Bering Sea Ecosystem Study

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Bering Sea Ecosystem Study
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Changing Climate Seasonal sea ice has retreated
over last two decades (1970 - 2002)
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Maximum ice extent
Percent ice cover within gray box on map above
P. Stabeno J. Overland, PMEL
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Vertically Averaged Water Temperature (C) at M2
P. Stabeno, PMEL
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(No Transcript)
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What is BEST ?

• Mechanistic and Predictive Program
• Designed to understand and predict the
  consequences of climate change for Bering Sea
  marine ecosystems
• End to End Approach
  Climate, physics, primary
  production, zooplankton, fish, birds, marine
  mammals and people

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Assembling an End-to-End Program

• - Atmosphere / Ocean
• Local Physics
• Phys - Biol Coupling
• Food Web Interactions
• Harvesting / Fisheries
• Socioeconomic Aspects

• Modeling Activities
• Field Research
• Retrospective Studies

www.arcus.org/bering/
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BEST Priority Research Modules

• How is the Disappearance of Sea Ice Affecting the
  Bering Sea Ecosystem?
• What Controls the Abundance of Nutrients on the
  Shelf and What is the Influence of Climate
  Variability?
• What will be the Ecosystem Effects of a Warmer
  and More Stratified Bering Sea?

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First Phase (2007-2010) Sea Ice
P. Stabeno, PMEL
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Loss of Winter Sea Ice
Winter-time (MONTHS) sea ice has
vanished from the Bering Sea over
the last five decades (1954 -
2005)
P. Stabeno J. Overland, PMEL
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Anticipated Long-term Change
Warmer Everywhere Arctic vs. Antarctic asymmetry
Decline in sub-polar surface salinity
Sarmiento et al. (2004) Response of ocean
ecosystems to climate warming.
Global Biogeochemical Cycles 18
(3). GB3003
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Ice, Wind, Bloom, Copepods
Early Ice Retreat Late Bloom, Warm
Water Large Copepod Biomass
Late Ice Retreat Early Bloom, Cold
Water Small Copepod Biomass
G. Hunt, UW - SAFS
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Graph Courtesy of Jeff Napp
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Integrated Bering Sea Ecosystem Study
BASIS (NPAFC)
NPCREP LOSI
AFSC NMML PMEL
OPP Arctic Natural Social Sciences
USFWS USGS
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Beyond the Bering Sea
Integrated Bering Sea Ecosystem Study
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http//www.arcus.org/Bering
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Lower Trophic Level Session
Poster Presentations Mark Benfield, Nicola
Hillgruber, Philippe Grosjean, Marianne Alford,
Sara Arndt, Jeffrey Bacon, and Sean Keenan
Semi-automated Processing of Bering Sea
Zooplankton Samples Using ZOOIMAGE Software
Clara Deal, M. Jin, J. Wang, and T. Whitledge
An Ecosystem Model Study of Plankton and
Nutrient Dynamics in the Bering Sea Shelf with a
Focus on the Nitrogen Budget and Water Column
Nitrification Lawrence Schaufler, and Jeff
Napp Fatty Acid Composition of Mesozooplankton
From The Bering Sea
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Lower Trophic Level Session
Oral Presentations George Hunt - Bering Ecosystem
Study (BEST) Kohei Mizobata - Biochemical
enhancement related to mesoscale eddies in the
Bering Sea Green Belt Jeffrey Napp - Regulation
of Zooplankton Standing Stock and Production in
the SE Bering Sea Top-Down v. Bottom-Up Control
and Recent Climate-Related Declines in a
Subarctic Ecosystem Lisa Eisner - Variations in
physical and biological oceanography
and forage fish distributions during fall in the
eastern Bering Sea
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BEST Information Sources

• Web Site http//www.arcus.org/Bering/index.html
• Science Plan, available in Hard Copy at
• Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. (ARCUS)
• 3535 College Road, Suite 101, Fairbanks, AK
  99709
• Phone [phone] Fax [phone]
• Planning Group. c/o George L. Hunt, Jr.
• School of Aquatic Fishery Sciences
• University of Washington, Seattle
• Email geohunt2_at_u.washington.edu