A new vegetation map of the Arctic is needed for a wide variety of purposes related to anticipated global changes, land-use planning, and education. Arctic vegetation could be dramatically altered through climate change and land-use changes with important consequences to wildlife resources and native people within the Arctic. Such changes could also cause feedbacks to the global hydrological and atmospheric systems. A geobotanical database and derived maps of the circumpolar arctic region. This derived image, along with the original color-infrared image, will be used as a base for the Circumpolar Arctic Vegetation Map and for a wide variety of applications regarding patterns of circumpolar biomass.
Additional funding comes from foreign participants.
Continental-scale synthesis will be done at mapping centers in the US, Norway, and Russia. An important component of the project is development of an internationally accepted concept of zonation within the Arctic. Contingent on funding, the regional draft maps will be completed by 1999, the continental syntheses by 2000, and the final circumpolar synthesis by 2001. Cost sharing from all of the circumpolar countries will be required to meet this schedule. CAVM Scheme for International Collaboration.