News
Food sources during polar night
The role of jellyfish as a food source in the Arctic winter
The Arctic is changing rapidly due to climate change. It is not only affected by increasing surface temperatures, but also by warm water from the Atlantic, which is flowing in more and more – changing the structures and functions of the ecosystem. Researchers from the Alfred Wegener Institute have now been able to prove for the first time that during the polar night, some amphipods on Svalbard feed on jellyfish that flow to the Arctic alongside warm Atlantic water.
Ice flow on Greenland is probably “only” 2,000 years old
The Northeast Greenland Ice Stream transports enormous quantities of ice from the island's interior to the sea, thereby also influencing global sea levels. An international research team led by the Alfred Wegener Institute has now determined the age of the icy conveyor belt. According to their findings, it only extended into the interior of Greenland around 2,000 years ago.
Kick-off for a new polar research project
The new research project YESSS - Year-round EcoSystem Study on Svalbard - is focussing on how Arctic warming is changing over the seasons in Svalbard. The team of around 30 scientists observes the life cycles, foraging and overwintering strategies of selected key species all year round and conducts experiments at the AWIPEV station on Svalbard. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research is funding the project, which is coordinated by the Alfred Wegener Institute, with 2.7 million euros until the end of 2026.