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24-01-2025

The Antarctic Ocean as a research focus: MicroANT and CHALLENGE-2 projects

The marine ecosystems of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean are the scene of two scientific campaigns led by researchers from the Institute for Biodiversity Research (IRBio) of the University of Barcelona. These pioneering projects explore the impact of human activities and global change on these remote and vulnerable ecosystems.
 
MicroANT: transfer of microplastics in marine food webs
 
The MicroANT project, led by Dr. Lluis Cardona, investigates the transfer of microplastics in the marine food web of the Southern Ocean. This research is supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and in collaboration with research centres in Argentina and Spain. The project began in March 2024 with a workshop in Puerto Madryn (Argentina) and is currently in its most critical phase: the Antarctic Campaign 2024-2025, on board the research vessel BIO Hespérides.
 
At the start of the project, standardised methods were established for the detection of microplastics in different types of samples, including sediments and feces from sea lions and penguins. During the summer of 2024, the team tested the material and protocols in the waters of the Empordà, before embarking on the challenges posed by the frozen seas of the southern hemisphere.
 
The first sampling was carried out in the Beagle Channel, with the collection of water, sediment and microplastic samples on the surface. This sampling, which will last for months, is being carried out together with local researchers and PhD students, such as Mae Presas, together with collaborators from CADIC-Ushuaia and CONICET-Cenpat, key in this initial stage and to finalise the logistical details for the 2024-2025 Antarctic Campaign. With the support of the Spanish Polar Committee, all aspects of safety and planning were ensured for the next phase of the research.
 
In January 2025, the MicroANT project team boarded the BIO Hespérides research vessel on its way to Antarctica. During this stage, which will last until the end of February, samples of water, sediment, krill, fish, penguins and pinnipeds will be collected, following a route that includes the Drake Passage, the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula, with a final destination in Marguerite Bay.
 
The results will provide key information to understand the effects of these polluting particles on Antarctic ecosystems and at a global level.
 
CHALLENGE-2: studying global change and human activities
 
In parallel, the CHALLENGE-2 project, led by researchers Dr. Conxita Ávila and Dr. Elisenda Ballesté, is expanding its studies on the impact of global change and human activities on Antarctic marine ecosystems. This scientific campaign is a continuation of the CHALLENGE and BACTPLAST projects and focuses on establishing links between environmental pressures and observed changes in the biodiversity and ecological health of these ecosystems.
 
For five weeks, the CHALLENGE-2 team will study macro- and microorganisms as bioindicators of environmental health. They will also study the distribution and effects of microplastics in the water column, sediments and benthic organisms as well as plastispheres, emerging habitats associated with plastic waste. Finally, they will be interested in the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial genes, with implications for the spread of diseases.
 
Samples will be collected following a latitudinal gradient from Margarida Bay to the South Arcadian Islands, comparing pristine areas with areas impacted by human activity.
 
A sustainable future for Antarctica
 
These projects deepen scientific knowledge of Antarctic marine ecosystems and provide essential data for developing sustainable management strategies and protecting these ecosystems in a context of increasing human pressures and climate impacts.
 
International collaboration and interdisciplinary work between researchers from different institutions are key to addressing the major challenges of global conservation.