Arctic Change 2017 - Québec City, QC
11-15 December, Quebec City Convention Centre
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Oral Presentation and Poster Abstracts
(Order by last name)
Temporal and spatial variations of air-sea CO2 fluxes in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago
Ahmed, Mohamed (1) (Presenter), T. Papakyriakou (2) and B. Else (1)
(1) University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
(2) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Arctic seas have great potential for sequestering greater amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere in response to sea ice melting, low temperature, and high biological production. However, the spatiotemporal variability of CO2 uptake and fluxes are not consistent across all the Arctic seas, and accurately estimating CO2 uptake can be difficult due to relatively few ship observations and rapid climate change. In this study, we are aiming to determine the main biogeochemical factors that are responsible for driving air-sea CO2 fluxes variability in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA) at different spatial and temporal scales. Ship observations of sea surface salinity, sea surface temperature, dissolved seawater and atmospheric CO2 concentration have been collected for 8 years through different research cruises onboard the CCGS Amundsen icebreaker. The cruises were mainly conducted during the summer and autumn seasons from 2009 to 2017 (with exception of 2012 when the Amundsen was under maintenance). The sea ice concentration and amount of open water within the study area is estimated by using the weekly ice charts created by the Canadian Ice Service. This will be a novel result, as no other studies have produced a detailed assessment of air-sea CO2 exchange and the underlying processes that drive those exchanges in the CAA.
Frobisher Bay: A natural laboratory for the study of environmental change in Canadian Arctic marine habitats
Aitken, Alec (1) (Presenter), B. Misiuk (2), E. Herder (2), R. Deering (2), E. Edinger (2), T. Bell (2), D. Mate (3), L. Ham (4), T. Tremblay (4) and C. Campbell (5)
(1) University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK, Canada
(2) Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's NL, Canada
(3) Polar Knowledge Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
(4) Canada-Nunavut Geoscience Office, Iqaluit NU, Canada
(5) Geological Survey of Canada - Atlantic, Dartmouth NS, Canada
Frobisher Bay is one of the few locations in the eastern Canadian Arctic with a long history of geological and ecological study, providing long-term datasets and study areas that facilitate longitudinal studies (i.e., multi-decadal) of marine habitat change. The bay presents a natural laboratory in which to demonstrate the capabilities of ecological and geological seabed mapping for understanding and managing coastal environmental change in Canada’s Arctic. The marine environment of inner Frobisher Bay has experienced profound changes related to the expansion of commercial and subsistence fisheries, increased marine traffic, and infrastructure development along the coastline associated with the growth of the population of Iqaluit over the last 40 years. These anthropogenic stressors are superimposed on a marine environment experiencing warming sea surface temperatures and changes in the structure and duration of the sea ice cover. Marine geohazards operating in Baffin Island estuaries are poorly understood and present an additional challenge for managing coastal resources. Seabed disturbance by submarine landslides occurs widely within Frobisher Bay; more than 250 landslide events have been documented in the bay. Hydrographic surveys employing multibeam sonar aboard CCGS Amundsen and M/V Nuliajuk have covered nearly 2000 square kilometres of the seabed and generated information on seabed topography and substrates. Several seabed types are broadly distributed in the bay: bedrock surfaces mantled with a veneer of fine-grained sediments exhibiting high topographic relief; cobble and gravel bottoms associated with submerged glacial moraines; and soft bottoms composed of various proportions of gravel, sand and mud exhibiting low topographic relief that occur in deep basins. Biological sampling was initiated by the Fisheries Research Board of Canada (FRBC) in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Grab samples and benthic trawl samples were acquired repetitively from soft bottoms at numerous stations in the inner bay during this period. Sampling recovered a benthic macrofauna dominated by mollusks, amphipods, ophiuroid echinoderms and polychaetous annelids. These sites were sampled again in 2015, 2016 and 2017 using comparable grab sampling equipment, as well as drop video transects, to provide a more complete habitat characterization. These samples confirm that mollusks, ophiuroid echinoderms and tubiculous polychaetes are dominant constituents of the soft bottom macrofauna in the inner bay. Benthic dredge samples, combined with drop video transects, acquired from stony bottoms record a biota dominated by sponges, ascidians, ophiuroid echinoderms, and shrimp. Geological and biological habitat maps for Frobisher Bay, Nunavut, show the distribution of bottom types and marine geohazards, as well as the distribution of marine biodiversity. Biological sampling and mapping of seabed habitats will document the spatial pattern of marine biodiversity in the bay and identify sensitive habitats that might require protection during projects related to infrastructure, resource and fisheries development. Geological seabed maps will identify marine geohazards including sites of submarine landslides, and areas prone to such slope failures. Research effort is presently focused on determining the history of submarine slope failures, to assess the frequency of such events and the potential threat marine geohazards might pose to marine and coastal resource development in Frobisher Bay.
Patterns of host genetic structure in relation to virus variation in fox rabies epizootics in northern Canada
Alanazi, Thaneah (1) (Presenter), E. Falardeau (2), C. Fehlner-Gardiner (3), A. Flynn (1), P. Leighton (4), A. Massé (5), S. Nadin-Davis (2), S. Predham (1), A. Simon (4), H. Whitney (1) and D. Marshall (1)
(1) Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's NL, Canada
(2) Animal Health Microbiology, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Ottawa ON, Canada
(3) Centre of Expertise for Rabies, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Ottawa ON, Canada
(4) Research Group on Epidemiology of Zoonoses and Public Health, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe QC, Canada
(5) Direction de l’expertise sur la faune terrestre, l’herpétofaune et l’avifaune, Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs, Québec QC, Canada
Patterns of host genetic structure in relation to virus variation in fox rabies epizootics in northern Canada Although rabies is endemic in the Arctic, origins and spread of epizootics of this lethal zoonotic disease are little understood. We report the population genetic structure of coloured (Vulpes vulpes) and arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) across northern Canada, and compare it with virus variant distribution, to better understand the movements of vector and virus across the landscape. Analysis of mtDNA revealed some genetic structure in coloured foxes on a broad scale, but little genetic variation within Labrador, and no host genetic structure among arctic foxes. Microsatellite analysis of coloured foxes provided finer scale resolution of host genetic structure in eastern subarctic and was able to differentiate southeastern populations from each other and from western and northern locations. Viral genome sequencing identified a variety of sub-types of the arctic A3 lineage that has circulated across northern Canada since the late 1990s. In areas of fox host range overlap, both coloured and arctic foxes shared many of the same viral sub-types, while distinct sub-types did occur in areas of host allopatry. However from 2010 onwards only two viral sub-types circulated across northeastern Canada and only one of these was responsible for all rabies cases from Labrador over this period. This work provides baseline data on fox population structures and their correlation with virus distribution, information that will inform modeling studies for the prediction of future fox rabies outbreaks which will in turn aid the development of strategies for managing a disease affecting wildlife, domestic animal and public health in the Arctic.
The ongoing but uneasy Sino-Russian cooperation in the Arctic in the 'Belt and Road Initiative' era
Alexeeva, Olga (1) (Presenter) and F. Lasserre (2) (Presenter)
(1) UQAM, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Over the past decade the Sino-Russian cooperation in the Arctic has emerged as one of the major topics of the Russia-China negotiations on how to expand their comprehensive strategic partnership and to bring it to a new level. China considers the Arctic region important for its economic interests and desires to be included in the development of the region and its economic potential. Particularly interested in Artic energy resources and sea routes, Chinese companies are eager to participate in various projects in the Artic zone, not only in Russia but also in other Arctic states. For Russia, the Arctic is a future strategic resource base that would replace the old depleting fields and assure Russia’s status as a major worldwide energy supplier. However, the Ukrainian crisis of 2014, followed by the sanctions introduced by the United States and the European Union against Russia, had a negative impact on Russia’s drilling activities in the Arctic. Sanctions had limited Russia’s access to Western technology for deep-sea drilling on the Arctic continental shelf and forced major Russian oil and gas companies, Rosneft and Gazprom, to halt their offshore expansion in the Artic zone. This has motivated Moscow to search for partners elsewhere, particularly in Asia. Chinese companies were thus invited not only to invest in several Arctic projects but also to export Chinese technology in Russia in order to explore the Kara and Barents Seas. China’s pan-Eurasian integration project, “One Road One Belt”, launched by Xi Jinping in 2013 has attracted a lot of media attraction. Described as the largest ever infrastructure project with a budget close to a trillion of dollars, it is an ambitions development program that, according to the Chinese, could improve the economic development of Asia and benefit the entire world. Although initially focused on the infrastructure across the Eurasian continent and the Indian Ocean, in 2017, China has expanded this initiative to the Arctic. Since 2013, Chinese shipping companies, such as Cosco, have made several trips along the NSR in order to evaluate its commercial potential and to see if they could operate regular services on this sea route. Despite many joined statements on deepening of the Sino-Russian in the development of the Arctic energy resources, the concrete results of these ambitious plans are few. Some joint projects were dropped, as China and Russia could not agree on the conditions of the deal, others are progressing very slowly and have an uncertain future, as the Chinese investment has yet to materialize. Mutual strategic mistrust and different understanding of the mechanics of the Sino-Russian partnership in Beijing and Moscow seem to undermine the scale of Chinese involvement in the development of the Russian Arctic. What factors limit the strategic rapprochement between China and Russia in the Arctic? Could Chinese companies replace Russia’s Western partners in the offshore drilling projects? Is Russian recent pivot to Asia having any serious impact on the deepening of Sino-Russian cooperation in the Artic? This paper will give an overview of recent developments in Sino-Russian oil and gas cooperation in the Arctic and analyze their potential.
Exacerbation of stress in algae and their attached bacteria in Arctic zones: Why? and consequences?
Amiraux, Rémi (1) (Presenter), S.T. Belt (2), F. Armougom (1), L. Artigue (3), F. Vaultier (1), M. Gosselin (4), V. Galindo (5), M. Babin (6), P. Bonin (1) and J.-F. Rontani (1)
(1) Aix Marseille Université, Université de Toulon, CNRS/INSU/IRD, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), UM 110, 13288 Marseille, France
(2) Biogeochemistry Research Centre, School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon PL4 8AA, United Kingdom
(3) Laboratoire d'études en géophysique et océanographie spatiales (LEGOS), Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
(4) Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski, Université du Québec, Rimouski QC, Canada
(5) Center for Earth Observation Science, Faculty of Environment, Earth and Resources, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(6) Takuvik Joint International Laboratory, Laval University (Canada) - CNRS, Département de biologie et Québec-Océan, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
We determined, and compared, the abiotic stress state of algae and their attached bacterial communities following their release into the water column during the Arctic sea ice melt season using specific lipid markers that are characteristic of type II photooxidation processes, together with those associated with cis-trans isomerase and 10S-DOX-like lipoxygenase activity, which are indicative of salinity stress. Our data show that salinity and light-induced bacterial stress processes are temporally decoupled, with the former occurring at the beginning of ice melting and the latter observed during the final stages of ice melt and in subsequent open waters. Analyses of the underlying sediment (in the Davis Strait) also suggested that surface sediments might be comprised almost exclusively of salinity-impacted sea ice-derived organic matter, which is only weakly abiotically degraded. Thus sea ice OM which underwent a salinity stress seems to possess a strong CO2 burial potential. Both of our bacterial salinity-induced stress tracers have been identified and monitored in sinking particles and sediments. However, the validation of these tracers required highlighting their presence in their supposed source of production (sea ice), as well as the identification of the bacteria species able to express these enzymatic activities. Thus, the simultaneous temporal monitoring of bacterial diversity and salinity-induced stress signals in sea ice samples and sinking particles allowed us to: (i) confirm that induction of salinity-induced stress signals takes place within the sea ice and (ii) restrict the potential candidates of such salinity stress signals to the Pseudoalteromonas, Pseudomonas and Erythrobacter genera. In order to extend at a larger scale the assumption based on only one sediment sample collected in a Davis Strait coastal station that surface sediments might be comprised almost exclusively of salinity-impacted sea ice-derived organic matter of ice biota, we analyzed numerous surface sediment samples collected around the Canadian Arctic. We showed that currently, the contribution of ice algae material to the sediment is strong due to: (i) their high contribution to the primary productivity, (ii) their quick sinking rates, and (iii) their strong burial efficiency (resulting from the poor physiological state of their attached bacteria following a salinity stress). Thus, the disappearance of ice algae in the future (due to the sea ice loss by the increasing temperature) should lead to a decrease of the Arctic carbon sink potential.
Best practices for research in northern Indigenous communities: Building effective partnerships in the Gwich’in Settlement Area
Amos, Amy (1) (Presenter)
(1) Gwich'in Renewable Resources Board, Inuvik NT, Canada
The Gwich’in Renewable Resources Board (GRRB) is a public co-management board established under the Gwich’in Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement (1992) to be the main instrument for wildlife, fish and forest management in the Gwich’in Settlement Area (GSA). The GSA is a sub-Arctic wilderness area larger than Nova Scotia, located in the north-western part of the Northwest Territories. The GSA contains some of the largest and most historically-important rivers in Canada, including the lower part of the Mackenzie River and Peel River, the Arctic Red River, and the vast Mackenzie Delta. The Dempster Highway and a winter ice road connect the four communities of Inuvik, Tsiigehtchic, Fort McPherson, and Aklavik. As a Gwich’in Participant myself, and the Executive Director of the GRRB for the past 8 years, I have seen many research projects carried out in our region to varying degrees of success. In my eyes, ‘success’ means not only gathering scientific data and publishing results in peer-reviewed journals, but providing lasting value to our people and our communities. Projects that have successful outcomes are those in which the lead researchers built strong relationships with local organizations, including (but not limited to!) our own. My presentation will focus on how to build effective partnerships with regional and community organizations. I will touch on the GRRB’s research priority setting process, and what type(s) of support we can offer researchers who have projects related to our research priorities. Available supports include staff time, equipment loans, research funds, introductions to local organizations, and opportunities to engage youth – or programs that involve several of those at once, such as the GRRB’s Youth Work Experience Fund, or the GRRB Wildlife Studies Fund. I will also provide advice on best practices, including how to engage meaningfully with northern Indigenous communities such as the Gwich’in, and how to develop and establish projects that align with community research interests.
From Climate Change to water wealth and health: Inuit researchers advancing monitoring capacity for Arctic water systems in Nunavut
Anaviapik Soucie, Timothy (1,5) (Presenter), E. Maktar (1), L. Koonark (1), A. Peterloosie (1), G. Ljubicic (2), D. Atkinson (3), J. Shirley (4), V. L’Hérault (5) and the Elders of Pond Inlet (1)
(1) Community of Pond Inlet, NU, Canada
(2) Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
(3) Department of Geography, Ryerson University, Toronto ON, Canada
(4) Nunavut Research Institute, Iqaluit NU, Canada
(5) ARCTIConnexion, Québec QC, Canada
Climate Change can determine water quantity and quality and can easily impact community source water if they occur within a source water watershed; proving harmful to the supply of community fresh water. The protection of source water is critical to ensuring the sustainability of clean community drinking water and local ecosystem health and function. Yet, there is an immense lack of knowledge with regards to source water landscapes, the hydrological regime, and water quality for most Nunavut communities as well as no current source water protection policies. Building on a previous 2-year youth-based water monitoring project in Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet) piloted by Tim Anaviapik Soucie and supported by academic partners and ARCTIConnexion’s mentors, we wanted to expand into a project that would build the foundations for source water protection. We aimed to 1) advance local monitoring capacity by promoting youth skills development (pilimmaksarniq) and leadership (nagligusuk), 2) conduct integrated watershed-scale water monitoring by gathering local observations, field data and satellite imagery, and 3) build water quality indices and decision making tools to aid in community source water protection planning. In parallel to these objectives, we also wanted to create strong connections between this project, the research capacity of our team and the specific needs of community members, and be able to quickly respond to them. In the long run, we also hope for this project to become a model for other Arctic communities and particularly the youth. Here, we present the preliminary results of our first year of integrated monitoring work. From mid-June to Late September 2017, our local research team monitored 5 streams and 2 lakes for physical parameters (ph, dissolved oxygen, conductivity and temperature), hydrological parameters (water level and flow), and microbial content (fecal coliforms indicators and DNA markers). We are developing and conducting local and regional watershed map analyses and conduct interviews and workshops with the community to identify land use and water provisioning patterns. We also had substantial success in answering community needs with regards to source water, providing advice and knowledge to residents and fetching and delivering freshwater to community elders during period of water scarcity (Iceberg-made water was not accessible last winter). We also developed a trust relationship between our local team and the academic mentors who provided guidance and training all along the way. This project is continuing on for another two years.
Predicting effects of climate change on Arctic-breeding shorebird communities
Anderson, Christine (1) (Presenter), P. Smith (2) and L. Fahrig (1)
(1) Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
Many Arctic-breeding shorebird populations have declined dramatically since the 1980s, in large part due to the effects of climate change and development pressure throughout their hemisphere-wide ranges. Shorebirds are particularly sensitive to the rapid climate change occurring in the Arctic because they rely on ephemeral arthropod prey and shallow wetland habitats, both of which can fluctuate dramatically. The objective of this project is to develop spatially explicit models of habitat selection by arctic shorebirds across the North American Arctic. We will then combine these models with habitat projections from a suite of climate change scenarios to predict how shorebird distribution and community composition could change over the next 50-100 years. This project will use data collected by the Arctic Program for Regional and International Shorebird Monitoring (PRISM) beginning in 2002. Our goal is to identify which shorebird species may be most greatly affected by habitat shifts due to climate change and to identify the Arctic regions most likely to support large numbers of shorebirds in the years to come. Temperature per se likely has little effect on shorebirds that breed in the Arctic and winter in the tropics. Range shifts with a warming climate only make sense in the context of habitat change, but predictions about Arctic habitat change at a scale relevant to birds have so far been elusive. This project is in its initial stages and we are seeking feedback on our objectives and study design.
Bakeapple picking in a changing physical and social landscape
Anderson, Darya (1) (Presenter) and J. Ford (1,2)
(1) McGill University, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) University of Leeds, Leeds, England
In the Arctic climate change is amplified. Air temperatures are increasing and resultantly, permafrost associated soils are thawing with both physical and biological impacts for northern communities. Northern Canadian communities with land based livelihoods are more sensitive to climate related environmental changes, like permafrost thaw, due to added socioeconomic changes across the Canadian north. An aspect of traditional land based livelihoods is bakeapple berry picking. Bakeapple picking has both social and nutritional importance. It is unclear how bakeapple picking will be impacted by permafrost thaw and added socioeconomic changes across the Arctic and sub-Arctic. Mixed methods were used to address the question, what is the vulnerability of bakeapple picking in a changing physical and socioeconomic landscape? Vulnerability is made up of the exposure (external environmental changes), sensitivity (internal community structure), and adaptive capacity (ability of the community to respond to external environmental changes). A case study of Cartwright, Labrador was used to address this question. Cartwright was chosen as the case study community because community members and the NunatuKavut Community Council expressed interest and support of the project, the type of permafrost features found in the region, and the importance of bakeapple picking in southern Labrador. Specifically, vegetation surveys, satellite imagery analysis, long term weather data, interviews, a focus group, and participant observation were used to characterize the exposure. Interviews and participant observation were used to characterize sensitivity and adaptive capacity. From preliminary analysis, weather certainly has an important impact on the crop of bakeapples, but it is unclear if the impact of weather on bakeapples is a long-term trend or just natural variability. There is a noticeable increase in shrub growth which possibly limits the growth of bakeapples. In addition, bakeapple growth is constrained by soil moisture conditions, which are impacted by permafrost thaw. In addition to physical environmental changes, preliminary analysis also highlights some key components of sensitivity and adaptive capacity. Both resettlement and the transition from the in-land fishery to the off-shore fishery have ended the traditional use of both a summer and winter home. The semi-nomadic lifestyle between summer and winter home enabled people to bakeapple pick during the summer months. These components of sensitivity have parallels in other northern communities with land based livelihoods. Colonialization across the Canadian north has resulted in resettlement and resource extraction that has impacted the semi-nomadic lifestyle associated with land based livelihoods. Also, preliminary analysis indicates that both the speedboat and the value placed on culture heighten the adaptive capacity of community members. Technology and culture have both been noted as components of adaptive capacity in other Canadian northern communities. Even with these components of adaptive capacity, there is a noticeable loss in traditional knowledge in younger generations in Cartwright and across the Canadian north. This loss of traditional knowledge should be taken into account for further studies considering the future vulnerability of bakeapple picking to climate changes.
Transport of carbon and nutrients through the Herald Canyon in the Arctic Ocean
Anderson, Leif (1) (Presenter), K.M. Assmann (1), G. Björk (1), J. Clement-Kinney (2), M. Jakobsson (3), S. Jutterström (4), W. Maslowski (2), I. Semiletov (5,6,7) and I. Wåhlström (8)
(1) Department of Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
(2) Department of Oceanography, Naval Postgardual School, Monterey CA, United States
(3) Department of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
(4) IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Gothenburg, Sweden
(5) International Arctic Research Center, University Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks AK, United States
(6) Pacific Oceanological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences Far Eastern Branch, Vladivostok, Russia
(7) The National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University, Tomsk, Russia
(8) Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, Gothenburg, Sweden
The Arctic Ocean has experienced large changes in the last decades. A question is how these changes impact the carbon cycle and specifically the air-sea flux of carbon dioxide. One process relevant to the latter is the sedimentation of organic matter to the deep waters, a process that is dependent on the supply of nutrients. Substantial amounts of nutrients and carbon enter the Arctic Ocean from the Pacific Ocean through Bering Strait, distributed over three main pathways. Water with low salinities and nutrient concentrations takes an eastern route along the Alaskan coast, as Alaska Coastal Water. A central pathway has intermediate salinity and nutrient concentrations, while the most nutrient rich water enters Bering Strait on its western side. Towards the Arctic Ocean the flow of these water masses is subject to strong topographic steering within the Chukchi Sea with volume transports modulated by the wind field. It has been speculated that most of the nutrient rich water enters the deep Arctic Ocean through Herald Canyon. In this contribution we use data from several sections crossing Herald Canyon collected in 2008 and 2014. The bottom of the canyon has the highest nutrient concentrations, likely as a result of addition from the degradation of organic matter at the sediment surface. We compute the flux of nutrients (nitrate, phosphate, and silicate) and dissolved inorganic carbon in different water masses as identified by their T-S characteristics by combining hydrographic and nutrient observations with ADCP and surface drift data. Even if there are some general similarities between the years, there are differences in both the T-S and nutrient characteristics. The conclusion is that this region needs to be monitored over a longer time frame to deduce the temporal variability and potential trends.
Discovery of a climatological short break in the Polar Night Jet in early winter and its relation to cooling over Siberia
Ando, Yuta (1) (Presenter), K. Yamazaki (1,2), Y. Tachibana (1), M. Ogi (3) and J. Ukita (4)
(1) Mie University, Tsu, Mie, Japan
(2) Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
(3) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(4) Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
The Polar Night Jet (PNJ) is a strong stratospheric westerly circumpolar wind at around 65°N in winter, and the strength of the climatological PNJ is widely recognized to increase monotonically from October through late December. Remarkably, the climatological PNJ temporarily stops increasing during late November. We examined this short break in terms of the atmospheric dynamical balance and found that it results from an increase in the upward propagation of climatological planetary waves from the troposphere to the stratosphere in late November, which coincides with a maximum of the climatological Eliassen-Palm flux convergence in the lower stratosphere. The upward propagation of planetary waves at 100 hPa, which is strongest over Siberia, is related to the climatological strengthening of the tropospheric trough over Siberia. We suggest that longitudinally asymmetric forcing by land–sea heating contrasts caused by their different heat capacities can account for the strengthening of the trough.
Supporting wildlife stewardship and conservation through a digital platform for knowledge co-production
Andrachuk, Mark (1) (Presenter), A. Cunsolo (2), A. Sawatzky (1), J. Snook (3,1), D. Gillis (4), N. Durish (4), I. Shiwak (5), C. Flowers (5), M. Wood (6) and S.L. Harper (1)
(1) Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada
(2) Labrador Institute, Memorial University, Happy Valley-Goose Bay NL, Canada
(3) Torngat Secretariat, Happy Valley-Goose Bay NL, Canada
(4) School of Computer Science, University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada
(5) Rigolet Research Coordinator, The Rigolet Inuit Community Government, NFLD, Canada
(6) Department of Health and Social Development, Nunatsiavut NFLD, Canada
Monitoring environmental conditions – including wildlife – is important for wellbeing and resilience in Inuit communities and for adaptive co-management. Yet, systematically detecting changes in wildlife and environmental conditions, and responding to them in culturally appropriate ways, is an enormous challenge. Formal monitoring is not often based on metrics or indicators that matter to the communities that need the information the most. Although traditional knowledge (TK) underpins co-management in Inuit Nunangat, systematic monitoring and evaluation of impacts of environmental change, which draws on TK and local observations that can inform adaptation and refinement of wildlife conservation policies, is limited. As such, there is a major need to support the development of comprehensive, integrated, and locally-appropriate monitoring systems. The eNuk: Environment and Health Research Program is an Inuit-led research program that is piloting the use of an app on handheld devices (e.g., smart phones and other mobile devices) to gather data about environment and health conditions. Emphasis is placed on Inuit as active participants in the design of monitoring protocols and as end users of the data. The eNuk research program is a partnership among the Nunatsiavut Government, the Rigolet Inuit Community Government, and researchers from the University of Guelph and the Labrador Institute, and is guided by an International Scientific Advisory Committee. This poster outlines progress to date on the eNuk program and establishes the basis for upcoming research that will foreground monitoring of wildlife through the eNuk app. To date, the focus of the program has related to environmental determinants of health and wellbeing. The central purpose of upcoming research – in the community of Rigolet in the Labrador Inuit Settlement Area of Nunatsiavut – is to develop indicators related to wildlife stewardship and conservation, based on Inuit knowledge and values, that can be measured and tracked. This will improve the ability of hunters and the Torngat Wildlife, Plants and Fisheries Secretariat to devise time-sensitive adaptation strategies and, thus, support wildlife conservation and safety of hunters. Further, the research will support the Torngat Secretariat’s efforts to gain more influence on policy decisions through Inuit-led research. The next phases of this research program include: (1) review and assessment of data already collected through pilot testing of the eNuk app; (2) workshops with Rigolet community members to confirm how they are using the app and identify additional features that are needed; and (3) collaboration with the Torngat Secretariat to develop meaningful indicators for co-management. Review of literature on Indigenous methodologies, knowledge co-production, community-based conservation, and human dimensions of conservation will inform and frame the research. In addition to practical applications, this research will contribute to theoretically grounded understanding of the role that Inuit-led design of technology can play in incorporating TK into wildlife conservation.
Reading between the rings: How does competition affect the climate sensitivity of shrub growth?
Angers-Blondin, Sandra (1,2) (Presenter), I. Myers-Smith (1) and S. Boudreau (2)
(1) School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
(2) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Shrubs are increasing rapidly in tundra ecosystems. Increased shrub growth has been linked to warmer temperatures, but the strength of these climate-growth relationships is extremely variable across the tundra biome. The inconsistency of plant responses to warming may be due to ecological limitations constraining growth at the local scale. These limitations include biotic interactions like plant-plant competition. According to the stress-gradient hypothesis, those interactions are expected to exert a stronger control on shrub growth at more productive sites, while temperature is likely to be the main limiting factor at more stressful sites. However, the degree to which biotic versus abiotic factors determine shrub growth has so far received little attention, and yet is crucial for predicting the amount of change tundra ecosystems will undergo. We ask: “Does the relative importance of climate and competition as determinants of shrub growth vary with environmental severity?”. We mapped shrub populations at four sites across Northern Canada and measured annual growth rings in ca. 800 shrubs. We calculated climate sensitivity as the slope of the relationship between ring width and various temperature and precipitation variables. We used linear mixed-effects models to test whether the number and size of neighbours within the vicinity of a shrub influenced its climate sensitivity. Preliminary results show that climate-growth relationships were relatively weak across all sites, but climate sensitivity was, contrary to our hypothesis, highest at one of the low-latitude sites. The competitive environment did not have a strong effect on climate sensitivity, although a high density of neighbours was associated with decreased sensitivity at one site. Competition may become an increasingly important control on plant growth as shrubs expand in the tundra, but does not seem to be the main limitation at the moment.
Permafrost thaw subsidence in the Lena River Delta, Siberia, measured in situ and estimated from TerraSAR-X interferometry
Antonova, Sofia (1,2), H. Sudhaus (3), A. Kaeaeb (4), B. Heim (2), Moritz Langer (2) (Presenter), T. Strozzi (5) and J. Boike (2)
(1) Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
(2) Alfred-Wegener-Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Potsdam, Germany
(3) Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
(4) University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
(5) Gamma Remote Sensing, Gümligen, Switzerland
In permafrost active layer cycles of excess ice formation in winter and loss in summer result in seasonal vertical movements of the ground in both directions. Additionally, relatively uniform thawing of the ice-rich layer at the permafrost table, contributing to irreversible lowering of the surface, was reported for a number of Arctic locations. We use a simple method to quantify surface lowering (subsidence) and uplift in the Lena River Delta, Siberian Arctic, using more than 30 reference rods (fiberglass and metal) installed deeply in permafrost. We repeatedly measured the length of a rod part, which is emerged above the ground, in 2013-2017. Measurements show seasonal subsidence in a range from 0 to 4.6 cm (median: 1.6 cm; 8 measurements) in the cold summer of 2013 and from 0.8 to 8.6 cm (median: 4.8 cm; 31 measurements) in the warm summer of 2014. A pronounced multi-year subsidence of 9.3±5.7 cm was measured in the end of summer 2017 relative to the initial measurements in spring 2013. Additionally, we observed high spatial variability of subsidence even at the sub-meter scale. Differential Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (DInSAR), most often used to measure ground displacement caused by tectonic or volcanic processes, is adapted now for the detection of subsidence in permafrost. Our study tests the viability of repeat pass (11 days) TerraSAR-X (TSX) data for the detection of thaw subsidence over the same study area. Due to TSX short wavelength and, therefore, shallow penetration depth, interferometry is strongly hampered by poor phase coherence. We built a stack of 11-day interferograms for the summer of 2013 where coherence of some single interferograms was on the edge of the acceptable. The stack showed only a minor subsidence with a mean of 0.3±0.3 cm over the studied area. Given the discrepancy between the DInSAR and field data we discuss the limitations of TSX data for an accurate representation of permafrost thaw subsidence.
Hidden and sensitive: Biodiversity and conservation of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems in Arctic Canadian waters
Archambault, Philippe (1) (Presenter), E. Edinger (2), B. Neves (2), V. Wareham (3), C. Dinn (4), M. Pierrejean (1), J. Verhoeven (2), R. Dove (2), S. Dufour (2), S. Leys (4), O. Sherwood (5), C. Campbell (6), C. Nozais (7), K. Gilkinson (3), K. Azetsu-Scott (8) and K. Hedges (9)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's NL, Canada
(3) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Center, St. John's NL, Canada
(4) University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
(5) Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, Canada
(6) Natural Resources Canada, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Darmouth NS, Canada
(7) Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(8) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth NS, Canada
(9) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) are biogenic or abiogenic habitats that are rare, long-lived, and fragile, especially sensitive to physical impacts from human activities. VMEs are a major focus of conservation efforts throughout the world due to several international agreements. Major types of VMEs include cold-water corals, sponges, seamounts, and hydrothermal vents. These VMEs are built by diverse corals and sponges themselves, and host a wide range of other invertebrates, fishes and microbes that occupy or use VME habitats. The Hidden Biodiversity project explored the biodiversity and ecosystem function of Arctic biogenic and steep rocky habitats using video transects and collections from a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), as well as genomic analyses, box cores, Agassiz trawls, and incubations. While large-scale biogeographic patterns among the corals, sponges, and fishes appear to follow depth, water temperature and water mass, distributions within biogeographic regions appear to be strongly associated with bottom type. Coral biodiversity observed within Arctic Canadian waters was highest on rocky and boulder-gravel habitats in the northern Labrador Sea, intermediate in Baffin Bay, and lowest in the shallow areas of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Steep and deep bedrock, boulder, cobble, and gravel habitats host diverse faunas of erect and encrusting sponges, while sea pens, soft corals, and a few types of sponges thrive on sandy and muddy habitats, along with rare occurrences of large gorgonian corals on soft bottoms. The large sea pen Umbellula encrinus has been found in relatively high densities in Lancaster Sound and Jones Sound, being also found in several other areas in Baffin Bay. Sponge biodiversity in the Arctic is high, and poorly known. ROV and Agassiz trawl surveys yielded more than 50 species of sponges, of which 25% were new biogeographic records and 5% were apparently new species. Two species of carnivorous sponges were found in Baffin Bay, each hosting a distinct bacterial community. Gardens of erect sponges form dense aggregations on rocky and gravelly bottoms. Assessments of infaunal diversity indicate that molluscan biodiversity at coral and sponge gardens on soft bottoms appears to be higher in gardens than in intervening areas without corals or sponges. A thyasirid bivalve species with sulfur-oxidizing bacterial symbionts and a sibling asymbiotic species co-occur in Arctic sediments, including at presumed hydrocarbon seeps. Fish biodiversity patterns in the Canadian Arctic similarly follow depth, temperature, and water mass, with significant differentiation of the fish faunas by region. Biogenic habitats such as gorgonian coral forests hosted diverse fish faunas, of which the most diverse were observed in the northern Labrador Sea, and in Southeastern Baffin Bay. Sponge-dominated biogenic habitats within the northern Labrador Sea appeared to host lower fish diversity than coral-dominated habitats. Sea pen aggregation on flat sand-mud bottoms apparently host a lower diversity of associated invertebrates and fishes than rocky habitats dominated by gorgonian corals or sponges. With 10% of the world coastal area located in the Canadian Arctic many areas are still to explore where we could identify many more Vulnerable marine ecosystems in an ecosystem experiencing rapid changes.
Controls on hydrocarbon concentrations and accumulation rates in Arctic sediments, Kivalliq Region, Nunavut
Armah, Wilhelmina (1) (Presenter)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFThe Kivalliq region of Nunavut is becoming an important passage for marine transportation, owing in part to a decrease in sea ice extent, especially during the summer. Recent increasing shipping activities associated with mining operations in Baker Lake, possible future boat or shipping activities in Wager Bay (Ukkusiksalik National Park), and other crude oil-related activities may result in crude oil spills. The risk of spills is of great concern to communities, management authorities, and stakeholders, including the community of Chesterfield Inlet and Parks Canada. Hydrocarbon (HC) characterization in the Kivalliq region of Nunavut, however, has not received much attention. To help understand consequences of any future oil spills in Chesterfield Inlet and Wager Bay (Ukkusiksalik National Park), sediment cores were targeted for ‘baseline’ HC analysis together with geochemical characterization. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), if introduced to the water column, have the tendency to sorb onto sediments, to be deposited and buried over a range of depths in the seabed. Sediment cores may, therefore, contain a history of HC inputs from various sources. A large number of HC compounds including both PAHs and n-alkanes were analyzed in the collected sediments because it was anticipated that the existing baseline hydrocarbon concentrations and distribution in the region will, in large part, reflect natural concentrations of non-petroleum hydrocarbon sources (e.g., pyrogenic and biogenic sources). Certain HC compounds and their relative abundance (ratios) provide well-established markers with the ability to trace specific sources of HCs in marine systems. HC composition is also amenable to multivariate statistical approaches such as principal components analysis (PCA) to obtain source information. The baseline HC concentrations, compositions, and accumulation rates will aid in discriminating anthropogenic inputs that may occur in the future. Sediment cores were collected from seven sites in the Kivalliq across Chesterfield Inlet and Wager Bay aboard the Nuliajuk research vessel in August 2016. Depositional history and geochemical parameters affecting the fluxes of HCs in each core (region) were determined by dating the cores using Pb-210 and Cs-137 and measuring the total organic carbon (TOC) and trace metal concentrations in sediment sections. By combining the HC, sedimentation rates and supporting geochemical data, we seek to establish the predominant sources and geochemical controls on the hydrocarbon distribution in the region.
Yukon North Slope Inuvialuit traditional use study
Armitage, Peter (1), S. Kilburn (2), J. Selamio (3) and J. Smith (4) (Presenter)
(1) Wolverine and Associates, St. John’s NL, Canada
(2) GeoPraxis, Sonoma CA, United States
(3) Aklavik NWT, Canada
(4) WMAC(NS), Whitehorse YT, Canada
The most powerful rights held by Inuvialuit under their 1984 comprehensive land claim agreement, the Inuvialuit Final Agreement (“IFA”), are those related to wildlife harvesting. These rights are central to protecting a way of life that is defined by the knowledge, ability and opportunity to hunt, trap and fish on the Yukon’s North Slope. To conserve and protect Inuvialuit use of the area begins with understanding it. The Yukon North Slope Inuvialuit Traditional Land Use Study is the most comprehensive documentation of Inuvialuit traditional use of the Yukon North Slope that has been published to date. It establishes a contemporary baseline for Inuvialuit use of the YNS; and provides the basis for identifying the measures necessary to conserve and protect Inuvialuit use now and in the future. The study documents Traditional Use features on map biographies and through supporting narratives collected during study interviews, as well as during earlier oral history research with Inuvialuit elders. This study provides evidence of the crucial relationship between Inuvialuit culture, economy and their environment. The YNS habitat and wildlife found there provide an immense “ecosystem service” to the Inuvialuit by continuing to support their mixed, subsistence-based economy and way of life in general. The results of this study provide new data that fills an important knowledge gap by updating understanding of Inuvialuit hunting, trapping, fishing and collecting across the Yukon North Slope.
Landscape and ecosystem influences on patterns of Arctic Charr migrations in Nunavut
Arnold, Sarah (1) (Presenter) and R. Tallman (1,2)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Aquatic habitats are heterogenous across landscapes in terms of the resources and physiologically acceptable conditions that are necessary for fish growth, survival, and reproduction. Individual fish select habitat to maximise their lifetime fitness, so that species develop unique functional and behavioural mechanisms for dealing with a heterogenous environment. One such behavioural mechanism is migration. For anadromous fish, migration both gives access to the more productive marine environment, and allows safer spawning and rearing in freshwater. Migrations can have significant physiological and osmoregulatory costs, however, so in addition to the relative suitability of the connected habitats, the difficulty of moving between them affects how beneficial migration is as a strategy. Thus, many species in highly variable environments, such as the Arctic, maintain population viability through facultative (partial) anadromy, whereby a portion of the population is migratory, while the remainder is resident in freshwater year-round. Arctic Charr (Salvelinus alpinus) exhibits diverse life histories across Nunavut, with populations demonstrating differing proportions and patterns of anadromy. Previous studies have investigated charr migratory choices in specific systems or areas of Nunavut, but not across the landscape. This study analyses existing sources of Inuit knowledge and fishing data to compare the distribution of anadromous and resident charr populations across Nunavut against landscape and ecosystem variables, including river length, lake size, predator presence, and aquatic productivity. The incidence of anadromy is expected to increase in areas of greater marine productivity, with shorter and easier (less steep) ocean access, with smaller freshwater habitats, and when sympatric competitor or predator species are present in the freshwater environment. Understanding Arctic Charr migration patterns and drivers across the territory will inform the management of a widespread, culturally and economically important fishery, and provide insight on population reactions to climate changes. “Healthy fisheries” are the first component of the vision for the Nunavut Fisheries Strategy 2016-2020. Under this Strategy, healthy fisheries are those that “allow fish to have healthy places to live, feed, and reproduce, and healthy corridors to migrate between these places”. Meeting such a vision, however, requires information on which corridors are used by fish, and what environmental components impact their use, i.e. make them “healthy”.
