Towards a sustained pan-Arctic network of Distributed Biological Observatories (DBOs) - Tracking the impact of changing environmental drivers on Arctic marine ecosystems

Anna Nikolopoulos1, Marit Reigstad1, Arild Sundfjord2 , Jacqueline M. Grebmeier3 , Lee W. Cooper3, Christina L. Goethel3, Kumiko Azetsu-Scott4 , Craig M. Lee5, Jinyoung Jung6, Eun Jin Yang6, Igor V. Polyakov7, Laura M. Whitmore7 1 UiT The Arctic University of Norway and 2 Norwegian Polar Institute, NORWAY, 3 University of Maryland Center for Environmen tal Science, USA 4 Bedford Institute of Oceanography, DFO, CANADA, 5 Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington, USA, 6 Korean Polar Research Institute, REPUBLIC OF KOREA, 7 International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, USA This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 101003472 The DBO landscape Arctic Ocean observations continue to face significant gaps in time and space, and in the measured parameter types. Seasonal coverage is often limited, and spatial gaps persist both in a geographical aspect and into the deeper ocean. Bottom-anchored moorings help address temporal gaps but rarely reach the biologically rich upper 50–100 meters, where drifting sea ice poses high risks to instruments. Satellite observations enhance horizontal coverage of the sea surface but are constrained by cloud cover and sea ice and cannot access subsurface conditions. Biological measurements still lag behind physical and chemical ones as these remain difficult to undertake with automated tools. Collaborative efforts are essential to fill observational gaps, strengthen capacity, and connect long-term mandates with short-term initiatives. Since 2010, the Distributed Biological Observatory (DBO) has coordinated ship-based sampling at key biological hotspots in the Pacific Arctic. This international, long-term effort complements existing observatories, improves ecological measurements, fosters collaboration, and reduces data fragmentation. A regional work plan helps identify synergies and gaps, supports increased coverage at priority sites, improves data flow, and promotes efficient use of infrastructure. By leveraging existing monitoring programs, the DBO concept expands ecosystem-level observations and deepens understanding of how biological systems respond to rapid environmental change—impacting marine life and coastal communities alike. Future Directions Long-term, multidisciplinary Arctic Ocean observations —dependent on sustained, international funding— are essential for understanding Arctic marine ecosystem responses to environmental drivers. The pan-Arctic DBO constellation provides a practical framework that connects key regions of the Arctic Ocean and demonstrates how regional efforts can scale up through international science cooperation. The framework continues to evolve, with the following aims: Detect system-wide changes: Track fluxes of heat, freshwater, carbon, and nutrients, as well as shifts in species distributions, timing of events and impacts on ecosystems. Refine strategies to capture changes and trends relevant to both science, society and conservation. Strengthen local engagement: Build monitoring capacity and resilience in coastal communities. Collaborate with rightsholders and stakeholders to include variables of societal relevance and explore coastal-offshore interactions. Promote harmonization and data sharing: Align sampling and data exchange procedures across sites to enable reliable comparisons. Advance practices that support data discovery, access, and use guided by FAIR and CARE principles. Expand cross-observatory data use: Enhance development and use of ecosystem-relevant sensors and tools. Collaborate with remote sensing and modelling communities to improve data access and integration. Support synthesis efforts across sites and observational approaches — providing context for planning the upcoming International Polar Year. Map of the Arctic Ocean IBCAOv4.2 bathymetry grid (0-4300 m depth) overlaid with the major Arctic Ocean current systems; Red: Atlantic Inflow, Green: Pacific inflow, Green/Blue: Beaufort Gyre, Blue: Arctic outflow through the Canadian Archipelago, with the Transpolar Drift, and in the East Greenland Current. Figure: A. Skoglund (NPI), A. Nikolopoulos (UiT) Recent progress The DBO landscape has expanded beyond the Pacific Arctic to include the Atlantic-Arctic gateway, Davis Strait and Baffin Bay, and the Siberian Seas. These four regional DBOs place local observations in a broader pan-Arctic context and serve as key tools for tracking system-wide physical and ecological change. Arctic PASSION played a central role in establishing the Atlantic-Arctic DBO and advancing the pan-Arctic DBO network through several key achievements: • Building an organisational structure that includes relevant institutions and science communities, • Formulating a collaborative vision to optimise observational capacity and harmonise methods and data, • Engaging a broader science community, strengthening both disciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration, and • Supporting discussions on priority science questions and key features to monitor. These efforts have also helped foster stronger links with other marine observation initiatives, including the Synoptic Arctic Survey (SAS), and supported alignment with broader coordination frameworks such as the developing Arctic Ocean Regional Alliance (ArORA), the strategic priorities of the IASC Marine Working Group and UN Ocean Decade initiatives. Moore SE, Grebmeier JM, 2018: doi.org/10.14430/arctic4606 Grebmeier JM, Moore SE, Cooper LW, Frey KE, 2019: doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2019.05.005 LEARN MORE: A-DBO P-DBO S-DBO