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Floating Ecosystems Dispatches


All Kinds of Diatoms

By Maria Vernet · March 31, 2009 · comments 3 comments
ABOARD THE RVIB N. B. PALMER, ON THE SOUTHERN OCEAN-- After 4 days in transit we arrived at Clarence Island near the South Shetlands. It is too windy to test our new instruments here. So we turn northeast and after 8 more hours we arrive at the C18A iceberg...
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Adios Punta Arenas

By Maria Vernet · March 30, 2009 · comments No comments yet
ABOARD THE RVIB N. B. PALMER, ON THE SOUTHERN OCEAN-- Adios Punta Arenas, Chile. Hello Research Vessel and Ice Breaker, Nathaniel B. Palmer. We, the crew, support staff and scientists of the NBP Iceberg Cruise III, left port in Punta Arenas on March 6th to begin our 40-day cruise...
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Returning to Port

By Maria Vernet · June 29, 2008 · comments No comments yet
STRAITS OF MAGELLAN-- Today we are arriving in Punta Arenas, Chile at 11am local time. After 8 hours through the Straits of Magellan we have finally finished our 30 day cruise. During the last few…
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Primary Production

By Maria Vernet · June 27, 2008 · comments No comments yet
SOUTHERN OCAEN-- Phytoplankton were active in these waters during this June cruise. Although ten times lower than in the summer, their rates show an active winter community, able to survive the winter and take advantage…
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Black Ice

By Maria Vernet · June 26, 2008 · comments No comments yet
SOUTHERN OCEAN-- Sometimes icebergs contain silt and rocks collected in the continent as the ice moves the mountains down towards the sea, scouring the rock bed and entraining the material within the ice matrix. At…
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End of Our Icebergs

By Maria Vernet · June 25, 2008 · comments No comments yet
ICEBERG A43K, SOUTHERN OCEAN-- Today is our last day of science. This evening we are leaving at 6pm (or 20 GMT, Greenwich Mean Time, which relates to the zero meridian that crosses Greenwich, United Kingdom.…
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Diving Penguins

By Maria Vernet · June 24, 2008 · comments No comments yet
ICEBERG A43K, SOUTHERN OCEAN-- Although penguins are not flying birds, we have seen them diving and flying off of icebergs. Chinstrap Penguins will climb onto any small iceberg floating a few feet above seawater. A…
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Macronutrients Around the Iceberg

By Maria Vernet · June 23, 2008 · comments No comments yet
ICEBERG A43K, SOUTHERN OCEAN-- Phytoplankton need dissolved nutrients, such as silicate, phosphate, and nitrate to grow in seawater. Open waters in Antarctica are rich in those nutrients, particularly in winter when plant growth is limited…
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The Ocean’s Carbon Content

By Maria Vernet · June 22, 2008 · comments 1 comment
ICEBERG A43K, SOUTHERN OCEAN-- Carbon sedimentation in the water, from its surface towards the ocean floor, is expected to increase around icebergs as a consequence of the chemical and physical environment conducive to plant and…
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Iron-Limited Phytoplankton?

By Maria Vernet · June 20, 2008 · comments No comments yet
ICEBERG A43K, SOUTHERN OCEAN-- The waters of the Southern Ocean are considered High Nutrient Low Chlorophyll (HNLC) waters. In spite of abundant dissolved nitrogen, phosphorus and silica, plant biomass is not very abundant and the…
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