Expressions of Intent for IPY 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Arctic Climate Diversity; Integrating physical and biological observations  (ARCDIV)

Outline
Arctic Climate Diversity (ARCDIV) is a multidisciplinary research initiative under the International Polar Year (IPY 2007-2008), seeking to explore the diversity of climates and ecosystems at landscape scale within the Arctic region, by integrating existing and new intense measurements of key physical and biological variables and processes at multiple circum-Arctic observational sites. Rationale: The recently published Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA) presents detailed information of the significant contemporary changes in regional variability and trends of climate and ecosystems in the Arctic, with important coupling and feedback mechanisms to the global climate system. ARCDIV will establish several reference areas on Svalbard and circum-Arctic, equipped for intense campaign based measurements of physical and biological parameters on various temporal and spatial scales, with the aim to resolve the variability of climate/biological diversity on local/landscape scale around the Arctic. This is a new frontier for relevant studies of key biological effects of climate change, complementing the large-scale regional climate variability and trend patterns that are already established with relation to global climate change. This multidisciplinary initiative is an effort to coordinate complementary research groups active at various sites/stations on Svalbard and circum-Arctic. As a vital part of this endeavour, all partners will agree on harmonisation procedures and joint measurement protocols as well as adopt quality control standards and exchange policies. Scientific Content: Multidisciplinary research groups will set up coordinated and intense atmospheric/terrestrial measurement systems and field observations at the different reference sites, integrating the following scientific themes and activities: · Physical observations: Meteorological synoptic “reference” stations, automatic weather stations, micrometeorological measurements, data-logger arrays, atmospheric radiation including UV-radiation, surface radiation budget and regional spectral reflectance, hydrology, snow/ice distribution, water balance, surface energy balance measurements, geochemistry. · Biological observations: Vegetation monitoring, cryobiology, alpha/beta diversity, nutrients cycling, microbial communities in soil and freshwater, trophic interactions, predator-pray systems, herbivory, stress parameters. · Atmospheric circulation models and landscape models will be used together with the intense physical observations to describe the local abiotic environmental variability and its relation to the regional atmospheric circulation. GIS-systems will be used to assist the sampling and analysis of the biological parameters. Remote sensing will be used extensively for extraction of different physical and biological parameters at the reference sites. · Integration: Models and multi-scale statistical methods will be used for integrated analysis of the physical and biological data, including the projection of future changes in environmental variables.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
The project mainly focuses on the ICSU/WMO IPY Science Plan themes #1+2, by bringing combined physical and biological investigations of the Arctic environment down to local/landscape level, and by integrating biological diversity and climate variability at several Arctic reference sites. While traditional ecosystem response to climate change parameters have mostly been investigated indirectly, with the abiotic parameters representing average regional/local conditions, ARCDIV is expected to give new insight into the important and direct relation between the observed variability in biological diversity and physical parameters at the observation sites, at different temporal and spatial scales. This approach is regarded as a new frontier in ecosystem effect studies that will improve our projections of future change.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
This project is based on international collaboration on Svalbard and circum-Arctic, inviting participants from the research communities of · ENVINET (European Network for Environmental Research – EU/FP5, representing 18 research infrastructures in Northern Europe and the European Arctic), · NySMAC (Ny-Ålesund Science Managers Committee, representing 10 nations), · SCANNET (Scandinavian/North European network of terr. field bases), · CEON (Circumarctic Environmental Observatories Network), as well as many individual scientists To the IPY EOI deadline, the following participants/institutions have confirmed their participation or support: Norwegian Polar Institute (NP) PolarClimate&Biodiv.Groups University Centre on Svalbard (UNIS) Polar Geoph./Biol./Geogr.Norwegian Meteorological Institute (DNMI) Research DepartmentSvalbard Science Forum (SSF) Research Coordination Svalbard Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), Germany Atmospheric Observatory NyAa Danish Polar Centre (DPC), Denmark Zackenberg Basic Working Gr. Arctic-Antarct. Res.Inst.(AARI), Russia Ocean-Atmosph. Interaction Lab Univ. of Groningen (UoG), Netherlands Arctic Centre Universtity of Tromsø (UiTø) Inst. of Biology Univ. of Oslo (UiO) Department of Biology The Norut Group (NORUT IT) Earth Observation Group Norwegian Inst. of Nature Res. (NINA) Division of Arctic Ecology Norwegian Institute of Air Res. (NILU) UV-group and Atmos.Pollutants Univ. of Bristol, UK Atmosph.Chemistry Group GRID-Arendal (UNEP), Norway Polar Unit University of Wroclaw, Poland Institute of Geography Univ. of South Bohemia, Czech Republic Faculty of Biological Sciences Norwegian Univ. of Sc. and Techn. (NTNU)Dep. of Biology Scottish Ass. of Marine Sc. (SAMS), UK Dunstaffnage Marine Lab. Consiglio Naz.d. Ricerche (CNR),Italy Dirigibile Station, Ny-Aalesund Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia Institute of Geography Norwegian Geotechnical Institute Microbial activity q2_1_Location : Primary observational sites: Reference sites established by groups on Svalbard, Greenland and in the Russian Arctic will be associated with the following sites: Svalbard: Ny-Ålesund, Hornsund, Longyearbyen, Barentsburg as well as on East Spitsbergen. Greenland/Zackenberg, Iceland and Russian Arctic Islands (Franz Josef Land, Novaja Semlja). Additional reference sites: Groups invited from the research communities of ENVINET, SCANNET and CEON are encouraged to establish sites in Northern Scandinavia and Canada/Alaska.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Primary observational sites: Reference sites established by groups on Svalbard, Greenland and in the Russian Arctic will be associated with the following sites: Svalbard: Ny-Ålesund, Hornsund, Longyearbyen, Barentsburg as well as on East Spitsbergen. Gr

