Summary

Climate change and increasing shipping activity are creating new opportunities for invasive species to arrive and establish in Arctic Canada. Historically, polar regions have been shielded from invasion due to inaccessibility, sea ice, and extreme cold. However, warming waters and melting sea ice have reduced these natural barriers, resulting in increased vessel traffic, a main vector for the transport of marine invasive species. Invasive species are transferred to Arctic waters by ships through hull fouling and ballast water. Since the 90s, parts of Arctic Canada, such as major trade routes like the Northwest Passage (NWP), have seen shipping traffic rise by 250%.  

To improve understanding of current biodiversity in this previously under-surveyed region, and strengthen invasive species surveillance, researchers used environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding to snapshot marine community composition along one of Arctic Canada's busiest shipping routes.  

eDNA metabarcoding proved to be an effective method for characterizing community composition and a sensitive monitoring tool for detecting invasive species across large and remote areas. Researchers detected the bay barnacle (Amphibalanus improvisus), a high-risk invasive species that had not previously been reported in Arctic Canada. It is unclear whether these detections represent larvae that may not survive the winter, or if they are adults of an established population. A.improvisus is unlikely to cause large scale ecosystem impacts to the region, but it is a warning that invasive species are making their way to these pristine waters. 

Key Focus Areas: 

  • Climate change and warming polar temperatures increase invasion risk in Arctic Canada 
  • Increased shipping activity as a vector of spread in Arctic Canada 
  • Environmental DNA sampling as a tool for early detection of invasive species in polar regions 

Take-home points:

  • Climate change and warming polar temperatures are increasing the vulnerability of Arctic marine ecosystems to invasive species.

  • Climate-driven sea ice melt has increased shipping traffic through Arctic Canada, creating more opportunities for invasion by non-indigenous species. 

  • Environmental DNA metabarcoding is an effective biodiversity surveillance and early detection tool, especially in large, remote regions. 

  • Researchers reported the first detection of the highly invasive bay barnacle (Amphibalanus improvisus) in Arctic Canada using eDNA metabarcoding. 

  • Partnerships with local Indigenous communities, and citizen scientist initiatives could help expand monitoring and improve invasive species surveillance. 

Management Implications:

  • Environmental DNA monitoring can provide a cost-efficient and effective tool for early detection of invasive non-indigenous species before populations become established and difficult to manage.  

  • Monitoring of high-traffic shipping areas, especially as the climate warms, should be prioritized by managers. Use of commercial ships as platforms for conducting large-scale eDNA sampling proved to be highly effective and should be considered by managers and researchers working in Arctic Canada in the future.  

  • Authors emphasize the importance of working with local citizen science initiatives and Arctic communities to expand the spaciotemporal scales of biodiversity monitoring in the region, strengthening Canada’s capacity to detect and respond to emerging marine invasions in a changing climate.