26 March 2025 | 16:00 - 18:00 (MDT)
Open Session - HYBRID
Room: UMC Third Floor - 382
Organisers: Fiona Danks (CAFF); Tom Christensen (CAFF); Tahzay Jones (USFWS)
Zoom link to the Session (password-protected)
The password needed to connect to the session will be distributed the day prior to the start of the sessions to all registered conference participants. Further guidelines on how to participate virtually in the ASSW 2025 can be found on the ASSW 2025 website.
Session Description:
The Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program (CBMP) is an international network of professionals and organizations working to harmonize and integrate efforts to monitor Arctic biodiversity. It is the cornerstone program under the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF), the biodiversity working group of the Arctic Council. The CBMP’s goal is to facilitate more rapid detection, communication, and responses to the significant biodiversity-related trends and pressures affecting the Arctic. The CBMP has produced State of the Arctic Biodiversity Reports and associated Key Findings and Advice for Monitoring for the marine, freshwater and terrestrial environments. This session will review existing gaps in biodiversity monitoring and provide advice for monitoring and research needs to fill knowledge gaps. Information from the State of the Arctic Biodiversity Reports can be used to refine and adapt current and future biodiversity monitoring efforts in the Arctic and allows the CBMP to better meet the needs of decision makers. The State of the Arctic Biodiversity Reports build on the coordinated CBMP Arctic Biodiversity Monitoring Plans and associated processes of data compilation, analysis, and scientific publications. The session will address: ecosystem-based monitoring and reporting; monitoring methods and standardisation, monitoring design and assessment; improved coordination; use of Indigenous Knowledge, Local Knowledge, and citizen science; and knowledge gaps. The CBMP works to leverage monitoring activities of networks and nations and establish linkages to global biodiversity initiatives. The CBMP emphasizes data management (through the Arctic Biodiversity Data Service), capacity building, reporting, coordination and integration of Arctic monitoring, and communications, education and outreach.
Talks
CONSERVATION OF ARCTIC FLORA AND FAUNA - INTRODUCTION TO SESSION
Inge Thaulow (CAFF Chair) and Fiona Danks (CAFF ex. Secr)
A 20-YEAR PERSPECTIVE ON THE CBMP
Tom Christensen (CBMP Co-chair), Tahzay Jones (CBMP Co-Chair), and Courtney Price (CAFF Secretariat), Fiona Danks (CAFF secretariat)
The Arctic Council working group, the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) established the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Programme (CBMP), an international network of scientists, governments, Indigenous organizations, and conservation groups working to harmonize and integrate efforts to extend and develop monitoring and assessment of the Arctic’s biodiversity. Its relevance stretches beyond the Arctic to a broad range of regional and global initiatives and agreements. This presentation describes the process and approach taken in the last two decades to develop and implement the CBMP.
CBMP COASTAL: ASSESSING BIODIVERSITY USING CO-PRODUCTION
Lauren Devine (CBMP Coastal Steering Group member, Aleut International Association), Tahzay Jones (CBMP Coastal Co-lead), Valerie Wynja (CBMP Coastal Co-lead), and Courtney Price (CAFF Secretariat)
An international network of coastal experts from scientific and Indigenous Knowledge backgrounds produced the Arctic Coastal Biodiversity Monitoring Plan (Coastal Monitoring Plan) under CAFF's Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program (CBMP) to develop a long term, integrated, multi-knowledge and multi-disciplinary, circumpolar monitoring plan informed by science and Indigenous Knowledge (IK), with direct and relevant application for communities, industry, governments and other users. The Coastal Monitoring Plan employs a social-ecological approach to identify, assess and coordinate with existing monitoring capacity and programs to detect, understand, assess and report the state of and trends of targets of monitoring and, identify gaps in present monitoring programs. This presentation will share the development and results of the co-production approach and showcase national implementation efforts.