SmartICE: A sea-ice monitoring and information service by communities for communities
Arreak, Andrew (1) (Presenter)
(1) SmartICE, Pond Inlet NU, Canada
SmartICE (smartice.org) is a northern social enterprise that puts into the hands of communities the technology that helps them adapt to unpredictable sea-ice changes arising from climate change. Inuit knowledge of sea ice has been acquired from millennia of observation and use. But in the last decades this traditional knowledge has become less reliable in the face of unprecedented environmental changes. For example, following the anomalously warm winter of 2009-10 – one that modellers predict will become more frequent with changing climate – a survey of Nain (Nunatsiavut Inuit) residents revealed that about one-half couldn’t use their typical travel routes and took more sea-ice travel risks, while about three-quarters reported being unable to predict ice conditions, were afraid to use the ice, and thought conditions were more dangerous than normal. Close to one-in-twelve sea-ice users surveyed fell through the ice. These numbers tell the real story of the widespread impacts of climate change happening now in Inuit communities. As a result of this anomalous winter – and a similar one that followed the next year – the community-university-government partnership, known as SmartICE, was created to reduce the vulnerability of Nunatsiavut communities to unpredictable sea-ice conditions. In 2015, SmartICE expanded to a second pilot community in Pond Inlet, Nunavut, where sea-ice conditions and changing climate were main concerns for residents. SmartICE is a working climate change adaptation tool that integrates on-ice technology, remote sensing and Inuit knowledge to generate near real-time information on sea-ice conditions. It maintains a network of in situ and mobile sensors that measures and transmits sea-ice thickness data from community trails. It also maps sea-ice surface conditions from satellite imagery to inform safe travel choices. It uses information technology to generate accessible products that match the needs of community users. The SmartICE information system directly benefits public safety, food security, and health and wellbeing. In addition, SmartICE enables and supports economic activities for communities and industries alike. For example, winter shipping, ice-based fisheries and tourism, environmental monitoring, and emergency response are typically carried out in the landfast ice zone where SmartICE operates. SmartICE services reduce risk and improve performance and safety, especially during highly dynamic freeze-up and break-up periods. Through technological innovation and science, SmartICE strives to integrate and augment Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (Inuit knowledge and values) about local sea-ice conditions, not replace it, while involving Inuit in all aspects of its operation and decision-making.
Polar Thematic Exploitation Platform (Polar TEP)
Arthurs, David (1) (Presenter) and A. Fleming (2)
(1) Polar View Earth Observation, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
(2) British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, United Kingdom
The volume and variety of Earth Observation data available for the Polar Regions is growing rapidly, providing the opportunity for ever more complex investigations and exploitation in support of polar communities. The European Space Agency (ESA) and other satellite operators have been at the forefront of collecting, analysing, processing and disseminating new data and information from EO satellites. With this increase in volume of data and range of uses, there are new challenges in fully utilizing and exploiting this capacity. ESA has established a series of Thematic Exploitation Platforms (TEPs) that will provide the necessary collaborative environment to deliver the resources and capabilities required for users’ exploitation work. The TEP projects address present challenges and opportunities in scientific data exploitation and operational applications by collocating data, processing capabilities and ICT infrastructure, providing a complete cloud based work-environment for users. The Polar TEP addresses the requirements and challenges of the diverse polar user community. This presentation will describe the Polar TEP concept and the range of potential uses it will support. We will present details of the working environment where users can bring their algorithms, applications and development activities directly to the data. It will also cover the rich set of polar themed EO and complimentary datasets, relevant toolboxes and processing capabilities, plus functionality to allow deployment of user defined workflows and processing environments. Use of these resources will be accessed through a web portal which will also allow users to setup their own development and processing environments. We will also outline an ongoing pilot project that will demonstrate the potential of Polar TEP to investigate current and future iceberg risk in Baffin Bay. The pilot project integrates a diverse set of data, processors and models to allow users to investigate linkages between iceberg trajectories, changes in ice sheet velocity, glacier calving rates and ocean circulation. The integration of these components and toolsets allow Polar TEP users to easily investigate questions about changing iceberg populations in support of regional climate change studies, evaluate risks, and inform infrastructure and ship routing decisions.
Polar Code Decision Support System
Arthurs, David (1) (Presenter), W. Entler (2), R. Berglund (3) and A. Fleming (4)
(1) Polar View Earth Observation, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
(2) AWST Applied Science, Software and Technology, Vienna, Austria
(3) VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Helsinki, Finland
(4) British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Ships operate in the Polar Regions for a variety of reasons such as transportation, fishing, research, oil and gas exploration, and tourism. During these operations, ships encounter hazards that present elevated levels of risk and more severe consequences when accidents occur. Risks include loss of life, loss of property, and damage to the delicate polar environment. To help address these risks, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee approved the “International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters” (known as the Polar Code). The Polar Code was developed to supplement existing IMO instruments in order to increase the safety of ships' operation and mitigate the impact on people and the environment in the remote, vulnerable, and potentially harsh polar waters. Among other things, the Polar Code specifies a range of information that ships travelling in polar waters will be required to access for planning and operations. The information is to be used for: •Risk analysis and determination of safe operating regions, •Application of operating procedures and risk mitigation, •Determination of permissible areas for garbage disposal and sewage discharge, •Avoidance of marine mammals, protected areas, and culturally sensitive areas, and •Emergency planning for places of refuge, fuel depots, and search and rescue. Much of this information is not currently available in a form accessible to ships. Where the information is available, it has not been brought together in an integrated fashion. Services to deliver the information to ship bridges over low bandwidth communication channels are currently being demonstrated, but are not yet fully operational. The Polar Code Decision Support System (PCDSS) is a solution for ships operating in the Polar Regions that provides: •Historical meteorological and ice information required under the Polar Code that is currently not in a form accessible to ships. •Information required by the Polar Code regarding: places of refuge, marine mammal areas, fuel locations, designated protected areas, search and rescue capability areas, and areas of cultural heritage and significance. •Current and forecast sea ice, iceberg, and other meteorological data required under the Polar Code. •A risk analysis algorithm to assess the danger posed to a ship by the ice regimes it will encounter on a voyage. •Delivery of the above information over low bandwidth connections as required by a ship given the location and time of its voyage. •Visualization tools necessary for the ship and its shore-based support to see and assess the information that has been provided.
Arctic operational experience with marine robotics for environmental mapping of seabed, water column and under ice
Asgeir, J. Sørensen (1) (Presenter), M. Ludvigsen (1), G. Johnsen (2) and J. Berge (3)
(1) Centre for Autonomous Marine Operations and Systems (AMOS), Department of Marine Technology, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
(2) AMOS, Department of Biology, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
(3) Department for Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
Mobile marine robotics for environmental mapping may include autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), gliders and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Since 2009 we have run several research campaigns during all seasons including the polar night in the areas around Svalbard. In particular, extensive mapping and characterizing of oceanography and ecosystems are carried out. Various optical and acoustical sensors are mounted on the robotic platforms optimized for defined spatial and temporal coverage and resolutions. This presentation will summarize the main experience and lesson learned from the research campaigns operating in an extreme and remote environment. Improvements in operational procedures as well as technology will be given, bridging science and technology.
Formation and persistence of a bowhead whale feeding hotspot (krill trap) near Utqiagvik/Barrow Alaska
Ashjian, Carin (1) (Presenter), S. Okkonen (2), R. Campbell (3) and P. Alatalo (1)
(1) Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole MA, United States
(2) University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks AK, United States
(3) University of Rhode Island, Kingston RI, United States
The Beaufort shelf near Utqiagvik/Barrow AK is a feeding hotspot for the bowhead whale during the whales’ fall migration from the Canadian Arctic to the Bering Sea. Here the whales feed on dense patches of euphausiids (krill) that are often found on this portion of the shelf. The oceanographic and meteorological conditions producing this feeding hotspot were investigated from 2005-2015 using ship-based oceanographic surveys. The formation of the prey hotspot is driven by local wind conditions. Upwelling of water and krill onto the shelf was predictably observed under moderate-to-strong easterly winds; the subsequent retention of these waters and the entrained krill on the shelf occurred when upwelling winds relaxed or shifted to blow from the south or west (the “krill trap”). The abundance of krill a varied interannually and likely were related to unresolved larger-scale patterns in krill abundance and transport from the Bering Sea. Wind conditions near Utqiagvik/Barrow are related to larger-scale meteorological conditions and vary interannually. The mechanistic nature of the krill trap permits prediction of the formation of this feeding hotspot based on local wind conditions alone. Since 1980, there has been an increase in the occurrence of upwelling winds in the fall but a decrease in the number of days when the krill trap is active. Continued declines in the number of days when the krill trap is active could reduce the importance and persistence of this bowhead whale prey hotspot.
Synoptic climatology of storm surge events in the Western Canadian Arctic
Asplin, Matthew (1) (Presenter) and D. Atkinson (1)
(1) University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
Declining Arctic sea ice extent and commensurate increases in fetch are increasing the risk of damaging storm surges along the Canadian Arctic coastline. Storm-driven changes in water levels can result in coastal flooding, increased wave erosion, and low-water levels (negative surge). Extensive storm-induced flooding occurs mostly during the fall before sea ice has formed. Delayed freeze-up attributed to climate change maintains fetch in October when strong storms and winds can occur, and will likely increase the likelihood of storm flooding and the frequency of overbank flooding. Although coastal ecosystems are dependent on frequent sedimentation and salinization from small floods, larger storm inundations can cause salinization of freshwater ponds and non-saline meadows, damage vegetation along the margins of permafrost plateaus, and melt subterranean permafrost causing underground hollows subject to collapse (thermokarst). This may introduce subsequent hazards and challenges to community infrastructure, transportation, and socioeconomic activities. This work presents an analysis of storm surge events and key meteorological drivers. DFO/CHS water level gauge data from a large number of water level stations were extracted and reduced to develop a database of surge events. Identification of synoptic meteorological drivers for these events were then conducted using a synoptic climatology based upon principal components analysis (PCA) and k-means clustering of gridded NCEP-NCAR II mean sea level pressure data.. A Community visit to Sachs Harbour was conducted in November 2017, and community-based accounts of notable storm events are matched to the synoptic climatology. A future community visit will be conducted at Tuktoyaktuk in spring 2018 to quantify and qualify exceptional storm surge events. This work will be followed by numerical modeling exercises of water levels for the Western Canadian Arctic, and identify meteorological parameters associated with “worst case” surge events.
Snow-melt and temperatures - but not sea-ice - explain variation in tundra spring plant phenology on Qikiqtaruk – Herschel Island
Assmann, Jakob (1) (Presenter), I. Myers-Smith (1), A. Phillimore (1), A. Bjorkman (2) and R. Ennos (1)
(1) The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
(2) Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
Rapidly rising summer temperatures and expanding growing seasons are causing dramatic changes in Arctic vegetation phenology, productivity and community composition. However, due to the paucity of long-term phenological observations in the biome, the cues governing early-season tundra plant phenology remain poorly understood. Some studies have shown strong correlations of circumpolar sea-ice indices with plant phenology and vegetation productivity, but a direct biological mechanism linking plant phenology to sea-ice is missing. Here, we test the influence of snow-melt, early season temperatures and local sea-ice conditions on spring plant phenology at our focal field site Qikiqtaruk – Herschel Island. Based on 15 years of individual-plant based phenology monitoring, our analysis reveals that snow melt date and temperatures are the key predictors for early season plant phenology on Qikiqtaruk. We found no evidence for an effect of local sea-ice conditions on spring plant phenology at our study site. Our findings highlight the value of long-term ecological monitoring for our understanding of tundra vegetation change and further our understanding of the processes governing spring plant phenology in the Arctic.
Drone imagery reveals scale mismatch between satellite-observed tundra greenness and on-the-ground vegetation monitoring
Assmann, Jakob (1) (Presenter), I. Myers-Smith (1), J. Kerby (2), A. Cunliffe (1), A. Phillimore (1) and R. Ennos (1)
(1) The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
(2) Dartmouth College, Hannover NH, United States
Satellite-based observations of the Arctic indicate that tundra vegetation productivity is increasing (known as ‘greening’). This increased productivity has been associated with the rapid warming experienced by terrestrial Arctic ecosystems over recent decades. However, coarse observational scales and strong regional variation in the satellite datasets have resulted in repeated calls for validation of the observed trends. High-resolution multispectral imagery obtained with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs, or drones) holds the potential to bridge this gap. Here, we present a time-series of multispectral imagery acquired with UAVs across the growing season 2016 on Qikiqtaruk – Herschel Island, YT Canada. Based on a standardised workflow and best-practises developed over multiple field seasons, our findings highlight advantages and limitations of UAV based multispectral data products. Our analyses indicate that variation in tundra vegetation greenness is best captured with ground sampling distances smaller than those of commonly available satellite data products (5-15 cm) and suggests that appropriate grain-sizes are required to uncover the biological and physical processes that govern tundra greening. Preliminary findings suggest that processes associated with soil disturbance and moisture availability play an important role in governing tundra greenness patterns. In situ phenology observations and tundra greenness trends correspond with increases in growing season lengths, decreases in bare-ground cover and changes in community composition detected by long-term vegetation monitoring at our focal field-site Qikiqtaruk – Herschel Island. Our results thus provide valuable insights into how UAVs can be used to monitor vegetation in rapidly changing tundra environments.
Permafrost Study for land use management in Nunavik Communities
Aubé-Michaud, Sarah (1,2) (Presenter), M. Allard (1,2) and E. L'Hérault (1,2)
(1) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Québec QC, Canada
(2) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
In recent decades, the climate in northern Quebec warmed significantly, leading to some negative impacts on infrastructures and built environments of Inuit communities. The active layer got thicker and ground settlements occurred, especially where thaw sensitive permafrost is present. Thaw settlement that can lead to a reduction of bearing capacity can affect buildings, particularly those with foundations misconceived for permafrost conditions. In addition, climate warming increases the risk of landslides in the landscape; it also increases thermal erosion due to surface runoff and coastal erosion along shorelines as the duration of sea ice cover is shortened. As the Inuit communities are facing these challenges in their municipal planning work, the rapid population growth in Nunavik (increase of 25% between 1996 and 2006) has also led to a severe housing need. In the context of global warming, communities of Nunavik have to deal with the presence of permafrost in transition in the management of their built environment and in planning their growth. The Kativik Municipal Housing Bureau (KMHB) estimates that there is a need for more than 900 housing units. Given the urgency and seriousness of the situation, as well as the demands of the representatives of the Nunavik communities, it is important to identify the possible areas of development to build new infrastructures. Therefore, better planning and designs of foundations and infrastructures is the key to guide sustainable urban development as the high variability of the permafrost conditions across the territory and at the community scale raises specific challenges. In this project, mapping of surficial geology, permafrost conditions and potential natural hazards was conducted in 13 Nunavik communities built on permafrost located along the coast of Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait and Ungava Bay. Permafrost coring, geotechnical characterization and ground penetrating radar surveys were carried on to provide necessary knowledge for selecting construction sites and designing appropriate building foundations. Three types of maps were produced for each community covering the current built environments as well as the areas targeted for expansion. The integration of topography, geology and permafrost data in a GIS application resulted in the creation of construction potential maps that indicate, for any given terrain category, the suitable foundation types according to the existing engineering guidelines. As surficial geology and permafrost conditions maps provide regional decision makers with a better understanding of the challenges posed by permafrost and climate warming, the construction potential maps are a useful tool in support of decision making in land management and community issues. These tools were explained to the communities and to the regional government and they are now applied for decision making.
New insights on a potential cascading effect in the Canadian Arctic food web: Arcticnet zooplankton sampling record from 2005 to 2017
Aubry, Cyril (1) (Presenter), G. Darnis (1) and L. Fortier (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Zooplankton, and especially copepods, play a key role in the arctic marine food web by channelling energy and organic matter from autotrophs to higher trophic levels such as fishes, marine mammals and birds. They are also strongly involved in benthic coupling as they modify the quality and quantity of surface-produced organic matter available for benthic secondary producers. Disruption at the base of the food web under the effects of climate change on the Arctic environment will likely cascade up to zooplankton community structure with potential change in key zooplankton biomass bound to impact the whole ecosystem. Recent studies have shown that environmental modifications have induced changes in phytoplankton assemblages and productivity by increasing the length of the growth season and by altering water stratification and nutrient fluxes to the surface layer, with disparate response depending on the region. An important question is: are these changes having a measurable cascading effect on the zooplankton secondary producers? Here, we assess the interannual differences of mesozooplankton abundance, diversity and biomass using a time-series (2005-2017) of zooplankton net samples. These data have been collected from the beginning of the ArcticNet sampling program aboard the CCGS Amundsen in the Canadian Arctic, and represent a unique opportunity to evaluate the effect of climate change stressors on the mesozooplankton community. Early results from this dataset show a gain in the copepod standing stock from 2002 to 2007 in the Beaufort Sea. This accounts mainly for the increased abundance of small copepod species, i.e. Oithona similis, Microcalanus spp., Oncaea parila/notopus, Triconia borealis, as well as Calanus glacialis, but with no trend for the larger grazer Calanus hyperboreus. In contrast, a diminution of C. hyperboreus biomass alongside an increase in small omnivorous species abundance, mainly O. similis, occurred in the North Water polynya from 2006 to 2010. Further investigation of these time-series observations from these regions should provide a better representation and understanding of ongoing changes in the Arctic marine ecosystem.
How measures of dissolved organic matter quality change from Yellowknife, NT, to Lake Hazen, NU
Aukes, Pieter J.K. (1) (Presenter), P. Dainard (1), S.L. Schiff (1) and M.E. English (2)
(1) University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON, Canada
(2) Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON, Canada
Northern areas represent some of the most sensitive environments to a changing climate. Warming temperatures lead to increased active-layer thicknesses, changes to the amount and timing of precipitation, and permafrost degradation. Such changes could affect large reservoirs of carbon stored in permafrost, mobilizing carbon as dissolved organic matter (DOM). DOM is comprised of thousands of different molecules and affects aquatic health and drinking water quality. However, the reactivity and quality of DOM is dependent upon its composition. Changes to subsurface carbon cycling and residence times can influence the mixture of DOM molecules discharging into surface waters used by northern communities. The overall goal of this study was to determine the extent that DOM quantity and quality varies among Arctic freshwaters. This was accomplished using two specific objectives: 1) determine the range in DOM quality and quantity across a latitudinal gradient, and 2) determine which measures best distinguish DOM quality between sites. Samples for DOM quantity and quality were collected from creeks, lakes, ponds, rivers, seeps, and the subsurface from three ecoregions: Taiga Shield (Yellowknife and Wek’weeti, NT), Tundra Shield (Daring Lake, NT), and Northern Arctic (Lake Hazen, NU). These sites present a range of environmental conditions, ranging from organic-rich peat plateaus to high arctic desert conditions. DOM quantity was measured as the concentration of dissolved organic carbon, while DOM quality was characterized using size-exclusion chromatography, ultra-violet and visible light absorbance (UV-VIS), and molar dissolved organic carbon to dissolved organic nitrogen ratios. Principle-component analyses were used to assess the variability of DOM quality measures among different sample groups. DOM concentrations were highest at Yellowknife and lowest at Lake Hazen. Subsurface samples had the highest concentrations of all sampled environments across all ecoregions. However, differences in DOM concentration among hydrologic environments were less apparent in more northerly ecoregions, with Lake Hazen having smaller differences between creeks, lakes, and subsurface samples. Comparing similar hydrologic environments across ecoregions found measures of DOM quality to be similar. For instance, DOM from organic-rich peat plateaus near Yellowknife contained similar UV-VIS values to high arctic seeps from organic-poor talus slopes. Use of a suite of characterization techniques provided an indication of how DOM quality differs in the North. Results from this study suggest DOM quality may be more similar than concentration in all these water types across the Arctic. Understanding the range in DOM quantity and quality across a latitudinal gradient provides an indication how DOM may change under certain climate change scenarios, and which measures of DOM quality provide more sensitive indicators of change.
Can water isotopes be used to determine photolytic history of dissolved organic matter in high arctic ponds?
