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A Genetic View into Past Sea Ice Variability in the Arctic (AGENSI)

A Genetic View into Past Sea Ice Variability in the Arctic (AGENSI)

Andreas Wolden, Andreas Wolden, AGENSI1 foto Andreas Wolden, <p>Andreas Wolden</p>, Et skip i en åpen rak i omgitt hav havis

Source:
Andreas Wolden

Andreas Wolden

Andreas Wolden, From the Arctic sea, AGENSI1 foto Andreas Wolden, <p>Andreas Wolden</p>, Et skip i en åpen rak i omgitt hav havis

Source:
Andreas Wolden

From the Arctic sea

Arctic sea ice decline is the exponent of the rapidly transforming Arctic climate. The ensuing local and global implications can be understood by studying past climate transitions, yet few methods are available to examine past Arctic sea ice cover, severely restricting our understanding of sea ice in the climate system. The decline in Arctic sea ice cover is a ‘canary in the coalmine’ for the state of our climate, and if greenhouse gas emissions remain unchecked, summer sea ice loss may pass a critical threshold that could drastically transform the Arctic.

Because historical observations are limited, it is crucial to have reliable proxies for assessing natural sea ice variability, its stability and sensitivity to climate forcing on different time scales. Current proxies address aspects of sea ice variability, but are limited due to a selective fossil record, preservation effects, regional applicability, or being semi-quantitative. With such restraints on our knowledge about natural variations and drivers, major uncertainties about the future remain.

We propose to develop and apply a novel sea ice proxy that exploits genetic information stored in marine sediments, sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA). This innovation uses the genetic signature of phytoplankton communities from surface waters and sea ice as it gets stored in sediments. This wealth of information has not been explored before for reconstructing sea ice conditions.


Stijn De Schepper, Collecting samples from the Arctic sea ice., AGENSI2 foto Stijn De Schepper, ,

Source:
Stijn De Schepper

Collecting samples from the Arctic sea ice.

Preliminary results from our cross-disciplinary team indicate that our unconventional approach can provide a detailed, qualitative account of past sea ice ecosystems and quantitative estimates of sea ice parameters. We will address fundamental questions about past Arctic sea ice variability on different timescales, information essential to provide a framework upon which to assess the ecological and socio-economic consequences of a changing Arctic.

This new proxy is not limited to sea ice research and can transform the field of paleoceanography.


This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 818449.

Contact

Stijn De Schepper

Research Professor - Bergen

stde@norceresearch.no
+47 56 10 75 50

Project facts

Name

A Genetic View into Past Sea Ice Variability in the Arctic

Status

Active

Duration

01.08.19 - 31.07.24

Location

Bergen

Total budget

22.500.000 NOK

Project website

https://www.agensi.eu/

Research areas

Research group

Research Topics

Funding

EC/H2020

Prosjekteier

NORCE

Project members

Jessica Louise Ray
Katrine Sandnes Skaar
Kristine Steinsland
Danielle M. Grant
Umer Zeeshan Ijaz
Ruediger Stein

Samarbeidspartnere

University of Glasgow, Universität Bremen, Alfred-Wegener-Institut für Polar- und Meeresforschung
Publications
Arctic Paleoceanography Cruise KH21-234 with R/V Kronprins Haakon – De Schepper, Stijn; Larsen, Aud; Blindheim, Dag Inge; Cordier, Tristan; Grant, Danielle; Hestetun, Jon Thomassen; Häkli, Katja; Lefevere, Simon Pierre; Liltved, Allegra; Monsen, Stig; Mugu, Sigrid; Ray, Jessica Louise; Steinsland, Kristine; Trofimova, Tamara; Weiner, Agnes. 2022, . NORCE, UIB.
Patterns of eukaryotic diversity from the surface to the deep-ocean sediment – Cordier, Tristan; Angeles, Inès Barrenechea; Henry, Nicolas; Lejzerowicz, Franck; Berney, Cédric; Morard, Raphaël; Brandt, Angelika; Cambon-Bonavita, Marie-Anne; Guidi, Lionel; Lombard, Fabien; Arbizu, Pedro Martinez; Massana, Ramon; Orejas, Covadonga; Poulain, Julie; Smith, Craig R.; Wincker, Patrick; Arnaud-Haond, Sophie; Gooday, Andrew J.; de Vargas, Colomban; Pawlowski, Jan. 2022, Science Advances. NORCE, UdG, UPMC, UCSD, UB, JWGFaM, SENCKENB, UdBO, CvOUO, CSIC, IEO, Udd, UH MĀNOA, UdMI, NHM, NOCS, PAN.
PaleoEcoGen: Unlocking the power of ancient environmental DNA to understand past ecological trends – Monchamp, Marie-Eve; Armbrecht, Linda H.; Capo, Eric; Coolen, Marco J. L.; Cordier, Tristan; Domaizon, Isabelle; Epp, Laura; Giguet-Covex, Charline; Gregory-Eaves, Irene; Herzschuh, Ulrike; Parducci, Laura; Stoof-Leichsenring, Kathleen Rosmarie; Williams, John W.. 2021, Past Global Changes Magazine. NORCE.
See all publications in Cristin
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E-mail: post@norceresearch.no

Phone: +47 56 10 70 00

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