Introduction to the Focus Issue: Natural History Collections Come in from the Cold

Abstract

Museum natural history collections provide valuable base-line data for comparison with the most recent collections for climate change research. Antarctic collections have been a primary focus of many climate change studies, but collections from within the Arctic Circle have been less involved in this research. However, in the last few years special attention has been focused on Arctic specimen collections and expeditions to the Arctic have become more frequent. Arctic collections in museums can provide valuable information about biodiversity in the region, as well as the impacts of climate change on species and ecosystems. By studying these collections, researchers can better understand the past and present state of the Arctic and use this knowledge to help forecast how the region may change in the future. This information can be used to develop strategies to mitigate the negative effects of climate change and protect Arctic biodiversity. Some of the scientific benefits of researching on these collections include the study of individual species, populations, and the environments in which they lived, how these species have evolved in time, and whether Arctic species are being replaced by others from lower latitudes. Warming in the Arctic has already led to permafrost thaw, sea ice melt and coastline erosion, causing infrastructure collapse, while rising levels of CO 2 lead to acidification. This warming needs to be addressed, as these changes endanger not only the environment and ecosystems but also the local population’s well-being and food security. Access to Arctic collections is important for researchers in these fields, and many museums and research institutions work to make their collections as widely available as possible for scientific study. The Arctic Ocean, unlike the Southern Ocean, is surrounded by land that