Scientists get $15m for Antarctic research

Government scientists are being awarded a cool $15 million for research in Antarctica.

Crown research institutes (CRIs) Niwa, Landcare Research and GNS were awarded $15.32m by the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology for three programmes over the next four years.

Research, Science and Technology Minister Wayne Mapp said the research showed the Government's commitment to Antarctica.

"In particular it supports climate change forecasting. This is an area which has profound relevance to us all."

Niwa and Landcare researchers would co-operate on research on the Ross Sea ecosystem.

A second Landcare project would develop an environmental classification system for Ross Sea ecosystems, underpinned by new knowledge on soil, climate and microbial diversity.

The third project, led by GNS, would take the internationally-acclaimed Andrill project further. As a multinational Antarctic drilling programme, Andrill brings GNS scientists together with scientists from Victoria and Otago universities to recover sediments that will reveal more about past climates.

"The results of Andrill so far are exciting. Scientists can now picture how Antarctic ice shelves and ice sheets behaved during periods of natural global warming," Dr Mapp said.

The programmes would enhance collaboration between CRIs, and strengthen partnerships between CRIs and universities, he said.

A further $20m was allocated through Antarctica New Zealand to provide logistics support for science events travelling to the ice.

- NZPA