Circumpolar patterns of Arctic freshwater fish biodiversity: a baseline for monitoring

Sarah M. Laske; Per-Arne Amundsen; Kirsten S. Christoffersen; Jaakko Erkinaro; Gudni Gudbergsson; Brian Hayden; Jani Heino; Kerstin Holmgren; Kimmo K. Kahilainen; Jennifer Lento; Panu Orell; Johan Ostergren; Michael Power; Ruslan Rafikov; Atso Romakkaniemi; Martin-A. Svenning; Heidi Swanson; Matthew Whitman; Christian E. Zimmerman

doi:10.1111/fwb.13405

Circumpolar patterns of Arctic freshwater fish biodiversity: a baseline for monitoring

Sarah M. Laske, Per-Arne Amundsen, Kirsten S. Christoffersen, Jaakko Erkinaro, Gudni Gudbergsson, Brian Hayden, Jani Heino, Kerstin Holmgren, Kimmo K. Kahilainen, Jennifer Lento, Panu Orell, Johan Ostergren, Michael Power, Ruslan Rafikov, Atso Romakkaniemi, Martin-A. Svenning, Heidi Swanson, Matthew Whitman, Christian E. Zimmerman

Freshwater Biology

6 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Climate change, biological invasions, and anthropogenic disturbance pose a threat to the biodiversity and function of Arctic freshwater ecosystems. Understanding potential changes in fish species distribution and richness is necessary, given the great importance of fish to the function of freshwater ecosystems and as a resource to humans. However, information gaps limit large-scale studies and our ability to determine patterns and trends in space and time. This study takes the first step in determining circumpolar patterns of fish species richness and composition, which provides a baseline to improve both monitoring and conservation of Arctic freshwater biodiversity. Information on species presence/absence was gathered from the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program's Freshwater Database and used to examine patterns of freshwater fish γ-, α-, and β-diversity across 234° of longitude in the Arctic. The metrics of diversity provided information on species richness and composition across hydrobasins, ecoregions, and Arctic zones. Circumpolar patterns of fish species biodiversity varied with latitude, isolation, and coarse ecoregion characteristics; patterns were consistent with historic and contemporary barriers to colonisation and environmental characteristics. Gamma-diversity was lower in the high Arctic compared to lower latitude zones, but α-diversity did not decrease with increasing latitude below 71°N, reflecting glacial history. Alpha-diversity was reduced to a single species, Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus, in ecoregions above 71°N, where γ-diversity was the lowest. Beta-diversity indicated little variation in the composition and richness of species across the High Arctic; at lower latitudes, ecoregions contained more species, although species composition turned over across large spatial extents. In an analysis of five ecoregions in the circumpolar Arctic, physical isolation, and ecoregion area and topography were identified as strong drivers of γ-, α-, and β-diversity. Physical isolation reduced the γ- and α-diversity, and changes in β-diversity between adjacent locations were due mainly to losses in species richness, rather than due to differences in species composition. Heterogeneity of habitats, environmental gradients, and geographic distance probably contributed to patterns of fish dissimilarity within and across ecoregions. This study presents the first analysis of large-scale patterns of freshwater fish biodiversity in the circumpolar Arctic. However, information gaps in space, time, and among taxonomic groups remain. Future inclusion of extensive archive and new data will allow future studies to test for changes and drivers of the observed patterns of biodiversity. This is important given the potential impacts of ongoing and accelerating climate change, land use, and biotic exchange on Arctic fish biodiversity.

Original language	English
Journal	Freshwater Biology
Number of pages	19
ISSN	0046-5070
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/fwb.13405
Publication status	Published - Jan 2022

Keywords

beta-diversity
dissimilarity
distribution
richness
spatial scale

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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https://helda.helsinki.fi/bitstream/10138/340384/1/Laske%20et%20al.%202019%20Circumpolar%20patterns%20of%20Arctic%20freshwater%20fish%20biodiversity%20-%20A%20baseline%20for%20monitoring.pdfLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

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Laske, S. M., Amundsen, P-A., Christoffersen, K. S., Erkinaro, J., Gudbergsson, G., Hayden, B., Heino, J., Holmgren, K., Kahilainen, K. K., Lento, J., Orell, P., Ostergren, J., Power, M., Rafikov, R., Romakkaniemi, A., Svenning, M-A., Swanson, H., Whitman, M., & Zimmerman, C. E. (2022). Circumpolar patterns of Arctic freshwater fish biodiversity: a baseline for monitoring. Freshwater Biology. https://doi.org/10.1111/fwb.13405

