The expedition of the Arctic Floating University (APU-2025) on the research vessel "Professor Molchanov" has concluded in Arkhangelsk with a record number of oceanological studies.
Scientists conducted 56 oceanological stations in the Barents Sea — 20 more than last year, and three times more than in 2023. The research included landings on Novaya Zemlya and Franz Josef Land, where ground work and data collection were carried out.
During the voyage, ornithologists recorded alarming changes in the condition of seabirds. Cases of infections and parasitic lesions were noted in guillemots and kittiwakes, as well as corpses of birds in places where such observations had not been made before. This signals problems in the Arctic ecosystem.
Researchers will also be looking for pathogens of infections, including the highly pathogenic avian influenza A virus, which is spreading in 2025.
The expedition confirmed the accelerated melting of glaciers in the south of Franz Josef Land. The area of ice on Wilczek Island has halved since 1999. After the glacier retreated, the remains of marine mammals were discovered there, which is important for studying the climate and sea level.
In addition, scientists studied the pollution of the Arctic by microplastics, heavy metals and persistent organic substances.
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Arctic Floating University starts studying microplastics and toxic pollutants in the Barents Sea