Non-native pink (humpback) salmon, a winner of climate change, has in recent years had mass occurrences in north European rivers. Pink salmon has a 2-yr anadromous life cycle, in which all adults die in rivers after spawning. Nutrients released from the carcasses have high potential to trigger various ecological and societal responses especially in Arctic ecosystems with ultra-oligotrophic nature. This interdisciplinary research project focuses on unstudied dichotomy of threats versus opportunities resulting from additional resources using pink salmon as an example source of climate change linked nutrient inputs. It assesses the changes in key ecological functions and community structure of the native fauna and flora and explores the potential for complex effects across food webs and ecosystem boundaries. Research is based on extensive field studies, mesocosm experiment, meta-analysis, and in-depth interviews. Data will be collected mainly from northernmost Finland and Norway.

2023

2027