Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Polar ozone depletion: Comparing the responses of Arctic and Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems to enhanced UV-B  (UVPOLAR: Polar ozone depletion, effects of UV-B on ecosystems in the Arctic and Antarctic)

Outline
Severe Antarctic ozone depletion has occurred since 1974 and arctic ozone depletion has been observed since 1990, resulting in increased surface UV-B fluxes. Stratospheric ozone recovery is predicted by the year 2050 but in the meantime this problem will continue to occur with consequences for biodiversity and the natural environment.Stratospheric ozone depletion and increased UV-B and its impact on the biosphere are major research topics recognized by SCAR and SPARC.Participants of this EoI are active in (sub) arctic and/or (sub) Antarctic UV-B field research using UV-B supplementation (lamps) and/or UV-B exclusion (foils), to experimentally establish varied UV-B levels to simulate ozone depletion scenarios.The objectives of this proposal are:·To study the responses to enhanced UV-B of vascular and non-vascular plants and associated organisms and processes in Antarctic and Arctic ecosystems . ·In particular bipolar plant species may be studied·To compare plant responses to enhanced UV-B in Antarctic and Arctic ecosystems·To study plant responses to enhanced UV-B along latitudinal gradients·To study plant morphological and chemical responses to UV-B, including southern beech secondary chemistry and UV effects on CH4 fluxes.·To reconstruct past UV and stratospheric ozone regimes based on chemical signals (including wood density in tree rings) in stored and preserved plant material.·To study effects of enhanced UV-B on soil microbes and litter decomposition·To study and analyse long-term effects of enhanced UV-B on plant communities and their associated trophic interactions both in the Antarctic and Arctic.·To compare responses to enhanced UV-B in Antarctic and Arctic ecosystems obtained by UV-B supplementation and UV-B exclusion field systems·To study molecular responses of microbial autotrophs to enhanced UV-B in polar ecosystems

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Ozone depletion events over the Arctic and Antarctic regions have been significant since measurements began 15 and 30 years ago, respectively. Consequent UV-B impacts and research in these polar terrestrial ecosystems has to date been fuelled predominantly by national support, focusing on small scale but long term experimental manipulations. There is a growing need to address larger scale changes, to compare responses in Arctic and Antarctic regions and to bring this research to the fore of political thinking and policy. We propose to coordinate national activities, integrate our research agendas and develop an international programme to address ozone depletion impacts on terrestrial ecosystems in polar regions.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Stratospheric ozone depletion and increased UV-B and its impact on the biosphere are major research topics recognized by SCAR and SPARC.Scientists in this EoI currently study the effects of enhanced UV-B on polar ecosystems in the (sub)Antarctic and (sub)arctic under the frame work of the GCTE programme of IGBP

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
High (sub)Arctic circumpolar tundra ecosystems in Europe Arctic: Norway and The Netherlands: Svalbard High arctic tundra Isdammen and Adventdalen. Subarctic: Sweden, UK: Abisko Research Station, Finland: Sodankylä FUVIRC, Kilpisjärvi Biological Station (Enontekiö) and Kevo Biological Station (Utsjoki)Antarctic: UK and The Netherlands: Signy Island, Léonie Archipelago,US: Anvers Island (Palmer Station), Argentina and US: (Sub)Antarctic: Tierra del Fuego

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 06/07 – 08/07      06/07 – 08/07      11/07 – 03/08
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Support to maintain experimentsWeb resources to publicise research output etc

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The UV lamp and (exclusion) filter systems will remain beyond the IPY and allow longer-term field manipulations. The database compiled during the IPY of UV-B effects will provide UV-B plant response relationships to be used both for future climate projections as well as reconstruction of past climate change.

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

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
The project has been endorsed by:The Netherlands IPY committee see attached documents.In the process of being considered by the US,UK, Sweden (Jonas Bjork), Norway and Finland, Argentina National Committees for IPY

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?


The proposed international cooperative research on long-term UV-B effects is based on existing UV-B field manipulations (supplementation and exclusion) existing and maintained for several years by the consortium partners.

How will the project be organised and managed?
When this expression of intent is given a positive assessment, a committee will draft the full proposal, a science plan and an implementation plan. The committee will organise a meeting before the IPY project to co-ordinate the research and a workshop after the IPY period to prepare the output of the project.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
We will establish a web page on the Antarctic and Arctic ozone depletion and UV-B impact research

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
We will develop a web-based (public) meta-database.In accordance with NERC (UK) policy, data generated from Antarctic research will be lodged in the Antarctic Environmental Data Centre (AEDC), a designated NERC data centre.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Partners should provide funding for their participation via their own national agencies, using pump-priming from existing research projects.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
If funding is made available a workshop could be organized to bring together the international groups researching UV-B effects on polar ecosystems.If funding is available cross-site comparisons using similar material will be promoted.For example, comparisons of the responses of the same plant species or litters to UV-B treatments can be made across different sites.Funding, if available, could be used to foster the next generation of polar researchers by stimulating by a visiting researcher scheme.For Finland Sodankylä FUVIRC, Kilpisjärvi Biological Station (Enontekiö) and Kevo Biological Station (Utsjoki) are relevant IPY sites

PROPOSER DETAILS

Prof Jelte Rozema
De Boelelaan 1087, 101 JV Amsterdam, Netherlands



Netherlands

Tel: +31 204447055
Mobile: no
Fax: +31 204447123
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation