Investigator:
Zhemin Xuan
Advisor:
Gaboury Benoit
Start Date:
December, 2013
Description:
The rapid climate change impacts seaice and food web dynamics along the West Antarctic Peninsula. Phytoplankton was estimated via SeaWiFS chlorophyll image data. Change of radiation due to the thinner ice cover is regarded as the main reason of the variation of the phytoplankton population and distribution. My hypothesis is that UV radiation change caused by ozone depletion might also play a main role in determining the abundance of phytoplankton.
Comparison between the pattern of the ozone hole and phytoplankton might help identify the time lag if there is a causal relationship between them. So that the distribution of phytoplankton, the base of the food web along the West Antarctic Peninsula could be predicted.