Expressions of Intent for IPY 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Iron Fertilisation Experiment in the Scotia Sea – A contribution to IPY 2007/08  (IFESS)

Outline
In situ iron fertilization experiments (IFEs) have emerged in the last 10 years as a reliable method for testing ecological and biogeochemical hypotheses not accessible by other means. We propose carrying out an IFE during summer in the Scotia Sea which experiences a spring phytoplankton bloom but low summer productivity, most likely due to iron limitation. The region harbours large, but currently declining krill stocks and supports an expanding krill fishery. The interdisciplinary experiment will test two independent yet interconnected biogeochemical and ecological hypotheses. a) The iron hypothesis of John Martin that high glacial dust levels enhanced productivity, activated the biological carbon pump and hence resulted in significant drawdown of atmospheric CO2 to the deep ocean. b) The grazer hypothesis that crustacean zooplankton, including krill, is food limited, with its perspectives for boosting the currently declining krill stocks. All previous IFEs were carried out in open ocean regions under severe iron limitation and focussed mainly on testing the iron hypothesis. IFESS will be the first carried out in a region of moderate productivity with a large seeding stock of fast-growing diatom species known to activate the biological carbon pump. It will also be the first to study the response of krill to an iron-induced bloom and the effect of their grazing on the ecosystem and the composition and magnitude of vertical flux. Both hypotheses address fundamental questions of integrated earth system science that are relevant to our understanding of the role of the marine biosphere in past and ongoing climate change. Large-scale iron fertilization is under scrutiny as a possible sink for anthropogenic CO2. Its possible impact on higher trophic levels has not been considered but merits attention in view of the current situation of the krill stocks. As demonstrated by the media coverage, both CO2 sequestration and the future of the charismatic Antarctic fauna are of great public interest.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Iron fertilization experiments provide unique evaluation data to test ecosystem model responses to iron supply. This is particularly important for testing the effect of iron addition as a mean for CO2 sequestration or to study the effect of past changes in iron input using coupled ecological-biogeochemical general ocean circulation models. Such experiments will also yield new sedimentary proxies and improve interpretation of existing ones for assessing past productivity regimes to understand biological processes that amplify climate variability at centennial to millennial time scales. There is legitimate concern over plans by geo-engineering companies to exploit the High Nutrient Low Chlorophyll (HNLC) ACC as a CO2 sink. The international community will have to decide how best to deal with this issue. It is the task of scientists to ascertain the long-term effects of any such climate management scheme. For instance an areal intensification or extension of the productive Peninsula plume could well have a beneficial effect on populations of top predators (mammals and birds) if they are food-limited. An added incentive to carrying out more such experiments is the ideal training ground they offer for the kind of international, interdisciplinary research demanded by earth system science investigating global change.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Iron fertilization experiments carried out so far with RV Polarstern have involved a number of experts from institutions in Belgium, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, RS Africa, Spain, UK, USA. The same and other groups also intend collaborating in IFESS.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Geographic AreaPolar Frontal Zone ca. 57° S; 45° WSurvey and sampling strategiesWe plan to fertilise a rectangular area of ca. 15 by 30 km in a "calm" hydrographical region north of the Weddell Scotia Confluence determined from satellite images of sea-surface heterogeneity. All iron fertilization experiments to date successfully followed their blooms till the end of the respective experiment, ranging from 13 - 38 days which testifies to the robustness of this field method. We intend carrying out regular areal surveys with helicopter-mounted optical instruments and with towed, undulating instrument packages interspersed with station work in interesting areas. In addition free-drifting instrument arrays with sediment traps will be deployed in the fertilized patch. This will be accompanied by sediment studies to document glacial/interglacial variability of productivity regimes and related export and burial of biogenic matter. Birds and mammals will be counted throughout by scientists.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: n/a
Antarctic: 01/07 – 03/07            

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Research vessel (RV Polarstern), helicopter, helicopter-mounted radiometer, CTD rosette water sampler, Scanfish, Bongonet, Multinet, Rectangular midwater trawl (RMT), Multicorer (MUC), Gravity corer, Drifting buoy and mooring, sediment traps, video plankton recorder, probes, in situ pumps, 2 iron tanks for mixing iron solution, SIMRAD-Krill-echo sounder, VM-ADCP, Terascan-equipment to receive satellite data, deep-sea winch, oceanographic winch

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
The science of IFESS is highlighted in the German Science Plan for IPY. The scientific goals addressed by BIPOMAC have been recommended for IPY by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR)

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?

IFESS is part of the BIPOMAC (“Bipolar Climate Machinery”) IPY initiative.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be managed by the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
50 words maxEducation: Participants will include a number of students who will receive intense exposure to interdisciplinary, earth system science.Outreach: A television team will accompany the experiment on board. We will publicise the intentions of the experiment to various environmental boards and the media in general.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document)?
IFESS data will be made public available through the information system PANGAEA which is operated by the ICSU World Data Center for Marine Environmental Sciences (WDC-MARE) Data exchange/storage with PANGAEA data bank.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
AWI for AWI personnel,non-AWI personnel through individual institutions/proposals

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Prof. Dr. Victor Smetacek
Alfred-Wegener-Institute for Polar and Marine Research
Am Handelshafen 12
27515 Bremerhaven
Germany

Tel: +49-(0)471-4831-1440
Mobile:
Fax: +49-(0)471-4831-1425
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation

Other Information