August 9, 2021: Seabird and Marine Mammal Surveys
Image courtesy of Katrin Iken, University of Alaska Fairbanks. Download larger version (jpg, 743 KB).
Callie Gesmundo on the bridge of Research Vessel Sikuliaq observing seabirds and marine mammals during the Gulf of Alaska Seamounts 2019 expedition. Seabird and marine mammal surveys were an important part of the expedition’s “ecosystem perspective” to understanding environmental change in the region. Scientists on the expedition also investigated microbial communities in seawater and seafloor environments surrounding explored seamounts; water column (planktonic) organisms; and invertebrate and fish benthic (seafloor) communities on and off the seamounts. This work will help us better understand the diversity of marine life in this underexplored region of economic importance that is also poised to undergo unprecedented change.
From: Feathery Friends.