Session Chair: Clare Eayrs, New York University Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Technical Support: Ilias Bougoudis, Institute of Environmental Physics, University of Bremen, Germany. The recording of the session is available below.
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09:40 - 09:45 GMT: Introduction
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09:45 - 10:15 GMT: Keynote: INTERACT project presentation
Margareta Johansson
INTERACT Coordinator, Lund University -
10:15 - 10:30 GMT: Arctic Tourist Taxation or Arctic Charity
Daria Mishina
University of Lapland, FinlandType: Oral Presentation
Abstract: The purpose of this project is to introduce a new Arctic tourism-approach: Arctic tourist taxation. In contrast to other studies, I consider whether business (especially expensive Arctic tourism) can be connected to the direct Arctic development by governmental taxation and/or charity. Specifically, I focus on the needed changes in the understanding of the Arctic tourism in general. (Under the "Arctic tourism" I analyze Arctic territories (High-Arctic, Low-Arctic and sub-Arctic territories).
The Arctic regions suffer from the lack of infrastructure, educational facilities for local habitats, territorial, social, and health development. The results of students interviews in the Russian Northern Arctic region (Yamal) have shown that teenagers (13-18 years old) show interest to the Arctic regions (77%). However, there is a lack of information about the Arctic, its value and perspectives to work and live in the Northern regions. Moreover, respondents are ready and want to get knowledge about the Arctic by outdoor seminars and conferences (62%) or have сompulsory either facultative lessons with invited Arctic specialists (80%). Principles and goals of the “Arctic tourist taxation” or “Arctic Charity” are oriented on help, initiation and promotion of the needed Arctic development by combining business and pleasure. Using qualitative method of analysis, I found the evidence of possibility to manage a “Arctic tourist taxation” as a new program of the Arctic Council or “Arctic Charity” as an independent NGO. I propose to charge tour operators and tourists by 0.5% of the tour’s price for the further development of the Arctic regions. This approach will build a “checkpoint” in front of the gate to the North. The project can be implemented not only for indigenous and non-indigenous people in the Northern regions, but also for Arctic animals’ protection and for national parks in the Northern regions.
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10:30 - 10:40 GMT: Arctic Tourist Taxation or Arctic Charity
Daria Mishina
University of Lapland, FinlandType: Innovative Communication
Abstract: The purpose of this project is to introduce a new Arctic tourism-approach: Arctic tourist taxation. In contrast to other studies, I consider whether business (especially expensive Arctic tourism) can be connected to the direct Arctic development by governmental taxation and/or charity. Specifically, I focus on the needed changes in the understanding of the Arctic tourism in general. (Under the "Arctic tourism" I analyze Arctic territories (High-Arctic, Low-Arctic and sub-Arctic territories).
The Arctic regions suffer from the lack of infrastructure, educational facilities for local habitats, territorial, social, and health development. The results of students interviews in the Russian Northern Arctic region (Yamal) have shown that teenagers (13-18 years old) show interest to the Arctic regions (77%). However, there is a lack of information about the Arctic, its value and perspectives to work and live in the Northern regions. Moreover, respondents are ready and want to get knowledge about the Arctic by outdoor seminars and conferences (62%) or have сompulsory either facultative lessons with invited Arctic specialists (80%). Principles and goals of the “Arctic tourist taxation” or “Arctic Charity” are oriented on help, initiation and promotion of the needed Arctic development by combining business and pleasure. Using qualitative method of analysis, I found the evidence of possibility to manage a “Arctic tourist taxation” as a new program of the Arctic Council or “Arctic Charity” as an independent NGO. I propose to charge tour operators and tourists by 0.5% of the tour’s price for the further development of the Arctic regions. This approach will build a “checkpoint” in front of the gate to the North. The project can be implemented not only for indigenous and non-indigenous people in the Northern regions, but also for Arctic animals’ protection and for national parks in the Northern regions.
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10:40 - 10:50 GMT: Predatory zooplankton on the move
Charlotte Havermans
University of Bremen, Alfred Wegener Institute, GermanyType: Innovative Communication
Abstract: Climate change proceeding at unprecedented pace is currently redistributing life on Earth. Warming of the upper ocean and the atmosphere have altered sea ice extent and seasonal dynamics in the Arctic, and similar changes are observed in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean and West Antarctic. This affects stocks of major pelagic species such as krill. A so far neglected key player, the predatory amphipod genus Themisto, covers a distribution from temperate to polar regions where it regionally represents the dominant food source for higher trophic levels. Poleward range expansions of several Themisto species have been already been documented or predicted as warming continues. In the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean, changes in seasonal sea ice extension are causing strong annual variations of krill stocks, whilst salps are on the rise and shifting their distribution poleward. A third key player, Themisto gaudichaudii, is now also anticipated to extend its range southward. In the Arctic, the ice-dependent Arctic T. libellula and the sub-Arctic boreal T. abyssorum co-exist. Considering the ongoing Atlantification of the Arctic, a range expansion of T. abyssorum concomitant with a retraction of T. libellula’s range are very likely to occur. Due to major knowledge gaps in the ecology, biology and genetic connectivity of Themisto species, the likelihood of range shifts and their consequences for food web structures and biogeochemical cycles remain largely unexplored. We conducted a comparative study of Themisto populations to investigate their distribution, connectivity and trophic ecology.
