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1/7www.caff.is
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