Figura 1 – Detalhe de Empetrum nigrum, observada no sul da Islândia, em 28 de junho de 2020

Curiosamente, enquanto a maioria das aves limícolas na Islândia tem adiantado as datas de chegada na Primavera, de acordo com o aumento das temperaturas locais, os maçaricos-galegos não demonstram qualquer alteração na fenologia da chegada às áreas de reprodução ao longo das últimas três décadas e a população mantém-se estável. Apesar dos artrópodes serem presas importantes para esta e outras espécies de aves limícolas, o aumento da temperatura que se faz notar a altas latitudes sugere um avanço na sua disponibilidade, o que os poderá tornar um recurso insuficiente. No entanto, sabemos que os maçaricos-galegos também consomem bagas de Empetrum nigrum, um arbusto que é bastante abundante e poderá permitir que esta população mantenha os seus efetivos e taxas demográficas, mesmo sem alterar a sua fenologia.
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As complicações causadas pela pandemia da COVID-19 atrasaram a nossa missão, e, consequentemente, a recolha de dados foi bastante mais reduzida do que o previsto. Não obstante, assegurámos uma amostragem razoável de abundância de bagas e da fenologia reprodutora dos maçaricos-galegos e de Empetrum nigrum, o que permitirá uma investigação preliminar sobre possíveis desfasamentos temporais entre ambos. Adicionalmente, foram recolhidos vários dejetos de crias em desenvolvimento para avaliar o consumo e a importância relativa de Empetrum nigrum para a espécie.

Nas próximas semanas, após triar as amostras e analisar os dados, saberemos mais sobre a interação entre maçaricos-galegos e Empetrum nigrum.

Figura 1: Novas instalações da Base Antártica Comandante Ferraz, inauguradas a 15 de janeiro de 2020.

After 30 days, we have finally reached the end of expedition. The already familiar silhouette of the recently inaugurated Comandante Ferraz Antarctic Station greets us as we make our last preparations before disembarking. Amidst cargo manifests, lab cleaning and cruise reports, we remind ourselves of everything we went through the last four weeks at high sea. We remind ourselves how it is not easy to go against the tide when seeking to achieve our scientific goals, particularly when internal and/or external factors affect our work. Nevertheless, we also remind ourselves just how much polar science is worth, because of Antarctica’s uniqueness as a marine ecosystem and all the challenges it poses us, leading us to do everything in our power to advance science.

All in all, a total of 68 distinct stations were sampled during the cruise. Just for the study of the phytoplankton communities, we collected over 600 samples. Nonetheless, it is important to stress how multidisciplinary was this cruise: samples were collected for the following parameters and biological components: archae, bacteria, phytoplankton, zooplankton, cetaceans, pH, alkalinity, carbon, oxygen, stable isotopes and microplastics.

We are now awaiting our flight from the Chilean Antarctic base Presidente Eduardo Frei Montalva to Punta Arenas, where we will be back in “civilization”. Above all, we are highly motivated to go back to our works and start working on our samples. Finally, I would like to thank PROPOLAR for the financial and logistical support, without which I would not have had the privilege to return to Antarctica. Greetings from Antarctica and thank you to everyone who accompanied our expedition through these few and short posts.

Figura 1: Sistema CTD-Rosette, o sistema que nos permite recolher água a diferentes profundidades em cada estação oceanográfica, em utilização.

Figura 2: Corredor que liga o hangar à popa do navio, local de passagem frequente para a equipa de investigadores.

We’re already halfway into our journey and in the ‘ROV Laboratory’, as the small lab facing the hangar is called, we, the phytoplankton team are working day and night. This year, the ‘phyto’ team is made up of four members, two from Brazil and two from Portugal: Rafael, Raul and Pedro, from the Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG) and I (Afonso), from MARE-ULisboa (University of Lisbon). Rafael, the other Portuguese among this group, is a professor at FURG and is already a veteran in terms of Antarctic expeditions. Furthermore, he is the chief scientist, leading a multidisciplinary team comprising of over twenty researchers. Pedro and Raul are graduation students at FURG, both under Rafael’s supervision, taking their first steps in science.

As mentioned above, our work focuses in the study of phytoplankton communities. On the one hand, samples are collected to determine and quantify phytoplankton pigments at several depth levels along the water column. Pigments are highly useful because they allow us to evaluate the state of phytoplankton communities, as well as, through chemotaxonomy, to identify and quantify the main phytoplankton groups within the community. Phytoplankton samples, subsequently analysed using light microscopy, were also collected and  will be used to compare with and validate the results from chemotaxonomy.
On the other hand, we are also collecting samples towards the identification and cell counts of coccolithophores (calcareous nanophytoplankton). Coccolithophores are key organisms in the carbon cycle, being one of the main oceanic groups responsible for carbon export. Despite being a group typically associated with warmer waters (at lower latitudes), studies have reported an expansion in its distribution towards higher latitudes, linked with ocean warming. Thus, these samples will allow us, at MARE-ULisboa, to evaluate the potential use of coccolithophores as proxies of the expansion of warmer, nutrient-poor water masses from the South Atlantic.

The in-situ work aboard Almirante Maximiano and its subsequent analyses will be used to complement and validate ocean colour satellite datasets for the Northern Antarctic Peninsula, seeking to answer FACT’s main goal: understand the dynamics between phytoplankton and climate variability in this region. However, let’s keep this part of the work for when we return to shore. Until then, there are still many nautical miles to cover before our journey ends.

Figura 1: O Navio Polar Almirante Maximiano no cais de Punta Arenas, aguardando a partida para águas mais frias

Figura 2: Mapa do setor norte da Península Antártida, incluindo as Ilhas Órcades do Sul (South Orkney Islands).

Figura 3: Puerto Williams (Chile), o último porto antes da Passagem de Drake.

After a long year, we find ourselves again onboard the research vessel ‘Navio Polar Almirante Maximiano’, heading straight to Antarctica. ‘Tio Max’ (‘Uncle Max’ in Portuguese), as the ship is fondly called by its crew, is already on its 11th Antarctic expedition (38th in total of the Brazilian Antarctic Programme). Our goal? Follow up on the work we performed in January 2019, now under the FACT - Links between phytoplankton dynamics and climate Forcing in NW AntarCTica project.
At a quick glance, nothing has changed. The ship still boldly crosses the Drake Passage, the Brazilian rhythms and accents still echo its halls and rice and black bean, staples of the Brazilian cuisine, still headline our meals. While the research projects which lead the expedition – EcoPelagos and PROVOCCAR, both led by the High Latitude Oceanography Group (GOAL), based in the Federal University of the Rio Grande do Sul – are new, half of the research team onboard accompanied us during PHYTONAP, last year (see PHYTONAP posts in last year’s campaign PROPOLAR blog: http://www.propolar.org/diario-de-campanha-2018-19/category/phyto-nap).

Nevertheless, something very important has changed: the sampling plan. Last year, sampling spanned four regions along the Northern Antarctic Peninsula: the Bransfield and Gerlache straits and the Bellingshausen and Weddell seas. Now, the plan goes beyond the Antarctic Peninsula, stretching as far as the South Orkney Islands. The archipelago is a biodiversity hotspot and is characterised by high primary productivity. Furthermore, the region between the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Orkney is an important route of deep-water masses exportation from the Weddell Sea, contributing to the global thermohaline circulation.

From 9th February to 9th March, more than 50 sampling stations will be performed in Antarctic waters, seeking to study the biological, chemical and physical components of the water column. Ranging from the phytoplankton communities to cetaceans, from macronutrient availability to the existent water masses in the region, the Antarctic ecosystem will be considered.