ARCTIC
PROGRAM
To better understand the mechanisms and processes that structure the Arctic marine ecosystem and influence the distribution, life history, and interactions of biological communities in the Chukchi Sea. To support research that addresses phenology and the alignment in space and time of primary production, secondary producers, and upper trophic level predators.
About the Program
The North Pacific Research Board’s (NPRB) Arctic Program is the newest integrated ecosystem research program (IERP) to date. The Arctic Integrated Ecosystem Research Program (IERP) will invest approximately $18.6 million in studying marine processes in the northern Bering and Chukchi Seas in 2017-2021, beginning in the summer of 2017. The program is sponsored by NPRB, Collaborative Alaskan Arctic Studies Program (formerly the North Slope Borough/Shell Baseline Studies Program), Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), and the Office of Naval Research Marine Mammals and Biology Program. Generous in-kind support has been contributed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the University of Alaska Fairbanks. This coordinated program was developed in cooperation with the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee Chukchi and Beaufort Sea Ecosystem Collaboration Team and the U.S. Arctic Research Commission.
Why are we studying the Arctic?
What We Were Studying and the Results
How Communities Played a Role in the Research
Research Ships & Science Tools
PRogram Details
Click here to learn more about the program—where, why and how we studied the Arctic marine ecosystem.
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DATA & ReSULTS
Find out what we learned from the Arctic IERP, including links to data portals, summaries, and final reports.
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OUtreach
Outreach and communication are important pieces for every successful IERP program. Learn more here.
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Resources for Investigators
Find relevant links, programmatic requirements, and additional info about the program.
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requESt For proposals
Every IERP goes through a Request for Proposal process. Click here to learn how the Arctic IERP got started.
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WHY STUDY THE ARCTIC?
Arctic research has been ongoing for several decades, yet there is still a clear need for additional studies to better understand the processes driving the Arctic marine ecosystem as a whole—even more so as Arctic sea ice continues to retreat at an increasing rate. Changes in sea ice timing, presence, extent, or thickness will have profound influences on coastal communities, marine mammals, seabirds, fishes, plankton, and oceanography. For more information about the Arctic marine ecosystem, read the Arctic Program’s Implementation Plan.
PROGRAM GOALS
The goal of the program is to better understand the mechanisms and processes that structure the Arctic marine ecosystem and influence the distribution, life history, and interactions of biological communities in the Chukchi Sea.
Main Hypothesis
How will reductions in Arctic sea ice and the associated changes in the physical environmental influence the flow of energy through the ecosystem in the Chukchi Sea?
Research Interest
NPRB was interested in research that addressed phenology and the alignment in space and time of primary production, secondary producers, and upper trophic level predators.
ARCTIC PROGRAM Data & Results
Principal investigators who have completed NPRB-funded research are required to provide datasets and metadata records for all data collected under NPRB grants as per the NPRB Metadata and Data Policy. Final reports are also required at the conclusion of the program. Peer-reviewed publications will be posted here as they become available.
program data clearinghouse
Axiom Data Science provided data management services for the Arctic IERP and developed a data discovery portal to facilitate the exploration of data collected by the program. Click the button below to access the data portal. Axiom Data Science works with organizations to improve the long term management, reuse and impact of their scientific data resources.
Arctic Program Final Reports
Principal investigators who have completed NPRB-funded research are required to provide datasets and metadata records for all data collected under NPRB grants as per the NPRB Metadata and Data Policy. These files are due within 60 days of the project end date. NPRB has teamed with Axiom Data Science to best manage data transfer and metadata submission. The NPRB online project workspace is designed to facilitate project management, data storage, security, collaboration, and reporting. The workspace is also linked to this public website where users can obtain general information about each project.
Arctic Shelf Growth, Advection, Respiration, and Deposition Rate Experiments (ASGARD)
Integrating Marine Mammal Presence into ASGARD
Arctic Integrated Ecosystem Survey Phase II: Oceanography and Lower Tropic Levels
Arctic Integrated Ecosystem Survey Phase II: Upper Trophic Levels
Chukchi Coastal Communities Understanding of and Responses to Environmental Change
Publication Library &
Deep Sea Research
Special Issues
The Arctic IERP will support publication of a series of special journal issues, aimed at sharing peer-reviewed project results across a broad audience and facilitating project integration and synthesis. Two volumes have already been published and a third is underway. Additional publications and manuscripts separate from Deep Sea Research Part II will also be posted to our publication library.
Arctic Program Cruise Reports
Principal Investigators will share a selection of their preliminary results here throughout the course of the research program. These preliminary results may also be shared at scientific conferences and at meetings of stakeholder groups, including the Arctic Waterways Safety Committee and marine mammal co-management organizations. Final results will be published in reports and peer-reviewed articles, and links to those will be provided as they are published.
2017 ASGARD CRUISE REPORT
2018 ASGARD CRUISE REPORT
2017 ASGARD OBSERVER REPORT
2017 AIES CRUISE REPORT
2019 AIES CRUISE REPORT
Arctic IERP OUTREACH
NPRB manages the outreach funds for the Arctic Program, but input from partners, organizations, and scientists have all been encouraged throughout the program’s duration. NPRB has obligated $150,000 for outreach and communications for the Arctic Program ending 2022. NPRB staff are in the process of creating meaningful, engaging deliverables for various target audiences and stakeholders, including coastal communites, interested public, educators, fisheries management, and policy makers.
Resources for Investigators
The Arctic Program will involve the integration of multiple streams of marine data, from physical forcing factors to the processes driving marine ecology, human dimensions and consideration of ecosystem services. Success of the program will rely on careful coordination and effective collaboration. In developing the broad direction for this program, recommendations provided by a wide variety of stakeholders and scientific experts were considered.
Requests For Proposals
In May 2015, the board issued a call for pre-proposals for the Arctic Program with a submission deadline of July 31, 2015. The board considered pre-proposals based on science and advisory panel recommendations and invited a subset of investigators to submit full proposals in October 2015. Full proposals were received in January 2016 and underwent peer review prior to review by the science and advisory panels and the board. The board made final funding decisions in May 2016.
