©Élise Imbeau 2025
Research Modules
The vision for our project was shaped through discussions with Indigenous organisations and northerners (people living in the Arctic) in Inuit Nunaat and Sápmi.
Based on local concerns, our transdisciplinary team proposes three interlinked objectives to meet the challenges of the new field of Integrated Ice Livelihood Science:
Module 01
Ice, Snow & Lake Dynamics
In Module 1, we explore how ice and snow shape the life and health of northern lakes—and how climate change is rewriting that story.
Using satellites, in-lake sensors, time-lapse cameras, and local knowledge, we track when ice forms and melts, how thick it gets, how snow cover changes, and how these shifts affect light, oxygen, and the creatures beneath the surface. Our team works hand-in-hand with northern communities to combine scientific data and traditional knowledge. Workshops capture people’s observations of how changing ice impacts fishing, safety, food security, cultural traditions, and the beauty and soundscapes of frozen lakes. By linking long-term satellite records with on-the-ground measurements, we can understand how snow and ice cover influence under-ice mixing, oxygen depletion, and winter survival for fish and other aquatic life. We use advanced models to predict future lake conditions under different climate scenarios, helping communities anticipate changes to fish habitats and food webs. This work will reveal the hidden winter dynamics of lakes, from the tiniest plankton to the fish that sustain people and wildlife, providing both the science and the stories needed to guide adaptation in a rapidly changing North.
Module 02
Life Beneath the Ice
Module 2 dives into the living networks that sustain Arctic lakes, from microscopic plankton to the fish that feed communities.
Our focus is on how changing ice and snow conditions reshape these food webs, affecting the quality and safety of freshwater foods. Working with local knowledge holders, we study lakes chosen by communities for their importance and unique characteristics. Seasonal sampling (early winter, late winter, and summer) captures how life responds to shifts in under-ice light, oxygen, and temperature. We track what fuels the food web: sunlight-driven algae or bacteria-based pathways, and measure the transfer of essential omega-3 fatty acids, harmful mercury, and even parasites through the chain from plankton to fish. Our approach links cutting-edge science—stable isotopes, fatty acid profiles, DNA sequencing—with hands-on community sampling. This reveals not only the ecological shifts underway but also their direct impacts on fish health, cultural harvests, and food security. By connecting microbial life, invertebrates, and fish to broader environmental changes, we can see how climate-driven shifts ripple through ecosystems. The insights will help communities safeguard the nutritional quality of their freshwater resources, and adapt to a future where winter itself is changing.
Module 03
Traditional Knowledge & Self-Sustaining Food Systems
Module 3 centers the voices, experiences, and priorities of Arctic communities, working alongside Inuit, Sámi, and local residents to understand how changing winters affect water, ice, and food security.
Our team listens first, through conversations, on-the-land experiences, art, mapping, and other community-led approaches, ensuring research reflects local needs and values. Together, we document lived experiences of ice and snow: where it forms, how it changes, and what those changes mean for fishing, travel, and cultural practices. This knowledge, passed through memory and daily use, complements satellite images and scientific models, grounding them in real-world conditions. When communities choose, we combine Traditional Ecological Knowledge with Western science in Bayesian Belief Networks, tools that merge diverse information to explore “what if” scenarios. These models can be run forward to predict changes or backward to identify the conditions most likely to protect freshwater food systems. By linking personal observations, cultural insights, and scientific data, we can co-create strategies that are ecologically sound, socially acceptable, and culturally meaningful. The result: locally driven pathways for adapting to a warming winter, safeguarding both the lakes that sustain life and the traditions that give it meaning.
Integrated Livelihood Science framework of FROST
The Integrated Ice Livelihood Science framework of FROST blends Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and local knowledge with Western scientific approaches to address ice livelihood security, focusing on issues such as fish kills caused by oxygen (O₂) deficits under lake ice.
The project aims to guide sustainable development and adaptation strategies to climate change while aligning with three United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: #2 Zero Hunger, #6 Clean Water and Sanitation, and #13 Climate Action.
Reinforcive feedback loop of the
Integrated Ice Livelihood Science framework of FROST
Implementation of the project within the Integrated Ice Livelihood Science
Implementation of the project within the Integrated Ice Livelihood Science framework aims to enhance lake ice livelihood security in the Arctic. The project is divided into three phases: Act (Year 1-2), Reframe (Year 2-3), and Transform (Year 4), each ending with a milestone (M1, M2, M3) and specific deliverables, which are represented in red, yellow, and green shapes.
