Aquarium senior educator Jo Blasi has recently returned from an expedition to Antarctica where she helped scientists based out of the Palmer Long Term Ecological Research station. They are examining changes in the marine ecosystem and climate change. Jo also took excursions to see native wildlife. Here are some of her pictures and video.

Read all her posts to learn about her expedition, research and marine life encountered during the trip.

Gorgeous views! (Photo: Jo Blasi | New England Aquarium/Palmer LTER)

It was hard to believe, but it was finally time to head home. After working hard for several weeks, the LMG and her crew headed back north. As we spent our last few days in Antarctic waters, we were fortunate to have fantastic weather and to see some spectacular views of the Western Antarctic Peninsula! Everyone was out taking pictures of the amazing ice covered peaks, icebergs and wildlife.

Ice everywhere (Photo: Jo Blasi | New England Aquarium/Palmer LTER)

The time for fun was short-lived, however. Within the week, the LMG returned to Palmer Station, transferred personnel and gear, crossed the Drake Passage and was back in Punta Arenas. And just like that, my time in Antarctica was over.

L. M. Gould (Photo: Jo Blasi | New England Aquarium/Palmer LTER)

Enjoying the nice weather (Photo: Jo Blasi | New England Aquarium/Palmer LTER)

Back at home, I’m beginning to process all that I’ve seen and done…and sorting through close to 6,000 photographs. Looking through my photos I find images of blue icebergs, towering glaciers, penguins with their chicks, phytoplankton underneath the microscope, sunsets on mountain peaks. I also see pictures of people working hard to collect scientific information on this environment, an environment that is changing rapidly as temperatures rise due to climate change.

Algae and diatoms underneath the microscope (Credit: Grace Saba | Rutgers University)

Gentoo parent and chicks (Photo: Jo Blasi | New England Aquarium/Palmer LTER)

Ecosystems run on a delicate balance. Everything relies on something else. Here, microbes help transform nutrients, phytoplankton feeds krill, krill feeds penguins and whales, seals eat penguins. As temperatures rise rapidly over the western side of the peninsula, changes are occurring and the important connections between organisms are being altered. LTER scientists are trying to determine the connections are and this year’s data adds one more piece to the puzzle.

Krill...part of the puzzle (Photo: Jo Blasi | New England Aquarium/Palmer LTER)

Gentoo penguins at Neko Harbor (Photo: Jo Blasi | New England Aquarium/Palmer LTER)

So what did we find? Some answers will have to wait until samples can be analyzed back in the lab. Other observations are more immediately answered. Adélie penguin colonies changed in size. A species of algae was observed in an area it is usually not found. Higher primary productivity levels were seen as we travelled south. Crabeater seals were abundant in areas of high crystal krill (Euphausia crystallorophias) concentrations. All of the research done gives scientists a clearer picture of what’s happening in the Western Antarctic Peninsula puzzle this year.

Leopard seal on the ice (Photo: Jo Blasi | New England Aquarium/Palmer LTER)

But what does this mean for the bigger picture? Changes are happening. What the ultimate result will be is a bit harder to determine. I can’t help but wonder if this polar environment will be here for future generations. I hope so. I’m thankful to have seen it and to have worked alongside the dedicated LTER researchers who study this amazing area. It’s now time for me to help in my own way, telling others about this stunning environment. Humans have become part of Antarctica’s, and the ocean’s, delicate balance. Hopefully we can make positive changes that lead to healthy ecosystems and a healthy ocean for our future.

Humpback whale cruising by (Photo: Jo Blasi | New England Aquarium/Palmer LTER)

Photo: Jo Blasi | New England Aquarium/Palmer LTER

Many of Jo's entries are cross posted on the Palmer Long Term Ecological Research Station site here. Learn more about the Palmer Long Term Ecological Research Station and meet some researchers and explore the station with our archived Google+ Hangout with Palmer!

Aquarium senior educator Jo Blasi has recently returned from an expedition to Antarctica where she helped scientists based out of the Palmer Long Term Ecological Research station. They are examining changes in the marine ecosystem and climate change. Jo also took excursions to see native wildlife. Here are some of her pictures and video.

Read all her posts to learn about her expedition, research and marine life encountered during the trip.

Gentoo penguins in Antarctica

A short boat ride from the research vessel was a colony of gentoo penguins, one of the many species spotted during her trip. Here's a video of the penguins Neko Harbor!






Many of Jo's entries are cross posted on the Palmer Long Term Ecological Research Station site here. Learn more about the Palmer Long Term Ecological Research Station and meet some researchers and explore the station with our archived Google+ Hangout with Palmer!

Adélie penguin

Chinstrap penguin

Gentoo penguins

Adélie penguin carrying a rock to help build its nest

Adélie adult with two chicks

Out for a swim—porpoising Adélie penguin

Staring contest between a gentoo penguin and elephant seal. The seal won.

Happy!

This isn't Jo's first encounter with penguins. She rescued endangered African penguins in South Africa in 2011. If you still can't get enough penguins, check out Brian Skerry's penguin images from his trip to Antarctica in 2010.

All of Jo's entries are cross posted on the Palmer Long Term Ecological Research Station site here. Track her progress on the R/V Gould, and learn more about the Palmer Long Term Ecological Research Station.

Brian Skerry, Antarctica Expedition

Although I had seen a number of penguins in the first few days of this journey, I really got to see penguins when we landed at a Gentoo nesting colony in a location called Culverville. The numbers of Gentoo penguins on the peninsula have been steadily increasing in recent years, largely due to the fact that more land is becoming available with the retreating glacial ice. Gentoos nest on rocks, not ice, and recent climate change has actually helped to increase their stocks.


Gentoo penguins on ice. (Photo: Brian Skerry)


Penguins on the snow. (Photo: Brian Skerry)

I landed by Zodiac on the beach and immediately saw penguins walking at the water's edge. I hiked up the side of a mountain to where the land leveled out a bit and found penguin central! Everywhere I looked I could see the little black and white birds waddling around. Thousands of Gentoos were in this location, with tightly grouped individual colonies scattered over the mountainside.



Gentoo penguin with a chick. (Photo: Brian Skerry)

I have photographed a number of bird species in my career, but nothing quite like this. As anyone visiting the New England Aquarium knows, you just cannot get enough of penguins! These little birds have an awful lot of personality and I spent hours just watching their behaviors and making pictures. They showed no fear of our presence among them and simply went about their daily routines of nest building, caring for eggs or chicks and swimming in the frigid seas.


Gentoo penguins with icebergs. (Photo: Brian Skerry)

The sky was overcast with some patches of blue and from my high perch I looked out over an ocean filled with icebergs. It was a spectacular setting. The wilderness of mountain, sea, snow, ice and penguins was breathtaking. We were the only people for hundreds, maybe thousands of miles around and we were enjoying an encounter of a lifetime.

- Brian