Marine Arctic ecosystems have shown to possess a unique signature in terms of marine species composition, with specific cold-water plankton and fish communities consisting of specialized organisms with unique and tightly constrained ecological niches. These ecosystem compartments are particularly adapted to life in ice-covered, cold and light-limited ocean regions, thereby contributing to formation of the unique Arctic biomes. Moreover, these communities are also threatened by sea-ice loss, ocean acidification, ocean warming and the associated northwards shift of temperate communities both observed in today’s and predicted for the future ocean. In this research cluster, we will assess the biodiversity of Arctic ecosystems using environmental DNA and plankton imaging methods at an unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution. Work aboard the Tara Polar Station will allow us to monitor plankton and fish diversity all year round at bi-weekly intervals, both under the ice during the winter season, and in open waters during the summer. We will have a peek at plankton community structure at different ocean depths, ranging from the surface ocean to the deep chlorophyll maximum all the way down to the ocean's hidden darkness at several hundred metres of depth, exploring locations where no human has ever drawn a water sample before. Using citizen science tools, which allow for easy and participatory monitoring of marine communities, we will create a wealth of knowledge on one of the planet's most vulnerable ecosystems. Using science-arts workshops and artistic practise, we will share our knowledge and enthusiasm for these hidden realms with local communities in several countries.
Research Cluster PI
- Meike Vogt, ETH Zurich
Research Cluster Collaborators
- Loïc Pellissier, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
- Camille Albouy, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
- Virginie Marques, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
- Luke Gregor, SDSC, Switzerland
- Riikka Tauriainen, HKB Bern, Switzerland
- Merlin Weiss, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
- Fabien Lombard, Sorbonne University, France
- Jean-Oliver Irisson, Sorbonne University, France
- Maxime Geoffroy, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada
- Mathieu Ardyna, International Research Lab Takuvik, France/Canada
- Eric Pelletier, GENOSCOPE, France