Polarstern examines re-colonization of the seafloor in Antarctica
Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI)
Published: 6 January 2004
AWI launched the first Antarctic field experiment simulating iceberg scraping to study how marine life recolonizes the seafloor, offering insight into ecosystem recovery, stress tolerance, and the need for conservation.
Keywords: Antarctica, iceberg scraping, seafloor colonization, AWI, benthic fauna, ecosystem recovery, marine ecology
Scientists investigate Krill in the South-Polar Ocean
Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI)
Published: 6 May 2004
Scientists aboard Polarstern studied krill in the Lazarev Sea, revealing surprising larval abundance under sea ice and concerns about krill population stability amid growing industrial interest and environmental change.
Keywords: krill, Lazarev Sea, Polarstern, AWI, Antarctic ecosystem, GLOBEC, CCAMLR
Decoded gene sequence of the diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana
Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI)
Published: 29 September 2004
Scientists have sequenced the genome of marine diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana for the first time, uncovering animal-like metabolism, red algal genes, and traits that blur plant-animal lines—shedding light on evolution, ecology, and carbon cycling.
Keywords: diatom, Thalassiosira pseudonana, genome sequencing, urea cycle, endosymbiosis, carbon cycle, metabolic pathways
