NeAT ‐ Network for Arthropods of the Tundra

Final Report

The support from IASC has made it possible to strengthen the Network for Arthropods of the Tundra (NeAT) network through sessions at two major international conferences and a workshop. The workshop's goal was to plan the development of research protocols to stimulate further research activities of relevance to the IASC Terrestrial Working Group. The session at the Polar2018 conference resulted in critical connections to research groups working in Antarctica and thus strengthened this element of NeAT. It also facilitated an application for funding from UArctic for further network activities within NeAT – a proposal, which was granted in fall 2018 partly due to the activities supported by IASC.

The main activity supported by IASC was the organization of a workshop during the Arctic Biodiversity Assessment Congress in Rovaniemi, Finland 8-11 October 2018. The participants of the workshop designed three protocols (related to monitoring insect herbivory, image-based monitoring of tundra arthropods, and functional traits of predatory arthropods), and these will be further developed as part of the new funding from UArctic. NeAT also managed to liaise with Arctic freshwater ecologists, to form a stronger connection to this group, which is critical since many arthropod species have aquatic larval stages. In sum, the IASC support will have positive effects on the strength and activities of NeAT in the years to come.

More information.