Arctic Exposed

What Greenland Can Tell Us About Water's Future in a Changing World

Project and drone imagery by Michael Munroe & Justin Ellena Additional images provided by the research team

Whispers of the arctic wind led Fernanda Gastelu to put on seven layers of clothing before she set sail in the frigid waters of the Kangerlussuaq Fjord.

Fernanda Gastelu would collect water samples in the Kangerlussuaq Fjord. A fjord is a long, narrow, deep inlet of the sea between high cliffs. At 190 kilometers long, this fjord is the longest in the western Greenland.

The freezing waters surrounding her boat, the cold wind and the ice sheet would become her summer home in the vast Greenland landscape. The water samples Gastelu collected in the fjord would provide insight into future global sea level rise.

Working as part of a larger research expedition, some days Gastelu would leave her beloved fjord to help her colleagues collect samples of glacial meltwater. As the team drilled into the ice sheet amidst the white and blue colors of the cold, they hoped to uncover secrets of Earth’s glacial past that could give clues into the future of the planet’s changing climate.

Quincy Faber and Justin Ellena drill into the Greenland ice sheet to access glacial meltwater stored within the near-surface aquifer. As they collect the meltwater, they will analyze how the algae and bacteria living there have adapted to living in the ice and how this might affect global carbon cycles.

Although the weather conditions were harsh, Gastelu says she would happily freeze in the bone-crackling cold just to re-experience the warmth and joy of the Greenlandic people she met along the way.   

Emily An, a UF undergraduate studying marine science, greets a group of Greenland sled dog puppies at one of the research sites.

While working along the fjord, Fernanda would often take breaks to drink coffee and listen to stories of the locals whose lives were intertwined with the land and water. They invited her into their homes. She developed personal relationships and gained insights from fishermen and residents on the day-to-day lives of Greenlandic people.    

“They're super warm, happy, smiley people,” Gastelu says. “Always answering happily to whatever question I had.” 

Currently, 294 billion tons of Greenland’s ice are lost every year, which is about half of the annual discharge of the Mississippi River.

Gastelu is part of a  University of Florida research team  studying how climate change is transforming arctic watersheds, and what that will mean for the rest of our planet. Warming temperatures are melting Greenland's ice at an increasing rate, causing it to transform into liquid and slide into the sea. This transformation leaves previously ice-covered landscapes exposed, making way for new ecosystems to flourish. 

The team, supported by both the UF Water Institute Graduate Fellows (WIGF) Program and  the National Science Foundation, brings researchers together across academic fields to focus on how the warming planet is affecting chemical, ecological and hydrological processes in Greenland. The interdisciplinary spirit reaches beyond the science to also train Gastelu and other students in what the team calls Environmental Civics. They aim to connect people from all walks of life to the important research they are doing. 

A World Connected

The team’s main project called SILA –  Significance of Ice-Loss to Landscapes in the Arctic  – is supported by a $2.4 million award from the NSF Office of Polar Programs. The name SILA draws inspiration from an Inuit concept of Sila, which is the life-giving element that supports all that is known – connecting the world, the weather and all life on Earth.  

Although the field research takes place far from our Florida coasts, SILA underscores the globe’s interconnectedness. As the team undertakes its Greenland research, members also work to help broad audiences understand that interconnectedness, including teaching how climate change will affect coastal communities across the globe, even in the warm paradise that we call home. 

According to a recent study published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, the Arctic has warmed around four times faster than the rest of the world, with temperatures increasing by about 7 degrees Fahrenheit since 1991. Currently,  294 billion tons of Greenland’s ice  are lost every year, which is about half of the annual discharge of the Mississippi River. Scientists say the loss is contributing to an estimated third of the annual sea rise being seen across the world's oceans.

With 76.5% of Florida's population residing in coastal areas prone to sea level rise, the potential ramifications of increased ice loss are troubling. The Greenland research team aims to better understand broader changes as large ice sheets retreat across the land, changing the landscapes, ecosystems and water. 

The team is composed of 20 people, including 11 graduate students, seven faculty members, one postdoctoral researcher, and one undergraduate student. Although they planned to embark on their first journey to Greenland in 2020, COVID-19 postponed their initial field season until summer 2022. 

That summer, the students and their faculty mentors operated in an area that had been completely covered in ice 12,000 years ago. The location gives a special glimpse into how the landscape has changed since the last glacial period and is a microcosm of ice retreat everywhere in the Arctic. To date, arctic ice loss has exposed around 20% of Earth’s surface. For 15 weeks, this area of Greenland became their living laboratory as they compared the various hydrological, geochemical and microbial changes across the now exposed landscape. 

