Research
In CENPERM, different scientific disciplines meet as we investigate the biological, geographical and physical effects of permafrost thawing.
We combine field experiments in Greenland, Svalbard, northern Sweden and Russia under extreme conditions with experiments under controlled conditions in our laboratories at University of Copenhagen.
Impact of climate change on soil biogeochemistry
In the Arctic, ecosystems are sensitive to climate change, and changes in the climate can alter the emission of greenhouse gases. Because of the melting of permafrost, organic matter in the soil will start to decompose at a slow but steady rate, and this can lead to emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) or, under wet and oxygen-poor conditions, methane (CH4). At the same time, dry soils with abundant oxygen can take up atmospheric methane.
CENPERM has investigated the impacts of permafrost melting on these emissions. Series of field experiments with artificial warming of field plots have been set up at different places in the Arctic, and emissions from these plots have been compared with control plots. Samples from Greenland have been studied in the laboratory to determine how different temperatures will affect this decomposition.
links
Ny viden om permafrost forbedrer klimamodeller (in Danish)
Published in Nature Climate Change, 2015 – Arctic heating from within
Uptake of methane in Greenlandic heath
Loss of CO2 from subarctic heath ecosystem under climate change treatment
Lower estimates of Arctic methane emissions thanks to upland soil microbes
videos
Landskabet der prutter (in Danish)
Feltarbejde på Disko, Grønland (in Danish)
Vegetation changes in the Arctic
Gradual changes in vegetation composition occur in the Arctic as a consequence of climate change, primarily because of a longer growing season and higher temperatures in the summer months. The most pronounced change in several regions is an increase of abundance and height of vegetation, in particular shrubs, in the tundra.
CENPERM has contributed to inventories of these changes, and has also studies plant composition in experimental treatments in the field, where growth conditions (e.g. temperature or solar insolation) are altered. We investigate also the importance of this growth for ecosystem carbon and nitrogen cycling.
links
Increased vegetation in the Arctic may counteract global warming
Coastal changes in Greenland
Transport of runoff and meltwater from the Greenlandic ice sheet and from glaciers are important landscape-forming processes and have impacts on transport of nutrients and sediment.
CENPERM has investigated changes in sediment transport and its impact on Greenlandic deltas. Aerial photos and satellite imagery have been used to investigate changes that have taken place over a period of 75 years.
links
Greenland could advance economic prosperity through sand
video
Klimaforandringer langs Grønlands sårbare kyst (in Danish)
Biogenic volatile organic compounds
Plants emit a wide range of compounds. Many of these organic compounds are related to plant metabolism, and specific compounds can be related to impacts of stress such as herbivory.
CENPERM has investigated the impacts of future changes on these emissions of organic compounds e.g. by studying the impacts of temperature rise, but also by looking at the plant response to herbivory. Mass spectrometers are used in the lab and in the field to identify and quantify these compounds.
links
Plant gasses can counteract arctic climate change
video
Når permafrosten tør – Riikka Rinnan (in Danish)
Tundra wildfires
Wildfires are a rare phenomenon in tundra ecosystems, but recently, tundra fires appear to happen more frequently, also in Greenland.
CENPERM has an ongoing experiment investigating the impact of tundra fire on carbon and nitrogen dynamics in the ecosystem. A series of plots at Disko Island, Greenland, have been burnt under controlled conditions, and isotopic tracers have been applied to study the uptake rates of nitrogen in these plots.
In CENPERM’s initial six years (2012-2017), it established research that bridges between molecular studies, ecosystems and landscapes in the Arctic. For the second phase (2017-2021), three themes have been identified:
Theme 1: Ecosystem responses at plot level
Studies of the interactions between microorganisms, plants and soil at plot level. Continuation of field manipulation studies investigating impacts of long-term climate change, and establishment of new field manipulation experiments with a special focus on extreme events such as warm spells or fires.
Theme 2: Landscape processes and interactions
Studies on variations in elemental cycles in the landscape, with a particular focus on the role of permafrost dynamics for transport of water and nutrients and for lateral interactions in the landscape. Monitoring and field experiments along slopes in the Arctic terrain.
Theme 3: Integration and scaling
Studies on large-scale impacts of climate change on permafrost dynamics and its consequences for biogeochemical processes. Use of modelling and remote sensing to integrate the ecosystem and landscape processes for deriving regional impacts.
Theme 1: From landscapes to selected study sites (2012-2013)
CENPERM describes and up-scales permafrost-microbial-plant-soil-ecological processes on a regional scale in Greenland. Hence, we carefully address spatial variation of the different biological and physical processes occurring in landscapes covered with permafrost.
In a single gram of soil more than 10.000 different species of bacteria co-exist in micro-gradients of e.g. oxygen and nutrients while landscapes vary on meter and km scales. Thus, selecting representative sites is essential to provide a robust understanding of the fluxes of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.
Downscaling
In Theme 1, we downscale current knowledge of predicted climate changes in Greenland and identify the most critical and informative small and large gradients. On the basis of our investigations in this theme, we have decided which vegetation and landscape types to investigate at the different CENPERM field sites - from the remote northern Greenland to the lush valleys of southern Greenland.
This will lead to a permafrost coring program providing site description and characteristics, samples for Themes 2-4, and the completion of a monitoring program at key CENPERM sites for continuous measurements of soil temperature and water content.
Responsible scientist
Professor Bo Elberling
Key CENPERM persons
Bo Elberling, Anders Michelsen, Paul Grogan, Ted Schuur, Vladimir Romanovsky, Birger U. Hansen, Aart Kroon, Daan Blok, Cecilie Skov Nielsen
Important networks
GEM, PAGE21, DEFROST, INTERACT, Active
Theme 2: From molecules to organisms (2013-2015)
This theme deals with the finest spatial resolution of mm and cm in samples of permafrost and the overlying active layer from all CENPERM sites and from landscape gradients at our key sites. The spatial resolution also includes manipulated plots (see Themes 3 and 4), where we investigate the effects of specific parameters like experimental warming or additional snow cover.
During experiments in the laboratory we:
- link well-established methods to quantify microbial activity to the microbial community metatranscriptome (the entire pool of messenger RNA). This provides information about genes expressed by microorganisms under given environmental conditions
- characterize the microbial community structure, functioning and processes controlling the decomposition of organic matter, element cycling, and production and consumption of greenhouse gases
- characterize changes in the microbial functioning and processes in permafrost samples subjected to manipulations - including initial thawing, freeze-thaw cycling, shifts in redox conditions, changes in nutrient availability, and temperature dependency at near-zero temperature
Responsible scientist
Professor Carsten Suhr Jacobsen
Key CENPERM persons
Carsten Suhr Jacobsen, Anders Michelsen, Anders Priemé, Per Ambus, James M. Tiedje, Janet Jansson, Merian Skouw Haugwitz, Jana Voriskova, Karen Cameron, Marek Stibal, Morten Schostag, Kristine Dyrnum, Ludovica D´Imperio
Important networks
Centre for GeoGenetics, NENUN
Theme 3: From organisms to ecosystems (2013-2016)
focuses on interacting processes between microorganisms, plants and soils in soil profiles at contrasting landscape and vegetation types (identified in Theme 1).
Our experiments focus on:
- element uptake by microorganisms and plants
- losses of carbon and nitrogen by leaching and gas emissions, including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and volatile organic compounds
Here, we will integrate depth-specific processes and study the net effects on a plot scale. We have established two big snow fence experiments near Arctic Station on Disko Island, western Greenland, involving snow accumulation (=higher winter temperature), warming chambers (=higher summer temperature) and shrub removal (=lower summer tempetaure) in a full-factorial experimental design in the the field. Theme 3 also includes the use of existing long-term ecosystem field manipulations of soil temperature, solar radiation, snow depth and water availability at Zackenberg, northeast Greenland, and Nuuk, western Greenland. We do this in order to understand key processes controlling permafrost formation and decay.
Responsible scientist
Professor Anders Michelsen
Key CENPERM persons
Anders Michelsen, Bo Elberling, Carsten Suhr Jacobsen, Anders Priemé, Paul Grogan, Ted Schuur, Thomas Friborg, Birger U. Hansen, Aart Kroon Helge Ro-Poulsen, Riikka Rinnan, Per Ambus, Daan Blok, Christian Juncher Jørgensen, Merian Skouw Haugwitz, Jana Voriskova, Jing Tang, Cecilie Skov Nielsen, Nynne Larsen, Ludovica D´Imperio, Frida Lindwall, Sarah Svendsen, Kristine Dyrnum, Mathilde Jammet, Michelle Schollert, Magnus Kramshøj, Samuel Faucherre
Important networks
GEM, PAGE21, DEFROST, INTERACT, Centre for GeoGenetics, ITEX
Theme 4: From ecosystems to landscapes (2013-2016)
We scale ecosystem processes measured at our field plots (Themes 2-3) up to landscape level and investigate feedback mechanisms between ecosystems and landscape elements.
Our field investigations involves measurments at manipulated plot (see Theme 3) and along landscape gradients (see Theme 1) and includes existing, long-term field experiments and monitoring efforts. In particular, we redefine the measurement campaigns by increasing the temporal and spatial resolution of our measurements.
Responsible scientist
Professor Bo Elberling
Key CENPERM persons
Bo Elberling, Anders Michelsen, Anders Priemé, Paul Grogan, Ted Schuur, Birger U. Hansen, Aart Kroon, Helge Ro-Poulsen, Riikka Rinnan, Guy Schurgers, Wenxin Zhang, Andreas Westergaard-Nielsen, Mojtaba Karami, Alistair McConnell
Important networks
GEM, PAGE21, DEFROST, INTERACT, CALM
Integration and scaling (2014-2017)
Theme 5
This theme will integrate data obtained in Themes 2-4 in a bottom-up context, as compared to the top-down approach that was developed in Theme 1. We will not only integrate the results from the other themes but will also use this theme as a highly interactive platform for collecting data from the other themes for the main purpose of integration and scaling.
Responsible scientist
Professor Bo Elberling
Key CENPERM persons
Bo Elberling, Ted Schuur, Vladimir Romanovsky, Thomas Friborg, Birger U. Hansen, Aart Kroon, Wenxin Zhang, Andreas Westergaard-Nielsen, Mojtaba Karami, Alistair McConnell
Important networks
PAGE21, IPA, GTN-P, CliC
Ongoing PhD projects at CENPERM
Danielsen, Birgitte Kortegaard:
”Arctic subsurface gas dynamics”. Supervisor: Bo Elberling, co-supervisors Riikka Rinnan and Guy Schurgers.
Hermesdorf, Lena:
"Quantifying the release of nutrients from changing permafrost". Supervisor: Bo Elberling.
Hornum, Mikkel Toft:
"Numerical modelling of periglacial hydrology". Supervisor: Ylva Sjöberg.
Liu, Yijing:
"Snow distribution in Greenland across scales, and its implications for ecosystem processes". Supervisor: Andreas Westergaard-Nielsen, co-supervisor: Birger U. Hansen.
Permin, Aya Foged:
"Moss associated nitrogen fixation in pristine ecosystems: linking activity to bacterial community structure in the light of abiotic controls".
Supervisor: Kathrin Rousk, co-supervisor: Anders Priemé.
Yun, Hanbo:
"Quantifying and modelling methane dynamics in contrasting landscapes of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau".
Supervisor: Bo Elberling, co-supervisor: Ludovica D´Imperio Gerogiadis and Wenxin Zhang.
Zastruzny, Sebastian:
"Quantifying the release of nutrients from changing permafrost".
Supervisor: Bo Elberling, co-supervisor: Thomas Ingeman-Nielsen, DTU.
Defended PhD theses
2022
Baggesen, Nanna S.:
"Bidirectional exchange of biogenic volatile organic compounds between subarctic heath tundra and the atmosphere".
Supervisors: Riikka Rinnan and Thomas Holst (Lund University). Defended: Feb. 2022.
Simin, Tihomir:
"Effects of leaf surface temperature and plant traits on volatile organic compound emission from tundra vegetation". Supervisor: Riikka Rinnan. Defended: March 2022.
2021
Pedersen, Emily Pickering:
“Secrets below the surface: Patterns and processes of plant nitrogen uptake in a changing Arctic”.
Supervisors: Anders Michelsen and Bo Elberling. Defended: Sep. 2021
Rasmussen, Laura Helene:
“Nitrate movement in the permafrost landscape affected by snow redistribution”.
Supervisors: Bo Elberling, Per Ambus and Anders Michelsen. Defended: Sep. 2021.
Rieksta, Jolanta:
“Effects of insect herbivory and changing climate on biogenic volatile organic compound emissions in the Arctic”.
Supervisors: Riikka Rinnan and Tao Li. Defended: Sep. 2021.
Xu, Wenyi:
“Nitrogen cycling and greenhouse gas fluxes in Arctic tundra soils - effects of experimentally deepened snow and tundra fire”.
Supervisor: Per Ambus. Defended Nov. 2021.
2020
Fenger-Nielsen, Rasmus:
"Archaeological sites threatened by climate change: a regional perspective from Greenland".
Supervisors: Bo Elberling, Jørgen Hollesen and Aart Kroon. Defended: May 2020.
2018
Cable, Stefanie:
"Holocene landscape history and ground ice distribution in Svalbard and NE-Greenland - Linkages between geomorphology and cryostratigraphy in two mountainous permafrost landscapes". Supervisors: Hanne H. Christiansen and Bo Elberling. Defended: Jan. 2018.
Faucherre, Samuel:
“Permafrost carbon turnover across the Arctic. The role of abiotic sediment characteristics”.
Supervisors: Bo Elberling and Christian Juncher Jørgensen. Defended Jun. 2018.
Karami, Mojtaba:
“Tundra viewed from above. Spatiotemporal patterns of tundra vegetation and its response to climate in Greenland”.
Supervisors: Birger Ulf Hansen and Bo Elberling. Defended Dec. 2018.
Kramshøj, Magnus:
“Biogenic volatile organic compounds in a changing climate - emissions from an Arctic heath and permafrost soil, and uptake by microbes”.
Supervisors: Riikka Rinnan and Christian Nyrop Albers. Defended: Apr. 2018.
2017
Bendixen, Mette:
“Delta dynamics. Evolution of sedimentary coasts in Greenland in a changing climate”.
Supervisors: Aart Kroon and Bo Elberling. Defended: May 2017.
Hauptmann, Aviaja Lyberth:
"Microbial community interactions in Arctic environments using a metagenomics approach". Supervisor: Thomas Sicheritz-Ponten, DTU.Defended Apr. 2017.
Ravn, Nynne R.:
“Carbon dioxide exchange in the Arctic - The effect of a changing climate on soil carbon turnover in tundra heaths".
Supervisors: Anders Michelsen and Bo Elberling. Defended: Aug. 2017.
Schostag, Morten Dencker:
“Living in the cold - Microbial community and function dynamics in Arctic soils at changing temperatures”.
Supervisors: Anders Priemé and Carsten Suhr Jacobsen. Defended: Aug. 2017.
Svendsen, Sarah Hagel:
“Arctic emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds – from plants, litter and soil".
Supervisor: Riikka Rinnan. Defended: Dec. 2017.
2016
D’Imperio, Ludovica:
"Methane and Root Dynamics in Arctic Soil: Responses to Experimental Summer Warming and Winter Snow Accumulation". Defended: June 2016.
Supervisors: Bo Elberling and Inger Kappel Schmidt.
Lindwall, Frida:
"Emission of Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds in the Arctic: The Effect of Climate Change", Defended May 2016.
Supervisor: Riikka Rinnan.
Jammet, Mathilde M.:
“Fluxes of Methane and Carbon Dioxide from a Subarctic Lake: Seasonality and Significance within the Landscape”. Defended: December 2016
Supervisor: Thomas Friborg.
Markussen, Thor Nygaard:
“Flocs in focus: How imagery and dynamics of suspended particles unravel land-sea links”. Defended May 2016.
Supervisors: Thorbjørn Joest Andersen and Bo Elberling.
Nielsen, Cecilie Skov:
"Methan Dynamics in an Arctic Wetland: Effects of Vegetation and Climate Manipulations". Defended May 2016
Supervisors: Bo Elberling and Anders Michelsen.
2015
Schollert, Michelle:
"Arctic Vegetation under Climate Change – Biogenic Volatile Organic Compound Emissions and Leaf Anatomy".Defended Jun. 2015.
Supervisor: Riikka Rinnan.
Valolahti, Hanna:
"Impacts of Climate Change Induced Vegetation Responses on BVOC Emissions from Subarctic Heath Ecosystems”. Defended Nov. 2015.
Supervisor: Riikka Rinnan.
Westergaard-Nielsen, Andreas:
"Improvements in Spatiotemporal Ecosystem Monitoring in Greenland: Processes, Methods, and Scales". Defended Mar. 2015.
Supervisor: Birger U. Hansen.
2014
Mikkelsen, Andreas Bech:
“Freshwater discharge and sediment transport to Kangerlussuaq Fjord, West Greenland – processes, modelling and implications”.
Defended Mar. 2014.
Supervisors: Morten Pejrup and Bent Hasholt.
2013
Semenchuk, Philipp R.:
“The influence of snow cover and cold-season temperatures on growing-season processes”. Defended Oct. 2013.
Supervisors: Elisabeth Cooper and Bo Elberling.
MSc Theses supervised at CENPERM
Ongoing 2022
Blitz, Sophia Brødegaard: "The effect of nine years experimental in-situ warming on rhizosphere soil properties andupscaling to a low arctic tundra landscape in Blæsedalen, Disko, West-Greenland". Supervisor: Bo Elberling and Louise H Mortensen.
Christensen, Patrick Tobias Nowack:
"How does a destructive event as a tundrafire affect the carbon cycle in the arctic? - focusing on the GHG balance, NEE and carbon content of the soil". Supervisor: Per Ambus.
Jepsen, Malte Johan Skov: "The effect of nine years experimental in-situ warming on rhizosphere soil properties andupscaling to a low arctic tundra landscape in Blæsedalen, Disko, West-Greenland". Supervisor: Bo Elberling and Andreas Westergaard-Nielsen.
Lambæk, Anders: "Effects of tundrafire on soil N and C turnover". Supervisor: Per Ambus.
Completed 2021
Christensen, Maj Paornak Sofie: "Dynamics of plant nutrient uptake and allocation in a mesic dwarf shrub heath ecosystem on Disko Island, Western Greenland - effects of increased water and phosphorus availability on plant and microbial nutrient uptake". Supervisor: Anders Michelsen, co-supervisor: Emily P. Pedersen.
Hepsø, Andrea: “Advancing spatio-temporal soil moisture estimates in the ice-free part of Greenland with optical remote sensing”. Supervisors: Birger Ulf Hansen and co-supervisor Andreas Westergaard-Nielsen.
Matzen, Mikkel Sillesen: "Temporal development during a whole growing season of isoprene and monoterpenes emissions, canopy phenology and environmental drivers in a sub-Arctic wetland". Supervisor: Riikka Rinnan, Andreas Westergaard-Nielsen.
May, Ditte Marie: "Biogenic volatile organic compound emissions from early snowmelt to end of growth season in subarctic Abisko and implications for effects of future climate change". Supervisor: Riikka Rinnan.
Onnudottir, Thorhildur: "Observed and estimated temperature values in Blæsedalen Valley. Detecting inversion patterns and their effect on the thermal regime in the growing season". Supervisor: Birger U. Hansen, co-supervisor Bo Elberling.
Windfeldt-Schmidt, Simone: "The effects of enhanced precipitation and phosphorus addition on carbon dioxide and methane fluxes in heath tundra in Greenland". Supervisor: Anders Michelsen, co-supervisor: Emily P. Pedersen.
Completed 2020
Aeppli, Laurids Christian Brogaard: "Insect herbivory induced emission of BVOC from birch and willow in the subarctic". Supervisor: Riikka Rinnan
Kolstad, Elisabeth Larsen: "N cucling at snowbed gradient". Supervisors: Per Ambus, and Anders Michelsen.
Pedersen, Else Lerstrup: "Effects of increased snow cover on root growth, N-uptake and aboveground plant cover in an arctic wetland". Supervisors: Anders Michelsen and Bo Elberling.
Rzepczynska, Agnieszka Marta: “Effects of climate change on bryophytes and tree seedling interactions”. Supervisors: Anders Michelsen, Signe Lett.
Ryde, Amalie: "Herbivore-induced volatile organic compounds, and changes through an elevation gradient, induced by winter moth on mountain birch in the Subarctic, Tromsø". Supervisor: Riikka Rinnan, Elizabeth Jakobsen Neilson.
Skov, Kristine: “Ecosystem-Atmosphere exchange of CO2, CH4 and N2O in a Subarctic Heath Ecosystem exposed to Climate Change related manipulations”. Supervisor: Anders Michelsen.
Stevnsvig, Anna Marie: “Description of vegetation succession during the Late Glacial in Denmark, based on analysis of plant macrofossils from sediment cores”. Supervisors; Anders Michelsen, Peter Steen Henriksen, Nationalmuseet.
Sukstorf, Frederik Næsby: "Examining glacial mud and the potential appliance in Greenlandic agriculture". Supervisor: Bo Elberling.
Thomsen, Theis Valdemar: "Bacteria in arctic soils - the potential impact of global warming". Supervisor: Anders Priemé.
Warning, Lasse: “The effects of climate change on plants and nutrient availability in two Arctic tundra ecosystems". Supervisor: Anders Michelsen.
Completed 2019
Andersen, Emil Alexander Sherman: "Vegetation analysis and soil biogeochemical characteristics in the Nuuk region, Greenland in relation to archaeological sites and climate change". Supervisor: Anders Michelsen, Bo Elberling, Rasmus Fenger-Nielsen.
Festersen, Julie Pedersen: ”Spatial and temporal variations in vegetation cover and soil carbon storage in Abisko, Sweden”. Supervisors: Anders Michelsen and Andreas Westergaard-Nielsen.
Frendrup, Laura Lønstrup: "The impact on the nitrogen cycle in an arctic tundra with a changing climate". Supervisor: Per Ambus.
Gaudard, Joseph: "Carbon ecosystem - atmosphere exchange in arctic tundra in response to environmental changes." Supervisor: Herbert Formayer, Universität für Bodenkultur Wien, Austria and Anders Michelsen.
Gough, Isabelle Victoria Margaret: “Microbial community responses to freeze thaw cycles in Arctic soils". Supervisors: Anders Priemé and Eveline Krab (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences).
Gudbergsen, Peter Nørgaard: “Microbial community function dynamics in thawing permafrost soil”. Supervisor: Anders Priemé.
Hermesdorf, Lena: “Methane oxidation in arctic tundra soil – Responses to experimental warming and fire”. Supervisor: Bo Elberling.
Larsen, Laura Bjørnholt: "Roots in a dry Arctic tundra - Effects of increased winter precipitation". Supervisor: Bo Elberling.
Larsen, Lærke Wester: " Effect of aboveground plant". Supervisor: Riikka Rinnan and Christian Albers.
Mariager, Trine: “Microbial communities on arctic shrub leaves and their effect on volatile emission”. Supervisors: Riikka Rinnan and Anders Priemé.
Ranniku, Reti: "Methane oxidation in soils from sub-Antarctic South Georgia Island". Supervisors: Bo Elberling and Ludovica D´Imperio.
Skardhamar, Mira Nordsmark: “Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds from decomposing plant litter in the High Arctic”. Supervisor: Riikka Rinnan.
Completed 2018
Adamsen, Malene Snedker: "Assessment of impacts on impurity-induced albedo reduction from a local settlement in Greenland.", completed Aug. 2018. Supervisors Guy Schurgers, Bo Elberling.
Danielsen, Birgitte Kortegaard: "Spatial variability of warming on CO2 fluxes and carbon budgets in a Greenlandic subarctic ecosystem", completed May 2018. Supervisor: Bo Elberling.
Jensen, Kristina Linea Bruhn: "Review and evaluation of the methane emission potential of Arctic Ocean subseafloor sediments – Temperature dependent instability of near shore subsea permafrost and methane hydrates in a warming climate", completed Aug. 2018. Supervisor: Thomas Friborg.
Landl, Balduin: “CO2 exchange of subarctic tundra heath climate change simulation plots comprising warming, willow and birch litter addition treatments”, completed Oct. 2018. Supervisors: Anders Michelsen, Sophie Zechmeister-Boltenstern, Wien, Austria.
Larsen, Henriette Hillerup: "Short-term effect of ecosystem nutrients following a tundra fire: An overview of pre- and post-fire C, N and P pools 1 month following a controlled tundra fire in Blæsedalen, Disko Island, West Greenland", completed Oct. 2018. Supervisor: Per Ambus.
Lund, Magnus Damsbo: “Development of an Arctic Delta, Sermilik, South-East Greenland”, completed Feb. 2018. Supervisor: Aart Kroon.
Nielsen, Malene Bille: "Quantification and upscaling of the growing seasons CO2 flux exchange along a height gradient at Disko, West Greenland", completed Dec. 2018. Supervisor: Per Ambus.
Nobel, Liv Alexa: "Short- and longterm nitrogen uptake by plants and microbes in arctic heath after 15N-urea addition", completed Aug. 2018 . Supervisor: Anders Michelsen.
Nygaard Svendsen, Anne-Sofie: “Exploration of carbon flux exchange and ecosystem functioning for a subarctic peatland complex, as a response to recent climate change Temperature dependent instability of near shore”, completed Nov. 2018. Supervisor: Thomas Friborg.
Olsen, Christian: "Legacy effect of soil winter temperature on microbial responses to freeze - thawing events", completed Feb. 2018. Supervisor: Anders Priemé.
Completed 2017
Christensen, Nor Balder Thane: “Moss-associated nitrogen fixation in tundra ecosystems exposed to climate change”, completed Sep. 2017. Supervisors: Anders Michelsen and Anders Priemé.
Høyer, Frederikke: “Plant primary production, ecophysiological responses and carbon balance in two types of tundra exposed to experimental warming”, completed Jan. 2017. Supervisor: Anders Michelsen.
Nielsen, Lau Lyck: “Analyzing the longterm effects and adaptation, between microbes and plants, in competition for nutrient uptake in arctic soil”, completed Aug. 2017. Supervisor: Riikka Rinnan.
Pedersen, Pia Agerlund: “The effects of freeze-thaw cycles on nitrogen fixation in moss-associated cyanobacteria”, completed Aug. 2017. Supervisors: Anders Michelsen, Anders Priemé and Kathrin Rousk.
Permin, Aya: “Moss responses to climate change in the Subarctic”, completed Nov. 2017. Supervisor: Anders Michelsen.
Simonsen, Anne Mette Tholstrup: "Environmental impacts of submarine tailings disposal from an iron-ore mine, Norway", completed Jul. 2017. Supervisor: Bo Elberling.
Simonsen, Lisbeth: “Microbial succession and nitrogen fixation along the chronosequence of a receding glacier in West Greenland”, completed Aug. 2017. Supervisors: Anders Michelsen, Anders Priemé and Bo Elberling.
Completed 2016
Busch-Sørensen, Pernille: “Impacts of warming, fertilization and shading on the emissions of the volatile organic compound isopren, and CO2 fluxes from vegetation and soil in a subarctic tundra ecosystem”, completed Apr. 2016.
Supervisor: Riikka Rinnan.
Cable, William: “The role of environmental factors in local, regional, and pan-arctic variability in permafrost thermal regime”, completed Jun. 2016.
Supervisors: Vladimir Romanovsky, Hanne Christiansen, Bo Elberling and Kenji Yoshikawa.
Andersen, Julie: “Controls on methane dynamics in the Arctic: Methane consumption in a transect in a dry arctic tundra heath and net methane exchange on regional level”, completed Apr. 2016.
Supervisors: Anders Michelsen and Bo Elberling
D'Amico, Marianna: “Methane emissions in the Arctic and their relationship with precipitation and temperature changes", completed Nov. 2016.
Supervisors: Guy Schurges, Riikka Rinnan and Wenxin Zhang.
Flyger, Marie Richter: “Volatile organic compounds in soil: differences over a soil moisture gradient and effects of climate change”, compledted, Mar. 2016.
Supervisors: Riikka Rinnan and Magnus Kramshøj.
Francke, Mette Sinding: “Plant, moss and lichen colonization and succession on the Lyngmark Ice Cap, Disko Island, Greenland”, completed Jul. 2016.
Supervisors: Erik Kristensen, Anders Michelsen and Bo Elberling.
Goth, Astrid Emilie Knak: “Effects of road and railway derived heavy metal and nitrogen pollution on nitrogen fixation in the Subarctic”, completed May 2016.
Supervisors: Anders Michelsen and Kathrin Rousk.
Helbig, Miriam Antonia Charlotte: “Microbial activity in thawing permafrost”, completed Dec. 2016. Supervisors: Anders Priemé and Morten Schostag.
Pedersen, Emily Pickering: “Seasonal dynamics of methane flux in a subarctic heath ecosystem - effects of climate change on CH4 flux, CO2 exchange and carbon balance", compledted Aug. 2016.
Supervisors: Anders Michelsen and Bo Elberling.
Rasmussen, Laura Helene: “Thermal properties for simulating consequences of changes in thermal regime of deep permafrost layers in Greenland”, completed, Jun. 2016.
Supervisor: Bo Elberling.
Riis, Michelle Cruz: “Methane uptake and a landscape integrated methane budget at Disko (West Greenland)”, completed Aug. 2016
Supervisor: Bo Elberling.
Sandvad, Nikka Grunnet Toft: “The people of Qeqertarsuaq's perception on recent climate change”, completed Sep. 2016
Supervisors: Anne Gravsholt Busck and Bo Elberling.
Steenstrup, Amanda: “Estimation of fluvial sediment transport in Zackenberg,
NE Greenland”, completed Jun. 2016
Supervisors: Aart Kroon and Mette Bendixen.
Svendsen, Sophie Sylvest: “The effect of temperature on isoprene emissions from a wet ecosystem in Greenland”, completed Jan. 2016.
Supervisors: Riikka Rinnan, Frida Lindwall and Ole John Nielsen.
Wulff, Katrine: ”Plant controlled methane production and emissions from a wetland at Disko, W. Greenland”, ompledted Dec. 2016.
Supervisors: Bo Elberling and Cecilie Skov Nielsen.
Zastruzny, Sebastian Fabian: ”Permafrost distribution and flow regime along a hill slope in Disko Island, West Greenland”, completed Aug. 2016.
Supervisors: Karsten Høgh Jensen and Bo Elberling.
Completed 2015
Banyasz, Imre: “Carbon lability in permafrost soils with different grain size and filed measurements in Disko, Greenland”, completed Jun. 2015.
Supervisors: Bo Elberling, Samuel Faucherre and Cecilie Skov.
Berg, Christa Escasaín: “Effects of climate change and simulated herbivory on leaf and stem chemical composition in arctic and boreal vegetation”, completed Aug. 2015. Supervisor: Riikka Rinnan.
Brusvang, Peter: “Carbon exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence in a low Arctic heath: effects of experimental warming and shading”, completed Jan. 2015.
Supervisor: Helge Ro-Poulsen.
Jensen, Lise: “The role of Cu for methane oxidation permafrost environments", completed Jan. 2015.
Supervisors: Kristian Koefoed Brandt and Bo Elberling.
Nissen, Ellen Lindholdt: “Modelling daily ground surface temperatures under changing snowpacks in Zackenberg and Qeqertarsuaq, Greenland”, completed Nov. 2015. Supervisor: Birger Ulf Hansen.
Rasmussen, Kerstin Elise Krøier: “Modelling daily ground surface temperatures under changing snowpacks in Zackenberg and Qeqertarsuaq, Greenland”, completed Nov. 2015.
Supervisor: Birger Ulf Hansen
Completed 2014
Abbandonato, Holly: “Leaf senescence response to a changing climate: long-term effects of snow-depth on High Arctic plants”, completed May 2014.
Supervisors: Elisabeth J. Cooper and Bo Elberling.
Baggesen, Nanna Schrøder: “Photosynthesis and respiration of Empetrum hermaphroditum (crowberry) and gross ecosystem production in response to experimental snow manipulation and altered summer warming in dry heath at Disko, West Greenland”, completed Jul. 2014.
Supervisors: Anders Michelsen and Daan Blok.
Christensen, Anne Thane: “Spatial, seasonal and temporal variations in Carbon lability in permafrost soils within Adventdalen, Svalbard“, completed Sep. 2014.
Supervisor: Bo Elberling.
Dahl, Mathilde Borg: “Effects of increased warming and shading on soil fungi in Arctic – A community structure analysis”, completed Aug. 2014.
Supervisors: Anders Priemé and Merian Haugwitz.
Kramshøj, Magnus: “Field study of VOC emissions by vegetation and soil in a subarctic heath under manipulated conditions”, completed Sep. 2014.
Supervisor: Riikka Rinnan.
Møller, Anders Bjørn: “West Greenland kitchen-middens: future thawing, drainage and erosion followed by climate changes”, completed Sep. 2014.
Supervisors: Bo Elberling and Jørgen Hollesen.
Pedersen, Sami: “An incubation study of carbon lability in permafrost affected soils in the Lena River Delta”, completed Jul. 2014.
Supervisors: Christian J. Jørgensen and Samuel Faucherre.
Rolsted, Morten Mikkel Mejlhede: “Morphological and physiological responses of dwarf birch (Betula nana) to experimentally elevated snow depth and summer temperatures in a mesic shrub heath in West Greenland”, completed Jun. 2014.
Supervisors: Anders Michelsen and Daan Blok.
Vedel-Petersen, Ida: “BVOC emission from sub-arctic plants in response to climate change”, completed Sep. 2014.
Supervisors: Riikka Rinnan and Michelle Schollert.
Winkler, Judith: “Long-term response of Salix polaris after six years of increased snow cover in a High Arctic ecosystem”, completed Jun. 2014.
Supervisor: Bo Elberling.
Completed 2013
Amtorp, Cecilie: “Influence of increased snow cover on nutrient availability in high Arctic tundra soils”, completed Nov. 2013.
Supervisor: Bo Elberling.
Andreasen, Toke: “Thawing permafrost - bacterial community response and greenhouse gas release under aerobic and anaerobic conditions”, completed Dec. 2013.
Supervisors: Anders Priemé and Carsten Suhr Jacobsen.
Berg, Louise K.: “Spatial variation of CH4 production and consumption- a snapshot from a young arctic landscape system, Disko, West Greenland”, completed Feb. 2013. Supervisor: Bo Elberling.
Bidstrup, Jeff: “Volatile Organic Compound emissions from a sub-arctic heath: The effects of increased CO2 and enhanced UV radiation”, completed Oct. 2013.
Supervisor: Riikka Rinnan.
Bjørnsson, Anders Boding: “Assessing and mapping the current and potential farming potential in South Greenland associated with predicted climate changes: a GIS-model project”, completed Oct. 2013.
Supervisors: Bo Elberling and Birger Ulf Hansen.
Johansen, Katrine Maria Lund: “Methane oxidation dynamics in a permafrost landscape”, completed Nov. 2013.
Supervisor: Bo Elberling.
Nielsen, Kirstine Bräuner: “Study of metal induced co-selection for antibiotics in pristine permafrost sediment”, completed Dec. 2013.
Supervisors: Kristian Koefoed Brandt and Bo Elberling.
Nielsen, Morten Schostag: “Variation in the microbial community in the active-layer permafrost from Svalbard”, completed Apr. 2013.
Supervisor: Carsten Suhr Jacobsen, Janet Jansson and Anders Priemé.
Romero, Alejandro José Barrera: “Gas production and genetic analysis of methane-cycling communities in permafrost”, completed Mar. 2013.
Supervisor: Bo Elberling.
Completed 2012
Larsen, Nynne: “Langtidseffekter af opvarmning, næringsstoftilførsel og skygge på kulstofbalancen og vegetation i to subarktiske heder”, completed Aug. 2012.
Supervisor: Anders Michelsen.
Mosbacher, Jesper: “Consequences of herbivory for tundra plants: a case study with eriophyoid gall mites on arctic willow in high-arctic Greenland”, completed Aug. 2012. Supervisor: Anders Michelsen.
Schollert, Michelle: “Nitrogen fixation and carbon exchange in high arctic heath: effects of experimental warming and UV-B exclusion”, completed Mar. 2012.
Supervisor: Anders Michelsen
van Driel, Therese: “Plant ecophysiological responses along a soil moisture gradient and long-term responses to simulated climate changes in a tundra ecosystem”, completed Aug. 2012.
Supervisor: Anders Michelsen.
