Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Marine Mammal Exploration of the Oceans - Pole to Pole  (MEOP)

Outline
Despite considerable economic and public interest in marine mammals, we know little about their oceanic habitat requirements, especially those of the large, highly mobile pelagic seals and whales that occupy Polar Regions. This is not surprising given the difficulties of following animals at sea that disperse over vast distances in these remote, dynamic, extreme environments and spend most of their time, deep underwater. But, the absence of knowledge makes it difficult to prepare appropriate conservation and management plans or predict how climate change scenarios will impact these important, top-trophic components of polar marine systems. MEOP will deploy novel but field-proven satellite-linked animal-borne CTD-tags that will provide accurate data on the location of tagged animals, their detailed dive patterns and the temperature and salinity profiles of the water columns they utilize. By providing oceanographic-quality environmental data directly from the animals, we can explicitly link physical oceanographic conditions to the animal’s behaviour, overcoming the problems of time and scale inherent in using more conventionally derived ocean information, while reducing logistics costs and requirements (e.g. boat-time). Such in-situ data will allow precise identification of the water masses visited by the animals and quantification of their characteristics. At the same time, they will create unique oceanographic data sets, which can enrich existing ocean data archives. For example, our target species will inhabit areas with significant ice-cover throughout winter months in both the Arctic and the Antarctic, the edges of which are of particular interest to oceanographers in terms of deep-water formation. Ice-filled waters are rarely sampled by standard oceanographic studies using ships or other methodologies especially over extended times because of logistical and cost constraints. The IPY affords a unique opportunity to collect novel data sets from polar seal species simultaneously with dedicated oceanographic cruises sampling along systematic grids using traditional ship-based CTD technology. Co-operation between biological and oceanographic programmes within IPY will provide MEOP with comprehensive, synoptic oceanographic coverage that will provide a unique opportunity to quantify factors determining habitat use by key polar seal species. The oceanographic data collected in MEOP will, in turn, provide otherwise unobtainable oceanographic data sets collected at natural hot-spots of productivity, as input data to physically-oriented modelling projects (e.g. the large-scale Thermohaline Circulation Programme, and the French Coriolis database). This study is especially timely given the predictions for ecosystem changes in both Arctic and Antarctic systems within the coming decades due to climate change.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
This interdisciplinary, international programme will provide important new information about the interactions between top-trophic animals and the physical environment from both Polar Regions. It will further develop a new modality for collecting marine data that complements existing approaches, while generating fruitful collaborations between marine biologists and physical oceanographers. An important component of some project elements will be scientific capacity building among first-nation peoples through involvement in field programs and training in the laboratory – facilitating technology and information transfer. It will also provide additional educational opportunities via graduate student education and a web-site for primary and secondary schools.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
This is a broadly international programme that currently includes Norway, the United Kingdom, France, South Africa, Australia, Canada and the United States. The technology that will be utilized in MEOP has been developed by the Sea Mammal Research Unit in the UK in partnership with Norwegian, French, American and Australian researchers.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Field work will be conducted in both the Northwest Atlantic (Canadian Territory) and the Northeast Atlantic (Norwegian Territory) as well as in the Southern Ocean at multiple sites – likely to include Marion, Macquarie and Kerguelen Islands, South Georgia, Bouvetøya, Adelie Land and the Antarctic Peninsula.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 03/07 – 08/07      11/07 – 11/08      
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Ship and helicopter transportation will be required. The ship time at least will be useful for other IPY projects. Also station-based support is required for the Antarctic-based work.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
No – but it will leave an enduring, high-resolution, oceanographic data set, and a new modality for collecting data from polar regions that are inaccessible during the winter months, as well as establishing close collaborations between physical and biological scientists that will be a large benefit to future polar science.

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

Scientists will have to get to the various deployment locations – but beyond this little infrastructure is required beyond what is held at the sites by various partners within the international consortium.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Yes, Each national lead is working through his/her own national board to have the support of all national committees prior to the June deadline for project submission. Aspects of the Antarctic program (SEaOS – Southern elephant seals as oceanographic samplers) have previously been funded by UK, French, USA and Australian programs.

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

MEOP will build upon experience and technology developed in previous Norwegian, UK, USA and Australian research council programmes as well as projects funded by TOSCA-CNES (France). However, the integration of this project with oceanographic projects within IPY and physical science expertise in general will be much more intensive.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The Norwegian Polar Institute will be the home-base for MEOP’s home page and other day-to-day co-ordination activities and management. Links from all partner’s home-institutions will be made to MEOP’s home page, educational package etc. and vice versa. All national leaders will co-ordinate teams within their respective countries and keep the various teams (utilizing various field sites) informed regarding programme needs and developments. The Sea Mammal Research Unit in the UK will be the principle, technological lead and initial data handler within the project, as well as being the source for CTD-tags employed in all projects within the programme.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
MEOP will have a well-developed education package. Primary and secondary school students, and other interested parties, will be able to follow day-to-day progress of individual animals at both poles via the web and learn about these charismatic mammals as well as the broader marine environment in Polar Regions.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Oceanographic data will be available from each tag within hours of collection. These data will be shared with all partners and other IPY projects immediately. All ocean data from the programme will be stored such that it is available to the scientific community. The precise database is not yet decided.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Each partner will seek funds from their respective IPY national programmes and research councils. In the case of South Africa we will also apply to NORAD (a Norwegian agency that helps disadvantaged nations participate in education and scientific activities involving high technology etc.).

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
This project will utilize an integrated approach to the study of polar marine mammals and their environment that is novel (but proven in pilot studies). It is an approach that can benefit, and benefit from, the large scale operations made possible by IPY, and help to integrate a broad range of studies of the polar environment that IPY will engender. It will provide data that would otherwise be practically unobtainable from other ocean studies. Furthermore it will add a high-profile, accessible element by attracting public interest, similar to some of the IPY activities that galvanized the public 50 years ago.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Kit Kovacs
Norwegian Polar Institute
Polar Environmental Centre
Tromsø
9296
Norway

Tel: 47 777 50526
Mobile: 90930776
Fax: 47 777 50501
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation