APECS International Online Conference 2021

Session Chair: Maud van Soest, Louise Borthwick, Rahul Dey

Session Coordinators: Charlie Hewitt, Megan Marjan, Anna Burdenski, Tegan Forward

Time: 12 May from 10:30 - 12:30 GMT

• 10:30 - 10:35 GMT: Introduction

• 10:35 - 10:50 GMT: Social Media in Polar Research – Is TikTok the Next Big Thing?

  Presenter: Mayleen Schlund

  Institution: Alfred-Wegener-Institute (AWI)

  Type: Oral Presentation

  Category: Collaboration

  Abstract: Social media platforms offer a creative and immediate way to engage with various interested groups. While individual scientists are increasingly present on Twitter to promote scientific findings and receive feedback from their followers, outreach and communication in science and research is carried out primarily by institutional media departments or project offices. To promote information and share outcomes of the international Year of Polar Prediction (YOPP), the YOPP International Coordination Office is engaging with their community consisting of researchers and forecasters in the field of Arctic and Antarctic weather and sea-ice predictions, as well as of stakeholders from sectors such as e.g, logistics and operations, tourism, or shipping. In addition to the online presence at www.polarprediction.net, the PolarPredictNews newsletter, or the podcast “The IcePod”, our social media channels add to the communication tools to tell polar prediction success stories, introduce scientists and share their activities, or engage the community via the vibrant set of tools social media has to offer. Social media presence is, however, also a matter of capacity; coming up with a successful tweet is often more than spending five minutes during lunch break. Social media campaigns need to be well planned, and the interests of the target group of followers have to be understood. As followers differ in different platforms in age and motivation to use social media, adjusting content to the respective target group is crucial. A long-term transformation of target groups on each platform needs also be taken into account – while Instagram had been opened as a platform to mainly share photos, it eventually evolved to a vivid platform to provide information and to get into dialogue. Is it therefore only a question of time when the research community follows the trend moving to the next platform? And: does @polarprediction eventually need a TikTok account?

• 10:50 - 11:05 GMT: Science and Education of the Polar Regions: the Portuguese effort to engage scientists and educators during the COVID-19 pandemic

  Presenter: Hugo Guímaro; Joana Fragão

  Institution: University of Coimbra, MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Coimbra, Portugal; APECS Portugal

  Type: Oral Presentation

  Category: Collaboration

  Abstract: Polar science communication, through education and outreach activities, has been playing a key role in increasing awareness of the general public on the importance of Polar Regions and the Cryosphere, which are critical for the well-being of human populations across the planet. For two decades, Portugal has been highly engaged in communicating polar science on urgent global issues, with considerable support of the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists of Portugal (APECS Portugal) and Polar Educators International (PEI), endorsed by the Portuguese Polar Program (PROPOLAR). In the last 8 years, polar scientists and educators have carried out numerous research and educational activities, including the International Polar Weeks, Workshops APECS Portugal on Hot Science topics, presentations at and presence in science fairs, virtual meetings with polar scientists, and the blog “Science in the Clear”. In total, these educational activities have involved more than 100,000 students, 300 schools, 2,000 educators and 150 polar scientists from more than 20 countries. These activities are linked to polar organizations, such as the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings, APECS International and PEI. During the COVID-19 pandemic, polar early career scientists (APECS Portugal) have successfully adapted to this challenge, being able to improve the outreach range of its activities. Here we provide evidence of the science, education and outreach activities carried out by early career scientists during the COVID-19 pandemic and discuss how these activities were successful, providing a valuable path in the future.

• 11:05 - 11:20 GMT: Multi-model ensemble mean of global climate models fails to reproduce early twentieth century Arctic warming

  Presenter: Mikhail Latonin

  Institution: Nansen International Environmental and Remote Sensing Centre; Saint Petersburg State University
  

  Type: Oral presentation

  Category: Arctic

  Abstract: The Arctic climate system is very sensitive to external perturbations, which results in more rapid surface air temperature (SAT) changes in the Arctic compared to lower latitudes. This study aims at assessing the performance of global climate models from the phases 5 and 6 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5 and CMIP6) in reproducing the periods of Arctic warming and cooling known from the observations. Two experiments are considered for 9 CMIP5 models, and one experiment is used for the 108 ensemble members from 32 CMIP6 models. The ensemble mean of unforced Arctic amplification variability in the CMIP5 pre-industrial control experiment suggests a crucial role of external forcings in the present Arctic amplification. The ensemble mean of the same models in the historical experiment shows a century-long upward trend and clearly reproduces the present-day Arctic amplification. However, there is no consistent response of increasing Arctic amplification in the early twentieth century warming period during the 1920s–1940s in the CMIP5 models. This indicates the 1920s–1940s Arctic warming was unlikely to happen due to external forcings. Using the large CMIP6 ensemble in the historical experiment we show that the multi-model ensemble mean in the new generation of high-resolution CMIP6 models does not reproduce that warming either, thus posing questions how well the models capture internal climate variability and distinguish it from natural and anthropogenic forcings. This issue ultimately affects the reliability of future Arctic climate projections.

• 11:20 - 11:35 GMT: From Field Work to Remote Sensing: Detecting Change to Heritage on Qikiqtaruk, Yukon

  Presenter: Katelyn O'Keefe

  Institution: University of Calgary

  Type: Oral Presentation

  Category: Arctic

  Abstract: The heritage features on Qikiqtaruk (formerly known as Herschel Island), Yukon, represent a long period of occupation, from 800 years ago to the present. Pauline Cove, the island's most culturally significant area, has the most heritage features. These features include Inuvialuit sod houses and historic buildings associated with the whaling period, fur trade, missionaries, and the RCMP. Unfortunately, coastal erosion, inland flooding, and modern human activities (research activities and polar tourism) are putting these features at risk. This talk will discuss the project's original research goals and the trajectory of the research since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, the excavation of two at-risk sod house features was scheduled. With travel bans in place and many logistical difficulties, the research goals pivoted, becoming focused on using the UAV (i.e., drone) imagery we captured in 2019. This imagery has been compared to 2017 imagery taken by another research group. Two different change-detection methods were used to determine and document changes to the heritage features and the landscape between 2017 and 2019. The low-cost, streamlined procedures developed here can be applied to develop a monitoring strategy for heritage at Pauline Cove and are applicable to other circumpolar heritage sites.

• 11:35 - 11:50 GMT: Uncovering molecular mechanisms of temperature sensation in notothenioid fishes

  Presenter: Julia York

  Institution: University of Texas at Austin

  Type: Oral presentation

  Category: Antarctic

  Abstract: Fluctuations in the thermal environment affect all physiological processes and therefore it is critical that organisms properly sense and respond to thermal stimuli. The hypothesized molecular mechanism of temperature sensation in vertebrates is a family of ion channels called transient receptor potential (TRP) channels. Our understanding of how TRP channels evolve to provide ecologically-relevant information for organisms in diverse thermal environments is limited to a few species that live in temperate regions. Notothenioid fishes are the primary fish fauna of the Southern Ocean, both in terms of biomass and species diversity. They have evolved to live below or near the freezing point of water. Given their frigid evolutionary history, we conducted a comprehensive, unbiased survey of TRP channels in notothenioid fishes. Initially, we used existing transcriptomic and genomic data to determine that notothenioids have about 28 TRP channel genes, which is typical for teleosts. We found a few duplications, including TRPA1b, a cold-sensor in mammals which has duplicated at least twice independently in Antarctic notothenioids. We then generated our own transcriptome of the sensory neurons in Harpagifer antarcticus, and found increased expression relative to the whole brain of TRPML2, TRPM1b, TRPV1a, TRPM4, and TRPM7. Further, we tested all of the TRP channel transcripts for signatures of increased positive selection and found evidence of significantly intensified selection in TRPA1b, TRPM4, TRPM7, and TRPV1a. Given these data, these four channels are our top candidates for thermosensation in Antarctic fishes. To investigate these channels further, we tested for individual amino acid sites under selection. We found several sites under significant diversifying selection in Antarctic notothenioids in each channel. Several of these sites have been previously found to modulate temperature threshold and are good candidates for further investigation.

