Search

Arctic biodiversity is under threat from both climate-induced environmental change and anthropogenic activity. However, the rapid rate of change and the challenging conditions for studying Arctic environments mean that many research questions must be answered before we can strategically allocate resources for management. Addressing threats to biodiversity in the Arctic is further complicated by the region's complex geopolitics, as eight countries claim jurisdiction over the area, with multiple local considerations such as Indigenous sovereignty and resource rights. Here, we identify research priorities to serve as a starting point for addressing the most pressing threats to Arctic biodiversity. We began by collecting pressing research questions about Arctic biodiversity, thematizing them as either threats or actions, and then categorizing them further into 18 groups. Then, drawing on cross-disciplinary and global expertise of professionals in Arctic science, management, and policy, we considered the barriers to answering these questions and proposed potential solutions that could be implemented if barriers were overcome. Overall, our horizon scan provides an expert assessment of threats (e.g., species’ responses to climate change) and actions (e.g., a lack of fundamental information regarding Arctic biodiversity) needing attention and is intended to guide future conservation action within the Arctic.

Many freshwater lakes in the temperate zone undergo annual freeze-thaw cycles. Climate change has disrupted these patterns and altered habitat for many species including ecologically, economically, and culturally valuable fish species. To understand the relationship between ice cover and aquatic species, suitable data can be derived from remote sensing. We developed a novel ice classification method with minimal user input using freely available Sentinel-1 data and an adjacent and time-coincident validation dataset. Using image object segmentation and a random forest classifier, ice conditions were classified correctly with >85% overall accuracy. Our ice mapping efforts coincided with a telemetry dataset of tagged Walleye (Sander vitreus) and Northern Pike (Esox lucius) in Hamilton Harbor in western Lake Ontario. Between years with low and high ice covers (2017 and 2019, respectively), we found Walleye appeared to reduce their area of movement when the harbor was covered in ice. Our ice mapping tool can provide a quick and consistent method for agencies to adopt for freshwater resource management as well as provide ice cover information in coastal areas that are important overwintering habitat for many fishes.