Karnovsky, N. J., Pomona College, Claremont, USA, nina.karnovsky@pomona.edu
Harding, A. ., Alaska Pacific University, Anchorage, USA, aharding@usgs.gov
Gremillet, D. ., CNRS, Montpellier, France, david.gremillet@cefe.cnrs.fr
Walkusz, W. ., Institute of Oceanology, Sopot, Poland, walwo@iopan.gda.pl
Welcker, J. ., Norwegian Polar Insitute, Tromso, Norway, jorg.welcker@npolar.no
Wiktor, J. ., Institute of Oceanology, Sopot, Poland, wiktors@neostrada.pl
Routti, H. ., Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromso, Norway, heli.routti@npolar.no
Kwasniewski, S. ., Institute of Oceanology, Sopot, Poland, kwas@iopan.gda.pl
Bailey, A. ., Pomona College, Claremont, USA, allison.bailey@unis.no
McFadden, L. ., Pomona College, Claremont, USA, laurel.mcfadden@pomona.edu

CONTRASTING CONDITIONS IN THE GREENLAND SEA: IMPLICATIONS FOR ENERGY TRANSFER TO HIGHER TROPHIC LEVELS.

The Greenland Sea is characterized by Arctic water flowing south from the Arctic Ocean along east Greenland, warm water flowing north from the Atlantic Ocean, and cold Arctic water flowing north in the Sorkapp current, adjacent to the west coast of Spitsbergen. Each of these water masses carries with it different zooplankton communities. Adjacent to Greenland, there are high densities of the large, lipid-rich copepod Calanus hyperboreus. The Atlantic influenced water carries with it high densities of small Calanus finmarchicus. Adjacent to Spitsbergen, the Sorkapp current carries high densities of medium-sized Calanus glacialis. Zooplanktivorous little auks (Alle alle) are abundant seabirds that breed adjacent to all of these water masses. Here we examine the impact the different physical and biological conditions have on the distribution of foraging little auks measured by at-sea surveys, their diving behavior (measured by time-depth-recorders), and the prey they feed their chicks. The Greenland Sea provides a good model to explore how future increases in warmer water and decreases in the strength of currents with Arctic origins, may impact upper trophic predators in sub-polar seas.

Oral presentation

Presentation is given by student: No
Session #:034
Date: 03-04-2008
Time: 08:45