Session 5

Session Chair: Maud van Soest, Louise Borthwick

Session Coordinators: Ben Graves, Deborah Bozzato, Cristina Casero, Thomas Chen

Time: 12 May from 18:00 - 20:00 GMT

• 18:00 - 18:05 GMT: Introduction

• 18:05 - 18:20 GMT: Fieldwork on Paleo-tropical glaciers during Covid-19 Google Earth - sketches as a divulgation tool

  Presenter: Barbosa Mejia, Juan Sebastian

  Institution: APECS Colombia

  Type: Oral Presentation

  Category: Alpine

  Abstract: Tropical glaciers are unique geographical features around the world. These ice masses particularly exist on top of tropical highlands mountains as isolated glaciers or within composite ice top sierras, most of them have been poorly studied, in terms of its actual deglaciation and paleo-climatic history. Highland Paramos evolution and paleo-tropical glaciers history are recorded in geological signatures as palynology succession and glacier landscape molded in the tropical mountains. Colombian glaciers have an important role in highland communities as referents for indigenous cosmology and also for nature-adventure tourism activities inside national parks where they belong. As outdoor activity places not many visitors comprehend the bio-geological and climate history behind these amazing mountains, also because its location makes it difficult acces for visitors. During the covid-19 crisis high mountain research, tourism and national park activities were suspended, and all access was denied. This covid scenario was an oportunity to use digital platforms, as google earth trips combiend with landscape sketches, and social media to made possible for science in the high tropical glacier mountains to reach different audiences, specially households during lockdown. The present science divulgation project are focused on the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy-Güicán, at lagunillas trail inside the national park, as it is one of the most popular and visited high mountain trails and glaciers in the country, also happens to be the place where all landscape paleo-glacier features are perfectly preserved. This glacier valley was the first location for palynology succession and glacier landscape studies many decades ago, making this, the ideal trail for high tropical paleo-glacier history divulgation, and shows the importance of scientists in the understanding and communication of natural paleoclimatic history of high tropical mountains in Colombia.

• 18:20 - 18:35 GMT: A Growth Form Classification of Sessile Suspension Feeders and their Distribution across a Glaciomarine Fjord in King George Island (Antarctic Peninsula)

  Presenter: Daniela Thorne Martinez

  Institution: Universidad Cientifica del Suer

  Type: Oral Presentation

  Category: Antarctic

  Abstract: The sessile suspension feeders (SSF) depend primarily on having a space to settle and access to the water column. Since they cannot escape during disturbances, they must rely on their morphology to overcome selective processes. We classify Mackellar’s inlet (King George Island) SSF assemblage into Jackson (1979) Growth Form (GF) classification and adapted it with other authors GFs description to suit better the Antarctic assemblage. Seven GF were recognized in Mackellar inlet: tree, bush, stalk, mound, flat, runner and sheet, and several organisms that did not fit in any previous classification were grouped into ‘other GFs’.  A further grouping by type of epibiotic association was considered and four types were identified basibionts; facultative epibiont and basibiont; facultative epibiont and epibiont. Sampling stations were distributed across the fjord and in relation to distance to glacier (inner, middle, outer sections). Our results showed that tree was found in the inner and middle sections, mound in middle and outer and flat across the fjord. These GFs diversified sections as they constituted additional substrate for most of Other GFs which had primarily an epibiotic strategy. Contrarily, bush, runner and stalk were only found in the outer section of the fjord, therefore in the most distant stations from glacier associated disturbances. The GF distribution analysis was consistent with glacier distance, both in number and type of GF, and species richness. Results highlights the potentialities of classifying SSF by GF in Antarctic and helps to understand their adaptive capabilities through their distribution.
  

• 18:35 - 18:50 GMT: Significance of Ice-loss to Landscapes in the Arctic (SILA): Biological, geochemical, and hydrologic feedbacks influenced by ice-loss in Western Greenland

  Presenter: Quincy Faber

  Institution: University of Florida, UF Water Institute Graduate Fellow

  Type: Oral presentation

  Category: Arctic

  Abstract: SILA is a new project funded by the National Science Foundation and the UF Water Institute Graduate Fellows Program with two primary goals: to understand how landscapes and aquatic systems are impacted by ice sheet retreat and to develop effective ways to broadly communicate this information to a diverse audience. In a warming Arctic, new landscapes are exposed and extant ecosystems become hydrologically disconnected from ice sheet meltwater. Over two melt seasons, we will characterize the biogeochemistry of ecosystems associated with supraglacial, subglacial, proglacial, and deglaciated watersheds in Western Greenland. Improved understanding of how climatic and environmental change affects weathering reactions, stream solute composition, and biological communities in the Arctic is a main goal of the SILA project. Changes in the Arctic have global scientific and societal implications, but there is an increasing divide between scientists and the general public, particularly for issues related to climate. There is a dire need for scientists to improve on communicating their work broadly to the public, educators, and policy makers, and in particular, develop new way to convey findings about changes occurring to global climate and their impacts. Despite the cancellation of a short planning season in 2020 due to COVID-19, we plan to have a full field sampling season this summer. Our team, consisting of microbiologists, geochemists, hydrologists, botanists, and science communicators, will use an interdisciplinary approach to better understand the rapid changes occurring in Arctic ecosystems and communicate this information to educators in Greenland and Florida, as well as the larger international audience that will be community members in the “New Arctic”.

• 18:50 - 19:05 GMT: Art creation as a participatory practice: experience of the Arctic Art Institute

  Presenter: Ekaterina Sharova

  Institution: Arctic Art Institute

  Type: Oral presentation

  Category: Arctic

  Abstract: Arctic Art Institute was created as an experimental platform for artists and researchers engaged in contemporary art and research practices in Euro-Arctic Russia. The activity is based on the production of interdisciplinary projects, unlearning practices and rediscovery of forgotten narratives. The Institute has held four international Arctic Art Forums (2016-2020), bringing together artists, researchers and progressive Northern cultural workers at its venues. How can a participatory research and artistic practice re-create forgotten histories and resist epistemic violence?

• 19:05 - 19:20 GMT: The Future of Federally-Funded Arctic Research

  Presenter: Liz Weinberg

  Institution: Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee

  Type: Oral presentation

  Category: Collaboration

  Abstract: Please join us to learn about the future of federally funded U.S. Arctic research and opportunities for early-career researchers. Every five years, the U.S. Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC - https://www.iarpccollaborations.org/about.html) produces an Arctic Research Plan outlining federal priorities and opportunities for collaboration among agencies and non-federal partners. The plan addresses the most pressing Arctic research needs that require a collaborative approach and that can advance understanding of the Arctic, inform policy and and planning decisions, and promote the well-being of Arctic and global communities. IARPC released a draft of the 2022-2026 Arctic Research Plan for public comment and is seeking input by June 11, 2021 (see http://iarpccollaborations.org/draft-plan.html). During this session, IARPC representatives will describe the plan development process, give an overview of the draft of the Arctic Research Plan 2022-2026 and how to comment, and describe past, current, and future opportunities for early career researchers in the IARPC community.

• 19:20 - 19:50 GMT: Antarctic COVID-19 project - Recording of talk given in session 1

  Presenter: Daniela Liggett

  Institution: University of Canterbury, New Zealand

  Type: Oral presentation

  Category: Keynote

APECS International Online Conference 2021 - Polar Science: Success Stories from the Field and from Home - Session 5 from APECS Webinars on Vimeo.