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Research

The ANTSIE team is interested in understanding the interactions between sea ice and its ecosystems by investigating snow petrels (Pagodroma nivea). Our focus is both past and present: we are exploring the behaviour and diet of the snow petrels today, to help us understand the signals recorded in subfossil stomach-oil deposits preserved at their nesting sites. We are doing this work with an eye on understanding how these unique systems will behave in the future.

We are funded by the European Research Council and the Leverhulme Trust in two complementary projects. Our research includes seabird tracking, diet analysis, element and organic geochemistry, stable isotopes, genetics, ecosystem and sea ice modelling (see our Team pages).

ANTSIE PhD student Ellie Honan exploring a snow petrel colony, looking for snow petrels to track and diet sample, and stomach-oil deposits to bring back to analyse. Photo credit: Steph Prince.