Marine living resources of the Barents Sea – Ecosystem understanding and monitoring in a climate change perspective

Abstract

The Arctic is of special importance to the world, and it is changing rapidly. Uncovering the relationship between drivers of change and biological responses in the Barents Sea is therefore crucial for understanding the potential effects of climate change on the ecosystem in general and on commercially important species in particular. This thematic review provides an overview of the discussions related to long- and short-term variations in climate in the Barents Sea, what these physical changes really are, and how they may develop in the future. Furthermore, questions related to how these predicted climate-driven physical changes may alter ecosystems and the implications and future challenges that this represents for the management of resources in the area are raised. There is no doubt that to better understand the structure and function of an ecosystem, as well as to investigate the possible effects of climate changes, there is a need for thorough monitoring and data collection. The Barents Sea Ecosystem Survey (BESS) is used in several of the studies highlighted in this review. Therefore, we can provide a detailed description of the BESS and relate BESS research activities to other research initiatives in a thematic context.