USCGC Healy
Photo by Karen Frey
Northern Ckukchi Sea biota
Photo by Steve Crawford
Deployment of UAF Mooring
Photo by Ken Dunton
ODU team with Box Core
Photo by Ken Dunton
Preparing to deploy HAPS Corer
Photo by Ken Dunton
Sorting biota on sluice box
Photo by Carolyn Blackwood
The northern Chukchi Shelf receives extraordinarily large inputs of organic matter advected from the highly productive shelf regions of the North Pacific and from in situ sources of primary production, including epontic ice algae, sediment microalgae and phytoplankton. These contributions of highly labile organic carbon, together with potential benthic sources of regenerated inorganic nitrogen, probably contribute to the enormous secondary production of this region. In particular, the relatively shallow depths (40-55 m) and appreciable bottom flow facilitate high standing stocks of biota, particularly in the benthos. These “hotspots” have been noted in the vicinity of Hanna Shoal, particularly along its southeastern and eastern margins.
The Hanna Shoal Ecosystem Study, an extension of the COMIDA CAB program, is a multi-disciplinary investigation funded by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to examine the biological, chemical and physical properties that define this ecosystem. The project spans 2011-2015, with field seasons in 2012-2013.
Read more in this project in the May 2015 issue of ECO Magazine.
The study extends the monitoring initiated under the COMIDA CAB program, in which over 70 stations were occupied in the northern Chukchi Sea with a focus on trophic structure, sediments, inventories of anthropogenic chemicals (trace metals and organics), and inventories of benthic and epibenthic fauna. The Hanna Shoal study adds (1) a pelagic component to address standing stocks of phytoplankton and zooplankton and (2) a physical oceanographic study that addresses water mass movements through direct measurement of circulation, density fields, ice conditions and modeling.
Roughly 30 stations were occupied in the region for two consecutive summer field seasons (2012 and 2013), including 7-9 stations along the Distributed Biological Observatory (DBO) line. Once data have been collected, analyzed, and quality controlled, maps and other data products will be made publicly available on this website and submitted to the NODC for permanent archiving and access.
Get the latest results on the Data page.