• 11:50 - 12:05 GMT: Expedition instead of conferences - My pandemic-related way to build a network

  Presenter: Linda Thielke

  Institution: Institute of Environmental Physics, University of Bremen

  Type: Oral presentation

  Category: Arctic

  Abstract: I started my PhD in autumn 2019. After getting started, I was ready to present my first results and build a network at my first conference ever. It was important to me because I am rather new to my research field. Then the pandemic came: the conference still happened, but only online. I couldn’t meet new people in person and it was more difficult to connect to possible collaborators. My work is based on data from the MOSAiC expedition. Since I started my PhD during the MOSAiC expedition period there were no plans for me to join the expedition. Nevertheless, I became a backup person during the starting phase of my PhD - you never know. Then the pandemic made the impossible possible. The whole expedition planning had to adapt to the new situation and I came in for a place in the last leg of the expedition. There I met many great scientists I could learn from. And my network grew by about 60 scientists. This network is crucial for my work since no in-person meetings seem to happen soon and I’m already in the middle of my 2nd year. I am very grateful for this opportunity the pandemic opened up. I can now address my questions more easily and get involved in different projects. It was not only a good opportunity to build a network but also to carry out different kinds of measurements and learn a lot about other research fields.

Poster Q + A 1: 12:05 - 12:30 GMT

• Marine sediment cores and sub-bottom profiles to constrain glacial erosion rates, Eqi Bay, West-Greenland

  Presenter: Fien De Doncker

  Institution: University of Lausanne (Institute of Earth Surface Processes)

  Type: Poster

  Category: Arctic

  Abstract: Sediments produced by erosion play a fundamental role in Earth systems through their influence on the global carbon cycle and marine and freshwater ecosystems. This is particularly pronounced in Arctic regions. In that context, Greenland alone may account for 8% of the global sediment export to oceans, and this number is likely to increase due to climate warming. To forecast how sediment delivery of the Greenland Ice Sheet will change in the future due to climate change, we need to understand and quantify the impact controlling variables on both glacial erosion rates as well as subglacial sediment transport. In the absence of widespread measurements, we collected marine sediment cores and subbottom profiles in Eqi Bay, West-Greenland. Our goal is to construct time series of sediment volumes: from sediment cores, we obtain an age-depth relationship and the sub-bottom profiles can be extrapolated to obtain sediment volumes. Furthermore, with fingerprint analyses performed on slices of the cores, we can identify the provenance of the sediments, thereby enabling to investigate the spatial relationship with controlling variables such as meltwater discharge and ice sliding velocities. Although we faced multiple challenges (COVID-19 restrictions and linked with this, last minute decisions in gear acquisition, difficulties finding a boat and organizing a field trip with a fairly unexperienced team), we successfully collected 39 sediment cores in the bay that will be analyzed once lab access is again permitted. Moreover, this expedition also served as a common ground for the PolARTS project, a collaboration between artists and scientists, centered around the changing image of the Arctic.

  Poster

  APECS International Online Conference 2021_Poster presentation - Fien De Doncker from APECS Webinars on Vimeo.

• Which Carbon sources are released from thawing permafrost soils in the High Arctic?

  Presenter: Simone Aschenbrenner

  Institution: Institute of Geology and Mineralogy - University of Cologne

  Type: Poster

  Category: Arctic

  Abstract: Global warming is most pronounced in Arctic regions, causing thawing of permafrost and enhancing microbial turnover of previously frozen organic matter (OM) resulting finally in its release to the atmosphere as climate-relevant greenhouse gases. Little information is so far available about which substrates are microbially degraded upon permafrost thaw. In this study we used radiocarbon (14C) dating of carbon dioxide (CO2) reflecting carbon sources that are microbially degraded. Besides analysis of CO2 taken with respiration chambers at three different locations near Ny-Ålesund (Svalbard), we analyzed CO2 released during an aerobic long-term incubation (~ 500 days, at 4°C) indicating future sources of CO2. Additionally, a short-term incubation (5 days, at 21°C) was performed using a respirometer to determine the basal respiration.
  Field 14CO2 values were close to recent atmospheric values at all three sites, despite differing organic carbon (OC) content, OC/N ratio and apparent age of the OM. After long-term incubation, the CO2 from two sites showed F14C values similar to the field data, suggesting that mostly young/fresh OC will be decomposed deriving mainly from the surface layers. At one site, which had the lowest OC content and lowest OC/N, older CO2 is released during the incubation. This suggest that older OM is microbially degraded after longer thawing when young, more labile material is not available. Surprisingly the basal respiration at this site was relatively high and thus not related to OC content and OC/N. The overall trend in these short-term incubations seems to be linked to the bulk age of the soil samples, resulting in lower respiration rates for older OM. Lipid analysis pre- and post-incubation is planned to determine which microbial communities are activated under certain environmental changes. Ongoing 13C analyses of the CO2 will be used for differentiating organic and inorganic carbon sources.

  Poster

  APECS International Online Conference 2021_Poster presentation - Simone Aschenbrenner from APECS Webinars on Vimeo.

• A huge mesoscale eddy observed in the Arctic Ocean

  Presenter: Polina Sholeninova

  Institution: University of Helsinki

  Type: Poster

  Category: Arctic

  Abstract: Mesoscale ocean eddies are energetic vortex structures that transport the physical properties of water. The water trapped in eddies keeps its properties and may travel inside an eddy up to thousands of kilometres from its origin. The Arctic Ocean is known to be inhabited with mesoscale eddies commonly detected in depths from 200 m to 1200 m. Due to their high energetics and the ability to transfer momentum, heat and salt for long distances, the eddies may considerably affect the vertical structure of the water column in the AO.
  This study investigates an eddy-like structure detected at one of the NABOS mooring stations located at the continental slope in the Laptev Sea (2013-2015). What is interesting about this eddy is that it persisted over the mooring station for almost 50 days. The CTD (conductivity-temperature-depth), current measurements from the Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler in the upper ocean (30-90 m) and from the McLane Moored Profiler in the lower ocean (100-700 m) are examined. The results of this case-study will show the specific features of the eddy detected in the Eurasian Basin of the AO and to contribute to the in-depth understanding of the Arctic eddies behaviour.

  Poster

  APECS International Online Conference 2021_Poster presentation - Polina Sholeninov from APECS Webinars on Vimeo.

• The Approach of Reconstructing the History of Endemic Animal Species in Svalbard

  Presenter: Franziska Paul

  Institution: Kiel University

  Type: Poster

  Category: Arctic

  Abstract: With the advent of natural resource exploitation in Svalbard by several profit seeking parties, especially endemic mammal species were heavily affected. After successive periods of unrestricted harvest, population dynamics altered, and recovery is still ongoing. The remnants of the exploitation phases stay and accumulate as faunal bone scatters on the surface. However, they are mostly neglected, abstracted or discarded from its archaeological context. Due to pandemic restrictions the access to sampled collection is affected, since travelling to museum collections is unfeasible and online collections lacking comprehensive assemblages. Here I am addressing the state of the examination practices of archaeofaunal bone scatters from former slaughter sites in Svalbard and their potential. Additionally, introducing the design of my archaeozoological fieldwork project in Svalbard, which is planned for August 2021, and its challenges. Main focus of the fieldwork study is to survey walrus bone scatters at former slaughter sites to unravel past population dynamics and structures. Further, attempting to collect a sensible animal bone sample to identify species abundance at each selected site. Not only pandemic restriction, but also permissions, climatic conditions and wild animal species impede to enter the archaeological sites and to conduct multi-methodological fieldwork.

  Poster

  APECS International Online Conference 2021_Poster presentation - Franziska Paul from APECS Webinars on Vimeo.

