National Antarctic Programmes Research Articles

Planktonic, benthic and sympagic copepods collected from the desalination unit of Mario Zucchelli Research Station in Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea, Antarctica).

Distributional data on planktonic, benthic and sympagic copepods collected in the framework of the XXXIVth Expeditions of the Italian National Antarctic Programme (PNRA) to the Ross Sea sector from 2018-2019 are here provided. These occurrences correspond to specimens collected from the 25 μm filters used in the desalination plant of the Italian research station "Mario Zucchelli" (MZS), located in the Terra Nova Bay area (TNB; Ross Sea, Antarctica). This dataset is a contribution to the Antarctic Biodiversity Portal, the thematic Antarctic node for both the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (AntOBIS) and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility Antarctic Biodiversity Information Facility (ANTABIF). The dataset was uploaded and integrated with the SCAR-AntOBIS database (the geospatial component of SCAR-MarBIN). Please follow the guidelines from the SCAR Data Policy (ISSN 1998-0337) when using the data. If you have any questions regarding this dataset, please contact us via the contact information provided in the metadata or via data-biodiversity-aq@naturalsciences.be. Issues with the dataset can be reported at the biodiversity-aq GitHub project. We describe the diversity of marine copepods Terra Nova Bay sampled by the filters installed in the desalination unit (DU) of the Italian research station "Mario Zucchelli" described in recent work. The opening of the intake pipe of the DU is positioned at a depth of 4 m and allowed a total of 2,116 specimens to be sampled and recognised. In addition, new occurrence records of copepod genera and species are reported in the same zone. We provide an overview of the marine copepod diversity reported for TNB. The total of 2,116 individuals corresponds to 14 genera and 15 species and is represented by 136 occurrence records in this dataset. Around 52% of the total number of species are new records for the TNB area. The publication of this data paper was funded by the Belgian Science Policy Office (BELSPO, contract n°FR/36/AN1/AntaBIS) in the Framework of EU-Lifewatch as a contribution to the SCAR Antarctic biodiversity portal (biodiversity.aq).

Loss of research and operational equipment in Antarctica: Balancing scientific advances with environmental impact

Antarctica has been subject to widespread, long-term and on-going human activity since the establishment of permanent research stations became common in the 1950s. Equipment may become intentionally or inadvertently lost in Antarctic marine and terrestrial environments as a result of scientific research and associated support activities, but this has been poorly quantified to date. Here we report the quantity and nature of equipment lost by the UK's national operator in Antarctica, the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). Over the 15-year study period (2005–2019), 125 incidents of loss were reported, with c. 23 tonnes of equipment lost of which 18% by mass was considered hazardous. The geographical distribution of lost equipment was widespread across the BAS operational footprint. However, impacts are considered low compared to those associated with research station infrastructure establishment and operation. To reduce environmental impact overall, we recommend that, where possible, better use is made of existing research station capacity to facilitate field research, thereby reducing the need for construction of new infrastructure and the generation of associated impacts. Furthermore, to facilitate reporting on the state of the Antarctic environment, we recommend that national Antarctic programmes reinvigorate efforts to comply with Antarctic Treaty System requirements to actively record the locations of past activities and make available details of lost equipment. In a wider context, analogous reporting is also encouraged in other pristine areas subject to new research activities, including in other remote Earth environments and on extra-terrestrial bodies.

The emerging contribution of Türkiye to Antarctic science and policy

AbstractAntarctica is a continent dedicated to ‘peace and science’ and subject to international consensus-based governance through the Antarctic Treaty System. Through the Treaty, decision-making powers are reserved to Consultative Parties, which are those countries recognized as demonstrating ‘substantial scientific research activity’ in Antarctica. Türkiye acceded to the Antarctic Treaty in 1996. In its National Polar Science Program (2018–2022) it first declared a desire to attain consultative status to the Treaty. Here, we examine Türkiye‘s recent development across Antarctic science, policy and logistics. Since 2016, Türkiye’s national Antarctic scientific output has increased threefold, ranking seventh amongst the current 27 non-Consultative Parties, and this output is greater than some Consultative Parties. Türkiye has submitted more papers to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings than any other non-Consultative Party and is actively participating in the development of the Antarctic Protected Area system. To facilitate longer-term research goals, Türkiye is constructing an Antarctic research station (Horseshoe Island, Antarctic Peninsula), has joined several polar organizations, including the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) and the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP), and has developed scientific and logistical collaborations with many established Antarctic nations. The exceptionally rapid growth of Türkiye's Antarctic activities provides a firm foundation for the development of a future application for consultative status.