Aukes, Pieter J.K. (1) (Presenter), S.L. Schiff (1), M.E. English (2) and I. Lehnherr (3)
(1) University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON, Canada
(2) Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON, Canada
(3) University of Toronto-Mississauga, Mississauga ON, Canada
The presence of freshwater ponds is a common feature in Arctic environments. A changing climate has the potential to influence biological and geochemical functions of such ponds, including nutrient cycling and export. In particular, dissolved organic matter (DOM) plays a number of important roles within the aquatic environment, ranging from absorbing harmful ultra-violet radiation, dictating colour and thermal regimes within ponds, to acting as an important energy source in biogeochemical reactions. However, continuous sunlight in the Arctic during summer months can act as a primary driver of DOM fate in terms of photolytic degradation. A number of well characterized ponds with different flow regimes, as reflected by stable water isotopes, were found in the Lake Hazen Watershed on northern Ellesmere Island, Quttinirpaaq National Park NU. The overall objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of using differences in stable water isotopes of ponds as an indicator of DOM photolytic degradation extent. Samples were collected from flow-through and evaporative ponds for analysis of stable isotopes of water (d18O-H2O, d2H-H2O), dissolved organic carbon concentration, and basic field parameters. DOM was characterized using UV-visible absorbance, ratios of dissolved organic carbon and dissolved organic nitrogen, and size-exclusion chromatography. In addition, a 10-day laboratory photolysis experiment was conducted on different waters from the watershed to determine the range of photolytic degradation rates. Changes to DOM quantity and composition over the course of the experiment will be compared to pond DOM to determine whether photolytic degradation explains the differences found among ponds. Further, rates of photolytic degradation will be paired to rates of concurrent stable water isotope change within ponds. Results from this study will help with understanding DOM fate in High Arctic environments, as well as potentially provide a new tool to track DOM evolution in surface waters.
Estimates of wolverine density from mark-recapture DNA sampling, Aberdeen Lake, Kivalliq Region, Nunavut
Awan, Malik (1) (Presenter) and J. Boulanger (2)
(1) Department of Environment, Government of Nunavut, Iqaluit NU, Canada
(2) Integrated Ecological Research, Nelson BC, Canada
Wolverine is an important cultural and economic resource traditionally harvested by Inuit. We used genetic analysis to identify individual wolverines from hair samples collected noninvasively by a science-driven study design and logistics facilitated by local hunters. From late March through early May 2013 and 2014 we sampled a grid of 209 posts baited with caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) meat and scent lures spaced in 4x4 km (16 km2) cells for three 10-day sessions in a 3,344 km2 area north of Aberdeen Lake. In total we detected 21 (9F:12M) individual wolverines over two years of sampling, including eight individuals identified in 2013 and recaptured in 2014. Spatially explicit capture-recapture (SECR) methods were used to estimate density and average number of wolverines on the grid at any given time. Average or resident wolverine density was 2.36 wolverines/1,000 km2 (SE = 0.34) in 2013 and 1.66 wolverines/1,000 km2 (SE = 0.29) in 2014. Estimates of superpopulation size (number of wolverines within the effective sampling area) were 21 (CI=18-26) in 2013 and 14 (CI=11-19) in 2014. Superpopulation estimates were close or slightly above the number of unique wolverines detected on the sampling grid for each year, which suggests sampling was effective in detecting all the wolverines on the grid as well as the immediate surrounding area. Wolverines in the area exist at low densities and are being exposed to increasing levels of human activity, with existing or proposed mining and subsistence harvest. This collaborative research project with the Baker Lake Hunters and Trappers Organization (HTO) has provided valued training, employment and technical skills transfer to HTO members. Our results suggest DNA based surveys by involving local hunters, offer a practical and cost-effective method to monitor wolverine populations in tundra situations while also providing HTO participation and collaboration. For a better understanding of wolverine population in the area, we recommend long term monitoring by involving local HTOs and industry. This study demonstrates the efficiency of joint research projects to inform management.
Seaplane Bathymetric Platform
Ayotte, Olivier (1) (Presenter) and M. Rondeau (2)
(1) Geosphair Aviation Inc., Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Centre Interdisciplinaire de Développement en Cartographie des Océans (CIDCO), Rimouski QC, Canada
Maritime navigation development in Canada’s Northern Waters is highly impacted by the lack of nautical charts meeting minimum standards for modern navigation. Indeed, less than 10% of the Canadian Arctic waters have been chartered to modern standards, and about 35% of the main Arctic shipping routes have been surveyed and chartered to these standards. This situation is mainly due to extreme prevailing environmental conditions in the Arctic, the remoteness and the huge size of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Shipping traffic is increasing in the Arctic, essentially due to climate change which opens navigation routes for commercial cargo and passenger ships. Without reliable nautical charts, the risk associated with commercial shipping will increase with traffic development and intensity. The main limitation to massive hydrographic data production in the Arctic remains its underlying cost. Alternative solutions, like satellite bathymetry, airborne LiDAR are limited to very shallow and low turbidity waters, and hydrographic data crowd-sourcing is a concept which still remains to be proven in term of data quality and reliability. Arctic survey mission face problems of running costs, time frames for vessel deployment, due to the huge size of Canada’s Northern Waters. An alternative to classical survey vessels deployment may be found in operating hydrographic instruments from a seaplane, which advantages are: -Fast deployment in remote and not accessible areas; -Possibility of fast reconnaissance surveys, before high density survey planning; -Much lower deployment and mobilisation costs than hydrographic survey vessels; -Running cost similar to those of a small survey launch. In this context, Transport Canada has granted CIDCO and Geosphair Aviation Inc. to evaluate the feasibility to use a seaplane has a hydrographic platform. The goal of the project is to prove that a seaplane could be a survey platform well suited to carry out MultiBeam Echo Sounder (MBES) survey at the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) special order level. The main steps of the project consisted to: 1) the modification to the airframe, floats and electrical system to accommodate the bathymetric survey instruments and auxiliary motors; 2) the installation, calibration and configuration of the complete hydrographic survey system; 3) the execution of two hydrographic surveys; 4) the data processing; 5) the quality control and the assessment of the datasets collected with respect to the IHO standards.
Qanuirlipitaa 2017: A follow-up to the Qanuippitaa 2004 Nunavik Health Survey
Ayotte, Pierre (1,2) (Presenter), D. St-Laurent (2), F. Bouchard (3) and M. Grey (3)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, Kuujjuaq QC, Canada
The first major health survey in Nunavik entitled “Qanuippitaa? How are we?” was conducted during the fall of 2004. Thirteen years later, the “Qanuilirpitaa? How are we now?” survey was initiated that includes three components: 1) a follow-up of the health status of the 2004 participants (now aged 31 and older) covering chronic diseases, infectious diseases and mental health; 2) a new youth cohort (16 to 30 years of age) to identify indicators of health and well-being pertaining to this critical component of the Inuit population; and 3) a profile of health and well-being at the community level. The data collection for components 1 and 2 took place from August 19 to October 5 on board the CCGS Amundsen. More than 1300 participants residing in the 14 communities of Nunavik were recruited during the 50-day mission. A participative approach involving scientists, regional and local health authorities and Inuit representatives was used to define the themes covered and the appropriate methods for the survey. This multi-scale, interdisciplinary and participatory study will yield critical data for the development of multi-sectorial health, social and environmental policies, in order to promote Inuit health and well-being across all generations, and to foster Inuit culture and resilience for the many years to come.
Extending the summer sea ice record for Davis Straits/Baffin Bay through the 19th Century from British Arctic whaling ships’ logbooks
Ayre, Matthew (1) (Presenter), P. Wells (1), R. Sankar (1) and M. Murray (1)
(1) Arctic Institute of North America, University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
The rapid and continual decline in sea ice coverage witnessed since the advent of the satellite era has raised concerns the Arctic has reached a tipping point and could soon see sea ice free summers. To forecast the future of this rapidly changing Arctic it is necessary to put these relatively short-term satellite observations into context by, where possible, extending the observational record. In recent years, much attention has been given to the usefulness of historical ships’ logbooks in the high-resolution study of past climates. The daily entries in the surviving logbooks contain vast quantities of maritime-based climatological information that cover much of the world’s oceans. One area that suffers a paucity of data from this source is the Arctic; due to the hostile nature of its environment, it was largely avoided except by a select group of hunters and explorers. Previous projects have identified the potential of these logbooks given their unique inclusion of sea ice observations, but use of this collection of rare documents is incomplete and there remains regional gaps in the potential pan-Arctic coverage. This research draws upon the surviving logbooks and diaries from the latter period of the British Arctic whaling trade. Practiced over three centuries, upwards of 6000 voyages were undertaken from British ports to the Arctic in pursuit of the bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus). Initially focussed off the waters around Svalbard, 200 years of intensive hunting brought the bowhead to near extinction in this region. The late 18th Century saw a shift to the west of Greenland, to the then under exploited bowhead population in Davis Straits/Baffin Bay. Only a small percentage of documents survive from this huge endeavour. 116 logbooks and diaries (1809-1911) from British whaling activities in the Davis Straits Fishery have been identified and digitally imaged. Transcription of the 20,000+ days of observations is ongoing with the assistance of citizen science volunteers. Preliminary findings for the early 19th Century highlight the skill these documents have in mapping average monthly sea ice edge position for much of the summer melt season (May – September), with sea ice being consistently shown to survive through-out summer across much of Baffin Bay.
Sea ice in Hudson Bay: A summary of recent findings and ongoing research
Babb, Dave (1) (Presenter), J. Landy (1,2), J. Andrews (1), L. Candlish (1), N. Theriault (1) and D.G. Barber (1)
(1) Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Bristol Glaciology Centre, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
The seasonal sea ice cover in Hudson Bay is a defining characteristic of the natural environment that varies both spatially and temporally. A mix of landfast and mobile sea ice, coupled with significant riverine freshwater input, complex coastal dynamics and large polynyas make for a highly variable icescape. Within this paper we provide an overview of previous work on sea ice in Hudson Bay and provide a summary of recent work that sheds light on the seasonality and thickness of sea ice within the Bay while also presenting some of the first in situ observations from the mobile ice pack. Overall the sea ice season is growing shorter throughout the Bay as a result of significant trends towards earlier breakup and later freeze-up. Meanwhile due to sea ice transport there is a strong asymmetry in ice thickness within the Bay. Western Hudson Bay is characterized by thinner ice, as eastern Hudson Bay is defined by thick heavily deformed sea ice. This is the result of a large latent heat polynya that forms in Western Hudson Bay, allowing near-continuous ice production that is then transported anti-clockwise towards eastern Hudson Bay. Expanding on the remotely sensed observations of the ice cover we present preliminary analysis of in situ observations on sea ice dynamics and thermodynamics from an array of autonomous equipment deployed on the mobile ice pack near Churchill during winter 2017. In situ observations reveal the dynamic nature of the ice cover due to atmospheric forcing and tides, while also providing the first observations of thermodynamic ice growth within the mobile ice cover of Hudson Bay.
Multiyear sea ice loss in the Beaufort Sea: Melt, transport and the transition towards a seasonal ice cover
Babb, Dave (1) (Presenter), R.J. Galley (1), J. Landy (1,2) and D.G. Barber (1)
(1) Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Bristol Glaciology Centre, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
Multiyear sea ice (MYI) coverage is declining in the Arctic Ocean as the Arctic ice pack transitions towards a younger thinner first year ice cover. Due to large scale circulation patterns the Beaufort Sea represents a unique region within the Arctic Ocean where MYI is almost continuously advected into the area under the Beaufort Gyre. Historically MYI was the dominant ice type within the Beaufort Sea. MYI would survive through summer and be advected further downstream within the Gyre into the Chukchi and East Siberian Seas. However, sea ice retreat has been especially pronounced in the Beaufort Sea during the last decade which has reduced the likelihood that MYI located in the Beaufort Sea at the end of winter will survive through the summer melt. This contributes to the in situ loss of MYI within the Beaufort Sea and further drives the local and pan Arctic transition toward younger ice types that precondition the ice cover to increased melt during subsequent summers. Within this paper we use 35 years of weekly ice charts from the Canadian ice service to quantify the decline of MYI within the Beaufort Sea at the end of winter and at the end of the summer melt season. Furthermore we use complimentary fields of ice drift to calculate an annual MYI mass balance between winter and summer to 1) quantify the transport of MYI into and out of the Beaufort Sea, and in turn 2) quantify how much MYI melts in the Beaufort Sea during summer. From this analysis we distinguish between the dynamic and thermodynamic driven changes in the MYI cover of the Beaufort Sea over the last 35 years.
Japan’s official Arctic policy, which evolutions and opportunities for the Japanese business companies in the Arctic region?
Babin, Julie (1) (Presenter)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Arctic ice is melting at an accelerating pace, but economic, strategic and ecological risks in the Arctic have contributed to its return to regional and international politics. Despite its long polar tradition, Japan had to wait until 2015 before the government adopted an official comprehensive Arctic Policy. Moreover, while Antarctica has raised more attention in both the Japanese research (expeditions and research bases) and political area (whaling) in the past, this attention is progressively and partially shifting towards the Arctic. However, the geopolitical situation of the Antarctic and the Arctic are very different which forces the government to adapt its actions: Japan does not possess any Arctic territory and hence must cooperate with Arctic States to be integrated in debates about the Arctic. As the new Arctic Sea Routes present new business opportunities for Japanese companies, the attitude of the Japanese government in official communications was to officially support companies interested in these opportunities [1-2]. While in the past years there was little help from the government to encourage the Japanese companies to invest in Arctic related projects (e.g., the KANUMAS project supported by JOGMEC) the situation has been slowly evolving. The meeting of President Abe and President Putin in december 2016 in Tokyo lead to an expansion in the economic cooperation between Japan and Russia with business deals between companies and government bodies from both sides which included the Arctic LNG-2 project. However, when investigating the ongoing or planned projects of Japanese companies from different sectors for this region, we can observe that those companies are, so far, not very optimistic in making economical profit should they invest in the Arctic region [3]. The harsh meteorological conditions, high cost for maintenance and the lack of infrastructures in the Arctic tend to discourage several companies. Hence, apart from a few exceptions, Japanese companies are adopting an attitude of « wait and see », as they are also waiting for the government to support them more actively by giving some incentives to invest on Arctic related projects. [1] Shiraishi, K. (2015). Japan’s Ambassador in charge of Arctic Affairs, Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavik, Iceland, october 2015. Available at: https://vimeo.com/143398544 [accessed on 2016/11/02]. [2] Shiraishi, K. (2016). Ambassador in charge of Arctic Affairs. Japanese Arctic Strategy and Russia’s Interests at the Canergie Moscow Center on February 29, 2016. Available at : http://carnegie.ru/2016/02/29/japanese-arctic-strategy-and-russia-s-interests. accessed on 2016/05/08]. [3] Beveridge, L., Fournier M. Lasserre, F., Huang L. and Têtu P.L. (2016). Interest of Asian shipping companies in navigating the Arctic. Polar Science, 2016. Doi:10.1016/j.polar.2016.04.004
Asian Observers at the Arctic council, a potential threat?
Babin, Julie (1) (Presenter) and F. Lasserre (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
The upheavals caused by climate change in the Arctic region have contributed to its return to the fore of the geopolitical scene, raising many issues such as how the Arctic and non-Arctic states can or should govern a fragile natural environment such as the polar regions. If the Arctic States, including Russia, have actually operated in recent years a partial reorientation of their military and economic programs to the Arctic, it is nevertheless the growing interest of Asian for this region that further drew the attention of western media and researchers in recent years. Indeed, many Western media have stressed a reported appetite of Asian States like China or India for Arctic's natural resources and sea routes, as well as a possible new 'Cold War' to seize them. This fear was heightened by the admission of China, South Korea, Japan, India and Singapore in 2013 as Observer at the Arctic Council, the main regional forum that is seeking for cooperation and collaboration in the Arctic between Arctic-States, indigenous peoples and now, non-Arctic Observers. The Western media and some researchers are therefore concerned about the possible loss of influence of the indigenous peoples as well as the Arctic-States in the Arctic Council, but also about the real motivations of these Asian Observers and a possible hidden Chinese's agenda within the Council. This papers discusses the perception of the presence of these Asian Observers at Arctic Council, but also the attitude and attendance of those Observers in the Arctic Council's Working Groups, and their competencies within a framework established by the Arctic-States to demonstrate whether the Asia Observers represent real threats or whether they are just interested parties.
Overview on the Green Edge project – Phytoplankton spring bloom in the Arctic Ocean : past, present and future response to climate variations, and impact on carbon fluxes and the marine food web
Babin, Marcel (1) (Presenter) and M.-H. Forget (1)
(1) Takuvik, Université Laval and CNRS, Québec QC, Canada
The decrease in the extent of the ice pack of the Arctic Ocean (AO) during summer has led to a 20% increase in pan-Arctic primary production (PP) over the last decade. Other parts of the AO are becoming more oligotrophic. The phytoplankton spring bloom (PSB) that develops at the ice-edge accounts for >50% of annual primary production in the AO, and is generally associated with both large energy transfer to higher trophic levels and export of carbon to the bottom. The culture, health and economic capacity building of Northerners are closely associated with marine resources supported by the PSB. The PSB develops in the seasonal ice zone (SIZ), the extent of which is expected to increase significantly during the next years, possibly over the whole AO as early as in 2030. How the PSB will actually evolve in this context is unknown. Will it span over the entire AO, and thereby make the AO ecosystems more productive? Will the ongoing modifications in physical properties of the AO rather limit the PSB and PP in general? How will biodiversity respond to those changes? The Green Edge initiative is a multinational project that involves more than 20 labs from France, Canada, USA and Denmark. PSB events have been monitored in 2015 and 2016 in the Baffin Bay, from its onset under melting sea ice in May to its conclusion within the SIZ in July. The distribution of relevant physical, chemical and biological properties have been documented at various time and space scales using a fleet of profiling floats and, all equipped with a suite of physical and bio-optical sensors. Process studies have been conducted from an ice camp in the vicinity of Qikiqtarjuaq and from the Amundsen research icebreaker to document phytoplankton growth, nutrient assimilation and the transfer of carbon through the food web and toward the sediment. Key phytoplankton species have been isolated to be later grown in the laboratory under various conditions to model their response to environmental factors and to understand their succession during spring. A coupled physical-biological model is being optimized for simulating the PSB in the Arctic Ocean and for predicting changes in phytoplankton communities and food web dynamics. In parallel, past and present trends in the intensity and spatial distribution of the PSB was documented using a paleoceanography approach, and using remote sensing. Finally, interviews and bilateral discussion with local Inuit communities enabled the documentation of changing marine productivity from a social perspective and feed into a multi-scale integrated analysis of environment-human interactions. This presentation is an overview of the Green Edge project and preliminary results.
Toxoplasma gondii DNA detected from hunter-harvested wildlife in Nunavik
Bachand, Nicholas (1) (Presenter), G. Gilbert (2), S. Olpinski (2), A. Ravel (3), P. Leighton (3), C. Stephen (1,4), A. Iqbal (5), M. Ndao (5) and E. Jenkins (1)
(1) Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK, Canada
(2) Makivik Corporation, Saint-Laurent QC, Canada
(3) Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe QC, Canada
(4) Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK, Canada
(5) National Reference Centre for Parasitology, J.D. MacLean Tropical Diseases Centre, McGill University, Montréal QC, Canada
Toxoplasma gondii, a zoonotic microscopic parasite, infects mammals and birds worldwide. Chronic infection is usually asymptomatic, though illnesses can occur in immunocompromised hosts and the fetuses of susceptible women infected during pregnancy. On average, 60% of Nunavik’s eastern and western regional Inuit populations display antibodies against T. gondii compared to 15% in the general North American population. Though wildlife consumption has been identified as a risk factor for Inuit and though exposure to T. gondii has also been reported for a few wildlife species in this region, no data exists on the infection status of this parasite in wildlife tissues consumed by Inuit. From a One Health perspective, since T. gondii infects humans and animals alike, this study aimed to determine whether T. gondii occurs in wildlife commonly harvested for food by Inuit in Nunavik. T. gondii DNA was extracted and amplified with the magnetic capture DNA extraction technique and Taqman real-time PCR assay (MC-PCR), respectively, using up to 100 grams of tissue from 474 individual animals: 166 ptarmigan, 156 geese, 61 ringed seals, 39 foxes, 31 caribou and 27 walruses. DNA of T. gondii was detected in 44% (CI: 28-60%) of foxes and 9% (CI: 3-15%) of geese collected from four communities in western and southern Nunavik, but no detection occurred in any other wildlife species including a few ringed seals and caribou positive on serology. Among thirteen positive geese, parasite DNA was detected in brain, heart, muscle, liver, and gizzard at concentrations equivalent to or greater than 150 tachyzoite-equivalents per 100 grams of tissue. This is the first report of T. gondii detection in tissues of naturally-infected wildlife from Nunavik based on the MC-PCR method. For foxes of Nunavik, the consumption of geese is a likely route of T. gondii exposure. Under the assumption that foodborne exposure to T. gondii is also possible for people in this region, Inuit exposure to T. gondii through the consumption of geese will now be modeled quantitatively.
