Arctic vegetation archive and Classification Workshop, Prague, 30–31 March 2017

Abstract

The two-day Arctic Vegetation Archive and Classification Workshop, in which twenty-nine individuals (two in absentia) from 9 countries (EU: Czech Republic, Germany, Norway, Slovak Republic, Switzerland, The Netherlands; Russia, USA, Canada) participated, took place at the Czech Academy of Science Building, Prague, Czech Republic, on 30–31 April 2017. An Arctic Vegetation Archive (AVA) is essential for deve­loping an Arctic Vegetation Classification (AVC) and is needed for a variety of international Arctic initiatives that involve Arctic vegetation information. The AVA will gather vegetation and environmental data from approximately 31 000 legacy vegetation plots into a standardized format for vegetation classification and analysis. The primary goal is to develop a stra­tegy for each country to assemble its own archive with common protocols that will later allow the databases to be united into a single AVA using TurboVeg v3 and then use JUICE software to create a Pan Arctic vegetation classification. Several overview and keynote talks set the stage. We reviewed the datasets and plots that are available for each of the floristic provinces in each circumpolar country. Discussions focused on the exchange of data between different database approaches, reflections on the realization of a pan-Arctic vegetation classification, steps still needed to achieve the AVC. At the end of the meeting, the assembled members resolved to accomplish the following within 5 years: – develop a checklist of existing described Arctic vegetation habitat and vegetation types (an Arctic prodromus) according the European Vegetation Classification approach. – develop and use standardized plot-data collection and archiving methods modeled after the European Vegetation Archive and the Alaska Arctic Vegetation Archive. – modify the existing vector-based Circumpolar Arctic Vegetation Map to a raster-based format with 12.5-km resolution, and incorporate modifications based on new knowledge. – work with the Arctic Data Center (ADC) to develop data-sharing methods and rules for Arctic ve­getation data. – contribute to training a new generation of young professional Arctic botanists and vegetation scientists through international field courses at the University of the Arctic and the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS). There was understanding of the necessity to deve­lop a funding strategy to secure funds for completing the AVA and AVC. Finally we resolved to meet again at Arctic Science Summit Week 2019 in Arkhangelsk, Russia.