Adventures in polar science: BIOPOLE in Antarctica

In late December 2024, while many of us were winding down and preparing for Christmas, two members of the BIOPOLE team were on a long journey south for the project's first Antarctic land-based field campaign. Prof Kate Hendry (British Antarctic Survey) and Alanna Grant from UKCEH arrived at Rothera Research Station on December 20. Alanna tells us more...

Our first few days on Rothera station were a whirlwind of training sessions, getting acquainted with the facility, and celebrating Christmas. It was very different being so far away from friends and family for Christmas, but it was still a lovely day. A Christmas Day 5K around the runway, festive competitions, and an incredible dinner with all the trimmings, made for memorable celebrations. But by Boxing Day, it was back to work.

Our research aims

BIOPOLE is researching whether climate change affects the flow of nutrients from land to the sea. If warming alters this balance, it could have significant impacts on polar marine ecosystems.

The goal of the BIOPOLE Rothera campaign was to assess the flux of organic and inorganic nutrients into Ryder Bay, located off the West Antarctic Peninsula. The first few weeks were focused on sampling seawater from multiple depths within the bay and deploying a CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth) instrument to map the bay’s profiles. This required significant manual effort, as we winched both the 10L water sampler and the CTD down to depths of several hundred metres and back. These samples will be analysed for an array of determinands, including inorganic nutrients, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), metals, and chlorophyll.

We then turned our focus to freshwater sampling, which proved far more challenging. Similar work was undertaken during the 2023 Arctic field campaign (read about that here), but the conditions we faced in Rothera were starkly different. While the Arctic work involved extensive sampling of glaciated and non-glacial river systems, accessing the freshwater inputs into Ryder Bay was far more complex. The bay is encircled by overhanging glacier faces, making access to meltwater not only difficult but also dangerous. Fortunately, previous sampling efforts in 2020 had pinpointed potential freshwater locations, allowing us to target the most feasible sites.

However, timing and weather conditions quickly became obstacles. With only a week left in the campaign and no freshwater samples collected, I decided to extend my stay at Rothera for other two weeks to ensure we didn’t return without this critical data. Fortunately, weather conditions improved and, on several calm, sunny days, we were ferried by RIB to the predetermined freshwater sites in search of elusive “drippy bits” of meltwater. Field guides Rich and Andy assessed the safety of each location before we carefully set out to collect samples dripping from the glacier.

Ultimately, we successfully sampled three sites, (a fourth location proved inaccessible), and gathered valuable biogeochemistry data, including dissolved greenhouse gases – a first for this area.

With the freshwater samples secured, I carried out an algae growth experiment for UKCEH colleague Alex O’Brien. This involved incubating freshwater algae in semi-permeable dialysis bags suspended in pumped-in seawater in an aquarium for 10 days. The aim was to assess the growth rates and abundance of freshwater algae in a marine environment. After the incubation period, the algae samples were preserved and frozen for analysis via flow cytometry upon return to the UK in summer 2025.

Life at Rothera

When we weren’t working hard on the boat, winching by hand, or filtering samples in the lab—Kate often staying late into the evening—we made the most of our free time by enjoying the surroundings. We would take walks around the Point to watch the wildlife, or I would snowboard on the Ramp. We also had fun in the bar, playing pool and darts, or watching films in the Big TV Room. The gym offered a good break, and Kate would often play piano or draw. One evening, we had a barbecue with the crew of the RRS Sir David Attenborough which was moored on station. It may have been Antarctica, but it was still warmer than some of the British barbecues I’ve been to! You do have to be careful the skuas don’t steal your burger though.

Rothera is a remarkable place to do science, with stunning landscape and wildlife, but it’s the people who make it truly extraordinary. I’d like to especially recognise everyone in the marine team who supported us and welcomed us to the Bonner Lab; special thanks to Ollie, Grainne, Sean, and Andy for taking us wherever we needed to go by boat. We met so many amazing people who are deeply passionate about supporting polar science, each playing a key role in making sure the station runs smoothly so scientists like us can focus on our work. More than that, they made our time there genuinely enjoyable, and I’ve made great friends I hope to see again in the future.

The work we embarked on in Antarctica was not just a personal adventure but contributes to global science. The results from this BIOPOLE field campaign will advance our understanding of polar environments and their critical role in the Earth’s climate system. By studying this unique ecosystem and collecting crucial data, we are unlocking insights into climate change and the primary productivity of organic matter in polar regions. This deepens our collective knowledge of the planet’s past and present but also contributes to shaping solutions for its future.

After returning from Svalbard in 2023, someone asked if I had finally scratched my adventure itch. Having now explored both the North and South, I thought I might have shaken the polar bug, but it seems I’m still eager for more and ready to dive into the next adventure. Stay tuned!