News and events:

  • The sampling stations of POLNOR project, October 2016
    We would like to summarize a few seasons of sampling collection. The project POLNOR collected research material from the coast waters of Norway, the Greenland Sea and the Barents Sea. The map of research stations where collected organisms intended for mineralogical and geochemical analysis is presented here.

  • September 2016: Analytical work in Natural History Museum (London, UK)
    On 5-30th September 2016 X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses were conducted at the Imaging and Analysis Centre at the Natural History Museum in London. In POL-NOR project XRD technique was used for mineral identification (calcite versus aragonite) and to measure a concentration of magnesium in calcitic skeletons. There were examined over 800 skeletons of Arctic calcifiers, represented by bryozo­ans, brachiopods, crustaceans, chitons, bivalves, gastropods and echinoderms. Such a huge database provides a good basis for future publications!
    hand  Analytical work in Natural History Museum

  • S/y Oceania 2016 summer cruise
    2016 was the last year of the field campaigns in the Arctic. Once more the POLNOR researchers took part in the AREX 2016 cruise on the board s/y Oceania. The calcifying taxa from various sampling locations were collected. The sampling campaign was concentrated on Spitsbergen fjords. On each sampling location calcified benthic organisms were gathered by epibenthic sledge, but what was interesting the benthic community composition was different when compared to the last year. This is the reason why we are waiting so impatiently for first results.
    hand  S/y Oceania 2016 summer cruise

  • 9th Sopot Science Day, 4th June 2016, Sopot, Poland
    On 4th of June POLNOR team participated in the 9th Sopot Science Day, which is a part of Baltic Science Festival. Baltic Science Festival is an annual event that aims to disseminate knowledge on marine ecosystems. POLNOR team - through the variety of art work­shops - presented biodiversity of the Arctic bottom fauna. We also discussed threats to polar biodiversity arising from global changes such as warming of seawater and ocean acidification. On POLNOR stand, there was plenty to do for everyone, from small children to adults. Our simplest activities included coloring the gypsum marine creatures, more advanced allowed to explore living creatures by binocular.


  • ”Divers” – first work of artist involved in POLNOR project
    The POLNOR project gives special attention to dissemination activities. During each summer campaign, young artists accompany POLNOR researchers in the Arctic. They can enjoy the beauty of the polar ecosystems and observe oceanographers’ and marine ecologists’ work. One of these artists is Aleksandra Fronc (see her work at: http://olafronc.carbonmade.com). We wait for Ola’s work inspired by her Arctic experience!

  • September 2015: r/v Johan Hjortout autumn cruise
    Joanna Przytarska has attended the cruise organized by the Institute of Marine Research in Bergen (Havforskningsinstituttet) on -board the r/v Johan Hjort. The cruise began on 10th of September from Longyearbyen and continued along Barents Sea down to Kirkenes (Norway), where it was successfully ended on the 2nd of October. Bottom trawls were used on 31 stations where representatives of macrobenthos such as: Asteroidea, Echinoidea, Ophiuroidea, Gastropoda, Bivalvia, Brachiopoda and Bryozoa were sampled. You can spot some of these fascinating marine creatures in our photogallery. Joanna's gratitude after cruise:
    "I would like to thank the head of the survey, scientific team and the crew for their help and kindness during the cruise. I hope we meet again..."
    hand  R/v Johan Hjortout autumn cruise

  • Summer school at University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), 8th September 2015
    On the 8th of September, POLNOR in cooperation with the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) co-organized series of lectures/summer school on ocean acidification. The school was open to all interested researchers and students, and its goal was to increase knowledge and awareness on topics related to ocean acidification, and to develop critical thinking and creativity among students involved. Summer school speakers involved POLNOR scientists (Paul Renaud, Phil Wallhead, Piotr Kukliński), and a number of invited speakers (for example Melissa Chierici, Mikko Vihtakari).

  • Sampling in Barents Sea, Johan Hjortout cruise, August – September 2015
    One of the POLNOR researchers - Anna Iglikowska – participated in the sampling cruise to the Barents Sea, on-board the R/V Johan Hjortout, the ship of the Institute of Marine Research in Bergen. The cruise lasted from August 26th to September 9th, and Anna was able to collected samples from 19 stations. Specimens of Asteroidea, Echinoidea, Ophiuroidea, Gastropoda, Bivalvia, Brachiopoda and Bryozoa were collected and brought to POLNOR lab for further analysis.

  • S/y Oceania 2015 summer sampling cruise
    During 2015 field work in the Arctic, POLNOR team conducted research on-board s/y Oceania, the Institute of Oceanology’s ship. The thousands of new calcifying taxa from various sampling locations were collected, and now they are awaiting for the laboratory analysis: identification, mineralogical and geochemical interpretation. The sampling campaign was concentrated on Spitsbergen fjords: Isfjorden and Hornsund, as well as some significant location placed from Gdańsk to Tromsø area. On each sampling location calcified benthic organisms were gathered by epibenthic sledge from 50, 100 and 150 meters depth. Box corers were used to collect Foraminifera. As a background of biological and geochemical data hydrographic measurements were made: CTD and water samples were taken for the chemical analysis (carbonates).
    hand  S/y Oceania 2015 summer sampling cruise

  • 8th Sopot Science Day, 23rd May 2015, Sopot, Poland
    On May 23rd, POLNOR researchers participated in the 8th Sopot Science Day, which is a part of a bigger event – XIII Baltic Science Festival. At the Polish-Norwegian Projects' stand, POLNOR early-career researchers presented the effects of low pH on the calcareous shells. Visitors were welcomed to observe scientific experiments on ocean acidification, and get involved in games on this topic. Children could participate in art classes where they painted organisms investigated in the POLNOR project. These art classes were followed by the art exhibition (16th June 2015) when children’s artworks were displayed. During the art exhibition a short talk on the Arctic changing ecosystem was given, and the participants could also engage in the scientific experiments and games.


  • April 2015: Short POLNOR dissemination movie is released
    A short dissemination movie on POL-NOR related activities is now ready. Watch it at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuPoGpDIh-o

  • March 2015: X-Ray Diffractioin analysis at the Natural History Museum, London
    POLNOR researchers Anna Iglikowska and Joanna Przytarska spent two weeks at the National History Museum in London. They were performing mineralogical measurements of Arctic calcifiers. Each sample is powdered before XRD analysis and it is then placed inside XRD machine. In this machine, X-rays are released onto the sample surface, they are then diffracted and received by the detector. The result of single measurements is a graph of peaks, and these peaks are unique for each mineral.
    hand  X-Ray Diffractioin analysis at the Natural History Museum

  • 2015 Annual POLNOR Meeting, Sopot, Poland
    On March 19th, POLNOR Annual meeting was organized back to back with two POLNOR workshops: (i) ‘Workshop with WP2 and WP4 on datasets, scenarios and parameterisations’ (18th of March 2015), and (ii) ‘Workshop on hotspots with WP2’ (19th of March 2015). Representatives of all institutions involved in the project attended these meetings. POLNOR researchers had long discussions on the project results and the research strategy for the upcoming years.

  • Merry Christmas from Polish POLNOR team



    Warmest thoughts and best wishes for a wonderful Holidays and a Very Happy New Year

  • Visit of researchers from the Natural History Museum in London 17-20th November 2014, Sopot (Poland)
    On 17-20th November the Institute of Oceanology PAS was visited by guests from the Natural History Museum in London - Dr Stanislav Strekopytov and Dr Emma Humphreys-Williams. Invited guests are experts in the field of analysis done with use of ICP MS (Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) and ICP AES (Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy). Their visit helped to prepare the manuscript for publication, to improve the laboratory procedures, to interpret the results for the next article and to plan further research in the POL-NOR project. See more:
    hand  www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.878396415516268.1073741845.759401154082462&type=1

  • The second Arctic in Rapid Transition (ART) Science Workshop,21-24 October 2014, Brest (France)
    Joanna Przytarska participated in the Arctic in Rapid Transition (ART) workshop held in the European Institute for Marine Studies in Plouzané, France. The topic of this meeting was to integrate spatial and temporal scales in the changing Arctic System (ISTAS). During the workshop Joanna gave presentation entitled: Ocean acidification in the Arctic – the ecosystem respond to multiple stressors arising from ocean warming and chemistry changes. See more:
    hand  www.istas.sciencesconf.org/

  • Artists involved in POLNOR project
    POL-NOR project pays special attention to outreach. Within the project we have currently engaged two artists: Aleksandrę Fronc and Mateusza Bąk.The participation of an artists in the projects aims to generate subjective understanding of different end user view on the environmental changes in the Arctic, work of scientist and overall beauty of Arctic environment.

