The Sea Journal of the Korean Society of Oceanography ISSN:1226-2978(Print) 2671-8820(Online) 한국해양학회지 바다

The Amundsen Sea in West Antarctica is one of the most rapidly warming regions on Earth, characterized by the rapid thinning of ice shelves and a highly productive coastal ecosystem. However, scientific investigation of this region has been limited due to its inaccessibility and geographic isolation. Since the discovery of the Amundsen Sea Polynya—one of the most productive coastal polynyas in Antarctica—through satellite observations in the early 2000s, the region has attracted substantial international attention and has become the focus of numerous research expeditions. In particular, the Korean icebreaker R/V Araon has conducted multi-year expeditions since 2010, contributing significantly to the understanding of phytoplankton community structure, biomass, primary production, physiological characteristics, and their seasonal and interannual variability. The biomass and community structure of phytoplankton in the Amundsen Sea responded sensitively to changes in the physicochemical environment, and these variations directly impacted biogeochemical cycles and food web structures. This underscores the importance of further research to elucidate the role of phytoplankton as a regulator of ecosystem changes and the carbon cycle under accelerating ocean warming.