How does the benthos serve as a lens to study climate change?
Through FOODBANCS research, it appears that the Antarctic shelf seafloor is more “stable” than originally believed; filtering out seasonal “noise” as compared to pelagic cycles. Due to the build up of a nutritious food bank layer on the seafloor, the benthic community responds less to seasonal fluctuations, serving as a “low pass filter” and making it possible to monitor long term changes in Antarctic production cycles. FOODBANCS1 data from1999 to 2001 demonstrated that food for the benthos fluctuated more from year to year than it did between seasons at Station B. Much of the annual differences were due to shorter sea ice durations, attributed to warming trends. What will we learn from FOODBANDS2? In February ’09, FOODBANCS will be back out at the Western Antarctic Peninsula for the last of thrre cruises to collect data in the austral summer along the latitudinal transect. Analysis of the structure, reproductive condition and feeding rates of the seafloor biota will be compared and co
