Article
Geography, Physical
Mimmi Oksman, Anna Bang Kvorning, Signe Hillerup Larsen, Kristian Kjellerup Kjeldsen, Kenneth David Mankoff, William Colgan, Thorbjorn Joest Andersen, Niels Norgaard-Pedersen, Marit-Solveig Seidenkrantz, Naja Mikkelsen, Sofia Ribeiro
Summary: Climate warming and freshwater discharge from the Greenland Ice Sheet are impacting Arctic marine coastal ecosystems, affecting their biological productivity. Using paleo-records, researchers have estimated runoff in a sub-Arctic fjord system in southwest Greenland since the late 19th century. The study reveals that increased freshwater runoff has led to higher marine productivity and changes in diatom assemblages and spring blooms.
Article
Oceanography
Alexander O. Hager, David A. Sutherland, Jason M. Amundson, Rebecca H. Jackson, Christian Kienholz, Roman J. Motyka, Jonathan D. Nash
Summary: This study reveals the importance of freshwater reflux in influencing circulation in glacial fjords, especially during the summer. The mixing and re-entrainment of glacial freshwater in the subglacial discharge plume play a significant role in altering the near-glacier water properties and transporting warm water to the glacier grounding line. This circulatory phenomenon is absent in the winter when there is minimal freshwater reflux.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2022)
Article
Oceanography
Robert Sanchez, Donald Slater, Fiammetta Straneo
Summary: Freshwater from the Greenland Ice Sheet is routed to the ocean through narrow fjords, impacting ecosystems and circulation. The timing of freshwater export is influenced by the residence time in glacial fjords. In Saqqarleq, a fjord in west Greenland, seasonal freshwater storage was observed, with a rapid freshening trend driven by surface mixing and stratification. A box model was constructed to understand the dynamics and found a month lag between subglacial meltwater discharge and net freshwater export. These findings highlight the importance of accounting for fjord-induced delays in large-scale models studying the impact of Greenland freshwater on the climate system.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Maya P. Bhatia, Stephanie Waterman, David O. Burgess, Patrick L. Williams, Randelle M. Bundy, Travis Mellett, Megan Roberts, Erin M. Bertrand
Summary: The Canadian Arctic Archipelago is vulnerable to climate warming, with its glaciers impacting nutrient delivery to surface waters through upwelling and direct discharge. The strength of upwelling and nutrient delivery scales with subglacial meltwater discharge, with potential consequences for local productivity and regional micronutrient cycling. As glaciers retreat, the impacts on marine ecosystems are likely to be amplified initially but eventually muted as the ice masses diminish.
GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jong-Ku Gal, Bo Kyung Kim, Hyoung Min Joo, Chorom Shim, Boyeon Lee, Il-Nam Kim, Jinyoung Jung, Kyung-Hoon Shin, Sun-Yong Ha
Summary: The study investigated the concentrations of n-alkanes and sterols in marine particulate matter in Kongsfjorden in early spring, revealing differences in environmental factors and phytoplankton cell density between the inner and outer fjord. Certain sterols showed correlations with chlorophyll a and POC concentrations, while short-chain alkanes were found to have significantly higher concentrations in the surface layer compared to the subsurface. The distribution of lipid biomarkers in the water column provides important information for understanding the origin and transport of organic matter in the Arctic fjord.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Manuel Ruben, Jens Hefter, Florence Schubotz, Walter Geibert, Martin Butzin, Torben Gentz, Hendrik Grotheer, Matthias Forwick, Witold Szczucinski, Gesine Mollenhauer
Summary: Traditionally, rock-derived or petrogenic organic carbon has been considered non-bioavailable and not actively involved in the carbon cycle. However, recent studies suggest that this carbon may not be as inert as previously thought, especially in fjord systems with high influxes of petrogenic organic carbon, which could contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. The extent to which microorganisms utilize this organic carbon is not well understood, but it plays a significant role in the global carbon cycling. Radiocarbon analysis of intact polar lipid-fatty acids in marine sediments from Hornsund Fjord, Svalbard, revealed that bacterial communities in the area utilize 5 +/- 2% to 55 +/- 6% (average of 25 +/- 16%) of petrogenic organic carbon for biosynthesis after sediment redeposition. This suggests that the lack of recently synthesized organic carbon from primary production forces microorganisms to rely on petrogenic organic carbon as an alternative energy source, highlighting its importance in carbon cycling.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Manuel Ruben, Jens Hefter, Florence Schubotz, Walter Geibert, Martin Butzin, Torben Gentz, Hendrik Grotheer, Matthias Forwick, Witold Szczucinski, Gesine Mollenhauer
Summary: Despite being considered as having limited bioavailability, ancient rock-derived organic matter in Arctic fjord sediments is consumed by micro-organisms, potentially leading to greenhouse gas emissions.
