Recommendations

Project	Type	Outcome	Report	Year
CBMP Freshwater Biodiversity Monitoring	Key finding	The vast expanse of the Arctic region in some countries (e.g., Canada, Russia) and the high monetary cost and logistical constraints associated with sampling in some regions (e.g., northern Canada and Russia, Greenland, Svalbard, Faroe Islands) limits the possibility of routine monitoring. This leads to sparse sample coverage in space and time, particularly where funds are not secure.	State of the Arctic Freshwater Biodiversity: Key Findings and Advice for Monitoring	2016
CBMP Freshwater Biodiversity Monitoring	Key finding	All countries have data sets that allow for identification of baseline levels for most FECs, but only a few countries (such as Finland and Sweden) have an extensive spatial coverage and very few countries have long time series. Data collection was not exhaustive, and there are likely additional data that exist for each country that may contribute to the assessment of freshwater biodiversity; however, significant gaps will remain even with a more extensive search of existing data sources.	State of the Arctic Freshwater Biodiversity: Key Findings and Advice for Monitoring	2016
CBMP Freshwater Biodiversity Monitoring	Key finding	Arctic freshwater ecosystems are highly threatened by climate change and human development which can alter the distribution and abundance of species and affect biodiversity and the ecosystem services on which many Arctic peoples depend.	State of the Arctic Freshwater Biodiversity: Key Findings and Advice for Monitoring	2016
CBMP Freshwater Biodiversity Monitoring	Key finding	Available long-term monitoring records and research data indicate that freshwater biodiversity has changed over the last 200 years, with shifts in species composition being less dramatic in areas where temperatures have been more stable.	State of the Arctic Freshwater Biodiversity: Key Findings and Advice for Monitoring	2016
CBMP Freshwater Biodiversity Monitoring	Key finding	In countries where routine government monitoring is limited or does not occur, data must come from other sources (e.g., academic research), where unsecure funding often leads to single-event sampling, meaning that change over time cannot be examined.	State of the Arctic Freshwater Biodiversity: Key Findings and Advice for Monitoring	2016
CBMP Freshwater Biodiversity Monitoring	Key finding	Instruments such as the European Water Framework Directive promote routine monitoring of lake and river FECs. But where a country, ecoregion, or FEC is not covered by such instruments, monitoring is irregular, has poor spatial coverage, or is absent.	State of the Arctic Freshwater Biodiversity: Key Findings and Advice for Monitoring	2016
CBMP Freshwater Biodiversity Monitoring	Key finding	Patterns of biodiversity vary across the Arctic, but ecoregions that have historically warmer temperatures and connections to the mainland generally have higher biodiversity than those with cold temperatures (high latitude or altitude) or on remote islands.	State of the Arctic Freshwater Biodiversity: Key Findings and Advice for Monitoring	2016
CBMP Marine Biodiversity Monitoring	Key finding	Food resources are being lost for many Arctic species in Arctic marine environments. Many species have to travel further and expend more energy to feed, leading to concerns about individual health and potential effects at the population level	State of the Arctic Marine Biodiversity: Key Findings and Advice for Monitoring	2017
CBMP Marine Biodiversity Monitoring	Key finding	Some Arctic species are shifting their ranges northwards to seek more favourable conditions as the Arctic warms. These movements pose unknown consequences for Arctic species and their interactions, such as predation and competition.	State of the Arctic Marine Biodiversity: Key Findings and Advice for Monitoring	2017
CBMP Marine Biodiversity Monitoring	Key finding	Northward movement is easier for more mobile openwater species. Open water species such as polar cod, are more mobile compared to those linked to shelf regions, such as benthic species including some fishes for which suitable habitat may be unavailable if they move northward.	State of the Arctic Marine Biodiversity: Key Findings and Advice for Monitoring	2017
CBMP Marine Biodiversity Monitoring	Key finding	Increasing numbers and diversity of southern species are moving into Arctic waters. In some cases, they may outcompete and prey on Arctic species, or offer a less nutritious food source for Arctic species.	State of the Arctic Marine Biodiversity: Key Findings and Advice for Monitoring	2017
CBMP Marine Biodiversity Monitoring	Key finding	Current trends indicate that species reliant on sea ice for reproduction, resting or foraging will experience range reductions as sea ice retreat occurs earlier and the open water season is prolonged.	State of the Arctic Marine Biodiversity: Key Findings and Advice for Monitoring	2017
CBMP Marine Biodiversity Monitoring	Key finding	Arctic marine species and ecosystems are undergoing pressure from cumulative changes in their physical, chemical and biological environment.	State of the Arctic Marine Biodiversity: Key Findings and Advice for Monitoring	2017
CBMP Marine Biodiversity Monitoring	Key finding	Increases in the frequency of contagious diseases are being observed	State of the Arctic Marine Biodiversity: Key Findings and Advice for Monitoring	2017
CBMP Terrestrial Biodiversity Monitoring	Key finding	Climate change is the overwhelming driver of change in terrestrial Arctic ecosystems, causing diverse, unpredictable, and significant impacts that are expected to intensify.	State of the Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity: Key Findings and Advice for Monitoring	2021
CBMP Terrestrial Biodiversity Monitoring	Key finding	Changing frequency, intensity and timing of extreme and unusual weather events due to climate change are affecting some species, with unknown effects on populations.	State of the Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity: Key Findings and Advice for Monitoring	2021
CBMP Terrestrial Biodiversity Monitoring	Key finding	Although some trends have been observed, natural variability in Arctic terrestrial environments and large information gaps make it difficult to assess and summarize global trends for Arctic terrestrial biodiversity.	State of the Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity: Key Findings and Advice for Monitoring	2021
CBMP Terrestrial Biodiversity Monitoring	Key finding	Species from southern ecosystems are moving into the Arctic and are expected to push Arctic species northwards, create an “Arctic squeeze,” and change species’ interactions.	State of the Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity: Key Findings and Advice for Monitoring	2021
CBMP Terrestrial Biodiversity Monitoring	Key finding	Changes in culturally important food resources have implications on the food security and cultures of Indigenous Peoples and Arctic residents.	State of the Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity: Key Findings and Advice for Monitoring	2021
CBMP Terrestrial Biodiversity Monitoring	Key finding	The range and complexity of drivers affecting Arctic terrestrial biodiversity signals the need for comprehensive, integrated, ecosystem-based monitoring programs, coupled with targeted research projects to help decipher causal patterns of change.	State of the Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity: Key Findings and Advice for Monitoring	2021