Kongsfjorden system

International focus on seabirds in Kongsfjorden!

Seabird`s functions as indicators on the health of marine ecosystems, and has been studied and monitored by several international teams in Ny-Ålesund and Kongsfjorden for decades. Teams from Norway, the Netherlands and France do their field work during summer.

The Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI), Akvaplan-Niva and The Norwegian Institute for Nature research (NINA) are together monitoring population development, reproduction, survival, diet, and pollutants. Species with a high focus in Kongsfjorden are (among others) Glaucous gulls, Common eider, Barnacle geese, Kittiwakes, Brünnich’s guillemot, and Little auks. The teams count birds, register nests, take blood, and feather samples in addition to assess diet when possible. The Norwegian team collaborate with the teams from The Netherlands and France, read more about them in the sections below!

Norway

Research and monitoring of several species

Sampling from Glaucos gull. Photo: Geir Wing Gabrielsen

The Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI), Akvaplan-Niva and The Norwegian Institute for Nature research (NINA) are together monitoring population development, reproduction, survival, diet, and pollutants. Species with a high focus in Kongsfjorden are (among others) Glaucous gulls, Common eider, Barnacle geese, Kittiwakes, Brünnich’s guillemot, and Little auks. The teams count birds, register nests, take blood, and feather samples in addition to assess diet when possible. The Norwegian team collaborate with the teams from The Netherlands and France, read more about them in the sections below!

Groningen University in the Netherlands and the Norwegian teams are collaborating on surveys of all Island in Kongsfjorden to determine nesting of Barnacle Geese. The number of nests, clutch size and predation are estimated for all Islands. They are also doing coastal counts in the whole fjord on seabirds. University of Groningen are also studying the migration and survival of Arctic Terns. The university has been present in Ny-Ålesund for 33 years, and has established long times series on the migratory birds.

The Netherlands

Focus on Barnacle Geese and Arctic Terns

Research on Barnacle geese under the auspices of the University of Groningen. Photo: Maarten J. Loonen

Groningen University in the Netherlands and the Norwegian teams are collaborating on surveys of all Island in Kongsfjorden to determine nesting of Barnacle Geese. The number of nests, clutch size and predation are estimated for all Islands. They are also doing coastal counts in the whole fjord on seabirds. University of Groningen are also studying the migration and survival of Arctic Terns. The university has been present in Ny-Ålesund for 33 years, and has established long times series on the migratory birds.


The French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) are focusing on pollutants in Glaucous gulls and Kittiwakes in Kongsfjorden through the program ORNITHO-ENDOCRINO. Blood, egg- and feather samples are collected from breeding birds during the incubation and chick rearing period. The pollutants that are studied are trace elements (e.g. mercury), legacy persistent organic pollutants (DDT, PCBs) and certain pollutants of increasing concern (Poly- and perfluoroalkylated substances – PFAS). The times series of pollutants is one of the longest time series in the Arctic.

France

Focus on Kittiwakes and pollutants

Kittiwakes and their chick in Krykkjefellet sout-east of Ny-Ålesund. Photo: Geir Wing Gabrielsen


The French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) are focusing on pollutants in Glaucous gulls and Kittiwakes in Kongsfjorden through the program ORNITHO-ENDOCRINO. Blood, egg- and feather samples are collected from breeding birds during the incubation and chick rearing period. The pollutants that are studied are trace elements (e.g. mercury), legacy persistent organic pollutants (DDT, PCBs) and certain pollutants of increasing concern (Poly- and perfluoroalkylated substances – PFAS). The times series of pollutants is one of the longest time series in the Arctic.

Monitoring and research programs

The Norwegian national monitoring system that presents and interprets data collected from Kongsfjorden is the Environmental Monitoring of Svalbard and Jan Mayen (MOSJ).

Several programs delivers data to the MOSJ- system, where Seabird populations (SEAPOP) and its module SEATRACK is such programmes.

Data about pollutants also goes into the The Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP), which is one of six Working Groups of the Arctic Council.

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