Meistaraprófsvörn: Exploring Benthic Biodiversity using Underwater Imagery in Melville Bay, Greenland

Á næstunni fara fram varnir meistaranema við Háskólasetur Vestfjarða. Viðfangsefnin eru fjölbreytt og áhugaverð og eru nemendurnir frá bæði sjávarbyggðarfræði og haf-og strandsvæðastjórnun. Varnirnar eru öllum aðgengilegar í gegnum hlekki sem finna má hér fyrir neðan en einnig er öllum velkomið að mæta á varnirnar sem fram fara í Háskólasetri Vestfjarða, Ísafirði.

Nemandi: Orla Mallon
Tími: 11. september kl. 13:00
Titill ritgerðar: Exploring Benthic Biodiversity using Underwater Imagery in Melville Bay, Greenland
Námsleið: Haf- og Strandsvæðastjórnun
Hlekkur á Zoom: https://eu01web.zoom.us/j/62528427919

Útdráttur: Benthic ecosystem biodiversity provides critical insights into the health, functionality, and
stability of marine environments. Polar regions and the deep ocean seafloor are difficult for
researchers to access, resulting in vast and understudied areas. The lack of reliable and
recent data in these areas can hinder effective marine resource management, highlighting
the importance of this research in places such as Melville Bay, northwest Greenland.
Melville Bay is under threat of potential future exploitation from fisheries and other marine
traffic, especially as sea ice retreats. This study focuses on documenting the community
composition of benthic species in Melville Bay using video sled imagery. The aims of this
research are to provide insight into (i) how environmental factors influence the community
composition, (ii) how the presence of habitat-forming species influences diversity, and (iii)
whether there are environmental parameters that point to areas with a high abundance of
Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem (VME) species, including sea pens. A PERMANOVA analysis
shows that depth, sea temperature, and substrate type significantly impact community
composition in Melville Bay. Linear regression models show that habitat-forming species do
not significantly influence species abundance or richness. Comprehensive data collection
allows for analysis and creation of maps indicating VME and sea pen distribution. These are
critical to inform management and conservation efforts, ensuring the sustainability of these
vital ecosystems for the future. This is especially important as the northward migration of
certain commercial species, alongside increased accessibility for marine vessels, could
attract fisheries into regions that have not previously been fished.

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