Jakob Thyrring

Project title

Synergetic impacts of stressors on biodiversity in a rapidly changing Arctic

What is your project about?

The Arctic is warming four times faster than the rest of the world, melting the Greenland Ice Sheet at an extraordinary rate. The warming is expected to cause irreparable ecological damage to the marine ecosystems. Unfortunately, Arctic biodiversity records are too deficient to understand the actual impacts of climate change, and there is an urgent need to better understand the ecological dynamics across spatial and temporal scales. The aim of this project is to provide new knowledge on how Arctic marine biodiversity is, and has been, affected by climate change. By combining biodiversity surveys with experiments and molecular analyses, the results will provide unique knowledge on how species-specific responses to climate change translate into ecosystem level changes.

How did you become interested in your particular field of research?

My focus on the impact of climate change was sparked during a gap year after High School, when I travelled to Australia to scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef, the largest reef structure on Earth. I was expecting a colorful source of life, but instead I met a dying world of bleached corals. This motivated me to study marine biology. As a student, I traveled to Northwest Greenland where I experienced first-hand how warming, and the diminishing sea ice, affected the daily life of the indigenous people. Since then, have I dedicated my work to understand how climate change is affecting marine life and ecosystems in the Arctic region.

What are the scientific challenges and perspectives in your project?

Greenland's coastline stretches over 40,000 kilometers and encompasses numerous fjord systems with various glacier dynamics. The coast is sparsely populated and has limited infrastructure. Therefore, a key challenge is conducting the large-scale field studies necessary to understand how climate change affects marine life in the fjord systems, climate zones, and coastal areas around Greenland. In collaboration with Danish and international researchers, will we work across scales from fjord to landscape to collect data that provides a first glance into the future of Arctic biodiversity.

What is your estimate of the impact, which your project may have to society in the long term?

The results from this project provides novel information on how Arctic biodiversity is responding to climate change. The new knowledge on how multiple stressors are affecting species performance will lead to more precise species distribution modeling and support national and international decision-making processes. I believe that the results will be of value to the more than four million people living in the Arctic, and contribute to the global effort to mitigate the biodiversity and climate crisis we are facing.

Which impact do you expect the Sapere Aude programme will have on your career as a researcher?

It is a big honor to be a part of the Sapere Aude: DFF-Starting Grant, which is the premier research program for young researchers in Denmark. Now I can build my own research group with talented Ph.D. students, and I get to expand my research field and solidify myself as a leading Arctic researcher, both in Denmark and globally. Additionally, the Sapere Aude grant provides me with the opportunity to attract further funding to strengthen my research programme.

Background and personal life

There is nothing better than spending time with my family. After having lived for several years in the United Kingdom and Canada, my partner, kids and I are now happy to be back in Denmark, where we have settled in Risskov near Aarhus. During my free time, I enjoy spending times with friends, exploring nature, and running. I also love all sorts of travel, from visiting big cities to Alpine skiing.