Field Work

Aim and main questions: Since all WPs described above will be involved in the field work, this work package does not have own scientific questions / hypotheses but will bundle all field (expedition and Greenland lab experimentation) activities. WP5 will support verifying findings gained in laboratories (WP2, WP3) with natural communities and under local environmental conditions. We will conduct two field campaigns in Disko Bay during a research cruise from the southern tip of Greenland and along the west coast of Greenland (Figure 1). The aim is to determine the dispersal range and dispersal pathways and connectivity of harmful algae species (WP1, WP4).

Approach: The field experiments will be conducted at the Arctic Station in Disko Bay. Freshly isolated algal strains (prepared by partner UCOP in 2022) will be taken from Disko Bay for laboratory experiments in WP2 and WP3 (2023). One set of field experiments is planned for spring 2024 for 4-6 weeks with emphasis on Pseudo-nitzschia, Chrysochromulina, Phaeocystis and one in summer (4-6 weeks; Alexandrium, Chrysochromulina, Phaeocystis). This will be aligned with detailed field examination (WP1, WP4), grazing (copepod: Calanus finmarcicus, fish larvae) and competition experiments with natural communities and fresh isolates (WP2 and WP3). A research cruise is planned for 2025 (July-August) to study from the southern tip of Greenland up the West Coast. Five research areas (40 samples stations) will be investigated, where we will study plankton communities (WP1), potential cyst beds, toxins and concentrations in the water column, crustaceans and fish. Furthermore, different experiments (competition and grazing) will be conducted with local plankton communities (research areas) to investigate their resistance to toxic species (WP2 and WP3). Sediment cores for cyst analyses and paleobiological metabarcoding will be used to determine how long the potentially toxic species have been present in Greenlandic waters and if cyst beds are already established.

Output and deliverables: Field samples from research cruise at the Greenlandic West Coast to study the distribution, dispersal routes and connectivity of harmful algae and their toxins.