Thirty years of Ukrainian Antarctic Research: Assessing the National Antarctic Program’s institutional achievements within the Antarctic Treaty System

Thirty years of Ukrainian Antarctic Research: Assessing the National Antarctic Program’s institutional achievements within the Antarctic Treaty System

Exploring the Predeployment Phase of an Antarctic Expedition and the Brazilian Pre-Antarctic Training.

In Antarctica, human access and presence are complex and require detailed planning and preparation in advance. The personnel of National Antarctic Programs (NAPs, i.e., scientists and support personnel, including military, civilians, and mountaineers) stay in different isolation, confinement, and extreme (ICE) environments such as ships, research stations, and scientific summer camps. Antarctica imposes harsh conditions that influence physiological and psychological responses impacting health, mood, and physical and cognitive performances. In this context, we argue why people should prepare in advance for staying in Antarctica and what to expect in ICE environments. We also spotlighted recommendations shared by different NAPs participant guides, including predeployment training. Next, we present a case study of the Brazilian Pre-Antarctic Training (PAT), a theoretical-practical training that provides technical and logistical information and assesses the adaptability and physical capacity of researchers and military personnel to perform fundamental activities in a polar environment. We evaluated and compared the individual's mood at the beginning and the end of the PAT week and observed group-specific mood changes depending on the sex, functions, and the facilities that participants accessed. Finally, we proposed that conducting training before staying in Antarctica, besides promoting conditions to better plan the voyage and knowledge of the region, can contribute to dealing with the possible mood swings during expeditions and even promote positive affect. Therefore, the psychophysiological effects of PAT are topics for further investigations.

Three-Dimensional Quantification of Copepods Predictive Distributions in the Ross Sea: First Data Based on a Machine Learning Model Approach and Open Access (FAIR) Data

Zooplankton is a fundamental group in aquatic ecosystems representing the base of the food chain. It forms a link between the lower trophic levels with secondary consumers and shows marked fluctuations in populations with environmental change, especially reacting to heating and water acidification. Marine copepods account for approx. 70% of the abundance of zooplankton and are a target of monitoring activities in key areas such as the Southern Ocean. In this study, we have used FAIR-inspired legacy data (dating back to the 1980s) collected in the Ross Sea by the Italian National Antarctic Program at GBIF.org. Together with other open-access GIS data sources and tools, it allows one to generate, for the first time, three-dimensional predictive distribution maps for twenty-six copepod species. These predictive maps were obtained by applying machine learning techniques to grey literature data, which were visualized in open-source GIS platforms. In a Species Distribution Modeling (SDM) framework, we used machine learning with three types of algorithms (TreeNet, RandomForest, and Ensemble) to analyze the presence and absence of copepods in different areas and depth classes as a function of environmental descriptors obtained from the Polar Macroscope Layers present in Quantartica. The models allow, for the first time, to map-predict the food chain per depth class in quantitative terms, showing the relative index of occurrence (RIO) in 3Dimensions and identifying the presence of each copepod species analyzed in the Ross Sea, a globally-relevant wilderness area of conservation concern. Our results show marked geographical preferences that vary with species and trophic strategy. This study demonstrates that machine learning is a successful method in accurately predicting the Antarctic copepod presence, also providing useful data to orient future sampling and the management of wildlife and conservation.

Breaking the silence around blood: managing menstruation during remote Antarctic fieldwork

Drawing on qualitative interviews with female expeditioners in the Australian Antarctic Program, this article examines the additional labour involved in managing menstruation during remote Antarctic fieldwork. Unlike expeditioners working on a research station, fieldworkers rarely have consistent access to private toileting facilities or dedicated times/spaces to deal with their bodily excretions. However, being able to easily access toileting facilities can significantly impact how people who menstruate experience fieldwork. This is an overlooked but crucial corporeal challenge of working in Antarctica. Findings reveal that in male-dominated spaces, expeditioners must go to great lengths to make their menstruation invisible. A primary way that women do this is through menstrual suppression technologies. When these are not available or not preferred, women negotiate trying to keep their menstruation and gynaecological health issues hidden but often do so in field settings where there is little infrastructure or support. I argue that the lack of infrastructure to support menstrual health in the field is a form of sexism that maintains women’s lower status in polar field environments. To conclude, I provide practical guidance for National Antarctic Programs to support people who menstruate.

