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Arctic

Biodiversity. Arctic. Climate. Environmental Change. IYB. Impact on biodiversity Research focus Impediments Public engagement. Dr. Mark Graham, Director, Research Services mgraham@mus-nature.ca 613-566-4743. Wide range of uncertainty in the models about the extent

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Arctic

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  1. Biodiversity Arctic Climate Environmental Change IYB • Impact on biodiversity • Research focus • Impediments • Public engagement Dr. Mark Graham, Director, Research Services mgraham@mus-nature.ca 613-566-4743

  2. Wide range of uncertainty in the models about the extent • of warming – half predict sea ice absence by 2080 • Sea ice and multiyear ice extent is declining • rapidly – has an impact on all aspects • of biological diversity, including ice algae • Disappearing ice impacts ice adapted • whales (beluga, narwhal, bowhead) and allows • others to move in • Traditional knowledge • leaders have seen new • species and have had more • accidents with thinning sea ice Impact on Biodiversity

  3. Mercury is prevalent in the Arctic environment and • in food species; more open water in the ocean and • lakes increases tissue levels • Marine biodiversity hotspots are emerging and • being studied • The Arctic is greening – e.g. tree-lines are • marching north • Permafrost melting and more precipitation cause • water quality issues Impact on Biodiversity

  4. Maintain independent, • ongoing research in the • North • Better understanding air • circulation – transfer of • heat and contaminants • Refine climate models of • large-scale physical • elements – sea ice • Inclusion of traditional • knowledge in research • Understand the effect of • contaminants on country • foods Research Focus

  5. Finding conservation management actions that include • the new invasive species • Incorporate technological innovations into biodiversity • research – DNA barcoding, remote sensing and • biodiversity informatics • Find effective mechanisms to share biodiversity data • freely and broadly • Collaborative scientific approaches considering ecozones • Get young HQPs involved in Arctic research Research Focus

  6. Traditional knowledge leaders • and western scientists need • mechanisms to interact • No organized system for data • sharing • Information is lacking yet essential • for economic, social and • environmental awareness and • decision making – meteorological, • biodiversity, contaminants, social Impediments

  7. No program of full-scale, long - term discovery and • monitoring of biodiversity • Field stations and other infrastructure – access and • on-going field-based research in the Arctic • Funding is always an issue for nearly everything Impediments

  8. The Arctic is important and is under global influences • Climate change is the single biggest social issue ever • There is a human component to climate change in the • Arctic – air temperature and precipitation • The Arctic is warming more than other parts of the • northern hemisphere – amplification from open ocean Public Engagement

  9. Traditional uses of Arctic biodiversity are ongoing and • important – essential to healthy communities • There is a Nunavut Biosciences Corporation – e.g. • products from seaweed, shrimps and medicinal plants • Arctic developments should be based on environmental, • social, traditional, and economic knowledge – • sustainability of biodiversity resources • The Arctic marine food web is dependent upon a rich • diversity of phytoplankton (microscopic plants) • Traditional use of marine mammals is sustainable over • long periods and commercial whaling is not • The last bits of sea ice will occur in Canada as well as all • ice-adapted marine mammals Public Engagement

  10. Increased awareness about the Arctic – important & timely • There are tremendous intangible value in the Arctic from the • landscape and biodiversity • International cooperation is necessary to address climate • change issues in the Arctic – the Arctic Council as a • possible mechanism • National parks and • reserves are good – • located in areas • predicted for the most • rapid environmental changes • There aren’t enough parks to conserve biological resources • in the Arctic, considering the changes that are indicated Other Observations

  11. Intensity of competition for Arctic resources will increase • – China has more capacity to work in the Arctic than • any other nation • Huge infrastructure investments needed in the north to • be competitive and keep pace with global developments • Climate warming is real, adaptation by humans in the • Arctic will be important – food, buildings, roads. • Adaptations and mitigations need to occur in response • to climate changes with a mechanism that allows for • balance sustainability. Other Observations

  12. Questions ? Dr. Mark Graham, Director, Research Services mgraham@mus-nature.ca 613-566-4743

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