Climatic Changes and Evidence from Plants and Animals Responses: The Data which could be Associated with Climatic Changes in the Extreme North of Europe

Climatic changes in the northern hemisphere have been documented in Fennoscandia accompanied by an earlier and a longer growing season there. In Murmansk Region the actual shifts in the timing of the growing season found more pronounced in oceanic and mountainous parts. It was predicted that such climatic trends could influence the retreat of the tundra zone and changes in the forest line. In order to investigate climatic changes markers, the following studies have been conducted: 1) an assessment of population trends of certain species with a relatively southern distribution in the target region along with climatic variables, 2) an evaluation of ecology and fitness of the regional populations with similar characteristics within its main range, 3) a review of new records of plants and animals north of the Arctic Circle, 4) an analysis of dispersal patterns and possible migration routes of new registered species. From our research we project a success of studies on water plants along the Baltic Sea/the White Sea path and complementary climatic studies. A new international data base on new records of plants and animals in Europe and in the world is required.

Keywords: climatic change, warming, growing season, Murmansk Region, range expansion, first records, migration routes, the Baltic Sea/the White Sea.