ARCTOS scientist contribute to the development of a new, pan-Arctic science proposal

The ARCTOS scientist Marit Reigstad, Nathalie Morata, Paul Wassmann and the Canadian post doc visitor Alexander Forrest took part in the initiation workshop of the new science proposal of the Arctic Ocean Science Board (AOSB),The Arctic in Rapid Transition (ART). ART is a proposed integrative, multi-disciplinary, long-term pan-Arctic program to study changes and feedbacks with respect to physical characteristics and biogeochemical cycles of the Arctic Ocean and its biological productive capacity. The ICARP II Marine Roundtable Early Career Scientists Christine Michel, Anna Nikolopoulos, Matt O´Regan, Marit Reigstad and Carolyne Wegener are in charge of ART, supported by the AOSB secretary Sara Bowden.

Partners from the ARCTOS network applied for research funds from Tromsø Forskningsstiftelse, a newly established research fund at the University of Tromsø.  The application was successful and for the period autumn 2009 to December 2012 the project “Fate of organic material in the ocean: Controlling mechanisms in vertical flux regulation (CONFLUX)” will run.  The official applicant was Prof. Paul Wassmann at the Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, University of Tromsø, but Prof. Marit Reigstad will head the project at the same department.

Margaux Noyon recently defended her PhD thesis with the title:

Nutrition and lipid dynamic of the hyperiid Themisto libellula. Importance in terms of adaptive strategy.

Here she describes her experience of being an ARCTOS PhD student:

I just defended my PhD which was about nutrition and lipid dynamic of an arctic pelagic amphipod, Themisto libellula, and their importance in term of adaptations. 

I was registered in France, at the University of Pierre et Marie Curie and worked in the laboratory of Oceanography in Villefranche sur mer (LOV). During my PhD, I took part to two different projects: MariClim (Marine Ecosystem consequences of climate induced changes in water masses off West-Spitsbergen, NP, Tromsø) and Praceal (Planktonic predators: role and adaptive strategy in the control of Arctic ecosystems, importance of lipid metabolism, IPEV and LOV). Hence I had the chance to do my field work in Ny-Ålesund where I spend 5 months in a row and to participate in several cruises.

"Marine Biodiversity under change”, 24 January to 3 February 2010, Tromsø, Norway

Parallel to the Arctic Frontiers Conference (AFT-2010) and in direct connection with the oral presentations, the Young Scientist Forum and the ARCTOS PhD School will organize an international workshop for PhD students interested in the pan-Arctic region.

This is an approved PhD level course (BIO-8512 – 2 ECTS) at the University of Tromsø, and consists of the conference itself, plus an intensive 5 days seminar after the conference.

During the seminar (which will take place in Tromsø and at the Skibotn Field station), the students work in discussion groups on given subjects related to the topics under Part III “Marine Biodiversity under change”. Senior scientists from the ARCTOS PhD School, as well as some of the invited speakers from the conference will be present to ensure a good dialogue and progress in the discussions. Evaluation/exam: Powerpoint presentations of the student work at the end of the workshop.

One of the great successes of ARCTOS in 2009 was the accept of the Arctic Tipping Point (ATP) project, a 5 million € project that runs for 3 years and has 13 partners from 11 countries: Norway (Coordinator), Denmark, France, Germany, Greenland, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden and UK. The ATP application was written by ARCTOS member Paul Wassmann and Carlos Duarte (CISIC, Spain) with the support of ARCTOS secretary Elisabeth Halvorsen (at that time). The ATP project leadership team is located at Hyperboreum where the ARCTOS PhD school is situated. Learn more at www.eu-atp.org.