• Distribution of floating macro litter in relation to oceanographic characteristics in Russian Arctic seas

  Presenter: Maria Pogojeva

  Institution: SOI

  Type: Poster

  Category: Arctic

  Abstract: The main objectives of this work was the acquisition of new data on floating marine macro litter (FMML) and natural floating objects in the Arctic seas, an initial assessment of the level of pollution by FMML and an analysis of potential sources. The results of this study present the first data on FMML distribution in Russian Arctic shelf seas in relation to oceanographic conditions (i.e. position of water masses of different origin as described by temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and pH). The main finding of this study is that FMML was found only in the water of Atlantic origin, inflowing from the Barents Sea, where FMML average density on the observed transects was 0.92 items/ km2. Eastern parts of the study, Kara Sea, Laptev Sea and East Siberian Sea were practically free from FMML. The input from rivers appears to be negligible, at least in autumn.

  Poster

  APECS International Online Conference 2021_Poster presentation - Maria Pogojeva from APECS Webinars on Vimeo.

APECS International Online Conference 2021 - Polar Science: Success Stories from the Field and from Home - Session 2 from APECS Webinars on Vimeo.

Session Chair: Maud van Soest, Louise Borthwick

Session Coordinators: Charlie Hewitt, Jéssica Campos, Sakshi Mankotia

Time: 12 May from 13:00 - 15:00 GMT

• 13:00 - 13:05 GMT: Introduction

• 13:05 - 13:20 GMT: Polar Science Awareness Seminars

  Presenter: Emir Efe Karayel, Zeynep Özcan, Melih Miraç Mudu, Nazlı Barış

  Institution: Keçiören Bilim ve Sanat Merkezi, Ankara-Turkey

  Type: Oral Presentation

  Category: Collaboration

  Abstract: In this study, with the "Polar Science Awareness Seminars" developed and carried out by the researchers, it was investigated whether there was a statistically significant change in the knowledge of the participants about polar sciences and the effect of the participants on their opinions about polar sciences with the "Polar Sciences Awareness Seminars". In the study in which the mixed method was used, the pre-test - post-test single group experimental method and the semi-structured interview method were used. Twenty-five participants from the participants selected with appropriate sampling were pre-tested, application-"Polar Sciences Awareness Seminars" were held, and a post-test was applied at the end of the application. As a data collection tool, a questionnaire consisting of three parts, which was applied as a pre-test and a post-test, was applied to the participants through Google Forms. There is also a semi-structured interview form in the questionnaire. The quantitative data obtained were analyzed using the t-test for dependent groups. As a result of the analysis, the arithmetic mean (X), t value and significance levels (p = 0.05) of the groups were used. Descriptive and content analysis was performed for qualitative data. As a result of the research, it was seen that there was a statistically significant change in the knowledge of the participants on polar sciences with the "Polar Sciences Awareness Seminars" and the game "Polar Sciences Awareness Seminars" contributed to a positive change in the views of the participants on these issues.

• 13:20 - 13:35 GMT: Initiating a polar research project during a global health crisis: A perspective of unexpected challenges and accomplishments along the process of ‘Snow2Rain’

  Presenter: Anna Burdenski

  Institution: University of Vienna

  Type: Oral Presentation

  Category: Arctic

  Abstract: As early career scientists and Ph.D. students, starting Snow2Rain, an interdisciplinary research project, in the middle of a global health crisis has presented us with a period of uncertainty, continuous learning and time-consuming processes. Our project integrates the disciplines of snow climatology and anthropology to explore the transition from snow to rain and its effects for the local people in Tasiilaq, East Greenland. The pandemic has presented us with challenges that range from not being able to meet the project team members in real life to not being able to conduct fieldwork in Tasiilaq, preventing us from meeting local people that are trivial to our project. Our overall goal became how we can efficiently use this unexpected and exceptionally long preparation period. The story we present here is partly a success story and partly one with remaining challenges. Engaging with digital tools, we aim to overcome the physical distance and hopefully pave the way for a mutual trusting relationship with the local people. Additionally, since data from a Regional Atmospheric Climate Model (RACMOv2.3) as well as from several weather stations are available to us, we managed to create a first assessment of precipitation changes in Tasiilaq during the period 1958-2019. Whether our efforts turn out to be a success and help to build the collaboration we intend between us and the local people remains unclear. With our presentation, we hope to share our story of starting an interdisciplinary, collaborative project in the Arctic during a global pandemic and reflect on remaining challenges as well as potentially new research approaches.

• 13:35 - 13:50 GMT: Lessons learned from a successful year of research in the Arctic sea ice

  Presenter: Amy Macfarlane

  Institution: Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL

  Type: Oral Presentation

  Category: Arctic

  Abstract: Polar expeditions are known to come with challenges, and the MOSAiC expedition was no exception. Drifting alongside sea ice from October 2019 to September 2020 using RV Polarstern as a platform for approximately 5 x 50 scientists to conduct their research comes with enormous logistics. The participants involved in such an expedition ranged from experienced sea ice researchers to researchers for whom MOSAiC was their first central Arctic sea ice experience. Similarly, some equipment was explicitly built for sea ice research, and other instruments had never been used in such an environment of -40oC temperatures and 25 m/s wind speeds. The global pandemic challenged logistics around the world. In the Arctic, the travel restrictions extended to limit personnel exchanges, sea ice thickness pushed ice breakers to their limit, and ice dynamics meant instruments were lost to the ocean of unknown environmental impact. All these events, no matter how much training the participants had, were impossible to predict. We present the lessons learned from a successful year of research in the Arctic sea ice. We explain the need for: systematic schemes of if-then-else events; discussions in the initial stages with many experts; standard operating procedures; repair manuals for every instrument; practical training; and interpersonal communication training. At the same time, we will highlight the advances and knowledge gained in sea ice research during this expedition, including methodological advances, multi-disciplinary measurement synchronization, and the consistency achieved to create a year-long dataset.

• 13:50 - 14:05 GMT: Evaluating the impact of a youth polar Expedition on participants proenvironmental behaviour: A case study of Students on Ice alumni programme

  Presenter: Christy Hehir

  Institution: University of Surrey

  Type: Oral presentation

  Category: Collaboration

  Abstract: This study advances our understanding of the elusive and complex concept of polar ambassadorship by assessing participants’ pro-environmental behaviour, up to 18 years after their polar voyage. The research explores how adventurous education programmes can act as a stimulus to lasting pro-environmental behaviour. Participants were recruited from the 2,500+ alumni of Students on Ice (SOI), a Canadian-based charitable organisation that leads educational expeditions to the Polar Regions for international high school and university students. The mixed-methods study was co-designed in collaboration with SOI and data collected via an online survey (n=217). The research tested relationships (both direct and indirect) between participants’ social identity towards the alumni programme and their subsequent connections with nature and pro-environmental behaviours. The results suggest social identity might be one way to explain the long-term impact of educational expeditions in terms of desired future pro-environmental behaviours, highlighting the critical importance of an alumni programme. This work suggests that social identity with an alumni group may continue to inspire and empower young people to make positive change in their own lives, in communities, and across the globe—not just immediately after their trip, but throughout their lifetimes. Such findings start to progress the existing ambassadorship literature beyond the immediate evaluation of such programmes to understand the subsequent development of participant pro-environmental values and actual behaviours in the longer-term.

APECS International Online Conference 2021 - Polar Science: Success Stories from the Field and from Home - Session 3 from APECS Webinars on Vimeo.

