The 4th Turkish Arctic Scientific Expedition (TASE IV) was carried out on the Norwegian-flagged scientific research vessel PolarXplorer, which started from Tromsø, Norway, and sailed to Svalbard and the Arctic Ocean. Along the route, samples were collected from 54 different stations. Researchers from Bulgaria and Chile also participated in TASE IV.
The ongoing changes in the Arctic are having an impact on marine biodiversity. Phytoplankton, which form the basis of the marine food web, are highly sensitive to these changes, leading tolarge-scale impacts on ecosystems. Similarly, the melting of glaciers and sea ice not only threatens species that depend on these habitats, but also affects global climate patterns, sea level rise, ocean circulation and atmospheric interactions.
The ongoing collaboration between the Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH) and the TÜBİTAK MAM Polar Research Institute has provided María José Nariño, a researcher at the Dynamics Research Center for High Latitude Marine Ecosystems (IDEAL), with a great opportunity to conduct scientific studies in the Arctic Ocean. Nariño participated as a guest researcher in the 4th Turkish Arctic Scientific Expedition, which took placed in the northern hemisphere during the summer of 2024. Her research focused on studying the diversity, abundance and ecology of phytoplankton in response to the environmental conditions driven by climate change.
This marks the first Arctic collaboration between Chile and Türkiye, opening the door to future comparative studies between both polar regions.
During the expedition, Nariño collected samples using phytoplankton nets and advanced filtration techniques, contributing to the analysis of genetic diversity and the detection of toxins in Arctic waters. “The most important part of my fieldwork was collecting water samples from the shallow depths of the Arctic Ocean. We also conducted vertical trawls using phytoplankton nets and preserved the samples in bottles for laboratory analyses, which is the next phase of our project,” Nariño said.
Reflecting on her experience, Nariño emphasized, “I had the opportunity to learn a lot on TASE IV. I collaborated closely with other researchers throughout the expedition, and it was a very enriching experience, as we supported each other during the fieldwork.”
Dr. José Luis Iriarte, the leader of the project and researcher at the IDEAL Centerstated: “The Arctic Ocean is a sensitive indicator of global changes, especially in Europe. This region is home to unique ecosystems and high biodiversity, and is threatened by the rapid warming experienced by other parts of the world, such as Antarctica.” He emphasized that the results of this project will reveal how phytoplankton respond to climate changes in the polar regions. “These changes will alter the composition and abundance of species in the polar regions, where the abundance of small organisms increases. Furthermore, changes in the composition and abundance of phytoplankton will affect higher trophic levels and may lead to the emergence of toxic or harmful species, potentially impacting both marine fauna and human health.”
In addition to identifying and measuring phytoplankton toxins in surface waters, the project also focuses on analyzing the genetic diversity of phytoplankton using advanced filtration techniques.
TASE IV was carried out under the auspices of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye, with the support of the Ministry of Industry and Technology, and under the coordination of the TÜBİTAK MAM Polar Research Institute.
This pioneering collaboration between Chile and Türkiye in the Arctic builds on the existing relationships in the Antarctic for several years, including scientific, logistical, and educational aspects. This joint effort represents a significant advance in polar research, bringing together efforts to protect the extremely fragile ecosystems in these regions and highlighting the importance of continuing research in areas where the impacts of climate change are most evident and urgent.
In the future, Türkiye’s contribution to international science will continue to increase by strengthening cooperation between countries and inviting researchers from foreign countries to Turkish Polar Science Expeditions.
Source: https://www.inach.cl/colaboracion-entre-chile-y-turquia-permite-ampliar-...