Light as cue of life

Question 1

What are challenges for research in Svalbard

Answer 1

Polar night with prolonged phases of darkness
Cold
Sea Ice
Limitations with regard to transport

Question 2

What is the prognoses for Svalbard

Answer 2

No sea ice by 2050

Question 3

What sample platfomrs are there

Answer 3

AUVs, Satellites, Ships, drones, ROV

Question 4

How does light climate affect all organisms

Answer 4

Photosynthesis
Respiration
Behavior (Diurnal vertical migration)
Occurence
Reproduction
Development and growth

Question 5

What are characteristics of the polar night (as of 2017)

Answer 5

dark, cold
seaice
high biological activity, biomass, biodiversity in the water column (DVM zooplankton, fish, larvae), on the water surface (birds) and seafloor (kelp growth)

Question 6

How can birds navigate in the dark

Answer 6

Light sensitive, use bioluminescence

Question 7

Why is kelp forest so important in the polar night

Answer 7

Kelp on the sea floor gives shelter and food for shrimps, fish, juvenile polar cod

Question 8

What is Atlantification

Answer 8

Atlantic water coming into Arctic water, new species like the rockfish and mussles due to changing environment

Question 9

What is bioluminescenc

Answer 9

Luminescence of organisms, appear in the polar night, is an ecological factor, help to map and monitor phytoplankton

Question 10

What can autonomous underwater vehicles monitor

Answer 10

ice thickness and growth, zooplankton and fish, light, PS, temperature, salinity, depths, map, monitor and identify phytoplankton, under ice morphology

Question 11

Name characteristics of high light acclimated cells

Answer 11

High NPQ at Ek, Ek of 130, healthy cells with high phi PSIImax