0 projects

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

The role of energy budget in a changing world: Are forecasts missing an important aspect for Arctic insects?

The ongoing climatic changes will have undisputable effects on biodiversity and ecosystems. For small ectotherms (e.g. insects) the current state-of-the-art focusses on physiological performances (often measured as critical thermal limits), warming tolerance (resilience) and phenotypic and evolut...

Awarded: NOK 0.12 mill.

Project Period: 2024-2024

Location: Svalbard

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

From winter time to summer time – what ends the "hunger gap" for Svalbard reindeer?

The term "hunger gap" (no: “vårknipa”) traditionally used in agricultural communities, refers to the period at the end of winter when winter provisions are depleting, yet the growing season has not yet started. In contemporary usage, the term also describes the food situation for wild animals, wh...

Awarded: NOK 58,999

Project Period: 2024-2025

Location: Akershus

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Intertidal ecosystem response to an increasingly ice-free Arctic

Warming temperatures and a reduction of sea-ice scour opens the Arctic intertidal as habitat for colonization by both seaweeds and marine invertebrates. Indeed, large increases in the biomass of seaweeds and invertebrates on Arctic coasts have already been documented in the past decades and are p...

Awarded: NOK 0.12 mill.

Project Period: 2024-2024

Location: Oslo

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Characterising geogenic nitrate source areas in Adventdalen

There has been great emphasis on quantifying the release of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane from melting permafrost. However, research on links between melting glaciers and permafrost and nitrogen release has been limited, despite its potential as a direct or indirect greenhou...

Awarded: NOK 78,999

Project Period: 2024-2024

Location: Oslo

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Breeding phenology of Svalbard snow buntings in relation to arthropod abundance

In my master thesis, I will investigate the reproductive success of a Svalbard breeding population of the snow bunting Plectrophenax nivalis in relation to food abundance. The snow bunting is the world’s northernmost breeding passerine species. Assessing how species like the snow bunting are able...

Awarded: NOK 75,999

Project Period: 2024-2024

Location: Svalbard

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Mercury dynamics in Arctic fjord marine food webs

Marine chemical pollution poses known threats to human health and to biodiversity, ecosystem and societal services. The Arctic region is a major sink of global mercury (Hg) pollution. Arctic sediments, sea and glacial ice constitute vast Hg reservoirs. Recent studies raise concerns about their ...

Awarded: NOK 0.12 mill.

Project Period: 2024-2024

Location: Troms - Romsa - Tromssa

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Drone surveys of ice associated seals hauled out on sea-ice during the moulting period (part of ARK)

The most recent population survey of Arctic ringed seals conducted in Svalbard was in 2003. Over the past 5 years, the Norwegian Polar Institute has been developing the techniques, methodologies and field competence to survey marine mammals using UAV. In 2023 a full-scale survey of all ice-cover...

Awarded: NOK 96,999

Project Period: 2024-2024

Location: Troms - Romsa - Tromssa

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Autumn leaf senescence in tundra plants: Do soil nutrients and plant-internal nutrient sinks influence timing? (RiS ID: 12335)

Plant growth season in Arctic regions is currently undergoing changes, with spring advancement across the Arctic. However, there is limited knowledge regarding any corresponding trends in the autumn season, where the timing of end-of-season is mostly unaccounted for. It is important that we take ...

Awarded: NOK 0.12 mill.

Project Period: 2024-2024

Location: Troms - Romsa - Tromssa

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

The Heer Land overabundance of Thermal-switch surges

Glaciers around the world are losing mass at an accelerated rate (Hugonnet et al., 2021), and Svalbard experiences this even faster than the global average, largely due to its strong interaction with warm Atlantic ocean currents (Piechura and Walczowski, 2009). The latest IPCC reports present mod...

Awarded: NOK 0.11 mill.

Project Period: 2024-2024

Location: Svalbard

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Snowdrift at the solar park of Isfjord Radio, RiS ID 12308

The adaptation of renewable energy in the Arctic requires knowledge of the Arctic climate's influence on energy installations such as solar panels. Therefore, snowdrift is investigated at the recently installed solar photovoltaic array at Isfjord Radio. For this, observations from a weather stati...

Awarded: NOK 77,999

Project Period: 2024-2024

Location: Svalbard

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Spatio-temporal habitat use of Svalbard reindeer (RiS ID 12152)

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Awarded: NOK 0.11 mill.

