SFS Annual Meeting

5/24/2018  |   09:00 - 09:15   |  420 B

CIRCUMPOLAR ASSESSMENT OF TRENDS IN ARCTIC FRESHWATER BIODIVERSITY The freshwater group of the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Plan (Arctic Council: Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna) has completed circumpolar assessments of freshwater flora and fauna to determine the state of Arctic freshwaters. This evaluation included examination of data from both historical (paleolimnological data and records from 1800 to 1950) and contemporary (post-1950) time scales, as well as Traditional Ecological Knowledge of Arctic peoples. Assessments compared and contrasted the regional state of Arctic freshwater ecosystems in North America, Iceland, Greenland, Fenno-Scandia, and Russia. In addition, circumpolar assessments for specific focal ecosystem components, namely fish, benthic invertebrates, benthic algae, macrophytes and plankton, provided novel analyses of how climate change and associated environmental drivers affect these biological components. We highlight multiple-stressor scenarios that act on the biodiversity and biogeochemistry of Arctic freshwaters, and cause change in biological communities of lakes and streams. This group of studies represents the first circumpolar assessment of trends in Arctic freshwater biodiversity.

Joseph M. Culp (Primary Presenter/Author), Environment and Climate Change Canada and Canadian Rivers Institute, Department of Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2L 3C5, joseph.culp@canada.ca;


Jennifer Lento (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Canadian Rivers Institute, Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, jlento@gmail.com;


Willem Goedkoop (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Dept Aquatic Sciences & Assessment, Swedish Univ Agricultural Sciences, Willem.Goedkoop@slu.se;


Kirsten Seestern Christoffersen (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Freshwater Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Depth of Arctic Biology, University Center in Svalbard, Norway, kchristoffersen@bio.ku.dk;


Elena Fefilova (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Institute of Biology, Komi Scientific Centre of the Ural Branch of the RAS, fefilova@ib.komisc.ru ;


Guðni Guðbergsson (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, Reykjavik, Iceland, gudni.gudbergsson@hafogvatn.is ;


Petri Liljaniemi (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Ministry of the Environment, Finland, Petri.Liljaniemi@ym.fi;


Steinar Sandøy (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Norwegian Environment Agency, steinar.sandoy@miljodir.no;


Christian Zimmerman (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, czimmerman@usgs.gov;


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5/24/2018  |   09:15 - 09:30   |  420 B

BIODIVERSITY OF BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES ACROSS THE CIRCUMPOLAR REGION: EVIDENCE OF LATITUDINAL DECLINES IN RICHNESS IN ARCTIC RIVERS AND LAKES Across the Arctic, variation in warming rates, development, and biogeography may be expected to contribute to changes in biodiversity of freshwater organisms. Critical to detecting such changes is the quantification of existing biodiversity patterns across the Arctic region; however, assessments of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblage structure in Arctic freshwaters have been largely regional in scope. As part of the CBMP-Freshwater Arctic biodiversity assessment, we evaluated alpha and beta diversity across the circumpolar region using data collected from all Arctic countries. In both lakes and rivers, rarefied alpha diversity decreased with increasing latitude. This trend was most evident above 68°N, and reflected the loss of EPT taxa and increased dominance of Diptera. Species turnover contributed more to beta diversity than nestedness within the majority of ecoregions. Comparison of composition among ecoregions indicated that high Arctic islands exhibited a great deal of nestedness with lower latitude mainland stations, and were thus characterized by a subset of the taxa found at lower latitudes. These broad-scale diversity patterns can be used to make predictions about compositional changes that may be expected with continued climate change.

Brianna Levenstein (Primary Presenter/Author), Canadian Rivers Institute, Department of Biology, University of New Brunwsick, brianna.levenstein@unb.ca;


Jennifer Lento (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Canadian Rivers Institute, Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, jlento@gmail.com;


Joseph M. Culp (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Environment and Climate Change Canada and Canadian Rivers Institute, Department of Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2L 3C5, joseph.culp@canada.ca;


Willem Goedkoop (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Dept Aquatic Sciences & Assessment, Swedish Univ Agricultural Sciences, Willem.Goedkoop@slu.se;


Jukka Aroviita (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Finnish Environment Institute (Syke), jukka.aroviita@ymparisto.fi;


