In my last post, I talked about the Ross Sea and why it is so special, using information from a special seminar at the International Marine Conservation Conference (IMCC). Now I’d like to explain a little bit more about another reason many scientists and conservationists want to protect the Ross Sea – it is an extremely valuable place for scientific research.
First, the Ross Sea has the longest history of research in the Southern Ocean – data was first collected there 170 years ago. Continuous records go back over 50 years. This kind of continuous data is extremely useful to scientists because it allows them to draw more accurate conclusions than they could with shorter records. Long-term data is particularly useful for climate research, since it can provide a sounder basis for determining the meaning of changes in climate.
Interestingly, the Ross Sea is expected to be one of the areas last affected by climate change. And according to climate scientist Joellen Russell (University of Arizona), who presented at the IMCC, “The Ross Sea is an important climate laboratory.” Dr. Russell works on climate modeling, the results of which provide estimates of the global rise in temperature that is expected to occur. Her research has led to some surprising predictions about the future of the Ross Sea.
Though the world is warming as a whole, the ozone hole over Antarctica and the Ross Sea creates a cooling effect. Essentially, the presence of the ozone hole means colder winds over the Ross Sea, which creates more sea ice. On the West Antarctic Peninsula, sea ice will probably decrease due to warming. Thus, the Ross Sea will become even more important in the face of climate change, as it will not experience warming as soon as the rest of Antarctica. It may be a refuge for species seeking their normal (cold) habitats.
But climate research is far from the only kind that is done in the Ross Sea. As a relatively pristine region, it offers an unsurpassed opportunity for scientists to understand the interactions in an intact ecosystem. In other words, scientists don’t have to worry that human interactions with the habitat have changed how the ecosystem works. Why is this important? Because, as scientist Stacy Kim of the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories noted, we can’t learn how to keep ocean ecosystems healthy (or fix ones that have become unhealthy) if we don’t understand how they are supposed to function.
Dr. Kim presented an overview of some of the data on the Ross Sea ecosystem that she and her colleagues have gathered at the Ross Sea symposium at the International Marine Conservation Congress. In the Ross Sea, ecosystems are strongly impacted by ice characteristics, such as thickness and opacity, and ice can act as a kind of benthic (seafloor) habitat for some fish. Although not a living thing, ice therefore has a huge impact on Antarctic ecosystems. The thickness and opacity of ice determine how much light penetrates, which influences the growth of phytoplankton underneath the ice. The movement of icebergs can also play a role in benthic communities, changing the sediments on the ocean floor as well as disrupting animals.
Water and water currents impact the ecosystem as well. Polynyas, ice-free areas of ocean surrounded by ice, are highly productive in the Ross Sea. Productive here means that there are high levels of the phytoplankton (which includes many types of algae) that are a vital element in marine food webs. Water currents carry phytoplankton from these polynyas to ice-covered areas. Even underwater banks and seamounts have an impact on the ecosystem, because they change the movements of water and ice, therefore changing habitats. All these factors, however, are only a small part of the ecosystem. You can probably tell from the past two paragraphs that with so many variables to consider before you even start looking at the interactions between different species, scientists relish the opportunity to eliminate the potential complications of human activities, and to study an ecosystem that is more or less untouched.
Amazing science happens in places other than the Ross Sea, of course. However, the scientists who spoke at the workshop didn’t just want to preserve their outdoor laboratory for selfish reasons. Their presentations provided clear evidence that the Ross Sea was an exceptional region according to internationally recognized standards. The Convention on Biological Diversity, ratified by over 190 nations, has established criteria for identifying areas of unique biological and ecological significance, and the Ross Sea meets all of them: uniqueness / rarity; special importance for life history of species; importance for threatened, endangered or declining species / habitats; vulnerability, fragility, sensitivity, or slow recovery; biological productivity; biological diversity; and naturalness.
If the scientific case is so clear, why are some countries trying to fish more in the Ross Sea? Unfortunately, it’s all about the profits that can be made from the region’s fisheries, plus the difficulty of getting the 28 countries who collectively govern Antarctica to agree. But the substantial amount of money to be made selling toothfish to well-off people (the fish often sells for as much as $20 per pound, so there’s no risk of people going hungry without it) is pitiful in comparison to its value to humankind. The chance to protect the Ross Sea is a chance for us to get it right with respect to the oceans. This amazing place should belong to all humanity – not to a fleet of fishing boats.
Click here for a slideshow of John Weller’s photographs of the Ross Sea – see what all the fuss is about! Learn more about the scientific case for Ross Sea protection here.
Claire Christian is a Campaign Associate with the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition. The views expressed therein are hers and not necessarily those of ASOC and its member organizations.
In my last post, I talked about the Ross Sea and why it is so special, using information from a special seminar at the International Marine Conservation Conference (IMCC). Now I’d like to explain a little bit more about another reason many scientists and conservationists want to protect the Ross Sea – it is an extremely valuable place for scientific research. 
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