WP 2

Objectives

This WP consists of 3 components that 3 PhDs/postdocs will work on: Biodiversity PD1; Wilderness PD2, and a third part-time PD (0.2 fte) dedicated to mapping activities. The 3 main objectives are:

1. Conceptualizing biodiversity and wilderness values and identifying quantifiable indicators for representing these values based on the conceptualization within terrestrial Antarctica.
2. Mapping of spatial distribution of biodiversity and wilderness value indicators
3. Quantifying and mapping how Antarctic values will be affected through climate change

Methodology:

1. PD1 will identify a set of biodiversity indicators for the terrestrial domain from the available literature on Antarctic flora and fauna including their distribution (Convey et al. 2014), hotspots (e.g., Bokhorst et al. 2019) and the data currently being generated by the Antarctic Biodiversity Count (ABC project of Bokhorst et al.). PD2 will examine dimensionality of wilderness values through an in-depth review of Antarctic and wilderness literature (Leihy et al., 2020; Neumann, 2020; Summerson and Tin, 2018) and a wilderness values workshop engaging academics and key stakeholders. PD2 will also develop quantifiable physical and social/perceptual indicators for wilderness values identified. Established methods for wilderness value/character indicators (e.g., Codling, 2009; Hawes et al., 2018; Landres et al., 2005; NPS, 2014) will be examined for potential adaptation in the Antarctic context. The scientific quality of wilderness value indicators will be field tested using surveys with tourists and tour guides (also see WP3).
2. Mapping of the biodiversity and wilderness values of Antarctica and how this matches current protected area (ASPAs) distribution and tourist activities (WP1). The SCAR-IAATO Systematic Conservation Planning (SCP) project for the Antarctic Peninsula has established a mapping protocol (see ATCM XLII IP024). GIS-based approaches have also been applied to wilderness/natural value mapping in protected areas (e.g., Carver et al., 2013; van Riper and Kyle, 2014). These methods will be reviewed for potential integration with the SCP protocol for application. Indicators will be mapped at the continental scale where possible, or at regional scales when data are limited.
3. To quantify impacts of climate change on biodiversity and wilderness values, we will make use of existing long-term warming studies located at sites along the Antarctic Peninsula (Bokhorst et al. 2007) where vegetation and invertebrate faunal diversity responses can be quantified after 20 years of simulated climate warming (Bokhorst et al. 2016) (VU-BAS). PD3 will also assess how the distribution of biodiversity and wilderness values might be impacted by climate change (Convey and Peck 2019).

Productive interactions (co-design and co-creation)

WP2 aims to deliver quantitative data on Antarctic biodiversity and wilderness values for monitoring and evaluation, which represents key activities of the co-applicants working at universities/research institutes. Their collaborative activities will be supported by multiple cooperation partners. Specifically, cooperation partners the SCAR Ant-TAG and IAATO will be engaged in survey design, workshop and field data collection. These data will form the basis to formulate strategies to safeguard Antarctic values which we can communicate with our stakeholders in the various ministries, SCAR working groups, CEP/ATCM and IAATO.