Article
Geography, Physical
Matthias Troch, Sebastien Bertrand, Julia S. Wellner, Carina B. Lange, Konrad A. Hughen
Summary: The postglacial fluctuations of the Southern Patagonian Icefield (SPI) glaciers on the windward side are mainly unknown. This study reconstructs the fluctuations of HPS19, Penguin, and Europa glaciers using sediment cores from Wide Channel. The results show that the glaciers retreated into fjords around 11.2 thousand years ago and fluctuated rapidly during the Neoglacial period. The comparison with geological archives suggests synchronous glacier variability during the past few centuries. Rating: 8/10
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Water Resources
Jakob Abermann, Kirsty Langley, Sille M. Myreng, Kerstin Rasmussen, Dorthe Petersen
Summary: This study monitored the discharges of four different catchments in Kobbefjord, West Greenland for 12 years, finding significant variations in discharge magnitude at annual, seasonal, and sub-daily scales due to differences in physical properties and local climate variability. The differences in annual specific discharges were mainly caused by a longitudinal precipitation gradient from West to East and seasonal discharge cycles were influenced by solar radiation and snowmelt. Dry years increased relative differences in discharge, but no significant temporal trends were identified. Sub-daily variations in discharge timing were attributed to the presence and elevation of lakes in the catchments.
HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES
(2021)
Article
Limnology
Lisa C. Herbert, Qingzhi Zhu, Alexander B. Michaud, Katja Laufer-Meiser, Christopher K. Jones, Natascha Riedinger, Zachery S. Stooksbury, Robert C. Aller, Bo Barker Jorgensen, Laura M. Wehrmann
Summary: The study investigated the variation and influencing factors of benthic iron fluxes in Arctic fjords of Svalbard, finding that sedimentation rates and availability of organic carbon have significant impacts on benthic Fe2+ flux. With ongoing climate warming, an increase in benthic Fe2+ flux is predicted in some fjords due to reduced sea ice cover, while a decrease in Fe2+ flux is expected in other regions with the retreat of tidewater glaciers, potentially exacerbating Fe limitation of primary productivity in the Arctic Ocean.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
T. R. Vonnahme, L. Klausen, R. M. Bank, D. Michellod, G. Lavik, U. Dietrich, R. Gradinger
Summary: The polar night is an active biological season that is understudied in terms of microbial ecology. This study found that factors such as light availability, mixing, and input of organic matter from land, play important roles in driving the dynamics of the polar night microbial ecosystem.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rajendran Rajaram, Arumugam Ganeshkumar, Partheeban Emmanuel Charles
Summary: This study determined the concentrations of five heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn) in various components of the Kongsfjorden Fjord and freshwater lakes in Ny-Alesund, Svalbard archipelago, in order to assess the anthropogenic impacts of Ny-Alesund town. The results showed that Cu and Zn were detected in the water samples, while Zn, Cu, and Cr were found in the plankton samples, and the concentrations of metals in macroalgae and sediments varied. Multivariate statistical analyses indicated that the metals originated from both anthropogenic and geogenic sources. Pollution monitoring indices revealed high levels of contamination in the study area, primarily due to anthropogenic activities.
Article
Limnology
Bo Barker Jorgensen, Katja Laufer, Alexander B. Michaud, Laura M. Wehrmann
Summary: The fjord ecosystems of the high Arctic are distinct from those of temperate latitudes due to the influence of glaciers, icebergs, sea ice, and permanently low temperatures. Sediment microbiology and biogeochemical processes in these fjords are mainly influenced by glacier-derived rock flour rich in metal oxides and plankton-derived marine organic matter. The balance between dominant sediment microbial processes changes along transects out through the fjords, reflecting the varying impact of glacier-derived and plankton-derived materials.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Caroline Bouchard, Patrick Farnole, Kristine Lynge-Pedersen, Parnuna Egede Dahl, Henrik Christiansen
Summary: Arctic cod is often found in front of glaciers. The fjords of Uummannap Kangerlua and Sullorsuaq in West Greenland provide a unique opportunity to study Arctic cod in the glacial habitat. Collaboration with fishers has provided important baseline information on Arctic cod in fjord and glacial habitats.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alexander Osadchiev, Roman Sedakov, Dmitry Frey, Alexandra Gordey, Vladimir Rogozhin, Zinaida Zabudkina, Eduard Spivak, Ekaterina Kuskova, Andrey Sazhin, Igor Semiletov
Summary: The Kara Sea receives a significant amount of freshwater discharge from the Ob and Yenisei rivers, contributing to the freshwater balance of the Arctic Ocean. In this study, it was found that late autumn convection reduces friction between the freshwater plume and the ocean, allowing it to form a buoyancy-driven coastal current below sea ice. This current transports a large volume of freshwater to the Laptev Sea during the winter months.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Oceanography
S. Rysgaard, W. Boone, D. Carlson, M. K. Sejr, J. Bendtsen, T. Juul-Pedersen, H. Lund, L. Meire, J. Mortensen
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2020)
Article
Oceanography
John Mortensen, Soren Rysgaard, Jorgen Bendtsen, Kunuk Lennert, Torsten Kanzow, Henrik Lund, Lorenz Meire
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2020)
Article
Oceanography
Jorgen Bendtsen, Soren Rysgaard, Daniel F. Carlson, Lorenz Meire, Mikael K. Sejr
