Summary:
The ARCUS Arctic Research Seminar Series brings leading Arctic researchers to Washington, D.C. to share the latest findings and what they mean for decision-making. These seminars will be of interest to federal agency officials, congressional staff, non-governmental organizations, associations, and the public.
Abstract:
In recent years the northern Bering Sea and southern Chukchi Sea have undergone a reduction of sea ice and warming seawater temperatures. Time-series environmental and biological studies indicate faster seasonal sea ice retreat over the last five years in comparison to the previous 25 years, with 2018 having the highest bottom water temperatures in the record, and also setting a new threshold for sea ice minima. At the same time, dominant bottom dwelling animals (clams, amphipods and polychaetes) that are food for diving sea ducks, gray whales, and walruses are declining in biomass and where there is still high biomass, these prey patches are contracting northward. These time series studies are being accomplished as part of the Distributed Biological Observatory, which is an internationally coordinated effort that is generating seasonal and interannual data to better understand this changing ecosystem.
Speaker Bio:
Jacqueline Grebmeier is a Research Professor at the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science in Solomons, Maryland. She studies the connections among sea ice coverage, water column processes and seafloor organisms. Jackie has been undertaking process oriented ecological studies in the northern Bering and Chukchi Seas for more than 30 years.
A live webinar is also available to those unable to attend in person. Instructions for accessing the event online will be sent to webinar registrants prior to the event.
Registration is required for this event.