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 07/06 – 03/07 set up time      03/07 – 03/09 campaign period      03/09 – 07/09 take down equipm.
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
ARCDIV will use the existing research infrastructures, services and logistics available on Svalbard, Greenland and elsewhere. Observational reference sites will be selected at locations that are realistic with respect to the logistics/services given locally, as well as on historical sites possessing previous relevant observations and time-series. Individual field based activities/observations will require transport and accommodation in the field at several times of the year during 2 full seasons/years of observations as well as during equipment set up and take down phases.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
ARCDIV will build on existing measurements and infrastructure and assure that all new observations and additional field experiments and equipment are properly documented and maintained within an overall philosophy of environmental protection and sustainability, as well as conforming to the IPY data and documentation policies. It is foreseen that the project will contribute to the development of new technology and observation methods. The project will leave a legacy of validated and harmonized procedures for the measurement and analysis of key environmental parameters.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
Own national polar operator
Another national polar operator
National agency
Own support

On Svalbard, the project will seek close collaboration and coordination with the SVALPLAT initiative (IPY-EOI), which is set up for the purpose of providing coordinated and adequate logistical support and services for all research activities under the IPY.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Endorsed by the German IPY-committee 11 January 2005 To be reviewed by the Norwegian IPY-committee 17 Jan. 2005 Endorsed by the Italian IPY-committee 12 January 2005 Endorsed by the Russian IPY-committee 13 January 2005

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
New
ARCDIV is a new autonomous project bringing together new and existing research activities from different fields of environmental research, building on the experience gained from previous field experiments and projects by participating scientists as well as on the significant multidisciplinary harmonisation efforts and network building under ENVINET (http://envinet.npolar.no). The project will coordinate individual multidisciplinary working groups and work packages adopting harmonised observation strategies and protocols, but with incorporation of sufficient autonomy to absorb the variable geometry of the funding structure for IPY projects.

