Norwegian Arctic Tundra: a Panel-Based Assessment of Ecosystem Condition
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Integrating Arctic Plant and Microbial Ecology ‐ 21St ITEX Meeting ‐ September 16‐18 2015
Abstracts: Integrating Arctic Plant and Microbial Ecology ‐ 21st ITEX meeting ‐ September 16‐18 2015 Integrating Arctic Plant and Microbial Ecology ‐ 21st ITEX meeting ORAL PRESENTATIONS: O1. Impacts of winter snow on plants and microbes in a mountain peatland Ellen Dorrepaal1,2, Vincent Jassey2,3, Constant Signarbieux2,3, Rob Mills2,3, Alexandre Buttler2,3, Luca Bragazza2,4, Bjorn Robroek2,5 1: Climate Impacts Research Centre, Umeå University, Sweden 2: Laboratory of Ecological Systems, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland 3: Swiss Federal Research Institute‐WSL, Community Ecology Research Unit, Switzerland 4: Department of Biology and Evolution, University of Ferrara, Italy 5: Ecology and Biodiversity, Utrecht University, The Netherlands Winter in the arctic and mid‐ and high latitude mountains are characterised by frost, snow and darkness. Ecosystem processes such as plant photosynthesis, nutrient uptake and microbial activities are therefore often thought to strongly slow down compared to summer. However, sufficient snow insulates and might enable temperature‐limited processes to continue. Changes in winter precipitation may alter this, yet, winter ecosystem processes remain poorly understood. We removed snow on an ombrotrophic bog in the Swiss Jura mountains to compare impacts and legacy effects on above‐ and belowground ecosystem processes. Snow in mid‐winter (1m; February) and late‐winter (0.4m; April) reduced the photosynthetic capacity (Amax) of Eriophorum vaginatum and the total microbial biomass compared to the subsequent spring 15 (June) and summer (July) values. Amax of Sphagnum magellanicum and N‐uptake by vascular plants were, however, almost as high or higher in mid‐ and late‐winter as in summer. Snow removal enhanced freeze‐thaw cycles and minimum soil temperatures. -
Taiga Plains
ECOLOGICAL REGIONS OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES Taiga Plains Ecosystem Classification Group Department of Environment and Natural Resources Government of the Northwest Territories Revised 2009 ECOLOGICAL REGIONS OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES TAIGA PLAINS This report may be cited as: Ecosystem Classification Group. 2007 (rev. 2009). Ecological Regions of the Northwest Territories – Taiga Plains. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife, NT, Canada. viii + 173 pp. + folded insert map. ISBN 0-7708-0161-7 Web Site: http://www.enr.gov.nt.ca/index.html For more information contact: Department of Environment and Natural Resources P.O. Box 1320 Yellowknife, NT X1A 2L9 Phone: (867) 920-8064 Fax: (867) 873-0293 About the cover: The small photographs in the inset boxes are enlarged with captions on pages 22 (Taiga Plains High Subarctic (HS) Ecoregion), 52 (Taiga Plains Low Subarctic (LS) Ecoregion), 82 (Taiga Plains High Boreal (HB) Ecoregion), and 96 (Taiga Plains Mid-Boreal (MB) Ecoregion). Aerial photographs: Dave Downing (Timberline Natural Resource Group). Ground photographs and photograph of cloudberry: Bob Decker (Government of the Northwest Territories). Other plant photographs: Christian Bucher. Members of the Ecosystem Classification Group Dave Downing Ecologist, Timberline Natural Resource Group, Edmonton, Alberta. Bob Decker Forest Ecologist, Forest Management Division, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories, Hay River, Northwest Territories. Bas Oosenbrug Habitat Conservation Biologist, Wildlife Division, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. Charles Tarnocai Research Scientist, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. Tom Chowns Environmental Consultant, Powassan, Ontario. Chris Hampel Geographic Information System Specialist/Resource Analyst, Timberline Natural Resource Group, Edmonton, Alberta. -
Deforestation in Central Saskatchewan
