LAND

The temperature dependency of Arctic ecosystems is very sensitive. We will use 25 years of systematic observations of ecosystem functioning and greenhouse gas exchanges at the Zackenberg research facility and GEM-database (www.g-e-m.dk) as a reference. We will deploy autonomous operating measurement units in comparable vegetation types to make continuous measurements of key climate and (vegetation and soil) biogeochemical parameters at locations distributed from natural gradient from Villum Research Station over Zackenberg south to the Upernaviarsuq area.

GIOS will develop a container-based portable environmental sensor package which can be deployed to monitor these environmental conditions on land, in rivers and fjords. This sensor package will consist of weather station, atmospheric gas analyzer and flux sensor (eddy covariance), soil active layer measurements, cameras for determining changes in fauna and flora, temperature, salinity and currents in fjords.

For the southernmost platform along the gradient in south Greenland an integrated and upscaling approach will be applied, that will be connected to mobile measuring platforms recording climate, environmental and living conditions for animals and plants. Further, the southern platform will include a bio-system measurement hub at the research station Upernaviarsuk that will allow laboratory-controlled experiments related to climate change and ecosystem changes and for accommodation for scientific personnel and students. The platform can also be connected to the Sermilik Station and powered by hydropower in South Greenland. This will also enable researchers to extrapolate findings in South Greenland to what can be expected in the north in the coming decades.