The impact of wastewater outflow on local primary production in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut
Back, Dongyoung (1) (Presenter), K. Small (1), B. Else (2), M. Hanson (1), C. Wong (3), J.D. Neufeld (4), B. McConkey (4) and C.J. Mundy (1)
(1) CEOS, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
(3) The University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(4) University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON, Canada
The Arctic marine ecosystem is being heavily influenced by anthropogenic stressors, including indirect impacts associated with climate change and direct through local human activities. Climate change is causing sea ice to melt earlier and to a greater extent. With changes to sea ice cover, the Arctic is also being exposed to an increasing industrial presence as it becomes more accessible for tourism, transportation, and natural resource extraction. As a result, Canada’s northern territory of Nunavut is experiencing rapid population growth relative to the rest of Canada. An increasing population will influence the quantity of wastewater discharge from coastal Arctic communities. Compared to temperate regions, the cold Arctic has lower overall efficiency of wastewater treatment. For example, recent evidence demonstrates that wastewater nitrogen concentrations in early fall were not reduced during discharge through the lagoon treatment system into Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. High nitrogen effluents can stimulate primary production, not only causing the potential for eutrophication, but also influencing aquatic life in receiving waters. Due to a paucity of research investigating Arctic wastewater treatment, there is an urgent need to better understand the influence of municipal effluent on nitrogen enrichment near coastal Arctic communities and the corresponding impact on local primary production. In the current study, we will examine the impact of wastewater effluent on local primary production through a comparison of regional versus local variability in phytoplankton production and biomass in Dease Strait. Data from annual cruises aboard the R/V Martin Bergmann, spanning 2013-2017, will be presented in support of the analysis. Furthermore, primary production data collected in 2017 along a transect out from the hamlet’s wastewater discharge location and into the Bay will be used to examine the direct impact of wastewater release on primary production and microbial community composition.
Inuit, oceans and participatory video and arts-based methods in Pangnirtung, Nunavut
Baird, Natalie (1) (Presenter), D. Poisey (2) and I. Mauro (3)
(1) Environment, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Videographer, Pangnirtung NU, Canada
(3) Geography, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Inuit coastal communities are interwoven with and dependent upon oceans, which have been undergoing rapid and uncertain change. As oceans change, communities also change, and understanding and supporting these adaptation processes is critical for cultural wellbeing. Participatory video and art making are effective approaches for documenting and transmitting Indigenous knowledge, and we utilized these methods to explore changing ocean dynamics from the perspective of community members in Pangnirtung, Nunavut. Youth, harvesters, elders, and artists participated in collaborative video and art making – and associated interviews - while in community and “on the land” to explore the importance of a healthy ocean. The local perspectives and visual media gathered richly described - in the voices and art making of community members themselves - how changes to water, sea ice and animal health pose risks to food security, livelihoods and cultural well-being. This collaborative video and arts-based approach led to a meaningful co-creation of knowledge, and challenges conventional notions of what counts as research and data. This multimedia presentation will explore the process, productions, and perspectives of Panniqtuumiut regarding changing oceans.
The provision of annual subsidized veterinary services in five remote communities in the Northwest Territories from 2008-2017: Uptake, impact, and lessons learned
Baker, Tessa (1) (Presenter), K. Bondo (1), M. Rock (1), F. van der Meer (1) and S. Kutz (1)
(1) University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFDogs share a long history with Indigenous people in northern Canada, and remain important in daily life, although today, possibly more as companions than as working partners. Veterinary services remain inaccessible, unavailable and unaffordable for many Indigenous communities in northern Canada, and this can contribute to dog welfare issues and increased human risk for zoonotic disease exposure and injuries, such as from dog bites. In response to community concerns about dogs in the Sahtu Settlement Area of the Northwest Territories, the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine has offered subsidized veterinary services to 5 Indigenous communities annually since 2008. The program offers core dog vaccinations, parasite control, surgical sterilization, and dog husbandry and dog-bite prevention education. Providing such services in an evidence based manner is important to a program’s success, yet, subsidized veterinary programs are rarely evaluated. Our objective is to evaluate this program to understand the uptake and impact of annual veterinary services in the communities over the last 10 years. Using chart reviews of the dog medical records from 2008-2017, a dog census in each community, and community feedback through the distribution of a door-to-door household survey, we evaluated the vaccination, deworming, and sterilization status of dogs over time, as well as changes in community attitudes towards dogs and concerns about dogs since 2008. On program initiation, only 37% of dogs seen at the clinics were vaccinated for rabies, 29% had been dewormed, and 20% had been neutered. These rates rapidly increased over the first few years of the program. Rabies vaccination rates in 2017 exceeded 70% of the dog population in most communities, and approached 90% in some. In addition, dogs entering the clinic in later years (2016-2017) were more likely to be sterilized than in earlier years (2008-2009), the age of dogs entering the clinic increased over the ten years of the program, and the body condition score of dogs seen improved to ideal and even approached overweight in some cases over the same time period. Community differences were evident in program uptake and household survey responses with regards to people’s experiences with and concerns about dogs in the community. In general, the provision of veterinary services has been well received, animal health and welfare have improved, and community concerns about dogs have either improved or shifted. Reflections on program efficacy and challenges acknowledge that differences between communities affect program uptake in each location. Recognizing these differences will improve the reach of the program in these communities and may help to establish similar culturally-sensitive programs in other poorly serviced areas of northern Canada.
Current use pesticides of emerging Arctic concern: An updated assessment
Balmer, Jennifer (1,2) (Presenter), D. Muir (3), A. Morris (4), K. Vorkamp (5), F. Rigét (6) and H. Hung (7)
(1) Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program, Oslo, Norway
(2) The Citadel, Department of Biology, Charleston SC, United States
(3) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Center for Inland Waters, Burlington ON, Canada
(4) Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Center, Ottawa ON, Canada
(5) Aarhus University, Department of Environmental Science, Roskilde, Denmark
(6) Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Roskilde, Denmark
(7) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Air Quality Processes Research Section, Toronto ON, Canada
Since most countries banned legacy pesticides such as DDT in the 1970s and 80s, numerous other pesticides have entered global production and use. In theory, current-use pesticides (CUPs) should only be permitted for use if the chemicals exhibit low environmental persistence and bioaccumulation potential, and thus should cause less of an environmental impact than the previous generations of legacy pesticides. However, new CUPs continue to be detected in remote regions, including the Arctic, indicating many are sufficiently persistent to undergo long-range transport and present an environmental concern. The occurrence of CUPs in the Arctic was reviewed in 2010, 2014, and most recently in 2016 as part of the fourth assessment of contaminants in the Arctic under the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP). In this latest assessment, literature was screened for the reports of newly-detected CUPs in the Arctic and for data on nine other previously-identified CUPs of Arctic concern. Since the previous published reviews, at least seven new CUPs have been measured in Arctic media: 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MCPA), metribuzin, pendimethalin, phosalone, quizalofop-ethyl, tefluthrin and triallate. These and other known CUPs of Arctic concern, such as endosulfan, chlorpyrifos and chlorothalonil, continue to be detected in the Arctic environment and biota, however, levels remain low compared to those of legacy pesticides. Recently published ecosystem monitoring studies indicate some CUPs can bioaccumulate and effectively enter terrestrial and marine Arctic food chains. However, levels tend to be highest in organisms lower in the food web (i.e, terrestrial vegetation, plankton, fish), which is in contrast to the behavior of legacy pesticides which biomagnify to high concentrations in apex predators (i.e, mammals). Considering the number of pesticides in current use globally, the number measured in the Arctic continues to be very limited; however, as the arsenal of chemicals used to support agriculture and public health needs constantly changes, continued environmental vigilance is warranted.
Topography determines green alder functional traits and water potential but not sap flow on the low arctic tundra, NT
Baltzer, Jennifer (1) (Presenter) and K. Black (1)
(1) Biology Department, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON, Canada
Climate warming is driving the expansion of shrubs across the tundra biome with implications for energy balance, hydrology, nutrient cycling, and tundra biodiversity. Changes in tundra plant water use attributable to shrub expansion are predicted to increase evapotranspirative water loss which may amplify local warming and reduce runoff. However, little is known about the extent to which shrub expansion could enhance evapotranspirative water loss in tundra systems. To make predictions about the consequences of shrub expansion, it is necessary to understand the abiotic factors that constrain shrub physiological function and distribution. Shrubs are preferentially expanding in areas that have a higher potential of accumulating moisture, such as hill slopes and drainage channels. We hypothesize that shrub function and distribution are limited by the availability of water and nutrients across topographic gradients. We measured sap flow, stem water potential, and a range of functional traits of green alder (Alnus viridis) shrubs and quantified water and nutrient availability in shrub patches on the low arctic tundra of the Northwest Territories. Thaw depth was a significant negative driver of sap flow and is linked with water limitations. Topographic position was not strongly associated with sap flow but it did determine stem water potential and leaf functional traits. Shrubs in downslope locations had significantly higher water potentials than upslope locations suggesting greater water limitation in upslope positions. Channel shrubs reflected traits associated with higher resource environments and greater productivity and growth relative to the slower-return strategy of shrubs at the tops of patch slopes. We offer estimates of seasonal variation in green alder sap flow and green alder patch transpiration supporting incorporation of shrub water use estimates into models predicting the magnitude and impacts of tundra shrubbing on evapotranspiration. Green alder is expanding rapidly across the low arctic tundra of the Northwest Territories and understanding the drivers of its expansion is essential for predicting future tundra conditions.
A global assessment of drivers of post-fire regeneration in boreal forests
Baltzer, Jennifer (1) (Presenter), N. Day (1), J. Johnstone (2), M. Mack (3), H. Alexander (4), D. Arsenault (5), J. Barnes (6), L. Bourgeau-Chavez (7), Y. Bergeron (8), C. Brown (9), S. Carrière (10), D. Greene (11), S. Gauthier (12), B. Howard (3), M-A Parisien (13), B. Rogers (14), D. Thompson (13), M. Turetsky (15), S. Veraverbeke (16), X. Walker (3), E. Whitman (17) and J. Yang (18)
(1) Biology Department, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON, Canada
(2) Biology Department, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK, Canada
(3) Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff AZ, United States
(4) Department of Forestry, Mississippi State University, Starkville MS, United States
(5) Département de biologie, chimie et géographie, L’Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(6) National Park Service, Washington DC, United States
(7) Michigan Tech Research Institute, Michigan Technological University, Ann Arbor MI, United States
(8) Département des sciences biologiques, L’Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(9) Department of Geography, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s NL, Canada
(10) Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife NT, Canada
(11) Forestry and Wildland Resources, Humboldt State University, Arcata CA, United States
(12) Ressources naturelles Canada, Centre de foresterie des Laurentides, Québec QC, Canada
(13) Natural Resources Canada, Northern Forestry Centre, Edmonton AB, Canada
(14) Woods Hole Research Center, Falmouth MA, United States
(15) Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada
(16) Earth and Climate, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
(17) Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
(18) College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington KY, United States
Wildfire is essential to the maintenance of boreal forest ecosystems. However, climate warming is driving the intensification of wildfire disturbance, with increased frequency, extent, severity and duration of the fire season. These changes are expected to alter the structure, composition and function of northern forests. Previous studies of severe fire events have demonstrated changes in patterns of tree species dominance as a consequence of fire-driven changes in seedbed conditions and seed availability, suggesting the potential for altered successional pathways in boreal forests in response to warming-induced changes in the wildfire regime. Predicted warmer and drier growing season conditions will likely also influence tree seedling survival following disturbance thereby altering regeneration dynamics. Such changes have the potential to affect a wide range of ecosystem functions of boreal forests including but not limited to productivity and associated land surface – atmosphere exchange, understory community composition and wildlife habitat quality. To understand drivers of post-fire regeneration, we compiled datasets from seventeen independent studies spanning the circumboreal, all of which contain comparable measurements of pre- and post-fire tree species composition and stem densities, fire severity, seed bed characteristics and key environmental metrics such as site moisture conditions; post-fire climate variables were generated from gridded datasets for all studies. Using these common datasets from biogeographically and climatically distinct regions, we evaluate a common conceptual framework based on the results of previous studies of post-fire regeneration dynamics. We assessed this framework using piecewise structural equation modelling methods to determine common drivers of post-fire regeneration across sites as well as site- or region-specific pathways of importance. Results from this analysis will be discussed in the context of predicted changes in climate and wildfire disturbance and the implications of this for boreal forest composition and function.
Development of flow cytometer for in-field, multiplexed aquatic microbiota detection
Bansept, Marc-Antoine (1) (Presenter), D. Boudreau (1) and W.F. Vincent (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFFor oceanographers, limnologists and biologists studying the arctic region, the aquatic microbiota acts as bio-tracers for different physicochemical processes. Current techniques for quantifying micro-organisms rely either on non-selective bulk measurements, manual counting or on the use of substantial, fragile flow cytometers. We present here a novel fluorescence flow cytometry approach which allows simultaneous detection of multiple pigments to classify species. The presented technique holds great promise for the development of a portable, robust and alignment free device for in-field environmental measurements.
The geoarchaeology of Thule winter dwellings: The taphonomy of a subterranean pit house in a periglacial valley, noting human impact on soil microstratigraphy and chemistry
Barbel, Héloïse (1,2) (Presenter), N. Bhiry (1,2) and D. Todisco (2,3)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Centre for northern studies, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Université de Rouen, Rouen, France
Kuuvik Bay is located between the villages of Akulivik and Ivujivik in Nunavik. Given its cultural interest for communities in the region, Kuuvik Bay presents an excellent opportunity for archaeologists, geoarchaeologists and paleo-environmentalists to study past human-environment relationships in the context of climate change. Our focus is on the changes in Dorset and Thule lifestyle and land occupation during the winter-spring period. Intra-site and extra-site geoarchaeological studies were performed at Structure 10 on the Paaliup Qarmangit site and in the valley in which it is situated (Paalliq 1 Valley). Many single-family and multifamily subterranean sod houses have been recorded at the Paaliup Qarmangit site. Multifamily subterranean sod houses had already been observed in Labrador (Eastern Canada), but the modalities of their appearance in the 17th Century onward continue to be studied. Combining extra-site and intra-site approaches, we investigated a single-family house in order to: 1) document the formation processes of the subterranean pit house, 2) identify specific anthropogenic geochemical markers, and 3) identify the eventual reuse or reorganization phases of Dorset sites by the Thule. Off-site stratigraphic and geomorphological analysis enabled us to estimate the evolution of sedimentary environments in the Paaliq 1 Valley since the last glaciation. Clayey deposits were located in the deep-water environment during the post-glacial marine transgression. Shoreline deposits were then introduced from the upper to the lower part of the valley during the marine regression, causing the formation of raised beaches at different elevations. After the emersion, shoreline deposits were reworked by aeolian, runoff and periglacial processes, such as solifluction and frost-boiling. On-site stratigraphic, micromorphological, macrofossil and geochemistry analysis confirmed a Dorset occupation period prior to the Thule settlement. The importance of aeolian activity in the taphonomic processes was also noted. Geochemistry data suggest a significant but low-level anthropogenic impact on soil chemistry. This study contributes to the exploration of the relevance of non-extensive excavations in the preliminary study of an undocumented archaeological site.
The Hudson Bay BaySys project – a review and update
Barber, David (1) (Presenter), N. Theriault (1), K. Sydor (2), M. Morris (2), J.K. Ehn (1), T. Stadnyk (1), K. Koenig (2), J.-E. Tremblay (3), G. Swanson (2), J. Hunt (2), T. Papakyriakou (1), B. Gill (2), F. Wang (1), A. Zacharias (2), S. Wakelin (2), J. Lukovich (1) and P.G. Myers (4)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Manitoba Hydro, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(3) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(4) University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
The Hudson Bay System Study (BaySys) is a 5-year $17M, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Collaborative Research and Development (CRD) project designed to examine the influence of freshwater and climate change on Hudson Bay marine and coastal systems. Specifically, BaySys intends to provide a scientific basis to separate climate change effects from those of regulation of freshwater on physical, biological and biogeochemical processes in Hudson Bay. In this presentation we provide a review of the modelling, mooring, and in situ data collection (fall and winter field programs) conducted to date. We describe the reasons for cancelling the 2017 Amundsen program and provide an update on plans for this spring study to be conducted in 2018. Preliminary results are presented for each of the six teams illustrating the connectivity of the network and early results towards the goals of the BaySys objectives.
A collaborative approach to major scientific outreach, communication and education initiatives
Barber, Lucette (1) (Presenter), L-A. Fishback (2) and D. Barber (1)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Churchill Northern Studies Centre, Churchill MB, Canada
Scientists in multiple fields of study from around the world are working together to understand and communicate the complexities of climate change. They are increasingly being asked to inform policy-makers and the public of their research findings, to engage public in research, and to build capacity within the science community. These responsibilities to reach out, engage, communicate, promote, and educate take time and resources, and unfortunately these resources don’t always show up as funding categories in research proposals. This talk describes the collaborative approach used by the science teams at the Centre for Earth Observation Science (University of Manitoba, Canada) to maximize resources and enable creative communication, outreach and education initiative using a variety of platforms. The focus will be on the most recent initiative called Expedition Churchill: A gateway to Arctic Research, in partnership with VIA Rail Canada, Town of Churchill, Churchill Northern Studies Centre, Assiniboine Park Zoo – Journey to Churchill, and Travel Manitoba. This initiative includes a very visual and multimedia e-book, interactive kiosks at various high traffic public locations throughout the province, an educational component (activity book, curriculum links, teachers’ guide, and teacher’s workshop), and a promotional VIA Rail passenger train.
Arctic data archiving and dissemination: Development of the environmental data repository Nordicana D
Barnard, Christine (1) (Presenter), L. Cournoyer (1), W. Vincent (1,2), D. Sarrazin (1) and K. Elger (3)
(1) Centre d’études nordiques (CEN), Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Département de géographie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
The Centre d’études nordiques (CEN) studies geosystems and ecosystems (terrestrial, freshwater and coastal) in the changing Arctic. The CEN Network is composed of 9 research stations and 110 automated climate stations, and extends across a 4000 km gradient of ecozones, from boreal forest to extreme polar desert environments in the Canadian High Arctic. The CEN Network is a substantive and unique contribution to Canadian and pan-Arctic initiatives, particularly with its insertion into the Canadian Consortium for Arctic Data Interoperability (CCADI) and the circumpolar program INTERACT (www.eu-interact.org). To archive and disseminate environmental data from this network and from other Arctic research and monitoring activities, CEN has established Nordicana D (www.cen.ulaval.ca/nordicanad), a formatted, peer-reviewed, online data publication series. Produced only in electronic form, the data entries can be updated, and derived values (daily, month and annual means) are freely and openly accessible. Each volume is indexed via an assigned Digital Object Identifier (DOI), which provides citation credit to the research group or individual. The volumes are cross-referenced in Polar Data Catalogue (www.polardata.ca), and contain extensive metadata, photographic documentation, and citation details. To date, Nordicana D hosts extensive datasets on various environmental parameters, such as climate records (>50 years), lemming monitoring, borehole and near-surface ground temperatures, dissolved organic carbon content in lakes, groundwater monitoring, landscape imagery, and genetic composition of aquatic microbial communities. Work is ongoing to enhance interoperability and sharing of metadata and data files across existing systems for advanced analysis and visualisation.
