Ecosystem structure and function of the North Water Polynya
The North Water Polynya is one of the most productive Arctic regions on Earth, sustaining the world's northernmost Inuit communities for millennia. The polynya is a large and persistent region of open water surrounded by sea ice and exhibits high primary productivity, is a biodiversity hotspot,...
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Canadian Science Publishing
2024
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/as-2023-0050 https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/full-xml/10.1139/as-2023-0050 https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/as-2023-0050 |
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crcansciencepubl:10.1139/as-2023-0050 2024-09-30T14:27:34+00:00 Ecosystem structure and function of the North Water Polynya Bryndum-Buchholz, Andrea Herbig, Jennifer L. Darnis, Gérald Geoffroy, Maxime Eddy, Tyler D. Fisheries and Oceans Canada Atlantic Fisheries Fund Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Marine Environmental Observation, Prediction and Response Network Ocean Frontier Institute 2024 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/as-2023-0050 https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/full-xml/10.1139/as-2023-0050 https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/as-2023-0050 en eng Canadian Science Publishing https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en_GB Arctic Science volume 10, issue 3, page 545-568 ISSN 2368-7460 journal-article 2024 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/as-2023-0050 2024-09-05T04:11:16Z The North Water Polynya is one of the most productive Arctic regions on Earth, sustaining the world's northernmost Inuit communities for millennia. The polynya is a large and persistent region of open water surrounded by sea ice and exhibits high primary productivity, is a biodiversity hotspot, and is a key habitat and migration corridor for Arctic species. Many aspects of the ecosystem structure and the role of resident species in the North Water Polynya remain uncertain. To shed light on these, we developed the first representation of the North Water Polynya food web using the Ecopath modelling framework. Modelled trophic flows indicated that pelagic and benthic communities were primarily connected by Age 1+ Arctic cod ( Boreogadus saida), walrus ( Odobenus rosmarus), and ringed seal ( Pusa hispida). Large copepods, Age 1+ Arctic cod, and bivalves were key prey species. Overall productivity in the North Water Polynya was higher compared to Western Baffin Bay and Western Greenland, corroborating expectations of relatively high productivity within the polynya. This model provides a baseline description of the North Water Polynya ecosystem structure and function prior to future climate-driven food web changes and the emergence of large-scale commercial fisheries. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Arctic cod Arctic Baffin Bay Baffin Bay Baffin Boreogadus saida Greenland inuit Odobenus rosmarus Pusa hispida ringed seal Sea ice Copepods walrus* Canadian Science Publishing Arctic Baffin Bay Greenland Arctic Science |
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Open Polar |
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Canadian Science Publishing |
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crcansciencepubl |
language |
English |
description |
The North Water Polynya is one of the most productive Arctic regions on Earth, sustaining the world's northernmost Inuit communities for millennia. The polynya is a large and persistent region of open water surrounded by sea ice and exhibits high primary productivity, is a biodiversity hotspot, and is a key habitat and migration corridor for Arctic species. Many aspects of the ecosystem structure and the role of resident species in the North Water Polynya remain uncertain. To shed light on these, we developed the first representation of the North Water Polynya food web using the Ecopath modelling framework. Modelled trophic flows indicated that pelagic and benthic communities were primarily connected by Age 1+ Arctic cod ( Boreogadus saida), walrus ( Odobenus rosmarus), and ringed seal ( Pusa hispida). Large copepods, Age 1+ Arctic cod, and bivalves were key prey species. Overall productivity in the North Water Polynya was higher compared to Western Baffin Bay and Western Greenland, corroborating expectations of relatively high productivity within the polynya. This model provides a baseline description of the North Water Polynya ecosystem structure and function prior to future climate-driven food web changes and the emergence of large-scale commercial fisheries. |
author2 |
Fisheries and Oceans Canada Atlantic Fisheries Fund Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Marine Environmental Observation, Prediction and Response Network Ocean Frontier Institute |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Bryndum-Buchholz, Andrea Herbig, Jennifer L. Darnis, Gérald Geoffroy, Maxime Eddy, Tyler D. |
spellingShingle |
Bryndum-Buchholz, Andrea Herbig, Jennifer L. Darnis, Gérald Geoffroy, Maxime Eddy, Tyler D. Ecosystem structure and function of the North Water Polynya |
author_facet |
Bryndum-Buchholz, Andrea Herbig, Jennifer L. Darnis, Gérald Geoffroy, Maxime Eddy, Tyler D. |
author_sort |
Bryndum-Buchholz, Andrea |
title |
Ecosystem structure and function of the North Water Polynya |
title_short |
Ecosystem structure and function of the North Water Polynya |
title_full |
Ecosystem structure and function of the North Water Polynya |
title_fullStr |
Ecosystem structure and function of the North Water Polynya |
title_full_unstemmed |
Ecosystem structure and function of the North Water Polynya |
title_sort |
ecosystem structure and function of the north water polynya |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
2024 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/as-2023-0050 https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/full-xml/10.1139/as-2023-0050 https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/as-2023-0050 |
geographic |
Arctic Baffin Bay Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Baffin Bay Greenland |
genre |
Arctic Arctic cod Arctic Baffin Bay Baffin Bay Baffin Boreogadus saida Greenland inuit Odobenus rosmarus Pusa hispida ringed seal Sea ice Copepods walrus* |
genre_facet |
Arctic Arctic cod Arctic Baffin Bay Baffin Bay Baffin Boreogadus saida Greenland inuit Odobenus rosmarus Pusa hispida ringed seal Sea ice Copepods walrus* |
op_source |
Arctic Science volume 10, issue 3, page 545-568 ISSN 2368-7460 |
op_rights |
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en_GB |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/as-2023-0050 |
container_title |
Arctic Science |
_version_ |
1811633637348605952 |