sign in sign up
<<
Home , Arctic, Arctic Ocean, East Siberian Sea, Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, Lena (river)

7/18:&LME&FACTSHEET&SERIES& LAPTEV LME

tic LMEs Arc LAPTEV'SEA'LME' 18 of Map

Central LME

Iceland

North Pole

Kara Sea

7 1 ARCTIC LMEs

Large& Marine& & (LMEs)& are& defined& as& & of& work&of&the&ArcNc&Council&in&developing&and&promoNng&the& ocean& space& of& 200,000& km²& or& greater,& that& encompass& & Approach& to& management& of& the& ArcNc& marine& coastal& areas& from& river& basins& and& & to& the& outer& environment.& margins& of& a& conNnental& shelf& or& the& seaward& extent& of& a& predominant&coastal¤t.&LMEs&are&defined&by&ecological& Joint'EA'Expert'group' criteria,&including&,&hydrography,&producNvity,&and& PAME& established& an& Ecosystem& Approach& to& Management& tropically& linked& populaNons.& PAME& developed& a& map& expert& group& in& 2011& with& the& parNcipaNon& of& other& ArcNc& delineaNng&17&ArcNc&Large&Marine&Ecosystems&(ArcNc&LME's)& Council&working&groups&(AMAP,&CAFF&and&SDWG).&This&joint& in&the&marine&waters&of&the&ArcNc&and&adjacent&&in&2006.& Ecosystem&Approach&Expert&Group&(EAYEG)&has&developed&a& In&a&consultaNve&process&including&agencies&of&ArcNc&Council& framework& for& EA& implementaNon& where& the& first& step& is& member&states&and&other&ArcNc&Council&working&groups,&the& idenNficaNon& of& the& ecosystem& to& be& managed.& IdenNfying& ArcNc& LME& map& was& revised& in& 2012&to&include&18&ArcNc& the&ArcNc&LMEs&represents&this&first&step. LMEs.& This& is& the& current& map& of& ArcNc& LMEs& used& in& the& This'factsheet'is'one'of'18'in'a'series'of'the'Arc

OVERVIEW: LAPTEV SEA LME

The$ Laptev$ Sea$ is$ located$ on$ the$ Siberian$ shelf$ between$ the$ Taimyr$ Peninsula$ and$ Severnya$ Zemlya$ in$the$west$and$the$New$Siberian$$in$the$east.$ It$ extends$ from$ about$ 7ºN$ in$ the$ BuorBKaya$ Inlet$ to$ 81ºN$ and$ covers$ an$ area$ of$ about$ 0.8$ million$ km2.$ Large$ areas$ of$ the$ Laptev$ Sea$ shelf$ are$ shallower$ than$50$m$and$the$mean$depth$of$the$southern$part$ is$only$around$20$meters.$The$shelf$is$fairly$narrow$ and$ moderately$ deep$ to$ the$ $ and$ east$ of$ the$ Severnya$ Zemlya$ $ group.$ The$ shelf$ widens$ to$ the$north$of$the$East$Siberian$Islands$where$the$slope$ connects$to$the$Lomonosov$Ridge$that$extends$across$ the$ArcNc$Ocean$towards$.$$

