The international agreements covering Antarctica are models of cooperation and joined purpose. Convening at the Beardmore South Field Camp, near the Transantarctic Mountains, the Polar Research Board studied the Antarctic Treaty System and its implications for improved relationships between countries. This study examines the structure, meaning, and international repercussions of the Antarctic Treaty, focusing on the ways it benefits both the scientific and political communities. Chapters cover the history, science, environment, resources, and international status of Antarctica. Table of Contents <ul>
<li>Front Matter</li>
<li>Overview</li>
<li>1. Workshop on the Antarctic Treaty System: Overview</li>
<li>Introduction</li>
<li>2. Antarctica Prior to the Antarctic Treaty - A Historical Perspective</li>
<li>3. Juridical Nature of the 1959 Treaty System</li>
<li>Legal and Political Background</li>
<li>4. Antarctica Prior to the Antarctic Treaty: A Political and Legal Perspective</li>
<li>5. Antarctic Conflict and International Cooperation</li>
<li>6. The Antarctic Treaty as a Conflict Resolution Mechanism</li>
<li>7. Panel Discussion on the Legal and Political Background of the Antarctic Treaty</li>
<li>Antarctic Science</li>
<li>8. Summary of Science in Antarctica Prior to and Including the International Geophysical Year</li>
<li>9. The Antarctic Treaty as a Scientific Mechanism (Post-IGY) - Contributions of Antarctic Scientific Research</li>
<li>10. The Antarctic Treaty as a Scientific Mechanism - The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research and the Antarctic Treaty System</li>
<li>11. The Role of Science in the Antarctic Treaty System</li>
<li>12. Panel Discussion on Antarctic Science</li>
<li>The Antarctic Environment: Management and Conservation of Resources</li>
<li>13. The Antarctic Treaty System as an Environmental Mechanism - An Approach to Environmental Issues</li>
<li>14. Panel Discussion on Conservation and Environment</li>
<li>15. The Antarctic Treaty System as a Resource Management Mechanism - Living Resources</li>
<li>16. Panel Discussion on Living Resources</li>
<li>17. Arctic Offshore Technology and Its Relevance to the Antarctic</li>
<li>18. Discussion on Technology and Economics of Minerals Development in Polar Areas</li>
<li>19. The Antarctic Treaty System as a Resource Management Mechanism - Nonliving Resources</li>
<li>20. Panel Discussion on Nonliving Resources</li>
<li>Institutions</li>
<li>21. The Antarctic Treaty System from the Perspective of a State Not Party to the System</li>
<li>22. The Antarctic Treaty System from the Perspective of a Non-Consultative Party to The Antarctic Treaty System as an The Antarctic Treaty</li>
<li>23. The Antarctic Treaty System from the Perspective of a New Consultative Party</li>
<li>24. The Antarctic Treaty System from the Perspective of a New Member</li>
<li>25. The Interaction Between the Antarctic Treaty System and the United Nations System</li>
<li>26. The Evolution of the the Antarctic Treaty System - The Institutional Perspective</li>
<li>27. Panel Discussion on Institutions of the the Antarctic Treaty System</li>
</ul>

Antarctic Treaty System: An Assessment: Proceedings of a Workshop Held at Beardmore South Field Camp, Antarctica, January 7-13, 1985

Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences

Polar Research Board

National, Research Council

Foreign & International Law

National Academies Press

The Bering Sea, which lies between the United States and Russia, is one of the most productive ecosystems in the world and has prolific fishing grounds. Yet there have been significant unexplained population fluctuations in marine mammals and birds in the region. The book examines the Bering Sea ecosystem's dynamics and the relationship between man and the ecosystem, in order to identify potential reasons for the population fluctuations as well as identify ways the Sea's living resources can be better managed by government. Table of ContentsFront MatterExecutive Summary1 Introduction2 Marine Ecosystems: A Conceptual Framework3 The Bering Sea Ecosystem: Geology, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology of Lower Trophic Levels4 Biology of Higher Trophic Levels5 Human Use - Fisheries6 Causes and Effects in the Bering Sea Ecosystem7 Implications for Management Policy and Institutional Arrangements8 Gaps in Knowledge and RecommendationsReferencesAppendix A Biographical Sketches of the Committee MembersAppendix B Organizations and Individuals that Provided Information to the Committee