The Chinese Antarctic science programme: origins and development

AbstractIn 1980, at the invitation of Australia, the first Chinese scientists went to Antarctica. China was therefore a relative ‘latecomer’ to engage in Antarctic science. In the period since its first Antarctic expedition in 1984, China's presence in Antarctica has expanded both in terms of its logistics and infrastructure and its scientific research. This paper outlines the development of China's national Antarctic programmes under the influence of corresponding national policies from the late 1970s to the present, noting the application of various scientific disciplines to Antarctic fields. The paper outlines and analyses the broadening and deepening of China's Antarctic science research, infrastructure and engagement.

The Antarctic youth coalition: an experiment in citizen participation and south–south cultural diplomacy

ABSTRACT Ongoing youth-based programmes providing educational expeditions to Antarctica have been developed by non-state actors, universities, and national Antarctic programs since the early 2000s. Despite the successes and impact of these educational programs, and despite the emergence and growth in recent decades of youth-led issues-based movements worldwide, there have been scarce opportunities for young people to have a voice in national and global networks for action on Antarctica. Furthermore, both Antarctic decision-makers and academia have not paid a great deal of attention to youth participation in Antarctic affairs. Drawing on a youth expedition to King George Island in February 2020, the authors designed the Antarctic Youth Coalition as an experiment in youth participation. As a result of the formation of the Antarctic Youth Coalition across five Antarctic gateway cities, we proposed that AYC to provides conceptual and practical platforms for a deeper interrogation of youth participation in Antarctic political, social, economic and environmental matters of concern. This article highlights sustained and active engagement with Antarctic youth projects and the role that young people can play in Antarctic cultural diplomacy.

National Antarctic Program responses to fieldwork sexual harassment

AbstractSexual harassment is a common experience for women and those from other underrepresented groups in (white) male-dominated fields such as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Women are especially vulnerable to sexual harassment during remote scientific fieldwork. To date, most of the limited research on fieldwork harassment has focused on individual experiences. There is an urgent need for research on organizational approaches to fieldwork sexual harassment. This study fills this gap by examining sexual harassment prevention by National Antarctic Programs. It draws on a desktop analysis of 36 National Antarctic Program websites with a focus on the current availability and quality of sexual harassment policies and procedures in expeditioner handbooks/field manuals. Findings show that very few National Antarctic Programs make their expeditioner handbooks/field manuals publicly available (n= 9), and even fewer mention sexual harassment in the documentation or describe how to lodge a complaint (n= 3). This article concludes by offering some reasons as to why National Antarctic Programs may be neglecting this issue. It also provides practical recommendations for developing more substantive content in expeditioner handbooks/field manuals and for building inclusive fieldwork environments for a diverse range of expeditioners.

Brominated Flame Retardants in Antarctic Air in the Vicinity of Two All-Year Research Stations

Continuous atmospheric sampling was conducted between 2010–2015 at Casey station in Wilkes Land, Antarctica, and throughout 2013 at Troll Station in Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica. Sample extracts were analyzed for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and the naturally converted brominated compound, 2,4,6-Tribromoanisole, to explore regional profiles. This represents the first report of seasonal resolution of PBDEs in the Antarctic atmosphere, and we describe conspicuous differences in the ambient atmospheric concentrations of brominated compounds observed between the two stations. Notably, levels of BDE-47 detected at Troll station were higher than those previously detected in the Antarctic or Southern Ocean region, with a maximum concentration of 7800 fg/m3. Elevated levels of penta-formulation PBDE congeners at Troll coincided with local building activities and subsided in the months following completion of activities. The latter provides important information for managers of National Antarctic Programs for preventing the release of persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic substances in Antarctica.