Sampling Locations

This map shows SILA sample locations from the ice sheet near the settlement of Kangerlussuaq that shares its name with the fjord, to the charming city of Sisimiut on the southwest coast. (Map by Megan Black)

Learn more about these sampling locations at:  https://sila.research.ufl.edu/field-sites/ 

“My opportunity to travel to Greenland made me realize how this place is a key element in the climatic system of the Earth and rediscover my love for minerals,” said Tatiana Salinas, a Ph.D. student in UF’s Department of Geological Sciences. “It is impressive how they may be not just incredibly pretty but also record more than 3.8 billion years of history.”  

As one of the few places on Earth where you can study a continental ice sheet, Greenland provides a preview of the future of Earth’s remaining frozen wonderlands.  

From battling COVID-19 to experiencing the midnight sun, the team adapted to living and working in their summer home. Each student focused on critical questions that broaden the scope of their respective fields while contributing to the overarching project. 

The researchers plan to return to the world’s largest and least populated island in summer of 2023 for the entire field season, said the project’s principal investigator Jon Martin, who has been researching in Greenland for 12 years.

The team is currently working on the logistics, which include coordinating with the Air National Guard to transport over 1,500 pounds of equipment 3,000 miles by plane. Originally planned to finish by summer 2024, Martin said he expects the project to run for one or two more years.

Although the pandemic delayed the first field season, he said the team made up for lost time last summer. 

“All the students have a great start on their projects, even though none of them had experience working in arctic conditions,” said Martin, who is a professor of geology in UF’s Department of Geological Sciences.  

“I’m hopeful that we’ll make even more progress this coming summer now that the team has skills in individual techniques as well as working together across the disciplines.”  

The team stops for fuel in Goose Bay, Newfoundland on its way to Greenland via a Lockheed C-130 Hercules military plane.

Ultimately, the team hopes to build a more interdisciplinary view of water's effects on a changing world. The Greenland research exemplifies the goal of the WIGF program “to plant the seed” that brings such teams together for integrative research, said UF Water Institute director Wendy Graham.  

“We are preparing well-rounded scientists whose integrative vision and skills can have an important impact on the way we understand and address complex water issues.”

Bringing Science to Community

From Instagram to science clubs, the students on the team are passionate about sharing their research and the story of global climate change. The WIGF Environmental Civics component built communications, leadership, civic engagement and public service into the students’ Ph.D. requirements. Each took a special course in UF’s College of Journalism and Communications, “Science, Narrative and the Greater Good,” as well as a leadership class. During their years at UF, they have met with elected leaders, volunteered in Gainesville classrooms and museums and engaged in book and film discussions to help audiences know Greenland on a more local level. 

Some students take to large social media platforms to spread positivity and teach broader audiences about Greenland and climate optimism. 

“I really try to keep it positive,” said Quincy Faber, a Ph.D. student in UF’s Department of Microbiology. “I don't like all the negativity around climate change, because if we believe we can't solve anything, then we're not going to do anything." 

The students even developed Arctic programming for children in Gainesville’s afterschool science clubs serving pre-K through 5 th  graders. The Ph.D. students brought youth microscopes and a cooler-sized chunk of Arctic ice the elementary school students could touch. Jaehyeon Lee in the Department of Soil, Water and Ecosystem Sciences built a 3D model of Greenland and used  a hair dryer and ice cream to show how melting ice flows off land, causing sea level rise.   

“I was really nervous but once I started to show them the models, their excitement seeing a 3D model made me enjoy it,” said Lee.  

“We were not allowed to give food to the kids. So, I needed to say that this is a secret research material and not ice cream.”

Unfortunately for Lee, the students didn’t buy it. But they do have a greater understanding of water science—and the change underway at the top of the world, already impacting their Florida home.

Meet the Researchers

The team is composed of 20 people, including 11 graduate students, seven faculty members, one postdoctoral researcher, and one undergraduate student. Learn more about the students and postdocs below.

Chelsey Bolmar  

Ph.D. student, Department of Microbiology and Cell Science  Advisor: Dr. Brent Christner 

Large reservoirs of methane, a greenhouse gas that is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide, exist under the Greenland ice sheet. When this methane is released from underneath the glaciers, it is either released into the atmosphere or consumed by microbes. Chelsey Bomar is studying the ecology of the microbes that consume this methane, also known as methanotrophs. 

