What is it really like to be an Antarctic researcher?
An interview with Nadia Frontier
“… in Antarctica, humans are not dominating, there’s no cafes, there’s no restaurants, no public transport, no roads. You’re just you. It really puts everything into perspective”
Image credit: Jean Baptiste Chandesris via Nadia Frontier
I met with Nadia Frontier in a small, sweet-smelling cafe in Shepherd’s Bush, London, just after she had finished her first 14-month stint at Rothera Research Station for the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). This station is the largest of six operated by the BAS and is a centre for biological research on Adelaide Island, 1,860km south of the Falkland Islands. We sat down to talk about how she began a career working in Antarctica, the importance of her research for understanding the climate crisis, and what it is like to live on base during a dark and frozen Antarctic winter.
So, how does a person decide to move to an isolated base away from all of their family and friends for over a year at a time?
“When I first started university in Plymouth, I did Marine Biology”, explains Nadia. “One of our lecturers came in and he spoke about a project he was doing in Antarctica with amphipods, which are these little crustaceans. He was looking at their oxygen tolerance. Are they such an enormous size compared to other arthropods in tropical temperate habitats because the waters are so cold and therefore contain a higher proportion of oxygen (relative to other oceans), or is it due to accessory respiratory pigments/physiological adaptations? He talked us through his project, and I thought: that’s an amazing opportunity.” Struck with inspiration, Nadia printed off the job description and then did everything possible to tailor her university experience to gain extra skills. This included an intensive course in scientific diving, where she learnt her way around equipment and strict protocols that differ from recreational diving. “Thinking about working in one of the world's most extreme environments was incredibly exciting because it incorporates novel research, new experiences, different habitats, a physical job, and being in one of the most isolated areas with that sense of adventure.”
In the few hours of sunlight throughout the Antarctic winter, Nadia dives to collect data for her many projects. Her research aims to gain a better understanding of Antarctic ecosystems, looking at the growth rates of different Antarctic invertebrates, such as sea cucumbers, brittle stars, cushion stars, and different bivalves. “We don’t have the basic parameters of growth, reproduction, and diet for many different organisms. So collecting basic data on how they function, what they’re eating, how that changes across the season will feed into these models to predict how Antarctic ecosystems will change.”
Brittle stars
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
Nadia also studies the impacts of icebergs on marine ecosystems. The keels of these mammoth icebergs move along, gouging the seabed and producing long furrows. “They basically obliterate everything in their path. So, we look at what different depths the icebergs scour, at what point of the year, and how the ecosystem can recover.”
A comprehensive understanding of Antarctic ecosystems is integral to recognising, measuring, and responding to the impact of the climate crisis.
“In the winter there is less and less sea ice [due to the climate crisis], so there is more light penetrating lots of coastal areas throughout the year, which means the potential for algae forests are much greater”
Algae, such as seaweed, are not only an important food source for many marine organisms, but also sequester huge amounts of carbon and utilise it in photosynthesis. Changes in sea ice cover directly affect the size of these populations. It is predicted that there will be even more seaweed along the Antarctic peninsula as ice cover declines in these areas. The potential of these seaweeds to host and capture greater levels of carbon and their role in the carbon cycle will be even greater.
“That’s a positive feedback of climate change . . . it’s already starting to happen in the Arctic, as the Arctic sea ice is moving, the kelp forests are expanding their range north. In response to losing that sea ice, the icebergs are more mobile and they’re able to move along the sea floor . . . they are destroying past carbon sinks and carbon stores. It’s not a simple answer. The research we do is constantly monitoring the environment to understand what climate change is doing to these habitats and their response.”
There are estimated to be an additional 250,000 additional deaths annually from climate-sensitive diseases from 2030 onward. Work by researchers like Nadia improves our understanding of the complex dynamics between humans and the environment that contribute to climate outcomes. With this knowledge, we are equipped to understand, advocate, and tackle the suffering caused by climate catastrophe.
Image credit: Ed luke via Nadia Frontier
The first thing that comes to mind for many people when they imagine living such an isolated life is how to cope without friends and family. But Nadia sees the situation in a much more refreshing and optimistic light. “You kind of really live in the moment and take every day for what it is. You’re so busy and you have this new family, this new community.” In truth, her experience mirrors that of our own throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, relying on messages and video calls to keep in touch with those we love. “One thing that you gain is a greater appreciation of the natural world . . . in Antarctica humans are not dominating. There’s no cafes, there's no restaurants, no public transport, no roads. You’re just you. It really puts everything into perspective.”
On the verge of going back to the Antarctic for another 14 months, Nadia is bittersweet. She is the only person returning from her previous cohort and will have to start afresh with a new batch of researchers and science support staff. Despite that, she lights up when she discusses her gained experience and research capabilities, as well as the new equipment she will have this time around to enhance her investigations into the cold deep. This includes a diving fluorometer that “measures the fluorescence of different plants, so you can see their photosynthetic efficiency throughout the whole year”. Although she laments leaving some of the home comforts of civilisation, she also misses Antarctica and is excited to go back. Nadia’s untenable focus on her research despite the challenges and inhospitable nature of the environment is admirable. Researching in the Antarctic means living in temperatures of up to -30C, and long stretches without any fresh food. For two months of the year the sun never rises beyond the horizon, and the research station rely on supplements and specialised lamps to maintain healthy vitamin D levels.
“Researching in the Antarctic means living in temperatures of up to -30C, and long stretches without any fresh food. For two months of the year the sun never rises beyond the horizon, and the research team rely on supplements and specialised lamps to maintain healthy vitamin D levels.”
It takes a specific person to thrive in such a challenging situation. “The most important thing is to be adaptable. Things change constantly . . . it’s really important to be versatile and have the skills to work in a team and be practical as well. Sometimes you have to fix a broken-down snowmobile, or you need to help cook in the kitchen. Being open to helping other people, someone who is selfless, is quite important.”
Community is essential at the base as they have no outside aid for the entire research period. “One scientist needs five support staff to help with projects. That’s the really great thing . . . you get to see jobs that you might otherwise not be exposed to as a scientist. I would never work with mechanics . . . actually getting them out on the boats with us and showing them the species in the ocean and the aquarium is a really amazing side of the outreach. The danger with solely being in a scientific community is that a lot of that information isn’t disseminated, and science communication is a massively important area. We need to share our work with the public.” Nadia contributes to scientific articles, blogs for school children, Zoom talks, and biodiversity conferences. Children send in flags they’ve designed to the base, and researchers hold them in photos with penguins and seals. She also recently appeared on the news in the United Kingdom to discuss her research.
As I was packing up my notes and leaving the cafe, I was really struck by Nadia’s words. It’s rare in this life to speak with someone who is having a direct impact on our understanding of how the world will change in the coming century. It’s even rarer to meet someone who has truly found their vocation. More than anything, I left with a feeling of hope. Hope because our future is in the hands of extraordinary people like Nadia Frontier.
This article was amended on 16th June 2022 to correct some scientific statements including the identification of amphipods.