Laske, SM, Amundsen, P-A, Christoffersen, KS, Erkinaro, J, Gudbergsson, G, Hayden, B, Heino, J, Holmgren, K, Kahilainen, KK, Lento, J, Orell, P, Ostergren, J, Power, M, Rafikov, R, Romakkaniemi, A, Svenning, M-A, Swanson, H, Whitman, M & Zimmerman, CE 2022, 'Circumpolar patterns of Arctic freshwater fish biodiversity: a baseline for monitoring', Freshwater Biology. https://doi.org/10.1111/fwb.13405

@article{75fcd215eb7c481fbae3a44f60a32b9f,

title = "Circumpolar patterns of Arctic freshwater fish biodiversity: a baseline for monitoring",

abstract = "Climate change, biological invasions, and anthropogenic disturbance pose a threat to the biodiversity and function of Arctic freshwater ecosystems. Understanding potential changes in fish species distribution and richness is necessary, given the great importance of fish to the function of freshwater ecosystems and as a resource to humans. However, information gaps limit large-scale studies and our ability to determine patterns and trends in space and time. This study takes the first step in determining circumpolar patterns of fish species richness and composition, which provides a baseline to improve both monitoring and conservation of Arctic freshwater biodiversity. Information on species presence/absence was gathered from the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program's Freshwater Database and used to examine patterns of freshwater fish γ-, α-, and β-diversity across 234° of longitude in the Arctic. The metrics of diversity provided information on species richness and composition across hydrobasins, ecoregions, and Arctic zones. Circumpolar patterns of fish species biodiversity varied with latitude, isolation, and coarse ecoregion characteristics; patterns were consistent with historic and contemporary barriers to colonisation and environmental characteristics. Gamma-diversity was lower in the high Arctic compared to lower latitude zones, but α-diversity did not decrease with increasing latitude below 71°N, reflecting glacial history. Alpha-diversity was reduced to a single species, Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus, in ecoregions above 71°N, where γ-diversity was the lowest. Beta-diversity indicated little variation in the composition and richness of species across the High Arctic; at lower latitudes, ecoregions contained more species, although species composition turned over across large spatial extents. In an analysis of five ecoregions in the circumpolar Arctic, physical isolation, and ecoregion area and topography were identified as strong drivers of γ-, α-, and β-diversity. Physical isolation reduced the γ- and α-diversity, and changes in β-diversity between adjacent locations were due mainly to losses in species richness, rather than due to differences in species composition. Heterogeneity of habitats, environmental gradients, and geographic distance probably contributed to patterns of fish dissimilarity within and across ecoregions. This study presents the first analysis of large-scale patterns of freshwater fish biodiversity in the circumpolar Arctic. However, information gaps in space, time, and among taxonomic groups remain. Future inclusion of extensive archive and new data will allow future studies to test for changes and drivers of the observed patterns of biodiversity. This is important given the potential impacts of ongoing and accelerating climate change, land use, and biotic exchange on Arctic fish biodiversity.",

keywords = "beta-diversity, dissimilarity, distribution, richness, spatial scale",

author = "Laske, {Sarah M.} and Per-Arne Amundsen and Christoffersen, {Kirsten S.} and Jaakko Erkinaro and Gudni Gudbergsson and Brian Hayden and Jani Heino and Kerstin Holmgren and Kahilainen, {Kimmo K.} and Jennifer Lento and Panu Orell and Johan Ostergren and Michael Power and Ruslan Rafikov and Atso Romakkaniemi and Martin-A. Svenning and Heidi Swanson and Matthew Whitman and Zimmerman, {Christian E.}",

year = "2022",

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doi = "10.1111/fwb.13405",

language = "English",

journal = "Freshwater Biology",

issn = "0046-5070",

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T1 - Circumpolar patterns of Arctic freshwater fish biodiversity

T2 - a baseline for monitoring

AU - Laske, Sarah M.

AU - Amundsen, Per-Arne

AU - Christoffersen, Kirsten S.

AU - Erkinaro, Jaakko

AU - Gudbergsson, Gudni

AU - Hayden, Brian

AU - Heino, Jani

AU - Holmgren, Kerstin

AU - Kahilainen, Kimmo K.

AU - Lento, Jennifer

AU - Orell, Panu

AU - Ostergren, Johan

AU - Power, Michael

AU - Rafikov, Ruslan

AU - Romakkaniemi, Atso

AU - Svenning, Martin-A.

AU - Swanson, Heidi

AU - Whitman, Matthew

AU - Zimmerman, Christian E.

