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SSF-Svalbard Science Forum

Sustainable Svalbard Coasts

Awarded: NOK 0.31 mill.

Nearshore waters are among the most productive regions in the Arctic and the coastal zone has always been the preferred ecotype for humans in the area. De-icing and continued warming will allow colonization of the intertidal zone by Arctic and boreal flora and fauna. Disappearance of coastal sea ice may, however, also result in habitat loss. Increased coastal erosion and sediment loads will physically change the nearshore bottom habitats and thus the biodiversity of these regions with cascading effects in food webs. Consequently, the coastal ecosystem goods and services (provisional, regulatory, socio-cultural) will also encounter changes. Arctic coastal biodiversity is therefore under growing pressure as climate change and human activities increase, necessitating that government managers, industries, conservation organisations and communities have access to timely and complete biodiversity status and trend data. With this workshop we aim to put together a strong multidisciplinary team of natural and social scientists, managers and stakeholders to determine biodiversity- and socio-ecological challenges due to climate change and human stressors in Svalbard coastal waters. Knowledge and recommendations generated in this project will be followed up in a white document that will be communicated and incorporated in Coastal management plans for Svalbard and the Arctic in general.

Funding scheme:

SSF-Svalbard Science Forum