Science at Sea: Studying Microbes in the Arctic Ocean
Microbes are the foundation of the Arctic food web—and they can also offer clues to a changing climate. Oceanographer and National Geographic Explorer Dr. Alli Fong studies these tiny organisms in the waters of Svalbard, measuring how much oxygen they consume and produce to better understand how carbon moves through the Arctic ecosystem. With support from the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic (LEX-NG) Fund and access to the fleet, she collects samples by Zodiac and by foot on the fast ice, then analyzes them on board—giving guests opportunities to learn directly from a working scientist about the intricate workings of the Arctic ecosystem. In this video, follow Fong’s research and see how the LEX-NG Fund helps advance our understanding of this changing region.