Since 2008, CLEOPATRA (CLEOPATRA: Climate effects on planktonic food quality and trophic transfer in Arctic Marginal Ice Zones) has cooperated with the ConocoPhillip-funded project ArcWin (The Arctic sea in wintertime: ecosystem structuring due to environmental variability during the polar night) (ArcWin) to compile a year-round study in Billefjorden, a seasonal ice covered fjord in close vicinity of Longyearbyen. Monthly sampling has been performed from July 2008 to August 2009 in this cold high-Arctic threshold fjord which inhabit a relatively large Calanus glacialis population. Monthly we have collected depth specific community data on meso- and macrozooplankton as well as ice core- and water samples to follow the seasonal biomass and community development of zooplankton, ice algae and phytoplankton (Projects). Close to our sampling station we have a well-equipped mooring which records continuously salinity, temperature, and fluorescence as well as vertical particle movement (ADCP; 300 and 600 kHz) and sediment material flux (Parflux sediment trap with 21 cups). This mooring will be retrieved in August 2009.

To reach this location (Station BAB) we used boat from July to December, snow mobile from January to May, and during the melting season in June we combined boat, skies, pulks and sled dogs. It hasn't always been easy to reach this location which is located approximately 60 km away from Longyearbyen by the sea route and 80 km away when travelling over land and sea ice (map), particularly not during the dark season due to little snow and unpredictable ice conditions. However, we managed to sample once sometimes twice every month!