Lowther, Andrew and von Quillfeldt, Cecilie and Assmy, Philipp and De Steur, Laura and Descamps, Sebastien and Divine, Dmitry and Elvevold, Synnøve and Forwick, Matthias and Fransson, Agneta and Fraser, Alexander and Gerland, Sebastian and Granskog, Mats and Hallanger, Ingeborg and Hattermann, Tore and Itkin, Mikhail and Hop, Haakon and Husum, Katrine and Kovacs, Kit and Lydersen, Christian and Matsuoka, Kenichi and Miettinen, Arto and Moholdt, Geir and Moreau, Sebastien and Myhre, Per Inge and Orme, Lisa and Pavlova, Olga and Tandberg, Ann Helene (2022) A review of the scientific knowledge of the seascape off Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica. Polar Biology, 45 (8). pp. 1313-1349. ISSN 0722-4060

Download (3MB)

Abstract

Despite the exclusion of the Southern Ocean from assessments of progress towards achieving the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Strategic Plan, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) has taken on the mantle of progressing eforts to achieve it. Within the CBD, Aichi Target 11 represents an agreed commitment to protect 10% of the global coastal and marine environment. Adopting an ethos of presenting the best available scientifc evidence to support policy makers, CCAMLR has progressed this by designating two Marine Protected Areas in the Southern Ocean, with three others under consideration. The region of Antarctica known as Dronning Maud Land (DML; 20°W to 40°E) and the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean that abuts it conveniently spans one region under consideration for spatial protection. To facilitate both an open and transparent process to provide the vest available scientifc evidence for policy makers to formulate management options, we review the body of physical, geochemical and biological knowledge of the marine environment of this region. The level of scientifc knowledge throughout the seascape abutting DML is polarized, with a clear lack of data in its eastern part which is presumably related to difering levels of research efort dedicated by national Antarctic programmes in the region. The lack of basic data on fundamental aspects of the physical, geological and biological nature of eastern DML make predictions of future trends difcult to impossible, with implications for the provision of management advice including spatial management. Finally, by highlighting key knowledge gaps across the scientifc disciplines our review also serves to provide guidance to future research across this important region.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Open Access funding provided by Norwegian Polar Institute
Keywords:	Antarctica; Biophysics; Knowledge; Dronning Maud Land; Marine; Spatial management;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Geography Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Institutes > Irish Climate Analysis and Research Units, ICARUS
Item ID:	18770
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-022-03059-8
Depositing User:	Corinne Voces
Date Deposited:	21 Aug 2024 14:53
Journal or Publication Title:	Polar Biology
Publisher:	Springer Link
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://link.springer.com/journal/300
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

Repository Staff Only(login required)

Item control page

Downloads

Origin of downloads