Session Chair: Maud van Soest, Louise Borthwick, Rahul Dey

Session Coordinators: Leonie Bronkalla, Yue Bai, Iulia Nita, Pablo Almela

Time: 12 May from 15:30 - 17:30 GMT

• 15:30 - 15:35 GMT: Introduction

• 15:35 - 15:50 GMT: Polar Traveler

  Presenter: Enes Furkan Ersoy, Nazlı Barış, Rukiye Ersoy

  Institution: Keçiören Bilim ve Sanat Merkezi, Ankara

  Type: Oral Presentation

  Category: Collaboration

  Abstract: In this research, with the game "Polar Traveler" in the knowledge of the participants' polar science research, global climate change, greenhouse effect, polar animals whether there is a statistically significant change and with the game "Polar Traveler" on polar science research, global climate change, greenhouse effect, polar animals what kind of a change in opinions has been investigated. In the study using the mixed method, pre test – final test single group experimental design and semi-structured interview were used. Appropriate the achievement test was applied to fifty-seven of the participants selected by sampling as a pre-test made and applied as a final test. Half of the twenty-five volunteers among the participants structured interview form was applied. The quantitative data obtained for dependent groups it was analyzed using the t-test. As a result of the analysis, the arithmetic mean of the groups (X), t value and significance levels (p = 0.05) were used. Descriptive and content analysis for qualitative data has been made. As a result of the research, with the game "Polar Traveler", the participants existing knowledge on research, global climate change, greenhouse effect, polar animals a statistically significant change in his accumulation and the game "Polar Traveler" it was seen that it contributed to a positive change in the opinions of the participants on these issues.

• 15:50 - 16:05 GMT: Learning from the Lockdown

  Presenter: Anvita Kerkar

  Institution: National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research

  Type: Oral Presentation

  Category: Antarctic

  Abstract: January-March 2021: as a part of the Indian Scientific Expedition to the Southern Ocean I was busy collecting and processing samples on-board, way too away from civilization, almost unaware of the changing scenario on the land. Extremely fortunate we were to get back home, when the first national lockdown (initially 48 h, then extended, re-extended and so on) was declared. Exhausted after the fieldwork, it took me a few days to realize that things are going to be really different henceforth, which is when I began to plan how to work from home. I made a meticulous plan for the data that was to be analyzed and interpreted for a paper (that was recently accepted) focusing on phytoplankton productivity and bio-optical characterization of the coastal Antarctic. Writing this paper was a memorable time indeed, as I got a lot of time (like never before) to read, modify the write-up and mold it the way I felt it would be the best. This was the time I also made the very initial start to plan my PhD thesis writing with a deadline to submit by March 2021. Just then, I received reviews for an earlier paper, which taught me how challenging a major revision could be (totally a contrasting experience than the first and recent paper). The year 2020 was a year of well-planned hard work that bestowed its rewards also in early 2021 in the form of nice publications, national award for popularization of science and of course, submission of the PhD thesis. The pandemic taught me to plan well for uncertain times, draw deadlines and do the best to achieve them. It also keeps me alert for the post PhD life, learning to apply for postdocs and working with the next manuscripts.

• 16:05 - 16:20 GMT: Fieldwork through COVID-19? Getting results during pandemic in the Chilean Andes in the 2020-2021 summer season

  Presenter: Felipe Ugalde

  Institution: University of Chile

  Type: Oral presentation

  Category: Collaboration

  Abstract: The Chilean Andes are known for hosting an enormous range of geomorphological features which includes almost every kind of glaciers from north to south. Despite their scenic beauty, most of the mountainous areas are private, require time consuming permissions and, occasionally, considerable access fees. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, all fieldworks attempts demands double planning and taking strict sanitary measures, converting simple documentation task into expedition-complex work and execution. This study highlights the results obtained regarding two projects on which the author is involved: A glaciogeological Master thesis and a public funded initiative concerning the virtualization of five different sites within the central Andes near the Metropolitan region. To the date, the Master research has involved four different field trips at nearby glaciers. Fieldwork has consisted mainly on photographic documentation and geophysics and drone surveys. On the other hand, the Cordillera Virtual Project, funded by the Chilean Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation Ministry and executed by Chilean NGO EGEA, has successfully completed to the date two of five fieldworks task, which involves the operation of drone and 360° cameras. The main difficulties faced by the author relates to permission acquisition by the competent authorities and an unprecedented meteorological episode occurred on 30 January 2021, locally known as the “atmospheric river” precipitation event. Although the use of drones has substantially improved the video and image acquisition tasks, by reducing displacement distances, many natural obstacles remains after the extreme weather event. In addition to critical pandemic numbers in the Chilean sanitary system, as the cold season comes closer in the southern hemisphere, all pending fieldworks gets quite unpredictable and with uncertain results.

• 16:20 - 16:35 GMT: Appearing of disappeared: one Arctic-thousand cameras

  Presenter: Anastasia Deyko

  Institution: Unaffiliated

  Type: Oral Presentation

  Category: Arctic

  Abstract: Idea to apply “Appearing of disappeared: one Arctic-thousand cameras” as abstracts for APECS International Online Conference came based on my collaborations with Barents region and archive research of glassier of Andes. The core of the “Appearing disappeared” is: to unite - to collaborate - to be aware. My experience in the world of photography is adapted to the needs of monitoring global warming in the Arctic. Through national official photo archives and private visual memories of the elderly to scientific photo documentations, I intend to make the younger generations aware of how dramatic and rapid climate change, especially with snow peaks, mountain lagoons and glaciers. One Arctic-thousands cameras is the mix of modern internet technologies and traditional art of photography. Project is devoted to changes in Arctic regions from the value and aesthetic point of view, but based on the visual evidence. I believe that photo bridges (online archives in the end) are the easiest way to explain (visualize) climate change, independently of age, nationality, geographical position. On the other hand photo bridges over the generations (EG from archives of elderly through professional photos and to Instagram of recent residents) will unite synergy of propaganda in the united language. To listen “Before we had permanent snow here” from ingenious habitants means nothing for millennials, relocated to cities. Neither, scientific data or satellite maps. But photography remains unique and the most informative, dogmatic language. At APECS International Online Conference I will present Appearing of Disappearing in the way photography reflects scientific data of climate change. And vice versa. The presentation will include a prototype of the final network with visual examples.

• 16:35 - 16:50 GMT: AIM - Antarctic Induced Music

  Presenter: Nuno Pereira

  Institution: Polytechnic Institute of Beja, Portugal

  Type: Oral presentation

  Category: Antarctic

  Abstract: Antarctica is a special region, not just for ecological reasons, but also because it triggers the imagination. Since the old days of the famous explorers, until the present, even with the most advanced technology, going to Antarctica is always a challenge, not void of some peril. Using the “magic aura” of Antarctica to address important topics, such as climate change and environmental protection, in an accessible and engaging way, has been the aim of the Antarctica Research & Education Program (AREP) since 2017. In the first two campaigns, in 2018 and 2019, at the Bulgarian Station in Livingstone, the program implemented a robotics STEM education project, involving students and educators from secondary schools. When we started to look for alternative paths that would allow us to increase society's awareness on Antarctica, art was the obvious choice. The scope of AREP was expanded to STEAM education, in this case, to include music. Supported by thousands of photos, and also videos, from several locations in Livingston, we designed the AIM project, to explore the imagination of young people through two different languages: that of visual elements, in our case photography and videos, selected by them according to the feelings and sensations triggered by their observation and, on the other hand, that of music whose composition is induced by these sensations. In this communication we present the methodology implemented using a visual qualitative approach, grounded on an art-based research, and the preliminary results obtained with the participation of two high school students aged 13 and 15. The final result is a video with the selected visual elements, edited by one of the participants, with the soundtrack composed by the other. Under the present conditions imposed by the pandemic, this approach allows us to engage students and educators in a creative and intellectual challenging process.

• 16:50 - 17:05 GMT: Smelly molecules and phytoplankton

  Presenter: Deborah Bozzato

  Institution: University of Groningen, The Netherlands

  Type: Oral presentation

  Category: Arctic

  Abstract: The Arctic is warming much faster than the rest of the world. Some organisms are able to thrive in the hostile polar environments, as a result of ad hoc physiological adaptations, even though changing conditions are threatening their existence. Phytoplankton, in particular, play a key role in this ecosystem, being responsible for primary production and producing important compounds like dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP). Despite decades of research, the environmental drivers involved in the production and conversion of DMSP remain unknown (McParland and Levine 2019). Moreover, DMSP is a precursor of the volatile dimethyl sulfide (DMS), which promotes the formation of aerosol particles and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) in remote marine regions. Thus, DMS contributes to regional climate feedbacks in the Arctic climate system, and therefore, it is important to collect additional measurements also in these remote regions. This project contributed to the Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) field campaign (https://mosaic-expedition.org/). The sea-ice sulphur cycle is one of the core parameters of MOSAiC. We collected a record of the DMS(P) concentrations and distribution within the sea-ice and water column over the course of the yearlong expedition, with a particular emphasis on the spatial and temporal variability of these important sulphur compounds. The work combines measurements of concentrations of DMSP, DMS and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) using Proton Transfer Reaction Mass Spectrometry (PTRMS), transformation rates of these compounds using stable isotope additions and identification of the microorganisms (microalgae, bacteria, archaea) driving these processes using high-performance-liquid-chromatography (HPLC) and microscopic analysis.

