Popular Science Talk – Effects of environmental changes on Arctic benthic communities

Time: 17.30
Place: Kongsfjordhallen

Talk given by: Frédéric Gazeau and Steeve Comeau, IPEV

We are planning to study the combined effects of three environmental parameters (temperature, salinity, and light) on macroalgal communities sampled at 7-m depth in the Kongsfjorden. Global warming is ongoing rapidly in the Arctic, where climate models project one of the largest increases of air and sea surface temperatures globally. This warming is expected to increase the melting of glaciers and permafrost which will increase the freshwater runoffs to the coastal areas. This will cause local decreases in salinity and light (more turbid water) that can have major effects on marine organisms.