Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/W00755X/1
NSFGEO-NERC: Collaborative Research - P2P: Predators to Plankton - Biophysical Controls in Antarctic Polynyas
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Professor K Heywood, University of East Anglia, Environmental Sciences
- Grant held at:
- University of East Anglia, Environmental Sciences
- Science Area:
- Marine
- Overall Classification:
- Panel B
- ENRIs:
- Biodiversity
- Global Change
- Natural Resource Management
- Science Topics:
- Earth & environmental
- Oceanography
- Food webs
- Foraging behaviour
- Behavioural Ecology
- Marine communities
- Community Ecology
- Southern ocean circulation
- Glacial & Cryospheric Systems
- Abstract:
- The Ross Sea, a globally important ecological hotspot, hosts 25-45% of the world populations of Adelie and emperor penguins, South Polar skuas, Antarctic petrels, and Weddell seals. It is also one of the few marine protected areas designated within the Southern Ocean, designed to protect the workings of its ecosystem. To achieve that goal requires participation in an international research and monitoring program, and more importantly integration of what is known about these mesopredators, which is a lot, and the biological oceanography of their habitat, parts of which are also well known. The project will acquire data on these species' food web dynamics through assessing of Adelie penguin foraging behavior, an indicator species, while multi-sensor ocean gliders autonomously quantify prey abundance and distribution as well as ocean properties, including phytoplankton, at the base of the food web. Additionally, satellite imagery will quantify sea ice and whales (competitors) within the penguins' foraging area. Seasoned researchers and students will be involved, as will a public outreach program that reaches >200 school groups per field season, and >1M visits to the website of an ongoing, related project. Lessons about ecosystem change, and how it is measured, i.e. the STEM fields, will be emphasized. Results will be distributed to the world science and management communities.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/W00755X/1
- Grant Stage:
- Awaiting Event/Action
- Scheme:
- Standard Grant FEC
- Grant Status:
- Active
- Programme:
- Lead Agency Grant
This grant award has a total value of £243,865
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| DI - Other Costs | Indirect - Indirect Costs | DA - Investigators | DI - Staff | DA - Estate Costs | DA - Other Directly Allocated | DI - T&S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £41,383 | £82,347 | £26,003 | £67,061 | £17,460 | £1,398 | £8,212 |
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