Wwf is working with partners to protect marine resources from the threat of shipwrecks and related oil spills, invasive species, ship strikes, and pollution. Marine invasive species in the arctic published on aug 18, 2014 arctic marine ecosystems are among the most productive and most vulnerable in the world, both from an economic and ecological. Most marine invasive species stow away in ship ballast. Download arctic invasive alien species strategy and action plan the implementation plan for the national strategy for the arctic region directs the federal government to develop, implement, and maintain an international invasive species prevention and management plan. Hazardous organisms also negatively affect fisheries, commercial shipping activities, and marine resources. Arctic at risk from invasive species arctic deeply news deeply. Invasive marine species discovered on nonnative kelp. As summer sea ice recedes and resource development grows, the number of ships in the arctic may well increase and bring with them nonnative aquatic species.
Arctic ocean, invasive species, transported by vessels, will also risk impacts. The nisc secretariat is currently working with international partners to develop the arctic invasive alien species arias. The cold waters have long prevented invasive species from establishing themselves in. The cold waters have long prevented invasive species from establishing themselves in the arctic after being released in a ships ballast water, but this will change as the ocean gets warmer.
Its widely considered a keystone species because they control sea urchin populations that would damage the ecosystem. Reference is made in particular to the 2011 guidelines for the control and management of ships biofouling to minimize the transfer of invasive aquatic species resolution mepc. One of our favorite arctic animals, this adorable but endangered species can walk on land but spends most of its time in the water. These organisms, known as invasive aquatic species, can negatively affect a ships operation, while they also present a threat to the marine environment.
And as christopher ware reports, a new danger arises invasive alien species disrupting fragile arctic ecosystems. Together, we create sciencebased solutions for a healthy ocean. Assessing the global threat of invasive species to marine biodiversity. An invasive species is a species not native to a particular location which can spread to a degree that causes damage to the environment, human economy or human health. Arctic marine biodiversity and invasive alien species. This special issue of temanord presents papers from a workshop devoted to this topic. Marine invasive species in the arctic temanord book 547 kindle edition by council of ministers, nordic.
These priority actions span terrestrial, aquatic, and marine ecosystems. This is because invasive species in other habitats such as the ocean have been largely catered for in. There have been several reports of either adults or larvae of alien animals at antarctic coastal localities e. Ocean conservancy is working with you to protect the ocean from todays greatest global challenges. Drifting algae in the austral ocean can bring invasive species to the antarctic coasts. The cultural icescapes of the arctic the inupiaq people of alaska have more than 100 words for different kinds of sea ice, illustrated here.
Once established, invasive marine species are notoriously difficult to eradicate, said ware. Yet, the knowledge base needed to identify gaps and priorities for nis research and management is limited. Arctic at risk from invasive species invasive species. In fact, some have already made it to the arctic, they just cant survive there. Invasive species also hitch rides on the outside of ship hulls and on the millions of tons of plastics and other trash that floats around the globe in ocean currents. Arctic ocean could see more invasive species as waters warm.
In the 1960s, the soviet union, seeking to increase the productivity of the barents sea, began a program of releasing the species, a native of the pacific ocean, into the waters off the kola peninsula. In fact, some have already made it to the arctic, they just cant survive there yet. Almost lost in the current debate about arctic hybridization and invasive species from the south is that some. Grizzly bears mating with polar bears and exotic diseases making their. The first potentially invasive species to reach the antarctica on. A pair of smithsonian marine biologists argue that a warming arctic puts the area at risk for inviting invasive species an oil tanker makes its way to valdez, alaska. Penguins, ice caps, and arctic monitors scientific stations that track ecological changes increasingly survive on barebones budgets. An uncertain future for the arctic ocean explore to understand. The actions take environmental, cultural, and economic perspectives into consideration. Antarctic marine biodiversity what do we know about the. The committee for environmental protection cep has been discussing the issue and has recently declared this issue of the highest priority. A pair of smithsonian marine biologists argue that a warming arctic puts the area at risk for inviting invasive species. In fact, our recent study showed that blue mussels have become much more common in the arctic in recent years, just like other exotic species of bluefin tuna and killer whales. The bestknown instance of invasive species in the arctic is perhaps the red king crab.
Towards arctic resource governance of marine invasive species melina kourantidou, brooks a. Climate change opens new frontiers for marine species in. Issues and challenges in resource governance and monitoring of societal. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading marine invasive species in the arctic temanord book. Ocean species mix as sea ice melts, with unknown consequences. Arctic invasive alien species strategy and action plan u. Large boats have tanks in their hulls that are filled with seawater to counterbalance cargo weight.
