The Arctic 'Great' Lakes of Canada and their fish faunas - An overview in the context of Arctic change

The present knowledge base and stressor status of 48 large (450 km2 or greater in area) Arctic lakes in Canada are reviewed. The lakes occur from the southern territorial boundaries to the northern-most extent of land in the Archipelago, and range in area from 440-31,153 km2. Productivities and species' complements established from proxy information indicate a declining trend from higher in the southwest Northwest Territories to lower in the northeast of Nunavut. Latitudinal and longitudinal variations in key present-day drivers (e.g., climate, surficial geology and associated nutrients) and historical factors (e.g., late Pleistocene peri-glacial processes) are likely responsible for these patterns. Despite their obvious significance in northern landscapes, knowledge is severely limited for all but a few of these lakes. Similarly, despite their remote locations, a wide range of stressors ranging from local in nature (e.g., industrial development) to pervasive and remotely driven (e.g., climate change) are very likely affecting the lakes and their associated fish faunas. Both the individual and cumulative effects of these stressors are nearly impossible to assess at present due to the dearth of knowledge. The risk of substantive effects occurring, however, is high. Comprehensive research in the near future is both desirable and required.