Icebreaking polar class research vessels: New Antarctic fleet capabilities

Abstract Supporting Antarctic scientific investigation is the job of the national Antarctic programmes, the government entities charged with delivering their countries’ Antarctic research strategies. This requires sustained investment in people, innovative technologies, Antarctic infrastructures, and vessels with icebreaking capabilities. The recent endorsement of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Polar Code (2015) means that countries must address challenges related to an ageing icebreaking vessel fleet. Many countries have recently invested in and begun, or completed, builds on new icebreaking Polar research vessels. These vessels incorporate innovative technologies to increase fuel efficiency, to reduce noise output, and to address ways to protect the Antarctic environment in their design. This paper is a result of a Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP) project on new vessel builds which began in 2018. It considers the recent vessel builds of Australia’s RSV Nuyina, China’s MV Xue Long 2, France’s L’Astrolabe, Norway’s RV Kronprins Haakon, Peru’s BAP Carrasco, and the United Kingdom’s RRS Sir David Attenborough. The paper provides examples of purposeful consideration of science support requirements and environmental sustainability in vessel designs and operations.

Distributional records of Ross Sea (Antarctica) planktic Copepoda from bibliographic data and samples curated at the Italian National Antarctic Museum (MNA): checklist of species collected in the Ross Sea sector from 1987 to 1995

Distributional data on planktic copepods (Crustacea, Copepoda) collected in the framework of the IIIrd, Vth, and Xth Expeditions of the Italian National Antarctic Program (PNRA) to the Ross Sea sector from 1987 to 1995 are here provided. Sampling was performed with BIONESS and WP2 nets at 94 sampling stations at depths of 0–1,000 m, with a special focus on the Terra Nova Bay area. Altogether, this dataset comprises 6,027 distributional records, out of which 5,306 were obtained by digitizing original data reports and 721 are based on physical museum vouchers curated by the Italian National Antarctic Museum (MNA, Section of Genoa). The MNA samples include 8,224 individual specimens that were identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level. They belong to four orders, 25 families, 52 genera, and 82 morphological units (out of which 17 could be determined at the genus level only). A variety of environmental data were also recorded at each of the sampling stations, and we report original abundances (ind/m3) to enable future species distribution modelling. From a biogeographic point of view, the distributional data here reported represented new records for the Global Biogeographic Information Facility (GBIF) registry. In particular, 62% of the total number of species are new records for the Ross Sea sector and another 28% new records for the Antarctic region.

Coronavirus at the End of the World: Antarctica Matters

The potential impact of coronavirus on human impact both in Antarctica through tourism and scientific research as well as the Antarctic Treat System is reviewed over three time periods. In the short term, to April 2021, Antarctic tourism and field-based science will be severely reduced. The impact on Antarctic governance means that few, if any, international meetings will take place thereby leaving discussions on issues such as fishing quotas uncertain. Indeed the fact that the body charged with management of the Antarctic has, currently, no capacity to act collectively and remotely is striking. Looking to the medium term, say to April 2024, polar tourism is unlikely to have recovered and may face collapse unless alternatives are developed. Scientific research, organised through National Antarctic Programs could be reduced due to the economics of a global recession. Moving to a long-term view of five years or so, in terms of scientific activity, this will be highly dependent on the role and status of science in society following the pandemic and the extent to which science funding gets drawn into the economics of the recession. It is unlikely that cruise tourism will have regained its previous volumes though fishing, especially if food security becomes a major issue, is likely to increase pressure on environmental management mechanisms. Both these aspects will continue to put demands on the Antarctic Treaty System and its ability to respond to a fast changing global situation. In this latter sense, it could provide valuable lessons for other global agreements such as climate change and biodiversity.

Evaluating governance of national Antarctic programme: Universities' role in influencing the evolution of Malaysia's engagement on cross-border research of the Antarctic

National Antarctic Programmes (NAPs) need to keep an open mind regarding the effective governance arrangement because they involve complex international bodies and instruments of the Antarctic, and the multiple stakeholders involved at the domestic level. Without a proper setting, country's involvement in this kind of cross-border science programmes and international research collaborations would be a daunting task. Through qualitative approaches, this case study aims to evaluate the domestic governance of Malaysian Antarctic Research Programme (MARP). The result revealed that MARP has passed through several distinct stages of transformations in governance, and researchers from local universities have played significant roles. Several recommendations have been pointed out to reinforce MARP's domestic governance; a part of it to explore potential of public-private partnership and Quadruple Helix (Academia-driven) in diversifying financial resources and intensifying national interests. This study draws lessons from policy learning on a non-traditional Antarctic player trying to govern and sustain its NAP with limited resources; experiences and best practices in engaging cross-border research involving arrangement of multi-level governance; and capacity of university and its researchers in influencing policy-making process of the national research programme.

