About the project
This project will use numerical modelling tools to investigate the impact of grounded icebergs on the physical oceanography of the South Georgia (Southern Ocean) shelf and explore the consequences for the transport of Antarctic krill, a key prey item for local colonies of higher predators.
Icebergs transported across the Scotia Sea in ‘iceberg alley’ frequently pass close to South Georgia and can become grounded on the shallow shelf. The effects of grounded icebergs on the oceanography of the South Georgia shelf and the associated pelagic ecosystem are not well understood.
The icebergs themselves could act as a barrier that disrupts currents, and as the icebergs melt, the large volume of resultant freshwater likely further impacts the shelf oceanography (Tarling et al., 2024). Together, these may influence the transport of krill, a key prey item for local colonies of higher predators including penguins and seals (Trathan et al., 2022). As the climate warms, the number of icebergs reaching South Georgia is likely to increase; this project addresses a pressing need to better understand the consequences for the local oceanography and ecosystem.
The project will use advanced numerical modelling tools to explore the above conjectures. Specifically, the project will involve further development of an existing high-resolution oceanographic model of the South Georgia region (Young, 2023) by incorporating grounded icebergs, and application of the model to explore the impacts of the icebergs on the local physical oceanography.
Output from the oceanographic model will be coupled with a Lagrangian model to explore the effect of grounded icebergs on the transport and retention of Antarctic krill. This research will improve our understanding of the impact of icebergs on the fragile ecosystem at South Georgia and contribute to management of the local krill fishery.
Supervisors
You will also be supervised by organisations other than the University of Southampton, including:
