Project Description
The rapid change of Arctic ecosystems requires a coordinated approach to vegetation nomenclature, sampling and monitoring. The success of Pan-Arctic vegetation monitoring efforts in the International Polar Year depends on harmonized plant taxonomy, sampling protocols, and research goals to support comparisons of information collected across different countries. While the original Pan-Arctic Species List (PASL, 2013), which combined taxonomic lists for vascular plants, bryophytes, and lichens from multiple countries into a single database, was a major collaborative achievement, it now does not meet the evolving needs of Arctic research in its current state. To meet these needs, thePASL should be updated to include recent taxonomic revisions, major taxonomic groups such as fungi and algae, expanding boreal and alien species, indigenous names and non-taxonomic information, including conservation status, rangedistribution, and indigenous places associated with different taxa.
We see the updated PASL as an opportunity to go beyond a simple update to further developing the list into an interdisciplinary tool at the interface of scientific and Indigenous knowledge supporting community use. As a group made upof scientists and Indigenous knowledge holders, we will explore how to integrate Linnaean taxonomy with Indigenous names, traditional uses, and local ecological knowledge, supporting co-management, conservation, and the trainingof early-career Indigenous scientists. Additionally, by including information beyond taxonomy and range distribution, the updated PASL will become a relevant and valuable tool for non-vegetation focused Arctic researchers looking toincorporate the importance of changing Arctic vegetation into their research.
To achieve this, we plan a three-day workshop in Autumn 2026 to develop step-by-step guidelines for creating an updated PASL, as well as coordinated research goals and sampling methods in preparation for the International Polar Year2032–2033. The workshop will establish working groups and leads for each major taxonomic group, as well as a working group of Indigenous knowledge holders to explore opportunities for developing an updated PASL as a culturallygrounded tool that reflects both scientific and Indigenous perspectives.
Date and Location
Autumn 2026, Geneva, Switzerland
IASC Working Groups funding the project
- Social & Human WG
- Terrestrial WG
Project Lead
Vitalii Zemlianskii (University of Zurich, Switzerland/University of Alaska Fairbanks, USA)
Year funded by IASC
2026