Circumpolar marine biodiversity in the Arctic

Date/time: December 2, 13:00-14:30

Room: San Siro 1

Session organizers: Knut Eirik Jørstad, Jørstad marin AS / Institute of Marine Research, Jørgen Schou Christiansen, University of Tromsø and Hein Rune Skjodal

The ongoing warming of the sub-Arctic and Arctic seas presently shifts the distributional range for a number of boreal and Arctic species and, at the same time, opens up for human activities in previously inaccessible areas. Recent studies also show genetic linkages between marine species in sub-Arctic Pacific and Euro-Arctic waters and new invasions are pending. Therefore, Arctic marine fauna must be viewed in a circumpolar context to develop proper monitoring and management policies. This calls for more comprehensive studies of phylogeography and taxonomical and functional biodiversity to meet the conservation aims raised in the Arctic Biodiversity Assessment report.

• Jørgen Schou Christiansen, University of Tromsø: Status and prospects for Arctic marine fishes 2014
• Risto Väinölä, Finnish Museum of Natural History: Molecular tracing of trans-Arctic marine faunal connections
• Alexey Kniznikov, WWF Russia:  The new approaches needed to ensure conservation of endemic Arctic whale populations in the face of increased human activities in a rapidly warming Arctic
• Paul Renaud, Akvaplan-niva:  Projected temperature-mediated range changes in the distribution of Arctic and boreal benthic fauna
• Kristin Laidre, University of Washington:  A circumpolar assessment of Arctic marine mammals, sea ice loss and conservation priorities
• Knut E.  Jørstad, Jørstad marin AS / Institute of Marine Research: Mapping of Arctic circumpolar marine biodiversity – new challenges and new genetic methods

Session theme: Understanding cumulative effects and managing impacts