The unseen life in soils at Disko Island under climate change

Arctic soils house an enormous biodiversity, which help keep carbon (C) in the ground and anchor the foodweb on land. We should therefore encourage the public to understand and protect soils. In our scientific investigations near Arctic Station at Disko we will collect soils from experiments which mimic the ongoing environmental changes. With artwork exhibition and teaching material made from microscopy images and films of the myriads of amoebae, bacteria and algae, we will show these creatures. The goal of the project is to bring on knowledge of the miniature life in the soil and of the consequences of tundra fire and winter thaw events in the Arctic to local communities using art- and nature showrooms and to involve a school class from local schools in Illulisat and Queqertarsuaq in a real scientific field experiment. Scientific images of the homeland soil at Disko Island, made in laboratories in Sweden, will show the unseen in these soils and educate the public to protect soil and the life in it.

The project is financed by NAPA The Nordic Arctic Co-cooperation Program at The Nordic Institute in Greenland (the Nordic Council of Ministers)