Summary of biological field research

From APLIS07

The Arctic ecosystems and sea ice, snow and pollutants are tightly intertwined. Dramatic changes in the state of Arctic sea ice and snow cover would lead to dramatic changes in the distribution and existence of species throughout the Arctic Ocean. Algae and biota within sea ice are at the base of the Arctic Ocean food chain. However, our knowledge of microbial biodiversity and, in particular, microbial activities throughout the Beaufort Sea and Arctic is very limited indeed. The BIPREX project, led by Monica Modigh, is investigating the composition and metabolic activities of microbial communities in the Arctic. This project is part of the international collaborative project OASIS. Microbes, bacteria and algae, in snow, ice and water mediate exchanges with the atmosphere; they are significant players in regulating the biosphere and are the main drivers of biogeochemical cycles and the major producers and consumers of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Microbes can be important sentinels of environmental change, because alterations in the structure and biomass of microbial communities can herald changes not only in pathways of nutrient and energy transfer in foodwebs, but also in biogeochemical cycles. BIPREX's field work and modelling studies will improve understanding of how temperature shifts and changes in Arctic sea ice and snow influence microbiota and related feedbacks in the future climate.