IAB1: Hot spots, connectivity and sensitive areas for biodiversity conservation benefit

Date: Tuesday October 9, 2018

Location: Valtuustosali, City Hall

Time: 17:00-18:30

Arctic species today enjoy large areas of habitat that support a full range of ecological processes and interactions. But climate change, industrial development, pollution, local disturbances and invasive alien species are affecting the Arctic, and their impacts are increasing. The Arctic Biodiversity Assessment called for the advancement and protection of large areas of ecologically important marine, terrestrial and freshwater habitats, considering ecological resilience in a changing climate. To do this effectively requires the identification of hot spots, sensitive areas and connectivity for the benefit of conservation. This session explores these issues and presents recent work to advance hot spot and sensitive area identification and protection.

Chairs: Reidar Hindrum, Norwegian Environment Agency; Deb Cooper, US National Parks Service

Format: Series of presentations followed by discussion

Presenters:

1. Rediscovery of walruses in the Pechora Sea: Andrei Boltunov, Marine Mammal Research and Expedition Center LTD
2. Abundance and species diversity hotspots of tracked marine predators across the North American Arctic: David Yurkowski, University of Manitoba
3. Arctic-breeding seabirds' hotspots in space and time: a framework for year-round modelling of abundance and environmental niche using SEATRACK data: Arnaud Tarroux, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
4. Abundance and distribution of marine mammals wintering in the North Water and Northeast Water polynyas in Greenland: Rikke Guldborg Hansen, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources
5. Arctic islands –biodiversity consequences of climate driven fragmentation of Arctic ecosystems: Fredrik Dalerum, University of Oviedo
6. What traits make species sensitive to climate change in northern ecosystems? Juha Pöyry, Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE)

Abstracts:

Rediscovery of walruses in the Pechora Sea

Varvara Semenova, Marine Mammal Research and Expedition Center LTD; Andrei Boltunov, Marine Mammal Research and Expedition Center LTD

The Atlantic walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus Linnaeus, 1758) ranges from eastern and central Canadian Arctic eastward to the Kara Sea. Presumably eight stocks can be distinguished in the range of the subspecies. One of them inhabits the area of the Kara Sea – Southern Barents Sea – Novaya Zemlya. By the beginning of 21st century walruses in this region remained the least studied part of the Atlantic subspecies. Since 1956 the Atlantic walrus is listed in the Red Data Book of Russia as endangered taxon. Considering unique status of the walrus stock in the Pechora Sea and rising economic activity in the region, the gap in knowledge about biology and ecology of this species there was obvious. Especially critical was the lack of data on seasonal distribution and key habitats of walruses – areas of rest, feeding, reproduction and migration. The study of key habitats of the Pechora walruses was conducted by means of satellite tagging and by mounting digital photo traps on coastal haulouts. In 2012-2017 30 adult walruses (males) were tagged with Argos satellite transmitters (harpoon attachment). Average duration of the tags transmitting was 46.9 days (95% confidence limits 34.1-59.7), maximum – 155 days. In 2014-2017 24 photo traps were placed on coastal haulouts on the Vaigach and Matveev islands. Comprehensive analysis of the results allowed identifying the key coastal and marine habitats of walruses, the dynamics of the haulouts’ use. Satellite tagging also showed that during summer-autumn the majority of the local walrus group stays in the limits of the Pechora Sea from Gulyaevskie Koshki islands on the west to Vaigach Island on the east. At the same time, it was shown that some individuals can perform long-distance movements (more than 1500 km) entering the Kara Sea: the area near the northern part of Novaya Zemlya, at the west coast of the Yamal Peninsula and near Severnaya Zemlya archipelago. In addition, samples of adipose tissue from 16 adult male walruses were analyzed on persistent organic contamination. Concentrations of pollutants have vast individual variations, and exceed levels found in walruses from Svalbard area. The variation may suggest that considerable part of the population prey upon harp and ringed seals. First estimate of the population species in the Pechora Sea during ice season (December – June) was done basing on aerial observations in 2014: 3117±1210 walruses.