Poster Q + A 2: 17:05 - 17:30 GMT

• Controls of organic matter degradability in thawing holocene permafrost deposits in the Lena Delta, Russia

  Presenter: Sara E Anthony

  Institution: Institute of Geology and Mineralogy, University of Cologne

  Type: Poster

  Category: Arctic

  Abstract: Organic matter (OM) in permafrost soils is at risk of increased microbial degradation as the climate warms. To assess lability of OM and susceptibility of organic carbon (OC) losses in a Holocene permafrost deposit, samples were collected along a 6-meter depth profile on Samoylov Island, in the Lena River Delta, Russia. A combination of 14C dating, microbial lipid analysis, and microbial respiration experiments were conducted to determine the variations in lability. Several variables showed a significant difference between the active layer and permanently frozen soils. Total viable microbial biomass indicated by phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA), was significantly higher and mean respiration rate was significantly lower in the active layer compared to the frozen soils. In contrast, total neutral lipid fatty acid (NLFA) concentrations, an indicator for Eukaryotic organisms and fungi, were significantly lower in the active layer compared to the permanently frozen soils. This suggests differences in the microbial community in thawed and frozen soil. Higher ice/water contents in the frozen soil may facilitate transport to, and uptake of, substrates by microorganisms resulting in higher respiration rates. Microbial respiration rates are promoted by higher organic carbon/total nitrogen values in soil and soil water, indicating that future climate conditions will play a strong role in carbon release from these soils.

  Poster

  APECS International Online Conference 2021_Poster presentation - Sara Anthony from APECS Webinars on Vimeo.

• Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Polar Science: APECS Alpine Cryosphere Group experiences

  Presenter: Rodrigo Paidano Alves

  Institution: Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria

  Type: Poster

  Category: Alpine
  
  Abstract: The term ‘Alpine’ has a pre-Roman origin, with ‘alp’ meaning for “mountain” referring to the entire mountains system or used as a general substitute for mountains. These landscapes provide natural and patrimonial goods coming from their distinctive climatic, ecological, geological and hydrological settings. Mountains also have an integral part of the terrestrial cryosphere (encompassing snow, glaciers, and even permafrost), providing a regulating function for water collect, storage and distribution toward the lowlands. In these regions, alpine ecosystems can be defined as high-altitude habitats above the tree line and are subject to extreme abiotic conditions, playing a key role in terrestrial carbon storage. Understanding the structure and how alpine ecosystems are naturally regulated is a significant challenge, especially their global biogeochemical cycles. An increasing number of researchers are working in the mid-latitude cryosphere, including high-altitude alpine environments (e.g., Third Pole or Himalayas), not just the Polar Regions (e.g., Arctic and Antarctica). In this context, the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) Alpine Cryosphere Mountain Group was created to improve resources for non-polar researchers through building partnerships and sharing information. The project group aims to provide a network platform and provide valuable resources for early-stage scientists working on alpine and cryospheric environments. Thus, Alpine Cryosphere Mountain Group members can stimulate the defense, preservation, and conservation of the environment, and promote the sustainable development of polar, oceanic, and cryospheric environments. Regardless that research projects involve geology, ecology, chemistry, botany, hydrology, or zoology, the emergence of the covid-19 pandemic put a strain on research activities, forcing scientists to adapt and react to this new reality. Sharing these experiences with other research groups working on mountain ecosystems can be used as a valuable lesson, and a reminder to adapt and develop the capacity to amend unexpected scenarios, which will be essential to the future of research related to alpine sciences and perhaps also elsewhere.

  Poster

  APECS International Online Conference 2021_Poster presentation - Rodrigo Alves from APECS Webinars on Vimeo.

• Seasonal habitat selection in Arctic hares: explaining mass movements on Ellesmere Island

  Presenter: Ludovic Landry-Ducharme

  Institution: Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR)

  Type: Poster

  Category: Arctic

  Abstract: Movement is key to animal survival in poor environments such as the polar deserts of Northern Canada. Studying animal movement is thus crucial to better understand Arctic ecosystems. In 2019, we documented with satellite telemetry a large-scale mass movement of Arctic hares captured around Alert (Ellesmere Island, Canada), going towards the Lake Hazen basin in the Quttinirpaaq National Park of Canada. Arctic hare migrations had already been suggested, but never demonstrated. Where Arctic hare populations are large, such as on Ellesmere Island, identifying the factors influencing habitat selection of this species across seasons will improve our knowledge on the dynamics of the entire tundra ecosystem. My project aims to determine the main factors explaining habitat selection of Arctic hares at the local and regional scales in the northern part of Ellesmere Island. In summer 2019, 25 hares were equipped with Argos satellite collars near Canadian Force Station Alert and tracked until spring 2020. In summer 2021, we plan to deploy GPS-Iridium collars on 20 more hares, yielding more precise locations than Argos collars. We expect Arctic hare habitat selection to be influenced by plant cover and landscape topography, but that it may vary depending on the 4 main phases of their life cycle (summer, winter, and spring/fall relocation phases). Hares rearing young around Alert during summer should select rocky and hilly areas, which provide good shelter from predators. In winter, they should occupy habitats with good primary productivity and limited snow accumulation. During their fall and spring relocations, hares should travel routes crossing plant-rich patches to replenish their energy reserves. It is surprising how little is still known about polar desert ecology, thus this research will help describe key aspects of wildlife biology in the northernmost region of Canada.

  Poster

  APECS International Online Conference 2021_Poster presentation - Ludovic Landry-Ducharme from APECS Webinars on Vimeo.

APECS International Online Conference 2021 - Polar Science: Success Stories from the Field and from Home - Session 4 from APECS Webinars on Vimeo.

Session Chair: Maud van Soest, Louise Borthwick

Session Coordinators: Ben Graves, Deborah Bozzato, Cristina Casero, Thomas Chen

Time: 12 May from 18:00 - 20:00 GMT

• 18:00 - 18:05 GMT: Introduction

• 18:05 - 18:20 GMT: Fieldwork on Paleo-tropical glaciers during Covid-19 Google Earth - sketches as a divulgation tool

  Presenter: Barbosa Mejia, Juan Sebastian

  Institution: APECS Colombia

  Type: Oral Presentation

  Category: Alpine

  Abstract: Tropical glaciers are unique geographical features around the world. These ice masses particularly exist on top of tropical highlands mountains as isolated glaciers or within composite ice top sierras, most of them have been poorly studied, in terms of its actual deglaciation and paleo-climatic history. Highland Paramos evolution and paleo-tropical glaciers history are recorded in geological signatures as palynology succession and glacier landscape molded in the tropical mountains. Colombian glaciers have an important role in highland communities as referents for indigenous cosmology and also for nature-adventure tourism activities inside national parks where they belong. As outdoor activity places not many visitors comprehend the bio-geological and climate history behind these amazing mountains, also because its location makes it difficult acces for visitors. During the covid-19 crisis high mountain research, tourism and national park activities were suspended, and all access was denied. This covid scenario was an oportunity to use digital platforms, as google earth trips combiend with landscape sketches, and social media to made possible for science in the high tropical glacier mountains to reach different audiences, specially households during lockdown. The present science divulgation project are focused on the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy-Güicán, at lagunillas trail inside the national park, as it is one of the most popular and visited high mountain trails and glaciers in the country, also happens to be the place where all landscape paleo-glacier features are perfectly preserved. This glacier valley was the first location for palynology succession and glacier landscape studies many decades ago, making this, the ideal trail for high tropical paleo-glacier history divulgation, and shows the importance of scientists in the understanding and communication of natural paleoclimatic history of high tropical mountains in Colombia.

• 18:20 - 18:35 GMT: A Growth Form Classification of Sessile Suspension Feeders and their Distribution across a Glaciomarine Fjord in King George Island (Antarctic Peninsula)

  Presenter: Daniela Thorne Martinez

  Institution: Universidad Cientifica del Suer

  Type: Oral Presentation

  Category: Antarctic

  Abstract: The sessile suspension feeders (SSF) depend primarily on having a space to settle and access to the water column. Since they cannot escape during disturbances, they must rely on their morphology to overcome selective processes. We classify Mackellar’s inlet (King George Island) SSF assemblage into Jackson (1979) Growth Form (GF) classification and adapted it with other authors GFs description to suit better the Antarctic assemblage. Seven GF were recognized in Mackellar inlet: tree, bush, stalk, mound, flat, runner and sheet, and several organisms that did not fit in any previous classification were grouped into ‘other GFs’.  A further grouping by type of epibiotic association was considered and four types were identified basibionts; facultative epibiont and basibiont; facultative epibiont and epibiont. Sampling stations were distributed across the fjord and in relation to distance to glacier (inner, middle, outer sections). Our results showed that tree was found in the inner and middle sections, mound in middle and outer and flat across the fjord. These GFs diversified sections as they constituted additional substrate for most of Other GFs which had primarily an epibiotic strategy. Contrarily, bush, runner and stalk were only found in the outer section of the fjord, therefore in the most distant stations from glacier associated disturbances. The GF distribution analysis was consistent with glacier distance, both in number and type of GF, and species richness. Results highlights the potentialities of classifying SSF by GF in Antarctic and helps to understand their adaptive capabilities through their distribution.
  

• 18:35 - 18:50 GMT: Significance of Ice-loss to Landscapes in the Arctic (SILA): Biological, geochemical, and hydrologic feedbacks influenced by ice-loss in Western Greenland

  Presenter: Quincy Faber

  Institution: University of Florida, UF Water Institute Graduate Fellow

  Type: Oral presentation

  Category: Arctic

  Abstract: SILA is a new project funded by the National Science Foundation and the UF Water Institute Graduate Fellows Program with two primary goals: to understand how landscapes and aquatic systems are impacted by ice sheet retreat and to develop effective ways to broadly communicate this information to a diverse audience. In a warming Arctic, new landscapes are exposed and extant ecosystems become hydrologically disconnected from ice sheet meltwater. Over two melt seasons, we will characterize the biogeochemistry of ecosystems associated with supraglacial, subglacial, proglacial, and deglaciated watersheds in Western Greenland. Improved understanding of how climatic and environmental change affects weathering reactions, stream solute composition, and biological communities in the Arctic is a main goal of the SILA project. Changes in the Arctic have global scientific and societal implications, but there is an increasing divide between scientists and the general public, particularly for issues related to climate. There is a dire need for scientists to improve on communicating their work broadly to the public, educators, and policy makers, and in particular, develop new way to convey findings about changes occurring to global climate and their impacts. Despite the cancellation of a short planning season in 2020 due to COVID-19, we plan to have a full field sampling season this summer. Our team, consisting of microbiologists, geochemists, hydrologists, botanists, and science communicators, will use an interdisciplinary approach to better understand the rapid changes occurring in Arctic ecosystems and communicate this information to educators in Greenland and Florida, as well as the larger international audience that will be community members in the “New Arctic”.

• 18:50 - 19:05 GMT: Art creation as a participatory practice: experience of the Arctic Art Institute

  Presenter: Ekaterina Sharova

  Institution: Arctic Art Institute

  Type: Oral presentation

  Category: Arctic

  Abstract: Arctic Art Institute was created as an experimental platform for artists and researchers engaged in contemporary art and research practices in Euro-Arctic Russia. The activity is based on the production of interdisciplinary projects, unlearning practices and rediscovery of forgotten narratives. The Institute has held four international Arctic Art Forums (2016-2020), bringing together artists, researchers and progressive Northern cultural workers at its venues. How can a participatory research and artistic practice re-create forgotten histories and resist epistemic violence?

• 19:05 - 19:20 GMT: The Future of Federally-Funded Arctic Research

  Presenter: Liz Weinberg

  Institution: Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee

  Type: Oral presentation

  Category: Collaboration

  Abstract: Please join us to learn about the future of federally funded U.S. Arctic research and opportunities for early-career researchers. Every five years, the U.S. Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC - https://www.iarpccollaborations.org/about.html) produces an Arctic Research Plan outlining federal priorities and opportunities for collaboration among agencies and non-federal partners. The plan addresses the most pressing Arctic research needs that require a collaborative approach and that can advance understanding of the Arctic, inform policy and and planning decisions, and promote the well-being of Arctic and global communities. IARPC released a draft of the 2022-2026 Arctic Research Plan for public comment and is seeking input by June 11, 2021 (see http://iarpccollaborations.org/draft-plan.html). During this session, IARPC representatives will describe the plan development process, give an overview of the draft of the Arctic Research Plan 2022-2026 and how to comment, and describe past, current, and future opportunities for early career researchers in the IARPC community.

• 19:20 - 19:50 GMT: Antarctic COVID-19 project - Recording of talk given in session 1

  Presenter: Daniela Liggett

  Institution: University of Canterbury, New Zealand

  Type: Oral presentation

  Category: Keynote

APECS International Online Conference 2021 - Polar Science: Success Stories from the Field and from Home - Session 5 from APECS Webinars on Vimeo.

Session Chair: Maud van Soest, Louise Borthwick, Carla Tapia Baldis, Sidney Horlick

Session Coordinators: Ben Graves, Kathrin Bennett, Valeria Trezza

Time: 12 May from 20:30 - 22:30 GMT

• 20:30 - 20:35 GMT: Introduction

• 20:35 - 20:50 GMT: Determining responses to warming of Antarctic benthic communities using heated panels: An experimental approach

  Presenter: Tom Massué

  Institution: University of Otago

  Type: Oral Presentation

  Category: Antarctic

  Abstract: Despite an increase in polar sea temperatures linked with climate change, the impacts of in situ warming on the recruitment, survival, growth, thermal tolerance, adaptation and interspecific interactions of marine biofouling species and benthic communities is not well understood. Using novel heated settlement plates developed by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), we aim to examine warming effects on benthic communities in the Ross Sea at Scott Base and Terra Nova Bay as part of the Antarctic Science Platform. Heated settlement plates can finely control environmental temperatures in the benthic boundary layer above the plates surface to determine responses to warming (from +1 to +4°C above ambient) at these important small spatial scales, and over ecologically relevant time scales (months). Here, we will describe the experimental set up used in New Zealand (+2° and +4°C), and report on responses on benthic taxa (Ascidians, Bryozoa, Sponges, Polychaetes) to warming in the Otago region of New Zealand using the heated plate experiments. The effects of warming on recruitment, survival, growth and community composition in four benthic taxa settled on heated plate experiments deployed in the Otago region of New Zealand will be described.

• 20:50 - 21:05 GMT: Change detection on multi-temporal satellite imagery dataset: a novel deep-learning framework for alpine glacier melt analysis

  Presenter: Thomas Chen

  Institution: Academy for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering

  Type: Oral Presentation

  Category: Alpine

  Abstract: Climate change is an existential threat globally, with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimating a global warming of 1.5 degrees above industrial levels by some time between 2032 and 2052 if it continues at the current rate. One of the many reasons why this phenomenon is a serious threat is that it causes ice sheets and glaciers to melt. Sea levels are rising primarily due to melting ice sheets and glaciers, as well as the expansion of warming sea water. Satellite data from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) demonstrate that sea levels have been rising an average of 3.3 millimeters each year from 1993 to 2020. Sea level rise is shown to cause coastal erosion and elevate storm surge, increasing the frequency and intensity of natural disasters like hurricanes. Additionally, melting sea ice in the poles exposes dark patches of ocean, removing the reflection provided by the ice and diminishing the cooling effect in the poles. On the humanitarian front, melting glaciers are disastrous. For instance, in the Himalayas, which contain the largest mass of ice outside of the polar regions, meltage is causing issues in water availability, biodiversity, monsoonal shifts, and agriculture. In this work, we focus particularly on the aspect of alpine glacier meltage and harness deep learning to assess it. We propose a convolutional neural network to classify levels of alpine glacier meltage using satellite imagery. In this work, our primary contribution consists of presenting of a novel machine learning model trained on multi-temporal satellite imagery for change detection analysis. Future work in this area includes fine-tuning features to improve performance and enhance model efficacy. When deployed, these technologies identify areas of glaciers that are disproportionately affected by warming temperatures and how that thereby influences sea level rise and other factors.

• 21:05 - 21:20 GMT: Highlight curated collections of data through portals on the Arctic Data Center

  Presenter: Erin McLean

  Institution: Arctic Data Center

  Type: Oral presentation

  Category: Arctic

  Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has made it even more difficult for Arctic researchers to do their work; instead of facing the usual obstacles associated with field work in remote locations, researchers have had to cancel field seasons due to global restrictions around limiting the spread of COVID-19. However, research can continue through the reuse of existing datasets that have been archived in repositories like the Arctic Data Center, where all data is available for download and reuse. Comprehensive metadata make discovery of relevant datasets easy, enabling new synthesis research or analysis. Now, the Arctic Data Center has made it even easier to navigate the catalog and customize the datasets shown through portals. With portals, researchers create an environment where a collection of datasets and project information is available in a single location. By creating a portal through the Arctic Data Center, researchers can both increase discovery of a curated set of related project data and preserve information on the project’s objectives, scopes, and organization. Coupled with the data files, these portals will support data use and interpretation for years to come. Portals enable researchers to see all relevant datasets, subsetted from over 6000 datasets currently preserved at the Arctic Data Center, in one convenient location. Portals also leverage the Arctic Data Center’s metric features, which create statistics describing the project’s data packages. Join us to learn more about portal features and how to create your own, enabling researchers at home and in the field to find relevant data for analyses and synthesis projects.

• 21:20 - 21:35 GMT: Polar science outreach in Brazil: online resources during the pandemic scenario of COVID-19

  Presenter: Cristiane Caetano

  Institution: Institute of Biology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil - APECS-Brazil

  Type: Oral Presentation

  Category: Antarctic

  Abstract: The National Brazilian Committee of the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS-Brazil) was established in 2008 and is responsible for polar science outreach in Brazil. During the years, face-to-face and online events have been organized using different resources, and social media has been adopted as a strategy for science outreach and to disseminate polar contents to remote locations. This work presents data on APECS-Brazil activities experienced by basic and high education students, teachers and researchers between 2018 and 2021, in scenarios before and during COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 APECS-Brazil online Symposium gathered 299 Brazilian and foreign participants and featured simultaneous translation into English, Spanish, and Brazilian Sign Language while face-to-face 2018 Symposium was attended by 68 participants. The Antarctica Day in 2020 was celebrated exclusively through Instagram, reaching greater marks (509 views, 98 likes, 3 comments and 12 shares) compared to previous years. The first edition of 2020 Polar Week presented 5 online webinars (387-1000 views on Youtube Channel), and the second Polar Week of 2020 comprised 30 virtual lectures, given by 18 researchers for 21 educational institutions. In comparison, the 2019 Polar Week featured 4 virtual and 13 face-to-face lectures, given by 20 researchers at 29 academic institutions. Before the pandemic 966 individuals signed up for 14 webinars, however, only 349 attended the web-based seminars, while during the pandemic, the association was able to stream 9 webinars via YouTube, totaling 2,568 views. Overall, APECS-Brazil has greatly expanded the use of Youtube and Instagram during the pandemic due to its facilities and global reach for online outreach. In summary, APECS-Brazil was able to considerably increase the numbers generated by polar science outreach during COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, data shall be combined with information from other organizations working with polar science to investigate the COVID-19 scenario’s effect on polar education.

• 21:35 - 21:50 GMT: Arctic and Antarctic ice core organic matter markers of the past reveal new directions of cryosphere carbon cycling research for the future

  Presenter: Juliana D'Andrilli

  Institution: Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON)

  Type: Oral presentation

  Category: Collaboration

  Abstract: Reconstructing atmospheric composition during distinct climate periods is a central focus of ice core research, and the recent incorporation of organic matter (OM) chemistry is improving our understanding of Earth’s paleoecological history. Polar ice contains records of preserved carbon as OM, thus identifying its composition and reactivity become essential targets in a warming climate. This polar research success story developed near the beginning of the pandemic, without access to my laboratory but with an incentive to explore existing polar ice core data sets in new ways. We present our 2011-2012 catalog of ice core organic matter (OM) fluorescence signatures to reconstruct ancient and modern atmospheric compositions and relate OM signals to past ecological changes in both the northern and southern hemispheres. OM composition from three Arctic ice cores (Canada and Greenland) was characterized by fluorescence spectroscopy and compared to an Antarctic OM record. Similar OM existed across vast temporal scales in both hemispheres; signals were interpreted as materials externally produced from the ice and transported to polar regions. Concentration trends were inferred from fluorescence intensities of individual OM types and related to temperature fluctuations; stronger correlations were determined in the southern hemisphere. This marks the first global comparison of atmospheric reconstructions from OM and emphasizes the new directions achieved from archived resources. Extending our understanding of ice core OM will require dedicated collaborations across cryosphere, atmospheric, marine, and freshwater disciplines as new ideas emerge with global environmental change. As we move into the next realm of ice core OM research, more extensive comparisons with archived and newly drilled cores will create more opportunities to develop environmental OM proxies of our past, help predict future carbon biogeochemical cycling patterns, and build a more inclusive community where the polar field work propels research opportunities for those in the field and at home.
  

• 21:50 - 22:05 GMT: Measuring and Mapping the Arctic: Cartography and the Legacies of Nineteenth-Century Arctic Science

  Presenter: John Woitkowitz

  Institution: University of Cambridge

  Type: Oral presentation

  Category: Arctic

  Abstract: This paper provides a historical perspective on nineteenth-century Arctic science and cartography and how these continue to impact present-day perceptions of the Arctic regions. Maps of the Arctic are powerful instruments to support legal, political, commercial, and scientific claims and interests in the region. Polar projections on sea ice extension, the distribution of natural resources or the state of ocean currents in the Arctic, for example, are critical indicators for the future of the region. At the same time, natural scientific categories to describe the Arctic are products of historical processes in the production of geographical knowledge; they are not eternal givens. As disciplines such as oceanography, meteorology or hydrology emerged as fields of professional study during the nineteenth century, the Arctic was transformed into a field of scientific inquiry. Grounded in archival research, this paper discusses how cartographies re-defined the Arctic region, how they generated a surge in Arctic expeditions, and how they continue to inform modern understandings of the region. Specifically, this paper discusses the theory of an open polar sea—a body of navigable, ice-free water in the central Arctic Ocean—as a consequential re-envisioning of the central Arctic. It shows how maps acted as powerful instruments to advance the open polar sea theory and how they shaped the scientific agenda of Arctic exploration across nineteenth-century scientific networks, pioneering the first German Arctic expeditions in the 1860s and generating American and Norwegian voyages in the 1880s and 1890s that, in turn, informed contemporary field science such as the recent MOSAiC expedition. Based on these examples, this paper draws critical attention to the long history of European and American efforts at measuring and mapping the Arctic, illustrating the ways historical theories and their representation in maps continue to inform our understandings and perceptions of the Arctic today.
  

