Documenting and Understanding Changes in Biological and Cultural Diversity Through Time and Space
Location: University of Alaska Fairbanks, UAF Museum of the North
Time: 9:30 am-12:30 pm AKDT
Effective management and conservation of high-latitude biological and cultural diversity in the face of unprecedented rates of climate change requires information on patterns of diversity and their evolution. Knowledge of patterns of genetic diversity and evolutionary history, as it relates to shifting species ranges and colonization of new habitats, is poorly documented in most Arctic taxa, leaving a critical knowledge gap in our understanding of the biodiversity, mobility, and evolution of many organisms. This prevents researchers from making reliable predictions concerning future changes in biodiversity in response to these expected changes. Importantly, to answer relevant questions on the impact of change on high-latitude biological and cultural diversity, researchers need to synthesize and continue to generate baseline information on Arctic and Subarctic systems. Vast digital resources are being rapidly developed in museums all over the world and are particularly relevant in the Arctic. The University of Alaska Museum is a leader in Arctic and Subarctic collections and their digitization. This workshop focuses on current informatics infrastructure, developing large networks of Arctic collections collaborators, and engaging new members and their students in many issues relevant to the Arctic and Subarctic.