 exploring, preserving and protecting the genetic diversity of the world's oceans
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OGL Newsletter
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Greetings!
At this time of year, the term "polar biodiversity" may invoke images of Santa Claus, reindeer, or the Coca-Cola polar bear, but this issue is about real polar sea ice biodiversity! Sea ice is alive with organisms that live in, on and around the ice. Read on to learn more about sea ice, its unique biodiversity, and OGL's DNA archive of Antarctic critters...
And, as always, follow our expeditions and other news from the marine world on our Facebook and Twitter pages!
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Biodiversity at the Poles
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Sea ice covers 3-7% of the surface area of our planet, depending on the season. Apart from being one of the most important climate variables and key indicator of climate change, sea ice also provides an extreme and changeable habitat for diverse organisms, which play an important role in the ecosystems of the polar seas.
All sea ice is not created equal. Land-fast ice is sea ice that has frozen along coasts ("fastened" to them) or to the sea floor, and extends out from land into sea. It does not move with currents and wind. In contrast, drift ice floats on the surface of the water. When packed together in large masses, drift ice is called pack ice. Many organisms rely on the interface between fast and drift ice for access to feeding areas, breeding grounds, migration routes, and permanent habitat.
 | | Sea ice biodiversity (www.arcodiv.org) |
The presence of year-round sea ice has allowed the evolution of ice-endemic species (species found only in sea ice). Some of these interesting creatures actually live within the ice in tiny (<1mm diameter) liquid filled pores and brine channels! These communities are dominated by bacteria and tiny unicellular plants and animals, many of which photosynthesize and are important primary producers. Click here to see photos of some of these sea ice-endemic critters.
Scientist now believe that global climate change is leading toward less and less permanent sea ice each year, making the future uncertain for organisms that depend on it. That is why OGL is working hard to document the diversity of sea ice creatures.
 | | Antarctic specimens in the Ocean Genome Resource DNA bank (images: www.eol.org) |
The Ocean Genome Resource, OGL's marine DNA bank, includes more than 4,000 individuals from Antarctica, collected during the Census of Marine Life's Antarctic surveys. The images at right show a small fraction of these species including the arthropod Nymphon australe (top), the crinoid Promachocrinus kerguelensis (middle, left), a sponge from the family Cladorhizidae (midle, center), the crustacean Notocragon antarcticus (middle, right), and the bristle-footed annelid worm Polyeunoa laevis (bottom).
***Want to learn more?***
Antarctica vs. the Arctic Fun Facts: The Antarctic is a continent surrounded by an ocean. The Arctic is an ocean surrounded by continents. Killer whales (orcas) are more than one species, according to genetic research and behavioral differences. Animation of observed shrinking of Arctic sea ice.
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| Coming Soon... |
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Medical Applications of Marine Research
Pain killers derived from toxic cone snail venom? Beauty products made from marine compounds? Tune in next month for more information on how research in the marine environment can benefit humans.
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Marbled cone snail displaying its hypodermic-like modified radula tooth with poison gland, used to attack and paralyze its prey before engulfing it.
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DONATE TO OGL
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Want to help OGL document and preserve the spectacular genetic diversity of our world's oceans? Visit http://www.oglf.org/Support.htm
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