Severnaya$ Zemlya$ was$ the$ last$ $ in$ the$ $ to$ be$ discovered$ (in$ 1913).$ It$ comprises$ four$ major$ islands$ (October$ RevoluNon,$ Bolshevik,$ Komsomolets,$ and$ Pioneer)$ and$ around$ 70$ smaller$ islands,$ covering$ a$ total$ area$ of$ about$ 37,000$ km².$ The$ larger$ islands$ are$ mountainous$ with$ extensive$ $and$have$inlets$and$Xords$and$partly$rocky$ Map:$The$Laptev$Sea$LME.$ $ $ $$$$$$$$$$$$$Source:$AMSAIIC$Report shores$facing$the$northwestern$Laptev$Sea.$$ the$ central$ part$ of$ the$ Laptev$ Sea.$ This$ is$ also$ The$ New$ Siberian$ Islands$ in$ the$ eastern$ Laptev$ Sea$ reflected$ in$ the$ iceBdri^$ pa]ern$ where$ there$ is$ a$ comprise$ two$ parts:$ the$ northern$ group$ of$ Anzhu$ southward$ transport$ of$ $ into$ the$ western$ area$ in$ Islands$and$the$southern$group$of$Lyakhovsky$Islands,$ summer$and$a$northward$transport$from$the$eastern$ separated$ by$ the$ Sannikov$ .$ The$ west$ Siberian$ Laptev$Sea$into$the$TransBPolar$Dri^.$FreezeBup$starts$ shelf$ borders$ the$ deep$ Nansen$ Basin$ of$ the$ ArcNc$ in$late$September$and$is$completed$within$2B3$weeks$ Ocean.$ This$ basin$ is$ elongated$ as$ is$ the$ Amundsen$ when$the$whole$Laptev$Sea$is$iceBcovered.$ Basin$that$runs$in$parallel$on$the$Eurasian$side$of$the$ Lomonosov$Ridge.$The$Nansen$and$Amundsen$Basins$ The$Great$Siberian$$outside$the$fastBice$edge$ are$ separated$ by$ the$ Gakkel$ Ridge$ that$ is$ a$ can$stretch$for$more$than$2000$km$from$north$of$the$ conNnuaNon$ of$ the$ midBAtlanNc$ Ridge.$ The$ steep$ East$ Siberian$ islands$ to$ the$ western$ Laptev$ Sea.$ shelf$slope$in$the$northern$part$of$the$Laptev$Sea$is$ $ also$ form$ on$ the$ eastern$ side$ of$ the$ the$narrow$end$of$these$elongated$basins.$$ Severnya$ Zemlya$ islands$ and$ the$ Taimyr$ Peninsula.$ The$polynya$is$a$major$area$for$ice$formaNon,$the$ice$ Due$to$its$open$northern$boundary,$the$circulaNon$of$ being$ swept$ north$ into$ the$ TransBPolar$ Dri^,$ the$ northern$ Laptev$ Sea$ is$ influenced$ by$ the$ largeB contribuNng$ to$ making$ the$ Laptev$ Sea$ the$ most$ scale$ circulaNon$ pa]ern$ of$ the$ ArcNc$ Ocean.$ The$ 2 important$area$for$ice$formaNon$and$export.$ main$feature$is$a$cyclonic$(counterBclockwise)$gyre$in$

MARINE MAMMALS & occurs& with& a& resident& populaNon& in& the& Polar'&occurs&in&the&area&with&&from&the& Laptev& Sea.& Laptev& walrus& is& depicted& as& distributed& Laptev& Sea& subpopulaNon.& The& distribuNon& area& for& in&the&western&Laptev&Sea&along&the&east&coast&of&the& this&subpopulaNon&includes&the&western&half&of&the& Taimyr& Peninsula& and& Severnaya& Zemlya,& and& in& the& East& Siberian& Sea& and& most& of& the& Laptev& Sea,& eastern& Laptev& Sea& from& the& & Delta& to& the& East& including&the&New&Siberian&Islands&and&probably&the& Siberian&Islands.&There&is&limited&informaNon&on&the& Severnaya& Zemlya& archipelago.& Records& and& aerial& seasonal&changes&in&the&distribuNon&of&walrus&in&the& surveys&have&found&polar&&to&be&most&frequent& Laptev& Sea.& The& size& of& the& Laptev& Sea& walrus& in&the&western&Laptev&Sea&off&Severnaya&Zemlya&and& populaNon&is&suggested&to&be&4Y5,000&individuals.&& eastern&Taimyr&with&fewer®istraNons&in&the¢ral& and&eastern&part&of&the&sea.& Ringed'seal&and&bearded&seal&are&widely&distributed& in& the& Laptev& Sea& and& presumably& use& the& polynyas& Polar&bears&in&the&Russian&ArcNc&have&been&found&to& during& .& The& densiNes& of& ringed& and& bearded& be& associated& mainly& with& newly& formed& acNve& ice& seals&in&the&Laptev&Sea&are¬&known.&While&the&size& with& deformaNons& and& are& seen& less& frequently& on& of&their&potental&habitats&may&be&large,&including&vast& fast& ice& and& rarely& on& heavy& mulNyear& ice.& In& the& areas&of&fast&ice,&polynyas&and&shallow&waters,&their& Laptev&Sea,&the&highest&densiNes&of&polar&bears&have& densiNes& may& in& fact& be& on& the& low& side.& This& is& been& found& in& the& zone& beyond& shorefast& ice& near& suggested& by& a& relaNvely& low& abundance& of& polar& Severnaya&Zemlya,&along&northern&and&northeastern& bears& that& have& ringed& seals& in& parNcular& as& their& Taimyr& Peninsula,& and& north& of& the& New& Siberian& main&prey.& Islands.&When&the&ice&retreats&north&in&summer,&oeen& beyond& the& shelf& edge,& some& polar& bears& come& Beluga' &occurs®ularly&in&fairly&high& ashore& to& spend& the& iceYfree& period& on& the& New& abundance& in& the& western& Laptev& Sea& during& Siberian& Islands& which& play& an& important& role& as& a& summer.& These& animals& belong& to& the& Karskaya& seasonal&terrestrial&habitat&for&polar&bears.& beluga& populaNon& of& the& Barents,& Kara& and& Laptev& Seas&that&migrate&into&the&northwestern&Laptev&Sea.& Maternity&dens&have&been&found&on&the&New&Siberian& The&belugas&migrate&into&the&Laptev&Sea&mainly&north& Islands& and& on& Severnaya& Zemlya& as& well& as& on& the& of& the& Severnaya& Zemlya& and& may& leave& in& the& & coast.& The& density& of& polar& bears& in& the& autumn& through& the& Vilkitskyi& Strait& between& the& Laptev& Sea& has& been& found& to& be& lower& than& the& mainland&and&this&island&group.&Few&belugas&migrate& density& in& the& Barents& and& Kara& seas.& Based& on& the& into& the& eastern& Laptev& Sea.& There& is& some& possible&number&of&denning&bears&and&the&observed& uncertainty& as& to& whether& belugas& winter& in& the& densiNes,& the& Laptev& Sea& polar& bear& subpopulaNon& Laptev& Sea& and& what& the& stock& structure& of& the& was& suggested& to& be& 800–1,200& polar& bears.& This& Karskaya&populaNon&is.& esNmate& is& uncertain& and& should& be& regarded& as& preliminary.& Reported& harvest& acNviNes& in& this& & occurs& in& the& northern& Barents& and& Kara& subpopulaNon&are&limited&to&defence&kills&and¤t& seas& with& most& observaNons& made& in& the& area& of& levels& of& harvest& are& not& thought& to& be& having& a& Franz& Joseph& Land.& Their& range& extends& into& the& detrimental&impact&on&the&subpopulaNon.&& northern&Laptev&Sea.&

