| Summary: | Invasive species are one of the leading global conservation concerns because they can have strong, negative impacts on ecosystems, native species, and natural resources. To date, arctic regions have experienced a relatively low number of biological introductions. However, increases in water temperatures, reductions in sea ice, and projected increases in shipping traffic are expected to make arctic marine regions more susceptible to the arrival and colonization of new species. Our risk assessment for the Bering Sea sought to identify 1) which non-indigenous species (NIS) pose the greatest invasion risk; 2) which areas are most vulnerable to invasion; and 3) which ports are most likely to serve as an entry point into the eastern Bering Sea. As part of this project, we created environmental suitability maps using downscaled climate models and species' temperature and salinity thresholds. For each species, we evaluated a) the number of weeks with suitable survival conditions; b) whether each species could survive year-round; c) the number of consecutive weeks with suitable reproductive conditions. We conducted these analyses for two, 10-year study periods: current (2003-2012) and future (2030-2039). Looking for code? Head over to our GitHub repository: https://github.com/accs-uaa/bering-sea-marine-invasives
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