Maria Baturina (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Komi Scientific Centre, baturina@ib.komisc.ru;


Daniel Bogan (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Alaska Center for Conservation Science at University of Alaska Anchorage, dlbogan@alaska.edu;


John Brittain (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Freshwater Ecology-Inland Fisheries Laboratory (LFI) and Entomology R&D - University of Oslo, jbr@nve.no;


Krista Chin (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Cumulative Impacts Monitoring Program - Government of the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife, Krista_Chin@gov.nt.ca;


Catherine Docherty (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Birmingham, catherine.l.docherty@gmail.com;


Arni Einarsson (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Iceland, arnie@hi.is;


Nikolai Friberg (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Norwegian Institute for Water ResearchNorwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Oslo, Norway , Nikolai.Friberg@niva.no;


Jani Heino (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Finnish Environment Institute, Jani.Heino@ymparisto.fi;


Thora Katrin Hrafnsdottir (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Natural History Museum of Kopavogur, Iceland, thora@natkop.is;


Dean Jacobsen (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Freshwater Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, djacobsen@bio.ku.dk;


Danny Chun Pong Lau (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Umea University, danny.lau@umu.se;


Olga Loskutova (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Komi Scientific Centre, loskutova@ib.komisc.ru;


Victoria Milner (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Worcester, v.milner@worc.ac.uk;


Heikki Mykrä (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Finnish Environmental Institute, heikki.mykra@syke.fi;


Anna Novichkova (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Lomonosov Moscow State University , anna.hydro@gmail.com;


Jón S. Ólafsson (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, Iceland, jon.s.olafsson@hafogvatn.is;


Ann Kristin Schartau (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, ann.schartau@nina.no;


Rebecca Shaftel (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Alaska Center for Conservation Science at University of Alaska Anchorage, rsshaftel@alaska.edu;


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5/24/2018  |   09:30 - 09:45   |  420 B

DRIVERS OF FRESHWATER FISH BIODIVERSITY DEPEND ON LOCATION AND ISOLATION IN THE CIRCUMPOLAR ARCTIC Fish are an important component of freshwater ecosystems, but remain poorly understood throughout much of the Arctic. The biodiversity of fishes maintains the structure, function, and integrity of Arctic freshwater ecosystems; however, current anthropogenic forces (e.g., climate and land-use) are initiating rapid changes in freshwater systems that threaten biodiversity. To describe the complex spatial patterns of biodiversity across the circumpolar Arctic, we examined alpha and beta diversity using data gathered for the Arctic Freshwater Biodiversity Monitoring Plan. There are c. 125 species of freshwater fish occurring across the Arctic; we have data on 44% of species. Freshwater fish incidence data showed high turnover of species across geographic regions (e.g., Fennoscandia), with few common species (< 10) occurring across regions. Detailed analysis of three regions indicated little difference in overall beta diversity. However, significant differences in diversity components resulted from variation in alpha diversity and species composition for island versus mainland fish communities. Describing patterns of diversity across large spatial scales is one of the first steps in accurately determining the status of freshwater fishes, what stressors play a role in biodiversity change, and how freshwater fish biodiversity should be monitored.

Martin Svenning (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, martin.svenning@nina.no;


Per-Arne Amundsen (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), UiT The Arctic University of Norway, per-arne.amundsen@uit.no ;


Kirsten Christoffersen (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Copenhagen, kchristoffersen@bio.ku.dk;


Jaakko Erkinaro (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Natural Resources Institute Finland, jaakko.erkinaro@luke.fi;


Guðni Guðbergsson (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, Reykjavik, Iceland, gudni.gudbergsson@hafogvatn.is ;


Brian Hayden (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of New Brunswick, Canadian Rivers Institute, brian.hayden@unb.ca;


Jani Heino (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Finnish Environment Institute, Jani.Heino@ymparisto.fi;


Kimmo Kahilainen (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), UiT The Arctic University of Norway, kimmo.kahilainen@helsinki.fi;


Jennifer Lento (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Canadian Rivers Institute, Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, jlento@gmail.com;


Panu Orell (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Natural Resources Institute Finland, panu.orell@luke.fi;


Johan Östergren (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, johan.ostergren@slu.se;


Michael Power (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Waterloo, m3power@uwaterloo.ca;