PY - 2022/1

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N2 - Climate change, biological invasions, and anthropogenic disturbance pose a threat to the biodiversity and function of Arctic freshwater ecosystems. Understanding potential changes in fish species distribution and richness is necessary, given the great importance of fish to the function of freshwater ecosystems and as a resource to humans. However, information gaps limit large-scale studies and our ability to determine patterns and trends in space and time. This study takes the first step in determining circumpolar patterns of fish species richness and composition, which provides a baseline to improve both monitoring and conservation of Arctic freshwater biodiversity. Information on species presence/absence was gathered from the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program's Freshwater Database and used to examine patterns of freshwater fish γ-, α-, and β-diversity across 234° of longitude in the Arctic. The metrics of diversity provided information on species richness and composition across hydrobasins, ecoregions, and Arctic zones. Circumpolar patterns of fish species biodiversity varied with latitude, isolation, and coarse ecoregion characteristics; patterns were consistent with historic and contemporary barriers to colonisation and environmental characteristics. Gamma-diversity was lower in the high Arctic compared to lower latitude zones, but α-diversity did not decrease with increasing latitude below 71°N, reflecting glacial history. Alpha-diversity was reduced to a single species, Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus, in ecoregions above 71°N, where γ-diversity was the lowest. Beta-diversity indicated little variation in the composition and richness of species across the High Arctic; at lower latitudes, ecoregions contained more species, although species composition turned over across large spatial extents. In an analysis of five ecoregions in the circumpolar Arctic, physical isolation, and ecoregion area and topography were identified as strong drivers of γ-, α-, and β-diversity. Physical isolation reduced the γ- and α-diversity, and changes in β-diversity between adjacent locations were due mainly to losses in species richness, rather than due to differences in species composition. Heterogeneity of habitats, environmental gradients, and geographic distance probably contributed to patterns of fish dissimilarity within and across ecoregions. This study presents the first analysis of large-scale patterns of freshwater fish biodiversity in the circumpolar Arctic. However, information gaps in space, time, and among taxonomic groups remain. Future inclusion of extensive archive and new data will allow future studies to test for changes and drivers of the observed patterns of biodiversity. This is important given the potential impacts of ongoing and accelerating climate change, land use, and biotic exchange on Arctic fish biodiversity.

AB - Climate change, biological invasions, and anthropogenic disturbance pose a threat to the biodiversity and function of Arctic freshwater ecosystems. Understanding potential changes in fish species distribution and richness is necessary, given the great importance of fish to the function of freshwater ecosystems and as a resource to humans. However, information gaps limit large-scale studies and our ability to determine patterns and trends in space and time. This study takes the first step in determining circumpolar patterns of fish species richness and composition, which provides a baseline to improve both monitoring and conservation of Arctic freshwater biodiversity. Information on species presence/absence was gathered from the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program's Freshwater Database and used to examine patterns of freshwater fish γ-, α-, and β-diversity across 234° of longitude in the Arctic. The metrics of diversity provided information on species richness and composition across hydrobasins, ecoregions, and Arctic zones. Circumpolar patterns of fish species biodiversity varied with latitude, isolation, and coarse ecoregion characteristics; patterns were consistent with historic and contemporary barriers to colonisation and environmental characteristics. Gamma-diversity was lower in the high Arctic compared to lower latitude zones, but α-diversity did not decrease with increasing latitude below 71°N, reflecting glacial history. Alpha-diversity was reduced to a single species, Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus, in ecoregions above 71°N, where γ-diversity was the lowest. Beta-diversity indicated little variation in the composition and richness of species across the High Arctic; at lower latitudes, ecoregions contained more species, although species composition turned over across large spatial extents. In an analysis of five ecoregions in the circumpolar Arctic, physical isolation, and ecoregion area and topography were identified as strong drivers of γ-, α-, and β-diversity. Physical isolation reduced the γ- and α-diversity, and changes in β-diversity between adjacent locations were due mainly to losses in species richness, rather than due to differences in species composition. Heterogeneity of habitats, environmental gradients, and geographic distance probably contributed to patterns of fish dissimilarity within and across ecoregions. This study presents the first analysis of large-scale patterns of freshwater fish biodiversity in the circumpolar Arctic. However, information gaps in space, time, and among taxonomic groups remain. Future inclusion of extensive archive and new data will allow future studies to test for changes and drivers of the observed patterns of biodiversity. This is important given the potential impacts of ongoing and accelerating climate change, land use, and biotic exchange on Arctic fish biodiversity.

KW - beta-diversity

KW - dissimilarity

KW - distribution

KW - richness

KW - spatial scale

U2 - 10.1111/fwb.13405

DO - 10.1111/fwb.13405

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0046-5070

JO - Freshwater Biology

JF - Freshwater Biology

ER -

Circumpolar patterns of Arctic freshwater fish biodiversity: a baseline for monitoring

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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