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Project Code [PDOC/23/01/03]
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Project title
MERRACC: Marine Ecosystem Response to Rapid Arctic Climate Change
Primary Funding Agency
Marine Institute
Co-Funding Organisation(s)
Lead Organisation
University of Galway
Lead Applicant
Not listed
Project Abstract
The research agenda proposed here for a postdoctoral fellowship is interdisciplinary, multi-themed, and takes a holistic approach to transform our understanding of how Arctic marine ecosystems respond to the rapid Atlantification of the Arctic due to modern climate change. Specifically, we propose to explore the reproductive behavior of endemic and migrating Arctic and subpolar planktonic foraminifera (marine protists) in response to rapid environmental change in the past, present, and future, capitalizing on the unique archive of fossil foraminifera shells, that preserve microstructural characteristics of their reproductive behavior in marine sediments. By placing current changes in population dynamics and their impact on communities/ecosystems in the context of natural climate variability of pre-industrial marine landscapes we will be able to compare modern adaptive strategies with past responses and thereby determine the impact of modern climate change on Arctic ecosystems.
This project pioneers a conceptually unique approach combining new insights in foraminifera ecology with novel techniques in micro-CT scanning and interpretative frameworks developed in biomedical imaging. This type of ambitious cross-disciplinary research has huge impact as it opens new research avenues and has the potential to provide transformative insight into a critical environmental impact of modern Arctic climate change. Given the growing consensus in the scientific community that current trends in Arctic Warming places endemic Arctic species at risk of extinction at the expense of better adapted migrating species this project will provide the foundation for modelling of marine population dynamics and their ecosystem services in response to climate change. The research team is multi-national, and facilitates trans European co-operation through collaboration between an Irish (University of Galway) and two leading European Institutions (UIT, the Arctic University of Norway in Troms� and MARUM, Bremen University).
Grant Approved
�394,882.00
Research Hub
Climate Change
Research Theme
1. Carbon Stocks, GHG Emissions, Sinks and Management Options
Initial Projected Completion Date
30/11/2027