The Bering Sea Ecosystem

Science & Math

Division on Earth and Life Studies

Commission on Geosciences, Environment, and Resources

Committee on the Bering Sea Ecosystem

Biological Sciences

During the 1950s, with the Cold War looming, military planners sought to know more about how to keep fighting forces fit and capable in the harsh Alaskan environment. In 1956 and 1957, the U.S. Air Force's former Arctic Aeromedical Laboratory conducted a study of the role of the thyroid in human acclimatization to cold. To measure thyroid function under various conditions, the researchers administered a radioactive medical trace, Iodine-131, to Alaska Natives and white military personnel; based on the study results, the researchers determined that the thyroid did not play a significant role in human acclimatization to cold. When this study of thyroid function was revisited at a 1993 conference on the Cold War legacy in the Arctic, serious questions were raised about the appropriateness of the activity--whether it posed risks to the people involved and whether the research had been conducted within the bounds of accepted guidelines for research using human participants. In particular, there was concern over the relatively large proportion of Alaska Natives used as subjects and whether they understood the nature of the study. This book evaluates the research in detail, looking at both the possible health effects of Iodine-131 administration in humans and the ethics of human subjects research. This book presents conclusions and recommendations and is a significant addition to the nation's current reevaluation of human radiation experiments conducted during the Cold War. Table of Contents <ul>
<li>Front Matter</li>
<li>Executive Summary</li>
<li>1 Introduction</li>
<li>2 Health Effect of I131 Administration in Humans</li>
<li>3 The Ethics of Human Subjects Research</li>
<li>4 Conclusions and Recommendations</li>
<li>5 References</li>
<li>A. Thyroid Function in Health and Disease</li>
<li>B. Summary of the Public Session</li>
<li>C. Thyroid Radaition Dose Estimates for I131
</li>
<li>D. Secretary of Defense Letter</li>
<li>E. Informed Consent Elements of Disclosure</li>
<li>F. Principles for the Conduct of Research in the Arctic</li>
<li>G. Biographical Sketches of Committee Members</li>
<li>H. Glossary</li>
</ul>

The Arctic Aeromedical Laboratory's Thyroid Function Study: A Radiological Risk and Ethical Analysis

Medical Books

Commission on Life Sciences

Board on Radiation Effects Research

Board on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE

Committee on Evaluation of 1950s Air Force Human Health Testing in Alaska Using Radioactive Iodine-131

Medicine

This book reviews the performance and effectiveness of the Community Development Quotas (CDQ) programs that were formed as a result of the Sustainable Fisheries Act of 1996. The CDQ program is a method of allocating access to fisheries to eligible communities with the intent of promoting local social and economic conditions through participation in fishing-related activities. The book looks at those Alaskan fisheries that have experience with CDQs, such as halibut, pollock, sablefish, and crab, and comments on the extent to which the programs have met their objectives--helping communities develop ongoing commercial fishing and processing activities, creating employment opportunities, and providing capital for investment in fishing, processing, and support projects such as infrastructure. It also considers how CDQ-type programs might apply in the Western Pacific. Table of Contents <ul>
<li>Front Matter</li>
<li>Summary</li>
<li>1 Introduction</li>
<li>2 Description of the CDQ Region and Fishery</li>
<li>3 Overview of the Community Development Program</li>
<li>4 Evaluation of the Performance of Community Development Quota Program</li>
<li>5 Broader Issues and Considerations</li>
<li>6 Communities and Fisheries of the Western Pacific</li>
<li>7 Conclusions and Recommendations</li>
<li>References</li>
<li>Appendix A: Authorizing Legislation</li>
<li>Appendix B: Biographical Sketches of the Committee's Members</li>
<li>Appendix C: Acknowledgments</li>
<li>Appendix D: State of Alaska CDQ Regulations</li>
<li>Appendix E: Federal CDQ Regulations</li>
<li>Appendix F: Investments Pursued By CDQ Groups</li>
<li>Appendix G: Glossary</li>
</ul>

