Arctic Ocean Diversity
The Arctic Ocean Diversity (ArcOD) project, a part of the Census of Marine Life, brought international researchers together to record biodiversity in the Arctic - from the sea ice, water column and sea floor to the shallow shelves and deep basins of the ocean.
Alien-looking creatures, like this deep red jellyfish, Crossota norvegica, float in the Arctic Sea.
The ArcOD project brought together existing information about the diversity of Arctic ecosystems, collected new samples to fill in gaps of knowledge and looked for species and community changes over time in the region. Determining a baseline of information about the Arctic is especially important with temperatures changing globally.
The Arctic is home to many forms of life that have adapted to some of the most extreme conditions. The ArcOD project catalogued life ranging from meiofauna and plankton that call the sea ice home, to sea stars and crabs, sea birds and marine mammals.
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Scientist Kevin Raskoff processes samples for DNA sampling. Expedition data will help establish a baseline to assist in documenting change in the poorly known Arctic Ocean.
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