Arctic Freshwater Synthesis

Sources, Fluxes, Storage and Effects

Over approximately the next two years, the World Climate Research Programme’s (WCRP) Climate and the Cryosphere Project (CliC), the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC), and the Arctic Council’s Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP) have decided jointly to promote and support the production of an internationally authored Arctic Freshwater Synthesis (AFS) as a contribution to the 3rd International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP III), the WCRP’s Grand Challenges, and AMAP’s Adaptation Actions for a Changing Arctic. The overall goal of the AFS is to synthesize our current scientific understanding of Arctic freshwater sources, fluxes, storage and effects, with the project structured around 5 major components: atmosphere, ocean, terrestrial hydrology, terrestrial ecology and resources. The web page outlines the current goals of the project and features a diagram identifying some of the key issues that are likely to be the foci for the 5 components.

Access the full Arctic Freshwater Synthesis Special Issue in the Journal of Geophysical Research – Biogeosciences

Download the ‘Arctic Freshwater System in a Changing Climate’ Layman’s Summary Report

Download the AFS Brochure

Arctic Freshwater Synthesis List of Papers submitted:

Introduction
Prowse, T., A. Bring, J. Mård, and E. Carmack (2015), Arctic freshwater synthesis: Introduction, J. Geophys. Res. Biogeosci., 120, 2121–2131, doi:10.1002/2015JG003127.rowse, T., A. Bring, J. Mård, and E. Carmack (2015), Arctic freshwater synthesis: Introduction, J. Geophys. Res. Biogeosci., 120, 2121–2131, doi:10.1002/2015JG003127.

Summary
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.

Terrestrial Ecology
Wrona, F. J., M. Johansson, J. M. Culp, A. Jenkins, J. Mård, I. H. Myers-Smith, T. D. Prowse, W. F. Vincent, and P. A. Wookey (2016), Transitions in Arctic ecosystems: Ecological implications of a changing hydrological regime, J. Geophys. Res. Biogeosci., 121, doi:10.1002/2015JG003133.

Modeling
Lique, C., M. M. Holland, Y. B. Dibike, D. M. Lawrence, and J. A. Screen (2016), Modeling the Arctic freshwater system and its integration in the global system: Lessons learned and future challenges, J. Geophys. Res. Biogeosci., 121, doi:10.1002/2015JG003120.

Atmosphere
Vihma, T., J. Screen, M. Tjernström, B. Newton, X. Zhang, V. Popova, C. Deser, M. Holland, and T. Prowse (2015), The atmospheric role in the Arctic water cycle: A review on processes, past and future changes, and their impacts, J. Geophys. Res. Biogeosci., 121, doi:10.1002/2015JG003132.

Ocean
Carmack, E. C., M. Yamamoto-Kawai, T. W. N. Haine, S. Bacon, B. A. Bluhm, C. Lique, H. Melling, I. V. Polyakov, F. Straneo, M.-L. Timmermans, et al. (2016), Freshwater and its role in the Arctic Marine System: Sources, disposition, storage, export, and physical and biogeochemical consequences in the Arctic and global oceans, J. Geophys. Res. Biogeosci., 121, doi:10.1002/2015JG003140.

Resources
Instanes, A., V. Kokorev, R. Janowicz, O. Bruland, K. Sand, and T. Prowse (2016), Changes to freshwater systems affecting Arctic infrastructure and natural resources, J. Geophys. Res. Biogeosci., 121, doi:10.1002/2015JG003125.

Terrestrial hydrology
Bring, A., I. Fedorova, Y. Dibike, L. Hinzman, J. Mård, S. H. Mernild, T. D. Prowse, O. Semenova, S. Stuefer, and M.-K. Woo (2016), Arctic terrestrial hydrology: A synthesis of processes, regional effects and research challenges, Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 121, doi:10.1002/2015JG003131.