Project: Scenarios of freshwater biodiversity and ecosystem services in a changing Arctic

Acronym	ARCTIC-BIODIVER (Reference Number: 208)
Duration	01/12/2018 - 31/03/2022
Project Topic	Arctic regions are facing increasing pressure from stressors such as climate change and resource development, which has repercussions for multiple dimensions of biodiversity and ecosystem function both regionally and on a circumpolar scale. Climate change scenarios predict shifts to thermal and hydrological regimes in the Arctic that are expected to affect vegetation cover, permafrost stability, and freshwater quality and quantity. Changes to the abiotic template are expected to cause shifts in the availability of nutrients and the quantity and quality of basal resources that subsequently affect all trophic levels of the integrated freshwater-terrestrial food web. Furthermore, biodiversity scenarios for the Arctic forecast an increase in species richness as a result of the northward shift of eurythermic species with warming temperatures. Assessment of biodiversity change and response to stressors in the Arctic must take into consideration the trade-offs between maintenance of ecosystem function and suitable habitat for those species endemic to the circumpolar region, and acknowledge the socio-economic implications of increased temperature, increased biodiversity, and the greater potential for resource exploitation that follows. ARCTIC-BIODIVER is a multi-disciplinary, multi-scale assessment that will evaluate freshwater biodiversity and food web dynamics along circumpolar gradients of nutrients and latitudinal temperature shifts to characterize the current state of biodiversity and potential scenarios for change in response to continued warming. A primary focus will be to develop strong links between climate change predictions, biodiversity scenarios, and the consequences for ecosystem services in Arctic freshwaters, thereby addressing the socio-economic impacts of a warming climate. ARCTIC-BIODIVER will also develop more relevant assessment tools for biodiversity in Arctic freshwaters, and contribute to circumpolar harmonization of sampling methods, data storage, and large-scale analysis to promote future circumpolar assessments of biodiversity change.
Network	BiodivScen
Call	Scenarios of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services

Project partner

Number	Name	Role	Country
1	Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences	Coordinator	Sweden
2	Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique	Partner	Canada
3	University of Alaska Anchorage	Partner	United States
4	University of Oslo	Partner	Norway
5	Wilfrid Laurier University	Partner	Canada
6	University of Copenhagen	Partner	Denmark