The Global Observation Research Initiative in Alpine Environments, (GLORIA), is a worldwide monitoring network for climate change impacts on the ecology of high mountain systems.
GLORIA's purpose is to establish and maintain a world-wide long-term observation network in alpine environments. Vegetation and temperature data collected at the GLORIA sites will be used for discerning trends in species diversity and temperature. The data will be used to assess and predict losses in biodiversity and other threats to these fragile alpine ecosystems which are under accelerating climate change pressures. The GLORIA network now consists of long-term observation sites in 77 mountain regions distributed over five continents. Alaska.
There are seven GLORIA sites in the CAFF area:
- Latnajaure, Sweden (2001),
- Polar Urals, Russia (2001),
- Selawik National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska (2007),
- Brooks Range Central/Atigun Syncline, Alaska (2007),
- Tröllaskagi, Iceland (2008),
- Zackenberg, Greenland (2008) and
- Streymoy, Faroe Islands (2009)
A further four are planned:
- Monts Groulx, Quebec,
- Rocky Mountains/North Yukon,
- Yukon, Angujartorfiup, Greenland and
- Svalbard
The GLORIA network provides a great opportunity for comparison between sites within the arctic as well as with other areas in the world which, because of altitude, bear resemblance with the arctic vegetation. The establishment of more GLORA sites will therefore increase substantially terrestrial monitoring in the arctic and compile data which is comparable to data from other GLORIA sites further south.
