Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Climate Change influence on polar terrestrial landscape  (CCIPTL)

Outline
Polar regions, and particularly terrestrial ecosystems are specially sensitive to climate change, because the main processes (geomorphological, biological and ecological) are based on a subtle balance of environmental forces dominated by freezing-thawing cycles. Slight variation on the balance would influence largely on terrestrial ecosystems, since the typical environmental conditions are close to the thresholds for many processes.With this proposal we intend to study, from a multidisciplinary point of view, the polar landscape, paying special attention to the interrelation amongst different disciplines, from glaciology and geomorphology, to hydrology, including permafrost studies, terrestrial and aquatic ecology. We consider the freshwater ecosystems as the integrators of all the variations at landscape level, but will study in detail all the different aspects at landscape scale. By understanding the interrelations between abiotic and biological factors dominating the landscape we will be able of detecting the most sensitive processes to climate change and then we will be able of modelling the effect of climate change at landscape level. The study will take place at the two polar regions and within each polar regions at two different latitudes (moderate and extreme). Using similar methodologies by all teams simultaneously we will detect the latitudinal differences making possible a large scale modelling exercise.The project intend to join the effort of many scientists of different disciplines within Earth, Biological and Environmental sciences. The Earth Sciences side will be dedicated to the study of glaciological, geomorphological, hydrological, edaphic and permafrost characteristics of the sampling areas. The Biological Sciences will dedicate their effort to the soil invertebrates, the vegetation, as well as the aquatic organisms. Finally, the Environmental Sciences will study the interrelations between the different aspects of the other scientist, doing the modelling work, using GIS and the typical environmental tools.With the participation of all the specialists on the different topics the project will be able of describing in detail, simultaneously all the elements of the sites and their interrelationships. Then, the modelling process will describe the differences between sites and latitudes and will identify the most sensitive elements to a climate change, estimating the effects of that change at landscape level.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Theme 1: Within this theme the project will describe, probably for the first time in polar sciences, the polar terrestrial ecosystems at landscape level, including abiotic, biological as well as their interrelations, from a multidisciplinary point of view Theme 2: The second topic is to model how the climate change will modify the terrestrial ecosystems, from a global point of view, from the glaciers to the microbiota.Theme 3: We expect that from our results at polar scale using both polar regions we will be able of modelling the change at global scale, at least at high altitude sites.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Necessarily different countries and scientists from many countries have to be involved, since many locations and disciplines are converging within this project. In terms of locations most probably Australia, Canada and Spain would be fully involved, but researchers from many other countries are expected to participate

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
This project will take place at different polar latitudes, including a Maritime Antarctic site (Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island, 62º S), a coastal continental Antarctic site (Prince Charles Mountain, 75ºS), and 2 Arctic sites, a Subarctic (Hudson Bay area, 56ºN) and a high Arctic one (Northern Ellesmere Island, 83ºN).

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 05/07-08/07            
Antarctic: 11/07-3/08       11/06-3/08      

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
The project is based on other already going projects:- Byers Peninsula will need the Spanish logistic support, and shared with the LIMNOPOLAR project- Prince Charles Mountains will need the Australian logistic support, and will be shared with the EoI proposal TLEPCM (Dr. Gibson, this call)- Arctic will require the Canadian logistics, joint with the EoI proposal Northern RiSCC (Dr. Vincent, this call)

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
No new infrastructure needs to be built

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

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
This project has been submitted and endorsed by the Spanish National IPY Committee. That committee will sort out priorities and will probably open a call for funding IPY related projects.

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?
Expansion

The idea is to arrange a series of already existing or submitted projects at international level, to give a more holistic view with small modification of the already running programs and with relatively small logistic effort, as RiSCC (SCAR), Northern RiSCC and LIMNOPOLAR amongst others

How will the project be organised and managed?
The organisation of the project will be based on each participant’s logistic requirements and support, since it does not require a centralized management. Inviting to participants of other countries to each expedition, to cover most points of view. We will organize common sampling protocols, but the big organizative effort would be at the return of the sampling, arranging data analysis and modelling tasks. We will run this work based on workshops and permeable workteams.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The most important idea would be the communication issues, considering it as an important exercise of interdisciplinarity. In this way it is expected that this project will capture the media attention and thus reach the general public. At educational level, we believe that several doctoral thesis can emanate from this project, reaching a very interesting multidisciplinar point.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
All raw data collected during the project will be deposited into the respective Data Centres of the different countries. However, a general database will be generated with private access for the researchers during the duration of the project, but will be open to the public a number of years after the official end of the project.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
The funds for the project will be obtained from the different National Funding Agencies, and by the IPY National Committees in those countries with funding capabilities.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
This project is aimed to fill a gap on the basic knowledge about polar terrestrial ecosystems functioning from a holistic point of view.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Antonio Quesada
Edifico de Biología. Calle Darwin, 2. Cantoblanco


28049
Spain

Tel: 34-914978181
Mobile: +686235388
Fax: 34-914978344
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation