UC launches special research project to help Antarctic seals
UC launches special research project to help
Antarctic seals and penguins
February 17, 2013
The
University of Canterbury (UC) is launching a new research
project to help seals and penguins in the
Antarctic.
UC’s Gateway Antarctica director
Professor Bryan Storey announced today the special project
would be led by a new scientist with the UC team, Dr Regina
Eisert.
Funding for the five year project has been
provided by the United Nations Environment Programme through
the National Committee for the Republic of
Korea.
``The Antarctic is facing two big
challenges, climate change and human exploitation of marine
resources in the Southern Ocean,’’ Professor Storey
said.
``It is our mission to study how change will
affect individual species and the ecosystem as a whole, and
to train the next generation of Antarctic researchers.
Without knowledge or skilled, dedicated people, we cannot
protect Antarctic wildlife.
``Our research project
aims to address the impact of future change on seals,
penguins, seabirds and whales, and how best to negate the
effects of human activities such as
fisheries.
``Antarctic predators such as seals and
penguins have special ecological significance. They function
as sentinel species and have a disproportionate effect on
ecosystem function. Yet our understanding
of dependencies
and vulnerability to change in Antarctica is severely
limited by lack of data,’’ Professor Storey
said.
Seals and penguins were ideal species to
assess threats to the Antarctic because they seasonally
congregate on and near Ross Island, where they are uniquely
accessible and permit rigorous scientific
study.
The UC research team will be studying the
seals who must raise their young to independence and
complete an annual moult during the brief Antarctic
summer. Because no instruments can be attached to seals
during the moult, little is known about their behaviour
during this period.
UC scientists will monitor
seals remotely from December to February by installing
digital still cameras in the area. This postgraduate work
will provide solid data on information that is currently not
available.
``Building on a long tradition of
Antarctic research at UC, we have access to unique historic
samples of seals and penguins dating back 100
years.
``Our research is dedicated to training the
next generation of scientists and professionals and to
instil a sense of excitement for the unique natural wonder
that is Antarctica,’’ Professor Storey
said.
ENDS