Description: Alien species are a global threat to biological diversity. The Arctic’s flora and fauna is especially vulnerable to invasions. Travellers to the Arctic region can inadvertently bring seeds, insects and parasites on clothes, equipment and baggage to the Arctic.
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The Arctic environment is unique. Many species and habitats are only found in the Arctic, and these are uniquely adapted to the region. Arctic ecosystems are characterized by a relatively low diversity of species, although their abundance is often locally high – such as for the massive colonies of seabirds. Unfortunately, the low species diversity makes Arctic ecosystems particularly vulnerable to alien species.
Globally, invasive alien species are among the most significant threats to native biodiversity and ecosystems. There are currently few invasive alien species in the Arctic, but more are expected to come due to increased human activity in the region. Rapidly changing climatic conditions and growing tourism, settlement and resource extraction activities, all act together to make the Arctic region vulnerable to biological invasion.
However, we still have a window of opportunity to protect the Arctic from the impact of alien species. The most effective action to reach this goal is to prevent the introduction of potentially harmful alien species. Contributing to this goal is everybody’s responsibility. Luckily there are some simple measures that you can take!