pdf SCAR XXXVI Paper 30: Final Report of SRP AnT-ERA (Antarctic Thresholds – Ecosystem Resilience and Adaptation)

SCAR XXXVI Delegates Meeting, Online, 16-25 March 2021

SCAR XXXVI Paper 30: Final Report of SRP AnT-ERA (Antarctic Thresholds – Ecosystem Resilience and Adaptation)

Agenda Item: 16.3
Person Responsible: Julian Gutt

Authors: J. Gutt (Germany), B. Adams (USA), I.-Y. Ahn (South Korea), V. Cummings (New Zealand), I. Hogg (Canada), E. Isla (Spain), L. Peck (UK), I. Schloss (Argentina), C.R. Smith (USA), A. Takahashi (Japan), C. Verde (Italy), D. Wall (USA), J. Xavier (Portugal)

Introduction/background to the programme

AnT-ERA was launched in 2013 with the mission to facilitate multinational inclusive research on primarily, but not exclusively, climate-driven biological processes in Antarctic ecosystems. This included marine, terrestrial and limnetic systems and covered all levels of biological organisation from molecules to entire ecosystems.

Major achievements and legacies

AnT-ERA focussed on the multifold exchange of experience and results at conferences, on capacity building during courses and research visits; as well as on conceptional brainstorming and synthesizing workshops, including the publication of their output. We formed an open network of experts in Antarctic ecology, who actively cooperated in fundamental, interdisciplinary and stakeholder-orientated research. Our support was inclusive in terms of ethnic affiliation, gender, stage of career and the highest possible diversity of newly emerging or small national programmes.

Final procedural recommendations to Delegates

We kindly ask the Delegates for a formal approval of our activities.
SCAR could make climate-change induced hazards of Antarctic ecosystems a focus of future research initiatives. SCAR could also play an active role in contributing ecological knowledge from Antarctic ecosystems to large international frameworks and assessments such as the UN Global Ocean Assessment, IPBES, IPCC, and the UN Decade of Ocean Science.