March 2, 2007 — Remote and often locked in ice, the Arctic Circle is one of the most
variable, sensitive ecosystems on the planet. Now, several Norwegian institutions are joining forces to set up a
network of sensors to monitor the underwater environment there and its
renewable resources.
The network — piggybacked on oil pipelines,
seafloor platforms, cables and research vessels — could yield some of
the best data yet on even the smallest changes in the ecosystem.
The information will inform scientists about marine
resources from fuel to food.
The impetus for the project, said Olav Rune Godoe, head of the
research group at the Institute of Marine Research in Bergen, Norway,
came out of debates on the Barents Sea, a part of the
Arctic Ocean north of Norway and Russia.
Although far north, the sea
offers an abundance of fish that depend on the
spring bloom of phytoplankton.
At the bottom of the food chain, these
microorganisms feed zooplankton and krill, which become dinner for
other fish such as capelin, which are themselves devoured by cod, an important
resource for both Norway and Russia.
Any upset to the spring bloom ripples down the food chain.
Rich in life, the sea is also rich in oil.
Far beneath the ocean floor
lie untapped oil reserves, perhaps some of the largest in the world.
But for environmental reasons, the Norwegian government has placed
strong restrictions on oil exploration in the area.
Norway's fishing industry is not keen on such exploration either,
because of the potential damage that oil spills can have on the
fishing stocks.
But fisheries would be interested, said Godoe, in more
efficient monitoring of stocks for optimal harvests. Instead of
exaggerating the conflict, his team is presenting a solution that both
the fisheries and the oil industry could benefit from.
"We try to present a win-win situation. If we are able to join efforts
here, we might all come out as winners," said Godoe.
The researchers propose that the oil industry build out new pipes and
platforms in the Barents Sea and equip the infrastructure with a
multitude of sensors.
Sonar sensors, for example, could track and
measure the size of fish shoals. Chemicals sensors could monitor the
presence of oil, detecting leaks or spills. Other sensors would
record the speed and direction of ocean currents, temperature and salinity.
The data could help build computer models of the ecosystem.
Scientists could use those models to do everything from anticipating
fish stocks, to predicting the underwater conditions for operating sonar, to calculating the route of an oil leak to
organize cleaning efforts.