How will the project be organised and managed?
ARCDIV main time plan for project/proposal implementation will, apart from the campaign periods given under point 2.2, be the following: · March 2005: Scientific Workshop and Planning Meeting, UNIS, Longyearbyen, Svalbard 30 March – 2 April 2005. · June 2005: Full proposal submission to ICSU/WMO. · 2005/2006: Individual and joint funding proposals · 2009-2010 Coordinated publication in Springer ”Pole-to-Pole” series (IPY-EOI Pole-to-Pole initiative) ARCDIV will use modern principles for scientific project organisation and management involving the following elements: · Project Steering Committee (PSC): Will be formed formally at the scientific workshop in March 2005, taking into account the recommendations given by the ICSU/WMO-JC EOI-reviews. It will be responsible for the final proposal preparation and oversee all the work performed under the IPY-project, meeting regularly with the project coordinator, establish monitoring and control criteria etc. · Program Secretariat/Coordinator: Will be responsible for all coordination and monitoring, data and information exchange, home-page and list-servers, organisation of workshops and meetings, reporting. · Workshops/Meetings will be organised to assure sufficient coordination of working groups and accomplishment of work packages. · Reporting and control procedures monitored by the program secretariat.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
ARCDIV will approach several audiences: · Public: A central website for public information and dissemination of scientific results building on the existing tools for project documentation and observation site information developed under ENVINET. Professional support on synthesis, communication and assessments will be provided by GRID-Arendal. · Students: The intense field measurements carried out under ARCDIV are very well suited for significant student participation from UNIS at all levels, with strong emphasis on multidisciplinary collaboration and studies. · Research community: Scientific publication will be coordinated to the new "Pole-to-Pole" IPY publication series suggested for Springer Verlag, as well as to regular journals. · Research team: The website, list servers and newsletters will be used for internal communication and dissemination of project related information, and possible semi-permanent exhibits for communication and outreach. · Schools: Younger students can be involved through online virtual experiments and education material. Summer schools on meteorological stations on Svalbard and Russian island Frants Josef Land are planned. · Decision Makers: ARCDIV will build on and support the ACIA process and contribute to environmental assessment efforts.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document)?
Important data management issues and procedures for ARCDIV will assure that: · Data and sampling strategies adopting harmonisation and quality assurance protocols, building on ENVINET and many other recommendations · Data are stored and made available to the research team and general research community within a reasonable time, with close coordination and assistance by the SVALPLAT initiative, GRID-Arendal, NORUT and/or international data centres. · Metadata/Data integration/databases: The computing infrastructure supporting multi-organizational involvement will support distributed storage, accessibility and processing of geo-referenced and harmonised data products. A meta database with web-based applications will be used to accomplish the integration and management of both physical and biological data, facilitating integration between the different groups of scientists and adopt the use of standard storage and query protocols and good metadata. · The data management procedures conforms to the ICSU/WMO JC data policy structures

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Funding proposals will be sought at many different levels, from each individual participant (home institutions), to working groups and project secretariat. Funding for project coordination will be sought from the host institution and national research council

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
Several other projects (EOI’s) submitted to the ICSU/WMO JC are relevant and have significant complementary value for ARCDIV. We would like to seek close collaboration and coordination with the following projects, which have been invited to the scientific workshop at UNIS, Svalbard during the end of March 2005: Primary: TOPOCLIM, PI: Krzysztof Migala, Univ. of Wroclaw, Poland ISLIFE, PI: Christian Brochmann, Univ. of Oslo, Norway SVALPAT, PI: Jan Gunnar Winther, Norwegian Polar Institute (NP), Norway POLE-TO-POLE, PI: Roland Kallenborn, Norwegian Inst. of Air Research (NILU) CMRWA, PI: Boris Ivanov, Arctic&Antarctic Res. Institute (AARI), Russia Secondary: Arctic Border, PI: Annika Hofgaard, Norwegian Inst. of Nature Res.(NINA) ATMOPOL, PI: Roland Kallenborn, Norwegian Inst. of Air Research (NILU) POLAP, PI: Piotr Glowacki, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland Polar Light Effects, PI: Ola Engelsen, Norwegian Inst. of Air Res. (NILU)

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Jon Borre Orbak
Norwegian Polar Institute
Polar Environmental Centre
Tromsoe
N - 9296
Norway

Tel: +47 77750558
Mobile: +47 92086814
Fax: +47 77750501
Email:

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