Studying phytoplankton on or near free-floating icebergs in the Weddell Sea

An Antarctic iceberg on the solstice.

Maria Vernet is a marine scientist from Scripps Oceanographic Institute who studies plankton off the Antarctic Peninsula of West Antarctica. As one of the project leaders for the Palmer Long Term Ecological Research project, Maria has participated in many of the project’s 14 yearly research cruises.

Maria at the helm of a zodiac (small rubber boat.)

The Antarctic Peninsula, experiencing some of the most dramatic warming anywhere on the globe, is also among earth’s most productive marine ecosystems. During winter 2008, Maria studied the ecology of phytoplankton (microscopic plants) and its role within the marine ecosystem at the Palmer Station Long-Term Ecological Research Network (LTER).

From May 31 to June 20, 2008, Maria is on board the Nathaniel B. Palmer icebreaker in the northwest Weddell Sea, where she and other scientists are studying free-floating icebergs that have broken off from the Antarctic Ice Shelf. As these icebergs melt, they appear to spread nutrients and elements (including iron, which stimulates phytoplankton growth) into the sea. As a result, thriving ecosystems made up of phytoplankton, krill, fish, and seabirds surround these icebergs in a halo pattern.

Deploying equipment off the side of the Nathaniel B. Palmer.

Maria and a team of scientists first studied these icebergs and their surrounding marine life in 2005. Maria was surprised to discover that phytoplankton could attach to the walls of icebergs. At the time, they didn’t have the right equipment for studying the phytoplankton they found on icebergs. On this trip, they’re returning with improved underwater vehicles and lab equipment. Armed with these new tools, Maria hopes to be able to better understand the role of phytoplankton in this flourishing iceberg ecosystem.