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Swedish ICOS

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ICOS (Integrated Carbon Observation System) is a recently-launched world class research infrastructure. ICOS consists of a network of identically equipped monitoring stations dedicated to long-term studies of ecosystems and their interaction with climate, but also measurements of atmospheric greenhouse gases. The role of the network is to co-ordinate and support, by means of a number of central resources, including a Thematic Centre for ecosystems and atmospheric studies, a central data centre and a laboratory for the analysis of gases. ICOS is one of the high priority projects of ESFRI (European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures). The European Union has therefore contributed funding for planning and preparation from 2008-2012. Research institutes from 17 countries (Sweden, Belgium, The Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Switzerland, Spain and the United Kingdom) are partners of ICOS. The Swedish ICOS initiative is run by a working group consisting of researchers from Lund University, Gothenburg University, the Swedish Agricultural University (SLU), Abisko Scientific Field Station (under the ægis of the Polar Research Secretariat), and Stockholm University, under the leadership of Professor Anders Lindroth, Lund. Observation programs of ‘the big picture’, that run over long periods of time are absolutely essential if we are to understand the interaction between greenhouse gas emissions, climate and the global carbon cycle – and ICOS will offer researchers, decision makers and other interested parties detailed information over the longer term. But the effects of fast, short-term phenomena such as, for example, heat waves or other extreme weather events, can also be captured. The idea is to process all data centrally, so that results and interpretations can be made available quickly.

Subject area
ICOS will be able to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of climate-related initiatives, from attempts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and conversions to more carbon-neutral energy systems to ventures into increased uptake in farming and forestry as well as experiments in carbon dioxide sequestration. The network of observation stations makes it possible to follow the impact on global atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases and also to localize those regions that constitute sources and sinks of these gases. In total, six so-called ecosystem field stations and three atmospheric stations will be included in the Swedish network. The main aim of the Swedish field stations is to cover typical Swedish conditions and biotopes, but we also see ourselves as part of both a Nordic context and a European overview. There is much that is ‘unique’ to Sweden – and it is in the high latitudes that the most rapid (and largest) effects of climate change are expected. Sweden’s land surface is dominated by forest and that is why half of the field stations are situated in woodland : Svartbeget, Norunda and Hyltemossa. In addition, Scandinavia also has large areas of wetland, which is why two field stations will be located in this type of terrain : Stordalen and Degerö. One of these, Stordalen, lies in the sensitive subarctic Abisko area. Finally, one field station, Lanna, will be placed on agricultural land. All field stations are equipped with instrumentation for the study of the greenhouse gas exchange in the local ecosystems, while the three forest stations will also be equipped with 150 meter-high masts that carry equipment for atmospheric measurements.

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The information regarding the organization last updated: 2012-03-19