Biodiversities

PI: Hiromichi Ueno (Hokkaido University)

The Arctic region is warming significantly compared to the global average, and sea ice has also greatly decreased over the past few decades. These changes are affecting not only the habitats and populations of organisms but also biodiversity. For example, in the Arctic Ocean, as sea ice decreases, seawater temperature and currents change, increasing the migration of subarctic and cosmopolitan species into the Arctic Ocean. Furthermore, in the Arctic terrestrial region, in addition to the direct impact of rising temperatures, indirect impacts on biodiversity such as changes in snow-free periods and the emergence of new habitats due to rapid glacier retreat are occurring. To better understand and predict the future of biodiversity, which is currently undergoing changes, research based on observations and models, as well as the reconstruction of past environments and ecosystems using seafloor sediments, are considered important. Additionally, understanding the actual state of plastic pollution is a global issue, and the inflow of microplastics into the Arctic Ocean has been pointed out. Therefore, this program has set three sub-programs: Sub-program 1: Understanding the spatiotemporal variation in Arctic Ocean biodiversity and the actual state of microplastics; Sub-program 2: Understanding the actual state of changes in the environment and biodiversity since the Industrial Revolution; and Sub-program 3: Understanding the actual state of biodiversity in the Arctic terrestrial region and elucidating the response and interaction processes to the environment. The goal is to establish a scientific foundation for predicting the future and conserving biodiversity in the Arctic region.

In this program, we will use a variety of methods, including ocean and land observations, analysis of collected samples, and statistical model analysis, to shed light on the Arctic ecosystem. The specific implementation details are diverse, but for example, we plan to elucidate the mechanisms of distribution changes in marine organisms, including target fish species, and estimate potential conservation areas; reconstruct changes in summer sea ice, Pacific water inflow, acidification levels, and biological communities over the past 500 years by analyzing seafloor cores; clarify the impacts of environmental changes due to warming on biodiversity and the effects of those changes on ecosystem functions in Arctic tundra ecosystems; and advance the understanding of the circulation of microplastics, as well as clarify the chemical pollutants adsorbed/attached to them and their microbial community composition.

We will contribute to achieving the project’s strategic goal 1, strategic goal 2, and strategic goal 3 by collaborating with various programs such as coastal community program, historical program, indigenous people program, greenhouse gas program, and aerosol program. Specifically, we are considering collaboration on the historical Arctic Ocean environment and the societies of maritime peoples in the far north. As a research platform, we plan to conduct marine surveys using RV Mirai, Mirai II, and Oshoro Maru, and land surveys in Ny-Ålesund, as well as numerical experiments using the Arctic Simulation System Research Platform and the use of the Arctic Data System.