SYNTHESIS OF ARCTIC FRESHWATER BIODIVERSITY, ECOLOGICAL CHANGE AND FUTURE NEEDS
Jen Lento (CBMP Freshwater Science Coordinator), J. Culp (CBMP Freshwater Co-lead), W. Goedkoop (CBMP Freshwater Co-lead), and J. Lento (CBMP Freshwater Science Coordinator)
The freshwater group of the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program (CBMP-Freshwater) conducted the first circumpolar assessment of Arctic freshwater biodiversity. Working with scientists from all Arctic countries, CBMP-Freshwater created a database of biodiversity data and supporting abiotic data for lakes and rivers from across the circumpolar region and assessed spatial and temporal trends of alpha and beta diversity to establish baselines upon which future monitoring efforts can be built. The circumpolar assessments for benthic diatoms, macrophytes, plankton, benthic invertebrates and fish provide novel analyses of how climate change and associated environmental drivers affect the biodiversity of these organism groups. To detect this ongoing ecological change in Arctic freshwaters Arctic countries need to intensify their monitoring and apply new techniques for better quantification of biodiversity and the detection of new and potentially invasive species. In this presentation, we synthesize knowledge on alpha and beta diversity in Arctic freshwaters gained from the regional and circumpolar assessments, summarize the major environmental drivers of biodiversity patterns and discuss next steps in Arctic Freshwater Biodiversity Monitoring.
CBMP TERRESTRIAL: KEY FINDINGS, ADVICE AND NEXT STEPS
Donald McLennan (CBMP Terrestrial Steering Group member), Sunna Ragnarsdóttir (CBMP Terrestrial Co-lead), and James Lawler (CBMP Terrestrial Co-lead)
Assessing status and trends of biodiversity and attributing causes is very challenging, particularly in the Arctic. Knowledge is limited for a variety of reasons, such as remoteness, logistics, availability and ecological complexities and variability. The State of the Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity Report (START) (2021) is a product of the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program (CBMP) Terrestrial Group of the Arctic Council’s Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) Working Group. The START assessed the status and trends of terrestrial Focal Ecosystem Components (FECs)—including vegetation, arthropods, birds, and mammals—across the Arctic, identify gaps in monitoring coverage towards implementation of the CBMP’s Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity Monitoring Plan; and provided key findings and advice for monitoring. The assessment has made substantial progress in improving our understanding of status and trends of Arctic terrestrial biodiversity. The START is based primarily upon published data, from a special issue of Ambio containing 13 articles by more than 180 scientists. This presentation will provide an overview of the current state of knowledge and trends in terrestrial FECs as well as current biodiversity monitoring efforts across the Arctic and advice for improving monitoring efforts. The presentation will conclude with next steps for the CBMP Terrestrial group to move towards comprehensive, integrated, and management-relevant ecosystem-based monitoring.
CBMP MARINE: KEY FINDINGS, ADVICE AND NEXT STEPS
Ida Vee (Marine CBMP Co-lead), Steinunn Olafsdottir (Marine CBMP Co-lead), and Courtney Price (CAFF secretariat)
Through its network of scientists, Indigenous organizations, and conservation groups, CBMP coordinates, collects and synthesizes existing marine monitoring data from the Arctic States. The data/knowledge syntheses (State of The Arctic Marine Reports and updates) are designed to assist policy and decision-making at global, regional, national, and local levels. The State of the Arctic Marine Biodiversity Reports (SAMBR) and updates are synthesis from over 70 expert contributors of the state of knowledge about biodiversity in Arctic marine ecosystems, detectable changes, and important gaps in our ability to monitor and assess biodiversity across six
Focal Ecosystem Components (FECs). The SAMBR shows that the food resources are being lost for many Arctic species in Arctic marine environments. Many species must travel further and expend more energy to feed, leading to concerns about individual health and potential effects at the population level. Some Arctic species are
shifting their ranges northwards to seek more favorable conditions as the Arctic warms. These movements pose unknown consequences for Arctic species and their interactions, such as predation and competition. In this presentation, we synthesize the findings from the SAMBR and following updates and discuss next steps in Arctic Marine Biodiversity Monitoring.