Summary: Research has shown that near tidewater outlet glaciers, localized mixing hot spots can significantly contribute to vertical exchange, especially due to the position of these glaciers near the outlets, leading to the formation of this type of localized mixing.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2021)
Article
Oceanography
A. E. Stuart-Lee, J. Mortensen, A. S. van der Kaaden, L. Meire
Summary: The study focuses on the seasonal hydrography of Ameralik, a Greenlandic fjord impacted by a land-terminating glacier. The absence of subglacial discharge and glacial ice in Ameralik significantly affects the inner fjord density profiles and circulation. During the summer, a large fraction of meltwater is retained within the fjord, while substantial freshwater export occurs during winter coastal inflows.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2021)
Article
Oceanography
J. Mortensen, S. Rysgaard, M. H. S. Winding, T. Juul-Pedersen, K. E. Arendt, H. Lund, A. E. Stuart-Lee, L. Meire
Summary: The waters on the West Greenland continental shelf and slope, particularly the Baffin Bay Polar Water (BBPW), have significant impacts on the global climate system and the Greenland Ice Sheet. This study examines the frequency of BBPW reaching the southern part of West Greenland at approximately 64 degrees N, and its association with temperature changes. The findings suggest that BBPW plays a crucial role in the interpretation of temperature changes and the melt of the Greenland Ice Sheet.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Mads Reinholdt Jensen, Signe Hogslund, Steen Wilhelm Knudsen, Julius Nielsen, Peter Rask Moller, Soren Rysgaard, Philip Francis Thomsen
Summary: The study aims to investigate the transition in fish and marine mammal communities from South to Northeast Greenland using environmental DNA (eDNA). The results demonstrate a clear shift in biological communities from south to northeast, with different fish and mammal species dominating each region. The study highlights the potential of eDNA sampling in detecting latitudinal changes in marine biological communities and its feasibility in remote areas as climate change progresses.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Henry C. Henson, Johnna M. Holding, Lorenz Meire, Soren Rysgaard, Colin A. Stedmon, Alice Stuart-Lee, Jorgen Bendtsen, Mikael Sejr
Summary: Greenland's fjords and coastal waters are highly productive and sustain important fisheries, but retreating glaciers and increasing meltwater are changing fjord circulation and biogeochemistry, potentially threatening future productivity. The freshening of Greenland fjords caused by unprecedented melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet may alter carbonate chemistry in coastal waters, impacting CO2 uptake and causing acidification-related biological consequences. However, there have been few studies on the current acidification state in Greenland coastal waters.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
A. E. Stuart-Lee, J. Mortensen, T. Juul-Pedersen, J. J. Middelburg, K. Soetaert, M. J. Hopwood, A. Engel, L. Meire
Summary: The release of meltwater from marine-terminating glaciers influences primary production in fjords along Greenland's coastline. However, it is still unclear how local ecosystems will adapt and how it will affect hydrography as these glaciers retreat onto land. In this study, we examined how marine- and land-terminating glaciers respectively influence bloom dynamics in two fjords in west Greenland.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Oceanography
E. W. Willcox, J. Bendtsen, J. Mortensen, C. Mohn, M. Lemes, T. J. Pedersen, J. Holding, E. F. Moller, M. K. Sejr, M. S. Seidenkrantz, S. Rysgaard
Summary: This study presents a synoptic survey of the Northeast Greenland shelf and slope during late summer 2017, investigating hydrography, nutrients, conservative tracers, and climate factors. The results indicate that the Laptev Sea is a major freshwater source in the region during this period, and there is no conclusive evidence of Pacific Water. The observations suggest a direct link between Northeast Greenland hydrology and processes occurring on Eurasian shelves.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2023)
Article
Oceanography
T. M. Burgers, L. A. Miller, S. Rysgaard, J. Mortensen, B. Else, J. -E Tremblay, T. Papakyriakou
Summary: In August 2014, we characterized the physico-chemical properties of water masses entering Nares Strait. We used an extended OMP analysis to estimate mixing fractions and determine the role of physical and biological processes in the distribution of DIC. Our observations include evidence of Siberian shelf waters and diluted Pacific-origin upper halocline layer entering Nares Strait. These mixed-origin water masses drive phytoplankton bloom in Kane Basin, leading to decreased surface pCO(2) concentrations. The positioning of the Transpolar Drift and the balance of Atlantic and Pacific water delivered to Nares Strait play an important role in regional biological productivity and carbon uptake.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Lorenz Meire, Maria Lund Paulsen, Patrick Meire, Soren Rysgaard, Mark James Hopwood, Mikael Kristian Sejr, Alice Stuart-Lee, Koen Sabbe, Willem Stock, John Mortensen
Summary: Glacier retreat in Greenland alters the primary productivity, ecosystem structure, and functioning of downstream fjord ecosystems. Monthly sampling in two fjords in southwest Greenland in 2016 revealed that subglacial discharge from marine-terminating glaciers sustains high phytoplankton productivity dominated by diatoms and grazed by larger mesozooplankton throughout summer. On the other hand, melting of land-terminating glaciers results in a fjord ecosystem dominated by bacteria, picophytoplankton, and smaller zooplankton, with only one-third of the annual productivity and half the CO2 uptake compared to the fjord downstream from marine-terminating glaciers.
