Collaborative Research: LTREB: Dynamics of Extreme Climate Disturbance in Arctic Lakes (DECaDAL)

NSF Award Search · 01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT · $233,888 · view on nsf.gov ↗

Abstract

After a period of record heat and rainfall in West Greenland, lakes which had been clear and blue rapidly turned brown and murky, a change that typically takes thousands of years. The causes and consequences of this dramatic change are largely unknown. This project offers a rare chance to understand how entire lake ecosystems respond to such rapid and severe disturbances, particularly in the sensitive Arctic biome which includes 40% of the world’s lakes. These dramatic changes directly impact ecosystem function of these lakes, which includes both the stability of the food webs as well as water security for local communities. This project also helps educate the public about changes to water quality in Arctic lakes and trains the next generation of scientists and teachers, developing curriculum for K-12 students in collaboration with current teachers and making this crucial knowledge widely accessible. This project also gives science teachers the opportunity to experience hands-on field work, sample collection, and data analysis. This project uses more than a decade of previously-collected data from ten Arctic lakes in West Greenland and continues to collect observations over the next 10 years to investigate the ecosystem response to extreme weather events. The research investigates how lake ecosystems are resilient against and recover from extreme weather events, creating a framework for understanding how Arctic lakes will change in the future. Studying these metrics across

Key facts

NSF award ID
2513750
Awardee
Science Museum of Minnesota (MN)
SAM.gov UEI
FMBEN7W54M58
PI
Adam J Heathcote
Primary program
01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
All programs
LONG-TERM RSCH IN ENVIR BIO, RET SUPP-Res Exp for Tchr Supp
Estimated total
$233,888
Funds obligated
$233,888
Transaction type
Standard Grant
Period
09/01/2025 → 08/31/2030