Abundance and species diversity hotspots of tracked marine predators across the North American Arctic

D. Yurkowski, M. Auger-Méthé, M. L. Mallory, S. N. P. Wong, H. G. Gilchrist, A. E. Derocher, E. Richardson, N. J. Lunn, N. E. Hussey, M. Marcoux, R. Togunov, A.T. Fisk, L. A. Harwood, R. Dietz, A. Rosing-Asvid, E. W. Born, A. Mosbech, J. Fort, D. Grémillet, L. Loseto, P. R. Richard, J. Iacozza, F. Jean-Gagnon, T. M. Brown, K. H. Westdal, J. Orr, B. LeBlanc, K. J. Hedges, M. A. Treble, S. T. Kessel, P. J. Blanchfield, S. Davis, M. Maftei, N. Spencer, C. L. McFarlane-Tranquilla, W. A. Montevecchi, B. Bartzen, D. L. Dickson, C. Anderson and S. H. Ferguson

Climate change is altering marine ecosystems worldwide and is most pronounced in the Arctic physical environment. Economic development has been expanding leading to increased disturbances and pressures on Arctic wildlife. Identifying areas that support higher levels of predator abundance and biodiversity is important for the implementation of targeted conservation measures across the Arctic. We compiled the largest dataset of existing telemetry data for Arctic marine predators consisting of 1,282 individuals from 21 species, primarily within Canadian Arctic marine waters but also including parts of United States, Greenland and Russia.. Data were arranged into four species groups: 1) cetaceans and pinnipeds, 2) seabirds, 3) polar bears Ursus maritimus, and 4) fishes to address the following objectives: 1) identify abundance hotspots for each species group in the summer-autumn and winter-spring; 2) identify species diversity hotspots across all species groups; and 3) assess the extent of overlap of species diversity hotspots with existing protected areas. Abundance and species diversity hotpots during summer-autumn and winter-spring were identified in Baffin Bay, Davis Strait, Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, Amundsen Gulf, and the Beaufort, Chukchi and Bering seas both within and across species groups. Abundance and species diversity hotpots occurred nearshore and within the continental slope in summer-autumn and offshore in areas of moving pack-ice in winter-spring – both areas with oceanographic features that enhance productivity and foraging opportunities. The current level of conservation protection that overlapped species diversity hotspots was low covering only 3% (38,607 km2) in summer-autumn and <1% (3,061 km2) in winter-spring. We identified several areas of potential importance for Arctic marine predators that could provide policy makers with a starting point for expanding conservation measures given the multitude of threats facing the Arctic. These results are relevant to multilevel and multinational governance to protect this vulnerable ecosystem in our rapidly changing world and provides vital information into CAFF's policy recommendations on identifying and safeguarding important areas for biodiversity.

Arctic-breeding seabirds' hotspots in space and time: a framework for year-round modelling of abundance and environmental niche using SEATRACK data

Arnaud Tarroux, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research; Per Fauchald, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research; Vegard Sandøy Bråthen, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research; Sébastien Descamps, Norwegian Polar Institute; Morten Ekker, Norwegian Environment Agency; Hálfdán Helgi Helgasson, Norwegian Polar Institute; Benjamin Merkel, Norwegian Polar Institute; Børge Moe, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research; Hallvard Strøm, Norwegian Polar Institute

Recent changes in northern marine ecosystems emphasize the need to understand the spatial distribution of Arctic seabird species throughout their annual life cycle, particularly during the non-breeding period. In addition to climate-driven environmental changes, potential threats to Arctic seabirds include the direct effects of increased levels of anthropogenic activity in northern oceans. Tools aimed at both understanding current species distributions and predicting future changes in these distributions are essential elements of sound management policies focusing on biodiversity conservation and sustainable utilization of natural resources. Large-scale tracking of seabirds over extended periods of time can provide invaluable information about the whereabouts of long-ranging migratory species. Light loggers (geolocators) are tracking devices that allow determining the timing of sunrise and sunset, from which locations can be derived. These highly miniaturized loggers can be outfitted on small seabirds and collect data from many individuals over several years, thereby offering tremendous potential for use in large-scale, multispecies studies of animal spatial distributions. However, this comes at the cost of reduced precision and the inability to determine locations during certain periods (equinoxes, periods with continuous night/day). Here, we propose a methodological framework for modelling the spatiotemporal dynamics of the distribution and environmental niche of Arctic seabirds throughout the year. This framework relies on maximizing the use of all the information available in geolocator-derived datasets, while minimizing their intrinsic limitations. It involves several steps: 1) modelling movements during gap periods (bias reduction); 2) modelling of species environmental niches; 3) modelling of the species abundance over their entire range. We illustrate our approach using an extensive multi-species and -site dataset from the SEATRACK project that covers 8 years of tracking from 27 colonies in 5 countries. Geolocators were deployed between 2009 and 2017 on 6 pelagic seabirds (Little auk Alle alle, Brünnich guillemot Uria lomvia, Common guillemot Uria aalge, Atlantic puffin Fratercula arctica, Black-legged kittiwake Rissa tridactyla, and Northern fulmar Fulmarus glacialis). The dataset, consisting primarily in positional data obtained from light loggers (geolocators), was complemented with site-specific population data, additional sensor data collected by the light loggers (temperature, activity), as well as environmental data obtained from satellite remote sensing (sea surface temperature, bathymetry, productivity, sea ice cover). The resulting abundance and environmental niche models are produced as raster images and constitute useful management and monitoring tools for large-scale projects of biodiversity conservation. Our framework could be applied to other positional datasets involving similar types of limitations.

