The aim of this working group will be to discuss the upcoming Antarctic Field Season. By holding this meeting at the ASM we will take advantage of the fact that a large group of PAL and MCM investigators, staff, and students will be present and available to attend, although the meeting will be open to all.

Zooplankton were 3 to 8 times more abundant near the surface than elsewhere in the water column during the day over a 1 to 2.4 m deep back reef in Moorea, French Polynesia. Zooplankton were also significantly more abundant near the surface at night although gradients were most pronounced under moonlight.

Palmer LTER has as its focus the marine continental shelf and marginal sea ice zone ecosystems off the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. It is a marine pelagic and coastal site strongly influenced by the formation, extent, duration and retreat of sea ice. Over the past several decades sea ice duration has declined by 90 days and no longer persists into the summer period in our study region. At the same time, the mean wintertime (DJF) surface air temperature has increased by 6°C.