Improving the framework for assessment of ecological change in the Arctic: A circumpolar synthesis of freshwater biodiversity

1. Climate warming and subsequent landscape transformations result in rapid ecological change in Arctic freshwaters. Here we provide a synthesis of the diversity of benthic diatoms, plankton, macrophytes, macroinvertebrates, and fish in Arctic freshwaters.2. We developed a multi-organism measure of alpha diversity to characterise circumpolar spatial patterns and their environmental correlates, and we assessed ecoregion-level beta diversity for all organism groups across the Arctic.3. Alpha diversity was lowest at high latitudes and elevations and where dispersal barriers exist. Diversity was positively related to temperature, and both temperature and connectivity limited diversity on high latitude islands. Beta diversity was highly variable among ecoregions for most organism groups, ranging from 0 (complete similarity) to 1 (complete dissimilarity). The high degree of dissimilarity within many ecoregions illustrates the uniqueness of many Arctic freshwater communities.4. Northward range expansion of freshwater taxa into Arctic regions may lead to increased competition for cold-stenothermic and cold-adapted species, and ultimately lead to the extinction of unique Arctic species. Societal responses to predicted impacts include: (1) actions to improve detection of changes (e.g., harmonised monitoring, remote sensing) and engagement with Arctic residents and Indigenous Peoples; and (2) actions to reduce the impact of unwanted changes (e.g., reductions of CO2 emissions, action against the spread of invasive species).5. Current Arctic freshwater monitoring shows large gaps in spatial coverage, while time series data are scarce. Arctic countries should develop an intensified, long-term monitoring programme with routine reporting. Such an approach will allow detection of long-term changes in water quality, biodiversity, and ecosystem services of Arctic freshwaters

Áskoranir í valddreifingu og auðlindastjórnun á norðurskautssvæðinu í kjölfar veðurfarsbreytinga

Norðurskautssvæðið er fjölbreyttur staður þar sem saman koma átta þjóðríki, ótal þjóðarbrot með mismunandi menningu, áherslur og markmið. Þar er einnig að finna bæði fjölbreytt dýralíf og einstakar náttúruperlur. Norðurskautssvæðið er einnig hlaðið jafnt endurnýjanlegum og óendurnýjanlegum auðlindum og því miklir hagsmunir í húfi. Í kjölfar hnattrænnar hlýnunar má gera ráð fyrir að ásókn í þessar auðlindir muni aukast eftir því sem aðgengi eykst. Í sögulegi samhengi má líta svo á að norðurskautssvæðið hafi verið auðlindakista fyrir ríkin sem eiga þar land, en bæði meirihluti íbúa sem og stjórnarsetur þeirra eru fyrir utan norðurskautasvæði að Íslandi undanskildu. Breytt viðhorf í alþjóðastjórnmálum hafa leitt af sér aukna valddreifingu og eiga stjórnvöld nú erfiðara með að hafa sínu fram án samráðs við íbúa á svæðinu. Á norðurskautssvæðinu er að finna fjölbreyttan hóp frumbyggja sem hafa á seinustu áratugum unnið að því að fá rétt sinn til lands viðurkenndan og hafa þeir náð mikilvægum áföngum í þeirri baráttu sinni. Norðurskautssvæðið hefur að geyma mikin auð, í margvíslegu formi hvort sem það er í efnahagslegum eða menningarlegum skilningi og þarf að vernda þá auðlind. Þjóðirnar átta á heimskautasvæðinu ásamt samtökum frumbyggja hafa bundist böndum í Norðurskautsráðinu með sjálfbæra þróun að leiðarljósi. Breytingar þær sem framundan eru sökum hlýnunar munu kalla á aðlögun íbúa á svæðinu. Slíkri aðlögun þarf þó að fylgja geta, þekking og að valdhafar séu í nánum tengslum við það svæði og það samfélag sem þarf að aðlagast breyttum aðstæðum. Því er mikilvægt að staðbundið vald sé elft þar sem staðbundin stjórnvöld hljóta að hafa betra skynbragð á hvaða aðgerða er þörf til aðlögunar á nýjum aðstæðum

The Arctic Nature Index (ANI). Challenges and Opportunities

This report summarizes the results of two joint pilot projects conducted by the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF), the biodiversity working group of the Arctic Council and the Norwegian Environment Agency (NEA), concerning the implementation of the Nature Index (NI) framework in Svalbard and the circumpolar Arctic. The aims of these two pilot projects were to (1) investigate the possibility of establishing the NI in the Arctic; (2) transfer competence to the CAFF secretariat to manage such implementation; and (3) establish a pilot website to test the NI-framework. This report discuss choices regarding area divisions, major ecosystems and indicators for the implementation of the Nature Index framework in the Arctic. It presents a pilot website designed to test indicators for Arctic areas. Basic spatial units have been selected and implemented in the pilot web-site for the Barents Sea, Iceland and Svalbard. For all areas, both marine and terrestrial, basic spatial units must be agreed upon before implementation in the website. Testing the website and methodology is only possible when basic spatial units are defined. Successful implementation of a useful Arctic Nature Index (ANI) and in Svalbard will depend upon the quality and extent of included indicator data series; broader inclusion of taxonomic and ecological functions will strengthen its value. We recommend that the already estab-lished expert groups within CAFF and Environmental monitoring of Svalbard and Jan Mayen (MOSJ) should define the indicators and the necessary ecological information. Scientists participating in the project should be in charge of selecting what nature indices are pre-sented, that is, indices presenting the state of biodiversity within a major ecosystem and/or area, or thematic indices on e.g., groups of species. The participating scientists should also be involved in writing reports/ papers based on these results as is the practice in Norway. The purpose of this pilot project is therefore to propose a platform to collect, standardize and present ecological information on these indicators – not to replace an already existing pro-ces