Abstract
Bryozoans are benthic, sessile colonial organisms inhabiting both marine and freshwater habitats. The number of species is estimated to be 6000, making them a significant contributor to global macrofaunal biodiversity. In the Arctic, bryozoans are the second most numerous group of macro-organisms after annelids. Future temperature changes due to global warming are expected to be greater in the Arctic than at lower latitudes. Bryozoans, especially endemic Arctic species, will be among the first victims of these changes. The current proposal aims to enhance our sparse knowledge of bryozoan biodiversity, to assess the risks posed to them by global warming. Within the broad scope of the BRYOARC study the major objectives are as follows. To determine how many bryozoan species there are in the Arctic and how they can be recognized. This will be accomplished predominantly through the study of museum collections, using environmental SEM, supplemented by a full literature survey. The output will be the first comprehensive synopsis of Arctic bryozoans. Distributions of species geographically and by habitat will be mapped. The ranges of species according to water temperature, and correlations with depth and substrate (algae, rocks, shells, etc) will be documented. Putative bryozoan adaptations to living in cold Arctic environment will be identified by making comparisons with closely related species from warmer waters. Particular attention will be paid to adaptations of zooid size, skeletal mineralogy, zooidal polymorphism and reproductive strategies. Implications of global warming to Arctic bryozoan biodiversity will be investigated, including establishing the number of species at risk of extinction. Management and conservation strategies to minimise the biodiversity crisis for Arctic bryozoans will be suggested. Project BRYOARC falls within the priority issue in the 6th European Framework Programme theme Global Change and Ecosystems, topic Biodiversity and Ecosystems.
Europe