To do so, Bomar and her team collected water samples in various streams connected to the ice sheet to analyze the amount of dissolved gases in the water and how much methane these microbes consume. The team also collected DNA samples, which can allow them to better understand the type of methanotrophs in these areas. Back in Florida Bomar plans on conducting experiments with the microbes she cultured in Greenland. 

“By examining methanotrophic activity, we can better understand the future implications of this biological carbon sink as the Greenland ice sheet continues to melt,” Bomar said.  

For Bolmar, having the opportunity to witness how much a river can change through the summer In Greenland was memorable.  

“When we first arrived, we walked over ice that covered the river we sampled," Bomar said. "But once the ice melted, it revealed a raging river that flowed all the way down to the town.”  

Megan Black  

Ph.D. student, UF Department of Geological Sciences  Advisor: Dr. Jon Martin and Dr. Ellen Martin

As the ice sheet continues to retreat, more landscapes will be exposed and water and nutrient delivery to coastal areas in Greenland will change, potentially influencing climate change.  

Megan Black uses remote sensing to determine how the features and topography of previously ice-covered landscapes influence stream chemistry and nutrients in southwestern Greenland. Her research can provide important insight to the stream chemistry of remote and inaccessible watersheds in Greenland, which contributes to our understanding of climate change processes.  

While most of Black’s work can be done using remote sensing, in Greenland she was also able to collect water samples in eight different Greenlandic watersheds. 

“The main challenge I discovered during our first field season in Greenland was the unknown,” said Black. “Although I had identified potential watersheds where to collect my samples there was no way to know if there would be streams flowing in these locations until I visited them in person.” 

After studying Greenland from afar for years, one of her most memorable moments was on the plane, descending below the cloud shelf and seeing the hazy coastline for the first time.  

Justin Ellena 

Ph.D. student, UF Department of Microbiology and Cell Sciences  Advisor: Dr. Brent Christner 

Streams fed by glacial meltwater have different physical and chemical properties than streams fed by snowmelt. Justin Ellena is studying how these variations affect the growth conditions of microbial communities in different watersheds. He does this by taking samples in the area where meltwater feeds into streams. 

 But sampling in an arctic environment comes with its challenges. Ellena explained that the cold temperatures were affecting the oxygen probe reading on his water samples. However, he was able to adapt and improve sample accuracy by using an old technique that, even though very time-consuming, is a tried-and-true method. 

Ellena said that his findings in Greenland can help scientists better understand trends between the source of the watershed and the microbial communities, which could be observed in other regions. 

His most memorable moments were the ones he spent in the gorgeous scenery at every point in the season. Working in the mountains and the cold was a remarkable change of pace coming from Florida, he said.  

“My single most memorable moment had to be bunch of sled dog puppies swarming me.”   

Izuchuwu Ezukanma 

Ph.D. student, UF Department of Biology  Advisor: Dr. Stuart McDaniel 

Large mountainous areas in Greenland that were once covered by ice are now exposed rock, a perfect surface for bryophytes like mosses, liverworts, and hornworts to thrive. Izuchukwu Ezukanma is trying to better understand how this increased bryophyte growth will impact the Arctic’s climate. While bryophytes are an important component of many ecosystems, too many can have adverse effects.  

“Bryophytes are taking up exposed rock surfaces, making the Arctic dark,” said Ezukanma, who previously studied bryophyte growth in Nigeria’s largest National Park, Gashaka-Gumti National Park. 

 He explains that as bryophytes make the exposed surfaces darker, more radiation is absorbed, causing them to heat up. This could lead to more ice and glacier loss, as well as rising sea levels, he says. 

From an early age, Ezukanma was interested in growing any seed that crossed his path and was excited at the chance to conduct his research in a climate starkly different from his own.  He was amazed at the beauty of the landscape and the experience of seeing the sun at midnight. 

 

 

 

Quincy Faber 

Ph.D. student, UF Department of Microbiology and Cell Sciences  Advisor: Dr. Brent Christner 

As the glaciers in Greenland melt, microorganisms living in the ice can affect the volume and makeup of the meltwater as it flows into the ocean, which can affect sea levels, even here in Florida. Quincy Faber is working to understand how microbes have adapted to living on the ice sheet and how microbial communities will change as the climate warms. Her research can help illustrate how microorganisms are impacting the global carbon cycle. 

