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POLARPROG-Polarforskningsprogram

A deeper impact – Effects of artificial light on zooplankton and fish during the polar night

Awarded: NOK 0.48 mill.

Recent advances in stduying Arctic marine ecosystem during the polar night have revealed continuous activity and biological interactions across most trophic levels and taxonomic groups, with light as the regulative factor, even at the dead of night. In a system where organisms are adapted to detect and respond to extremely low levels of natural light, their susceptibility towards light pollution is likely to be high. With global warming, human presence in the region is likely to increase substantially and so will light pollution with potentially deleterious effects on the marine Arctic ecosystem. A recent study in the Arctic polar night has showed that the entire pelagic community - fish and zooplankton, alike – avoid the relatively faint light from a research vessel down to at least 200m depth. This poses the question if we can reliably carry out biological surveys in the dark from vessels illuminated by artificial light. The Arctic polar night is one of the last remaining pristine dark environments on the planet. Ny-Ålesund and Kongsfjorden provide an ideal location to carry our experimental and observational studies. To assess how the pelagic community reacts to articifical light and to quantify the potential bias introduced when by survey from a lit-ship, we will 1. measure biological relevant low light levels during the darkest part of the year using a ultra-sensitive, hyperspectral radiometer. 2. Mapping the distribution and behavioural patterns of zooplankton and fish under natural light conditions and in response to artifical light sources using an unmanned surface vehicle to conduct hydroacoustic surveys undisturbed by light and noise from a large research vessel or settlements, and utliziing a microcosm to detect species specific responses. 3. Conducting lab experiments to advance our understanding of how zooplankton percieve light, how it affects their metabolism and how artifical light affects circadian clocks on a molecular level.

Funding scheme:

POLARPROG-Polarforskningsprogram