The retrospective analysis of Antarctic tracking data project

The Retrospective Analysis of Antarctic Tracking Data (RAATD) is a Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research project led jointly by the Expert Groups on Birds and Marine Mammals and Antarctic Biodiversity Informatics, and endorsed by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources. RAATD consolidated tracking data for multiple species of Antarctic meso- and top-predators to identify Areas of Ecological Significance. These datasets and accompanying syntheses provide a greater understanding of fundamental ecosystem processes in the Southern Ocean, support modelling of predator distributions under future climate scenarios and create inputs that can be incorporated into decision making processes by management authorities. In this data paper, we present the compiled tracking data from research groups that have worked in the Antarctic since the 1990s. The data are publicly available through biodiversity.aq and the Ocean Biogeographic Information System. The archive includes tracking data from over 70 contributors across 12 national Antarctic programs, and includes data from 17 predator species, 4060 individual animals, and over 2.9 million observed locations.

Is Antarctica under threat of alien species invasion?

The last decade has seen a rapid development of scientific, logistic and tourist activities, especially in the Antarctic region with the mildest climatic conditions: the Antarctic Peninsula. This region is also exhibiting rapid regional warming and all of the already diagnosed alien species in the Antarctic Treaty Area were found within the Antarctic Peninsula. Identifying potential invasive species that can threaten this pristine area of the Earth helps us to take specific preventive actions. This article is a commentary on Hughes et al., 26, 2702-2716.

Coronavirus at the end of the world: Antarctica matters.

The potential impact of coronavirus in Antarctica through tourism and scientific research as well as the Antarctic Treaty System is reviewed over three time periods. In the short term, to April 2021, Antarctic tourism and field-based research will be severely reduced. The impact on Antarctic governance means that few, if any, international meetings will take place thereby leaving discussions on issues, such as fishing quotas, uncertain. Looking to the medium term, to April 2024, polar tourism is unlikely to have recovered and may face collapse unless alternatives are developed. Scientific research, organised through National Antarctic Programs could be reduced due to the economics of a global recession. Moving to a long-term view of six years or so, in terms of scientific activity, this will be highly dependent on the role and status of science in society following the pandemic and the extent to which science funding gets drawn into the economics of the recession. It is unlikely that cruise tourism will have regained its previous volumes though fishing, especially if food security becomes a major issue, is likely to increase pressure on environmental management mechanisms. Both these aspects will continue to put demands on the Antarctic Treaty System and its ability to respond to a fast changing global situation. In this latter sense, it could provide valuable lessons, and also learn from, for other global agreements such as climate change and biodiversity.

Antarctic stations as workplaces: Adjustment of winter-over crew members

The living conditions at Antarctic stations can be challenging for support personnel. It has been; suggested that the experience of isolation and confinement can contribute to the emergence of the; winter-over syndrome. The present study adopts a Person-Environment fit approach to investigate; individual adjustment to the social constraints of an Isolated and Confined Environment (ICE). The; study gathered monthly data from 14 participants from five different stations, run by different National Antarctic Programmes. Results revealed that a lack of privacy generated by the confinement is associated with sleep disturbance. In addition, a high level of loneliness, experienced as a result of the; isolation, is positively related to cognitive impairment and negatively related to job satisfaction and; positive/negative mood ratio. The results further suggest that loneliness can be predicted by a predeployment; measure of need for affiliation, as well as levels of the personality traits of agreeableness; and extraversion.

Sustained Antarctic Research: A 21st Century Imperative

The view from the south is, more than ever, dominated by ominous signs of change. Antarctica and the Southern Ocean are intrinsic to the Earth system, and their evolution is intertwined with and influences the course of the Anthropocene. In turn, changes in the Antarctic affect and presage humanity's future. Growing understanding is countering popular beliefs that Antarctica is pristine, stable, isolated, and reliably frozen. An aspirational roadmap for Antarctic science has facilitated research since 2014. A renewed commitment to gathering further knowledge will quicken the pace of understanding of Earth systems and beyond. Progress is already evident, such as addressing uncertainties in the causes and pace of ice loss and global sea-level rise. However, much remains to be learned. As an iconic global “commons,” the rapidity of Antarctic change will provoke further political action. Antarctic research is more vital than ever to a sustainable future for this One Earth.