0 projects

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

The effects of warming climate on parasite-reindeer dynamics in the Arctic.

An ecosystem is shaped by species that interact with each other (herbivory, predation, and parasitism), but species dynamics can be influenced by abiotic conditions as for example increasing temperature due to climate change. However, how climate change affects parasites and consequently their ho...

Awarded: NOK 40,177

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Viken

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

PERSISTENT, BIOACCUMULATING AND TOXIC COMPOUNDS (PBTS) IN SNOW SAMPLES FROM THE SURROUNDINGS OF LONGYEARBYEN, SVALBARD. (SOL)

This master project will study the contribution of different sources for pollutants in snow in the area surrounding Longyearbyen, Svalbard. Local sources of interests to study are the coal power plant, snow mobile activity, airport, boat and car traffic. Additionally, long-range atmospheric trans...

Awarded: NOK 21,416

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Trøndelag - Trööndelage

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Estimation of snow depth and snow water equivalent based on GNSS-IR method

Global Navigation Satellite System interferometric reflectometry (GNSS-IR) is a method that can enable the determination of many characteristics of the environment that surrounds the measuring antenna. It is based on the characteristics of the reflected radio waves, which vary depending on the ty...

Awarded: NOK 64,124

Project Period: 2022-2023

Location: Troms og Finnmark - Romsa ja Finnmárku - Tromssa ja Finmarkku

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

From Svalbard to Mars: subsurface investigation of periglacial landforms with the WISDOM/EXOMARS GPR, RiS ID 11854

On June 2023 the ESA (European Space Agency) rover of the ExoMars mission will land on Mars. The missions’ goal is to search for the existence of past life on Mars. Its payload is equipped with WISDOM (Water Ice Subsurface Deposits Observation on Mars), a shallow Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) ...

Awarded: NOK 86,999

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Svalbard

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Sedimentary facies analysis and architecture of alluvial fan systems within a rift basin, Billefjorden Trough, Svalbard, RiS ID 11611

The two main targets of the fieldwork are outcrops exposing alluvial fan deposits at the slopes of the Svenbrehøgda and the Mumien mountains. The focus will be given to a detailed structural and stratigraphical description and acquisition of 3D photogrammetry. The dataset collected in the field w...

Awarded: NOK 35,524

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Svalbard

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Shining light on the nutritional status of sea-ice algae in response to changing light in landfast ice, using IR-microspectroscopy.RiS 11869

Through investigating changes in sea ice algae nutrient content and shifts in community composition, this project studies the impacts of sea ice decline on energy transfer within the Arctic marine ecosystem. It is critical that our understanding of the potential consequences of these changes are ...

Awarded: NOK 70,999

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Svalbard

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Gravity profiling across the Central Spitsbergen Basin

The aim of this project is to produce geological profiles across the Central Spitsbergen Basin in Svalbard, by collecting gravity data and integrating it with existing seismic, borehole and geological data. From the integrated data the location of basins, structural heights and the geometry of th...

Awarded: NOK 50,502

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Svalbard

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Effect of glacial recession on N2O fluxes in high arctic lakes and catchments, RiS ID 11818

Ongoing global warming particularly effects Arctic ecosystems with increased glacial retreat and associated changes in run-off. However, how aquatic nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes will change in High Arctic lakes and catchments remains uncertain. As the third most important greenhouse gas and major o...

Awarded: NOK 67,999

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Vestland

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Seasonal mercury concentrations and the microbiome (de)methylation gene expression profile in the Svalbard reindeer

This project aims to study the contributions of the Svalbard reindeer to mercury concentrations in the terrestrial trophic chain. We hypothesize that the reindeer are exposed to mercury loads via their diet and that both seasonal variations in mercury intake and microbial processes in its digesti...

Awarded: NOK 13,179

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Trøndelag - Trööndelage

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Nutrient availability through decomposing plant litter (litterbag). Ris ID 11863

Arctic breeding barnacle geese affect the biogeochemical cycling of nutrients by providing an accelerated pathway of decomposition through digestion and the return of plant matter in the form of faecal pellets and so affecting the transfer of nutrients to their forage species. As such, geese chan...

