FREMONEC: Effect of climate change and related stressors on fresh and brackish water ecosystems in Svalbard

The Russian-Norwegian collaboration project FREMONEC aims to strengthen the cooperation between Norway and Russia on polar research in Svalbard. It will serve as a positive example for a network building in thematic areas relevant for both countries: impa cts of climate change, biodiversity and ecology. Researchers from The Norwegian Institute for Nature Research and M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University will study the effects of climate change and related stressors on fresh and brackish water habitats, by using invertebrates as biological quality elements. The cooperation includes also representative from UNIS. The field work will focus on fresh and brackish water ecosystems that so far are comparatively little studied. Both Norwegian and Russian scient ists will be involved in the study design as well as in a meeting, fieldwork in 2014 and 2015 in Svalbard, analysis of collected material and final reporting. As a result a database on previous and current studies will be developed and can be used for new joint projects. Network-building between both research groups will be implemented through common field- and laboratory work. The material obtained within this project will provide data and knowledge for the implementation of integrated and sustainable A rctic freshwater ecosystems management.