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Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna

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Arctic importance to global biodiversity

• 14.8 million km² of land - 13 million km² of ocean

• Vast wilderness areas

• Largest global freshwater reserves (with Antarctic)

• Globally significant array of biodiversity

• The contribution of wildlife to global biodiversity is

substantial.

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Arctic importance to global biodiversity

• Unique and diverse indigenous cultures

• Life is existing on the edge of what is possible and

small physical changes can be crucial for arctic

ecosystems and for the worlds biodiversity.

• Changes in biodiversity will cause changes in

economy both negative and positive

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• Climate change

• Resource development

- e.g. oil and gas exploration

• Increased shipping/air traffic

• Habitat destruction and fragmentation

• Invasive species

• Overexploitation

Arctic pressures/stressors

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• Rapid warming in Arctic - worldwide implications• Biota – geographical and numerical shifts • Coastal communities - increasing physical exposure• Less sea ice – crucial for some species • Less sea Ice - increase transport and resource access• Less sea Ice – problems for some local communities• Melting of Greenland Ice sheet and glaciers – interruption

of coastal ecosystems and ocean current • Thawing - disrupts infrastructure; feeding areas shift• Indigenous peoples - economic and cultural impacts• Multiple interactions - impacts to people and ecosystems

Arctic Climate change (ACIA)

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What is the Conservation of Arctic Flora & Fauna (CAFF)? • Working Group of the Arctic

Council (one of six)

• Focus on biodiversity • Board members from:

– 8 Arctic countries

– 6 Indigenous organisations

• Observers from:– International organisations

– Non Arctic countries

• Secretariat in Akureyri, Iceland

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• … to address the conservation of Arctic biodiversity, and to communicate the findings to the governments and residents of the Arctic, helping to promote practices which ensure the sustainability of the Arctic’s living resources …

• …to monitor, assess, report on and protect biodiversity in the Circumpolar Arctic

CAFF mandate

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• Evaluate status and trends of biodiversity• Establish baseline data• Improve and enhance capacity to monitor• Integrated approach to biodiversity monitoring• Monitoring on a circumpolar as against national scale• Analyse gaps in monitoring programs• Understand changes with focused research

CAFF what will be in focus over the coming years

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• Expert Groups – Seabirds, Flora & Protected Areas

• Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Programme

• Arctic Biodiversity Assessment

• Individual projects . - Endorsement of Arctic projects

CAFF how responding to these needs

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• ACIA recommendation - expand & enhance

long-term Arctic biodiversity monitoring

• International network working to improve detection, understanding & reporting of biodiversity trends

• A focal point for cutting edge Arctic

biodiversity information ……

• Coordinating body of Monitoring Networks

The CBMP circumpolar biodiversity monitoring programme

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• Ecosystem based management approach– Over 60 Global Partners – 33 of which are Arctic networks are linked to the CBMP

• Led by Canada with funding from Canada, US,

Finland, Sweden and Norway, Sweden and EU

• Expert Monitoring Groups - Terrestrial fauna, vegetation, freshwater, marine & coastal

CBMP circumpolar biodiversity monitoring programme

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• Arctic Species Trend Index

– Vertebrate population abundance data are being used to produce an indicator of the trends in arctic biodiversity

– Time span over the last 35 years

– Tracks 965 populations of 306 species

– Representing 35% of all known vertebrate species found in the Arctic

– Presently under review

• Protected Areas Workshop

– To develop a circumpolar Protected Areas Monitoring Framework

– Being led by the US

CBMP some upcoming activities

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• Purpose:– To synthesize and assess the status and trends of

biological diversity in the Arctic

• Baseline data:

– Compile up-to-date scientific & TEK – Identify gaps in data records– Identify main stressors and

key mechanisms driving change– Produce recommendations

• Co-leads – Greenland/Denmark, Finland and the US

Arctic Biodiversity Assessment overview (www.caff.is/aba)

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• Three components:– Arctic Biodiversity Highlights Report (2010)– Scientific Assessment (2013)– Overview & Policy Recommendations (2013)

• Highlights Report - AC contribution to the UN International Biodiversity Year 2010

• Measure progress towards the 2010 CBD target - to reduce the rate of biodiversity loss

• Baseline for future assessments of Arctic biodiversity

Arctic Biodiversity Assessment overview (www.caff.is/aba)

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Arctic Biodiversity Trends 2010 selected indicators of change (www.caff.is/aba)Species Ice dependent Species

Polar Bears Aquatic freshwater ecosystems

Reindeer/Caribou Permafrost change - Appearance and Disappearance of Lakes

Shorebirds (Red Knot) Ice Cover duration (including nutrient change)

Seabirds (Murres and Common Eiders) Marine Ecosystems

Range changes in invertebrates Changing distribution of fish in general

Flora – bryophytes Seafloor destruction

Arctic Char Chapter 6 – Ecosystems goods and services

Invasive species – man induced Reindeer herding

Emerging species – natural migrations Changes in harvest (subsistence & commercial)

The Arctic Species Trend Index (ASTI) Human footprint

Terrestrial ecosystems Protected areas Linguistic Diversity

Greening of the Arctic Genetic Diversity

Reproductive Phenology (including Snow Cover) Past and present bottlenecks in population genetics

Lemmings Ice dependent species

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Scientific Assessment structure (www.caff.is/aba)

Species accounts Terrestrial ecosystems

Mammals Aquatic ecosystems

Birds Marine ecosystems

Amphibians & reptiles Ecosystem services

Fish Genetic diversity

Invertebrates Conservation Issues

Plants Gaps & Recommendations

Fungi and Lichens

Diseases and Parasites

Invasive species

Diseases and Pathogens

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Arctic Council Arctic Spatial Data Infrastructure (ASDI)

• A framework of spatial data, metadata, users and tools that are interactively connected in order to use spatial data in an efficient and flexible way

• Supported by the mapping agencies of all 8 AC countries

• Addressed at upcoming AC meeting in November

• A sustainable approach to develop and maintain an Arctic SDI

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Photos courtesy of ARC-PIC.COM

Thank you