spring bloom and summer conditions, respectively, along a 150-mile cross shelf transect to the south of Seward, Alaska. The line is augmented by stations in the entrances and deep passages of Prince William Sound. We determine the physical-chemical structure, the distribution and abundance of phytoplankton, microzooplankton, and mesozooplankton, and survey seabirds and marine mammals. These observations enable descriptions of the seasonal and inter-annual variations of this ecosystem. Our goal is to characterize and understand how different climatic conditions influence the biological conditions across these domains within each year, and what may be anticipated under future climate scenarios. We are not proposing any major changes to this project for FY20. Beginning in 2018, funding as one of the National Science Foundation’s Long-term Ecological Research sites is allowing expanded sampling on the shelf upstream of Prince William Sound, including near Middleton Island, to help better understand spatial variability on the shelf. Preliminary results for 2019 indicate that after a return to average upper 100m water temperatures during May 2017 and 2018, temperatures during 2019 were again above average (0.64°C). Likewise, warm water associated zooplankton with smaller body size and lower lipid content that had declined, appear to have increased again.


Proposal: View (1,302 KB)

Reports:
Annual Report: View (1,408 KB)
Final Report: See Project 21120114-L

Publications from this Project: None Available