Studies in polar biology

shallow-water foraminifera, Antarctic Peninsula. A ntarctzc Journalofthe U.S. VIII(4): 205-206. Finger, K.L. 1975. Benthic foraminifera from Deception Island. AntarcticJournal of the U.S., X(4): 134-135. Finger, K.L. 1976. Recent benthic foraminifera from pyroclastic substrates: a biofacies analysis of Deception Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Ph.D. dissertation. Davis, University of California, 165 p. Lipps, J.H., and T.E. DeLaca. 1974. Foraminiferal ecology, Antarctic Peninsula. AntarcticJournal of the U.S., IX(4): 111.113. Lipps, J.H., T.E. DeLaca, W. Krebs, and W. Stockton. 1972. Shallow-water foraminifera studies, Antarctic Peninsula, 1971-1972. AntarcticJournal of the U.S., VII(4): 82-83. Temnikow, N.K., and J.H. Lipps. 1975. Foraminiferal ecology: R/V Hero cruise 75-Ia. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., X(4): 132-133.

Studies in polar biology B.J. LANDRUM

Smithsonian Oceanographic Sorting Center Smithsonian Institution Washington, D. C. 20560

In the early stages of the U.S. Antarctic Research Program, the Division of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, and the Smithsonian Oceanographic Sorting

Center (sosc) developed agreements concerning collection and scientific use of biological materials including specimens, data, and ocean bottom photographs. The agreements reflected a plan for systematic analysis of antarctic biota, especially marine organisms to be collected form U.S. research ships. The goal was to insure that specimens and related data, collected at considerable expense, would be readily and widely available to specialists for systematic and other scientific analyses. The plan was a unique approach to a substantial, nationally funded, oceanographic venture. The concept of a national sorting center itself was new— at least on the scale required by the antarctic research program. But the plans for support of systematic research extended beyond sorting, recording, and distributing specimens to scientists seeking research materials. We became aware that interested specialists sometimes could not complete their studies in a timely manner without technical help or funds for supplies. Also, some antarctic groups of special ecological interest are abundant and widely distributed; the size of the collections of such taxa is enormous. Thorough study of such groups will require years of effort by numerous scientists. So, going one step further, sosc (with support from the National Science Foundation) has contracted with scientists to examine some collections and prepare monographs and other reports on a variety of fauna and flora. This program, cooperative systematic studies, and a number of the taxa involved were reported (Landrum, 1976). The figure illustrates the scheme for collecting, processing, and studying polar collections. The figure shows the interactions of sosc, the polar programs supported by NSF, the grantees of the agency who have collected specimens from

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LHAOOKS October 1977

39

many ships and stations, the scientists from all over the world who receive specimens, and, finally, the publication of new information. Publications on the antarctic collections are appearing with increasing frequency as long-term studies are completed. Since 1963, sosc has shipped over 7 million specimens to scientists in about 50 institutions throughout the world. We now are processing newer material collected aboard ARA Islas Orcadas and expect to receive more next year. We will continue to distribute specimens to qualified specialists and to encourage and support systematic endeavors. Inquiries from specialists about the availability of collections and

possibilities of participating in cooperative systematic studies in polar biology will be welcomed. The processing of polar collections and maintenance of a centralized data base is supported under National Science Foundation contract DPP 74-13988. The Cooperative Systematic Studies are supported under National Science Foundation grant DPP 76-23979.

Reference Landrum, B.J. 1976. Cooperative Systematic Studies. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., XI(3): 192

Oceanography International Weddell Sea Oceanographic Expedition, 1977 THEODORE D. FOSTER

Scripps Institution of Oceanography Lajolla, California 92093 During the International Weddell Sea Oceanographic Expedition (IwSoE) from 1968 to 1971, USCGC Glacier and ARA

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General San Martin conducted a general hydrographic survey of the Weddell Sea with a network of fairly widely spaced stations. This first phase of IWSOE improved the understanding of the water masses in the Weddell Sea and indicated the importance of the frontal zone near the shelf break to the formation of bottom water. The second phase of IWSOE from 1973 to 1976 concentrated on the frontal zone. USCGC Glacier made sections of closely spaced hydrographic stations from the deep sea up onto the shelf around the Weddell Sea and set out and retrieved current meters. This work indicated that bottom water formed only in the southern and western parts of the Weddell Sea and probably formed all year-round.

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Positions of current meter moorings set out by Polarsirkel during IWSOE-77. Bottom depths in thou. sands of meters are indicated by dots on contour lines. ANTARCTIC JOURNAL