Awarded: NOK 53,652

Project Period: 2022-2023

Location: Troms og Finnmark - Romsa ja Finnmárku - Tromssa ja Finmarkku

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Tectonostratigraphic evolution of the Billefjorden Group Sediments on Bjørnøya and Hornsund, RiS ID 11764

This project is the backbone of my PhD topic for which I investigate the tectonic and climatic forcing on Upper Paleozoic rift basin sequences on Bjørnøya and Hornsund. The main goal for the fieldwork is to visit exposed outcrops, acquire sedimentary descriptions, logs, collect samples and to acq...

Awarded: NOK 87,668

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Troms og Finnmark - Romsa ja Finnmárku - Tromssa ja Finmarkku

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Fungal diversity in soil affected by cadaver decomposition in the Arctic tundra of Svalbard

Cadavers of large mammals can function as biodiversity hotspots and facilitate many interactions between many species. Little is known, however, about carrion ecology in the Arctic, and how such cadavers impact the fungal community in the Arctic is not known. Using both an experimental and observ...

Awarded: NOK 40,544

Project Period: 2022-2023

Location: Nordland - Nordlánnda

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Obtaining important permafrost information from central Longyeardalen valley for developing a full-scale sedimentological model-RiS ID 11876

This project aims to drill and sample a borehole in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, in order to create a sedimentological model for the sedimentary infilling of the Longyeardalen valley. Five boreholes were drilled in Longyeardalen in the fall of 2021 as part of the project “Developing a permafrost and m...

Awarded: NOK 78,999

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Svalbard

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Monitoring seawater CO2 release from thawing permafrost mobilized by Bayelva proglacial stream RiS ID 11654

The Arctic already shows many signs of global change, including warming, reduced sea-ice cover, permafrost thawing and related changing in freshwater and organic carbon flux from rivers. It remains to be determined how these changes will enhance or mitigate rates of air-sea CO2 flux and acidifica...

Awarded: NOK 52,999

Project Period: 2022-2023

Location: Troms og Finnmark - Romsa ja Finnmárku - Tromssa ja Finmarkku

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

PLasticizers, Additives, miCroplastics in sEawater in SvalBard ArchipealgO (RIS ID: 11842)

Microplastics (> 100 µm - MPs) have been analysed in several studies while small microplastics (< 100 µm - SMPs), additives and plasticizers (APs) presence in the seawater of the Svalbard has not yet been investigated in detail. Surface and bottom samples will be collected along the Kongsfjorden ...

Awarded: NOK 70,288

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Troms og Finnmark - Romsa ja Finnmárku - Tromssa ja Finmarkku

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Drivers of flagellate dominance in Arctic fjords, RiS ID 11813

The project aims to identify drivers of phytoplankton community structures in Arctic fjords. In particular, I study under which conditions a bloom is dominated by flagellates and under which conditions by diatoms. I will combine multivariate statistics on existing time series data in Greenland an...

Awarded: NOK 97,999

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Svalbard

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Long-term exposure to contaminants of Arctic seabirds

Arctic seabirds, as migratory species, spend summer in the Arctic and winter in marine environment in southern areas. Therefore, they are exposed to contrasted concentrations of pollutants like Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and mercury (Hg). In Kongsfjorden, the five glaciers have all been...

Awarded: NOK 98,999

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Trøndelag - Trööndelage

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Modelling organic pollutants in permafrost soils

Persistant Organic Pollutans (POPs) are toxic chemicals that adversely affect human health and the environment. They persist for long periods of time in the environment and can accumulate and pass from one species to the next through the food chain. Understanding the factors that determine change...

Awarded: NOK 38,557

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Oslo

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Documenting scientific expeditions and cultural heritage on Svalbard

This project will document the scientific itinerary of huts, field camps and cultural environments (protected, unprotected and partially protected cultural heritage) on Brøggerhalvoya. Although considerable efforts have been made to protect certain sites dating from the contemporary period, no fo...

Awarded: NOK 75,597

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Troms og Finnmark - Romsa ja Finnmárku - Tromssa ja Finmarkku

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Effects of Reindeer Carcasses on Tundra Ecosystem - Modelling spatial distribution of reindeer cadavers in the Arctic tundra (RiS ID 11512)

The main goal of this project is to model the spatial distribution of reindeer cadavers in the arctic tundra. The effects of reindeer cadavers can be long lasting in the nutrient poor arctic ecosystem. However, the spatial distribution of these cadavers is not random, which means that these cadav...