Assessing an unmanned aircraft vehicle as a tool for researching Sub-Arctic ecosystems
Barnas, Andrew (1) (Presenter), R. Newman (1), C.J. Felege (1), M.P. Corcoran (1), S.D. Hervey (1), T.J. Stechmann (1), R.F. Rockwell (2) and S.N. Ellis-Felege (1)
(1) University of North Dakota, Department of Biology, 10 Cornell Street, Stop 9019, Grand Forks ND, United States
(2) Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th St., New York NY, United States
Unmanned aircraft vehicles (UAVs) have become popular tools for ecologists due to their ability to rapidly collect large amounts of high quality data. In remote regions where travel is logistically and financially challenging, UAVs may be a valuable tool for data collection. Further, UAVs are thought to be a less invasive method of study by reducing researcher disturbance on focal species. Here we describe the utility of a fixed-wing Trimble UX5 unmanned aircraft to conduct research in the sub-Arctic system of the Cape Churchill Peninsula, Manitoba, Canada. Specifically, we sought to 1) estimate how nesting lesser snow geese are impacted by UAV surveys, 2) compare estimates of nesting goose densities obtained by a UAV to those obtained with traditional ground-based methods, and 3) evaluate the impact of hyperabundant geese on vegetation communities by classification of landcover types from UAV imagery. We found days with UAV surveys resulted changes in snow goose behaviours, specifically decreased resting, and increased nest maintenance, overhead vigilance and off nest behaviours when compared to days without UAV surveys. During flight operations, overhead vigilance was rarely seen prior to launch or after landing (0.6% ± 0.9% and 0.5% ±0. 9% of the observation periods respectively), but increased to 6.1% ± 0.9% of the time when the aircraft was flying overhead, suggesting that birds were able to detect the aircraft during flight. UAV survey altitude and launch distance in this study were not strong predictors of nesting behaviours, though our flight altitudes (> 75 m above ground level) were much higher than previously published behavioural studies. Preliminary results suggest identification of white phase snow geese to be easier than blue phase individuals due to contrast with background ground cover leading to potential bias in nest density estimates. Landcover classification of habitat degradation by snow goose foraging was conducted in ArcGIS 10.4. When compared to ground estimates, unsupervised classification of vegetation had an overall accuracy of 52% and often failed to differentiate between grass and shrub species. Training datasets for supervised classifications improved classification accuracy (60%). For the rapid assessment of habitat damage, the UAV was able to cover the entire study area in 26 minutes, while traditional ground-based methods of assessment required 72 personnel hours. Classification was based on RGB imagery, but future studies should test platforms with other sensors to attempt to improve accuracy. Overall we found the use of an unmanned aircraft to be an effective tool for researching a sub-Arctic ecosystem, with promise for future applications for large scale data collection. Further use of UAV technology for Arctic science should be directed by scientific questions, and focus on the development of automated detection software due to the large amounts of data collected.
Housing and community factors associated with healthy aging in Inuit communities in Canada
Baron, Marie (1,2) (Presenter), M. Riva (3) and C. Fletcher (1,4)
(1) Axe Santé des populations et pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec – Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Faculté de Sciences Infirmières, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Institut de santé et des politiques sociale et Département de géographie, Université McGill, Montréal QC, Canada
(4) Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Context: In the last decades, important social, cultural and environmental transformation took place in Inuit regions and communities. These transformations have important consequences on living conditions and on people’s health. One of these consequences is the gain in life expectancy, leading to an increase in the population aged 45 years and older. As people age, they face increase health challenges: physical limitations, hearing and sight loss, chronic health conditions, cognitive impairments, etc. But several resources in the living environment can support people’s health and help them age healthier. Good housing conditions and adapting houses to support aging at home can prevent accidents and are good for mental health. Having positive relationships at home and in the neighborhood are associated with better well-being for aging adults. Having strong family and social connections has been shown to be associated with better physical and mental health. In Inuit communities, land-based activities (e.g. hunting, fishing or picking berries) is associated with better health and is likely to be important for of healthy aging. The objective of this study is to identify living conditions (housing conditions and community perceptions) and individual factors associated with better health for people aged 45 and older. Methods: About 560 Inuit aged = 45 years participated to the 2006 Aboriginal People Survey. A holistic indicator of health was created in previous analyses using factorial and cluster analyses: participants of the survey were grouped in categories according to their similarities in answering several health-related variables including physical and mental health, spirituality, being loved and having social support, speaking Inuktitut and health-related behaviour. Three groups of participants were created:1) people with no physical limitations, who have a high social support and a good perceived health 2) people who sometimes experience physical limitations, have low social support, and poorer mental and self-rated health 3) people with important physical limitations, poor self-rated health, who don’t speak Inuktitut but have a high social support. Sex-adjusted multinomial regression models will be used to examine the associations between this indicator and living conditions including: quality of family ties, living in a dwelling in need of repairs, living in an overcrowded household, feeling safe when walking in the community, being satisfied with one’s life in the community. Analyses will also be adjusted for education level (having finished elementary school), personal income (<$20,000 per year vs. = $20,000) and participation to land-based activities. Relevance: This project aims to identify housing conditions and community assets associated with healthy aging in Inuit communities. Asset-based research projects are needed to inform health promoting interventions and policies. A better knowledge of living conditions promoting health is relevant to help people age well in their home and their communities. Knowledge produced by this project will inform the formulation of adapted policies on housing and community conditions supporting healthy aging in Inuit Nunangat.
Conceptualisation and operationalisation of a holistic indicator of health for aging Inuit adults
Baron, Marie (1,2) (Presenter), M. Riva (3) and C. Fletcher (1,4)
(1) Axe Santé des populations et pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec – Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Faculté de Sciences Infirmières, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Institut de santé et des politiques sociale et Département de géographie, Université McGill, Québec QC, Canada
(4) Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Context: Even if the Inuit population is younger than the non-Indigenous Canadian population, demographic projections point to a quickly aging process for this population. As people age, they face increase health challenges: physical limitations, hearing and sight loss, chronic health conditions, cognitive impairments, etc. In order to identify resources to support healthy aging in the Arctic, there is a need to better understand facilitators and barriers faced by aging adults. Health-related research conducted in Inuit Nunangat mostly focus on specific aspects of health, e.g. chronic conditions, mental health or health behaviors despite Inuit holding a holistic definition of health which encompasses physical, mental, social and cultural aspects. This study aims are to 1) conceptualize a holistic indicator of health by using aging adults’ definition of health and 2) operationalize this indicator using survey data. Methods: Mixed-methods were used for this project. To define health holistically, we used qualitative data from workshops conducted as part of the community component of Qanuilirpitaa? the 2017 Nunavik Health Survey. A workshop was held in two communities in Nunavik in September 2016 to define health and community conditions important for health from Nunavimmiut’s perspectives. About ten people participated to each workshop. Health was defined for all age-groups with specific topics addressing older adults’ health specificities. Quantitative data were retrieved from Statistic Canada’s Aboriginal People Survey (APS; 2006). The sample was restricted to Inuit residing across Inuit Nunangat and aged = 45 years, for a sample size of 506. First, we selected measures to include in the holistic indicator of health corresponding to the concept of health defined in the workshops. Then we realized factorial and cluster analyses to group participants of the survey according to their similarities in answering measures. Results: Analyses of the qualitative data led to a holistic definition of health including physical and mental health, spirituality, being loved and having social support, speaking Inuktitut and health-related behaviour. We then selected variables corresponding to these concepts and available in the APS: measures of mental health, physical limitations, general perceived health, speaking Inuktitut, availability of social support, and frequency of alcohol consumption. The factorial and cluster analyses led to the creation of an indicator of health which groups APS respondents in one of three categories: 1) people with no physical limitations have a high social support and a good perceived health 2) people who sometimes experience physical limitations, have a weak social support, a poor mental and self-rated health 3) people with important physical limitations, poor self-rated health, who don’t speak Inuktitut but have a high social support. Conclusions: This project aimed to create a holistic indicator of health respectful of aging Inuit’s holistic definition of health. We used mixed methods to bridge the concept of health defined in qualitative workshops with quantitative measures retrieved from survey data. Using a holistic indicator of health will be useful to address the complexity of the aging process for Inuit in future projects.
Half in and half out: The end of a long and winding road? – New dynamics for the European Union’s Arctic ambitions: A German and a Canadian perspective
Bartenstein, Kristin (1) (Presenter) and D-E. Khan (2) (Presenter)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) University of the Bundeswehr, Munich, Germany
As the Arctic is warming at a rapid pace, significant changes take place in the physical environment. Often disastrous for the Arctic ecosystems and lifestyles, retreating ice and milder temperatures nevertheless contribute to making the Arctic a (potentially) interesting place for resource exploitation and shipping both by Arctic and Non-Arctic stakeholders. The effects of climate change, exceeding by far the Arctic’s geographical limits, are increasingly a matter of common concern, too. For more than a decade, involvement of the European Union in the Arctic has been observed with suspicion – both by certain EU Member States and by non-EU Arctic actors, including Canada. There were indeed a number of (good) reasons for some reluctance to accept the EU as a full-fledged partner in Arctic affairs: early fragmentary, somewhat inconsistent, incoherent and inconsiderate attempts to frame a genuine EU policy provoked resistance among Arctic States, the issue of seal hunting being perceived as an example of inappropriate EU paternalism. Further, the formulation by a number of EU Member States, including Germany, of (national) Arctic policies of their own, fuelled tensions. EU Arctic States were intent on keeping their grip on Arctic affairs within the EU, while other Arctic actors, notably Canada, pushed back against EU influence on Arctic affairs that had the potential to grow too strong. However, the successful conclusion of negotiations on a Comprehensive Canada-EU Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) together with the adoption in 2016 of an integrated EU policy on the Arctic and a new Canadian Arctic Policy framework being in the making, may well lead to an important shift in relations regarding the Far North. A reconsideration of the EU’s standing in the broader Arctic governance framework is to be expected, including with respect to the still pending issue of its (final) status within the Arctic Council. The paper will take a closer look at the (future) role of the EU within the Arctic governance process. It will combine perspectives of the EU and Germany, both essentially non-Arctic actors intent on having a say on Arctic matters, as well as of Canada, an Arctic coastal State with its own interests and concerns related to the changes that take place in the Arctic. The paper will provide an outline of continuities, recent developments and shifts in the European Arctic Policy and trace Canadian reactions to these developments. It will sketch out the interplay of European and national policy frameworks with a particular focus on the 2013 German Arctic policy and the objective of exploring the policy leeway left to EU member States. It will also ask whether Canada, in the context of a new political-legal environment, may be less reluctant to widen and deepen international cooperation on Arctic affairs with new and not so new partners, notably the EU and Germany, including by redefining its own interests.
The evolution of Beluga management in the Nunavik Marine Region: Moving towards co-production of knowledge
Basterfield, Mark (1) (Presenter), K. Breton-Honeyman (1), T. Palliser (1), F. Jean-Gagnon (1) and H. Okpik (1)
(1) Nunavik Marine Region Wildlife Board, Inukjuak QC, Canada
Since its inception in 2008 the Nunavik Marine Region Wildlife Board (NMRWB) has, through consultation with stakeholders and co-management partners, made substantial changes to the beluga harvest regulations and decision-making process in Nunavik. Nunavik Inuit harvest from at least four stocks of beluga, including the East Hudson Bay (EHB) stock, which is considered endangered by the Committee on the Status of Wildlife in Canada. The EHB beluga mix with other stocks in Nunavik coastal waters and are proportionally represented in the harvest dependant on where and when the whales are harvested. The Board is mandated to only limit Inuit harvesting rights to the extent necessary to affect a conservation concern; therefore, only the EHB stock is considered when setting a total allowable take (TAT). In 2013, the Board used known genetic proportions of EHB stock for different areas and seasons to set a 3-year management decision that allowed hunters the freedom to harvest beluga almost anywhere in Nunavik. Harvest affected the EHB TAT in the same proportion to that of the stock composition for a given area and season. While not without various logistical challenges, this plan added a high degree of flexibility to beluga harvesting and aimed to facilitate the transmission of cultural knowledge by enabling communities to once again harvest nearby. In 2016, consultations through a public hearing process revealed that many hunters in Hudson Strait believed they could distinguish EHB beluga based on their timing of migration, and target harvest toward non-endangered stocks. Together with the local and regional hunting associations, DFO, and Makivik, the NMRWB has put in place a pilot project that allows hunters to sample their catch and identify the stock of the harvested beluga. If genetic testing reveals that hunters successfully avoided EHB beluga, the used TAT will be returned to the community the following year. This pilot project has the potential to help move to an Inuit-led harvest management system without a TAT, and provides information that is co-produced through Inuit Knowledge, and Western Scientific data.
Socio-ecological reclamation in the Northwest Territories: A framework for the healing of the Bathurst caribou range
Baydack, Micki (1) (Presenter), S. Catholique (1,2) and B. Parlee (1)
(1) University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
(2) Assitant Wildlife Manager Lutsel K'e Dene First Nation, Lutsel K'e NT, Canada
Diamond mining in the Northwest Territories has created numerous challenges for the sustainability of both communities and natural resources. Among the most significant impacts defined by northern First Nations communities is the impact on the Bathurst herd of barren ground caribou. Traditional Knowledge of First Nations including Lutsël K'é Dene First Nation, has indicated that this caribou herd is negatively impacted by mining disturbance of the caribou range leading to stresses on health as well as changes in distribution as well as population change. A 95% decline in this caribou herd from over 450 000 animals to less than 20 000 is an ecological tragedy, which has also adversely impacted the traditional cultures and subsistence livelihoods. Guided by oral histories and observations of 26 Lutsël K'é Dene elders, hunters and community members along with dendrochronology records of trample scars at key caribou crossings, the research provides insight about the impacts of mining on both caribou and people. The research paper also advances methodology and tools for linking oral histories and dendrochronology records in the reclamation and healing of the Bathurst range. We use the term reclamation in this paper to move beyond the purely ecological framing of the term and examine social and cultural aspects crucial to the revival of the Bathurst herd. Guided by the oral histories of Lutsël K'é Dene First Nation elders, we suggest a framework for thinking about reclamation as a dynamic social-ecological process at a cultural and ecological landscape scale rather than as a technical biophysical moment within the lifecycle of a single mining project. We offer a conceptual framework of “Socio-Ecological Reclamation” based on a literature review, of previous multidisciplinary research on the Aboriginal rights to lands and resources, traditional knowledge, mine site reclamation and cultural and landscape ecology. In the second part of the paper, we apply the conceptual framework to the case study of the Bathurst caribou range and the potential of Lutsël K'é Dene First Nation to inform the reclamation and healing of this landscape and their community. There are many ecological challenges to reclaiming the Bathurst caribou range, given the sensitivity of arctic ecosystems and the slow growth and recovery of adequate forage (e.g., vascular plants including lichen). There are also socio-cultural and political challenges as well. How can Traditional Knowledge be meaningfully included in reclamation policies, management and monitoring of mining projects at a landscape, rather than site specific, scale? What are the opportunities of linking Traditional Knowledge and technical knowledge related to the health of caribou and the reclamation of complex mining projects? These are the critical questions being developed in this study.
Low Arctic vegetation classification using aerial hyperspectral data in the late season
Beamish, Alison (1) (Presenter), B. Heim (1), S. Chabirillat (2) and N. Coops (3)
(1) Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Periglacial Research, Potsdam, Germany
(2) Helmholtz Centre Potsdam GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
(3) Integrated Remote Sensing Studio (IRSS) Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC, Canada
In the following study we compare the manually segmented vegetation classification derived from the Circumpolar Arctic Vegetation Map (CAVM) to spectral unmixing and Random Forest classification techniques on a senescent stage aerial VNIR hyperspectral image of the long-term Toolik Vegetation Grid monitoring site. Using this novel data source, we hope to showcase the potential of hyperspectral imagery in the frame of the upcoming German Space Agency (Deutschen Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, DLR) hyperspectral EnMAP mission to facilitate detailed assessment of low-Arctic vegetation communities. Preliminary results suggest that the vibrant vegetation colours present in the senescent stage can be exploited to differentiate spectrally and structurally similar vegetation communities. We expect classification results to be comparable to manually interpreted divisions of community types.
Time series of ocean acidification in the Canadian Arctic Ocean
Beaupré-Laperrière, Alexis (1) (Presenter), A. Mucci (1) and H. Thomas (2)
(1) GEOTOP and Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, McGill University, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Department of Oceanography, Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, Canada
Ocean acidification is an important yet often disregarded outcome of anthropogenic CO2 emissions and the consequent rise in atmospheric CO2 levels. Roughly a third of the CO2 released to the atmosphere since the industrial revolution has been absorbed by the world’s oceans, resulting in a decrease in seawater pH, carbonate ion concentration and saturation state of seawater with respect to the calcium carbonate minerals aragonite and calcite (OA, OC). These changes in seawater chemistry constitute a possible threat for the health of marine ecosystems, particularly to calcifying organisms whose ability to secrete calcium carbonate skeletons and tests might be hindered by a decrease in pH and O. Polar oceans are particularly vulnerable to acidification due to the weak buffer capacity of their cold waters and the steadily decreasing sea-ice cover, exposing a gradually larger area of surface waters to direct gas exchange with the atmosphere. Acidification in the Canadian Arctic Ocean is further promoted by the intrusion of pre-acidified waters originating from the Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans. An oceanographic dataset covering the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and its adjacent basins (Beaufort Sea and Baffin Bay) is used to construct time series of key acidification parameters (OA, pH, pCO2, Total Alkalinity:DIC ratio) spanning the last 15 years. These time series reveal discernible acidification in the water column throughout the region of interest, despite a significant spatial variability. These results, combined with a water mass analysis, are used to constrain the extent of acidification within each source water mass in the Canadian Arctic Ocean as well as the factors that modulate it.
Can goose colonies supported by anthropogenic activities in temperate ecosystems affect the abundance of tundra predators? A multi-site comparison conducted at a circumpolar scale
Bédard, Audrey (1) (Presenter), J. Bêty (2,3), O. Gilg (4), N. Lecomte (5,3), N. M. Schmidt (6) and M-A. Giroux (1)
(1) K.-C.-Irving Research Chair in Environmental Sciences and Sustainable Development, Université de Moncton, Moncton NB, Canada
(2) Department of Biology, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(3) Centre for Northern Studies, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Québec QC, Canada
(4) Laboratoire de Biogéosciences, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France et Groupe de Recherche en Écologie Arctique, Francheville, France
(5) Canada Research Chair in Polar and Boreal Ecology, Department of Biology, Université de Moncton, Moncton NB, Canada
(6) Arctic Research Center, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
Movements of nutrients, prey and consumers between Arctic ecosystems and the rest of the world occur at both local and global scales. Such connections between ecosystems are currently modified by anthropogenic activities at an unprecedented pace. For instance, some migratory species like snow geese have increased exponentially since the 1970s due to agriculture intensification in temperate ecosystems. In parallel, other migratory species that connect temperate to Arctic ecosystems, such as shorebirds, are experiencing a worldwide decline caused by, among other factors, habitat degradation on staging and wintering areas. The hypothesis that the recent demographic explosion in goose populations may also contribute to arctic-nesting shorebird declines is drawing more and more attention. Some evidence shows that the sharp increase in goose populations can support arctic predator populations at higher abundance that what local prey species can support. Despite site-specific empirical evidences suggesting negative goose impacts on shorebirds through increased predation pressure, we still lack data to anticipate the extent of such indirect effects at a circumpolar scale. This is due, in part, to the difficulty of gathering data for the different trophic levels involved in these indirect interactions, especially at a biome scale. In 2013, a group of researchers from Canada, France, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Alaska, and Russia initiated a joint circumpolar network to tackle this issue. We implemented common protocols in 14 sites, including sites with and without goose colonies. These protocols allow us to study the impact of goose colonies on the structure and composition of predator communities (e.g. arctic foxes, jaegers, gulls and ravens) and, in turn, on the predation pressure upon artificial nests mimicking shorebird nests. We predict that the abundance of predators and, eventually, the predation pressure upon artificial nests will be higher in presence than in absence of a goose colony. This ongoing work will contribute to investigate the causes of the pronounced decline in arctic-nesting shorebird populations, which may be partly attributable to the human-induced increase in other migrating populations connecting temperate to Arctic ecosystems.
