What to look at in Arctic nature?

There so much biodiversity in the Arctic, but we want to focus on parts of Arctic nature that can be found and compared in multiple regions. We decided to classify species in the following categories. Click on them to learn more.

The East Atlantic Arctic

The Arctic is vast, and definitions for what constitutes the "true" Arctic vary. Is it defined by the tree line? The Arctic circle? The temperature? Social factors? Our project focuses on relationships between northern Atlantic countries and areas, both North and South of the Arctic Circle, which we call the East Atlantic Arctic. We will be presenting only species of flora and fauna present in at least one of the following countries or regions:

• Greenland
• Iceland
  
• The Faroe Islands
• Svalbard
  
• Norway
• Finland

Click any of the categories to learn more

For each category, we have compiled a list of species or groups common in the Arctic.  A few examples are presented more in detail. They are examples of species that would be interesting to look at based on criteria such as:

• Presence in different arctic regions (we focus especially on Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Svalbard, Norway, Iceland and Finland)
  
• Vulnerability (species that need monitoring because they are sensitive or endangered)
• Recent colonization or invasiveness (species that are new in some arctic areas and/or take over habitats)
• Ease of monitoring (species that are easy to spot because of abundance, behavior, or size)
• Interesting characteristics and behaviors

We also included tips on how to observe and monitor these species in the wild.

If there are any species that you think should be included in this information, please contact us.

Pictures

"Arctic map, political" by GRIDArendal is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0