Faber said what surprised her most during her fieldwork in Kangerlussuaq was the sheer volume of the meltwater coming off the glacier. She explained how it helped drive home the idea that the melting of glaciers is affecting sea levels in Florida.   

Aside from her research, Faber enjoyed sharing her results with students across Greenland and Florida. She also used social media to create immersive educational videos highlighting her experiences in Greenland for a broader audience. 

“[My favorite part of this research has been] the interdisciplinary aspect, because when you’re working in the environment, there are so many aspects to everything. If I just looked at the microbes that are there, it doesn't tell the whole story,” Faber said. “So, I get a much better understanding by talking to hydrologists and geochemists. Because together, it makes a lot more sense than separate.” 

Madison K. Flint 

Post-doctoral researcher, UF Department of Geological Sciences

As anthropogenic greenhouse gases rapidly warm the Arctic and melt the Greenland ice sheet at an unprecedented rate, it is crucial for scientists to understand how the feedbacks between current hydrologic conditions, ecosystem productivity and biogeochemical reactions contribute to production of these gases. This knowledge will help improve our capacity to predict and react to such changes.  

Madison Flint’s research focuses on better understanding nutrient cycling and greenhouse gases in aquatic ecosystems. In Greenland she collected water and gas samples across different watersheds to analyze the geochemical changes that occur throughout the melt season. This will allow her to analyze how nutrient cycling and greenhouse gases change following ice retreat.  

For Flint, riding a Lockheed C-130 Hercules military plane for the first time was the most memorable moment of this past field season.  

“On the way back to the United States, the military crew let us all come up and see the cockpit,” Flint said. “The view from the cockpit was the most spectacular view I have ever seen in my entire life." 

Fernanda Gastelu  

Ph.D. student, UF Coastal and Oceanographic Engineering Department  Advisor: Dr. Arnoldo Valle-Levinson  

The flows of water between freshwater systems and the sea, a concept that scientists refer to as “exchange flows,” are important to understand when predicting and preparing for future sea level rise. These flows are affected by the tides, winds, and the amount of water discharged by rivers, which typically changes seasonally.  

Fernanda Gastelu is working to understand how the ice melt, among other factors, is affecting these exchange flows. To do so, she collected data in the fjords or long, deep, narrow bodies of water that begin on the west coast of Greenland and reach far inland. For each tidal cycle, she collected water temperature, salinity and flow velocities which will allow her to estimate how much water is moving between the freshwater systems and the coast. 

“Understanding what affects these exchange flows in Greenland is critical to understand the factors driving sea level rise. The geometry of fjords can limit the amount of water exchanged,” Gastelu said. “In Greenland the duration of the day and night is an important contributor to the amount of ice that melts, changing the river discharge, something that you do not see in other latitudes.”  

Gastelu’s findings will help clarify how fjords might enhance the stability of the ocean and the ocean’s deep currents that control Earth’s climate. Changes to these deep currents can ultimately affect things like the migration patterns of species, the distribution of sediments, and even where humans live.  

A significant benefit of the project for her was her ability to learn firsthand from the Greenland natives.

Jaehyeon Lee 

Ph.D. student, UF Department of Soil and Water Sciences  Advisor: Dr. Jim Jawitz

When glaciers melt into nearby waterways, water temperatures are affected, which can lead to a magnitude of other effects. Jaehyeon Lee is using satellite and drone sensors to better understand how this ice melt is changing water temperatures in the Arctic, and what the impacts might be.  

“Using thermal imaging on the drone you can see very brightly the flow paths with the temperature, which we cannot see visually,” Lee said. 

Understanding the differences in water temperature will allow for a more complete perspective on the magnitude of change caused by ice melting in the Arctic. Although various challenges including magnetic interference with the drones and COVID-19 impeded his progress, Lee worked with other members of the team to figure out solutions to overcome the obstacles he faced. 

“I prepared a lot for the fieldwork, but unexpected things happen,” Lee said. “So, the backup plan and the mindset for overcoming that challenge is important. I got advice from many colleagues and others to help me find alternative paths or think about backup plans.” 

Michael Munroe  

Ph.D student, UF College of Journalism and Communications  Advisor: Dr. Jay Hmielowski 

It’s no secret Greenland is far from Florida, and a very mysterious place to those who do not live there. Michael Munroe is examining how documentaries portraying scientific field research might impact the public’s willingness to act.  

