Greetings Colleagues,
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We are hosting a session entitled "Biogeochemistry in Polar
Environments" that will provide a forum for researchers investigating
the interactions of microbes with geology and chemistry in polar and
general cryosphere environments. We invite you to submit an abstract for
presentation at the 2007 Fall AGU meeting in San Francisco. The deadline
for submission in September 7. To submit an abstract, visit the AGU
Fall Meeting website at http://www.agu.org/meetings/fm07/ . The session
title and description are listed below.
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Biogeochemistry in Polar Environments
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The polar regions are unique in many ways, containing ecosystems that
are subject to extended periods of annual light and dark cycles as well
as extreme temperatures. These environments have proven to be much more
dynamic than expected, given the cold, dark conditions for significant
periods of time. Polar ecosystems, though extreme, can serve as ideal
systems to study the relationship between the microbial world, geology,
and chemistry because of limited direct human impacts and the lower
complexity of trophic structure. In fact, 14% of our planet is polar,
yet we know little about it. As the climate continues to change, polar
regions are affected quickly and dramatically, with potential feedbacks
to the rest of the globe. Understanding polar biogeochemical cycles is
essential for better prediction of impacts of increased temperatures and
other climate change effects. Polar biogeochemical research reveals the
workings of unique ecosystems, documents a baseline of material
transformation for more "complex" temperate regions and highlights
ecosystem functions sensitive to climate change.
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We propose a session to bring together an array of researchers
investigating biogeochemical processes and cycling in marine,
terrestrial, atmospheric, and freshwater polar environments, as well as
those that cross over these systems. Studies investigating a range of
biogeochemistry, from trace metals to nutrient cycling are encouraged,
with special emphasis on studies integrating field, lab, molecular
and/or computational techniques.
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Hope to see you in December. If you have any questions or would like
more information, please contact any one of us.
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Sincerely,
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Jenny Baeseman
Arctic Research Consortium of the US
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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Lydia Zeglin
University of New Mexico
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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Michael Gooseff
Pennsylvania State University
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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