First characterization of the marine ecosystem of Archer Fiord in the Lasting Ice Area of the High Arctic: a productivity paradox

The Lasting Ice Area along the northern coastline of Ellesmere Island and Greenland will be the region where Arctic multiyear sea ice will persist the longest in a warming climate, making this area critical for ice-dependent species. In 2019, the Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area was established for the interim protection of the waters off northern Ellesmere Island. We present the first comprehensive study of the Archer Fiord–Lady Franklin Bay system located at the northern end of Nares Strait, in the Tuvaijuittuq area. Data on the hydrography, biogeochemical cycles, pelagic and benthic productivity, and seabed sediment were collected along a nearshore-offshore transect. The region is influenced by meteoric waters as well as Pacific and Atlantic-derived waters, and likely acts as a strong seasonal CO 2 sink. Despite fall-bloom conditions, low primary, secondary, and benthic productivity contrasted with the relatively high abundance of marine mammals. This productivity paradox either suggests (1) that organic matter and detritus deposited and accumulated over long periods prior to our survey sustain the benthic community on which marine mammals depend for foraging; (2) local productivity hotspots in areas outside the sampled stations; or (3) a highly efficient system with minor production surpluses. Solving this paradox will require further surveys in the area.

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Publication Details

Journal
Arctic Science
Published
2025-11-03
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1139/as-2024-0073
Primary Topic
Marine animal studies overview
Type
article
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article

First characterization of the marine ecosystem of Archer Fiord in the Lasting Ice Area of the High Arctic: a productivity paradox

Mathieu Ardyna, Alexis Belko, Brett D. Walker, Lisa Matthes et al.
Arctic Science
Marine animal studies overview
article

First characterization of the marine ecosystem of Archer Fiord in the Lasting Ice Area of the High Arctic: a productivity paradox

Mathieu Ardyna, Alexis Belko, Brett D. Walker, Lisa Matthes, Christine Michel, David Capelle, E. Jacobsen, Katie R. N. Florko, Tonya Burgers, David J. Yurkowski, Audrey Limoges, Camille Brice, Amélie Desmarais, Kelsey F. Johnson, André Rochon, Guislain Bécu, David Doxaran, Malin Daase, Brent Else, Kate H. Schuler, Simon Bélanger, Nicolas Van Nieuwenhove, Patrick Lajeunesse, Erin M. Bertrand, Jean‐Éric Tremblay, Joannie Charette, Frédéric Maps, Charlotte Stancu, Kelsey A. Koerner, Karen Nieto, Megan Lee, Steven H. Ferguson, Alexandre Normandeau, Kelly Evans, Philippe Archambault, Sofia Ribeiro, Daniela Walch, Guillaume Barut, Maxime Geoffroy, Guillaume St‐Onge, R. Craig MacLean, Aislinn Fox, Jean‐Carlos Montero‐Serrano, Patrick White, Zuzana Walker, Lars Brunner, Monika Pućko, Juliette Girard, Thibaud Combaz, Guillaume Blais, Brayden Harker, Elizabeth Kitching
article en

Abstract

The Lasting Ice Area along the northern coastline of Ellesmere Island and Greenland will be the region where Arctic multiyear sea ice will persist the longest in a warming climate, making this area critical for ice-dependent species. In 2019, the Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area was established for the interim protection of the waters off northern Ellesmere Island. We present the first comprehensive study of the Archer Fiord–Lady Franklin Bay system located at the northern end of Nares Strait, in the Tuvaijuittuq area. Data on the hydrography, biogeochemical cycles, pelagic and benthic productivity, and seabed sediment were collected along a nearshore-offshore transect. The region is influenced by meteoric waters as well as Pacific and Atlantic-derived waters, and likely acts as a strong seasonal CO 2 sink. Despite fall-bloom conditions, low primary, secondary, and benthic productivity contrasted with the relatively high abundance of marine mammals. This productivity paradox either suggests (1) that organic matter and detritus deposited and accumulated over long periods prior to our survey sustain the benthic community on which marine mammals depend for foraging; (2) local productivity hotspots in areas outside the sampled stations; or (3) a highly efficient system with minor production surpluses. Solving this paradox will require further surveys in the area.

Arctic ScienceVol. 12
University of New Brunswick (CA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), Dalhousie University (CA), Memorial University of Newfoundland (CA), Fisheries and Oceans Canada (CA), Geological Survey of Canada (CA), University of British Columbia (CA), Université de Bordeaux (FR), University of Alberta (CA), University of Calgary (CA), Université du Québec à Rimouski (CA), University of Trento (IT), University of California, Irvine (US), Bedford Institute of Oceanography (CA), Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (DK), Government of Canada (CA), Sorbonne Université (FR), Arctic Research Centre (SE), Centre for Arctic Gas Hydrate, Environment and Climate (NO), Zhejiang Institute of Freshwater Fisheries (CN), Irvine University (US), Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer (TN), Laboratoire d’Océanographie de Villefranche (FR), Québec Science (Canada) (CA), Ecosystem Sciences (AU), Université Laval (CA), University Centre in Svalbard (SJ), Trent University (CA), UiT The Arctic University of Norway (NO)
Openalex Percentile: Top 69%
Marine animal studies overview
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