A videographer and instructor by trade, Munroe has been a part of several science communication projects addressing climate science and environmental literacy. With footage gathered by a drone, an HD camera, his cellphone, and a microphone, Munroe is using his undergraduate experience as a psychology major to develop an effective and engaging narrative from his images and experiences in Greenland.  

“We know that if you add the visuals, many more people can be engaged and understand what you're talking about. So, in terms of the work and my research, I thought, what are the stories I can tell of the various areas I was in?” 

Munroe plans to produce short documentaries that provide insight into how researchers conduct field studies in Greenland and how these studies expand scientific knowledge. After showing these documentaries to the public, he will evaluate what they learned about how Greenlandic climate changes may impact Floridians. 

Tatiana Salinas 

Ph.D. student, UF Department of Geological Sciences  Advisor: Dr. Ellen Martin and Dr. Jon Martin

As the ice sheets in Greenland retreat, the resulting meltwater reacts with the newly exposed sediments. Tatiana Salinas is working to decipher which minerals and how fast minerals are weathered by the meltwater and how those reactions affect the amount of carbon dioxide consumed. To study these effects, Salinas looks at the radiogenic isotopes and the chemical signatures of the minerals and the stream waters. 

When minerals in the sediment break down, Salinas explains, they release elements and nutrients into the water and consume carbon dioxide, which can have implications for future climate change. 

A native of Colombia, Salinas said her interest in geology was inspired by her high school teacher, who was also a geologist. By being part of this interdisciplinary team, Salinas can collaborate with graduate students in different fields, which helps her see the broader impact of her findings.  

“I’m always learning something. In our meetings, we try to connect all the ideas that we have in different disciplines,” she said "Okay, how can this relate to the research that the others are doing?” 

Yuseung Shin  

Ph.D. student, UF School of Natural Resources and Environment  Advisor: Dr. Matt Cohen  

As glacial ice melts, nutrients and microbes once trapped in ice become exposed and flow into nearby rivers, affecting river metabolism. River metabolism is a concept scientists use when studying the biological activity in streams.  

By deploying high-frequency sensors into rivers, Yuseung Shin measures light availability, temperature, and various gas and solute concentrations. These measurements allow him to better understand the factors that influence river metabolism, such as climatic conditions, flow dynamics, and nutrient levels. 

Shin’s research on river metabolism expands to Florida where he hopes his findings can help scientists better understand the impacts of nutrient loading on rivers here.  

Shin enjoyed having the opportunity to become fully immersed in his work and participate in civic engagement activities. He enjoyed exploring ways to communicate his research to students and community members.     

“Nowadays, all ecosystems are experiencing many disturbances like climate change, land use change, or some anthropogenic effects,” Shin said. “And I think it's important to figure out how we can recover from those effects.”  

About

Water Institute Graduate Fellowship

The 2019 WIGF program offers a novel interdisciplinary graduate training environment, focused on water through the lens of the Arctic. We aim to foster interdisciplinary research and outreach among researchers, practitioners, and students in geology, hydrology, microbiology, botany, ecosystem science, coastal hydrodynamics, and communications.

Students in the cohort are training in environmental civics, defined as the principles and practice of public engagement, including general audience communication skills, policy discourse, and civic leadership.

SILA Project

The Inuit concept Sila can denote both the physical world and its climate, and a spiritual wisdom of living in that world and climate, shared across generations. This research also combines both climate and physical processes in southwestern Greenland as well as best practices for sharing knowledge of those processes. 

As large ice sheets advance and retreat across land, they change landscapes, ecosystems, and water in profound ways. Deciphering variations in how streams transport nutrients off these landscapes can help inform understanding of downstream consequences and broader climate impacts.  

Improved communication and community engagement are integral to this interdisciplinary study of the biological, geochemical, and hydrologic response of streams to ice sheet retreat. Insights will inform understanding of the effects of past glacial retreat and improve projections of responses to future warming.

About the author

This story was produced by University of Florida student Aadil Rahman, an  environmental communicator for  the UF Thompson Earth Systems Institute (TESI). TESI's mission is to advance communication and education about Earth systems science in a way that inspires Floridians to be effective stewards of our planet.

The team stops for fuel in Goose Bay, Newfoundland on its way to Greenland via a Lockheed C-130 Hercules military plane.

Fernanda Gastelu would collect water samples in the Kangerlussuaq Fjord. A fjord is a long, narrow, deep inlet of the sea between high cliffs. At 190 kilometers long, this fjord is the longest in the western Greenland.