Observed range shifts of numerous species support predictions of climate change models that species will shift their distribution northward into the Arctic and sub-Arctic seas due to ocean warming. However, how this is affecting overall species richness is unclear. This study analyzes 20,670 scientific research trawls from the North Sea to the Arctic Ocean collected from 1994 to 2020, including 193 fish species. The results show a significant increase in demersal fish biodiversity in the Atlantic side of the Arctic, correlated with increasing sea bottom temperature. Species richness doubled in some Arctic regions, leading to enriched Arctic and sub-Arctic marine fauna.

Andrea Belgrano, Cesc Guillem-Jorda, Ove Djupevåg