Nitrogen uptake and phytoplankton productivity in the changing Barents Sea

Abstract

The Arctic has experienced rapid warming in recent decades, with a significant reduction
in sea ice extent and duration as a result. These sea ice changes and the resultant
changes in ocean mixing are affecting nutrient supply, uptake and cycling and will
have large-scale consequences for the distribution and magnitude of primary production
throughout the Arctic Ocean. The objective of this study is to quantify nitrogen
uptake and phytoplankton productivity in the marginal ice zone of the Barents
Sea during winter, spring, and summer 2018, in the context of the seasonal transition
in sea ice coverage and upper ocean dynamics. These results will contribute to our
understanding of how these processes may respond to ongoing changes in the physical
environment as climate change proceeds. The following literature review gives
an overview about the oceanography of the Arctic Ocean and its shelf seas to set the
scene for the ongoing and predicted future changes for nutrient cycling and primary
production.

Date of Award	10 Aug 2022
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of the Highlands and Islands
Sponsors	NERC
Supervisor	Keith Davidson (Supervisor) & Antonia Pritchard (Supervisor)