High Arctic Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Global climate change is expected to shift species ranges polewards, with a risk of range contractions and population declines of especially high-Arctic species. We built species distribution models for Svalbard-nesting pink-footed geese... more

Global climate change is expected to shift species ranges polewards, with a risk of range contractions and population declines of especially high-Arctic species. We built species distribution models for Svalbard-nesting pink-footed geese to relate their occurrence to environmental and climatic variables, and used the models to predict their distribution under a warmer climate scenario. The most parsimonious model included mean May temperature, the number of frost-free months and the proportion of moist and wet moss-dominated vegetation in the area. The two climate variables are indicators for whether geese can physiologically fulfil the breeding cycle or not and the moss vegetation is an indicator of suitable feeding conditions. Projections of the distribution to warmer climate scenarios propose a large north- and eastward expansion of the potential breeding range on Svalbard even at modest temperature increases (1 and 2 °C increase in summer temperature, respectively). Contrary to recent suggestions regarding future distributions of Arctic wildlife, we predict that warming may lead to a further growth in population size of, at least some, Arctic breeding geese.

The North Water Polynya is an area of high biological activity that supports large numbers of higher trophic-level organisms such as seabirds and marine mammals. An overall objective of the Upper Trophic-Level Group of the International... more

The North Water Polynya is an area of high biological activity that supports large numbers of higher trophic-level organisms such as seabirds and marine mammals. An overall objective of the Upper Trophic-Level Group of the International North Water Polynya Study (NOW) was to evaluate carbon and contaminant flux through these high trophic-level (TL) consumers. Crucial to an evaluation of the role of such consumers, however, was the establishment of primary trophic linkages within the North Water food web. We used δ15N values of food web components from particulate organic matter (POM) through polar bears (Ursus maritimus) to create a trophic-level model based on the assumptions that Calanus hyperboreus occupies TL 2.0 and there is a 2.4‰ trophic enrichment in 15N between birds and their diets, and a 3.8‰ trophic enrichment for all other components. This model placed the planktivorous dovekie (Alle alle) at TL 3.3, ringed seal (Phoca hispida) at TL 4.5, and polar bear at TL 5.5. The copepods C. hyperboreus, Chiridius glacialis and Euchaeta glacialis formed a trophic continuum (TL 2.0–3.0) from primary herbivore through omnivore to primary carnivore. Invertebrates were generally sorted according to planktonic, benthic and epibenthic feeding groups. Seabirds formed three trophic groups, with dovekie occupying the lowest, black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis), thick-billed murre (Uria aalge), and ivory gull (Pagophilia eburnea) intermediate (TL 3.9–4.0), and glaucous gull (Larus hyperboreus) the highest (TL 4.6) trophic positions. Among marine mammals, walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) occupied the lowest (TL 3.2) and bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus), ringed seal, beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas), and narwhal (Monodon monoceros) intermediate positions (TL 4.1–4.6). In addition to arctic cod (Boreogadus saida), we suggest that lower trophic-level prey, in particular the amphipod Themisto libellula, contribute fundamentally in transferring energy and carbon flux to higher trophic-level seabirds and marine mammals. We measured PCB 153 among selected organisms to investigate the behavior of bioaccumulating contaminants within the food web. Our isotopic model confirmed the trophic magnification of PCB 153 in this high-Arctic food web due to a strong correlation between contaminant concentration and organism δ15N values, demonstrating the utility of combining isotopic and contaminant approaches to food-web studies. Stable-carbon isotope analysis confirmed an enrichment in 13C between POM and ice algae (–22.3 vs. –17.7‰). Benthic organisms were generally enriched in 13C compared to pelagic species. We discuss individual species isotopic data and the general utility of our stable isotope model for defining carbon flux and contaminant flow through the North Water food web.

Abstract. Concentrations of total mercury and methyl mercury were determined in sediment and fish collected from estuarine waters of Florida to understand their distribution and partition-ing. Total mercury concentrations in sediments... more

Abstract. Concentrations of total mercury and methyl mercury were determined in sediment and fish collected from estuarine waters of Florida to understand their distribution and partition-ing. Total mercury concentrations in sediments ranged from 1 to 219 ng/g dry wt. Methyl ...

In the field, in-situ measurements of aerosol light scattering are often performed under dry conditions (relative humidity RH < 30-40%) which differ from the ambient ones. Since ambient aerosol particles experience a hygroscopic growth at... more

In the field, in-situ measurements of aerosol light scattering are often performed under dry conditions (relative humidity RH < 30-40%) which differ from the ambient ones. Since ambient aerosol particles experience a hygroscopic growth at enhanced RH, their micro physical and optical properties - especially the aerosol light scattering - are strongly dependent on RH. The knowledge of this RH effect is of eminent importance for climate forcing calculations or for the comparison of remote sensing with in-situ measurements. Here, we will present results from the Cabauw Intercomparison Campaign of Nitrogen Dioxide measuring Instruments (CINDI, June-July 2009, Cabauw, The Netherlands). During this campaign different remote sensing and in-situ instruments were used to derive atmospheric parameters mainly NO2 but also aerosol properties. The aerosol in-situ measurements were performed in the basement of the Cabauw tower (inlet height 60 m). The aerosol scattering coefficient was measured dry and at various, predefined RH conditions between 20 and 95% with a recently developed humidified nephelometer (WetNeph) and with a second nephelometer measuring at dry conditions. In addition, the aerosol absorption coefficient was measured by a multi-angle absorption photometer (MAAP). This combination of measurements allows the determination of the aerosol extinction coefficient at ambient RH. Three MAX-DOAS (multi-axis differential optical absorption spectroscopy) instruments retrieved vertical profiles of the aerosol extinction coefficient during CINDI. The retrieved aerosol extinction corresponding to the lowest profile layer can now be directly compared to the in-situ value, which is now re-calculated to ambient RH.

Opportunities exist in high Arctic polar semidesert communities for colonisation of unvegetated ground by long-lived clonal plants such as Dryas octopetala. This can be achieved by lateral spread of vegetative ramets, or by sexual... more

Opportunities exist in high Arctic polar semidesert communities for colonisation of unvegetated ground by long-lived clonal plants such as Dryas octopetala. This can be achieved by lateral spread of vegetative ramets, or by sexual reproduction and seedling recruitment. The objectives of this study were (1) to determine whether these two means of proliferation show differential sensitivity to contrasting components of

Page 1. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol. 223: 15–26, 2001 Published November 28 INTRODUCTION The complex structure of sea ice (Weissenberger et al. 1992) makes it difficult to apply in ...

SYNOPSIS. We examined the role of trophic interactions in structuring a high arctic tundra community characterized by a large breeding colony of greater snow geese (Chen caerulescens atlantica). According to the exploitation ecosystem... more

SYNOPSIS. We examined the role of trophic interactions in structuring a high arctic tundra community characterized by a large breeding colony of greater snow geese (Chen caerulescens atlantica). According to the exploitation ecosystem hypothesis of Oksanen et al. (1981), food chains are controlled by top-down interactions. However, because the arctic primary productivity is low, herbivore populations are too small to support functional predator populations and these communities should thus be dominated by the plant/ herbivore trophic-level interaction. Since 1990, we have been monitoring annual abundance and productivity of geese, the impact of goose grazing, predator abundance (mostly arctic foxes, Alopex lagopus) and the abundance of lemmings, the other significant herbivore in this community, on Bylot Island, Nunavut, Can- ada. Goose grazing consistently removed a significant proportion of the standing crop ( ;40%) in tundra wetlands every year. Grazing changed plant community co...