Observing systems in the Southern Ocean

Well-supported, long-term monitoring of the physical and living environment is essential to understanding ongoing environmental changes in the Southern Ocean. The collection of long-term observations is critical for detecting and understanding change, and to obtain data needed as the basis for analyses and modelling. This paper provides an overview and examples of current long-term observation efforts in the Southern Ocean to inform further work to assess gaps and to establish sustained and coordinated observing systems.