DEFORESTATION IN CENTRAL SASKATCHEWAN: EFFECTS ON LANDSCAPE STRUCTURE AND ECOSYSTEM CARBON DENSITIES A Thesis Submitted to the College ofGraduate Studies and Research in Partial Fulfilment ofthe Requirements for the Degree ofDoctor ofPhilosophy in the Department ofPlant Sciences University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon By Michael Joseph Fitzsimmons Spring, 2003 © Copyright Michael Joseph Fitzsimmons, 2002. All rights reserved. PERMISSION TO USE In presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment ofthe requirements for a Postgraduate degree from the University of Saskatchewan, I agree that the Libraries of this University may make it freely available for inspection. I further agree that permission for copying ofthis thesis in any manner, in whole or in part, for scholarly purposes may be granted by the professor or professors who supervised my thesis work or, in their absence, by the Head ofthe Department or the Dean ofthe College in which my thesis work was done. It is understood that any copying or publication or use ofthis thesis or parts thereof for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. It is also understood that due recognition shall be given to me and to the University of Saskatchewan in any scholarly use which may be made ofany material in my thesis. Requests for permission to copy or to make other use ofmaterial in this thesis in whole or part should be addressed to: Head ofthe Department ofPlant Sciences University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7H 5A8 ABSTRACT Deforestation is recognized as a serious global problem that contributes to biodiversity loss, soil degradation and atmospheric change. This thesis is an investigation ofdeforestation in central Saskatchewan. -
The Place of the Oceans in Norway's Foreign and Development Policy
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Published by: Meld. St. 22 (2016–2017) Report to the Storting (white paper) Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Public institutions may order additional copies from: Norwegian Government Security and Service Organisation The place of the oceans E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.publikasjoner.dep.no KET T ER RY Telephone: + 47 222 40 000 M K Ø K J E L R in Norway's foreign and I I Photo: Peter Prokosch / Grid Arendal M 0 Print: 07 PrintMedia AS 7 9 7 P 3 R 0 I 1 N 4 08/2017 – Impression 500 TM 0 EDIA – 2 development policy 2016–2017 Meld. St. 22 (2016–2017) Report to the Storting (white paper) 1 The place of the oceans in Norway’s foreign and development policy Meld. St. 22 (2016–2017) Report to the Storting (white paper) The place of the oceans in Norway’s foreign and development policy Translation from Norwegian. For information only. Contents 1 Introduction................................... 5 Part III Priority areas for Norway ......... 41 2 Summary ....................................... 8 5 Sustainable use and value creation ......................................... 43 Part I Ocean interests ............................ 13 5.1 Oil and gas sector .......................... 43 5.1.1 International cooperation in the 3 Norwegian ocean interests in oil and gas sector ........................... 44 an international context ............ 15 5.2 Maritime industry .......................... 45 3.1 The potential of the oceans ........... 15 5.2.1 International cooperation in 3.2 Forces shaping international shipping .......................................... 45 ocean policy .................................... 16 5.2.2 Shipping in the north ..................... 47 3.3 Need for knowledge ....................... 17 5.3 Seafood industry ........................... -
Stri Laurance Chapter 4 2010.Pdf
CHAPTER 4 Habitat destruction: death by a thousand cuts William F. Laurance Humankind has dramatically transformed much 4.1 Habitat loss and fragmentation of the Earth’s surface and its natural ecosystems. Habitat destruction occurs when a natural habitat, This process is not new—it has been ongoing for such as a forest or wetland, is altered so dramati- millennia—but it has accelerated sharply over the cally that it no longer supports the species it origi- last two centuries, and especially in the last sev- nally sustained. Plant and animal populations are eral decades. destroyed or displaced, leading to a loss of biodi- Today, the loss and degradation of natural ha- versity (see Chapter 10). Habitat destruction is bitats can be likened to a war of attrition. Many considered the most important driver of species natural ecosystems are being progressively razed, extinction worldwide (Pimm and Raven 2000). bulldozed, and felled by axes or chainsaws, until Few habitats are destroyed entirely. Very often, only small scraps of their original extent survive. habitats are reduced in extent and simultaneously Forests have been hit especially hard: the global fragmented, leaving small pieces of original habi- area of forests has been reduced by roughly half tat persisting like islands in a sea of degraded over the past three centuries. Twenty-five nations land. In concert with habitat loss, habitat frag- have lost virtually all of their forest cover, and mentation is a grave threat to species survival another 29 more than nine-tenths of their forest (Laurance 2002; Sekercioglu 2002; (MEA 2005). Tropical forests are disappearing et al. -
