In the current scenario of global change, it is important to understand the role of the deep ecosystems of the Arctic Ocean in global biodiversity and ecosystem functioning and services. New data on these still pristine ecosystems, and in particular on the connectivity between populations, is fundamental for defining spatial management strategies. The complex deep ecosystems of the Gakkel Ridge have been proposed as routes for larval dispersal between ocean basins.
However, visual confirmation of the occurrence of hydrothermal vents under ice in the Arctic Ocean, the Aurora hydrothermal field (82.5°N), only happened in 2014 and the dispersal potential of hydrothermal fauna remains poorly understood and totally unknown for Arctic communities. The AURORA project will advance the frontiers of research in the deep sea and the Arctic Ocean, in collaboration with the FRINATEK-HACON project (https://bit.ly/2OzpRlB), by studying the physical, bathymetric and ecological processes that promote the connectivity of populations of species from hydrothermal vents and seamounts in the Arctic. The general aim of AURORA is to evaluate the role of the Gakkel Ridge as a connectivity route between ocean basins and to assess its biogeographical position on a global scale, producing new knowledge of a pristine region as well as scientifically robust data essential for future management plans.