Periodic Reporting for period 3 - FACE-IT (The future of Arctic coastal ecosystems - Identifying transitions in fjord systems and adjacent coastal areas)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2023-11-01 al 2024-10-31
The Arctic is a harbinger of change on ecosystems and livelihoods. FACE-IT investigated the consequence of climate warming at various fjord systems across the European Arctic, aiming at a holistic understanding of the impacts on marine biodiversity and Arctic societies. The project investigated seven fjord systems along a gradient of cryosphere loss in Greenland, Svalbard and Northern Norway.
We hypothesized that the biodiversity of Arctic coastal zones is changing in accordance with the rates of cryosphere changes, and that these changes affect local communities and livelihoods. FACE-IT involved Arctic stakeholders to ensure that Indigenous and local knowledges and concerns were integrated in defining management approaches.
The objectives of FACE-IT were: 1. Characterize key drivers of biodiversity changes. 2. Identify cascading effects into Arctic coastal food webs. 3. Assess the interdependencies between environmental change and Arctic coastal livelihoods. 4. Support adaptive co-management at the local and national levels.
We hypothesized that the biodiversity of Arctic coastal zones is changing in accordance with the rates of cryosphere changes, and that these changes affect local communities and livelihoods. FACE-IT involved Arctic stakeholders to ensure that Indigenous and local knowledges and concerns were integrated in defining management approaches.
The objectives of FACE-IT were: 1. Characterize key drivers of biodiversity changes. 2. Identify cascading effects into Arctic coastal food webs. 3. Assess the interdependencies between environmental change and Arctic coastal livelihoods. 4. Support adaptive co-management at the local and national levels.
To address these objectives, FACE-IT pursued research activities in a highly interdisciplinary and even transdisciplinary manner, so that insights from the natural and social sciences cross-fertilised each other and knowledge, perceptions and concerns of local stakeholders became embedded in the research efforts.
The work package on key drivers and data management (WP1) identified data on drivers of change in Arctic socio-ecological fjord systems. These datasets have been published in a FAIR repository, and a public user interface facilitates open data access to all interested parties after the end of the project.
For the first time, FACE-IT provided evidence on biodiversity changes in Arctic fjords (WP2). Borealization signals have been found in primary producers, fish, marine mammal and seabirds, with typical Arctic species generally declining in abundance and temperate species increasing, which will imply cascading effects along food webs and for coastal livelihoods.
Arctic fjords encompass a wide range of environmental conditions (WP3). We found that fjord pelagic production is also driven by processes on land, and results stress the importance of boundary conditions and offshore processes. Modelling efforts have comprised the implementation of a sea ice model into a regional fjord-based model. As boundaries govern ecosystem productivity in fjords, they also affect coastal fisheries, which is a major finding also from a socio-economic point of view.
Arctic fjords are changing rapidly, with consequences to society (WP4). We have engaged with Arctic stakeholders to define their data needs. Our findings show that climate change may only be one driver of societal change, when compared to pressures and opportunities from fishing, tourism, shipping, and changing socio-economic conditions. However, climate change exacerbates these challenges, and it is critical that we approach climate change as one of many pressures.
We co-developed projections of the relevance of changing coastal biodiversity and cryosphere for future tourism in Svalbard and West Greenland (WP5). Overall, tourism actors have a high adaptive capacity to said changes, taking advantage of increased access due to shrinking ice in the fjords and extending the summer season into autumn. Tourism activities and strategies need to be integrated into monitoring, governance, and management programs. Our results have been utilized in defining carrying capacity of cruise tourism in Longyearbyen.
The rate and magnitude of change in social-ecological systems require an inter- and transdisciplinary approach (WP6). We investigated how adaptive co-management (ACM) can support sustainability of food production and tourism in Arctic fjord systems. Field work and workshops in three case study sites have provided understanding of the multiple pressures. Overall, our findings show that there still is a need for data to address the impact of human activities on biodiversity and ecosystems. Furthermore, there are gaps between local knowledge needs and scientific interests. Hence, co-development of indicators for management actions and monitoring of key-species is required.
The project took great effort to enhance its long-term impact. WP 7 supported the dissemination of project results to local stakeholders and policy actors in the EU and in relevant national and international forums. An initial mapping of policy processes within the EU regarding the potential for adaptive co-management of future Arctic fjord systems was the basis of a policy dialogue and a policy brief. WP 7 organized outreach activities and distributed project news via the project homepage and social media channels as well as teaching activities of all project partners. Project flyers and brochures have been produced which have been utilized at international conferences and meetings. Conference sessions have been jointly organized between FACE-IT and its two partner projects, ECOTIP and CHARTER. The three projects identified five priority topics for future research, which have been disseminated at policy events in the last year of the project.
The work package on key drivers and data management (WP1) identified data on drivers of change in Arctic socio-ecological fjord systems. These datasets have been published in a FAIR repository, and a public user interface facilitates open data access to all interested parties after the end of the project.
For the first time, FACE-IT provided evidence on biodiversity changes in Arctic fjords (WP2). Borealization signals have been found in primary producers, fish, marine mammal and seabirds, with typical Arctic species generally declining in abundance and temperate species increasing, which will imply cascading effects along food webs and for coastal livelihoods.