Project Period: 2024-2024

Location: Svalbard

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Studies of environmental pollutants in wetland areas and water ponds on the Arctic tundra

The main goal for this project is to continue our study further the role of birds in transporting pollutants to and within the Arctic area, and to bring new knowledge especially linked to potential transport between the marine and terrestrial system including wetlands and water ponds on the tundr...

Awarded: NOK 42,999

Project Period: 2024-2024

Location: Trøndelag - Trööndelage

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Particulate matter in glacier fed rivers

The aim of this project is a extensive study of particulate matter released into the rivers from the glacier systems and entering the Kongsfjorden system in Ny-Ålesund. Both particulate matter and river water will be collected at the outlet from the glaciers main melting channel as well as in th...

Awarded: NOK 39,999

Project Period: 2024-2024

Location: Trøndelag - Trööndelage

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Underwater Hyperspectral Imaging for Under-Ice Navigation, RiS ID 12349

Underwater Hyperspectral Imaging (UHI) is a groundbreaking innovation that expands our ability to capture a wide range of wavelengths beyond human perception. This technology offers a comprehensive view of the electromagnetic spectrum, allowing us to identify and analyze subtle differences in the...

Awarded: NOK 0.12 mill.

Project Period: 2024-2024

Location: Trøndelag - Trööndelage

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

The nutrient legacy of reindeer carrion in vegetation in the Arctic tundra of Svalbard, RiS ID:11512

Carcass legacy effects on soil chemistry and vegetation nutrient composition will help our understanding of how local ‘disturbances’ (i.e. carcass presence) scale to structuring and functioning of ecological communities at landscape levels. I will revisit carcasses of varying ages and collect abo...

Awarded: NOK 56,999

Project Period: 2024-2024

Location: Nordland - Nordlánnda

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Experimental assessment of light propagation in the snowpack, RiS ID 12344

Snowpack is a key component in the Arctic regions. The albedo of freshly fallen snow is typically very high in the visible range (up to 0.9), playing a crucial role in Earth's energy balance. Snow albedo can eventually be reduced upon aging of snow crystals due to metamorphism and to the increasi...

Awarded: NOK 0.10 mill.

Project Period: 2024-2024

Location: Troms - Romsa - Tromssa

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Insulate: Belowground Biotic Insulation of Permafrost (RiS ID 12331)

Within the overarching INSULATE initiative (RiS ID 12331), the "Belowground Biotic Insulation of Permafrost" project delves into the intricate dynamics of local soil properties, seeking to unravel their profound impact on permafrost stability. This focused research addresses crucial gaps in our ...

Awarded: NOK 70,999

Project Period: 2024-2024

Location: Svalbard

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

S2S : Snowfall to Surging ? The role of Snow-Firn-Ice Heat Transfer on Glacier Dynamics

Studying Svalbard's Heer Land region, our research confronts the uncertainties surrounding global glacier contributions to sea level rise, as highlighted in the 2023 IPCC report. Svalbard's unique vulnerability to climate change, positions it as an ideal study area with future implications for br...

Awarded: NOK 94,999

Project Period: 2024-2025

Location: Svalbard

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Unruly Ground: Knowing and Caring for Permafrost

Since the 2000s, permafrost has experienced a remarkable revival, and many are invested in preventing the deterioration of this Arctic ground. But while there is an increase in research on the impacts of permafrost degradation, we know very little about the inner workings of permafrost expertise....

Awarded: NOK 71,999

Project Period: 2024-2024

Location: Oslo

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Geomorphology and process-interaction in previous and present climate as exemplified by Bjørndalen, Svalbard (RiS 12312)

This M.Sc. thesis project has a primary objective of mapping the geomorphology of Bjørndalen, Svalbard, to contribute to our understanding of this unique Arctic valley system. The research aims to characterize the long-term and short-term geomorphologic processes shaping the valley and analyze ho...

Awarded: NOK 54,999

Project Period: 2024-2024

Location: Svalbard

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Chemical composition and conditions of cryoconite hole water and melting channels on glaciers with runoff to the Kongsfjorden System

Main objective of this project is a detailed analysis of snow and supraglacial meltwater, including potential alterations in the transition of supraglacial snow to water, as well as potential alterations in the transition of water in isolated to connected cryoconite holes to meltwater channels. C...

