Both projects aim at a better understanding of seasonal dynamics in ice-covered high Arctic Marine ecosystems, in order to improve our ability to predict future changes in these systems that will be caused by the retreating ice cover. The CLEOPATRA field study was carried out in 2007 in Rijpfjorden (Nordaustlandet) at 80°N, whereas the CFL-project worked on the Canadian icebreaker CCGS Amundsen in the Amundsen Gulf from autumn 2007 to summer 2008. During the 3-days workshop in Rimouski, scientists from both projects presented first results and planned future joint publications.

First findings from the CLEOPATRA project point at a pronounced seasonal change in available quality and quantity of algal blooms, and indicate the importance of ice algae for this high-Arctic system. We furthermore found that diel vertical migration of zooplankton persisted almost through the entire Polar Night that lasts 4 months at these latitudes. Seasonal studies of such remote ecosystems are very rare due to logistic constrains. Hence, the comparison of data from the Norwegian and Canadian Arctic offer an unique chance to understand system contexts and draw more general conclusions than it would have been possible from one case-study only.