Five decades of terrestrial and freshwater research at Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard

Abstract

For more than five decades, research has been conducted at Ny-Ålesund, in Svalbard, Norway, to understand the structure and functioning of High-Arctic ecosystems and the profound impacts on them of environmental change. Terrestrial, freshwater, glacial and marine ecosystems are accessible year-round from Ny-Ålesund, providing unique opportunities for interdisciplinary observational and experimental studies along physical, chemical, hydrological and climatic gradients. Here, we synthesize terrestrial and freshwater research at Ny-Ålesund and review current knowledge of biodiversity patterns, species population dynamics and interactions, ecosystem processes, biogeochemical cycles and anthropogenic impacts. There is now strong evidence of past and ongoing biotic changes caused by climate change, including negative effects on populations of many taxa and impacts of rain-on-snow events across multiple trophic levels. While species-level characteristics and responses are well understood for macro-organisms, major knowledge gaps exist for microbes, invertebrates and ecosystem-level processes. In order to fill current knowledge gaps, we recommend (1) maintaining monitoring efforts, while establishing a long-term ecosystem-based monitoring programme; (2) gaining a mechanistic understanding of environmental change impacts on processes and linkages in food webs; (3) identifying trophic interactions and cascades across ecosystems; and (4) integrating long-term data on microbial, invertebrate and freshwater communities, along with measurements of carbon and nutrient fluxes among soils, atmosphere, freshwaters and the marine environment. The synthesis here shows that the Ny-Ålesund study system has the characteristics needed to fill these gaps in knowledge, thereby enhancing our understanding of High-Arctic ecosystems and their responses to environmental variability and change.

Characterization of a Deglaciated Sediment Chronosequence in the High Arctic Using Near‐Surface Geoelectrical Monitoring Methods

“…SL 2 is characterized by moraine hummocks and glacial stream bed features. Sensors were installed on a relatively flat moraine hummock, and the sediment was aggregated, with localized occurrences of lichens, biological soil crusts, and vascular plants such as Salix polaris , Dryas octopetala , and Saxifraga oppositifolia , which are common in the area [40], and dominate the forefield of the adjacent Austre Brøggerbreen glacier [41].…”

Study of Archaeal Diversity in the Arctic Meltwater Lake Region

“…Ny-Ålesund is located on the western coast of Spitsbergen, which is the largest island in Svalbard. Due to its proximity to, and influence from, the warm Western Spitsbergen Current, the climate of Ny-Ålesund is generally warmer and wetter than that of other land masses at the same latitude [27]. Samples were collected in July 2018 from 12 sites in the Ny-Ålesund region of the Arctic (Table 1) with three parallel samples set at each site, giving a total of 36 soil individual samples.…”

The rising threat of climate change for arthropods from Earth's cold regions: Taxonomic rather than native status drives species sensitivity

“…Climatic conditions experienced in cold environments globally (polar and alpine regions, tundra) have been changing more rapidly than in other parts of the world in recent decades. In parts of the polar regions, particularly with reference to warming, this phenomenon is referred to as polar amplification (ACIA, 2005; Pedersen et al, 2022; Turner & Overland, 2009). A number of significant consequences of these changes have already been reported or predicted.…”

“…A number of significant consequences of these changes have already been reported or predicted. They include (a) retreat of glaciers and loss of floating ice shelves (Cook et al, 2005; Turner & Overland, 2009), (b) reduction in the number of freezing days during winter periods (Lebouvier et al, 2011), winter thaw events and changes in timing of spring thaw and winter freeze (Pedersen et al, 2022; Rixen et al, 2022), (c) reduced precipitation and more frequent summer drought events (McClelland et al, 2018), (d) altered plant communities (Chapuis et al, 2004; Collins et al, 2022; Myers‐Smith, Grabowski, et al, 2019; Myers‐Smith, Thomas, et al, 2019; Prevéy et al, 2019), (e) increased probabilities of establishment and potential distributions of non‐native plants and arthropods (Chown et al, 2012; Convey & Peck, 2019; Pertierra et al, 2017, 2020), and (f) distribution expansion in non‐native species already established (Bartlett et al, 2020; Le Roux et al, 2013; Lebouvier et al, 2020) and of native species (Contador et al, 2020; Duffy et al, 2017).…”