To understand the ecology of ice associated amphipods in relation to variations in the sea ice cover, and to develop a monitoring tool for assessment of the impacts of oil industrial activities in the Arctic environment.

Earlier studies on sympagic fauna has concentrated on the more commonly observed and abundant G. wilkitzkii and A. glacialis, while the Onisimus spp. have obtained less attention. This study will primarily focus on the Onisimus species. Because of the logistical difficulties involved in sea ice fauna studies, an alternative approach is suggested to study the sympagic species in this genus. By focusing on the sister-taxon O. litoralis, new hypotheses concerning life-history parameters, ecology and the potential in ecotoxicological studies of the sympagic Onisimus species can be developed and tested.