ARCTOS network

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

ARCTOS scientists Marit Reigstad, Nathalie Morata, Paul Wassmann and 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.

The inauguranal meeting took place at IARC University of Alaska at Fairbanks, Alaska, from November 7 to 9. Paul Wassmann was an invited speaker and talked about “Large Scale Processes and changes in the ecosystem”. See the preliminary outline of the science proposal.

The science proposal will be refined and rewritten and presented to the international public during the forthcoming Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW) in Nuuk, Greenland, 15-19 April 2010. There is hope in ARCTOS that the science proposal will fund support by the various research council of nations interested in pan-Arctic research. Arctic research needs clearly pan-Arctic initiatives that try to compensate for the significant gaps in the Arctic Ocean region. In particular, ARCTOS wishes that the Research Council of Norway will find the proposal attractive and support it through funding.

ArcticRapidTransition_Proposal