Awarded: NOK 20,034

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Nordland - Nordlánnda

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Mercury dynamics in Svalbard terrestrial ecosystems, RiS ID 11828.

Frozen Arctic soils have been found to store large amounts of mercury (Hg), a highly toxic metal. As the permafrost is thawing due to climate change, it is suggested that this mercury could release from the soil, potentially becoming available to the terrestrial food web. Methylated mercury (MeHg...

Awarded: NOK 73,300

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Svalbard

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Arctic marine mammals and climate change ("ARK" ) RIS-ID: 11501 (SPACE USE BY MARINE MAMMALS AND POTENTIAL DIETARY CHANGES DUE TO CC)

The project is part of a case study of the ecosystem in Kongsfjorden and aim to fill knowledge gaps on fish abundance, community composition, distribution and role in the food web. It will also include dietary studies of key fish species and their roles in the diet of resident marine mammals. The...

Awarded: NOK 50,999

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Troms og Finnmark - Romsa ja Finnmárku - Tromssa ja Finmarkku

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Diet change in black-legged Kittiwakes due to the current Atlantification of the Arctic in course of climate change. RIS ID:11844

My master´s thesis will be about the change in the diet of kittiwakes over time. With incoming Atlantic waters, Atlantic species comes further north. I will investigate how the energy content of available food/prey changes with changing species ranges. I will be taking part in the field work in K...

Awarded: NOK 46,999

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Troms og Finnmark - Romsa ja Finnmárku - Tromssa ja Finmarkku

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

SOURCES AND LEVELS OF MERCURY IN TERRESTRIAL AND FRESH WATER RESOURCES RELATED TO FEEDING AREAS FOR REINDEER AT SVALBARD

Reindeer feeds on vegetation and drinks from water sources that could be contaminated with Hg. Although previous studies have determined low levels of mercury exposure on the Svalbard reindeer, the mercury released from thawing permafrost could change the current situation. This project aims to ...

Awarded: NOK 17,215

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Trøndelag - Trööndelage

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Who is there? - Unravelling the biodiversity of sympagic meiofauna in Svalbard

It is undeniable that sea ice conditions and extent are changing. Formation of fjordic sea ice has become unreliable, the season has changed with later onset of freezing and earlier melt, and much uncertainty evolves around how this will affect the community that inhabits the microscopic brine ch...

Awarded: NOK 48,073

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Svalbard

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Valley sea breeze in Adventdalen, RIS ID 11839

Renewable energy research is a developing field in the Arctic and especially at UNIS. The environmental and meteorological conditions are different from lower latitudes. In my PhD, I investigate meteorological phenomena which are relevant to renewable energy. One aspect of this are local wind cir...

Awarded: NOK 57,999

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Svalbard

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

The Svalbard-political field: power and interests in Norwegian Svalbard politics. Field study 2022.

The research question of this thesis is: Which interests prevail in Norwegian Svalbard politics, and in what ways do they prevail? The thesis aims to 1) describe how Svalbard politics is made and map its key actors, thus contributing to increased knowledge production and better understanding of S...

Awarded: NOK 25,999

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Nordland - Nordlánnda

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Ice-Free Arctic Ocean: Dead end or new opportunities for Calanus finmarchicus (DENOC), RiS ID 11850

The Arctic Ocean is changing to a warmer and ice-free state, which may lead to substantial changes in biodiversity and ecosystem structures. An Atlantification of the zooplankton community is ongoing, but at which rate is poorly known at present stage. The aim of this project is to 1) determine t...

Awarded: NOK 74,041

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Svalbard

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

AZKABAN experiment for light reaction, RiS ID 11578

Hydroacoustic surveys may be underestimating or overestimating biomass due to species avoidance of vessel light. Therefore we propose a controlled environment experiment to quantify the effect of light on fish behaviour. A small change in the orientation of fish can cause large changes in biomass...

Awarded: NOK 59,999

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Troms og Finnmark - Romsa ja Finnmárku - Tromssa ja Finmarkku

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Research in Svalbard: An APECS workshop 2021

Numerous international and interdisciplinary research projects are carried out in Svalbard every year. Furthermore, such research projects involve both senior and early career researchers (ECRs), some of whom may have never previously set foot on the archipelago. The Association of Polar Early Ca...

Awarded: NOK 0.16 mill.

Project Period: 2021-2022

Location: Oslo