Arctic marine ecosystems are among the most productive and most vulnerable in the world, both from an economic and ecological perspective of growing accessibility. They prey on marine invertebrates, remarkably using rocks as tools to open shells. Arctic invasive alien species executive order 112 calls for both ecosystemlevel coordination and international cooperation. Marine invasive species in the arctic nordic council of ministers. The smithsonian environmental research centers marine invasions lab travels. Climate change draws invasive species to the arctic. Towards arctic resource governance of marine invasive species 175 melina kourantidou, brooks a. Climate change draws invasive species to the arctic sciencenordic.
The arctic ocean is often presented by scientists as one of the ecosystems. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading marine invasive species in the arctic temanord book 547. In the past halfdecade, says wassmann, there has been atlantic cod in fishable amounts north of svalbard, which had not been observed before. We bring together experts on invasive species, marine resource management, and the arctic with the purpose of preparing casestudies from the nordic countries and to discuss continuing applicable research. Warming arctic brings invasion of southern species yale environment 360. There are currently no records of successfully established invasive marine animal species within the southern ocean.
Example of matters related to antifouling systems taken into consideration by some icegoing ships this table is used by some operators of icegoing. Arctic at risk from invasive species the ecologist. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Kelly and his colleagues suggested that at least 22 arctic marine mammals many of them already threatened or endangered are at risk from hybridization. Invasive species are still rare in the arctic but that. During a ships lifetime microorganisms, plants, algae, or animals will gather in its hull, during a process called biofouling. Small canids and small mammals are the european red foxs prey and due to. Arctic ocean could see more invasive species as waters. Chapters arctic biodiversity, conservation of arctic. However, there is a solution and is called antifouling. Marine invasive species in the arctic temanord book 547. The implementation plan for the national strategy for the arctic region directs the federal government to develop, implement, and maintain an international invasive species prevention and management plan. In addition to making the arctic ocean more habitable for invasive species, warmer waters will also lead to an increase in ship traffic through the. Some invaders hitchhike on ship hulls or inside ballast tanks, others are introduced through the aquarium trade.
Marine invasive species in the arctic ved stranden 18 dk1061 copenhagen k. Understanding the success of marine invasive species springerlink. Although the species is recorded as far north as northern scandinavia in the arctic. In october 20, a group of multidisciplinary experts on marine invasive species and the arctic came together in esbjerg, dk for a twoday workshop titled. However they move, invasive species can alter ecosystems, food webs, and economies. Fernandez scientific and policyoriented publications highlighting the magnitude of uncertainty in the changing arctic and the possibilities for effective regional governance are proliferating, yet it remains a challenging task to. The cultural icescapes of the arctic smithsonian ocean. Recently, the management of the marine invasive alien species introduced by ballast water has come to the core as an urgent task. Buoyed by atlantic intrusions, warm water species are spreading northeast into the arctic ocean, and resident coldadapted species, such as arctic cod, are attempting to retreat further north. Ved stranden 18 marine invasive species in the arctic. Arctic marine ecosystems are among the most productive and most vulnerable in the world, both from an economic and. The arctic invasive alien species arias strategy and action plan, produced by caff and the protection of the arctic marine environment pame sets forth the priority actions that the arctic council and its partners are encouraged to take to protect the arctic region from a significant threat. Ocean species mix as arctic sea ice melts, with unknown.
Invasive marine species discovered on nonnative kelp rafts in the warmest antarctic island. Understanding the success of marine invasive species, of this book. The rapid changes in the arctic marine ecosystems related to climate. Arctic at risk from invasive species arctic deeply. Arctic marine ecosystems are among the most productive and most vulnerable in the world. As the arctic sea ice diminishes, shipping through the bering strait region will increase. Syddansk universitet towards arctic resource governance of. Pdf arctic marine ecosystems are among the most productive and most vulnerable in the world. Arctic marine ecosystems are among the most productive and. Arctic at risk from invasive species as the arctic ice melts, new shipping routes are opening up for tourism, mining and other commercial purposes, cutting journey times and fuel costs. The marine ecosystems of this polar region are directly affected by all these disturbances. Biodiversity impact invasive species invasion success marine. Chapter listing of the arctic biodiversity assessment aba, a report containing the best available science informed by traditional ecological knowledge on the status and trends of arctic biodiversity and accompanying policy recommendations for biodiversity conservation.