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Nature & Environment

Scientists to explore 'mystery' ecosystem

By T.K. Randall
February 12, 2018 · Comment icon 7 comments

The iceberg split from the Larsen C Ice Shelf. Image Credit: NASA ICE
A new expedition is set to investigate an unexplored ecosystem hidden beneath a huge Antarctic iceberg.
Led by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), the team will leave the Falklands next week to explore a previously uncharted region of the sea floor that has until recently been hidden beneath an iceberg.

The huge chunk of ice, which has been dubbed A68, broke off from the Larsen C Ice Shelf in July.

The expedition is considered particularly urgent because the area will see rapid change after being exposed to sunlight for the first time in up to 120,000 years.
"The calving of A68 provides us with a unique opportunity to study marine life as it responds to dramatic environmental change," said marine biologist and expedition leader Dr Katrin Linse.

"It's important we get there quickly before the undersea environment changes as sunlight enters the water and new species begin to colonise. We've put together a team with a wide range of scientific skills so that we can collect as much information as possible in a short time. It's very exciting."

The team will use underwater cameras and other specialized equipment to photograph what lies on the sea floor and to collect samples of the animals, microbes and plankton that live there.

"Now is the time to address fundamental questions about the sustainability of polar continental shelves under climate change," said Professor David Vaughan. "We need to be bold on this one."

Source: Sky News | Comments (7)




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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #1 Posted by MissJatti 6 years ago
Finally they will be able to find Hitler's Nazi Base or the Alien Base that some people truly believes in.
Comment icon #2 Posted by Still Waters 6 years ago
That should be interesting. I hope they publish their findings afterwards for us to see.
Comment icon #3 Posted by Not A Rockstar 6 years ago
This is probably the one scientific effort going on right now I am especially intrigued by. If we can prevent it from being compromised with modern environment much perhaps we will find some extinct forms of life still extant there and perhaps learn more about Earth's past. Something new on mono-cellular life or a new shrimp maybe :). I would be especially thrilled if they found some ancient floral still possible to be cloned and see alive again. That would be cool. Was there a time period when the Antarctic was free of ice and closer to temperate for plants or even trees to get going on it? O... [More]
Comment icon #4 Posted by Still Waters 6 years ago
They've been forced to abandon their mission.  
Comment icon #5 Posted by evefromgh 6 years ago
So not gonna happen again, at all? What if sunlight gets into the caves we miss a chance to study things that we would have otherwise known. I for one, wish I was  apart of the first team to go there.
Comment icon #6 Posted by khol 6 years ago
Hi and welcome to the forum    I know what you mean   being on the fore front of these kinds of science expeditions would  be incredibly exciting!!  Ive thought the same about archeological digs some people get all the fun   
Comment icon #7 Posted by evefromgh 6 years ago
Thanks for the welcome greet, and yes how come some professions only get to do the cooler stuff??


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