Scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography are working with Antarctic tour operators like Hurtigruten to enable vacationers to serve as citizen scientists with the FjordPhyto citizen science project. Travelers collect samples of phytoplankton from Antarctic fjords in an effort to understand the base of the food web, helping scientists learn how one of the most fertile ocean regions in the world may be changing.
Human Impact in Remote Areas
You would think that the most remote continent on Earth, Antarctica, would be the least influenced by humans. Yet, our actions, manifested in a changing climate, have huge consequences for this distant landmass. Scientists list it as the third-fastest warming region in the world next to the Arctic.
Antarctica has been drawing explorers and nature lovers to its icy shores for centuries. Travelers of today mainly visit the Antarctic peninsula aboard expedition vessels wanting to see Earth’s extremes or expecting to see the bigger animals: whales, seals, and of course, penguins.
