Monash to lead extraordinary new Antarctic biodiversity expedition
The Olsen Valley on South Georgia, one of the islands to be visited by the Antarctic circumnavigation Expedition. Image: Steven L. Chown, Monash University.
Monash University will lead the terrestrial biodiversity component of a major new expedition to better understand Antarctic ecosystems, it was announced today.
Using powerful new genetic and computational approaches the team will address a major, unresolved question in modern biology: how has life evolved and spread around the Antarctic region, both in the past and today?
The Monash-led project, A Functional Biogeography of the Antarctic (AFBA) forms part of the Antarctic Circumnavigation Expedition (ACE). ACE involves 22 projects, 55 researchers and 19 countries and is the first project of the newly created Swiss Polar Institute.
Professor Steven Chown of Monash’s School of Biological Sciences will lead an international group of 24 scientists from Australia (Monash University, South Australian Museum, University of Queensland, Australian Antarctic Division, CSIRO), France (Université de Rennes 1, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, INRA, Rennes), Germany (Zoologische Staatssammlung München), New Zealand (University of Waikato, New Zealand Department of Conservation), the Russian Federation (Moscow State Pedagogical University), South Africa (Stellenbosch University, University of Johannesburg), the U.K. (British Antarctic Survey) and the U.S.A. (University of Kentucky) to investigate terrestrial biodiversity of the region and its responses to rapid and extensive environmental change.
From 20 December to 18 March, the team will visit many sites across the sub-Antarctic and Antarctica as part of the Antarctic Circumnavigation Expedition.
Professor Chown outlined the significance of this expedition and its expected outcomes.
“This major Antarctic expedition is highly likely to uncover new species of animals and plants, which, in itself is very exciting,” Professor Chown said. “Crucially the findings will help us develop new ways to help conserve biodiversity in the Antarctic region as well as providing innovative tools to help managers reduce threats to ecosystems from invasive species as a result of climate change,” Professor Chown said.
The Functional Biogeography of the Antarctic project will leave a substantial legacy, including:
- Resolution of fundamental questions about how life has evolved in the Antarctic
- Discovery of species new to science
- Improved understanding of the region to the benefit of conservation management during times of rapid change
- Publicly accessible information and products to improve knowledge and appreciation of the Antarctic’s wilderness value, conservation significance and sheer beauty
- Education and inspiration of a new cohort of polar scientists and enthusiasts.
The Antarctic Circumnavigation Expedition is the inaugural expedition of the Swiss Polar Institute and is supported by Ferring Pharmaceuticals, the Swiss Polar Institute and the École polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne.