Lead institution:
NORCE – Norway
Climate change and anthropogenic pressures are currently altering fjord ecosystems. These perturbations may have profound impacts on marine biodiversity and ecosystem processes. Yet, to date it remains unclear how marine communities respond to environmental change; a gap in knowledge that extends especially to microbial communities.
Elucidating the effects of climate/anthropogenic change on the lower trophic level of the ecosystem is crucial as microbes play pivotal ecological roles. Any change in their diversity can have wide-ranging consequences for ecosystem health. However, so far, methods for studying changes in entire marine communities beyond the time scales of historic observations were limited. In PASTIME, the innovative cross-disciplinary approach of paleogenomics investigates changes in microbial communities due to environmental shifts in western Norwegian Masfjorden and polar Kongsfjorden, Svalbard. Sedimentary ancient DNA sequencing in high-resolution fjord sediment cores defines biodiversity over the past two to four centuries, complemented by historical data on temperature, freshwater inflow, oxygen levels, nutrients, and sea ice. This comprehensive evaluation traces ecosystem changes from preindustrial to modern times, highlighting natural variability and anthropogenic impacts since the mid-19th century. PASTIME contributes vital insights into climate and anthropogenic impacts on marine biodiversity and ecosystem processes, crucial for climate adaptation strategies.
Start Date: 01/01/2024
End Date: 31/12/2027
Lead Contact: Agnes Weiner (agwe@norceresearch.no)