Warming temperatures both help and hinder Arctic connectivity

Credit: Bering Land Bridge National Preserve

Global climate change is predicted to have major impacts in the Arctic. Changes such as melting sea ice and rapidly rising temperatures not only alter habitat composition, but local and regional connectivity as well. As altered snow and ice patterns necessitate range shifts, some species may find it difficult or even impossible to access routes that lead to more suitable habitats.

However, changes in the land- and seascape aren’t always negative. Warming temperatures could also lead to an expansion of desirable habitat, or to greater connectivity of fragmented patches that were previously isolated. Several recent studies predict that there could be both positive and negative outcomes when it comes to rising temperatures in the far north.

Arctic warming may lead to various outcomes, such as a disruption of sea ice dispersal corridors for Svalbard reindeer (top), an increase in preferred shrub habitat for Alaskan moose (middle), and an increase in lake trout abundance in Canadian waters (bottom). Credits: Bjoertvedt/Ryan Hagerty USFWS/Florian Fuchs.

Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus) live on the Svalbard archipelago of Norway in populations fragmented by natural barriers such as glaciers and open water. A recent study using a landscape genetics approach shows that winter sea ice acts as an important dispersal corridor for the reindeer, and this, combined with past and present anthropogenic drivers, strongly shapes the metapopulation structure. As sea ice continues to decline under global warming, reindeer populations are likely to become more genetically isolated and vulnerable to inbreeding or even extinction.

Although rapid warming in the Arctic decreases the amount of sea ice, it conversely increases the amount of shrubs. Recent research from over 500 km of shrub surveys and 19 years of moose (Alces alces) surveys in the North Slope of Alaska shows that tall-shrub habitat for moose is predicted to expand around river corridor networks. This will lead to an increase in structural connectivity of shrub patches, along with an increase in the total area of spatially connected patches. Moose habitat could more than double by 2099, leading to a range expansion for moose and greater connectivity of high quality habitat.

Like moose, freshwater fish in the Arctic have the potential to benefit from a warmer climate. An analysis of almost 500,000 lakes in the Canadian Arctic capable of supporting lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) predicts that populations will colonize northward as temperatures increase, and also increase in abundance. Over 30,000 lakes in the high Arctic are expected to become habitable for lake trout by 2050, an increase of 6.8% over the current number of habitable lakes. Although freshwater fish are limited in dispersal ability by the physical connectedness of lakes, increases in precipitation in the future could create flood conditions that make it easier for trout to colonize new lakes.

Resources

Peeters, B., Le Moullec, M., Raeymaekers, J.A., Marquez, J.F., Røed, K.H., Pedersen, Å.Ø., Veiberg, V., Loe, L.E. and Hansen, B.B. 2020. Sea ice loss increases genetic isolation in a high Arctic ungulate metapopulation. Global Change Biology 26(4): 2028-2041.

Zhou, J., Tape, K.D., Prugh, L., Kofinas, G., Carroll, G. and Kielland, K. 2020. Enhanced shrub growth in the Arctic increases habitat connectivity for browsing herbivores. Global Change Biology 26(7): 3809-3920.

Campana, S.E., Casselman, J.M., Jones, C.M., Black, G., Barker, O., Evans, M., Guzzo, M.M., Kilada, R., Muir, A.M. and Perry, R. 2020. Arctic freshwater fish productivity and colonization increase with climate warming. Nature Climate Change 10(5): 428-433.

State	Year	Policy	Description
New Hampshire	2026	SB592	Enables regional, conservation, and energy resource planning for habitat strongholds and wildlife corridors
New Hampshire	2019	SB200	Requires the New Hampshire Department of Transportation to consider fish and wildlife crossings and mitigation measures in all future road and culvert projects
New Hampshire	2016	SB376	Requires the fish and game department to identify existing and needed wildlife corridors connecting wildlife habitats in the state and to make recommendations for legislative changes

State	Year	Policy	Description
Maine	2023	LD258	Appropriates $7.5 million to Department of Transportation to improve roadways with potential adaptations for wildlife
Maine	2023	LD1881	Establishes compensation fee program relating to fish and wildlife habitats and associated corridors, including compensation paid by solar energy development
Maine	2023	LD508	Requires Department of Environmental Protection to review its permitting laws concerning climate change, habitat connectivity, ecological resilience, and coastal environments

State	Year	Policy	Description
New Jersey	2025	S3618	Directs state agencies to develop a Wildlife Corridor Action Plan
New Jersey	2024	S3916/A5486	Expands eligibility for existing wildlife fencing programs by including farmers leasing farmland
New Jersey	2007	NJAC7:13	Requires the state to incorporate wildlife crossings or a natural bank for terrestrial threatened and endangered species and/or species of concern when a new bridge or culvert project would cause habitat fragmentation

State	Year	Policy	Description
New Mexico	2023	SB72	Appropriates money to new Wildlife Corridors Fund for implementation of wildlife crossing projects under New Mexico Wildlife Corridor Action Plan
New Mexico	2022	HB 2	Allocates funding for projects to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and allows the Department of Transportation and Department of Game to implement their Wildlife Corridors Action Plan
New Mexico	2019	SB 228	Requires the creation of a Wildlife Corridor Action Plan that includes comprehensive guidance to agencies for identifying, prioritizing and maintaining important areas for wildlife movement