High Arctic sediment yield responses to geomorphic and permafrost change in a transitioning climate
Beel, Casey R. (1) (Presenter), S. F. Lamoureux (1) and J. F. Orwin (1,2)
(1) Department of Geography and Planning, Queen's University, Kingston ON, Canada
(2) Environmental Monitoring and Science Division, Alberta Environment and Parks, Calgary AB, Canada
Long-term records of suspended sediment transfer are important for understanding how landscapes are responding to enhanced climatic warming and permafrost change in the High Arctic. The linkages between climatic drivers and suspended sediment transfer patterns remain poorly understood for much of the Arctic due to a dearth of long-term monitoring sites. Channel suspended sediment flux has been monitored in paired watersheds at the Cape Bounty Arctic Watershed Observatory (CBAWO), Melville Island, Nunavut, since 2003 (excluding the years 2011, 2013, 2015) and represents the longest High Arctic record in existence. In 2007, both watersheds were impacted by extensive permafrost disturbances on slopes and along the channels. As a result, these records provide us with a unique dataset that allow us to investigate the long-term geomorphic responses to landscape disturbances. Our long term results indicate prominent decoupling between climatic drivers and geomorphic energy in the fluvial system. Annually, discharge and suspended sediment flux are not a function of summer climate, but driven by snow availability for melt and by geomorphic controls. Short-term geomorphic disturbances, coupled with hydroclimatic change, should increase the intensity of downstream sediment flux. However, our long-term records show a significant decrease in downstream sediment flux post-2007 landscape disturbances. These results suggest that short-term geomorphological disturbances compete with hydroclimatic change in these watersheds. We hypothesize that this is also largely a result of weak landscape connectivity, and that fluvio-geomorphic connectivity is the tipping point to Arctic geomorphological change.
Littoral zones in the High Arctic lakes and the implications of ice cover loss
Bégin, Paschale Noël (1,2) (Presenter), M. Rautio (2,3) and W. F. Vincent (1,2)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Centre d’études nordiques, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi QC, Canada
Ward Hunt Lake is Canada’s northernmost lake, located on Ward Hunt Island (lat. 83 °05’N, long. 74 °10’W), off the northern coast of Ellesmere Island, Nunavut. This region experiences a polar desert climate, with an average air temperature of -17 °C and precipitation around 150 mm. The lake is ultra-oligotrophic and perennially ice-covered, but complete loss of ice cover was recorded in 2011, 2012 and 2016. Given its extreme northerly location, Ward Hunt Lake is a potentially sensitive indicator of global warming. The objectives of our limnological studies in Ward Hunt Lake are to determine the structure and functioning of this remote aquatic ecosystem, and to better understand the nature and implications of ongoing change. Our previous work has shown that that loss of ice cover over Ward Hunt Lake could have a major effect on the protist community, with a shift toward mixotrophic chrysophytes that would affect food web processes. Earlier studies showed that microbial mats dominated by cyanobacteria occur across the rocky substratum of the shallow littoral waters of Ward Hunt Lake, and these communities were thought to be restricted to this edge zone. However, our survey of the lake by an underwater video camera in 2014 revealed an unexpectedly luxuriant community of cyanobacterial mats and mosses at the deepest site (10 m) of the lake that had higher taxonomic richness that those in the littoral waters. The shallow waters of Ward Hunt Lake also had extensive accumulations of tube-like structures, likely built by chironomid larvae that could play a key role in carbon flow through the food web. We hypothesized that the littoral zone has different characteristics than the deepest pelagic zone, linked to differences in the ice cover regime. Consistent with this hypothesis, sampling of limnological properties of the lake conducted from 2014 to 2017 showed multiple differences between the two zones. At the ice margin, there was a tendency toward lower values of alkalinity, dissolved inorganic and organic carbon (DIC and DOC), whereas total nitrogen concentration was higher. There was a clear pattern in phytoplankton and zooplankton abundance that was higher in the littoral zone. Contrasts in pigment concentrations were also observed: chlorophylls (a and b) and carotenoids (alloxanthin, ß-ß-carotene and violaxanthin) were less abundant at the ice margin. These lower concentrations could be related to the input of water as the ice cover melts in summer and the flow and mixing of water in the ice-free region of the lake. These observations indicate that despite its extreme location, Ward Hunt Lake contains high standing stocks of benthic organisms, with a diverse community structure and strong inshore-offshore gradients. The discontinuity in limnological properties between the pelagic and littoral zones of Ward Hunt Lake, and other High Arctic Lakes, could change with the ongoing rapid warming in the High Arctic and loss of ice cover, with implications for the spatial organization and functioning of this ecosystem.
An estimation of future temperatures in small lakes of the Labrador-Ungava Peninsula
Bélanger, Claude (1) (Presenter), T. Logan (2), Y. Gratton (1), I. Laurion (1), M. Rautio (3) and A. St-Hilaire (1)
(1) Institut national de la recherche scientifique - Eau, terre, environnement, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Ouranos, Montréal QC, Canada
(3) Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi QC, Canada
This study has for objective to provide an estimation of the climate change-related impacts on the temperature of the water column for the small lakes of the Labrador-Ungava Peninsula and southern Québec, both in terms of potential magnitude and temporal changes on the annual cycle. This is done using a one-dimensional, process-based, lake simulation model (MyLake: Multi-year Lake simulation model) and future climate projections from the Canadian Regional Climate Model (CRCM5). Results are presented for a 0.8-km2 lake with a mean depth of 2.2 m considering the most pessimistic of the RCP scenarios (concentration of greenhouse gas rising throughout the 21st century). The lake model was calibrated using 3.5-year long observations of water temperature and meteorological data at nearby stations. Climatological annual cycles for the reference period (1981-2010) were derived using 30-year long time series from the North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR). The annual cycles for the future horizons (2041-2070 and 2071-2100) were similarly derived using a delta approach, the future meteorological time series provided to the lake model being obtained through modifying the past time series using the monthly averaged differences between simulated past and future time series. The 30-year long simulations were performed at 1156 locations (horizontal resolution of 0.5° in latitude and longitude) and diverse 2D maps were produced from the simulated annual temperature cycles. For the latitudinal zones 45-50°, 50-55° and 55-60°, the average projected increases in maximum heat content between 1981-2010 and 2071-2100 are 24.6, 32.2 and 36.3 %, respectively. Similarly, the increases in average temperature for the 0-5m layer in summer (01 June to 31 August) are 4.8, 5.7 and 6.6 °C, which correspond to increases of 0.54, 0.63 and 0.73 °C decade-1. These are large values by comparison with the global mean observed increase in summer surface temperature reported by O’Reilly et al. (2015), i.e. 0.34 °C decade-1 between 1985 and 2009.
Management of an Arctic wildlife population using scientific and traditional Knowledge: Dall’s sheep in the Northern Richardson Mountains, NWT - YT
Bélanger, Édouard (1) (Presenter) and Gwich’in Renewable Resources Board, Environment and Natural Resources – Government of Northwest Territories, Yukon Government
(1) Gwich’in Renewable Resources Board, Environment and Natural Resources – Government of Northwest Territories, Yukon Government, Canada
“I would like to see our sheep protected. Whatever species live in the Delta, like ducks, the caribou, the moose, the bear, they stay with us all year round, they don’t go south.” -Alfred Francis, Gwich’in Ecological Knowledge Project Interview, 1996, Gwich’in Words About the Land Book. The Northern Richardson Mountains Dall’s sheep population is distributed across 3 jurisdictions: the Gwich’in Settlement Area (NWT), the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (NWT), and the Yukon Territory. This population has great cultural importance for the Gwich’in people, both in harvesting and in spiritual beliefs. Given the importance of Dall’s sheep for the Gwich’in and other Indigenous groups in the region such as Inuvialuit, a monitoring program was started in the 80s. This program includes gathering Traditional Knowledge as well as frequent aerial surveys to estimate population size and trends over time. This information allows the Gwich’in Renewable Resources Board (GRRB) to make decisions using evidence from traditional and scientific knowledge and in accordance with community values. The GRRB was created under the Gwich’in Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement in 1992 and is the main instrument of wildlife, fish and forest management in the Gwich’in settlement Area. In recent years, the GRRB co-operated with Environment and Natural Resources (Government of NWT) and the Yukon Government to conduct aerial surveys of the population. In 2014, survey’s results showed a strong decline in Dall’s sheep number (a record low of 496 individuals) compared to previous years. The GRRB recommended a voluntary closure of beneficiary harvest for this population in accordance with the draft Northern Richardson Mountains Dall’s sheep management plan. However, survey results conducted in 2017 showed an increased in Dall’s sheep numbers from 496 to 647. The GRRB then lifted the voluntary closure recommended in 2014. These management decisions are a good example of co-operation between multiple jurisdictions, and the use of both traditional and scientific knowledge to adopt the best management decision in accordance with community values. In turn, this ensures that wildlife remains healthy and sustainable for present and future generations.
Are phytoplankton blooms of the sub-arctic seas of the North Atlantic controlled by boundary current eddies?
Bélanger, Simon (1) (Presenter), C. Marchese (1), A. Théberge (1), I. Yashayaev (2) and P. Matrai (3)
(1) Université du Québec à Rimouski, BORÉAS & Québec-Océan, Rimouski QC, Canada
(2) Bedford Institue of Oceanography, Darthmouth NS, Canada
(3) Bigelow laboratory for ocean sciences, East Boothbay ME, United States
Phytoplankton blooms in sub-arctic seas of the North Atlantic, i.e. the Labrador, Greenland, Icelandic, Irminger and Norwegian seas, are important features that fuels marine ecosystems higher trophic levels and contribute significantly to the drawdown of atmospheric carbon dioxide. The location and the timing of these blooms can be tracked using satellite ocean color observations. We analysed two decades of ocean color observations (1997-2017) to study the occurrence frequency of high chlorophyll-a concentration (Chla) in the North Polar Atlantic (>55°N) at 4.6-km resolution at a weekly time scale. The occurrence frequency is defined as the percent chance to find Chla above a given threshold at a given location and time of the year. The results show that high Chla (>2 mg m-3) are frequently observed (>50%) from mid-April to the end of June in different locations in the North Atlantic. Interestingly, locations of high occurrence frequency are almost always found along the Greenland slope, starting in mid-April in the Labrador Sea and ending late June in Greenland Sea. The largest phytoplankton bloom is systematically found in the northeast Labrador Sea where fresh Arctic outflow waters are advected from the Greenland shelf to the ocean interior by the actions of boundary current eddies. Outstanding phytoplankton blooms, in terms of both spatial extent and magnitude, occurred in the Labrador spring 2014 and 2015. These exceptional biological events followed two winters characterized by repeated positive North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index that led to intense winter convection events in this region (Yashayaev and Loder, 2016). Satellite-derived eddy kinetic energy (EKE) and high spatial resolution images of Chla and sea surface temperature (SST) revealed anomalous eddy circulation with numerous meso-scale cyclonic eddies that could have pump nutrient-rich waters from below to the euphotic zone. We speculate that eddy activities along the whole Greenland slope, from the Greenland Sea to the Labrador sea, is the main physical driver explaining the interannual and spatial variability of the intensity and extent of phytoplankton blooms in the North Polar Atlantic.
Mining in the Canadian Sub-arctic: Where are the benefits going?
Belayneh, Anteneh (1) (Presenter)
(1) Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
The Raglan and Voisey's Bay mine are important drivers of economic development in Nunavik and Nunatsiavut, respectively. Existing studies and data concerning the economic impacts of extractive industries are concentrated on the impacts either nationally or regionally, and don’t assess the impacts on local business and human development at the community level. This paper analyzes the impacts of the Raglan Mine and the Voisey’s Bay Mine on business and human development in Nunavik and Nunatsiavut respectively. Our study surveyed 96 businesses in both communities close to the mine sites as well as regional hubs, and examined existing employment data sets. This paper examined the level of employment, and especially Inuit employment, in businesses engaged in the supply chain of these major mines. Employment figures at both Raglan and Voisey’s Bay were examined to determine whether local communities benefited from the purported employment opportunities offered by the mining industry. The level of competition between these businesses and the mine for qualified labour was also assessed. The linkages between these mines and patterns of migration in these local communities was explored to determine if a particular stage of mining resulted in the migration of residents in communities close to the mine. Several policy recommendations to ensure that local and regional Inuit businesses and local Inuit employees are more involved in and share the benefits of the mining industry are presented.
Representation of Indigenous peoples in climate change reporting
Belfer, Ella (1) (Presenter), J. D. Ford (1,2) and M. Maillet (1)
(1) McGill University, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Priestley International Centre for Climate, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
This article examines how newspapers reporting on climate change have covered and framed Indigenous peoples. Focusing on 8 newspapers in Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand, we examine articles published from 1995-2015, and analyze them using content and framing analyses. In the articles reviewed, the impacts of climate change are portrayed as having severe ecological, socio-cultural, and health/safety impacts for Indigenous peoples, who are often framed as victims and 'harbingers' of climate change. There is a strong focus on stories reporting on the Arctic, and the ongoing impacts of climate change on Inuit communities are covered by newspapers from all four nations. The lack of substantive discussion of colonialism or marginalization in the reviewed stories limits media portrayal of the structural roots of vulnerability, rendering climate change as a problem for, rather than of society. Indigenous and traditional knowledge is widely discussed, but principally as a means of corroborating scientific knowledge, or in accordance with romanticized portrayals of Indigenous peoples. Widespread disparities in the volume, content, and framing of coverage are also observed across the four nations. Across the articles examined, portrayals of Indigenous suffering, particularly in the Arctic, are used to ‘sell’ the importance of overarching mitigation efforts to the general public, supporting initiatives that do not materially address Indigenous vulnerabilities to climate change.
Shrub-induced modification of the grain size of the surface snow layer in fall and the resulting impact on albedo
Belke-Brea, Maria (1,2,3) (Presenter), M. Barrère (1,2,3,4) and F. Domine (1,2,3)
(1) Département de Géographie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Centre d’Études Nordiques, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Takuvik Joint International Laboratory, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(4) Université Grenoble Alpes and CNRS, LGGE UMR5183, Grenoble, France
The Arctic ground is snow-covered during most of the year and the Arctic radiation budget is therefore largely determined by snow albedo. Pure snow surfaces have a high albedo which varies with snow grain size: larger grains have lower albedo than smaller grains do. However, it is common that surface albedo is reduced by impurities in the snowpack or protruding branches of erect vegetation which absorb more solar radiation. The ongoing shrubification in the Arctic tundra increasingly creates areas of mixed snow-shrub surfaces with lower albedo, an effect commonly known as surface darkening. Furthermore, protruding branches of shrubs are known to trap small wind-blown snow grains, which are expected to modify snow albedo. We conducted grain size measurements at shrub and shrub-free sites and found that the impact of shrubs on grain size is highly dependent on meteorological conditions. During cold and windy weather, grain size of snow around shrubs increased because of the trapping effect of protruding branches. However, when temperatures are close to 0°C shrubs enhance melt-freeze processes in the snowpack, which enlarges snow grains. Next, we used a radiative transfer model (TARTES) to estimate the effect of shrub-induced grain size variation on snow albedo. Model results showed that shrub-induced melt-freeze processes can increase light absorption by snow by 2.5%, whereas the wind-effect can reduce it by 6%. Since the melt-freeze effect works in the same direction as the surface darkening it may contribute to increased snow melting during warm periods. In contrast, the trapping of small grains increases snow albedo which partly compensated the darkening effect. These mitigated results show that in order to correctly evaluate the effect of shrubs on surface albedo, it is necessary to consider both the darkening effect and the impact on snow grain size in different meteorological conditions. These effects need to be implemented in Arctic snow models for reliable projections of the impact of shrub growth on the radiation budget of snow-covered surfaces.
SmartICE: Expanding sea ice monitoring and information services across the Arctic
Bell, Trevor (1) (Presenter) on behalf of the SmartICE team
(1) Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's NL, Canada
SmartICE is the World’s first climate change adaptation tool that integrates on-ice technology, remote sensing and Inuit knowledge to generate near real-time information on landfast sea-ice conditions. It was awarded the Arctic Inspiration Prize in 2016 to replicate and upscale its successful community pilots across the Arctic through a northern social enterprise. Our social enterprise business model commits to maximizing social impact and creating positive community change, while applying an entrepreneurial approach to the delivery of novel sea-ice information services for the public and private sectors. Since receiving the prize, SmartICE has advanced its goals through incorporation as a not-for-profit business, the creation of a business plan, hiring of a business development manager and submission of strategic funding applications. Our plans include the development of a technology production centre in Nain (Nunatsiavut) and an operational and training hub in Pond Inlet (Nunavut). By the start of the 2017-18 ice season we will be operating in an additional five communities using technology upgraded and ruggedized with the additional assistance of CanNor, INAC and LOOKNorth funding. Our expansion is strategically designed to illustrate how SmartICE can enable and support economic activities for communities and industries alike. For example, in collaboration with the Government of Nunavut SmartICE is supporting tourism outfitters in Arctic Bay to identify and implement adaptive actions to mitigate potential negative effects of climate change on their ice-based operations. Through these novel actions, SmartICE is harnessing the vast potential of Inuit youth and inspiring a new generation to embrace knowledge and research as a vehicle for economic development in their communities. In late 2017, the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat selected SmartICE as one of its Momentum for Change Lighthouse Activities. These awards shine a light on some of the most innovative, scalable and replicable examples of what people are doing to address climate change around the World.
Surface energy exchange impacts on recent Hudson Bay Sea-Ice decline
Bello, Richard (1) (Presenter) and K. Higuchi (1)
(1) Climate Change Diagnostics Research Unit, Graduate Program in Geography, York University, Toronto ON, Canada
Using NARR reanalysis data we examine ice degradation on Hudson Bay during an anomaly period characterized by rapid air temperature increases that began in the mid-1900’s. Accelerated ice degradation during this period, characterized by steep decreases in surface albedo (~25%), are highly localized across the Bay and variable seasonally, with a few exceptional locations along the south east coast showing persistent ice declines. Radiative fluxes at the ice surface during the anomaly period (1998-2015), compared to a long-term average (1980-2010), show virtually no change in either the short- or longwave net fluxes in areas where ice is not declining. However, in areas where ice is observed to be disappearing, we see a slight net increase of solar absorption on the order of 5-6 Wm-2, an increased upward flux of longwave radiation from the surface to the atmosphere due to elevated surface temperature and an enhanced downward flux due to increased cloud cover leading to a net enhanced loss of longwave radiation on the order of -20 Wm-2. Over areas where ice is degrading, large enhanced losses of combined sensible and latent heat on the order of 100 Wm-2 are observed compared to long term averages, dynamically correlating with areas of enhanced convective activity. Since there seems to be no evidence of enhanced energy transfers downward from the atmosphere to the upper ice surface during the anomaly period, we believe that the rapidly declining ice concentration along the southeastern coastal areas is due mainly to enhanced heat exchange between the warming water and ice.