MARITIME ACTIVITY in the HIGH NORTH – CURRENT and ESTIMATED LEVEL up to 2025 MARPART Project Report 1
MARITIME ACTIVITY IN THE HIGH NORTH – CURRENT AND ESTIMATED LEVEL UP TO 2025 MARPART Project Report 1 Authors: Odd Jarl Borch, Natalia Andreassen, Nataly Marchenko, Valur Ingimundarson, Halla Gunnarsdóttir, Iurii Iudin, Sergey Petrov, Uffe Jacobsen and Birita í Dali List of authors Odd Jarl Borch Project Leader, Nord University, Norway Natalia Andreassen Nord University, Norway Nataly Marchenko The University Centre in Svalbard, Norway Valur Ingimundarson University of Iceland Halla Gunnarsdóttir University of Iceland Iurii Iudin Murmansk State Technical University, Russia Sergey Petrov Murmansk State Technical University, Russia Uffe Jakobsen University of Copenhagen, Denmark Birita í Dali University of Greenland 1 Partners MARPART Work Package 1 “Maritime Activity and Risk” 2 THE MARPART RESEARCH CONSORTIUM The management, organization and governance of cross-border collaboration within maritime safety and security operations in the High North The key purpose of this research consortium is to assess the risk of the increased maritime activity in the High North and the challenges this increase may represent for the preparedness institutions in this region. We focus on cross-institutional and cross-country partnerships between preparedness institutions and companies. We elaborate on the operational crisis management of joint emergency operations including several parts of the preparedness system and resources from several countries. The project goals are: • To increase understanding of the future demands for preparedness systems in the High North including both search and rescue, oil spill recovery, fire fighting and salvage, as well as capacities fighting terror or other forms of destructive action. • To study partnerships and coordination challenges related to cross-border, multi-task emergency cooperation • To contribute with organizational tools for crisis management Project characteristics: Financial support: -Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, -the Nordland county Administration -University partners. -
Volume 7: the Boreal Forest TEACHING
TEACHING KIT Volume 7: The Boreal Forest National Forest Week 2006: September 24 to 30 The Canadian Forestry Association is pleased to announce that after careful consultation and consideration, in 2006 National Forest Week will move from spring to fall. Based on a 100-year legacy of facilitating forest education, the CFA believes this new approach will spur increased year-round learning opportunities for interested Canadians. Trends show that early education is key to capturing and fostering the interest of youth towards volunteerism, higher education and careers in the forest and environmental sectors. Developing the forestry leaders of tomorrow is critical to ensuring sustainability of our natural resources and the socio-economic and health benefits they provide for all Canadians. Integral to this learning process is the Canada's Forests Teaching Kit series, which has become the cornerstone of CFA’s education and outreach initiatives. Available free to educators, these kits provide tools for helping youth better understand the value of forest resources and the importance of using them wisely. Beginning in 2006, the annual kit publication date will change to coin- cide with National Forest Week each September. This is in response to overwhelming feedback from teachers across Canada indicating a strong preference to receive these materials at commencement of the school year for increased and enhanced integration into teaching plans and other outreach activities. In keeping with tradition, I invite you to join the CFA in celebrating Canada’s forests — in September and year-round: plant a tree, walk through a forest or learn about forest management. Your local forestry association can provide more ideas, teaching materials and information about forest activities in your area. -
Cop13 Inf. 66 (English Only / Únicamente En Inglés / Seulement En Anglais)
