Abstract:
Systematic long-term studies on ecosystem dynamics
are largely lacking from the East Antarctic Southern
Ocean, although it is well recognized that they are indispensable
to identify the ecological impacts and risks of
environmental change. Here, we present a framework for establishing
a long-term cross-disciplinary study on decadal
timescales. We argue that the eastern Weddell Sea and the
adjacent sea to the east, off Dronning Maud Land, is a particularly
well suited area for such a study, since it is based on
findings from previous expeditions to this region. Moreover,
since climate and environmental change have so far been
comparatively muted in this area, as in the eastern Antarctic
in general, a systematic long-term study of its environmental
and ecological state can provide a baseline of the
current situation, which will be important for an assessment
of future changes from their very onset, with consistent and
comparable time series data underpinning and testing models
and their projections. By establishing an Integrated East Antarctic Marine Research (IEAMaR) observatory, longterm
changes in ocean dynamics, geochemistry, biodiversity,
and ecosystem functions and services will be systematically
explored and mapped through regular autonomous
and ship-based synoptic surveys. An associated long-term
ecological research (LTER) programme, including experimental
and modelling work, will allow for studying climatedriven
ecosystem changes and interactions with impacts arising
from other anthropogenic activities. This integrative approach
will provide a level of long-term data availability and
ecosystem understanding that are imperative to determine,
understand, and project the consequences of climate change
and support a sound science-informed management of future
conservation efforts in the Southern Ocean.
