Seabird Expert Network (CBird): Findings and recommendations from the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program’s State of the Arctic Marine Biodiversity Report

Seabirds provide ecosystem services, notably as human food in many Arctic regions, major tourist attractions, as well as being an important link to the Arctic food web and returning nutrients from the oceans to coastal areas. Changes in seabird populations and diversity will affect regional sustainability for Arctic communities and ecosystems. The CBird Expert Network aggregated and reviewed data on the population status and trends of eight seabird Focal Ecosystem Components (FECs) across eight Arctic Marine Areas as well as the state of current monitoring efforts for these species. Population trends for seabirds vary within and among regions, making it difficult to assess circumpolar trends. Nonetheless, among key sites, current trends indicate that most of the stable or increasing populations are in the Pacific Arctic and Arctic Archipelago, while most of the declining populations are in the Atlantic Arctic. Most circumpolar nations have at least one source of long-term seabird monitoring datasets, but efforts vary across regions. Long-term monitoring efforts are crucial to examining the effects of environmental drivers to changes in seabird populations. The presentation will summarize current level of monitoring across the Arctic, the status and trends of FECs, drivers of observed trends, and knowledge and monitoring gaps.