Ruslan Rafikov (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Institute of Biology, Komi Science Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, rafikov@ib.komisc.ru;


Atso Romakkaniemi (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Natural Resources Institute Finland, atso.romakkaniemi@luke.fi;


Jan-Idar Solbakken (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Sámi University of Applied Sciences, jan-idar.solbakken@samiskhs.no;


Heidi Swanson (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Waterloo, Canada, heidi.swanson@uwaterloo.ca;


Matthew Whitman (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Bureau of Land Management, USA, mwhitman@blm.gov;


Christian Zimmerman (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, czimmerman@usgs.gov;


Sarah Laske (Primary Presenter/Author), US Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, slaske@usgs.gov;


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5/24/2018  |   09:45 - 10:00   |  420 B

DRIVING VARIABLES OF STREAM MACROINVERTEBRATE COMMUNITIES IN GREENLAND In Greenland, rivers are far less studied than lakes restricted to 60-70oN (low Arctic) in west Greenland and 70-74oN (high Arctic) in east Greenland. Benthic macroinvertebrates in rivers data consisted of 87 samples from 9 rivers in the low-subarctic area and 10 rivers in high arctic areas. Most samples were collected in the years 2013-2015 (Zackenberg), comprising a short timeseries, and 1982-85 (all other locations). Benthic macroinvertebrate biodiversity is difficult to evaluate due to variation in taxonomic details between studies. In rivers, one-way ANOVA showed a significant relationship between the ratio of EPT:Chironomidae and latitude (P=<0.01). EPT was only found below 65.6°N latitude. Winter snow pack extent was a major driver of macroinvertebrate community structure in Zackenberg. Chironomidae were the most abundant taxon, found in all rivers. However identification beyond Chironomidae was not undertaken in many studies, and thus true diversity within this group is unknown. Other taxa included Baetis, Apataniidae and Limnephilidae, Oligochaetae, Collembola, Nematoda and other Diptera. These data highlight our limited knowledge of freshwater systems in Greenland and show a need for taxonomic standardisation between studies to compare biodiversity and predict changes.

Catherine Docherty (Primary Presenter/Author), University of Birmingham, catherine.l.docherty@gmail.com;


Victoria Milner (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Worcester, v.milner@worc.ac.uk;


Kirsten Seestern Christoffersen (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Freshwater Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Depth of Arctic Biology, University Center in Svalbard, Norway, kchristoffersen@bio.ku.dk;


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5/24/2018  |   10:00 - 10:15   |  420 B

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING IN A WARMING ARCTIC: SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL PATTERNS OF DIATOM ASSEMBLAGES FROM CIRCUMPOLAR LAKES AND STREAMS Better data harmonization is required to improve environmental monitoring programs. Here, a large dataset of circum-Arctic contemporary and paleolimnological diatom assemblages was harmonized and used to establish current (point-in-time reference) and pre-industrial environmental conditions, and to explore spatio-temporal trends in diatom assemblages in a warming Arctic. Spatial trends from contemporary samples suggest that certain diatom assemblage clusters are specific to the high Arctic zone, and that these differ taxonomically between lakes and streams. Paleolimnological records show spatially and temporally heterogeneous and highly variable magnitudes of diatom compositional change across the study region. Areas where the least amount of change occurred include northernmost Québec, Baffin Island, and the Central Canadian Archipelago. Sites in Northeastern NWT showed moderate change, whereas the greatest changes were recorded in the northernmost sites (Ellesmere Island), the southernmost sites (southern Hudson Bay), and near the Beaufort Sea coast. Many lakes that register striking assemblage compositional shifts can clearly be linked to trajectories of recent Arctic warming. The results from this study will be key to establishing the foundation for future assessments of global and regional trends across the Arctic.

