-The Arctic Freshwater Synthesis is a CliC Targeted Activity
In response to a joint request from CliC, the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC), and the Arctic Council’s Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP) an updated scientific assessment has been conducted of the Arctic Freshwater System (AFS), entitled the Arctic Freshwater Synthesis (AFSΣ). The major reason behind the joint request was an increasing concern that changes to the AFS have produced, and could produce even greater, changes to biogeophysical and socioeconomic systems of special importance to northern residents and also produce extra-Arctic climatic effects that will have global consequences. The AFSΣ was structured around six key thematic areas: atmosphere, oceans, terrestrial hydrology, terrestrial ecology, resources, and modeling, the review of each coauthored by an international group of scientists and published as separate manuscripts in this special issue of Journal of Geophysical Research-Biogeosciences.
This AFSΣ summary manuscript was published in October, 2015, before the rest of the Synthesis. The Summary reviews key issues that emerged during the conduct of the synthesis, especially those that are cross-thematic in nature, and identifies future research required to address such issues.
The publication and Open-Access costs for the AFSΣ summary manuscript were covered by CliC. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has provided a substantial amount of funding to support the scientific analysis of the project.
The AFSΣ summary is available here.
Citation: Prowse, T., A. Bring, J. Mård, E. Carmack, M. Holland, A. Instanes, T. Vihma, and F. J. Wrona (2015), Arctic Freshwater Synthesis: Summary of key emerging issues, J. Geophys. Res. Biogeosci., 120, 1887–1893, doi:10.1002/2015JG003128.