Researchers look to Arctic algae to study changing Frobisher Bay
Un texte de Tharsha Ravichakaravarthy
Researchers in Iqaluit have completed a multi-year study of sea ice algae and phytoplankton that they say could help measure the impact of increasing vessel traffic and coastal activity around Iqaluit’s new deep water port.
They identified a total of 562 types of phytoplankton and marine sea ice algae in the area, according to the aquatic science biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada who was the lead author of the paper published in the journal Arctic Science.
“We now have this really nice inventory of a lot of the different species that are present near Iqaluit,” Chris Lewis said. “We have this benchmark that can be used in the future.”
Some of the areas studied are close to Arctic char and clam harvesting sites so the data would be useful to understand future impacts on country food, Lewis said.
Port construction began during the same period the researchers started collecting data.
A baseline for future research
The research was conducted between 2018 and 2022 in Frobisher Bay, but the multi-year study is actually a snapshot that serves as a baseline for future research.
The project formed part of the Coastal Environmental Baseline Program, a broader initiative aimed at understanding conditions in marine ecosystems as longer-term changes become more apparent.
Among the species researchers identified were harmful or toxin-producing ones.
Lewis said those aren’t a concern right now, but they should be monitored.
He also said a lot of freshwater species are starting to appear.
“You’ve got all kinds of influences and different types of phytoplankton and ice algae moving into the water column, and with a lot of that freshwater influence too,” said Lewis.
The freshwater influence is a result of the Sylvia Grinnell River slowly starting to flow underneath the sea ice, he said.
This happens because ice cracks allow melted water to flow down the edge of the fractured ice and drain into the ocean beneath it.
Researchers involved in the project worked closely with community members, local organizations and boat operators throughout the study.
They said local partners and organizations identified concerns around changes in the marine food web and changes in the coastline.
“I’ve noticed personally and heard from community members that the Frobisher Bay sea ice has been declining between late spring – so in June – and early summer,” said Usaaraq Jari Aariak, an aquatic science technician with the Coastal Environmental Baseline Program.
He said those shifts can affect people who rely on sea ice travel and harvesting.
The study notes that longer ice-free periods in some Arctic coastal regions have coincided with increases in human activity and marine traffic.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Thawing permafrost in Canada’s Northwest Territories releasing acid that’s breaking down minerals: study, CBC News
Finland: Increasing ocean acidification ushering era of uncertainty for Arctic, says report, Eye on the Arctic
Greenland: Glacier half the size of Manhattan breaks off Greenland, CBC News
Norway: Report reveals high levels of microplastics on Norway’s Arctic coast, The Independent Barents Observer
