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EN / Arctic Region / Biodiversity / Why is it important to preserve the biodiversity of Arctic nature?

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Why is it important to preserve the biodiversity of Arctic nature?

What does biodiversity mean? 
 Biodiversity is declining 
 Humans leave their mark
Literature

What is biodiversity in the Arctic?
Bioclimatic subzones, boreal forests and forest tundra

Nature loss in the Arctic

Why is it important to preserve Arctic biodiversity?

Changes extend all the way to humans

Not all the consequences of climate change, habitat change and extinction, or invasive species on Arctic biodiversity are fully known or can be fully predicted. For example, the decline of perennial sea ice also affects algae living on ice. Changes in the basic production of ice algae will have significant effects on the food chain, and those changes extend all the way to humans (CAFF 2017).

In terms of diversity, expanding human activities are a risk and increase the pressure on the environment. As a result of habitat fragmentation, populations are declining. The smaller the strain, the faster it loses genetic diversity and the less able it is to adapt to change in the future. It is the diversity of nature and genetic variation that will allow Arctic nature to continue to adapt and survive.

Protecting individual species is not enough

In the Arctic, it is even more acute than elsewhere to remember that the protection of individual species is not sufficient as such. In order for species to flourish, the entire ecosystem to which the species belong must be protected. Also in the Arctic, it is important to have a sufficient number of habitats protected to safeguard the future of both habitats and species. The fact that the nature around us is diverse is also valuable in itself.

The loss of biodiversity also has a direct impact on people's well-being and health. According to the biodiversity hypothesis, the microbiome of the human body is becoming too uniform, and, for example, allergies increase as contact with diverse nature decreases (Haahtela, 2019).

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Pinewood King Bolete (Boletus pinophilus) thrives in old forest. Photo: Arto Vitikka

Photo in the top banner: Risto Viitanen

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The Northwest Passage. Photo: Antti Kurola

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