Abundance and distribution of marine mammals wintering in the North Water and Northeast Water polynyas in Greenland

Rikke Guldborg Hansen, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources

We investigate the abundance and spatial distribution of marine mammals wintering in 2 polynyas in Greenland (North Water (NOW) and Northeast Water (NEW)). To determine the abundance of marine mammals in the polynyas we conducted aerial surveys in April 2014 (NOW) and April 2017 (NEW). Visual aerial surveys involving double observer platforms were conducted over the eastern part of the North Water polynya in April 2014. Four species of marine mammals were included in strip-census estimation of abundance. Perception bias was addressed using a double-platform survey protocol, a Chapman mark–recapture estimator for whales, seals and walruses (Odobenus rosmarus) on ice and a mark–recapture distance sampling estimation technique for walruses in water. Availability bias was addressed by correcting abundance estimates by the percentage of time animals detected in water that were available for detection at the surface. Marine mammals in high numbers were observed in the NOW whereas the abundance of marine mammals in the NEW were low.

Arctic islands –biodiversity consequences of climate driven fragmentation of Arctic ecosystems

Fredrik Dalerum, University of Oviedo

Arctic ecosystems are characterized by a harsh climate and by low human population densities, as well as by harbouring relatively simple ecosystems. Since global warming appears to be most rapid in cold areas, we can expect it to have stronger ecological consequences in the Arctic as compared to boreal and temperate environments. Since a warmer climate may drive a northward expansion of more competitive warm adapted species, we expect that arctic species may be pushed further north than they are today. Such a process would mean that arctic species eventually could be marginalized to geographic or ecological islands, with highly fragmented ecosystems as a result. The marginal conditions in arctic environments have generated communities that consist of few species which are often weak competitors. Data from previous warming events suggest that many arctic species had relict distributions during the past inter-glacials. Past and present connectivity within arctic environments have thus played important roles in structuring arctic species communities. Recent work has highlighted the importance of the structure of species communities for their ecological function. The strong effects of connectivity on arctic community structure therefore suggest that the degree of isolation between animal and plant populations in arctic environments could have profound effects on local ecosystem processes and on the supply of ecosystem services. A better understanding of these effects will be crucial for the management of threatened Arctic ecosystems in the face of the new challenges posed by climate change. Indeed, addressing the consequences of climate change was identified as a priority research area in the 2013 Arctic Biodiversity Assessment, as was development of appropriate management of Arctic islands and other refugia to protect endemic arctic species. Such management and conservation will require robust knowledge about the ecological consequences of fragmentation and isolation. In the long-term research program “Arctic islands” we evaluate how a marginalization of arctic ecosystems influence their properties and their ability to deliver ecosystem services. We utilise a series of research expeditions along carefully selected circumpolar sites, mostly with one island and one mainland component. So far, we have visited north Greenland/Ellesmere Island (2015) and Wrangel Island/Chaun delta in Siberia (2017). We use a rigid sample protocol to monitor vascular plants, invertebrates, birds and mammals, as well as collect samples that allow for quantification of trophic interactions. In addition, we use modern genomic technology to infer past fragmentation processes.

What traits make species sensitive to climate change in northern ecosystems?

Pöyry, J., Aapala, K., Kemppainen, E., Punttila, P., Pykälä, J., Syrjänen, K. & Virkkala, R.

Traits of species are known to modulate species responses to climate change. However, previous studies on the subject have usually focused on a single species group (taxon) at a time. Here, we present an overview of results of an extensive literature survey focusing on the traits that make species sensitive to the impacts of both the observed and predicted impacts of climate change. We give also emphasis on traits that increase the adaptive capacity of species. Our survey covers multiple taxa and trophic levels from primary producers (vascular plants) to consumers (phytophagous insects and birds) and decomposers (polypores). Geographically our survey focuses on boreal and arctic regions in Northern Europe with additional information on similar environments elsewhere in northern hemisphere. We discuss implications of our results as regards potential adaptation measures for the conservation of biological diversity under warming climate. This presentation is linked to one of the three cross-cutting themes listed among the Congress goals: “The significance of climate change as the most serious underlying driver of overall change in biodiversity”. In addition, the project contributes to the implementation of the following Arctic Biodiversity Assessment policy recommendations: (2) “Incorporate resilience and adaptation of biodiversity to climate change into plans for development in the Arctic”; (5) “Advance the protection of large areas of ecologically important marine, terrestrial and freshwater habitats, taking into account ecological resilience in a changing climate”; (7) Develop and implement mechanisms that best safeguard Arctic biodiversity under changing environmental conditions, such as loss of sea ice, glaciers and permafrost; and (16) “Research and monitor individual and cumulative effects of stressors and drivers of relevance to biodiversity, with a focus on stressors that are expected to have rapid and significant impacts and issues where knowledge is lacking”.

IAB2: Safeguarding habitats for Arctic species under changing environmental conditions

Date: Wednesday October 10, 2018

Location: Saivo, Lappia Hall

Time: 8:30-10:00

The Arctic Biodiversity Assessment highlighted the need to develop and implement mechanisms that best safeguard Arctic biodiversity under changing environmental conditions, such as loss of sea ice, glaciers and permafrost. This session explores species distributions, species habitat needs, the vulnerability of habitats under changing environmental conditions and paths forward to safeguard important areas for biodiversity.

Chairs: Mark Marissink, Swedish Environmental Protection Agency; Marina von Weissenberg, Ministry of the Environment, Finland

Format: Series of presentations followed by discussion

Presentations:

1. Linking foraging behaviour and energetics to identify and safeguard marine habitat around colonies of an Arctic seabird: Allison Patterson, McGill University 
2. Arctic benthic species and community distribution, sensitive ecosystems and biodiversity in the Atlantic and Pacific Gateways: Lis Lindal Jørgensen, Institute of Marine Research, Norway (IMR) 
3. Velocity of climate change in the Finnish protected area network: Risto Heikkinen, Finnish Environment Institute 
4. Present and future effectiveness of Arctic Protected Ares in Russia: Mikhail Stishov, WWF-Russia 
5. Spatial prioritization approach to identify irreplaceability and cost-effective improvement opportunities in a protected area network: Santtu Kareksela, Parks & Wildlife Finland 
6. Effects of overabundant geese on shorebirds breeding in Arctic Canada: Paul Smith, Environment and Climate Change Canada 

Abstracts:

Linking foraging behaviour and energetics to identify and safeguard marine habitat around colonies of an Arctic seabird

Allison Patterson, McGill University; Grant Gilchrist, Environment and Climate Change Canada

Identification of important habitat for seabird species that spend most of their lifecycle within Arctic regions is a priority for the Arctic Migratory Bird Initiative. Safeguarding habitat for colonial breeding seabirds is especially important, because it is a time of year when many birds are concentrated in a small geographic area and require adequate resources for successful reproduction. Intraspecific competition at large seabird colonies forces birds to travel farther to find food, which is thought to limit colony size through density-dependent effects on reproductive success for many species. Modelling the relationship between colony size, foraging range, and reproductive success can help to explain population dynamics of colonial species and inform marine planning at colonies throughout a species’ range. We used multi-colony GPS tracking data and a bioenergetics model to estimate foraging range, chick growth rate, and fledging success as a function of colony size in thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia). We measured the foraging behaviour of murres from four colonies ranging in size from 16,000 to 400,000 pairs, using GPS tracking data from 550 birds. Foraging range scaled by 0.34 power of colony size, and this relationship explained 75% of the variation in foraging range. Trip duration increased with foraging range to the exponent 0.90. We used these relationships to model chick-provisioning rates as a function of colony size. Murres provisioning chicks with low quality prey, 30 kJ, would experience density dependent limitation on fledging success for colonies larger than 70,000 pairs. With high quality prey, 60 kJ, density dependence would not affect fledging success until colony size exceeded 700,000 pairs; however, chicks from colonies larger than 200,000 pairs will have low fledging weights (150 g) and longer nestling periods regardless of prey quality. Our model quantifies how density dependence can limit reproductive success for colonial species through changes in foraging behaviour of adults and it provides a framework for identifying ecologically important areas around seabird colonies that integrates behaviour and population dynamics. This model can be used to estimate the foraging area required for murre colonies based on colony size and to predict how changes in prey availability could affect future reproductive output. These results can inform marine planning and conservation for seabirds by delineating critical habitat requirements for Arctic seabirds, contributing to development of guidelines for fisheries management and shipping around breeding colonies, and identifying colony-specific criteria for monitoring population level responses to changing environmental conditions.

Arctic benthic species and community distribution, sensitive ecosystems and biodiversity in the Atlantic and Pacific Gateways

Jørgensen Lis L1, Logerwell Libby2, Strelkova Natalia3, Mier K2, McConnaughhey B2, Lauth B2, Cooper D2, Rand K2.

1: Institute of Marine Research, Norway
2: National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, USA
3: Polar Research Institute of Marine Fisheries and Oceanography, Russia

The Arctic is experiencing dramatic global changes in temperature, and at the same time has become an attractive region for human exploitation of resources. If natural and anthropogenic impacts are to be assessed, standardized temporal and spatial information on the distribution of Arctic marine species and biological communities is needed. Benthic species diversity and community structure in the Atlantic (Barents Sea) and Pacific (Bering-, Chukchi-, and Beaufort Sea) marine Gateways have been regularly monitored during the last ten years. The results show a spatially diverse community composition driven by a subset of key-species and environmental variables. Species richness, abundance and biomass varies across these communities, and trait analyses indicates ecosystem function sensitive and vulnerability. This information will contribute to the ecological knowledge needed to advance and advocate ecosystem-based management efforts in the Arctic as a framework for cooperation, planning and development. This addresses the ABA recommendations under the category “Identifying and safeguarding important areas for biodiversity” by identifying important benthic communities and habitats.

Velocity of climate change in the Finnish protected area network

Heikkinen, R.K.1, Leikola, N.1, Virkkala, R.1, Aapala, K.1, Kuusela, S.1, Luoto, M.2, & Aalto, J.2,3

1 Finnish Environment Institute, Biodiversity Centre, Helsinki, Finland
2 Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
3 Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland

Climate change causes accelerating challenges for natural ecosystems and maintenance of species populations in protected areas (PAs) by driving species to move to higher latitudes and elevations. Global-level studies suggest that most of the PAs face a wholesale turnover of climatic conditions they harbor, with most severe overall changes occurring in high-latitude areas. However, projected velocity of climate change is dependent spatially on the climate change model and Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) used, and is strongly controlled by the topographic heterogeneity of landscape. Importantly, earlier velocity assessments have been conducted at coarse spatial scales (ca. ≥1km2) which ignore the potential buffering capacity of local climate. We examined fine-scale climate change velocities in the Finnish PA network using data on observed climate (1981-2010; 50m x 50m) in comparison to three climate change scenarios (RCP2.6., RCP4.5, RCP8.5) and two future time slices (2040-2069 and 2070-2099). The produced fine-scale velocity data enable a unique comparison of climatic changes across Finland, between different types of PAs, and assessing where topographic heterogeneity provides pockets of retaining suitable local climate. This project and its results will have importance for one of the three cross-cutting themes listed among the Congress goals, namely “The significance of climate change as the most serious underlying driver of overall change in biodiversity”. In addition, the project provides material for the discussions on the implementation of a number of Arctic Biodiversity Assessment policy recommendations, especially (2) “Incorporate resilience and adaptation of biodiversity to climate change into plans for development in the Arctic”; (5) “Advance the protection of large areas of ecologically important marine, terrestrial and freshwater habitats, taking into account ecological resilience in a changing climate”; and (16) “Research and monitor individual and cumulative effects of stressors and drivers of relevance to biodiversity, with a focus on stressors that are expected to have rapid and significant impacts and issues where knowledge is lacking”.

Present and future effectiveness of Arctic Protected Ares in Russia

Mikhail Stishov, WWF-Russia

Conservation effectiveness and effectiveness of management were assessed for about 40 protected areas in Russian Arctic with using original methodology for PA conservation effectiveness assessment of WWF-Russia and Rapid Assessment and Prioritization of Protected Area Management Methodology developed by WWF respectively. Assessed protected areas include all arctic PAs of 4 administrative regions of Russian Federation except tiny nature monuments. Effectiveness of separate conservation functions of PA, their current, potential and perspective effectiveness including perspective effectiveness under expected climate change, as well as expected treats and possibility of their mitigation are determined and analyzed. Comparative analysis of conservation and management effectiveness is conducted as well as comparative analysis of the effectiveness of PA belongs to different categories and different management level (national or regional). Also there is comparison of the effectiveness of arctic PA and PA in other regions of Russia (south of Far East, Altai mountains). The general results show that current conservation effectiveness of arctic PA in Russia is high enough but will decrease for present protected values under expected climate change, so that PA network in all investigated regions requires certain adaptation.

Spatial prioritization approach to identify irreplaceability and cost-effective improvement opportunities in a protected area network

Santtu Kareksela, Parks & Wildlife Finland

Achieving even a small proportion of the global 15 % restoration target seems to be a huge task. Trying to avoid harmful opportunism while seeking beneficial opportunities, is challenging our current operational practices for cost-effective conservation resource allocation. At the same time changing environment and economic and recreational land-use can create risk of degradation even to the most strictly protected areas. Here I will present two spatial prioritization analysis approaches, considering the network of protected Natura 2000 areas in Finland, to demonstrate how the modern ecological decision support tools can help us to identify irreplaceability and cost-effectiveness related to improvement and preservation of protected area networks. In the first analysis example I will introduce a method to identify irreplaceability within a protected area network, i.e. areas that have highest contribution to the network’s overall biodiversity representation. In the second example I will demonstrate a spatial prioritization analysis for identifying most cost-effective areas for ecosystem improvement (restoration and management of Natura 2000 habitats) using the protected Natura 2000 area network in Finland as a real-life case example. Both analysis examples apply Zonation method to rank areas according to their ecological value, while considering factors like complementarity (irreplaceability), condition (state of the ecosystem patch), connectivity, and costs of the solution. In addition, the systematic analysis method offers quantitative measures to investigate the trade-offs related to complex conservation decision making process. Results of the analyses are currently used in real-life planning processes by the Parks and Wildlife Finland, governing the protected Natura 2000 areas in Finland.

Effects of overabundant geese on shorebirds breeding in Arctic Canada

Paul Smith, Environment and Climate Change Canada

Shorebirds are the most diverse and abundant group of birds in many Arctic locations, but more than 60% of shorebird populations breeding in Arctic Canada are believed to be declining relative to 1970s levels. This proportion of declining species is higher than for shorebirds breeding elsewhere in North America, and higher than many locations around the globe. These declines could arise from a variety of factors such as climate change or anthropogenic habitat loss in shorebirds’ temperate and tropical non-breeding areas. However, overabundant geese are a less widely recognized agent of change and are having a pronounced effect on tundra habitats in several regions of the North American Arctic. This ecosystem change from overabundant geese could be contributing to shorebird declines at local or regional scales. We review the extent of spatial overlap between shorebirds and geese to demonstrate the geographic scale of the issue. We present results from our ongoing studies of breeding shorebirds (2000-2018) at a site near a colony of Lesser Snow Geese (Chen caerulescens caerulescens) on Southampton Island and from a site with new/intermittent goose breeding at Coats Island, Nunavut. At Southampton Island, nest survival for several shorebird species is below that required for maintenance of stable populations while nest survival is higher at the less impacted Coats Island site. Shorebirds’ reproductive success varies widely across years and is closely related to the abundance or activity of nest predators, primarily arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus). These predators, potentially drawn to areas with breeding geese, are believed to be an important mechanism whereby geese might indirectly affect shorebirds’ reproductive success. Habitat degradation is another potential mechanism but the effects are less clear. Some shorebird species select concealed nest sites while others do not. Extreme habitat degradation might lead to avoidance of areas by shorebirds requiring concealed nest sites, but to date we found little evidence of a relationship between shorebirds’ nest habitat and nest survival. The current evidence for large-scale effects of overabundant geese on Arctic-breeding shorebirds is therefore mixed, with several important components of the story being explored. A more thorough understanding of abundant geese as a potential ecosystem stressor and agent of biodiversity loss is urgently needed. This understanding will contribute to population and harvest objectives for geese that acknowledge the needs of other ecosystem components.

AS10: From individual stressors to cumulative impacts: Improving knowledge in the Arctic marine environment

Date: Friday October 12, 2018

Location: Kero, Lappia Hall

Time: 8:30-10:00

According to CAFF’s recent State of the Arctic Marine Biodiversity Report (SAMBR), Arctic marine species and ecosystems are undergoing pressure from cumulative changes in their physical, chemical and biological environment. Some changes may be gradual, but there may also be large and sudden shifts that can affect how the ecosystem functions. It is hard to determine where and when these “tipping points” exist because the Arctic marine environment experiences a variety of stressors and subsequent reactions that can interact in complex and surprising ways. For those charged with managing natural resources and public policy in the region, it is crucial to identify the combined effects of stressors and potential thresholds to prepare effectively for an uncertain future. This session will contain presentations on various stressors in the Arctic marine environment, touching on themes of pollution, invasive species, industrial development, microplastics and climate change. The following discussion will explore how to conceptualize change in the Arctic marine environment in the face of cumulative impacts.

Chair: Catherine Coon, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

Format: Series of presentations followed by discussion

Presentations:

1. ARCTOX: a pan-Arctic sampling network to track the mercury contamination of Arctic seabirds and marine food webs: Jerome Fort, French National Center for Scientific Research (LIENSs-CNRS) 
2. The reefs of the Arctic - photoautotrophic ecosystem engineers endangered by microplastic and climate change? Sebastian Teichert, GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
3. Invasive Crab Species in the Barents Sea: Stakeholder Perceptions, Incentives, and Path Dependencies: Brooks Kaiser, University of Southern Denmark 
4. Environmental impacts of drill cuttings deposition on sea floor biodiversity in the south-western Barents Sea – a contribution to ecosystem-based management: Sabine Cochrane, Akvaplan-niva 
5. Building an ecological atlas: from spatial data to conservation across dynamic Arctic seas: Benjamin Sullender, Audubon Alaska 

Abstracts:

ARCTOX: a pan-Arctic sampling network to track the mercury contamination of Arctic seabirds and marine food webs

Jerome Fort, French National Center for Scientific Research (LIENSs-CNRS)

The Arctic wildlife is exposed to increasing levels of pollutants in their environment under the combined effects of climate change and human activities. Among them, mercury has raised important environmental concerns. In its methylated form, mercury is indeed highly toxic and has adverse effects on organisms, even at very low concentrations, including endocrine, neurotoxic or reproductive effects. Mercury could therefore have important impacts on Arctic organisms, biodiversity and ecosystems as a whole. In that context, monitoring mercury concentrations in Arctic wildlife at very large spatial scale is essential (1) to assess exposure and associated risks for different populations and species, (2) to define hotspots of mercury contamination and highlighting sensitive areas that require particular attention and protection and (3) to better apprehend impacts of anthropogenic activities and climate change on the exposure of Arctic species to mercury. In 2015, an international network (ARCTOX) has been established, allowing the coordinated collection of seabird samples all around the Arctic to investigate the pan-Arctic mercury contamination of seabirds and marine food webs. Seabirds are indeed important organisms to study as they are particularly vulnerable to environmental stressors including Hg, but also because they are good indicators of the environmental contamination. Gathering researchers from 12 countries, ARCTOX thus allowed the collection of >7000 samples from 20 seabird species and at 56 Arctic sites between 2015 and 2017. By relying on this network and unique data set, we monitored and mapped the exposure of the Arctic seabird community to mercury at the pan-Arctic scale. Importantly, by analyzing different tissues (blood and feathers), we investigated the contamination of these migratory organisms during different periods of their annual cycle: both their Arctic breeding season and the non-breeding period often spent far from the Arctic. Furthermore, measured concentrations were compared to toxicity thresholds to highlight species and regions where mercury might have major impacts. Finally, we used seabirds as bioindicators to further understand the large-scale contamination of Arctic marine food webs. Obtained results are therefore essential to complement existing monitoring programs (i.e. Arctic Monitoring Assessment Programme, UN-Environment Global Mercury Assessment) and for the conservation of the Arctic biodiversity.

The reefs of the Arctic - photoautotrophic ecosystem engineers endangered by microplastic and climate change?       

Sebastian Teichert, GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg; Martin Löder, Department of Biology, Universität Bayreuth; Christian Laforsch, Department of Biology, Universität Bayreuth; Ines Pyko,  GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg; Christian Schulbert, GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg; Max Wisshak, Marine Research Department, Senckenberg am Meer

Large areas of the Svalbard shelf are covered by rhodoliths, coralline red algal structures which form a rigid framework of magnesium calcite. They act as ecosystem engineers, comparable to corals in tropical regions. Additionally, many rhodoliths are gouged by boring mussels and become hollow ecospheres which are intensely colonised by benthic organisms. The existence of both, solid and hollow rhodoliths has a significant impact on local biodiversity. However, this special ecosystem is threatened by the contamination with microplastic. We detected eight different types of microplastic within the bodies of the boring mussels, whereof polystyrene is the most common. If the particles are harmful to the mussels, their future role as niche providers is endangered and the consistency of the whole community is doubtful. Furthermore, we could show that the rhodoliths themselves are endangered by climate change in terms of increased glacial runoff, as coverage with sediments and reduced transparency of the water column are significantly impairing the growth conditions of the rhodoliths. This twofold environmental deterioration will have unpredictable consequences for the associated organisms. This special but extensive ecosystem plays a crucial role on Svalbard’s shelf biodiversity and should be included in future policy recommendations and strategic plans for biodiversity.

Invasive crab species in the Barents Sea: Stakeholder perceptions, incentives, and path dependencies  

Brooks Kaiser, University of Southern Denmark; Melina Kourantidou, University of Southern Denmark

The red king and snow crab invasions in the Barents Sea are harbingers of how economics, ecology, politics, law and institutions will all affect how communities and ecosystems adapt as climate change and human behavior lead to greater numbers of invasive species introductions, and resulting changes in ecosystem composition and productivity. As profitable invaders, incentives for their management are mixed. Questions of whether and how to treat the newcomers abound. Should they be treated as species in need of eradication to prevent ecosystem changes and protect other commercial and non-commercial ecosystem assets that may be affected by their entry into new ecosystems? Or should they be treated as species to protect and conserve -- desirable food commodities whose home range habitats in other parts of the Arctic are experiencing climate variabilities that make their continued production in those locations uncertain? What are the benefits and costs of these potential paths? How do the answers vary spatially? Upon what current uncertainties do decisions rest, and what incentives, ranging from funding to stakeholder interests in the questions asked, affect when and how these uncertainties can be resolved? We parse the complexities by identifying local, regional, and global incentives pertaining to current ecosystem conditions as well as future conditions that will evolve through management decisions for invasive species at every stage, from research and prevention to accommodation and adaptation. We use the crab cases to illustrate the multidimensional human and ecosystem pressures at work in transforming from current to expected future outcomes, and how interventions into the human and/or ecological systems can be expected to reverberate through one another. 

Environmental impacts of drill cuttings deposition on sea floor biodiversity in the south-western Barents Sea – a contribution to ecosystem-based management

Sabine Cochrane, Akvaplan-niva

As the petroleum industry is increasingly moving into Arctic waters, awareness of environmental issues is critical to sustainable operations. In accordance with world-wide conventions, petroleum operators in the Norwegian sector adhere to guidelines and requirements for monitoring and protection of marine biodiversity in the Arctic. Drilling at the sea-floor generates quantities of drill cuttings, which are a mixture of sediment and rock particles and any compounds used during the drilling process. In most cases, at least some of the drill cuttings are discharged at the sea floor, generally forming a circular area of deposited matter around the drilling location. We have investigated the impacts of such deposition on sea floor biodiversity in the south-western Barents Sea, both in time and space. The study area is around 350 m in depth and mostly comprises silty-muddy bottom sediments. Most of the macro-biodiversity is buried within the sea floor, but scattered sponges and other organisms can be seen at the surface. We visited seven drilling locations between 2014-2015, of which the "youngest" well was drilled in 2015 and the oldest in 1987. Using the same standardised methodology as for routine environmental surveys, we sampled and analysed macrofaunal community structure at distances 30 m, 60 m, 125 m and 250 m from the drilling locations. We also conducted visual assessments of the drill cuttings deposition. Our initial hypothesis was that deposition of drill cuttings will result in local smothering/destruction of the biota closest to the drilling location, and that the affected areas would recover over time. Our study showed minor reductions in abundances of a few taxa, notably sessile tube-dwellers, but only at the innermost locations at the freshest drilling sites. The majority of the species did not show any significant changes within the communities. At wells sampled 3-5 years post-drilling and older, we found no trends in the communities which could be related to drilling impacts. One possible explanation is that the sea floor in these areas is flocculent and frequently resuspended by natural events such that the resident fauna, mostly free-living organisms which move and reproduce rapidly, is resilient to physical disturbance. This knowledge is presented as a contribution to decision-making on offshore waste management strategies, which aim to promote overall best environmental practices. Our results are relevant to the CAFF Actions for Arctic Biodiversity, particularly ecosystem-based management (Recommendation 3), addressing stressors on biodiversity (Recommendation 11) and ongoing communication and outreach (17). 

Building an ecological atlas: from spatial data to conservation across dynamic Arctic seas     

Melanie Smith, Audubon Alaska; Max Goldman, Audubon Alaska; Erika Knight, Audubon Alaska; Benjamin Sullender, Audubon Alaska; Brianne Mecum, Oceana; Jon Warrenchuk, Oceana; Molly Zaleski, Oceana

To inform sustainable management in a time of growing human influence, there is a need to synthesize and disseminate scientific information to policy makers, scientists, and the public in a format that is useful and accessible. The goal of the Ecological Atlas of the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas was to create a comprehensive, trans-boundary atlas that represents the current state of knowledge on subjects ranging from physical oceanography to species ecology to human uses. Layer by layer, the Ecological Atlas provides a cumulative representation of what is happening in the region to better understand ecological patterns through spatial data, maps, and written summaries. The Atlas is organized into six topic areas that build, layer by layer, the ecological foundation of these three seas: physical setting, biological setting, fish, birds, mammals, and human uses. The atlas was a project by Audubon Alaska, in collaboration with Oceana and somethingaboutmaps. Numerous agencies and organizations assisted by providing spatial data, expertise, and review, including the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Kawerak, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and US Geological Service. Our data-to-design process involved intensive research and consultation with experts, as well as gathering and analyzing the most recent or otherwise best available data from scientific and traditional knowledge sources. We synthesized data to create more than 100 seamless maps that integrate disparate datasets into cohesive data layers that visually describe a particular process or species’ habitat use across the three seas. The Ecological Atlas is a data-rich foundation for understanding the complex dynamics of the Arctic marine ecosystem, which can be applied toward managing an array of contemporary human uses. Subsequent analyses build on this foundation by identifying important ecological areas and assessing vulnerability to offshore energy, vessel traffic, commercial fisheries, and climate change. The Ecological Atlas addresses Arctic Biodiversity Congress goals and Assessment actions by identifying important areas, addressing stressors, promoting sustainable development, and improving knowledge and public awareness.