The 1998 Danish-German Excursion to Disko Island, West Greenland Edited by Angelika Brandt, Helge AmThomsen, Henning Heide-Jorgensen, Reinhard M. Kristensen & Hilke Ruhberg with contributions of the participants Ber. Polarforsch. 330 (1999) ISSN 0176 - 5027 International Darsish-German Contents 1 The 1998 Danish-German Excursion to Disko Island, 'West Greenland. H. A. Thomsen & A. Brandt .................................... 2. Mycorrhizal syinbioses in four plant communities in Greenland in relation to different soil factors. K. Clemmensen & A. HoffHansen ... 3. An analysis of plant communities and enviromnental factors 0x1 Pjeturssons Moraine, Disko, Greenland. K. Dahl Jensen & K. Steenbers,Larsen ............................................. 4. Puilassoq, the warmest homothermal spring of Disko Island. H S. Heide-Jmgensen & R. M. Kristensen .............................. 5. Tardigrades in the Soil of Greenland. C. Starck & R. I>{. fiisteiism 6. Ecological aspects of tardigrade distribution on Disko Island, Wes1 Greenland. T. Peters & P. Dumjahn ........................... 7. Rapid assessment of spider species richness in thc krclic (Disko, West Greenland). S. Larsen & T. D. Rasmussen ........................... 8. Observations of passerine birds in Bla?sedalcn, Disko Island, W. Greenland. D. Finke & C. Brandt ............................ 9. The intertidal macrofauna and macroa1ga.e ai: five Arciic loralities (Disko, West Greenland). L. Hansen ............................... 10. The Mellemfjord (Disko, West Greenland) - hydrography and pelagic biology. N. Hansen & F. Schmidt ................................. 11. Comparative analysis of three sampling gear types for marine macrobenthos. A. Ar. LörzA. di Renzo & J. Nickel ......... .......... 12. The diversity of Polychaeta and their feeding habits related to types of sediment in Mellemfjord, Disko Island, West Greenland. -4, Liebermann ................................................ 13. On the taxonomy of Spio filicornis (Spioriidae, Polychaeta) - Nipisat, Disko, Greenland. K. Worsaae ................................ 14. Distribution and Composition of Meiofauna with special atcention to the Kinorhyncha in the Mellemfjord, Disko Island (West Greenland). J Winkelmann & 0 Ziemer .................................. Annex: Addresses ofpafcicipants ......................................... 182 Photos ...................................................... 83-184 introduction 1 P- The 1998 Danish-German Excursion to Disko Island, West Greenland Helge Abildhauge Thomsen (I) & Angelika Brandt (2' I' Danish Institut for Fisheries Research, Dept. of Marine and Coastal Ecology Kavalergaarden 6, DK-2920 Charlottenlund, Denrnark ' Zoological Institute and Zoological Museum, University of Hamburg, Martin- Luther-King-Platz 3, D-20146 Harnburg, Germany Introduction This report summarizes the results from a biological field course organized at the University of Copenhagen Arctic Station in July - August 1998. Twelve students from the University of Copenhagen and 10 students from Hamburg University participated in this International Danish-Gern~an Expedition (IDGE). Field activities were supervised by senior researchers from both universities. The Danish team consisted of: Helge Abildhauge Thomsen (Botanical Institute), Reinhardt Mebjerg Kristensen (Zoological Museum), and Henning Heide-Jergensen (Botanical Institute). The German teachers were: Angelika Brandt and Hilke Ruhberg (Zool. Institute and Museum). A Gerrnan Ph.D. student, Jör Nickel, also participated in the field activities, and is now (May-September 1999) back in Greenland continuing a sampling Programme for his Ph.D. thesis. The Arctic Station is located near the town Qeqestarsuaq (Godhavn) on the south coast of the Disko Island, West Greenland (Fig. 1). It was founded in 1906, and is thus the oldest research institution north of the polar circle. For a thorough introduction to the Arctic Station please consult the homepage for the institution at the address: h~~://~~~ww.~eo~r.ku.dklas/. The field course projects addressed both terrestrial and marine issues. Part of the field work was conducted in Mellemfjord IAkulliit on the West coast of the Disko Island. A camp site was maintained here for a period of approximately three weeks. During the field course period (15 July - 8 August 1998) we visited the Mellemfjord four times on board the Arctic Station research vessel 'Porsild'. Other projects were based on material collected in the vicinity of the Arctic Station. Project themes, field acitivies etc. are summarized in Fig. 2. In order to set the stage for the presentations to follow, we have included at the end of the introduction a few graphs illustrating meteorological observations from bot11 the Arctic Station and the Melle~l~fjord IAkulliit. Our stay in Greenland was generally successful from a scientific point of view, and a great experience for all of us in nlany other ways. The weather was fabulous, making mountain hikes and boat rides unforgettable. Whales were frequently sighted right in front of the Arctic Station, and the Jakobshavn glacier produced an endless line of Fig. 1. Map of Greenland. The arrow points to Disko Island magnifirent icebergs that n~ajesticallyfloated by the Arctic Station or grounded right in fiort ofus Aftei our return to Copenhagen and Hamburg the processing of sarnples and field data continued for all project teams. In order to exchange data files and discuss scientific issues of common interest. these was a shoi-t nieeting for most participants in November 1998 a.t the University of Copenliagen Brorfelde field station. Tlie L~liv.of Copenhagen students subn~ittedDanish versions of their project reports in d'i~ctiwe for a sclicduled oral examination in January 1999. These contributions have later been revised as needed and published as part of a series of annual Arctic Station tield excursion reports (Thomsen 1999). The Danish contributions included in this volv.ine are to a. large extent further revised and translated versions of these chapto s. A few contributions, e.g. on spiders, mycorrhiza, sliding soil vegetation, and Spio f-pu. (,Polychaeta), are extended abstracts. These contributions are currently being prep..n.-G FOT publication in more specialized, international Journals. The L ;:v:~::rsity of I-Iamburg students subniitted English versions in 1999. These were revie' ¥.,. by tlic group of teachers and most, but not all of the corrected versions are i~icl~i('¥ Li this report. Some of these reports on tardigrades and macrofauna will servc .,-. ; basis for subsequent a.naivses which will lead to niasters' theses. Course plan 1998 July August 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 73 24 25 76 77 28 28 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 D U lt'roject perioa I Benthos 2 4 liiert ^CU T Cnar o na? 'CS I" Sliding soll + Tard 2 Mycorrhiza 2 Helge (HAT) Reinhardt (RMK) l Ange r-a An) I i<e [l-il?) i .<yç.?"":<'.. .'f-y'twy^vr^^vr-. .> -. Jorg Nickel 1 PORSILD -1 mmq =pick up the German 'Corrnorant'group comng back frorn MF Available space on Porsild No persons overnight at AS 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 No. persons overnight at MF 0 AS - general excursions ior everyone / Iectures I unpacktng & packing etc. Project time spent at the Arctic Station Time spent in transit to and from IvIF (7 h each way) and ot MF campsite Time spent in lluhssat I excursion to the icefjord Time spent in Kangeriussuak / excursion to the icecap or lakes inthe viciiiity of Kang Fig. 2. Overview of Course activities First and foremost we Want to thank the entire staff at the Arctic Station for providing logistic support for us in every possible way. Thanks are also due to a number of colleagues at the University of Copenhagen for assisting with sarnple analysis etc.: N. Schairff. D. Eibye-Jacobsen, G. H. Petersen, M. E. Petersen (Zool, Museum), and A. Michelsen and P. M. Pedersen (Botanical Institute). Bermi Hansen (Roskilde Univ. Center) is acknowledged for help with the zooplankton work. The Faculty of Science provided financial support for Danish students and two teachers. The Botanical Institute, Univ. Copenhagen, is acknowledged for financial suppori that allowed us to include H. Heide-.Jmgensen in the tearn of teachers. The Danish students acknowledge the G. E. C. Gads Foundation, the Brewer J. C. Jacobsen's Carlsbcrg ßursai and the Greenland Natuie Institute for financial support. The faculty of biology of the University of Hamburg supported the German students. Special thank is due to Ms. E. Hjelm. IHowever, participation of the Germans would 4 Introduction not have been possible without the generous financial support of "Jack Wolfskin", '~lobetrotter",the "University Foundation of Hamburg", the "Johanna and Fritz Buch Gedächnisstiftungas well as "GüntheBock". Special thanks are also due to "Print 64" for help with the layout of an invitation, and especially Gisela Wegener and Katrin Linse for organizational help before the excursion started. M. Böttingeand P. Stiewe kindly assisted us with the final layout, Dr. B. Hilbig kindly corrected the English of our last version. Many kind colleagues of the Zoological Institute and Zool. Museum supported our ideas and helped with equipment. References: Thomsen, H. A. (ed) 1999. Arktisk Biologisk Feltkursus, Qeqertarsuaq 1998. Botanisk Institut, K~benhavnsUniversitet, 242 pp. ISBN: 87-9873 17-2-6. Appendix: Meteorological obsewations 1998 at the Arctic Station, Qeqertarsuaq (Godhavn), and Akulliit (Mellemfjord), West Greenland. The data presented On the following pages originate from automated