| Summary: | Scandinavian / North European Network of Terrestrial Field Bases (SCANNET) is a network of terrestrial field bases, research stations managers, and user groups that are collaborating to improve comparative observations and access to data and information on environmental change in the North. SCANNET partners provide stability for research and facilitate long term observations in terrestrial and freshwater systems. Northern landscapes are some of Europe's last wilderness areas and contain specialized and diverse plants and animals as well as large stores of soil carbon. However these regions are experiencing rapid environmental and social changes and are particularly vulnerable to predicted climatic changes. SCANNET seeks to facilitate research into these changes and their implications for the North and for lower latitudes. Scannet is funded by the European Commission, Research DG Key Action Global Change and Biodiversity. SCANNET includes the following research field sites: Abisko Scientific Research Station, The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Abisko, Sweden (68 degree 21' N, 18 degree 49' E) [http://www.ans.kiruna.se] Allt a' Mharcaidh, Cairngorms Mountains, Banchory Research Station, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH), Scotland (57 degree 07' N, 3 degree 49' W) [http://banchory.ceh.ac.uk/] Dovrefjell Field Site, Dovrefjell National Park, Dovre, Norway (62 degree 18' N, 9 degree 17' E) [http://www.niva.no/] Kevo Subarctic Research Institute, University of Turku, Utsjoki, Finland (69 degree 45' N, 27 degree 01' E) [http://www.utu.fi/erill/kevo/] Kilpisjarvi Biological Station, University of Helsinki, Kilpisjarvi, Finland (69 degree 03' N, 20 degree 50' E) [http://www.helsinki.fi/ml/kilpis] Litla-Skard Field Station, Icelandic Institute of Natural History, Litla-Skard , Iceland (64 degree 43' N, 21 degree 37' W) [http://www.ni.is/] Ny-Alesund International Arctic Environmental Research and Monitoring Facility, Spitsbergen, Svalbard Islands, Norway (78 degree 55'N, 11 degree 56'E) [http://www.npolar.no/nyaa-lsf] Sornfelli Arctic Climate Station, The Faroese Geological Survey, Streymoy Island, Faroe Islands [http://www.jfs.fo/] Zackenberg Station, Danish Polar Center , Young Sund - Tyrolerfjord, Greenland (74 degree 30' N, 21 degree 00' W) [http://www.zackenberg.dk] Several science topics are being pursued by SCANNET. These investigations include the following: (1) Climate Change Scenarios for the SCANNET Region (Completed). This workpackage compiles and presents general, regional and site specific information on climate change scenarios, based on existing General CirculationModel (GCM) simulations, and on downscaling experiments -- both dynamic (through regional climate models), and empirical. The primary selection of GCMs are the five selected by the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA). The focus is on temperature and precipitation, with discussions on wind, snow cover, and runoff. The workpackage cooperates with workpackage 5 on snow cover change scenarios. (2) Climate Trends (In Progress). The aim of this work package is to perform a regional assessment of climatic variability from different sources at each of the SCANNET sites. Investigators will identify and analyze detailed climate parameters (and proxies) other than long term means, relevant to various environmental change impacts such as phenology, winter damage to vegetation, etc. Contact Jack Kohler <Jack@npolar.no> for more information. (3) Biodiversity (In Progress). The aim of this work package is to compile and present regional and site specific information on biodiversity at different levels. Baseline information on habitat and species diversity is assessed and presented at different spatial levels from sites to natural historic provinces. The often low species diversity at SCANNET sites is due to climatic severity, spatial isolation and recent deglaciation. However, some taxa (e.g., waders, sawflies) show relatively high species diversity in northern areas. Intraspecific variability and active speciation are frequent phenomena in the area. Assessment of the diverse baseline information on habitat richness and species diversity will preceed improvement in standardisation and comparability of observations. Check lists for major groups (birds, vascular plants, lichens) have been compiled and selected invertebrate groups are now addressed (Lepidoptera, Carabidae, Aquatic insects). Contact Seppo Neuvonen <sepne@utu.fi> for more information. (4) Phenology and Species Performance (In Progress). The main aim is the construction of a meta database of monitoring data from field stations and adjacent sites. By compiling information from a large number of studies, investigators will produce a unique review of existing long-term data series on terrestrial species. This will benefit a broad suite of user groups by identifying gaps and proposing protocols for future monitoring projects. Contact Toke Høye <TTHoye@zi.ku.dk>for more information. (5) Stakeholders Perception of Environmental Change. The aim is to involve local stakeholders in identifying the priority environmental concerns at each SCANNET site and then to priorities key indicators of change that could be used for monitoring. The approach is to hold decision workshops with stakeholders in which a wide raft of ecological, social and economic issues and indicators are ranked and compared. A standard protocol is used at all sites so that the results can be compared across the network.
|
|---|