CoP13 Inf. 66 (English only / únicamente en inglés / seulement en anglais) Written Statement by Japan on the naming of Sea of Japan In response to the written statement distributed by the RoK Delegation, Japan would like to present the pamphlet and related information on the appellation of the Sea of Japan, which show that the Sea of Japan is the standard appellation of the regional sea, and that all the UN publications shall exclusively use this specific appellation. Naming of the Sea of Japan The purpose of the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names (UNGEGN) is to consider the technical problems of standardization of geographical names with a view to furthering it at both the national and international levels thereby preventing confusion in the use of names of geographical features. The delegation of Japan therefore believes that as a matter of principle it is not appropriate to discuss the issue of the naming of any particular geographical feature such as the Sea of Japan at this meeting. The views of the Government of Japan on this matter were clearly expressed at the previous sessions of the UNGEGN and the United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names (UNCSGN), including its last session in Berlin in 2002, and have been duly recorded. It should be reiterated here that the name “Sea of Japan” is geographically and historically established and is used at present all over the world, except the ROK and the DPRK that claim the name should be replaced or at least co-named the “East Sea.” The following are the major points Japan wishes to make in response to these unfounded and politically motivated assertions. -
Arctic Report Card 2017
Arctic Report Card 2017 Arctic Report Card 2017 Arctic shows no sign of returning to reliably frozen region of recent past decades 2017 Headlines 2017 Headlines Video Executive Summary Contacts Arctic shows no sign of returning to reliably frozen Vital Signs region of recent past decades Surface Air Temperature Despite relatively cool summer temperatures, Terrestrial Snow Cover observations in 2017 continue to indicate that the Greenland Ice Sheet Arctic environmental system has reached a 'new Sea Ice normal', characterized by long-term losses in the Sea Surface Temperature extent and thickness of the sea ice cover, the extent Arctic Ocean Primary Productivity and duration of the winter snow cover and the mass of ice in the Greenland Ice Sheet and Arctic glaciers, Tundra Greenness and warming sea surface and permafrost Other Indicators temperatures. Terrestrial Permafrost Groundfish Fisheries in the Highlights Eastern Bering Sea Wildland Fire in High Latitudes • The average surface air temperature for the year ending September 2017 is the 2nd warmest since 1900; however, cooler spring and summer temperatures contributed to a rebound in snow cover in the Eurasian Arctic, slower summer sea ice loss, Frostbites and below-average melt extent for the Greenland ice sheet. Paleoceanographic Perspectives • The sea ice cover continues to be relatively young and thin with older, thicker ice comprising only 21% of the ice cover in on Arctic Ocean Change 2017 compared to 45% in 1985. Collecting Environmental • In August 2017, sea surface temperatures in the Barents and Chukchi seas were up to 4° C warmer than average, Intelligence in the New Arctic contributing to a delay in the autumn freeze-up in these regions. -
Norway in Respect of Areas in the Arctic Ocean, the Barents Sea and the Norwegian Sea Executive Summary
Continental Shelf Submission of Norway in respect of areas in the Arctic Ocean, the Barents Sea and the Norwegian Sea Executive Summary 50˚00’ 85˚00’ 45˚00’ 40˚00’ 35˚00’ Continental shelf 30˚00’ 30˚00’ 200 nautical mile limit of Norway beyond 200 nautical 85˚00’ 25˚00’ 25˚00’ 20˚00’ 20˚00’ miles 15˚00’ 15˚00’ 200 nautical mile limits of other states 10˚00’5˚00’ 0˚00’ 5˚00’10˚00’ Bilateral maritime boundaries between Water depth Norway and other states 0 meter Computed median line between 500 meter Norway and the Russian Federation 1000 meter Western 80˚00’ Nansen Basin Preliminary line connecting continental 1500 meter shelf outer limit points of Norway and the Russian Federation 2000 meter Outer limit of the continental shelf 2500 meter beyond 200 nautical miles 3000 meter 2500 meter isobath 3500 meter 80˚00’ Yermak BARENTS Land boundaries between states 4000 meter Plateau Boundary between 200 nautical mile 4500 meter SEA 75˚00’ zones of Mainland Norway and around Svalbard 5000 meter 5500 meter Land Svalbard Continental shelf outer limit points Norwegian territory 60 nautical mile distance criterion Sediment thickness criterion Land, undifferentiated Knipovich Ridge Loop Greenland Hole Point of the Russian Federation 75˚00’ 70˚00’ GREENLAND SEA Bjørnøya 65˚00’ 70˚00’ Mohns Ridge Jan Mayen 60˚00’ NORWEGIAN 50˚00’ Lofoten Jan Mayen Fracture Zone SEA Basin Iceland SEAVøring Spur Jan Mayen Micro Continent Banana Hole Plateau Banana Hole 65˚00’ 45˚00’ Vøring Russian Federation Norway Plateau Basin 40˚00’ Iceland Finland 35˚00’ 60˚00’ 30˚00’ -
