Climate Impacts Research Centre

Climate Impacts Research Centre (CIRC) is a research institute based at the Department of ecology and environmental science (EMG) at Umeå University, Sweden, but primarily operative at Abisko Scientific Research Station which is run by the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat.

Climate Impacts Research Centre
Northern lights at CIRC
AbbreviationCIRC
Formation1990 (1990)
Typeresearch institute
PurposeResearch and education about Arctic and alpine ecosystems
HeadquartersAbisko, Umeå
Location
Region
The Arctic, Norrland
Official language
English, Swedish
Science director
Jan Karlsson
Project Coordinator
Keith Larson
Main organ
Department of ecology and environmental science (EMG)
Parent organization
Umeå University
AffiliationsUniversity of the Arctic
Websitewww.arcticcirc.net
Field research at Torne Basin.
ANS in winter.

Research

The CIRC research is focused on increasing the knowledge about Arctic and alpine climate ecosystems, for better understanding of climate related impacts on subarctic and arctic environments, both in terrestrial (land based) and aquatic ecosystems.

Within the field of arctic ecology CIRC researchers conduct projects about how the tree line is affected by climate change; how reindeers influence Fell vegetation, and the spread of fish species in lakes and watercourses – historically as well as in the light of recent climate change.

In biogeochemistry researchers study watercourses in northern areas, as well as effects of thawing permafrost in the tundra and other alpine environments, with regard to emissions of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere and export of carbon to coastal areas.

King Carl XVI Gustaf Professorship in Environmental Science 2017/18 was awarded to John Anderson, professor in physical geography and paleolimnology at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom, who will be visiting professor at CIRC these two years.[1][2]

Major research projects

In 2016 CIRC was granted 37 million SEK over five years by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation for the project "Climate change induced regime shifts in northern lake ecosystems", with Jan Karlsson as principal investigator.[3]

Wallenberg Academy Fellows

As of 2017 three young researchers at CIRC are also appointed Wallenberg Academy Fellows – a career programme, initiated by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation in close collaboration with five royal academies and sixteen universities in Sweden, that provides long-term funding for the most promising young researchers of all disciplines to develop their projects.

  • Ellen Dorrepaal (2012)[4]
  • Jonatan Klaminder (2013)[5]
  • David Seekell (2015)[6]

Education

Since 2002 CIRC also gives education, like courses in Arctic ecology, Arctic geoecology and Fell ecology, and a postgraduate program. CIRC is also connected to the international cooperative network University of the Arctic.

History

CIRC was founded in 1996 and now (2017) employs some 50 researchers; professors, assistant professors, post docs, doctoral students and visiting professors. Most CIRC researchers are also affiliated to Arcum, Arctic Research Centre at Umeå University.[7]

CIRC's first science director was Reiner Giesler, professor in terrestrial ecology, who in 2015 was followed by Jan Karlsson, professor in physical geography with a specialization in aquatic biogeochemistry.[8]

See also

Notes

  1. "Innehavare av H.M. Konungens professur i miljövetenskap utsedd" (in Swedish). Sveriges kungahus. 2017-03-10.
  2. "Prestigefylld miljöprofessur till Umeå universitet" (in Swedish). Umeå University (published 2016-12-21). 2017-03-10.
  3. "Research Projects 2016". The Wallenberg Foundations. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  4. "The Fellows - Ellen Dorrepaal". Wallenberg Academy Fellows. Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. Archived from the original on 5 April 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  5. "The Fellows - Jonatan Klaminder". Wallenberg Academy Fellows. Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. Archived from the original on 5 April 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  6. "The Fellows - David Seekell". Wallenberg Academy Fellows. Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  7. "Arcum - Affiliated Researchers - Science and Technology". Umeå University. 2017-03-10.
  8. "Växthusgaser och produktivitet i akvatiska ekosystem" (in Swedish). Umeå University. 2017-03-10. Archived from the original on 2017-03-15. Retrieved 2017-04-11.
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