Conserving life at the frozen edge

The Southern Ocean has undergone some of the most rapid warming on Earth. Despite this, scientific understanding of how Antarctic marine life is responding to this unprecedented warming scenario is minimal. As part of the National Geographic and Rolex Perpetual Planet Ocean Expeditions, Lagger and a cohort of Explorers, scientists, storytellers and educators undertook a comprehensive examination of this critical yet understudied region to better inform solutions for its conservation and protection.

Lagger's research explored never-before-seen sites to examine polar marine ecosystems, collecting samples of rare and unique seabed organisms, from tiny microbes to fish, sponges and invertebrates, to understand how life in the Southern Ocean is reacting to ocean warming in real time. His research utilized a remotely operated vehicle, SuBastian, aboard the R/V Falkor (too) on an expedition to the Weddell Sea in collaboration with Schmidt Ocean Institute.