Bering Sea Benthic Studies
Meet the Team
Graduate Student - Emily Davenport
Western Washington University
Emily Davenport, a first year graduate student in the Environmental Science Department at Western Washington University, also participated in the research cruise to conduct her thesis research on benthic communities, nutrient cycling, and climate change. At the time, she was a participant in a program funded by the National Science Foundation that places graduate students around the country in middle school science classrooms to improve science education. Ms. Davenport worked with sixth grade students at Nooksack Valley Middle School in Everson, WA and utilized the PolarTREC Virtual Base Camp to interact with students while on the cruise.
Researcher - David Shull
University of Washington
David Shull, an Assistant Professor at Western Washington University, studies invertebrate communities in estuaries and continental shelf sediments. He is particularly interested in the roles that benthic organisms play in the function of coastal ecosystems.
Journals
August 14, 2008 Three months later
Well, it's been three months since I got off the Healy from our spring research cruise. Sometimes it feels like longer than that!!
What have I been doing since the Healy? First of all, I've been enjoying being back on dry land and spending time with family and friends. I've also been hard at...
April 30, 2008 Nearing the end of our adventure
Even with science occurring round the clock on Healy, there still has to be time for a little fun. Scientists and crew alike have been going a little stir crazy around here due to the fact that up until recently we were in open water for almost a week. This means no ice stations, and very little...
April 24, 2008 In search of the spring bloom and a visit to Zhemchug Canyon
Depth: 175 meters
Temperature: 30 degrees F
I first want to mention that during our science personnel exchange, a journalist/scientist joined our crew. Her name is Gaelin Rosenwaks, and she is on board to help out and learn about what every group is doing on board Healy. She is keeping an online...
April 20, 2008 Off the coast of St. Paul Island
Depth: Less than 50 meters
This is my first journal entry in about week, and I can't say it's because I've been really busy. It's more because there hasn't been a whole lot happening for our group lately. In my last journal I mentioned some of the reasons why we might not get good cores- well,...
April 12, 2008 A day in the life of a mud core...
Depth: 50 meters
Well, I will reveal the mystery of the cups, as I don't want to keep everyone in suspense TOO long! Due to the amount of air in Styrofoam and the pressure of the water, the cups shrink to a miniature version of themselves. These cups started out at about 12 ounces- think of a...
Project Information
BEST: Denitrification and global change in Bering Sea shelf sediments
Bering Sea
27 March 2008
6 May 2008
Where are They?
The team traveled on the USCGC Healy to the Bering Sea. The Bering Sea lies to the west of Alaska and to the east of Russia. The team departed from and returned to the port of Dutch Harbor, Alaska, the most productive fishing port in the United States.
What are they Doing?
A diverse research team aboard the icebreaker, U.S. Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) Healy conducted sampling along a series of transects over the eastern Bering Sea. Research on the ship is multidisciplinary, and is part of the Bering Ecosystem Study. The scientists onboard used a variety of techniques to measure the productivity of the Bering Sea ecosystem. Measurements include temperature, salinity and nutrient content of the sea water, changes in sea ice cover, and the concentration of nutrients used and released by phytoplankton. They also conducted surveys of zooplankton, fish, seabirds, and marine mammals such as walrus and seal, to assess the health of these populations. These measurements will give scientists an indication of the current status of the Bering Sea ecosystem and any potential changes occurring in the marine environment that might change the continued use of its resources, and the economic, social and cultural sustainability of the people who depend on it.
Resources
| Title | Date | About | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bering Sea Benthic Studies with Emily Davenport | 1 May 2008 | This archive is from the Live from IPY! Event held May 1, 2008 with Emily Davenport and other... | Event |
Journal Map
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