Unexpected Levels of Biological Activity during the Polar Night Offer New Perspectives on a Warming Arctic
The current understanding of Arctic ecosystems is deeply rooted in the classical view of a bottom-up controlled system with strong physical forcing and seasonality in primary-production regimes. Consequently, the Arctic polar night is commonly disregarded as a time of year when biological activities are reduced to a minimum due to a reduced food supply. Here, based upon a multidisciplinary ecosystem-scale study from the polar night at 79 degrees N, we present an entirely different view. Instead of an ecosystem that has entered a resting state, we document a system with high activity levels and biological interactions across most trophic levels. In some habitats, biological diversity and presence of juvenile stages were elevated in winter months compared to the more productive and sunlit periods. Ultimately, our results suggest a different perspective regarding ecosystem function that will be of importance for future environmental management and decision making, especially at a time when Arctic regions are experiencing accelerated environmental change [1].
Berge Jorgen, Daase Malin, Renaud Paul E., Ambrose William G., Jr., Darnis Gerald, Last Kim S., Leu Eva, Cohen Jonathan H., Johnsen Geir, Moline Mark A., Cottier Finlo, Varpe Oystein, Shunatova Natalia, Balazy Piotr, Morata Nathalie, Massabuau Jean-Charles, Falk-Petersen Stig, Kosobokova Ksenia, Hoppe Clara J. M., Weslawski Jan Marcin, Kuklinski Piotr, Legezynska Joanna, Nikishina Daria, Cusa Marine, Kedra Monika, Wlodarska-Kowalczuk Maria, Vogedes Daniel, Camus Lionel, Tran Damien, Michaud Emma, Gabrielsen Tove M., Granovitch Andrei, Gonchar Anya, Krapp Rupert, Callesen Trine A. (2015). Unexpected Levels of Biological Activity during the Polar Night Offer New Perspectives on a Warming Arctic. Current Biology. 25 (19). 2555-2561. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2015.08.024, https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00288/39885/