Scholarship paves the way to Antarctica

Scholarship paves the way to Antarctica

Thanks to a Research Institute Scholarship, Clare Beet is off on her first trip to Antarctica to study the effects of climate change on invertebrates.

Clare is one of five Master of Science students from the University of Waikato awarded a 2014 Research Institute Scholarship (RIS) of $12,000 from the university. She is undertaking her research with the university’s Environmental Research Institute.

Clare and three others from Waikato will be travelling to Antarctica in January to collect soil samples, in particular samples containing springtails - a 1.5mm long, six-legged insect-like creature - and mites. Springtails are the largest land-based animal that live year-round in Antarctica and are sensitive to climate-driven environmental changes. To assess the changes in the environment, Clare will look at the subtle differences in the genetic structure of each species, comparing them with other previously examined populations in Victoria Land.

As a result of global climate changes, Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems have been experiencing some of the most rapid temperature changes on Earth, and these changes are likely to result in consideration disruption to these ecosystems. Clare believes it is critical to develop sensitive biological tools to provide an early warning of changes that will be seen in Antarctic ecosystems.

“We will genetically examine invertebrates collected from throughout the Mackay Glacier area to assess the distributions and genetic identities within the region. Because of the high levels of genetic variability of animals within this area, we will be able to readily link population genetic response to changes in air temperatures.

“There are a lot of sites that we don’t have any information on, so we’ll collect samples and data to get an idea of when populations have been isolated in those places. I’m pretty excited and feel very privileged to go to Antarctica as not many people get the chance.”

Clare’s interest in the environment began when she was young, growing up in Raglan where she was involved in early Raglan Harbour Care plantings.

Clare is in the second year of her MSc where she is supervised by School of Science Associate Professor Ian Hogg. As well as the RIS, Clare also has a $6000 Hillary Jolly Memorial Scholarship, a $2000 Science & Engineering Masters Fees Award and a NZ Post Scholarship of $10,000.

More information on the invertebrates project can be found here: http://www.ictar.aq/invertebrates.cfm

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