THAW 2014 scientific workshop

Docent of Department of Land Hydrology Dr. I.Fedorova and assistant of the department A.Chetverova have participated at the scientific workshop THAW 2014 – Thermokarst Aquatic ecosystems workshop: Freshwater ecosystems in changing permafrost landscapes that took place in the Center of Northern Studies (CEN) of Laval University, Quebec, Canada from 12 to 15 of March 2014.

The Quebec City have founded on the left bank of Saint Lawrence River anda beautiful view can be seen from Downtown, the view to the unique natural object – to the estuary of Saint Lawrence River (Fig. 1).

Despite of the spring month the Quebec City met polar scientists with the real polar weather –with frost and snowstorm and allow us to wear a fur coats for the first time during the winter. 

The workshop dedicated to water objects of permafrost zone in Arctic and Antarctic, which are very vulnerable to climate changes and human impact and can be as good markers of such a changes. That is why talks presented at the workshop were devoted to actual problems of polar water ecosystems, data collecting and analysis and methods of Polar Regions investigation.

Leading scientists from different countries such as Russia, Canada, USA, Germany, Portugal, France ect., presented talks about dynamic of thermokarst lakes given by Guido Grosse, AWI-Potsdam, about influence of cryosphere changes to hydrological regime and ecological state of tundra water ecosystems – by F. Wrona, University of Victoria, Environment Canada and about erosion and transport of thaw slumping sediments and impact of erosional processes to biogeochemical parameters of water streams – by S.Lamoureux, Queen’s University.

Geochemical features of thermokarst lakes were highlighted in talks of M.Amyot from University of Montreal, J.Canariofrom University of Lisbon and B.R.K.Runklefrom University of Hamburg ect.

Scientists from SPbSU had presentations concerning to vulnerability of polar lakes according to investigation of Yamal Peninsula, the Lena River delta, and East Antarctica oases given by I.Fedorova and concerning to features of geochemical fluxes formation in the Lena river delta given by A.Chteverova.

The meeting of young scientists, members of APECS took a place at the workshop in informal setting during a dinner in Sugar Shack (Fig. 2, Fig. 3) where participants observed the technology of maple syrup production.

Meetingin Quebecshowedsimilarityof scientific studiesin America and Europe, the unity of scientific directionsof scientists frommany countries andthe necessity of morefrequent communication ofpolar researchers.