Fram Centre

Meltdown of the Arctic Ocean: Dead end or new opportunities?

The Arctic Ocean is changing towards a warmer, ice-free state in summer. Warm Atlantic water continuously carries plankton organisms from south to north. Boreal species usually perish in the cold, dark Arctic Ocean but that may change as climate warms, sea ice shrinks, and the primary production season lengthens.
ноября 07, 2022

Leaching of metals from mine tailings in Repparfjorden

For centuries, Norway has been using harbours and fjords as disposal sites for waste, including industrial waste, sewage sludge, wastewater, and mine tailings. The “out of sight out of mind” approach caught up with the practise in the 1970s, when the impacts on aquatic life became apparent.
ноября 07, 2022

Joining forces against radiation accidents

Along the Norwegian coast two degrees above the Arctic Circle, an icebreaker makes its way back from the North Pole. Suddenly, a fire breaks out. As nearby ships respond to the mayday, the icebreaker reports that its nuclear reactor is damaged. Radiation contaminates the crew and the environment.
ноября 07, 2022

Hunting for plastic: new digital technology to find and map marine litter

When plastic first arrived on the scene, it was welcomed as a benefit for humanity. Fascinated, the French philosopher Roland Barthes envisioned “a plasticised world” in his book Mythologies (1957). Now Barthes’ vision has become reality, for better and worse, and enthusiasm for plastic has dwindled.
мая 21, 2021

Salmon farming in the North: How do we regulate growth?

Aquaculture has become a major part of global food production, and according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, it is now the fastest-growing animal food-producing industry. In the North, further growth in salmon farming is expected. What mechanisms are in place to regulate this growth?
мая 21, 2021

Norwegian Environmental Specimen Bank helps us understand chemicals’ history

The Norwegian Environmental Specimen Bank, established in 2012, contains frozen samples of animals, plants, air, and mud from mainland Norway and Svalbard. These samples are time capsules, preserving the present environmental state for future analysis, and providing regulators with an important tool.
мая 21, 2021

E-DNA: Using DNA in sea water to trace species

It sounds like science fiction, but it’s actually true: Scientists can tell which species that are living in an area, by extracting DNA from seawater samples. This could be an important new tool in fisheries management.
сентября 02, 2020

Climate-Ecological Observatory for Arctic Tundra—Status 2020

The Arctic tundra is challenged by climate change — more so than most other ecosystems on Earth. The rapid shifts to new climate regimes may give rise to new ecosystems with unknown properties. These dramatic changes call for ecosystem-based monitoring of climate impacts on Arctic food webs.
сентября 02, 2020

A toxic cocktail in the ocean – chemicals from car tyre granules

Norwegian playgrounds and artificial turf pitches are a source of pollution in the sea. Scientists have now worked out how much and how toxic rubber granules can be.
сентября 02, 2020

Do delousing agents used in aquaculture solve a problem or create one?

A creature just centimetre long causes major losses of farmed salmon and imposes significant costs on aquaculture. Moreover, this tiny creature poses a threat to salmon and char living in the wild, as well as other marine organisms. Why is that, and what can we do about it?
июня 02, 2020

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