Motivations
FROST was created to better understand how Arctic lakes are changing in a warming climate and what this means for the communities that depend on them. By combining scientific research with Indigenous knowledge, we aim to co-create strategies that sustain healthy lakes, secure food resources, and support traditional ways of life.
Why It Matters: The Arctic Is Warming Faster Than Anywhere Else
Climate change is reshaping the Arctic at an unprecedented pace, nearly four times faster than the global average. Warming temperatures, melting ice, and shifting ecosystems are transforming freshwater systems,impacting biodiversity, food security, and cultural traditions.
Arctic Freshwater Food Systems: The Heart of Life in the North
These interconnected ecosystems (lakes, rivers, wetlands) are home to organisms uniquely adapted to cold temperatures, extreme light cycles, and nutrient-poor waters. From plankton to fish, every species plays a role in sustaining the food web.
For thousands of years, Indigenous and local communities have relied on these systems for food, cultural practices, and livelihoods. In discussions, winter fish kills, and critical changes in fish nutritional quality and ice structure were listed as key concerns. These changes will have serious implications for community well-being, affecting physical, mental, and cultural health via reduced opportunities for inter-generational knowledge sharing, compromised food security, and the potential loss of local livelihoods. These concerns provide the foundation for FROST.
Quotes from Inuit Nunaat and Sápmi at the FROST consultation meetings
Our Research Approach
FROST brings together experts in ecology, geochemistry, traditional knowledge, and environmental modeling. We work across disciplines and cultures to co-produce knowledge and guide sustainable Arctic stewardship.
Most Arctic freshwater research remains fragmented, confined by seasons, locations, and disciplines. Although Arctic lakes and rivers are ice- or snow-covered for over half the year, we know little about how shorter ice seasons and heavier snowpacks are reshaping ecosystems, climate feedbacks, and local livelihoods. With rapid economic development adding pressure, sustainably managing these snow- and ice-dependent waters is increasingly urgent. Too often, studies prioritize Western science over Indigenous knowledge, limiting relevance and acceptance. Expanding research across all seasons and working within collaborative, reflexive frameworks can unite knowledge systems, strengthen partnerships, and support community-led solutions that balance scientific insight with local realities.
The Integrated Ice Livelihood Science framework
The project aims also to develop an integrative science framework to support sustainable development and adaptation strategies, all in the increasingly urgent context of accelerated climate change. The Integrated Ice Livelihood Science framework aims to enhance lake ice livelihood security in the Arctic.
Where We Work
From ice-covered lakes to community meeting halls, our research spans the Arctic landscape.
In close collaboration with Inuit and Sàmi partners, the project spans 12 research sites across the Arctic: Toolik Lake (USA), Cambridge Bay, Resolute Bay, Kivalliq, Bylot Island, and Tasikallak (Canada); Qeqertarsuaq and Zackenberg (Greenland); Takvatnet (Norway); Abisko (Sweden); and Kilpisjärvi and Muddujärvi (Finland).
