Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Marine mammals of the Antarctic – ecosystem and ecological investigations in the King George Is. area.  (MMA)

Outline
The field researches will be carried out on the King George Is. during 2006-2009, on the base of Bellinsgausen polar station, Russia. Investigations of the marine mammals will be multivarious. The complex ecosystem researches are planed for that, including the study of abundance, ecology, distribution and feeding of marine mammals, their forage reserve and biological diversity of marine fauna in the investigated area. Special attention will be attended to the appraisal of extent of influence of climatic and antropogenetic factors on populations of marine mammals and coastal ecosystems, and to the elaboration of recommendations on their maintenance. Marine mammals (cetaceans and pinnipeds) residing in Antarctica and migrating in Antarctic waters are the important part of ecosystem presenting the top trophic component among marine organisms, which on the one hand essentially influence on marine ecosystems (as predators), and on the other hand are exposed to antropogenetic impact. At the same time in connection with worming, taking place in the World ocean recent years, appearance of species of marine mammals, which were not marked before or met very seldom, is possible. The IPY affords a unique opportunity to collect new data sets from different marine mammals’ species simultaneously with current environmental situation (hydrobiological and oceanographic parameters, ice conditions, climate and human influence) and fishes and invertebrates species distribution and biomass. In the context of these researches besides ecological and populational studies of marine mammals investigations of forage reserve (plankton, benthos, marine birds and fishes) will be held and zoological collections and biomaterials for office studies.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
1) Documentation of the marine mammals species (numbers and distribution, feeding, ecology and impacts) and ecosystem structural change; 2) Comparison of the structure and function of the Antarctic ecosystem. Assessment of marine mammals position in this system; 3) Influence of marine mammals and birds on the benthic and plankton biodiversity, as predators; 4) Addition of zoological collections, data bases; creating of ecological maps and recommendations on keeping stable condition of marine ecosystems; 5) Preparing of the base for the long-term ecological and zoological monitoring of marine mammals on the Russian polar stations in Antarctica; 6) Working out the measures of preservation of the biodiversity of marine ecosystems in the areas of functioning of the polar stations.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
All researches are supposed to carry out in the context of the positions of CALM and programs connected with it. Therefore it is intended the transmission of results, reports, materials and collections for the office work by the specialists under agreement or necessity.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Polar station Bellinsgausen, King George Is. and adjacent waters, West Antarctic. 62,12 S 58,56 W

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: n/a
Antarctic: 11/06 – 02/07      11/07 – 02/08      11/08 – 02/09

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Existing field stations, coastal expedition. Ice strengthened research ship. Autonomous Underwater Vehicle. Fixed wing transport aircraft with observers. Inflatable boat, foto equipment. Underwater (SCUBA) observations and collecting of marine fauna.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The cluster will leave a legacy of newly trained scientists in several aspects of polar ecosystem science, continuation and establishment of new time coastal observed stations, methods and equipment of marine mammals and zoological research and remote sensing data gathering, processing and presentation, assembled databases. All of it can be used together for future studies.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
Consortium
Own national polar operator
Another national polar operator
National agency
Own support
Other sources of support

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Yes - The project is represented in the Russian organizational committee on IPY

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?
Yes

This is a new enterprising project with the aim to resume Russian ecosystem researches of the marine mammals in Antarctica. Cooperation with CALM project.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The organization and management of the project is carried on in the context of direction of the scientific works of Russian Antarctic expeditions. The day-to-day management of the project is carried on by the chief of the project and the leader of the expeditionary group of PINRO on the basic directions of investigations, planed for the current season. The correction of plans is realized by the co-ordination and according to the results of work of specialists of the interactive projects and organizations. The day-to-day control and accounting are carried out by the scientific-expeditionary department of PINRO and by the leader of the CALM program.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
We plan to use the following ways for that. For those components of activity that are land based, there will be meetings, presentations and discussions with local communities to inform and involve them in our research activities, including preliminary and final results. The results of the studies will be placed at non-governmental conservancies’ disposal. We plan to provide the media with information, including newspapers, TV and radio. Finally, all results from MMA will be published in the literature for dissemination to the general scientific community.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
The cooperation with appropriate programs under the aegis of CALM and the laboratories of Zoological scientific research institute (ZIN, Russia), Scientific research institute of Arctic and Antarctica (AARI), Marine Mammals Council (Moscow). The transmission of materials and collections for the processing, exchange of the results of investigations are envisaged according to agreements.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Financing of the project is intended by Russian organizational committee IPY. Appropriate documents are prepared and submitted for that. The sources of complimentary financing will be defined during carrying out the project if it is necessary.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
The effectiveness of the project is evaluated from the position of exposure of new or earlier unknown information about the condition of marine mammals in Antarctica and their role in the ecosystem, as from point of view of their preying of others, so the possible influence on marine animals of worming and planned antropogenetic activity. The basic criteria of the effectiveness of the project is the establishment of cause-and-effect relations between marine mammals and the conditions of their living, as well as their role in ecosystem in general, including the creating of mathematical model. We are expecting the acquirement of new data on mentioned themes, initiation of the research effort on several directions of study of marine mammals, further development of the investigation of biodiversity of fauna of Antarctica, carrying out training of young qualified specialists for the work in Antarctica, widening of the international cooperation in the scientific research in Antarctica.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Vladimir Zabavnikov
Polar Research Institute of Marine Fisheries and Oceanography
6, Knipovich Street, Murmansk
183763
Russia

Tel: (+7)-815-2-47-25-72
Mobile: (+7)-921-513-07-81
Fax: (+7)-815-2-47-33-31
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation