Arctic Biodiversity Science Summary

A Short-eared Owl perches on the side of a road through the tundra.

NPS/Neal Herbert

This review provides a synopsis of the main findings of individual papers in the special issue Terrestrial Biodiversity in a Rapidly Changing Arctic. The special issue was developed to inform the State of the Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity Report developed by the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program (CBMP) of the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF), Arctic Council working group.

The Arctic is changing, without a doubt. Describing the numerous and complex changes to biodiversity across the circumpolar region, however, is a challenge. To more fully understand the impacts of environmental change requires a long-term perspective and evaluation across multiple scales and interactions, simultaneously. An extensive, integrated, ecosystem-based monitoring program would preferably be coupled with targeted research projects deciphering processes causing patterns observed in monitoring programs. This combination of understanding how ecosystems work and monitoring long-term status and trends would provide knowledge to inform natural resource decision making.

Arctic terrestrial biodiversity status and trends: A synopsis of science supporting the CBMP State of Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity Report

Abstract

This review provides a synopsis of the main findings of individual papers in the special issue Terrestrial Biodiversity in a Rapidly Changing Arctic. The special issue was developed to inform the State of the Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity Report developed by the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program (CBMP) of the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF), Arctic Council working group. Salient points about the status and trends of Arctic biodiversity and biodiversity monitoring are organized by taxonomic groups: (1) vegetation, (2) invertebrates, (3) mammals, and (4) birds. This is followed by a discussion about commonalities across the collection of papers, for example, that heterogeneity was a predominant pattern of change particularly when assessing global trends for Arctic terrestrial biodiversity. Finally, the need for a comprehensive, integrated, ecosystem-based monitoring program, coupled with targeted research projects deciphering causal patterns, is discussed.

Taylor, J. J., J. P. Lawler, M. Aronsson, et al. 2020. Arctic terrestrial biodiversity status and trends: A synopsis of science supporting the CBMP State of Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity Report. Ambio 49(3): 833-847.

Explore more in Ambio 49(3), March 2020: Special Issue: Terrestrial biodiversity in a rapidly changing Arctic.