Arctic Marine Biodiversity under Climate Change

My presentation focuses on the climate-induced changes in marine biodiversity in the Arctic and their consequences for the ecosystem services, such as fisheries and climate observed regulation that we humans depend on.

I will give examples of changes in the distribution of species and explain how small changes at the basis of the marine food web can influence the productivity and function of food webs - in other words, the fish production and the capacity of oceans to store CO₂.

I'll also introduce the concept of an ecosystem tipping point and explain why melting of ice can have large effects on the Arctic marine ecosystems.

Finally, I will tell you about the expeditions (cruises), that our EU project ECOTIP has undertaken to West and East Greenland to study the causes and consequences of climate change to marine biodiversity.

(Photo: Marja Koski)