Awarded: NOK 31,999

Project Period: 2024-2024

Location: Trøndelag - Trööndelage

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Microbial communities in ice over methane sources: a comparative study. RiS ID: 10341

The fieldwork is an integral part of my PhD project, which aims at understanding the microbiological role of the ice forming above Arctic emerged cold seeps in mitigating methane release. This fieldwork project includes sampling both terrestrial pingos in Svalbard (of which Lagoon Pingo, Adventda...

Awarded: NOK 64,999

Project Period: 2024-2024

Location: Troms - Romsa - Tromssa

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Human performance in the cold, RiS ID 12375

The purpose of the project is to verify the performance effect of the newly developed field rations, Energon Arctic Field rations (EAF) by EnergonX and its consortium, both the food content, but also packaging, which will potentially reduce waste by 70% in the Norwegian Armed Forces and offer nut...

Awarded: NOK 94,999

Project Period: 2024-2025

Location: Trøndelag - Trööndelage

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Alternative life-history and thermoregulation strategies in the Svalbard reindeer and the implications for population dynamics

With the Arctic warming nearly four times faster than the rest of the globe (Rantanen et al., 2022), resilience of Arctic ecosystems and population dynamics of Arctic species are raising concern among scientists. Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus) is an ideal species to study the...

Awarded: NOK 67,999

Project Period: 2024-2024

Location: Akershus

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Sustainability for cultural heritage – cultural heritage for sustainability. Interdisciplinary field research at Kvitøya

The project is an interdisciplinary collaboration involving NIKU, Luleå University of Technology, Karolinska Institute, Svalbard Museum, and the Swedish National Heritage Boardaims. It aims to explore and document archaeological source material, as well as register and document the cultural envir...

Awarded: NOK 0.12 mill.

Project Period: 2024-2025

Location: Oslo

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Hiding in the shadows: effects of environmental stressors on male calanoid copepods - An insider's view

Polar ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to effects caused by environmental stressors of anthropogenic origin, such as ocean acidification (OA) and ocean warming (OW), both of which are disproportionally affecting the Arctic region. Calanoid copepods of the genus Calanus are key species in th...

Awarded: NOK 0.12 mill.

Project Period: 2024-2025

Location: Troms - Romsa - Tromssa

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

The importance of observation error in reindeer population modelling (RiS ID 12376)

My project explores the intricate dynamics of Svalbard reindeer (R. t. platyrhynchus) populations in response to rapid climate change. Through fieldwork, including paired observations of various populations based in Reindalen, Adventdalen, and Ny-Ålesund, I aim to investigate the nuanced impacts ...

Awarded: NOK 95,999

Project Period: 2024-2024

Location: Trøndelag - Trööndelage

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Bryophyte diversity as a driver of ecosystem functions and processes in a changing tundra, attached to the ITEX experiment, RiS ID: 10030

Studying bryophyte diversity in the high Arctic, like Svalbard, is vital due to their resilience in extreme conditions. Mosses are pioneers in colonizing newly exposed areas, offering insight into ecosystem health. They act as carbon sinks and regulate the hydrological cycle, which is crucial for...

Awarded: NOK 70,999

Project Period: 2024-2024

Location: Svalbard

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Investigation of the mercury cycle in the Arctic snowpack for model development (ris id: 12321)

The aim of this project is to investigate the processes involving mercury (Hg) at the snow-air interface in the polar regions. The dynamic exchange of Hg between the snow surface and the overlaying atmosphere in polar regions is not fully understood and not yet constrained into the one-dimensiona...

Awarded: NOK 0.11 mill.

Project Period: 2024-2024

Location: Troms - Romsa - Tromssa

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Hornsund’s and Storfjorden DOM Data Acquisition Campaign and Virtual Field Guide Development for Educational Research. RiS ID - 12339

This project aim to perform a systematic digitalization of eastern Spitsbergen coast, due to its excellent cretaceous sediments' exposures, and western Barentsøya-Edgeøya for their important HALIP exposures. Collecting these types of data from Hornsund’s and Storfjorden’s surroundings can provid...

Awarded: NOK 0.12 mill.

Project Period: 2024-2024

Location: Svalbard