3

FISH The&fish&&in&the&Laptev&Sea&ecosystem&includes& SHOREBIRDS a&wide&range&of&ecological&types&with&occurrence&of& freshwater,& brackish& water,& euryhaline& and& marine& The&lowlying&coasts&of&the&Laptev&Sea&with&extensive& .&Anadromous&coregonid&whitefish&consNtute& estuaries& and& & offer& habitats& for& a& large& an&important&element&in&the&coastal&brackish&waters& number&of&shorebirds.&The&extensive&Laptev&Delta&is& of&the&southern&and&eastern&areas&during&summer.& a&major&area&for&shorebirds&as&are&the&&Delta&to& ArcNc&cisco,&least&cisco,&muksun&and&broad&whitefish& the&east&and&the&deltas&of&&and&Olenjok&rivers& are&common&and&oeen&abundant&species.&The&larger& to&the&west.&& coregonid&species&is&also&common.&The&wide&spread& of& brackish& water& allows& these& species& to& migrate& TwentyYtwo& species& are& regular& inhabitants& of& the& far&north&in&the&eastern&Laptev&Sea&during&summer.& mainland& coast& of& YakuNa.& The& species& here& are& ArcNc&char&occur&in&the&area&and&migrates&between& largely& the& same& as& those& found& in& the& Kara& Sea& the&sea&and&the&rivers&to&reproduce.&Chum&& .& A& few& of& the& species& of& the& Kara& Sea& area& extends&its&distribuNon&west&to&the&Lena&River.&& have& their& eastern& boundary& in& the& Taimyr& region& (purple& ,& great& snipe),& or& extend& the& Polar&cod&is&the&most&important&marine&fish&species& breeding&range&into&the&western&part&of&the&Laptev& in& the& Laptev& Sea.& They& feed& in& the& open& parts& of& region& (Eurasian& golden& plover).& Two& eastern& the&sea&and&winter&and&&in&the&coastal&zone.& species&appear&in&the&area&east&of&Yana&where&they& In& addiNon& to& the& local& stock,& polar& cod& from& the& are&common:&sharpYtailed&sandpiper&and&longYbilled& BarentsYKara& Seas& stock& may& extend& their& feeding& .&For&a&number&of&species&there&is&a&shie&in& migraNon& from& the& northern& Kara& Sea& into& the& the& occurrence& of& subspecies& in& the& Laptev& region& western& Laptev& Sea.& ArcNc& cod& is& probably& (barYtailed& ,& whimbrel,& red& knot,& ,& important& in& the& northern& Laptev& Sea& but& ligle& and&).&& informaNon&about&this&species&is&available&from&this& area.& Most& of& the& shorebirds& breed& on& adjacent& & and&limited&numbers&breed&in&coastal&habitats&along& Several& small& demersal& species& of& the& fish& families& shorelines.& However,& as& is& the& common& pagern& in& typical& of& the& high& arcNc& shelf& and& slope& the& ArcNc,& many& & species& appear& at& lowland& environments,& including& eelpouts,& sea& snails,& shores& of& the& Laptev& Sea& as& soon& as& the& summer& sculpins&and&others,&occur&on&the&Laptev&shelf&and& seaward& migraNon& commences& in& midYJune.& The& slope.&ArcNc&fourhorn&sculpin&is&common,&as&is&the& coastal& zone& is& a& main& habitat& for& feeding& in& the& arcNc& flounder.& There& are& limited& invesNgaNons& on& postYbreeding& period& and& for& staging& for& several& the& fish& fauna& from& the& outer& Laptev& shelf& and& species&prior&to&the&southward&autumn&migraNon.&& slope.&& Many&of&the&shorebird&species&of&the&Laptev®ion& follow& flyways& south& across& the& conNnent& to& wintering& areas& in& southern& .& The& most& numerous& species& on& the& mainland& coast& in& the& Laptev&Sea&are&red&,&ligle&sNnt,&dunlin,&and& pectoral&sandpiper.&Fewer&species&are&found&on&the& New&Siberian&Islands&and&here&the&common&species& are& ruddy& ,& red& knot,& sanderling,& red& phalarope& and& ligle& sNnt.& Red& knot& and& sanderling& are& the& northernmost& of& the& shorebird& species& in& the&Laptev®ion&and&do¬&occur&on&the&mainland& tundra.&&

5

SEABIRDS WATERFOWL Seabirds& inhabiNng& the& Laptev& Sea& are& typical& for& The&lowYlying&southern&coast&of&the&Laptev&Sea&has& the& midYSiberian& ArcNc,& located& away& from& the& large& floodplains,& estuaries,& tundra& and& other& direct&influence&of&both&the&AtlanNc&and&the&Pacific.& wetlands&that&are&important&habitats&for&waterfowl.& The&species&composiNon&is&limited&and&the&numbers& This&is&parNcularly&the&case&for&the&very&large&Lena& of&individuals&are&relaNvely&low,&though&higher&than& Delta,& but& the& deltas& and& estuaries& of& the& other& in&the&Kara&Sea&LME.&About&13&species&of&seabirds& main& rivers& (,& Anabar,& Olejnek,& and& Yana)& breed& at& the& Laptev& Sea& coasts.& These& include& 3& are&also&important.&The&New&Siberian&Islands&(at&the& auks&(thickYbilled&murre,&dovekie,&black&guillemot),& boundary&to&the&East&Siberian&Sea&LME)&also&contain& 6& species& of& gulls& (blackYlegged& kipwake,& Ross’s,& substanNal& waterfowl& habitats,& while& Severnaya& ,&Sabine’s,&glaucous&and&Vega&gulls),&ArcNc&tern,& Zemlya&(at&the&boundary&to&the&Kara&Sea&LME)&and& and&3&species&of&skuas&(Pomarine,&ArcNc&and&longY the& eastern& Taimyr& have& more& rugged& and& iceY tailed).& bound& coasts& with& less& favorable& waterfowl& habitats.& Colonies& of& cliffYbreeding& seabirds& (auks& and& kipwakes)& are& found& in& the& northwestern& porNon& Three& species& of& geese& (brent,& greater& whiteY of&the&Laptev&Sea&LME&on&the&highYArcNc&Severnaya& fronted,& bean),& around& 12& species& of& ducks,& and& 3& Zemlya& archipelago& and& East& Taimyr,& and& on& the& species& of& divers& (redYthroated,& blackYthroated,& New& Siberian& Islands& & in& the& northeastern& part.& whiteYbilled)& occur& commonly& or& regularly& in& this& Three& species& form& the& core& populaNon& of& the& LME.&The&ducks&include&7&sea&duck&species:&all&four& seabird&colonies:&blackYlegged&kipwake,&thickYbilled& eiders& (common,& king,& spectacled,& Steller’s),& longY murre,& and& dovekie.& The& largest& colonies& are& tailed& duck,& and& black& and& whiteYwinged& scoters.& associated& with& the& Great& Siberian& Polynya,& while& Northern& pintail& is& the& most& common& dabbling& abundant& nesNng& colonies& are& also& situated& along& duck,&and&other&species&in&this&group&are&Eurasian& the&eastern&coast&of&Severnaya&Zemlya&in&proximity& wigeon,& common& teal,& and& Baikal& teal.& The& diving& to& the& shelf& break& and& East& Severozemelskaya& duck&greater&scaup&also&occurs&in&this&area.& Polynya.& The& polynyas& are& used& as& spring& staging& areas& prior& to& the& & occupying& the& breeding& colonies&and&also&for&feeding&in&the&early&part&of&the& breeding&.&