Isabelle Lavoie (Primary Presenter/Author), Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Eau Terre Environnement, isabelle.lavoie@inrs.ca;


Maria Kahlert (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, SLU, Uppsala, Sweden, Maria.Kahlert@slu.se;


Kathleen Rühland (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Queen's University, ruhlandk@queensu.ca;


Francois Keck (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, francois.keck@slu.se;


Emilie Saulnier-Talbot (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Université Laval, Québec, emiliest@hotmail.com;


Daniel Bogan (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Alaska Center for Conservation Science at University of Alaska Anchorage, dlbogan@alaska.edu;


Robert Brua (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Environment Canada, bob.brua@ec.gc.ca;


Stephane Campeau (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Quebec at Trois Rivieres, stephane.campeau@uqtr.ca;


Joseph M. Culp (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Environment Canada , joseph.culp@ec.gc.ca ;


Kirsten Seestern Christoffersen (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Freshwater Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Depth of Arctic Biology, University Center in Svalbard, Norway, kchristoffersen@bio.ku.dk;


Arni Einarsson (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Iceland, arnie@hi.is;


Jennifer Lento (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Canadian Rivers Institute, Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, jlento@gmail.com;


Satu-Maaria Karjalainen (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Satu.Maaria.Karjalainen@ymparisto.fi;


Susanne Schneider (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), susi.schneider@niva.no;


Rebecca Shaftel (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Alaska Center for Conservation Science at University of Alaska Anchorage, rsshaftel@alaska.edu;


John Smol (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Queen's University, smolj@queensu.ca;


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5/24/2018  |   10:15 - 10:30   |  420 B

THE BIOTIC RESPONSE TO A CHANGING CLIMATE: TRENDS IN ARCTIC FRESHWATER BIODIVERSITY ACROSS NORTH AMERICA Within North America, the effects of climate change have historically been more pronounced in the west, with more evidence of warming temperatures in Alaska and the Northwest Territories than along the eastern coast of Nunavut. Though records of increased temperatures and increased occurrence of permafrost degradation have been noted, widespread assessment of biotic responses to the changing climate have been lacking in North America. Assessment of trends across the North American Arctic presents the opportunity to assess biotic responses to different rates of warming (west to east), with relatively little interaction from anthropogenic effects compared to more developed regions of the circumpolar Arctic. Benthic invertebrate data indicated a sharper decline in biodiversity with increasing latitude in eastern North America than in the west, with generally higher alpha diversity in western stations. In contrast, diatom diversity was more closely linked to regional geology than latitude, and longitudinal trends were less evident. Through the assessment of multiple trophic groups in the North American Arctic, this paper aims to characterize the current status in freshwater biodiversity and evaluate the dominant drivers of community composition.

Jennifer Lento (Primary Presenter/Author), Canadian Rivers Institute, Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, jlento@gmail.com;


Christian Zimmerman (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, czimmerman@usgs.gov;


Daniel Bogan (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Alaska Center for Conservation Science at University of Alaska Anchorage, dlbogan@alaska.edu;


Robert B. Brua (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Environment and Climate Change Canada, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 3H5, bob.brua@canada.ca;


Stephane Campeau (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Quebec at Trois Rivieres, stephane.campeau@uqtr.ca;


Krista Chin (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Cumulative Impacts Monitoring Program - Government of the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife, Krista_Chin@gov.nt.ca;


Joseph M. Culp (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Environment and Climate Change Canada and Canadian Rivers Institute, Department of Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2L 3C5, joseph.culp@canada.ca;


Jennie Knopp (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Oceans North, jennie.knopp@yahoo.com;


Sarah Laske (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Alaska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, slaske@alaska.edu;


Isabelle Lavoie (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), National Institute of Scientific Research - Quebec, ilavoie.bio@gmail.com;


Brianna Levenstein (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Canadian Rivers Institute, Department of Biology, University of New Brunwsick, brianna.levenstein@unb.ca;


Heather Mariash (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Environment and Climate Change Canada, heather.mariash@gmail.com;


Michael Power (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Waterloo, m3power@uwaterloo.ca;


Milla Rautio (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Milla_Rautio@uqac.ca;


Kathleen Rühland (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Queen's University, ruhlandk@queensu.ca;


Emilie Saulnier-Talbot (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Université Laval, Québec, emiliest@hotmail.com;


Rebecca Shaftel (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Alaska Center for Conservation Science at University of Alaska Anchorage, rsshaftel@alaska.edu;


John Smol (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Queen's University, smolj@queensu.ca;


Heidi Swanson (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Waterloo, Canada, heidi.swanson@uwaterloo.ca;


Matthew Whitman (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Bureau of Land Management, USA, mwhitman@blm.gov;


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