Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 08/04/2009 - 16:36
Forums
Seabird Ecology in the Bering Sea

Hi Tom,

It looks like you are having a blast and getting a chance to work with so many researchers and different projects. I was wondering if on a daily or weekly basis they are reviewing/analyzing the data that they are collecting? Do they measure any of their work against models, or are they creating their own?

Thanks and I hope you continue to have such a great time!

Michelle

Tue, 08/04/2009 - 23:17

Thomas Harten

Hi Michelle,The researchers here look at the data that comes in nearly every day.  What will make the data really valuable though is when we compile it over the course of the season and then look at the data from last year and frm this year.  The project is part of the Bering Sea Integrated Ecosystem Research Project (BSIERP).  What will happen is that BSIERP will have the database available to researchers conducting all kinds of scientific projects.
I am not aware of any modeling efforts that are underway with this project.  They are primarily looking at what they see the birds doing in relation to what is happening within the Bering Sea.  For example, there is a lot of interest in a large eddy system that has formed within the southern Bering Sea.  So me of our birds and at least one seal have visited the edge of this eddy.  Does this mean this this phenomenon is concentrating prey, drawing in the apex predators like fur seals and seabirds?
This is just one example of how this data can be useful.
Talk to you soon,
Tom
 

Wed, 08/05/2009 - 19:51

Guest

Thanks Tom,I think it is great that so many scientists are collaborating their efforts so that data is available to so many researchers. It will be interesting to see what the data shows.
Michelle