Since&Taimyr&and,&further&to&the&north,&the&islands& of& Severnaya& Zemlya,& are& considered& a& natural& barrier& of& the& soYcalled& ‘Enisey& meridional& zoogeographical& PalaeoarcNc& border’,& the& Laptev& Sea&appears&to&be&a&zone&where&AtlanNc&and&Pacific& subspecies& or& races& and/or& flyway& populaNons& meet.&Several&species&bound&to&either&the&AtlanNc& or&the&Pacific&have&the&limits&of&their&ranges&here.& This& is& the& case& not& only& for& seabirds& but& also& for& waterfowl&(geese&and&ducks)&and&shorebirds.&

Due& to& severe& climaNc& condiNons,& the& Lapetv& Sea& does& not& support& any& significant& wintering& & populaNons.& Seabirds& inhabiNng& the& Siberian& shelf& seas&are&largely&migratory&birds.&&

6 ARCTIC'LMEs' 1.&Faroe&Plateu&LME& 2.&&Shelf&and&Sea&LME& 3.&Greenland&SeaYEast&Greenland&LME& 4.&Norwegian&Sea&LME& 5.'Barents'Sea'LME' 6.&Kara&Sea&LME& 7.'Laptev'Sea'LME' 8.&East&Siberian&Sea&LME& 9.&East&Bering&Sea&LME& 10.&AleuNan&Islands&LME& 11.&West&Bering&Sea&LME& 12.&Northern&BeringYChukchi&Sea&LME& 13.&Central&ArcNc&Ocean&LME& 14.&Beaufort&Sea&LME& 15.&Canadian&High&ArcNc&Y&North&Greenland&LME& 16.&Canadian&Eastern&ArcNc&Y&West&Greenland&LME& 17.&Hudson&Bay&Complex&LME& 18.&LabradorYNewfoundland&LME

LITERATURE REFERENCES Acknowledgements' • The$2007$assessment$of$Oil$and$Gas$in$the$ArcNc$(OGA)$B$ PAME$gratefully$acknowledges$the$financial$ AMAP$(2007)$ support$provided$to$this$project$by$the$Nordic$ • AMAP$OGA$2007$B$Updated$descripNon$of$the$Barents$Sea$ Council$of$Ministers$and$the$OAK$FoundaNon. LME.$Lead$author:$Hein$Rune$Skjoldal.$ • ArcNc$Marine$Areas$of$Heightened$Ecological$and$Cultural$ Significance:$ArcNc$Marine$Shipping$Assessment$(AMSA)$ IIC$B$AMAP/CAFF/SDWG$(2013)$ • Large$Marine$Ecosystems$(LMEs)$of$the$ArcNc$area$ Revision$of$the$ArcNc$LME$map$B$PAME$(2013) Text:'David&J.&Prieto

PAME INTERNATIONAL SECRETARIAT BORGIR NORDURSLOD 600 AKUREYRI ICELAND

TEL.: +354 4611355 EMAIL: [email protected] WWW.PAME.IS7

2018