The living Barents Sea response to peak-warming and subsequent cooling

Abstract The Arctic warms nearly four times faster than the global average, with maximum warming in the Barents Sea. Concurrently, changes in species distribution in this productive and highly exploited sub-Arctic hotspot has been found. However, studies so far have mostly focused on the effect of g...

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Main Authors: E. Eriksen, B. Husson, G. Skaret, R. B. Ingvaldsen, P. Dalpadado, E. Johannesen, L. L. Jørgensen, B. Bogstad, A. V. Dolgov, D. V. Prozorkevich, T. A. Prokhorova, A. A. Russkikh, N. A. Strelkova, A. G. Trofimov, I. P. Prokopchuk, A. A. Filin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-04-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-96964-x
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author E. Eriksen
B. Husson
G. Skaret
R. B. Ingvaldsen
P. Dalpadado
E. Johannesen
L. L. Jørgensen
B. Bogstad
A. V. Dolgov
D. V. Prozorkevich
T. A. Prokhorova
A. A. Russkikh
N. A. Strelkova
A. G. Trofimov
I. P. Prokopchuk
A. A. Filin
author_facet E. Eriksen
B. Husson
G. Skaret
R. B. Ingvaldsen
P. Dalpadado
E. Johannesen
L. L. Jørgensen
B. Bogstad
A. V. Dolgov
D. V. Prozorkevich
T. A. Prokhorova
A. A. Russkikh
N. A. Strelkova
A. G. Trofimov
I. P. Prokopchuk
A. A. Filin
author_sort E. Eriksen
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The Arctic warms nearly four times faster than the global average, with maximum warming in the Barents Sea. Concurrently, changes in species distribution in this productive and highly exploited sub-Arctic hotspot has been found. However, studies so far have mostly focused on the effect of gradual warming on single species or trophic groups. We assess changes in zooplankton, fish and zoobenthos assemblages (130 species in 23 groups) and found heterogeneous response to ongoing warming. Temporally constrained cluster analysis showed that the warming was not continuous over the study period 2005–2022 but occurred in three phases: an initial period (2005–2011) cooler than the average for the whole study period, followed by a very warm period (2012–2016) and finally a cooler period again (2017–2022). The biotic response was greatest in the areas of largest oceanographic changes: in the northwest, the biomass of biota increased in most groups, including Arctic fish species, whereas in the southeast, the biomass of several fish species declined, while that of jellyfish and invasive snow crab increased. New knowledge is useful for generating scenarios for ecosystem responses to climate change.
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issn 2045-2322
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spelling doaj-art-5cc09ffa72e446c08392e15f3f366ced2025-08-20T03:18:23ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-04-0115111010.1038/s41598-025-96964-xThe living Barents Sea response to peak-warming and subsequent coolingE. Eriksen0B. Husson1G. Skaret2R. B. Ingvaldsen3P. Dalpadado4E. Johannesen5L. L. Jørgensen6B. Bogstad7A. V. Dolgov8D. V. Prozorkevich9T. A. Prokhorova10A. A. Russkikh11N. A. Strelkova12A. G. Trofimov13I. P. Prokopchuk14A. A. Filin15Institute of Marine ResearchInstitute of Marine ResearchInstitute of Marine ResearchInstitute of Marine ResearchInstitute of Marine ResearchInstitute of Marine ResearchInstitute of Marine ResearchInstitute of Marine ResearchPolar Branch of Russian Federal Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (“PINRO” Named After N.M. Knipovich)Polar Branch of Russian Federal Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (“PINRO” Named After N.M. Knipovich)Polar Branch of Russian Federal Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (“PINRO” Named After N.M. Knipovich)Polar Branch of Russian Federal Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (“PINRO” Named After N.M. Knipovich)Polar Branch of Russian Federal Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (“PINRO” Named After N.M. Knipovich)Polar Branch of Russian Federal Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (“PINRO” Named After N.M. Knipovich)Polar Branch of Russian Federal Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (“PINRO” Named After N.M. Knipovich)Polar Branch of Russian Federal Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (“PINRO” Named After N.M. Knipovich)Abstract The Arctic warms nearly four times faster than the global average, with maximum warming in the Barents Sea. Concurrently, changes in species distribution in this productive and highly exploited sub-Arctic hotspot has been found. However, studies so far have mostly focused on the effect of gradual warming on single species or trophic groups. We assess changes in zooplankton, fish and zoobenthos assemblages (130 species in 23 groups) and found heterogeneous response to ongoing warming. Temporally constrained cluster analysis showed that the warming was not continuous over the study period 2005–2022 but occurred in three phases: an initial period (2005–2011) cooler than the average for the whole study period, followed by a very warm period (2012–2016) and finally a cooler period again (2017–2022). The biotic response was greatest in the areas of largest oceanographic changes: in the northwest, the biomass of biota increased in most groups, including Arctic fish species, whereas in the southeast, the biomass of several fish species declined, while that of jellyfish and invasive snow crab increased. New knowledge is useful for generating scenarios for ecosystem responses to climate change.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-96964-xWarmingClimate changeSub-ArcticEcosystem componentsRedistributionBiomass
spellingShingle E. Eriksen
B. Husson
G. Skaret
R. B. Ingvaldsen
P. Dalpadado
E. Johannesen
L. L. Jørgensen
B. Bogstad
A. V. Dolgov
D. V. Prozorkevich
T. A. Prokhorova
A. A. Russkikh
N. A. Strelkova
A. G. Trofimov
I. P. Prokopchuk
A. A. Filin
The living Barents Sea response to peak-warming and subsequent cooling
Scientific Reports
Warming
Climate change
Sub-Arctic
Ecosystem components
Redistribution
Biomass
title The living Barents Sea response to peak-warming and subsequent cooling
title_full The living Barents Sea response to peak-warming and subsequent cooling
title_fullStr The living Barents Sea response to peak-warming and subsequent cooling
title_full_unstemmed The living Barents Sea response to peak-warming and subsequent cooling
title_short The living Barents Sea response to peak-warming and subsequent cooling
title_sort living barents sea response to peak warming and subsequent cooling
topic Warming
Climate change
Sub-Arctic
Ecosystem components
Redistribution
Biomass
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-96964-x
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