This paper provides the first assessment of the functional diversity (FD) of the Barents Sea fish community. FD is recognized as an important driver of ecosystem functions and, thus, governs the adaptability of ecosystems in the face of disturbance. We integrate ecosystem survey data with an extensive trait matrix and show that fish FD displayed large spatial variation. The study period (2004 to ...

The main challenge for the European seafood industry is to ensure sustainable production volume while adapting to climate warming. Marine fisheries mainly target 41 species which account for 80% of the seafood production in Europe. The remaining 20% comes from marine and freshwater aquaculture, which harvest mainly 5 and 11 species, respectively. European seafood production volume (2004–2014) recorded ...

Multiple stressors are increasingly affecting organisms and communities, thereby modifying ecosystems' state and functioning. Raising awareness about the threat from multiple stressors has increased the number of experimental and observational studies specifically addressing consequences of stressor interactions on biota. Most studies measure the direct effects of multiple stressors and their ...

High latitude ecosystems are experiencing the most rapid warming on earth, expected to trigger a diverse array of ecological responses. Climate warming affects the ecophysiology of fish, and fish close to the cold end of their thermal distribution are expected to increase somatic growth from increased temperatures and a prolonged growth season, which in turn affects maturation schedules, reproduction, ...

Biogeographical patterns have an ecological basis, but few empirical studies possess the necessary scale and resolution relevant for investigation. The Barents Sea shelf provides an ideal study area, as it is a transition area between Atlantic and Arctic regions, and is sampled by a comprehensive survey of all major functional groups. We studied spatial variation in species composition of demersal ...

<p>1. Introduced or invading predators may have strong impacts on prey populations of the recipient community mediated by direct and indirect interactions. The long‐term progression of predation effects, covering the invasion and establishment phase of alien predators, however, has rarely been documented.</p> <p>2. This paper documents the impact of an invasive, specialized planktivorous fish ...

In the Arctic, rising seawater temperatures and increasing underwater light caused by reductions in sea ice cover are expected to change the structure of arctic marine communities. Substantial, sometimes sudden, increases in macroalgal productivity and biomass have already been observed in arctic rocky bottom communities. These macroalgal responses have been attributed to increasing temperature and ...

Atlantic salmon is an economically and culturally important species. The species encounters several natural and man-made threats during its migration between fresh water and the ocean, which in combination may explain its ongoing decline. With the aim to better understand whether post-smolt behaviour is influenced by physical oceanographic conditions, the migratory behaviour of 173 post-smolts in a ...

Species are redistributing globally in response to climate warming, impacting ecosystem functions and services. In the Barents Sea, poleward expansion of boreal species and a decreased abundance of Arctic species are causing a rapid borealization of the Arctic communities. This borealization might have profound consequences on the Arctic food web by creating novel feeding interactions between ...