In the heart of the Arctic, amidst pristine landscapes and extreme conditions, an important scientific mission took place at the “Dirigibile Italia” research station of the CNR Institute of Polar Sciences in Ny-Ålesund, in the remote Svalbard Islands (Norway), between the 26th of June and the 2nd of July, 2024. The objective? To collect samples of Arctic-alpine vegetation for an innovative study on the effects of photoperiod and climate warming.

A Bridge Between the Arctic and the Alps

The focus of the mission was to collect soil swards containing Salix polaris, one of the dominant species in Arctic snowbed communities. These samples will be transferred to the Bruno Peyronel Alpine Botanical Garden in Bobbio Pellice (TO), at an altitude of 2,300 meters, where they will be studied in an environment with a photoperiod of approximately 16 hours of light and 8 hours of darkness during summer. This experiment will help better understand the physiological and adaptive responses of Arctic flora in an intermediate latitude setting.

Who Participated in the Mission?

The expedition involved experts in ecology and botany: Professor Thomas Abeli, head of the PHOTPLANT project, Dr. Martina Tarascio (both from University of Pavia), and Dr. Anna Cazzavillan (a PhD student at the University of Ferrara).

Three Days of Field Work

Sample collection took place over three days of fieldwork, focusing on four specific areas west of the Bayelva River. Here, using a shovel and saw, 18 swards of soil containing Salix polaris, Bistorta vivipara, Silene acaulis and Saxifraga oppositifolia were collected. These species, typical of the Arctic-alpine ecosystem, will help analyze the impact of environmental changes on their life cycles.

From Collection to Conservation

Each sward was carefully cataloged, photographed, and placed in special plastic containers to preserve moisture and facilitate transport. Meanwhile, some plant specimens were set aside for the creation of a reference herbarium to aid in species identification and study. Special attention was given to restoring the environment post-collection, covering the holes with soil and debris to minimize the impact on the local ecosystem.

Towards New Discoveries

Now, the samples collected from Svalbard are set to undergo the next phase of research, hundreds of kilometers away in the Italian Alps. This experiment will provide crucial data on how Arctic vegetation responds to environmental changes, contributing to a better understanding of global warming’s effects on these fragile ecosystems.

Fieldwork is just the beginning: now it’s up to science to unlock the secrets hidden within these precious Arctic soil sods.