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10:50 - 11:00 GMT: Mapping the current state of electricity production in rural Greenland
Magnus de Witt
Reykjavik UniversityType: Innovative Communication
Abstract: The presentation will be on a small fraction of my PhD research which has the overarching goal of the project is to mitigate the negative climate impacts associated with the use of fossil fuels in rural arctic areas, and to improve energy security in a cost-effective manner. A first part is the data acquisition of the current electricity generation and consumption as well as on renewable resources available. The presentation is focused on the data acquisition which will take place in Greenland at Nukissiorfiit. I hope to present data which can show different pattern in the electricity production in Greenlandic communities – are there variation due to the size, seasonal changes, long-term development. How is the behaviour between production and consumption? A very important factor in the harsh arctic climate is the reliability of electricity supply how is it ensured in small communities? Which afford has been taken to shift from fossil fuel towards renewable energy sources?
The analyses can help to identify points where the transition can be start best. At which locations are renewable energy sources available and where does it make sense to start first in terms of old fossil fuel generators which have to be replaced and which have the grates effect on reduction in emissions.
In further studies I will go in depth with the analyses to find the optimal transition process from conventional to renewable energy sources.
Which lessons can we learn from Greenland and how can we apply it to other Arctic communities?
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11:00 - 11:15 GMT: Coccolithophore Controls on Southern Ocean Biogeochemistry
Cara Nissen, Meike Vogt, Matthias Münnich, Nicolas Gruber
ETH Zürich, SwitzerlandType: Oral Presentation
Abstract: Southern Ocean (SO) phytoplankton biogeography impacts carbon cycling and the transport of macronutrients to lower latitudes. The relative importance of calcifying to total phytoplankton is of particular importance, since calcification and photosynthesis have opposing impacts on seawater pCO2 and air-sea CO2 exchange. Further, calcite acts as ballast material for exported organic matter, thus enhancing the sequestration of organic carbon. While historically, coccolithophores were not considered as an important constituent of the SO phytoplankton community, recent evidence suggests the presence of a distinct belt of high abundance between 40-60°S. Yet, the quantitative contribution of coccolithophores to SO biogeochemistry is not well understood. Here, we address this question using a regional high-resolution ocean circulation model for the entire SO south of 24°S with an embedded marine biogeochemistry/ecosystem module that we have extended to include an explicit representation of coccolithophores (ROMS-BEC). Comparing our standard simulation to one with calcification by coccolithophores turned off, we find that the oceanic uptake of CO2 increases by about 50% when neglecting calcification. Despite the small contribution of coccolithophores to NPP and export, their impact on the stoichiometry of nutrients which are laterally exported to higher and lower latitudes is large due the impact of ballast material on the organic matter remineralization depth. Thus, future changes in coccolithophore calcification and changes in their relative importance for the phytoplankton community have the potential to impact biogeochemistry in the SO substantially, with potential cascading effects for ecosystems and the carbon cycle at high and low latitudes.
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11:15 - 11:30 GMT: Small larvae, large animals: potential for benthic colonization in the High-Arctic ecosystems
Katarzyna Walczyńska
University of Gdansk, Institute of Oceanography, Department of Marine Plankton Research, Gdynia, PolandType: Oral Presentation
Abstract: Pelagic larvae of marine benthic invertebrates (meroplankton) play important role in many ecosystems, as benthic communities are determined by the supply of recruits. Larvae can be very abundant and they can dominate over holoplankton (permanent zooplankton), especially during spring phytoplankton bloom, thus they constitute food base for many organisms, like larger zooplankton or fish. This study focuses on barnacles (Crustacea: Cirripedia), which can be meaningful from the human perspective. They have big potential for biofouling, taking into account that shipping is a significant vector for transferring invasive species, this is particularly interesting in the age of global climate change, when many organisms shift their ranges of distribution. Furthermore, spreading over large distances and colonization of new territories is possible due to a planktonic larvae. Still, knowledge about larval development is scarce and because of their small sizes, differentiation of species by morphological methods is almost impossible. In this study barnacles from Adventfjorden (Svalbard Archipelago) were investigated: species composition, development and growth. In order to identify species, DNA barcoding was implemented and two species were found: dominating Balanus balanus and less abundant Semibalanus balanoides. Larval development was estimated to last around six weeks, following spring phytoplankton bloom. In this study we discuss the potential for increasing range of occurrence for these barnacles and possibility of colonization of Svalbard waters by different species possessing pelagic larvae, considering their environmental preferences, as well as changes in physical properties of water observed in recent years.
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11:30 - 12:10 GMT: Keynote: Human space exploration to Mars via the Antarctic Belgian Princess Elisabeth station as space analog
Sarah Baatout
Head of Radiobiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK•CEN
APECS Online Conference 2018 - Session 2 from APECS Webinars on Vimeo.