0 projects

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Dispersal of antibiotic resistance and antibiotics in arctic water ecosystems and aquatic wildlife (RiS ID 11824)

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is recognized as one of the greatest threats to animal and human health and it leads to elevated costs for the individual and society. Urban settlements and wastewater treatment have a central role in the AMR occurrence in the environment. However, the information a...

Awarded: NOK 0.10 mill.

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Oslo

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

The Timanian Orogeny in Western Spitsbergen

The main goal of the TOWS project is to investigate potential traces of the Timanian Orogeny (ca. 650–550 Ma) in Kongsfjorden, western Spitsbergen. The primary target of the project is the probable continuation of the WNW–ESE-striking Kongsfjorden–Cowanodden fault zone, a several kilometers thick...

Awarded: NOK 93,000

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Oslo

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

Thaw consolidation of permafrost soils in high-Arctic environments; RiS ID: 11815

The stability of permafrost soils is highly affected by the prevailing thermal regime. With warming ground temperatures and deepening of the active layer, thaw consolidation and associated ground subsidence are likely to occur. This is also expected for the surroundings of Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard. ...

Awarded: NOK 76,222

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Oslo

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Spatial and temporal shifts in Arctic fjord biodiversity caused by climate changes. RiS ID 11834

This PhD thesis aims to research how the shifts in the cryosphere caused by climate change are affecting fish abundance and distribution. This project will complement the work that took place in 2021, in which we had an extensive field campaign in Billefjorden, where we used innovative and sustai...

Awarded: NOK 95,000

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Svalbard

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Stress-coping strategies in a changing world: how do ground-nesting birds adapt to unpredictive predation threat?

In the Arctic, polar bears (Ursus maritimus) rely on sea ice to hunt seals. However, sea ice is decreasing due to climate warming, and bears are changing their foraging behavior, increasing egg consumption. This shift in diet can put ground-nesting bird species, such as common eiders (Somateria m...

Awarded: NOK 94,286

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Trøndelag - Trööndelage

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

GLAcier front Mapping with automotive lidar, RiS ID 11860

The goal of the GLAM project is to provide a proof of concept that automotive lidar sensors may be used for mapping of glacier fronts, e.g. at Tunabreen, Mohnbukta, or Nordenskiöldbreen. For that purpose, our developed sensorbox including an automotive lidar sensor, a DGPS and an IMU will be moun...

Awarded: NOK 65,000

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Svalbard

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Implications of terrestrial run-off on kelp ecosystems RiS-ID: 11849

Habitat forming large brown seaweeds (kelps) are dominating many Arctic rocky shore coastlines, structuring benthic and pelagic species communities. On Svalbard, global warming is occurring at a rate far beyond the global average. The increasing terrestrial run-off leads to a darkening of the wat...

Awarded: NOK 92,000

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Svalbard

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Assessing the timing of paleo fluid circulation within the Longyearbyen CO2 Lab: a comparison between field, laboratory, and core data.

The main aim of this project is to constrain the spatio-temporal paleo fluid circulation within the Agardhfjellet Fm., along part of the Billefjorden fault zone, and associated to the early Cretaceous magmatic intrusions of the Diabasodden suit, assessing the long-term permeability behavior of th...

Awarded: NOK 59,000

Project Period: 2022-2023

Location: Svalbard

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: Akershus

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 - Romsa - Tromssa

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 40,545

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 79,000

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Svalbard

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Coastal Erosion modelling in Hiorthhamn, Longyearbyen (Svalbard)

The field work activities will be located in the shoreline of Hiorthhamn, to the northeast shore of Adventfjord, 3 km far from Longyearbyen. This area retains the archaeological remains of coal-mining activities dating from 1902. One of the objects of cultural heritage in Hiorthhamn is Taubanesta...

Awarded: NOK 33,313

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Svalbard

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Mercury Levels in Svalbard Reindeer's Tissue and Faeces in Relation to Diet and Season

Mercury (Hg) is toxic and a concern for the terrestrial Artic environment due to potential release of Hg from the thawing permafrost. For this master thesis the levels of Hg in summer and winter faeces sample form Svalbard reindeers (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus) will be compared to investigat...

Awarded: NOK 15,335

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Trøndelag - Trööndelage

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Predicting plant trait plasticity in response to warming across a changing tundra biome in the high Arctic, RiS ID: 11498

Predicting how plant communities will respond to environmental change has been described as the ‘holy grail’ of ecology. Understanding which factors determine whether a species responds positively or negatively to a particular environmental change allows us to anticipate future shifts in communit...

Awarded: NOK 72,000

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 53,000

Project Period: 2022-2023

Location: Troms - Romsa - Tromssa

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 51,000

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Troms - Romsa - Tromssa

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 47,000

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Troms - Romsa - Tromssa

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

Holocene climate influence on methane cycling by microbes in high-Arctic lakes

Arctic lakes release large -but not well constrained- amounts of methane (CH4), a potent greenhouse gas. This project delineates the main field campaign within my postdoctoral project aimed at capturing methane cycling archives from lakes in the rapidly warming Arctic. I will participate in the j...

Awarded: NOK 56,585

Project Period: 2022-2023

Location: Troms - Romsa - Tromssa

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Gravity profiling across the Billefjorden Fault Zone, RiS-ID 11832

This project is a part of a 30 ECTS master thesis conducted at the Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden. The fieldwork consists of gravity measurements along several profile lines around the area of Billefjorden on 20-24 of April 2022. The gravity data will be complemented with magnetic measurem...

Awarded: NOK 55,814

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Svalbard

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Drone-mapping Surging Glaciers in Svalbard, RIS-ID 11861

Surging glaciers are of great interest as their behavior gives insights into glacier dynamic processes. Svalbard is one of the few clusters in the world where surging glaciers exist. Recently, two glacier systems that are easily accessible from Longyearbyen started surging. This project will use ...

Awarded: NOK 50,000

Project Period: 2022-2023

Location: Svalbard

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Automated analysis of wildlife camera monitoring, RiS ID: 11829

During the first part of my thesis, I will be creating a methodology for automated analysis of camera monitoring data of the nests of geese and terns using artificial intelligence. In order to test if this program works, I will need to obtain enough new camera data of nests on Svalbard and put th...

Awarded: NOK 51,904

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Trøndelag - Trööndelage

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Svalbard stories: A qualitative fieldstudy on emplacement under new environmental regulations in the High North

Svalbard is undergoing rapid environmental changes alongside with a developing tourist industry and strict environmental regulations underway, by which residents in Longyearbyen must adjust into. Through anthropological fieldwork and in-depth interviews, this master project will investigate the n...

Awarded: NOK 15,000

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Troms - Romsa - Tromssa

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Impact of added nutrients on the onset of plant senescence, RiS-ID 11865.

The aim of my master’s project is to study how increased nutrients (primarily nitrogen and phosphorous) affect the phenological development of deciduous plants in autumn (specifically: senescence, ie leaf colour change) in High Arctic tundra. Furthermore, it aims to improve methodology for use of...

Awarded: NOK 63,016

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Troms - Romsa - Tromssa

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 58,000

Project Period: 2022-2022

Location: Svalbard