Arctic Tipping Points

We, Núria and Dorte, joined MS FRAM on a 2-week cruise from Kangerlussuaq to Qaanaaq (Thule) and beyond – to the furthest north the sea ice allowed passage. The ship, built in 2007, is a very modern version of Frijof Nansens old FRAM expedition vessel from the late 19^th century. Though it is a luxury cruiser for tourists, ATP has the privilege to use it as research vessel! Hurtigruten which runs MS FRAM is part of the advisory panel of ATP and offered the project a cabin on each of the two Thule expeditions this summer and also a cabin on a cruise next summer. For ATP this is a great opportunity to do fieldwork along the western coast of Greenland and disseminate research on climate change. FRAM is also interested in having scientists on board and thereby offering the opportunity for the passengers to follow the sampling activities and listen to lectures on climate change and the Arctic marine ecosystem.

Our scientific aim on the cruise was to assess how the growth of kelp changes along the climatic gradient from south to north Greenland and use this information to provide a hint on how a future warming might affect the kelp communities in the north, assuming that current climate conditions in the south may move northwards.

The itinerary of FRAM with many stops along a wide latitudinal gradient is well suited for this purpose. We had planned a sampling scheme that was feasible during the relatively short time available at the stops in the settlements along the route, and which did not require fancy sampling and laboratory equipment. We needed a zodiac with GPS and depth sensor, a driver, an underwater video to explore the life on the seabottom, a rake to sample the kelp, plastic bags, ruler, pen, space to measure the several meter long kelp, and access to a freezer. FRAM provided us boat and skilled drivers at every stop as soon as the passengers had been brought to the shore. William and his colleagues became an important part of the team not solely by driving the zodiac but also by ensuring the best catches of kelp! Moreover, the bridge provided us temperature data, tidal tables and all kinds of logistic arrangements for the entire cruise, and the expedition team leader, Anja, settled the practicalities for sampling and lectures on board with her great organisational skills.

A catch of kelp. Photo Rudi Caeyers.

Our sampling site in Uummannaq. Photo Rudi Caeyers.

Since we did not know the sites in advance, we sought local knowledge on good places to sample. As soon as FRAM arrived at a settlement, we went to the shore and asked inhabitants for advice on where to find kelp. People were very helpful and also shared information with us about local ice conditions across the year. This help on kelp was very valuable and rendered the samplings quite efficient.

We got the opportunity to process the kelps at the sailors working space on deck 2 as well as next to the “Salon Panoramique” (deck 7) outdoors protected by the transparent wind screen across which we could admire the icebergs, glaciers, sea ice and occasionally a whale while navigating on a flat sea usually in sunshine… While working, the passengers and crew often approached us and inquired about the sampling and also shared experiences related to kelp and/or science with us. For example, a Greenlandic woman explained us how her family used kelp in their diet: they ate the big brown kelp, winged tangle (Alaria alata) and the red kelp Palmaria palmata prepared either as a soup or raw as a salad. Her favourite serving was freshly chopped Palmaria palmata with fresh mussels and seal blubber! Climate change also became a hot topic on board. Discussions took place in many languages: Scandinavian, English, French, Italian, German and we had to supplement our vocabulary with signs and body language. Parts of the discussions will even be translated into Czech when Czech TV releases a film about this trip.

Processing kelp on the 7th deck. Photo Rudi Caeyers.

In between the measurements we stored the algae cold in our minibar. Though we were eager to empty this minibar every night, we sometimes had to restrain ourselves and save some for the next day!

All in all we sampled 8 sites along the route. The preliminary results indicate that as we move northwards marine vegetation belts are narrower, the algae grow slower and some macroalge species disappear. These findings most probably reflect different climatic conditions. Ice cover persists longer towards the north, and laves less light for the macroalgae at the sea bottom and, concomitantly, seawater temperature decreases by several degrees during summer from southern to northern Greenland. With global warming we therefore expect southern kelp species to migrate further north and vegetation belts to expand.The two week cruise also offered many other highlights and set several northern records:

• we sampled the northernmost population of knotted wrack (Ascophyllum nodosum) at Qeqertarsuaq (Disko Island) , which we found thanks to the guidelines that Poul Møller Pedersen from the University of Copenhagen provided us
• we visited the northernmost settlement in the world, Siorapaluk, and
• we reached the northernmost latitude ever by this FRAM vessel: 79˚49’!

Núria sampling the northernmost population of knotted wrack (Ascophyllum nodosum) in Qeqertarsuaq, Disko Island. Photo Dorte Krause-Jensen.

We have now left FRAM and are on our way home while we write this final blog on the 5-week field campaign in Greenland in 2009. Thank you for your interest!

Núria Marbà and Dorte Krause-Jensen

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