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The ocean surrounding Antarctica is one of the most austere habitats on Earth. But, amidst the frozen, windswept landscape, an incredible diversity of life thrives. Each spring, phytoplankton harness the energy of the southern sun and, in turn, give rise to other microorganisms, fish and marine predators like penguins and seals.

Cassandra Brooks (left) and Zephyr Sylvester present at the 44th annual meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources in October 2025. The researchers shared�� with an audience of global leaders. (Courtesy, Cassandra Brooks)

In a new paper, a team of scientists led by The National Science Foundation Center for Atmospheric Research’s Alice DuVivier and INSTAAR’s Cassandra Brooks have designed a tool capable of mapping the relative importance of specific areas to the overall Antarctic ecosystem. The tool, called the Antarctic Ecosystem Value Index, captures life throughout the food web — from phytoplankton to penguins.

Even before the paper was published, their findings were already making waves. Last fall, Brooks and postdoctoral scholar Zephyr Sylvester traveled to Australia to present the Antarctic Ecosystem Value to the international governing body in charge of creating Marine Protected Areas in Antarctica.

“They are the ones that actually make the decisions about what to protect,” Brooks said. “They’re required to make decisions based on the best available science with the whole ecosystem in mind, so they really are our target audience.”

The researchers didn’t stop with policy makers. In partnership with ocean and climate communication nonprofit OnlyOne, the team developed a public-facing web campaign where users can explore ecosystem values via an interactive map. John Weller, a photographer, filmmaker and senior fellow at OnlyOne, also produced a 5-minute documentary about the project.

“We wanted to be able to show these areas we could consider protecting through stories,” Brooks said.

Oases in the ice

The ocean surrounding Antarctica is dominated by sea ice. It forms sprawling plains, towering walls and buckling glaciers. Every so often though, natural forces create a stretch of open water. These breaks in the ice are known as polynyas, and they are oases for marine life. The sunlight allows phytoplankton to get a head start each spring, and marine animals flock to the areas in search of food.

In the new paper, Brooks and her collaborators confirmed a theory that scientists have long suspected — polynyas play an outsized role in the Antarctic ecosystem. According to the Antarctic Ecosystem Value Index, they are 31 to 72 percent more important than surrounding areas.

“People are always saying that polynyas are really important,” Brooks said. “But, as far as I know, we are the first ones to quantify what that actually means.”

To arrive at these values, the researchers combined ecological models that predict productivity at every level of the food web. Specifically, they focused on phytoplankton, krill, bottom-feeding fish and penguins — each group being key to the functioning of the ecosystem.

The next step was to project these values through time. Antarctica is warming nearly twice as fast as the global average, a reality that will permanently alter marine ecosystems. If the researchers could predict ecological value in the future, it could reveal which areas will remain important candidates for conservation.

To accomplish this, DuVivier combined the Antarctic Ecological Value with computer-simulated Earth system models. The results were clear, despite future losses in sea ice, polynyas will remain vital ecological hotspots at least to the end of the century. Protecting these areas now could safeguard Antarctic ecosystems for years to come.

“With careful management of protected areas, policy makers can ensure we conserve Antarctic biodiversity ,” DuVivier said. “You give the ecosystem the best chance at adapting to change.”

Cassandra Brooks captures photos of Emperor Penguins in the Ross Sea. (Christina Riesslman)

Safeguarding the future

Aside from global warming, the largest human impacts on marine ecosystems in Antarctica are commercial fishing and tourism. But, according to the scientists, more informed conservation can help, not just ecosystems, but industry too. For instance, placing restrictions on the right areas can help commercial vessels get a good catch for years to come.

“It can be a really good fisheries management tool,” DuVivier said.

There are limitations to the data, for instance it does not capture the effect of short-term events like marine heat waves. But, it’s the best tool yet for weighing potential impacts of conservation around the continent. And, though Antarctica is distant from the rest of the world, it is critical to the functioning of global earth systems. It stores the majority of the world’s freshwater, drives global ocean circulation and regulates our climate, storing disproportionate amounts of carbon and heat.

“What happens in Antarctica does not stay in Antarctica,” Brooks said. “By safeguarding Antarctica, we actually help safeguard our own future.”