State	Year	Policy	Description
Washington	2023	HB1216/SB5196	Requires Department of Ecology to prepare environmental impact statements for clean energy projects that consider impacts to habitat connectivity and wildlife migration corridors
Washington	2022	SB5689	Provides funding for US 97 Wildlife Crossing Improvements project
Washington	2019	SEO 1031.02	Recognizes the effect of roadways in creating barriers to wildlife movement, breeding, and migrations; the Washington State Department of Transportation will promote and support Practical Solutions and Planning and Environmental Linkages to integrate habitat connectivity and biodiversity plans; will make use of the highway prioritization map known as Habitat Connectivity Investment Priorities; and will corporate and coordinate with other agencies involved in wildlife habitat protection, specifically along highways

Connecting Science to Conservation

Warming temperatures both help and hinder Arctic connectivity

Resources

About the Author: Heather Cayton

State	Year	Policy	Description
Wyoming	2026	SF0052	Allocates funds for restoration of aquatic habitats including barrier removal for fish
Wyoming	2025	SF0088	Allocates funds for projects improving wildlife connectivity including fence removal, wildlife crossings improvements, and habitat restoration
Wyoming	2024	SF0060	Provides funds to help maintain primary migration corridors for ungulates in the Little Snake River Conservation District
Wyoming	2023	SF0106	Provides funds for large wildlife crossing projects across the state
Wyoming	2022	SF0048	Approves funding for specific wildlife crossings and aquatic connectivity initiatives
Wyoming	2021	SF066	Provides funds for large wildlife crossing projects across the state
Wyoming	2020	EO 1	Designates three mule deer migration corridors and establishes the process whereby future corridors can be designated
Wyoming	2020	HB 69	Establishes a system wherein funding from outdoor recreation can be appropriated for wildlife conservation efforts related to the state’s transportation system
Wyoming	2018	HB39	Proceeds from the newly established wildlife conservation license plates are allocated to wildlife connectivity improvements to the state transportation system

State	Year	Policy	Description
Vermont	2023	Act59	Vermont's 30x30 law that commits to conserving and maintaining an ecologically functional landscape that sustains biodiversity and maintains landscape connectivity
Vermont	2016	Act 171	Primarily focuses on timber harvesting regulations, but calls for a study of necessary revisions to planning statutes that protect contiguous areas of forestland from fragmentation and promote habitat connectivity between forestlands

State	Year	Policy	Description
Colorado	2026	SB141	Creates optional collision prevention fee to fund wildlife safe passage projects
Colorado	2025	HB1093	Restricts local limits on residential density unless offset elsewhere, exempts areas near wildlife crossings, and allows municipalities to seek judicial review of land use initiatives
Colorado	2023	SB 23-092	Encourages minimal impacts to wildlife migration corridors when constructing solar panel farms
Colorado	2023	SB 214	Appropriates funding to the Colorado Wildlife Safe Passages Fund for wildlife crossing projects
Colorado	2022	SB22-151	Creates a $5 million fund for measures that reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and reconnect habitat fragmented by roads
Colorado	2022	HB22-1072	Expands the scope of Habitat Partnership Program to fund efforts to conserve wildlife migration
Colorado	2021	SJR 21-021	Aims to protect and enhance habitat connectivity in the state through the establishment of a working group to develop state policies on corridors, as well as the commission of a report on state corridors and voluntary policies to support willing landowners in improving connectivity
Colorado	2019	EO 11	Directs Colorado agencies to identify policy, regulatory, and legislative opportunities to ensure the ongoing conservation of seasonal big game habitat and migration corridors
Colorado	2018	SB 18-143	States explicit goals for Division of Parks and Wildlife to invest in habitat conservation and wildlife crossings

State	Year	Policy	Description
California	2024	AB1889	Requires counties and municipalities to conserve wildlife corridors when planning new developments
California	2023	AB1760	Calls for a statewide analysis of wildlife corridors and connectivity to support conservation planning and climate change adaptation activities.
California	2023	SB145	Outlines provisions for transportation-related environmental mitigation, including funding for wildlife corridors, property and credit purchases for mitigation, reporting requirements, and mandates for wildlife crossings along Interstate 15.
California	2023	SB101	Provides funding for wildlife corridors and open spaces, including projects to improve connectivity and reduce barriers between habitat areas.
California	2022	AB2344	Establishes a state program to address roads with high wildlife-vehicle collisions, authorizes Caltrans to develop standalone wildlife connectivity projects, mandates an inventory and prioritization system for critical areas, and requires integration of wildlife passage features into relevant road designs.
California	2022	AB1384	Requires agencies to address vulnerabilities in Safeguarding California Plans, including protecting and enhancing wildlife corridors
California	2021	SB790	Approves compensatory mitigation credits for wildlife connectivity actions
California	2021	AB1183	Establishes the California Desert Conservation Program to protect biodiversity, including the protection and enhancement of habitat connectivity
California	2021	AB128	Appropriates funding for wildlife crossing projects, including the Liberty Canyon crossing for mountain lions
California	2015	AB 498	Amends the California Fish and Game Code to encourage, wherever feasible, voluntary steps to protect the functioning of wildlife corridors
California	2014	AB1471	Provides funds to the Sacramento- San Joaquin Delta Conservancy, in part to protect and restore aquatic, wetland, and migratory bird ecosystems including corridors.
California	2008	AB2785	Orders Dept. of Fish & Wildlife to investigate, study, and identify key wildlife corridors and linkages within the state, and to make those areas public