The northern Chukchi Shelf receives large inputs of organic matter from the highly productive shelf regions of the North Pacific and from local sources of primary production, including algae in the ice and sediment and phytoplankton in the water column. As a result, highly productive biological "hotspots " have been documented in the vicinity of Hanna Shoal. Because of the biological significance of this region and its importance for oil and gas exploration and development, the team is planning a multi-disciplinary investigation to examine the biological, chemical and physical properties that define this ecosystem. Previous work in the area has profiled the biogeochemistry of the northern Chuckhi sea but this study will focus more particularly on the Hanna Shoal region, looking at phytoplankton and zooplankton in the open ocean as well as the physical oceanography through direct measurement of circulation, density fields and ice conditions. |