Arctic Report Card 2018 Effects of Persistent Arctic Warming Continue to Mount
Arctic Report Card 2018 Effects of persistent Arctic warming continue to mount 2018 Headlines 2018 Headlines Video Executive Summary Effects of persistent Arctic warming continue Contacts to mount Vital Signs Surface Air Temperature Continued warming of the Arctic atmosphere Terrestrial Snow Cover and ocean are driving broad change in the Greenland Ice Sheet environmental system in predicted and, also, Sea Ice unexpected ways. New emerging threats Sea Surface Temperature are taking form and highlighting the level of Arctic Ocean Primary uncertainty in the breadth of environmental Productivity change that is to come. Tundra Greenness Other Indicators River Discharge Highlights Lake Ice • Surface air temperatures in the Arctic continued to warm at twice the rate relative to the rest of the globe. Arc- Migratory Tundra Caribou tic air temperatures for the past five years (2014-18) have exceeded all previous records since 1900. and Wild Reindeer • In the terrestrial system, atmospheric warming continued to drive broad, long-term trends in declining Frostbites terrestrial snow cover, melting of theGreenland Ice Sheet and lake ice, increasing summertime Arcticriver discharge, and the expansion and greening of Arctic tundravegetation . Clarity and Clouds • Despite increase of vegetation available for grazing, herd populations of caribou and wild reindeer across the Harmful Algal Blooms in the Arctic tundra have declined by nearly 50% over the last two decades. Arctic • In 2018 Arcticsea ice remained younger, thinner, and covered less area than in the past. The 12 lowest extents in Microplastics in the Marine the satellite record have occurred in the last 12 years. Realms of the Arctic • Pan-Arctic observations suggest a long-term decline in coastal landfast sea ice since measurements began in the Landfast Sea Ice in a 1970s, affecting this important platform for hunting, traveling, and coastal protection for local communities. -
Biodiversity and Management of the Madrean Archipelago
)I This file was created by scanning the printed publication. Errors identified by the software have been corrected; however, some errors may remain. A Classification System and Map of the Biotic Communities of North America David E. Brown, Frank Reichenbacher, and Susan E. Franson 1 Abstract.-Biotic communities (biomes) are regional plant and animal associations within recognizable zoogeographic and floristic provinces. Using the previous works and modified terminology of biologists, ecologists, and biogeographers, we have developed an hierarchical classification system for the world's biotic communities. In use by the Arid Ecosystems Resource Group of the Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program, the Arizona Game and Fish Department, and other Southwest agencies, this classification system is formulated on the limiting effects of moisture and temperature minima on the structure and composition of vegetation while recognizing specific plant and animal adaptations to regional environments. To illustrate the applicability of the classification system, the Environmental Protection Agency has funded the preparation of a 1: 10,000,000 color map depicting the major upland biotic communities of North America using an ecological color scheme that shows gradients in available plant moisture, heat, and cold. Digitized and computer compatible, this hierarchical system facilitates biotic inventory and assessment, the delineation and stratification of habitats, and the identification of natural areas in need of acquisition, Moreover, the various categories of the classification are statistically testable through the use of existing climatic data, and analysis of plant and animal distributions. Both the classification system and map are therefore of potential use to those interested in preserving biotic diversity.