Linking Biology to Physics in an Arctic Ocean Observing System: Development of a Distributed Biological Observatory (DBO) in the Pacific Arctic

Although recent major changes in the physical domain of the Arctic are well documented such as extreme retreats of summer sea ice since 2007, large uncertainties remain regarding potential responses in the biological domain. In the Pacific Arctic north of Bering Strait, reduction in sea ice extent has been seasonally asymmetric, with minimal changes until the end of June and delayed sea ice formation in late autumn. The effect of this seasonal asymmetry in sea ice loss on ocean primary production is equivocal, with satellite images showing variable chlorophyll concentrations with no secular shifts for the region as a whole over 2003–2008. However clear changes have occurred at higher trophic levels, including shifts in species ranges for zooplankton, benthos and fish, and loss of sea ice as habitat and platform for marine mammal species. To increase understanding of potential ecosystem changes under further loss of sea ice, the participants of a Bio-Ice Workshop initiated the implementation of a Distributed Biological Observatory (DBO) in the Pacific Arctic, focused on three hotspot locations along a latitudinal gradient from the northern Bering to the western Beaufort Seas. The DBO is envisioned as a change detection array for the identification and consistent monitoring of biophysical responses in pivotal geographic areas that exhibit high productivity, biodiversity and rates of change. The three regions proposed are the: 1) Bering Strait/SE Chukchi Sea, 2) Central Chukchi Sea, and 3) Barrow Arc. Stations in these regions can be visited through an international network of ship operations, both ongoing and planned. These include Canadian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian and USA research vessels, coordinated through the international Pacific Arctic Group (PAG), and land based research from coastal communities using helicopter and small ships. Incorporation of the DBO concept within the development of the international Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks (SAON) process will provide a foundation for a system-level investigation of the biological response to arctic climate change and for improving the linkage between community-based monitoring and science-based measurements.