Dynamic climate changes have become noticeable in recent decades, especially in the vulnerable region of Western Antarctic. It is widely assumed that Antarctic biota are sensitive to environmental changes. Admiralty Bay (King George Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctic Peninsula) has been the site of comprehensive environmental studies over the last 30 years and existing data sets provide the opportunity for long-term comparisons, and recognition of any ecosystem changes, and potential predictions of future change. Comparison of the collected data with the archive data sets will allow us to estimate how climate warming and other anthropogenic impacts have affected the functioning of abiotic and biotic elements in Admiralty Bay.
In this paper we provide WG-EMM with an update on proposed project: "Admiralty Bay (South Shetland Islands) as a model area for the long-term marine monitoring program". This project will continue to develop over the coming years and results we will be presented and discussed within WG-EMM meetings.
During the Antarctic season 2014/2015 (39th Polish Antarctic Expedition) marine monitoring program in the region of Admiralty Bay was started. Biological, chemical and geological samples were collected, and are currently subjected to laboratory analysis.