Arctic freshwater biodiversity is rapidly changing due to climate warming, resource extraction, infrastructure development, and landscape transformation. To improve understanding, predict future responses, and inform policy formulation, research needs must be clearly identified. Using a horizon scan survey, Arctic freshwater experts from government, international agencies, and Indigenous Peoples identified 77 biodiversity research questions with 17 highlighted as most important for near term assessment. These questions span nine thematic categories: biodiversity and taxonomic challenges, hydrological change, productivity and food webs, ecosystem connectivity, methods, monitoring and assessment, permafrost change, winter ecology, anthropogenic development, and Indigenous Knowledge. Climate change emerged as the major driver among all categories and research questions. A key priority identified was the urgent need for long-term, harmonized monitoring programs among Arctic countries. Multiple knowledge gaps detected suggest that circumpolar research collaborations are required to tackle these issues.
Joseph M. Culp, Michael Power, Kirsten S. Christoffersen, Willem Goedkoop, Kimmo K. Kahilainen, Milla Rautio, Fernando Chaguaceda, Marie-Pier Hébert, Sanne M. Moedt, Dermot Antoniades, Simon Belle, Daniel Bolnick, Frederic Bouchard, John E. Brittain, Pär Byström, Louise Chavarie, Raoul-Marie Couture, Alison M. Derry, Antti P. Eloranta, André Frainer, Catherine Girard, Guillaume Grosbois, Dag O. Hessen, Ian Hogg, Anne D. Jungblut, Hanna-Kaisa Lakka, Jen Lam, Danny C. P. Lau, Camille A. Leblanc, Jennifer Lento, Sally MacIntyre, Phil Marsh, Mackenzie A. C. Martyniuk, Alexander Milner, Jordan Musetta-Lambert, Tero Mustonen, Danielle Nowosad, Jasmine E. Saros, Ann Kristin Schartau, John P. Smol, Janne Soininen, Martin-A. Svenning, Ken D. Tape & Frederick J. Wrona