Abisko

Sharing scientific research with the public is becoming increasingly important. To support this, Abisko Scientific Research Station and Tarfala Research Station hosted a Science Café in Kiruna on January 18th 2025.

The Science Café serves as a meeting and dialogue platform for those curious about the work conducted at the stations. Over a coffee, visitors had the opportunity to discuss the latest research, meet the researchers, and gain a behind-the-scenes look at how scientific studies are carried out. The event was free and open to everyone, attracting more than 90 attendees.

Dr. Elizabeth M. Herndon is one of the authors of "Iron Transformation Mediates Phosphate Retention Across a Permafrost Thaw Gradient," published last year in Communications Earth & Environment. As part of the study, researchers conducted sample at Abisko Scientific Research Station. Here, Dr. Herndon shares insights with the SITES Community about the project and her experience sampling at a SITES station.

Since the Abisko Scientific Research Station was established, it has recorded meteorological data along with snow depth and the thickness and duration of ice cover on Torneträsk, forming a unique environmental dataset spanning over a century. Additionally, the station monitors hydrology, water chemistry, flora and fauna, phenology, geomagnetism, and atmospheric carbon isotopes.

1. Tell us about your background

As part of the SITES Water program at Abisko, lake monitoring in Stordalen is being established. Stordalen is a peatland catchment area with sporadic permafrost, which has been an important site for data collection since the 1950s.

How is climate change impacting mosquito species in Sweden? SITES stations are participating in a collaboration with researchers from a laboratory group affiliated with The University of Hong Kong to help answer this question. The project is being led by early career researcher Dr. Alexander Williams and his supervisor Prof. Tommy Lam with support from the International Network for Terrestrial Research and Monitoring in the Arctic (INTERACT).