Arctic Station Dirigibile Italia

Effects of Atlantification and terrestrial inputs on nutrient transfer and trophic structure in Arctic fjord plankton communities (NEREIDES)

Call year: 2026 Status: active IADC_id: 832

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project associated with RIS "Effects of Atlantification and terrestrial inputs on nutrient transfer and trophic structure in Arctic fjord
plankton communities" awaiting approval

Project summary:
The Kongsfjorden-Krossfjorden system represents a natural laboratory for investigating the effects of climate change on Arctic marine ecosystems. Although geographically close, they exhibit distinct hydrographic characteristics: Kongsfjorden is warmer and saltier due to the inflow of Atlantic Water (AW, Rovere et al., 2022), while Krossfjorden remains colder and more stratified during spring and early summer (Divya et al., 2021), representing a reference for pre-Atlantification conditions. A significant river discharge occurs mainly in Kongsfjorden (Svendsen et al., 2002), while summer glacial meltwater and associated plume of terrestrial material (Szeligowska et al., 2022) influence both fjords. AW intrusion and an anticipation in glacial meltwater discharge affects phytoplankton bloom dynamics (Renaud et al., 2024; Piquet et al., 2024). AW inflow drives changes in zooplankton community composition (Willis et al., 2006), leading to phenological mismatches (Renaud et al., 2024) and a species shift (Willis et al., 2006), with consequences for food web structures and, potentially, for carbon sequestration in marine coastal areas (Renaud et al., 2024). This project aims to understand the impact of Atlantification and terrestrial inputs, due to glacial meltwater, on the trophic structure and nutrient transfer in Arctic zooplankton communities. The project will compare the distribution, C and N stable isotopes, lipid composition and food web structure of zooplankton in the Kongsfjorden–Krossfjorden system. Plankton?s contribution to carbon accumulation in marine sediment will be investigated. This will improve our understanding of how Atlantification and terrestrial inputs affect biodiversity organisation, productivity and stability of Arctic coastal ecosystems, contributing to effective management plans.
Primary and secondary objectives of the project:
The project aims to understand how increasing in Atlantification and terrestrial inputs affect nutrient transfer and food web structure in Arctic zooplanktonic communities. This will be achieved by comparing spatial distribution, abundance, carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes, lipid composition and food web structure of zooplankton in the Kongsfjorden–Krossfjorden system. Temperature and salinity differences are expected between fjords due Atlantic inflow in Kongsfjorden. Specific objectives are:- To quantify nutrient and organic matter transport from glacier meltwater to marine coastal waters.- To quantify plankton's contribution to carbon accumulation in marine sediment.- To reconstruct isotopic maps describing d13C and d15N values of the main zooplankton species. - To obtain lipid profiles of zooplankton and basal resources in the fjords.- To reconstruct zooplankton isotopic niches at population and community level and food web structures using Bayesian isotopic mixing models.
Activities and organisation: 
The study will be conducted in both Kongsfjorden and Krossfjorden. Chemical and physical parameters will be obtained using a CTD probe.  Phytoplankton and zooplankton will be sampled using nets, and sediments and benthos will be sampled using a grab. Sampling will be carried out by boat. Samples will be brought ashore and prepared for further analyses at the University of Roma and at UiT in the Kingsbay laboratory.
The samples collected will be analysed to obtain organic matter content, C, N, carbon and nitrogen isotope signature, lipid content and taxonomic identification.
Outcomes and impacts:
This project will enable Norwegian and Italian institutes to share knowledge and lay the foundations for future collaborations and projects. It will contribute to the training of early-career scientists by providing them with practical field experience, laboratory activities, data analysis and scientific diplomacy. Because the effects of climate change appear to Svalbard Islands more rapidly than in other regions, they are useful model systems for understanding and predicting the effects of climate change ahead of other Arctic areas and ecosystems at lower latitudes. Studying the impact of climate change on Arctic plankton communities provides valuable insight into the effects on food webs and ecosystem services they support. It is crucial for managing and monitoring species of commercial, conservation and tourism interest. These activities will spread information within the scientific community, raising important issues and establishing new collaborations.

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Project information

Effects of Atlantification and terrestrial inputs on nutrient transfer and trophic structure in Arctic fjord plankton communities (NEREIDES)