Poster Q + A 3: 22:05 - 22:30 GMT

• Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Polar Science: APECS Alpine Cryosphere Group experiences

  Presenter: Rodrigo Paidano Alves

  Institution: Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria

  Type: Poster

  Category: Alpine

  Abstract: The term ‘Alpine’ has a pre-Roman origin, with ‘alp’ meaning for “mountain” referring to the entire mountains system or used as a general substitute for mountains. These landscapes provide natural and patrimonial goods coming from their distinctive climatic, ecological, geological and hydrological settings. Mountains also have an integral part of the terrestrial cryosphere (encompassing snow, glaciers, and even permafrost), providing a regulating function for water collect, storage and distribution toward the lowlands. In these regions, alpine ecosystems can be defined as high-altitude habitats above the tree line and are subject to extreme abiotic conditions, playing a key role in terrestrial carbon storage. Understanding the structure and how alpine ecosystems are naturally regulated is a significant challenge, especially their global biogeochemical cycles. An increasing number of researchers are working in the mid-latitude cryosphere, including high-altitude alpine environments (e.g., Third Pole or Himalayas), not just the Polar Regions (e.g., Arctic and Antarctica). In this context, the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) Alpine Cryosphere Mountain Group was created to improve resources for non-polar researchers through building partnerships and sharing information. The project group aims to provide a network platform and provide valuable resources for early-stage scientists working on alpine and cryospheric environments. Thus, Alpine Cryosphere Mountain Group members can stimulate the defense, preservation, and conservation of the environment, and promote the sustainable development of polar, oceanic, and cryospheric environments. Regardless that research projects involve geology, ecology, chemistry, botany, hydrology, or zoology, the emergence of the covid-19 pandemic put a strain on research activities, forcing scientists to adapt and react to this new reality. Sharing these experiences with other research groups working on mountain ecosystems can be used as a valuable lesson, and a reminder to adapt and develop the capacity to amend unexpected scenarios, which will be essential to the future of research related to alpine sciences and perhaps also elsewhere.

  Poster

  APECS International Online Conference 2021_Poster presentation - Rodrigo Alves from APECS Webinars on Vimeo.

• Seasonal habitat selection in Arctic hares: explaining mass movements on Ellesmere Island

  Presenter: Ludovic Landry-Ducharme

  Institution: Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR)

  Type: Poster

  Category: Arctic
  
  Abstract: Movement is key to animal survival in poor environments such as the polar deserts of Northern Canada. Studying animal movement is thus crucial to better understand Arctic ecosystems. In 2019, we documented with satellite telemetry a large-scale mass movement of Arctic hares captured around Alert (Ellesmere Island, Canada), going towards the Lake Hazen basin in the Quttinirpaaq National Park of Canada. Arctic hare migrations had already been suggested, but never demonstrated. Where Arctic hare populations are large, such as on Ellesmere Island, identifying the factors influencing habitat selection of this species across seasons will improve our knowledge on the dynamics of the entire tundra ecosystem. My project aims to determine the main factors explaining habitat selection of Arctic hares at the local and regional scales in the northern part of Ellesmere Island. In summer 2019, 25 hares were equipped with Argos satellite collars near Canadian Force Station Alert and tracked until spring 2020. In summer 2021, we plan to deploy GPS-Iridium collars on 20 more hares, yielding more precise locations than Argos collars. We expect Arctic hare habitat selection to be influenced by plant cover and landscape topography, but that it may vary depending on the 4 main phases of their life cycle (summer, winter, and spring/fall relocation phases). Hares rearing young around Alert during summer should select rocky and hilly areas, which provide good shelter from predators. In winter, they should occupy habitats with good primary productivity and limited snow accumulation. During their fall and spring relocations, hares should travel routes crossing plant-rich patches to replenish their energy reserves. It is surprising how little is still known about polar desert ecology, thus this research will help describe key aspects of wildlife biology in the northernmost region of Canada.

  Poster

  APECS International Online Conference 2021_Poster presentation - Ludovic Landry-Ducharme from APECS Webinars on Vimeo.

• Informing seal conservation efforts through computer vision and citizen science in the Arctic

  Presenter: Thomas Chen

  Institution: Academy for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering

  Type: Poster

  Category: Arctic
  
  Abstract: Citizen science is crucial to wildlife conservation in the Arctic. The ability of many citizen scientists to capture animals in imagery, thereby helping to track populations and species, is one particular manner in which this can be conducted. There are six species of seal that inhabit the Arctic: hooded (Cystophora cristata), harp (Pagophilus groenlandicus), ribbon (Histriophoca fasciata), ringed (Pusa hispida syn. Phoca hispida), beared (Erignathus barbatus), and spotted (Phoca largha). The survival of populations is largely linked to sea ice, which is melting in many areas due to the progression of climate change. Therefore, some of these seal species are increasingly under threat as the Arctic warms. For example, as the sea ice extent decreases, ringed seals are especially threatened because they do not migrate to open water in the winter. Given the differences in behavior and strategies needed to conserve each species, automated mechanisms to facilitate rapid classification need to be in place. We propose the creation of a comprehensive seal imagery dataset by scraping images from Google, Instagram, Twitter, and Flickr. We remove duplicates by running an image hashing algorithm and further split the dataset into a 80:10:10 ratio for training, validation, and testing data, respectively. The images are labeled through an online crowdsourcing platform. The deep learning architecture we employ to segment and classify imagery is the convolutional neural network architecture called ResNet18. In this preliminary work, we expect to compare the efficacies of various models through ablation studies. This work represents the first comprehensive deep learning-based ecological remote sensing approach for ground-based seal imagery in the Arctic. By deploying these models as functionable technologies in the wild, we enable conservationists to gain insights into population-level and species-level trends, which leads to more accurate and targeted conservation mechanisms.

  Poster

  APECS International Online Conference 2021_Poster presentation - Thomas Chen from APECS Webinars on Vimeo.

APECS International Online Conference 2021 - Polar Science: Success Stories from the Field and from Home - Session 6 from APECS Webinars on Vimeo.

Listed alphabetically:

• Anika Happe
• Carla Tapia Baldis
• Carrie Harris
• Claudia Maturana
• Florent Fayolle
• Gabriela Roldan (ExCom Ex-officio)
• Gwenaëlle Gremion
• Hugo Guímaro
• Jan-Lukas Menzel
• Javier Arnaut
• Joana Fragão
• Kelly Huh
• Louise Borthwick
• Maria Pogojeva
• Mathieu Casado
• Maud van Soest
• Minkyoung Kim
• Rahul Dey
• Rodrigo Gomez Fell
• Sakshi Mankotia
• Scarlett Zetter
• Scott Sugden
• Shalaka Patil
• Sidney Horlick
• Trym Eiterjord

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1. Each abstract submission must be original and unpublished for commercial or non-commercial purposes.
2. The participant shall retain the copyright to entries entered for the conference, however grants APECS unrestricted rights to use and edit submitted materials as needed for organizational purposes with or without explicit attribution.
3. By submitting an entry for the competition, the participant will be regarded as having accepted and agreed to be bound by the rules and regulations and granted the organizer, APECS, royalty-free permissions to use any entry for promotional, commercial, or educational purposes. APECS will credit the creator for any use of a video/infographic/artwork.
4. All participants should be aware that all plots, photos, films, etc. used in presentations, if not produced by the presenter, should acknowledge the producer. Please include copyright of the material used when appropriate.
5. Any people featured in films must also accept and agree with the rules and regulations of this competition. All people in the film must be aware of the materials you are submitting if they contain their likeness. It is the entire and sole responsibility of the entry submitter in the competition to inform and to obtain the appropriate legal permissions of all the people in any submitted videos. Any depiction of minors must include explicit, written parental consent. Entries will be asked to provide proof of these permissions and will be disqualified if these permissions are not secured.  
6. If music is used, the participant warrants that to no copyright violations will appear. (You can find a lot of free music for commercial use.) Entries will be asked to provide proof of these permissions and will be disqualified if these permissions are not secured.
7. The participant further gives his consent that his/her personal data included in the submission will be used for the aforementioned purposes.