Arctic fjords encompass a wide range of environmental conditions (WP3). We found that fjord pelagic production is also driven by processes on land, and results stress the importance of boundary conditions and offshore processes. Modelling efforts have comprised the implementation of a sea ice model into a regional fjord-based model. As boundaries govern ecosystem productivity in fjords, they also affect coastal fisheries, which is a major finding also from a socio-economic point of view.
Arctic fjords are changing rapidly, with consequences to society (WP4). We have engaged with Arctic stakeholders to define their data needs. Our findings show that climate change may only be one driver of societal change, when compared to pressures and opportunities from fishing, tourism, shipping, and changing socio-economic conditions. However, climate change exacerbates these challenges, and it is critical that we approach climate change as one of many pressures.
We co-developed projections of the relevance of changing coastal biodiversity and cryosphere for future tourism in Svalbard and West Greenland (WP5). Overall, tourism actors have a high adaptive capacity to said changes, taking advantage of increased access due to shrinking ice in the fjords and extending the summer season into autumn. Tourism activities and strategies need to be integrated into monitoring, governance, and management programs. Our results have been utilized in defining carrying capacity of cruise tourism in Longyearbyen.
The rate and magnitude of change in social-ecological systems require an inter- and transdisciplinary approach (WP6). We investigated how adaptive co-management (ACM) can support sustainability of food production and tourism in Arctic fjord systems. Field work and workshops in three case study sites have provided understanding of the multiple pressures. Overall, our findings show that there still is a need for data to address the impact of human activities on biodiversity and ecosystems. Furthermore, there are gaps between local knowledge needs and scientific interests. Hence, co-development of indicators for management actions and monitoring of key-species is required.
The project took great effort to enhance its long-term impact. WP 7 supported the dissemination of project results to local stakeholders and policy actors in the EU and in relevant national and international forums. An initial mapping of policy processes within the EU regarding the potential for adaptive co-management of future Arctic fjord systems was the basis of a policy dialogue and a policy brief. WP 7 organized outreach activities and distributed project news via the project homepage and social media channels as well as teaching activities of all project partners. Project flyers and brochures have been produced which have been utilized at international conferences and meetings. Conference sessions have been jointly organized between FACE-IT and its two partner projects, ECOTIP and CHARTER. The three projects identified five priority topics for future research, which have been disseminated at policy events in the last year of the project.
FACE-IT generated significant impact on the Arctic research community, policy makers and the interested public, providing those with a number of new tools and scientific insights, which are entirely open access:
1) The data access tool will allow efficient retrieval of information to all interested parties (http://choc.imev-mer.fr/shiny/dataAccess/(si apre in una nuova finestra)). It is the ambition to maintain this resource long-term to the benefit of future Arctic projects.
2) For the first time, FACE-IT revealed the manifestation of biodiversity trends in line with the amplifying signal of Atlantification. For all taxa and biota studied a trend towards the replacement of Arctic species by Atlantic species has been demonstrated. This evidence for ongoing atlantification of the Arctic fauna and flora is a strong statement to be used in conservation negotiations.
3) The mechanisms that drive fjord functioning under progressing glacier retreat have been identified, and the ecological and societal consequences of human activities are much better understood.
4) The comparison of biological and social-science data over the different study sites reveal the complexity added by the human dimension, as the nature and the severity of impact on the respective livelihoods differ locally. Hence, there is a strong need to involve local stakeholders for any activities that should point to management recommendations.
Conclusively, FACE-IT has delivered novel understanding on the consequences of cryosphere reduction to Arctic biodiversity and related local livelihoods and helps defining future research topics on Arctic fjords. To ensure that the dissemination of project results is not limited to academic use, numerous public engagements were pursued. To further a sustained impact after the end of the project, all project documents have been stored in the openly and permanently accessible Zenodo repository: https://zenodo.org/communities/face-it/about(si apre in una nuova finestra)
1) The data access tool will allow efficient retrieval of information to all interested parties (http://choc.imev-mer.fr/shiny/dataAccess/(si apre in una nuova finestra)). It is the ambition to maintain this resource long-term to the benefit of future Arctic projects.
2) For the first time, FACE-IT revealed the manifestation of biodiversity trends in line with the amplifying signal of Atlantification. For all taxa and biota studied a trend towards the replacement of Arctic species by Atlantic species has been demonstrated. This evidence for ongoing atlantification of the Arctic fauna and flora is a strong statement to be used in conservation negotiations.
3) The mechanisms that drive fjord functioning under progressing glacier retreat have been identified, and the ecological and societal consequences of human activities are much better understood.
4) The comparison of biological and social-science data over the different study sites reveal the complexity added by the human dimension, as the nature and the severity of impact on the respective livelihoods differ locally. Hence, there is a strong need to involve local stakeholders for any activities that should point to management recommendations.
Conclusively, FACE-IT has delivered novel understanding on the consequences of cryosphere reduction to Arctic biodiversity and related local livelihoods and helps defining future research topics on Arctic fjords. To ensure that the dissemination of project results is not limited to academic use, numerous public engagements were pursued. To further a sustained impact after the end of the project, all project documents have been stored in the openly and permanently accessible Zenodo repository: https://zenodo.org/communities/face-it/about(si apre in una nuova finestra)