Brno, Dec 15 (CTK) – Masaryk University in Brno will send a record 19 scientists, including nine women, to an expedition to its Antarctica station, Ema Wiesnerova, from the university’s press department, told CTK on Wednesday.
The expedition will focus on diatoms, lichens, mushrooms and wild glacier rivers.
The number of women on the expedition is also previously unseen.
“The expedition’s composition reflects the situation of women starting to prevail among the students and young scientists,” head of the Antarctica project Daniel Nyvlt said.
The Johann Gregor Mendel station is located on the James Ross Island. The expedition will travel to the station using a Chilean military icebreaker from the Punta Arenas port.
From mid-January until the end of March, scientists will continue with their research from previous years, with a focus on new environments and organisms.
Physiologist Michaela Mareckova studies lichens, while microbiologist Monika Laichmanova wants to acquire new knowledge from the world of microscopic fungi.
Barbora Chattova is an expert on algology, the biology of algae. She is to study single-cell diatoms and finish the currently running research on post-mortal colonization of seal mummies. Lenka Ondrackova will explore glacier rivers, studying the rocks they carry and changes to this material during the year.
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