Environmental DNA metabarcoding reveals seasonal and spatial variation in the vertebrate fauna of Ilulissat Icefjord, Greenland
Ilulissat Icefjord in Greenland is experiencing the effects of climate change, with the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier being one of the fastest-moving and most productive ice streams in Greenland. This is likely affecting the distribution of species in the fjord, including those important to local fisherie...
Published in: | Marine Ecology Progress Series |
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Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
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2023
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Online Access: | https://curis.ku.dk/portal/da/publications/environmental-dna-metabarcoding-reveals-seasonal-and-spatial-variation-in-the-vertebrate-fauna-of-ilulissat-icefjord-greenland(f55c9dcc-b2cc-48d7-a86a-d7131fc93161).html https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14250 https://curis.ku.dk/ws/files/341334312/m706p091.pdf |
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ftcopenhagenunip:oai:pure.atira.dk:publications/f55c9dcc-b2cc-48d7-a86a-d7131fc93161 2023-05-15T15:15:23+02:00 Environmental DNA metabarcoding reveals seasonal and spatial variation in the vertebrate fauna of Ilulissat Icefjord, Greenland Schiøtt, Sascha Jensen, Mads Reinholdt Sigsgaard, Eva Egelyng Møller, Peter Rask Avila, Marcelo De Paula Thomsen, Philip Francis Rysgaard, Søren 2023 application/pdf https://curis.ku.dk/portal/da/publications/environmental-dna-metabarcoding-reveals-seasonal-and-spatial-variation-in-the-vertebrate-fauna-of-ilulissat-icefjord-greenland(f55c9dcc-b2cc-48d7-a86a-d7131fc93161).html https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14250 https://curis.ku.dk/ws/files/341334312/m706p091.pdf eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Schiøtt , S , Jensen , M R , Sigsgaard , E E , Møller , P R , Avila , M D P , Thomsen , P F & Rysgaard , S 2023 , ' Environmental DNA metabarcoding reveals seasonal and spatial variation in the vertebrate fauna of Ilulissat Icefjord, Greenland ' , Marine Ecology Progress Series , vol. 706 , pp. 91-108 . https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14250 eDNA Jakobshavn Icefjord Indigenous knowledge Oceanography Marine-terminating glacier HALIBUT REINHARDTIUS-HIPPOGLOSSOIDES CAPELIN MALLOTUS-VILLOSUS GADUS-MORHUA ICE-SHEET COD GODTHABSFJORD TEMPERATURE GLACIERS CLIMATE FJORD article 2023 ftcopenhagenunip https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14250 2023-04-05T22:56:01Z Ilulissat Icefjord in Greenland is experiencing the effects of climate change, with the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier being one of the fastest-moving and most productive ice streams in Greenland. This is likely affecting the distribution of species in the fjord, including those important to local fisheries. Due to heavy ice conditions, few studies on environmental and ecological conditions exist from the fjord. However, new techniques such as environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding now allow deeper insight into the fjord system. Here, we combine local ecological knowledge with data on hydrographic conditions, stable isotopes (delta 18O), and eDNA metabarcoding to investigate the spatial and seasonal distribution of marine fish and mammals inside Ilulissat Icefjord. Our eDNA results support local observations that Arctic char migrate to the southern fjord during summer, harp seals forage in large herds in the fjord system, polar cod is the dominant prey fish in the area, and Greenland shark likely does not reside in the fjord system. Lower predation pressure in the Icefjord, due to the absence of Greenland shark and polar bears as well as limited fishing/hunting, is presumably one of the reasons why ringed seals and Greenland halibut are larger in the Icefjord. Furthermore, our results indicate that in summer, the southern branch of the fjord system has a more diverse community of vertebrates and different water masses than the northern branch and main fjord, indicating a time lag between inflows to the different branches of the fjord system. Our approach highlights the value of combining local ecological knowledge with scientific research and represents a potential starting point for monitoring biological responses in Ilulissat Icefjord associated with climate-induced changes. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Climate change Gadus morhua glacier Greenland Ice Sheet Ilulissat Jakobshavn Kujalleq polar cod Sermeq Kujalleq University of Copenhagen: Research Arctic Greenland Ilulissat ENVELOPE(-51.099,-51.099,69.220,69.220) Kujalleq ENVELOPE(-46.037,-46.037,60.719,60.719) Marine Ecology Progress Series 706 91 108 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Copenhagen: Research |
op_collection_id |
ftcopenhagenunip |
language |
English |
topic |
eDNA Jakobshavn Icefjord Indigenous knowledge Oceanography Marine-terminating glacier HALIBUT REINHARDTIUS-HIPPOGLOSSOIDES CAPELIN MALLOTUS-VILLOSUS GADUS-MORHUA ICE-SHEET COD GODTHABSFJORD TEMPERATURE GLACIERS CLIMATE FJORD |
spellingShingle |