The Community Development Quota Program in Alaska

Business & Money

Ocean Studies Board

Committee to Review the Community Development Quota Program

Economics

The high latitudes of the Arctic and Antarctic, together with some mountainous areas with glaciers and long-lasting snow, are sometimes called the cryosphere-defined as that portion of the planet where water is perennially or seasonally frozen as sea ice, snow cover, permafrost, ice sheets, and glaciers. Variations in the extent and characteristics of surface ice and snow in the high latitudes are of fundamental importance to global climate because of the amount of the sun's radiation that is reflected from these often white surfaces. Thus, the cryosphere is an important frontier for scientists seeking to understand past climate events, current weather, and climate variability. Obtaining the data necessary for such research requires the capability to observe and measure a variety of characteristics and processes exhibited by major ice sheets and large-scale patterns of snow and sea ice extent, and much of these data are gathered using satellites. As part of its efforts to better support the researchers studying the cryosphere and climate, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)-using sophisticated satellite technology-measures a range of variables from atmospheric temperature, cloud properties, and aerosol concentration to ice sheet elevation, snow cover on land, and ocean salinity. These raw data are compiled and processed into products, or data sets, useful to scientists. These so-called "polar geophysical data sets" can then be studied and interpreted to answer questions related to atmosphere and climate, ice sheets, terrestrial systems, sea ice, ocean processes, and many other phenomena in the cryosphere. The goal of this report is to provide a brief review of the strategy, scope, and quality of existing polar geophysical data sets and help NASA find ways to make these products and future polar data sets more useful to researchers, especially those working on the global change questions that lie at the heart of NASA's Earth Science Enterprise.

Enhancing NASA's Contributions to Polar Science: A Review of Polar Geophysical Data Sets

Committee to Review NASA's Polar Geophysical Data Sets

The climate record for the past 100,000 years clearly indicates that the climate system has undergone periodic--and often extreme--shifts, sometimes in as little as a decade or less. The causes of abrupt climate changes have not been clearly established, but the triggering of events is likely to be the result of multiple natural processes. Abrupt climate changes of the magnitude seen in the past would have far-reaching implications for human society and ecosystems, including major impacts on energy consumption and water supply demands. Could such a change happen again? Are human activities exacerbating the likelihood of abrupt climate change? What are the potential societal consequences of such a change? Abrupt Climate Change: Inevitable Surprises looks at the current scientific evidence and theoretical understanding to describe what is currently known about abrupt climate change, including patterns and magnitudes, mechanisms, and probability of occurrence. It identifies critical knowledge gaps concerning the potential for future abrupt changes, including those aspects of change most important to society and economies, and outlines a research strategy to close those gaps. Based on the best and most current research available, this book surveys the history of climate change and makes a series of specific recommendations for the future. Table of Contents <ul>
<li>Front Matter</li>
<li>Executive Summary</li>
<li>1 Introduction to Abrupt Changes in the Earth's Climate</li>
<li>2 Evidence of Abrupt Climate Change</li>
<li>3 Processes that Cause Abrupt Climate Change</li>
<li>4 Global Warming as a Possible Trigger for Abrupt Climate Change</li>
<li>5 Economic and Ecological Impacts of Abrupt Climate Change</li>
<li>6 Findings and Recommendations</li>
<li>References</li>
<li>Appendix A Committee and Staff Biographies</li>
<li>Appendix B Board Rosters</li>
<li>Appendix C Workshop Agenda</li>
<li>Appendix D Workshop Participants</li>
<li>Appendix E Impacts Workshop Program</li>
<li>Appendix F Impacts Workshop Participants</li>
<li>Appendix G Acronym List</li>
<li>Index</li>
<li>Color Plates</li>
</ul>

Abrupt Climate Change: Inevitable Surprises

Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate

Committee on Abrupt Climate Change

Earth Sciences

The Bering Sea, which lies between the United States and Russia, is one of the most productive ecosystems in the world and has prolific fishing grounds. Yet there have been significant unexplained population fluctuations in marine mammals and birds in the region. The book examines the Bering Sea ecosystem's dynamics and the relationship between man and the ecosystem, in order to identify potential reasons for the population fluctuations as well as identify ways the Sea's living resources can be better managed by government.

