Scientific Reports Through The Ages
Able-Bodied Seamen-Turned-Scientists
The Nimrod Expedition’s scientific pursuits were led by biologist James Murray and geologist Raymond Priestley, though Murray reports that nearly every crew member contributed to the scientific pursuits in some way. Though Alfred Bull is not explicitly mentioned in the reports, as a crew member, he likely contributed to the expedition's scientific pursuits.
The crew collected samples from ponds and marine environments and took detailed notes on their biological and geological findings. These reports are a valuable account of Antarctica’s biology and geology at the turn of the 20th Century, which can be compared with ongoing data collection to better understand the changes in Antarctica over time.
Map of Lakes Surrounding Camp Royds
The lakes and the sea proved the most fruitful locales for biological data collection, especially in contrast to the lands, which the men described as sparse and “barren.”
Research Scope and Limitations
The crew’s studies covered the land, lakes, and the sea of the region, from which they collected samples of vegetation, microscopic life, and marine animals including molluscs, fish, and marine invertebrates. Most of the crew’s data was collected within a radius of a few miles from their home-base at Camp Royds. This represents one of the primary limitations of the expedition’s scientific pursuits. However, this limited scope also allowed the men to gain a deeper understanding of the biological composition of the environment they interacted most intimately with.
Data Collection Methodologies
To collect samples from the ocean, the men used a method called “dredging." The description of the Dredging Diagram, pictured below, reads: “One man is shown hauling the dredge, and another is paying out the spare line to lessen the strain which tends to lift the dredge off the ground. A few feet in front of the dredge a weight is seen, which serves to keep the dredge down.”
The second diagram illustrates a man at the bottom of a shaft in Clear Lake, which was dug in the winter. These diagrams demonstrate the lengths to which the men went to collect samples from the bottom of the lakes and ocean.
Findings and Analysis
Once the men collected the samples, they brought them back to the Camp Royds Lodge for analysis. The primary method of analysis included photographing and sketching the specimens. This was difficult because the low-light and microscopic nature of the organisms required a highly magnified, long-exposure shot, which was subject to disturbance from the lodge’s dusty air and vibrations from the men’s movements. Some animals were stored in glass vials and brought back to London; however, many were not able to survive in a recognizable manner (Murray 18). Considering these challenges, the resulting photographs, some of which are pictured below, are quite impressive.
Modern Applications and Extensions
The Nimrod Expedition’s scientific contributions have inspired recent scientific inquiries to the modern day aquatic biological composition of the Camp Royds region. In 2021, Kohler et al. found that modern day microscopic ecological composition of the lakes remained largely unchanged, except in Pony Lake, where the 1909 dominant species Luticola muticopsis was replaced by Craspedostauroslaevissimus. The scientists hypothesize this may be caused by a change in conductivity due to changing precipitation patterns, though further research is needed (382). Though diatoms are invisible to the naked eye, the comparison of the diatom prevalence over time is important because it provides insight into the extent of human impacts on Antarctica.
Works Cited
Kohler, T.J., Howkins, A., Sokol, E.R., Kopalová, K., Cox, A., Darling, J.P., Gooseff, M.N. and McKnight, D.M. (2021), From the Heroic Age to today: What diatoms from Shackleton's Nimrod expedition can tell us about the ecological trajectory of Antarctic ponds. Limnol Oceanogr Lett, 6: 379-387. https://doi.org/10.1002/lol2.10200
Shackleton, Ernest Henry, et al. British Antarctic Expedition, 1907-9, under the Command of Sir E.H. Shackleton, C.V.O. Reports on the Scientific Investigations . Edited by James Murray, vol. 1, W. Heinemann, 1910.
Ward, Paul. “Ernest Shackleton Crew of the Nimrod Expedition 1907-1909.” Cool Antarctica, www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica%20fact%20file/History/antarctic_whos_who_nimrod.php. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.
Ward, Paul. “Priestley, Raymond Edward.” Cool Antarctica, www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica%20fact%20file/History/biography/Priestley-Raymond.php. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.