Overview

For over 60 years, the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has been responsible for most of the UK's scientific research in Antarctica. BAS, an institute of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), delivers and enables world-leading interdisciplinary research in the Polar Regions. Its skilled science and support staff based in Cambridge, Antarctica and the Arctic, work together to deliver research that uses the Polar Regions to advance our understanding of Earth and our impact on it. Through its extensive logistic capability and know-how BAS facilitates access for the British and international science community to the UK polar research operation.

NERC-BAS provides TA services for ASSEMBLE Plus and is also one of the British partners in the consortium. 

Ecosystems

• Antarctic marine ecosystem via Rothera Research base on the Antarctic Peninsula
• Antarctic benthic ecosystems
• LTER site for plankton
• LTER site for water chemistry

 

Ecosystem access

Access to Rothera Point. This is usually available only in the summer austral season (December – March)

• Coastal research vessels  (Remote service)
• Scuba diving facilities (Remote service)
• Sampling equipment (Remote service)​​​​​​​

 

Biological resources

• Species collected upon request  (Remote service)​​​​​​​
  •  Intertidal and down to 25 m subtidal in the Antarctic
  • Requires prior arrangement for supply of animals via remote supply. Available once a year with requests made in January and delivery usually in May. Restricted to species where we know the long-term husbandry, unless collected, preserved on site and shipped back (in ethanol or in native state and potential for storage at +4, -20 and -80 degrees).
  • Collection of biological material (e.g. water samples) and animals (mainly invertebrates) at Rothera via SCUBA divers or boating

 

Experimental facilities

These facilities requires prior arrangement for the supply of animals via remote supply. Please note the following:

• Restricted to species where we know the long-term husbandry.
• Biological material can be transported live to Cambridge or sampled in the Antarctic 
• Samples can be sent back to the UK either as cool stow (4°C) or frozen at either -20°C or -80°C
• Temporary holding of animals in the Cambridge aquarium prior to collection by collaborators

 

• Aquaria and tanks  (On-site service)​​​​​​​
• Dry labs and Wet labs  (On-site service)​​​​​​​
  • "PreSens" oxygen sensing equipment
  • Access to associated wet-lab facilities at Cambridge for basic analyses

 

E-services

• Data-sets  (Remote service)​​​​​​​
  • Rothera time services, Southern Ocean; please check https://www.bas.ac.uk/data/our-data/)