eDNA Jakobshavn Icefjord Indigenous knowledge Oceanography Marine-terminating glacier HALIBUT REINHARDTIUS-HIPPOGLOSSOIDES CAPELIN MALLOTUS-VILLOSUS GADUS-MORHUA ICE-SHEET COD GODTHABSFJORD TEMPERATURE GLACIERS CLIMATE FJORD Schiøtt, Sascha Jensen, Mads Reinholdt Sigsgaard, Eva Egelyng Møller, Peter Rask Avila, Marcelo De Paula Thomsen, Philip Francis Rysgaard, Søren Environmental DNA metabarcoding reveals seasonal and spatial variation in the vertebrate fauna of Ilulissat Icefjord, Greenland |
topic_facet |
eDNA Jakobshavn Icefjord Indigenous knowledge Oceanography Marine-terminating glacier HALIBUT REINHARDTIUS-HIPPOGLOSSOIDES CAPELIN MALLOTUS-VILLOSUS GADUS-MORHUA ICE-SHEET COD GODTHABSFJORD TEMPERATURE GLACIERS CLIMATE FJORD |
description |
Ilulissat Icefjord in Greenland is experiencing the effects of climate change, with the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier being one of the fastest-moving and most productive ice streams in Greenland. This is likely affecting the distribution of species in the fjord, including those important to local fisheries. Due to heavy ice conditions, few studies on environmental and ecological conditions exist from the fjord. However, new techniques such as environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding now allow deeper insight into the fjord system. Here, we combine local ecological knowledge with data on hydrographic conditions, stable isotopes (delta 18O), and eDNA metabarcoding to investigate the spatial and seasonal distribution of marine fish and mammals inside Ilulissat Icefjord. Our eDNA results support local observations that Arctic char migrate to the southern fjord during summer, harp seals forage in large herds in the fjord system, polar cod is the dominant prey fish in the area, and Greenland shark likely does not reside in the fjord system. Lower predation pressure in the Icefjord, due to the absence of Greenland shark and polar bears as well as limited fishing/hunting, is presumably one of the reasons why ringed seals and Greenland halibut are larger in the Icefjord. Furthermore, our results indicate that in summer, the southern branch of the fjord system has a more diverse community of vertebrates and different water masses than the northern branch and main fjord, indicating a time lag between inflows to the different branches of the fjord system. Our approach highlights the value of combining local ecological knowledge with scientific research and represents a potential starting point for monitoring biological responses in Ilulissat Icefjord associated with climate-induced changes. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Schiøtt, Sascha Jensen, Mads Reinholdt Sigsgaard, Eva Egelyng Møller, Peter Rask Avila, Marcelo De Paula Thomsen, Philip Francis Rysgaard, Søren |
author_facet |
Schiøtt, Sascha Jensen, Mads Reinholdt Sigsgaard, Eva Egelyng Møller, Peter Rask Avila, Marcelo De Paula Thomsen, Philip Francis Rysgaard, Søren |
author_sort |
Schiøtt, Sascha |
title |
Environmental DNA metabarcoding reveals seasonal and spatial variation in the vertebrate fauna of Ilulissat Icefjord, Greenland |
title_short |
Environmental DNA metabarcoding reveals seasonal and spatial variation in the vertebrate fauna of Ilulissat Icefjord, Greenland |
title_full |
Environmental DNA metabarcoding reveals seasonal and spatial variation in the vertebrate fauna of Ilulissat Icefjord, Greenland |
title_fullStr |
Environmental DNA metabarcoding reveals seasonal and spatial variation in the vertebrate fauna of Ilulissat Icefjord, Greenland |
title_full_unstemmed |
Environmental DNA metabarcoding reveals seasonal and spatial variation in the vertebrate fauna of Ilulissat Icefjord, Greenland |
title_sort |
environmental dna metabarcoding reveals seasonal and spatial variation in the vertebrate fauna of ilulissat icefjord, greenland |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
https://curis.ku.dk/portal/da/publications/environmental-dna-metabarcoding-reveals-seasonal-and-spatial-variation-in-the-vertebrate-fauna-of-ilulissat-icefjord-greenland(f55c9dcc-b2cc-48d7-a86a-d7131fc93161).html https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14250 https://curis.ku.dk/ws/files/341334312/m706p091.pdf |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-51.099,-51.099,69.220,69.220) ENVELOPE(-46.037,-46.037,60.719,60.719) |
geographic |
Arctic Greenland Ilulissat Kujalleq |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Greenland Ilulissat Kujalleq |
genre |
Arctic Climate change Gadus morhua glacier Greenland Ice Sheet Ilulissat Jakobshavn Kujalleq polar cod Sermeq Kujalleq |
genre_facet |
Arctic Climate change Gadus morhua glacier Greenland Ice Sheet Ilulissat Jakobshavn Kujalleq polar cod Sermeq Kujalleq |
op_source |
Schiøtt , S , Jensen , M R , Sigsgaard , E E , Møller , P R , Avila , M D P , Thomsen , P F & Rysgaard , S 2023 , ' Environmental DNA metabarcoding reveals seasonal and spatial variation in the vertebrate fauna of Ilulissat Icefjord, Greenland ' , Marine Ecology Progress Series , vol. 706 , pp. 91-108 . https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14250 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14250 |
container_title |
Marine Ecology Progress Series |
container_volume |
706 |
container_start_page |
91 |
op_container_end_page |
108 |
_version_ |
1766345760270450688 |