Islands of ice: Influence of free-drifting Antarctic icebergs on pelagic marine ecosystems

• Main Authors: Vernet, Maria, Smith Jr., Kenneth L., Cefarelli, Adrián Oscar, Helly, John J., Kaufmann, Ronald S., Lin, Hai, Long, David G., Murray, Alison E., Robison, Bruce H., Ruhl, Henry A., Shaw, Timothy J., Sherman, Alana D., Sprintall, Janet, Stephenson Jr., Gordon R., Stuart, Keith M., Twining, Benjamin S.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: Ciencias Naturales; Iceberg; Región antártica; Oceanografía; Ecosistema marino; Antarctic; Antarctic Peninsula; Southern Ocean; The Antarctic; West Antarctica; Antarc*; Antarctica; Antártica; Iceberg*
• Online Access: http://sedici.unlp.edu.ar/handle/10915/84316

Regional warming around West Antarctica, including the Antarctic Peninsula, is related to the retreat of glaciers that has resulted in significant ice mass loss in recent decades. We examined freedrifting icebergs in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean in December 2005, aboard ARSV Laurence M. Gould, and in June 2008 and March/April 2009, aboard RVIB Nathaniel B. Palmer. Prior to these studies, little information was available about the effects of icebergs on the pelagic realm. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo