DWARF

The DWARF Dissemination Action during „Biologist’s Night” at University of Adam Mickiewicz in Poznań, 15th January 2016

The issues of Arctic ecosystems, environmental threats connected with climate warming, Arctic animals and relationships of size and environmental factors were disseminated by the DWARF team in a number of activities aimed at various publicities gathered at University of Adam Mickiewicz for the scientific festival event called “Biologist’s Night”

DWARF participants: Maria Włodarska-Kowalczuk, Joanna Piwowarczyk, Joanna Pawłowska, Anna Stępień, Barbara Górska, Emilia Trudnowska, Mikołaj Mazurkiewicz, Krzysztof Zawierucha

The DWARF project activities included:
1. Popular science lectures (aimed for high school students and adults):

The diversity of life in polar regions
Lecturer: PhD Anna Stępień, Department of Marine Ecology, Institute of Oceanology PAS

Why is it cold at Poles? What would happen if all the ice from Poles melted? You will hear answers for those question at the lecture “The diversity of life in polar regions”. You will also learn about differences between Arctic and Antarctic and organisms living there. Everything will be supplied with some historical background. This lecture will help you better understand the processes occurring at Poles including climate changes that have the strongest effects in those regions.

Lecture

Principles ruling body size, tropical dwarfs and polar gigants
Lecturer: MSc Krzysztof Zawierucha, Department of Zoology and Animal Taxonomy, UAM.

Why are related species small in equatorial region and huge in polar regions? Why do some of them have protrusive body parts and others do not? This lecture is a journey through a word full of life, it will explain the principles ruling the size of organisms and will discuss the aspects of clime change effects on the size of animals.

Lecture

Seekig the bigger, the arctic prose of life of little aulk
Lecturer: PhD Emilia Trudnowska, Department of Marine Ecology, Institute of Oceanology PAS.

Little auk is the most abundant and probably the bravest bird inhabiting European Arctic. It comes to Spitsbergen on spring, where between rock lays only one egg that gives one chick. Feeding it is a huge challenge for both parents. They had to fly very long distances few times a day to dive into cold Arctic waters and catch a planktonic creature called Calanus glacialis. As the climate changes this task becomes harder and harder.

Lecture

2. Arctic marine organisms taxonomy and identification workshops (aimed for secondary school students):

Foraminifera (a lecture (“Formanifera –what is it actually?”) and workhop lead by Dr Joanna Pawłowska)

Lecture Workshop materials
Marine macrofaunal invertebrates (a lecture “Marine invertebrates of the Arctic”) and workshop lead by MSc Barbara Górska)

Lecture

Workshop materials

3. „Why is it easier to get fed in cold Arctic? Climate change and animal size” workshop (aimed for primary school students) lead by MSc Joanna Piwowarczyk and Mikołaj Mazurkiewicz

Scheme of food sources in warm waters

Workshop materials

Scheme of food sources in cold waters