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The Arctic plays a central role in the global climate system, particularly through its function as a carbon sink. However, climate change could disrupt its balance. An international research team headed by the Alfred Wegener Institute and the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam has presented a comprehensive analysis of the current state of the Arctic carbon cycle. The results, which have been published in the scientific journal Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, provide new and updated numbers and highlight existing uncertainties.

Modern working conditions for marine biodiversity research – that's what the new building of the Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity at Wechloy Technology Park provides. The facility is an eye-catcher both inside and out.

Der Ozean gehört zu den größten Senken der Erde, um Kohlenstoff aus landbasierten (terrestrischen) Ökosystemen zu speichern. Trotz seiner entscheidenden Rolle im globalen Kohlenstoffkreislauf ist jedoch noch immer nicht klar, woher dieser Kohlenstoff stammt. Forschende des Alfred-Wegener-Instituts haben mit neuartigen Methoden Sedimentkerne aus dem Pazifik untersucht und können anhand von alter Pflanzen-DNA nun zum ersten Mal detaillierte Aussagen über die genaue Herkunft und die Dynamik terrestrischen Kohlenstoffs in Ozeanen machen. Das kann helfen, die…

Global warming is producing a rapid loss of plant species – according to estimates, roughly 600 plant species have died out since 1750 – twice the number of animal species lost. But which species are hit hardest? And how does altered biodiversity actually affect interactions between plants? Experts from the Alfred Wegener Institute have tackled these questions and, in two recent studies, presented the answers they found buried in the past: using fragments of plant genetic material (DNA) deposited in lake sediments, they were able to gain new insights…

Shrimp in European supermarkets is almost exclusively sourced from farms outside the EU - often without any proof that it has been farmed in a welfare-compliant way. In the ShrimpWiz project, a consortium led by the Alfred Wegener Institute in cooperation with the company Oceanloop is investigating how indoor shrimp farming can be established in Europe and around the world that guarantees animal welfare and is economically viable for companies. They are using computer vision to automatically examine and care for the animals. 

The thawing of permafrost poses various endangerments to the Arctic environment and the livelihoods of people. An international team examined the social risks for Arctic regions and identified five key risks related to infrastructure, transport and supply, water quality, food security and health. Press release of the University of Vienna

At the end of September 2022, almost half a million tonnes of methane were released into the atmosphere due to damage to the Nord Stream pipelines. This is the largest amount of the greenhouse gas methane released in a single event. This conclusion comes from analysis by the International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Nearly 70 scientists from 30 research organisations collaborated on the analysis, among them a scientist from the Alfred Wegener Institute. More information

It is a historic milestone for climate research: an international research team involving the Alfred Wegener Institute has successfully drilled a 2,800 metre-long ice core , reaching the bedrock beneath the Antarctic ice sheet. In the fourth Antarctic season of the European Commission-funded project "Beyond EPICA - Oldest Ice", the team was able to drill ice that contains a continuous record of the history of our climate as far back as 1.2 million years ago - and probably beyond. The previous age record comes from the EPICA core drilled in 2004, which…

Marine heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense. The Arctic Ocean also suffers from this development: The absence of sea ice will lead to more extreme fluctuations in ocean temperatures, with abrupt temperature changes occurring at unprecedented rates. A new study led by the Alfred Wegener Institute shows how marine heatwaves will also become much more intense and frequent in the Arctic in the 21st century. With drastic consequences for the ecosystem. The researchers published their findings in the scientific journal Nature Climate Change.

The Arctic experiences some of the most rapid climate changes on the planet, resulting in significant sea-ice melt. This transformation exposed the Arctic Ocean to increasing sunlight, driving a 56% rise in organic matter production through photosynthesis (net primary production) over the past two decades, according to remote-sensing studies. At the same time, permafrost thaw is accelerating due to warming, releasing more nutrients and carbon into the Arctic Ocean, delivered from rivers and coastal erosion. While it might seem logical that these…