This report provides guidance to the Gulf Ecosystem Monitoring (GEM) program to help ensure that it is based on a a science plan that is robust, far-reaching, and scientifically sound. The report commends the Trustee Council for its foresight in setting aside funds to create a trust fund to provide long-term research support; it notes that the GEM program offers an unparalleled opportunity to increase understanding of how large marine ecosystems function and change over time. The report outlines elements of a sound long-term science plan, including conceptual foundation, scope and geographic focus, organizational structure, community involvement, data and information management, and synthesis, modeling, and evaluation. Table of Contents <ul>
<li>Front Matter</li>
<li>Executive Summary</li>
<li>1. Planning Long-Term Ecosystem Science</li>
<li>2. The Importance of Conceptual Foundation</li>
<li>3. Geographic Scope and Geographic Focus</li>
<li>4. Organizational Structure</li>
<li>5. Community Involvement and Traditional Knowledge</li>
<li>6. Data and Information Management</li>
<li>7. Synthesis, Modeling, and Evaluation</li>
<li>8. Conclusions and Recommendations</li>
<li>References</li>
<li>Appendix A: Biosketches of the Committee's Members</li>
<li>Appendix B: Acronyms</li>
</ul>

A Century of Ecosystem Science: Planning Long-Term Research in the Gulf of Alaska

Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology

Committee to Review the Gulf of Alaska Ecosystem Monitoring Program

For an unknown reason, the Steller sea lion population in Alaska has declined by 80% over the past three decades. In 2001, the National Research Council began a study to assess the many hypotheses proposed to explain the sea lion decline including insufficient food due to fishing or the late 1970s climate/regime shift, a disease epidemic, pollution, illegal shooting, subsistence harvest, and predation by killer whales or sharks. The report's analysis indicates that the population decline cannot be explained only by a decreased availability of food; hence other factors, such as predation and illegal shooting, deserve further study. The report recommends a management strategy that could help determine the impact of fisheries on sea lion survival -- establishing open and closed fishing areas around sea lion rookeries. This strategy would allow researchers to study sea lions in relatively controlled, contrasting environments. Experimental area closures will help fill some short-term data gaps, but long-term monitoring will be required to understand why sea lions are at a fraction of their former abundance. Table of Contents <ul>
<li>Front Matter</li>
<li>Executive Summary</li>
<li>1. Introduction</li>
<li>2. The Environmental Setting</li>
<li>3. Identifying Clues and Testing Hypotheses</li>
<li>4. Review of Steller Sea Lion Biology</li>
<li>5. Fisheries</li>
<li>6. Steller Sea Lion Decline: Environmental Context and Compendium of Evidence</li>
<li>7. Information Needs and Recommendations</li>
<li>References</li>
<li>Appendix A: Committee and Staff Biographies</li>
<li>Appendix B: Acronyms</li>
<li>Appendix C: Glossary</li>
<li>Appendix D: Early Account of Steller Sea Lions</li>
<li>Appendix E: Federal Funding Summary</li>
<li>Appendix F: Meeting Agendas</li>
<li>Appendix G: National Research Council Project Oversight Boards</li>
<li>Appendix H: Guide to the Common and Scientific Names of Marine Mammal, Fish, Invertebrate, and Bird Species</li>
</ul>

Decline of the Steller Sea Lion in Alaskan Waters: Untangling Food Webs and Fishing Nets

Committee on the Alaska Groundfish Fishery and Steller Sea Lions

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Polar Research Board. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Polar Research Board