    Aleksandra Fronc
    Mateusz Bąk
  • Fiords’ sampling, Oceania, 24th July - 12th August 2014
    During the cruise of R/V Oceania to Spitsbergen (AREX 2014) extensive collection of samples for the purpose of the POL-NOR project were collected. On July 24 - August 12 calcifying invertebrates were sampled from 35 stations located in the Hornsund and Kongsfjord. In addition, there were also water samples for carbonates analysis taken, and data on the salinity and water temperature, which are environmental background for studied taxa. See more:
    hand  www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.831279810227929.1073741841.759401154082462&type=1

  • Sampling in Spitsbergen HELMER HANSSEN CRUISE 21 th July - 29 th July 2014
    The cruise on the Helmer Hanssen board was designed for sample collection of calcifying foraminifera and macrofauna from the seas around Spitsbergen. Together with scientists from University of Tromso we conducted comprehensive oceanographic research with particular emphasis on the bottom bathymetry, geological studies and acidification of the Arctic Ocean and its influence on calcifying benthos. See more:
    hand  www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.838716036150973.1073741842.759401154082462&type=1

  • Sampling, Oceania, 2014 16th June – 23th July 2014
    From mid-June to the end of July, Oceania cruise route ran from the Norwegian fjords to the north by the Norwegian Sea, the Barents Sea near the Bear Island and the Greenland Sea up to the 79 degree of latitude. During this stage of the expedition samples of benthic fauna were collected in a Norwegian fjord Ulsfiorden and near the Bear Island. Calcifers including starfish, brittle stars, sea urchins, clams, snails, and bryozoans were collected. At each station, depth, temperature and salinity of the water were measured.

  • Larwood Symposium, 12-13th June 2014, Sopot (Poland)
    Larwood Symposium is annual meeting of scientist studying group of calcifiers called bryozoans. Between 12 and 13 of June 2014 the symposium was organised in Sopot, Poland where overview of POL-NOR project including goals and planned outcome was presented. In the meeting participated over 40 scientist from nine countries. See more:
    hand  www.iopan.gda.pl/projects/Larwood/
    hand  www.iopan.gda.pl/Albumy/Larwood/index.html
    hand  www.iopan.gda.pl/Albumy/Larwood2/index.html

  • 35th Polar Symposium 4-7th June 2014, Wrocław (Poland)
    In Wroclaw 4-7th June the 35 Polar Symposium took place. The conference was devoted to the issues of diversity and state of polar ecosystems in relation to environmental changes observed today. Anna Iglikowska (with co-authors) presented assumptions, goals and plans of the project in a presentation entitled "POLNOR - The Changing of the Polar Ocean North". See more:
    hand  www.geogr.uni.wroc.pl/index.php/en/conferences

  • The Polish-Norwegian Research Programme Kick-off Conference 23 April 2014, Warsaw (Poland)
    In April 2014, the National Centre for Research and Development organized the Polish-Norwegian Research Programme Kick-off Conference. The Conference took place in Warsaw and its major goal was to provide a short overview of all projects that received funding under the Polish-Norwegian Research Programme. POL-NOR project was among them. Major project objectives as well as project structure and schedule ware presented. See more:
    hand  23.04.14-NCBIR-POLNOR-final.ppt

  • KickOff Meeting 3th April 2014, Sopot (Poland)
    The first KickOff meeting was organized to introduce participants and people involved in POL-NOR project. The project is divided into five individual, but closely related and inter-dependent work packages. Work Packages Leaders introduced objectives, tasks and deliverables plan in order to discuss the details pertaining to the work that needs to be accomplished. Project Coordinator, Piotr Kukliński addressed the highlights on the scope of the work and the importance of the project. Additionally the key issues related to the project schedule and more specifically, the timeframe associated with the taking samples and drawing up first results or deliverables we presented and discussed. See more:
    hand  www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.776907292331848.1073741828.759401154082462&type=1

  • XI Annual Conference of the Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Sopot, 7th February 2014
    During XI Annual Scientific Conference of the Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Sopot (IOPAS) entitled “Theoretical and practical aspects of research in the marine environments” overview, including goals and expected outcomes of the POL-NOR project, was presented. Except IOPAS employees participating in the conference there was numerous guests representing major Polish institutions dealing with marine issues as well as Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway Karsten Klepsvik. See more:
    hand  www.iopan.gda.pl/Albumy/konferencja_2014/index.html
    hand  www.iopan.gda.pl/Albumy/konferencja2014/index.html