Productive areas of the Arctic krill (Thysanoessa raschii) and the Nordic krill (Meganyctiphanes norvegica) in the sub-arctic Gulf of St. Lawrence (Canada) revealed by their physiology and swimming behaviour
Benkort, Déborah (1) (Presenter), S. Plourde (2), D. Lavoie (2) and F. Maps (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Institut Maurice-Lamontagne Pêches et Océans Canada, Mont-Joli QC, Canada
In the rapidly changing Arctic, the warming of the water masses and the receding sea-ice cover will inevitably lead to drastic changes in the dynamics and fate of the planktonic creatures at the base of the marine food web. Krill is an important component of zooplankton communities and it is a crucial element of the high-latitude pelagic marine ecosystems. It forms a hub of matter and energy between planktonic primary producers and the upper food web levels, ranging from fish larvae to marine mammals. Understanding the impacts of the natural variability of physical forcing on krill physiology and population dynamics appears essential to better apprehend the dynamics, evolution and management of Arctic marine ecosystems. To improve our understanding of complex mechanisms underpinning the spatio-temporal dynamics of production and transport of krill within the Gulf of St. Lawrence, a species-specific bio-physical model has been developed for the Arctic krill Thysanoessa raschii and the northern krill Meganyctiphanes norvegica, which dominate the krill biomass of this unique ecosystem. The Gulf of St. Lawrence is the southernmost limit of seasonal sea-ice cover in the North Atlantic, and it is a unique environment where water masses and planktonic species from both the Arctic and the Atlantic meet and thrive. We use in this study an individual-based model (IBM) of krill physiology that implements the critical physiological processes of growth, moulting and reproduction of adults of both species, as a response to environmental forcing, which is coupled in a Lagrangian framework to a high-resolution regional circulation model and an associated NPZD-type biogeochemical model as well. The coupled model takes also into account the krill vertical swimming behaviour, which plays an important role in the physiological processes. We present the first results of the spatio-temporal dynamics of the emergent productive areas from this 3-D coupled model and we provide quantitative estimates of the adults krill biomass for both dominants species in the Gulf of St Lawrence.
A risk-based approach to agriculture in Nunavik
Benoit, Liane (1,2) (Presenter)
(1) Quebec Farmers' Association, Longueil QC, Canada
(2) Benoit & Associates, Wakefield QC, Canada
The Nunavik Agri-food Project aims to develop a risk management tool appropriate to the assessment of all risks and hazards related to the development of commercial agricultural in Nunavik. The history of the region indicates farming has been successfully undertaken at a significant scale at many times in the past, most notably during the post-war period when an experimental farm located in Fort Chimo (across from the present-day community of Kuujjuaq) was run by the Federal Government for more than a decade. The Government's need to bolster the peace-time aviation industry coupled with the low cost of fuel at the time led to a decision in 1956 to mothball all five Arctic Experimental farms and institute instead a transportation system to supply fresh produce, meats, diary and other processed foodstuffs by air from southern Canada to Northern communities. Not only has this system proven vulnerable to poor weather and other vagaries, creating a constant threat of significant food scarcity, but as fuel prices increased it has accelerated the cost of food in the North to several times that of southern prices. This in turn has contributed to poverty, poor nutrition and significant health issues among Northern populations. Further burdened over the last decade by the diminishing accessibility to local sources of protein, mainly caribou, char and other country foods, Inuit are once again looking to farming as a means to supply communities with a healthy and affordable diet. To ensure this is accomplished in an ecologically sound and financially viable manner, significant due diligence must be undertaken to identify and mitigate all possible risks to success. The Arctic agricultural risk-management tool will provide a mechanism to inform and guide this necessary research and assist potential producers in evaluating all potential hazards - environmental, biological, financial etc. - associated with agricultural production in the far North.
Microbial methane cycling in Mackenzie Delta Lakes: Comparing microbial community diversity and activity with environmental parameters
Bergstresser, Mitchell (1) (Presenter), B. Orcutt (2), L. Lesack (1), T. D'Angelo (2), K. Geeves (1), H. McIntosh (3), L. Lapham (4), C.G. Wheat (5), T. Fournier (6), S. Dallimore (7), R. MacLeod (8) and M. Cote (8)
(1) Simon Fraser University, Burnaby BC, Canada
(2) Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Science, East Boothbay ME, United States
(3) University of Maryland (UMCES CBL), Solomons MD, United States
(4) UMCES, Chesapeake Bio. Lab, Solomons MD, United States
(5) Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Watsonville CA, United States
(6) University of Alaska Fairbanks, IMS, Moss Landing CA, United States
(7) Geological Survey of Canada Pacific, Vancouver BC, Canada
(8) Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is also a substantial source of carbon and energy for ecosystems within Arctic lakes. Complex communities of microbes in the water column and sediment in these lakes play an important role in the production and consumption of methane, and ultimately influence the net amount of methane that is released to the atmosphere or cycled through local food webs. Canada’s Western Arctic contains many large and complex lake systems, but research on methane dynamics and microbial communities in the region has been limited. The Mackenzie River Delta in Canada's Northwest Territories, hereafter referred to as The Delta, is the largest river system in Canada, the second largest floodplain system in the circumpolar Arctic region and contributes substantially to the global methane budget. The Delta floodplain contains over 45,000 lakes, mostly small and shallow, which are incredibly productive compared to the surrounding tundra areas. These lakes have varied biogeochemistry and bio-availability of carbon based on their spatial distribution relative to the Mackenzie River and the influence of Spring flooding events, permafrost thaw activity, and macrophyte density. Little is presently known about the microbial communities that drive carbon cycling in the waters and sediments of lakes in the Delta. The microbial communities in these lakes, and the different environmental factors that influence their community composition and functional group activity, have not been studied before. This project characterizes the structure and activity of methane- and carbon-cycling microbial communities in a set of lakes that represent the range of biogeochemical conditions found throughout the Delta by using 16S rRNA gene sequencing data and biogeochemical measurements, taken at key points throughout the winter and open-water period of 2016. Initial results show that seasonal shifts associated with changes in various biogeochemical factors, such as dissolved oxygen, methane, nutrients, carbon concentration and carbon bio-availablity, has an impact on microbial community composition. Our results will help provide proxy measurements, based on biogeochemical conditions found in different lake types and at different times of year, that correlate with microbial community structure and activity. These proxy measurements will make the assessment of microbial activity, and the subsequent impact on methane oxidation and carbon cycling, easier to measure and provide a baseline for future impacts from climate change in the region.
Estimation of ice wedge volume on the Fosheim Peninsula, Ellesmere Island, Canadian High Arctic
Bernard-Grand'Maison, Claire (1) (Presenter), W. Pollard (2) and L. Copland (1)
(1) University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) McGill University, Montréal QC, Canada
This study focuses on improved estimation of ice-wedge ice (IWI) volume on the Fosheim Peninsula, Ellesmere Island, Canadian High Arctic. This area of deep cold continuous permafrost is characterized by a thin active layer (50-70 cm on average) and large amounts of ground ice, making it a key region to study landscape response to climate change. Quantifying ground ice volume on a regional scale is necessary to assess the vulnerability to thaw-induced disturbance and quantify carbon storage and potential release. Ice wedges (IW) are a ubiquitous ground ice landform in the Arctic with high spatial variability. Ulrich et al. (2014) developed a promising GIS-based methodology to estimate IWI volume using minimal field data. IW polygons are delineated on high-resolution (0.5 m/pixel) satellite imagery and, combined with various basic assumption, a 3D subsurface model is used to estimate IWI volume. In this study, we tested two new semi-automated GIS-based delineation techniques (creating Thiessen polygons and mimicking a watershed segmentation algorithm) at four 250m x 250m sites and compared the results to the manual delineation method used by Ulrich et al. (2014). From the corresponding IWI volume calculations at our sites, we estimated IW volume for the entire Fosheim Peninsula and compared the results to a previous small-scale study in the region. We demonstrate that two effective semi-automated IW delineation methods with different strengths yield acceptable IWI volume estimates (with an underestimation on the order of 10%), compared to the volume calculated based on manual delineation. These time-efficient IW delineation techniques, combined with the 3D subsurface model volume calculation developed by Ulrich et al. (2014), validates the potential value of using a GIS to estimate IWI volume on much larger scales where IW polygons are visible on satellite imagery. Using surficial geology data, we estimate that IW are potentially present on 50% of the Fosheim Peninsula surface area (± 3,000km2). Extrapolating our calculated IWI volumes to this area yields an ice equivalent thickness between 10cm and 30cm. However, ground subsidence from IWI melt could go well above 1m when accompanied by thermokarst due to the melting of massive ice causing tremendous disruption of the landscape, affecting drainage, snow distribution, and vegetation. (Reference: Ulrich, M., Grosse, G., Strauss, J., & Schirrmeister, L. (2014). Quantifying Wedge-Ice Volumes in Yedoma and Thermokarst Basin Deposits. Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, 25(3), 151-161.)
The “Red phone”: Rapid response to environmental emergency alerts. An INTERACT Initiative
Bernardova, Alexandra (1) (Presenter), M. Sabacka (1), J. Elster (1) and TV. Callaghan (2,3)
(1) Centre For Polar Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
(2) University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
(3) Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia
INTERACT - International Network for Terrestrial Research and Monitoring in the Arctic is an infrastructure project funded by the EU. Its main objective is to build capacity for identifying, understanding, predicting and responding to diverse environmental changes throughout the wide environmental and land-use envelopes of the Arctic. It encompases a circum Arctic network of 82 terrestrial field bases (and is growing) in Europe, Russia, US and Canada as well as stations in northern Alpine regions. The “Red Phone” is a work package within INTERACT with a main goal to help protect Arctic and global residents from potential environmental emergencies or hazards. The work package is focused on identifying, observing and documenting potential risks and hazards and working with relevant agencies and organisations (such as GEO, Arctic council, SAON, COOPEUS, CLINF, etc) to help response actions. The Red Phone’s main output will be the development of protocols for monitoring of any potential environmental risks and hazards and a subsequent set up of an alert system for Arctic research stations and adjoining territories. The whole project is dependent on efficient networking throughout the Arctic, for which INTERACT provides a great platform with its comprehensive net of research stations where sampling and observations can be carried out simultaneously and in exactly the same way across a wide range of territories and often in remote regions.
Sea-ice research for Arctic resource development and Northern communities at Deception Bay, Nunavik
Bernier, Monique (1,2) (Presenter), V. Gilbert (3), Y. Gauthier (1,2), J. Poulin (1,2), J. Tuniq, (4), S. Dufour-Beauséjour (1,2), A. Wendleder (5), A. Rouleau (6) and M. Barrett (3)
(1) Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Québec QC, Canada
(3) Kativik Regional Goverment, Kuujjuaq QC, Canada
(4) Northern village of Salluit, Salluit QC, Canada
(5) German Aerospace Center (DLR), Munich, Germany
(6) Raglan Mine, a Glencore Company, Laval QC, Canada
There is a scientific consensus concerning climate change in the Arctic and its impact on ice processes. The extent, thickness and volume of sea ice during summer are declining. At the same time, the duration of the ice season is changing. Sea-ice processes have a direct impact on transportation, marine operators, northern communities and ecosystems. The goal of this Deception Bay study is to understand the spatial and temporal variability of the ice cover in relationship with commercial shipping, Inuit safe access to the territory and marine mammal habitat. The objectives of the study are to document the ice cover variability using in-situ data and remote sensing, to characterize the ice processes in the area of the seaport facilities, to identify potentially hazardous conditions for community and industrial infrastructure, and to evaluate the post-implementation mitigation measures related to the pressure of industrial activities on the ice cover at Deception Bay. Kangigsujuaq and Salluit fiords, which are not navigated by ice breakers, are also monitored to act as control sites. To achieve those objectives and to determine the spatial and temporal variability of the ice cover like the freeze-up and break-up dates, hourly photographs from in-situ cameras and satellite images of different sources are analyzed. Historical and new images coming from Landsat 4, 5, 7 and 8, MODIS, Sentinel 1A and 1B and Radarsat-2 and TerraSAR-X satellites cover a period from 1984 to 2016. This dataset has been analyzed to track the ice melting and freezing periods over time. The backscattering signal of Radarsat-2 and TerraSAR-X images is analysed to evaluate the ice and formation processes. In situ data include ice thickness measurements from a Shallow Water Ice Profiler (SWIP) as well as from an Ice Profiling Sonar (IPS) installed underwater beneath the ice breaker routes in Deception Bay. Also, snow cover and sea ice measurements campaigns have been made twice a year in January and in April over the three fjords. Those campaigns are made possible with the expertise of the Inuit guides and their knowledge of the environment. Their advices as ice users oriented the campaigns sampling as well as the images analysis. During the campaigns, activities are held in collaboration with the school in Kangiqsujuaq and Salluit when weather conditions permit. Students work on the ice with the research team and then pursue some analysis in the classroom. The Deception Bay research activities are part of the Safe Passage project, funded by Polar Knowledge Canada, with the support of the Canadian Ice Service. The project also received technical, logistics and financial support from Raglan Mine (a Glencore Company) and the Kativik Regional Government (KRG).
Linking laboratory data with Inuit Knowledge to better understand the ecology of the Arctic zoonotic parasite Trichinella nativa
Bertrand, Philip (1) (Presenter), M. Simard (2), L.M. Martinez-Levasseur (3), V. Lesage (2), M. Hammill (2), S. Suppa (4), G. Burness (3) and C. Furgal (3)
(1) Canada Research Chair in Conservation of Northern Ecosystems and Centre d’études nordiques, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(2) Maurice-Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans, Ste-Flavie QC, Canada
(3) Department of Biology, Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
(4) Nunavik Research Centre, Makivik Corporation, Kuujjuaq QC, Canada
Transmission of Trichinella nativa, a parasitic nematode, involves the ingestion of infective encysted T. nativa larvae mainly through predation or scavenging of infected animals. Due to larvae capacity to tolerate freezing conditions, T. nativa is present in the Arctic and has been found in various marine mammal species including polar bears (Ursus maritimus), Atlantic walruses (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) and ringed seals (Pusa hispida). Outbreaks of trichinellosis occurred in the mid-1980s in Inuit communities of Nunavik, Quebec, Canada. As a result, the Nunavik Trichinellosis Prevention Program was created in 1997 to try to prevent other trichinellosis outbreaks in the region. Our study aimed to better understand the ecology of this Arctic zoonotic parasite, by combining Inuit Knowledge (IK) and laboratory analyses including T. nativa detection and stable isotopes quantification. We tested the prevalence of T. nativa in 755 Atlantic walruses, 97 polar bears and 28 ringed seals, among which data on stable isotopes were obtained for 165 individuals. In parallel, 33 local walrus Inuit hunters and Elders were interviewed. Our objectives were to (1) define the prevalence of T. nativa (proportion of infected individuals) in the three species (2) identify which variables amongst sex, age and stock explain the prevalence of T. nativa in Atlantic walruses and polar bears; (3) investigate the relationship between isotopic signatures and contamination; and (4) understand through IK the feeding habits of Atlantic walruses around Nunavik. While none of the ringed seals were infected with T. nativa, approximately half of polar bears and nearly 3% of Atlantic walruses were infected, which concord with previous findings for Nunavik and other observations across the Arctic. No difference in T. nativa prevalence was observed among sexes nor age classes in Atlantic walruses and polar bears. Analyses revealed however an important spatial heterogeneity of T. nativa prevalence between Hudson Bay and Hudson Strait. Interestingly, no difference in walrus feeding behaviour between the two areas were reported by Inuit hunters. Although different isotopic signatures occur between the two areas, contaminated walruses did not present a different isotopic signature than non-contaminated ones within the same geographic area. Although more analyses are needed, it is tempting to say that contaminated and non-contaminated individuals are eating at the same trophic level. This study highlights the importance of regional ecological processes driving the prevalence of T. nativa in marine mammals from Nunavik and serves as a research ground for future studies investigating T. nativa ecology in harvested species in Nunavik.
Learning from and sharing with the native North: The case of the Urban Design and Housing Studio, McGill School of Architecture
Bhatt, Vikram (1) and Giacomo Valzania (1) (Presenter)
(1) McGill University, Montréal QC, Canada
The region of Nunavik and the Inuit settlements were considered from a broad cultural and geographical context by the post-graduate Urban Design and Housing candidates (Fall 2016) at McGill University. More specifically, the village of Kuujjuarapik/Whapmagoostui was identified for research and urban design projects. Three interconnected phases structured the learning experience: in the first phase, scholars and experts shared their knowledge of Nunavik and Inuit culture, considered through different lenses (i.e. planning, architecture, sociology, health and economy). In the second phase, the village of Kuujjuarapik/Whapmagoostui was analyzed; material from the existing archives, information provided by the municipal council and the Kativik Regional Government were our principal sources plus the active involvement of one village representative. In collaboration with students and local partners’ strategies to address the village's most severe issues were developed; questions such as overcrowding, housing shortage and development constrains of infrastructure and land became evident. The proposals were elaborated with awareness about the present and future impacts of climate change. Phase three comprised a five-day-long fieldwork in the community. The visit offered the chance to meet the local population, record its major concerns and encourage future visions. The previous theoretical knowledge and designs were expanded by the direct study of the village, including a complete catalogue of the building stock, and the comprehensive documentation of its surrounding landscape. A discussion of the projects with Kuujjuarapik municipal council helped clarify the most critical challenges of housing and planning. The Studio work was further refined and collated into a report, entitled Northern Urbanism: the case of Kuujjuarapik/Whapmagoostui. Such critical achievement will further a constructive dialogue between the community and the formal authorities responsible for its development. This final step will close the sharing loop, often missing, in Northern learning. The challenge of involving young design professionals in Northern urban studies – increasing their awareness about questions from parallel disciplines – motivated a reflection on how such time-compressed educational experience could be organized and what should be its critical elements. For most southern students, the North is a far and unexplored terrain; its urgent and long-term trials are generally unknown; and even the study of one of its remote villages is, per se, an inevitably demanding and incomplete undertaking. Nonetheless, the transmission of accumulated knowledge on the topic maintains two major potentials: first, is to diffuse awareness of the Arctic and its issues as a global problem, reaching well beyond local and national boundaries, and its interpretation as just a region or a country specific issue. Second, it can obtain concrete contributions from the young professionals, whose decontextualized perspectives, questioning and dialogue with the community, can produce innovative results with a potential with lasting effect.
Development of a small peatland linked to slope dynamics at Wiyasakami Lake (Nunavik)
Bhiry, Najat (1) (Presenter), M. Bourgon-Desroches (1), S. Auger (1) and A. Decaulne (2)
(1) CEN, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) UMR-6554 CNRS, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France
Lac à l’Eau-Claire (Wiyasakami in Cree) has a diameter of approximately 30 km and contains an inner ring of islands. The largest of these include Lepage, Aux Foreurs and Atkinson islands. The north-facing slopes of these islands display a large range of gravity processes. A recent geomorphological study investigated a slope on Lepage island (Caribou slope) (Decaulne et al. Submitted). Debris-flow landforms are visible downslope and a small peatland is located close to the beach about 2 km from the slope. The peatland receives runoff directly from Caribou slope (Figure 1) and its catchment. This study reveals that the slope has been exposed to gravity processes since the deglaciation of the region at approximately 6000 yr BP. It has also been shown that present-day processes remain active (to a limited extent) and there is a constant redistribution of debris over the talus. The objective of our study was to detect evidence of gravity processes in the peatland since its establishment and to connect the periods of intense slope activities with climate patterns or weather conditions. To reach this objective, we used a palaeoecological approach. Studies of proxy archives and environmental reconstructions provide extensive evidence of eco-climatic variations in Arctic and Subarctic regions (AICA 2005). A 200 cm long core was extracted from the middle of the peatland. Loss-on-ignition (LOI) and macrofossil analyses were performed at 2 cm intervals on this core following the protocol outlined by Bhiry and Filion (2001). Several organic samples were dated with accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) at CEN’s laboratory and at the Keck Laboratory, University of California, Irvine (UL-KIU). Dates were calibrated using the Calib 7.1 program (Stuiver et al., 2011). Our preliminary results indicate that peat began to accumulate over the sandy-gravelly sediments at 4900 cal yr BP. Larix Laricina, Carex aquatilis and Carex rostrata were present at this time until 4660 cal yr BP, at which point these taxa were replaced by aquatic taxa such as Daphnia and Hippuris vulgaris. The percentage of mineral sediments (sand) remained high during this period, which could be linked to slope activity. After 4660 cal yr BP, sandy sediments diminished while episodes of aquatic conditions occurred on at least three occasions. Peatland evolution at this site was affected by fire and by permafrost establishment and expansion.
The EU Arctic Cluster – Implementing the European Arctic Policy and fostering international cooperation
Biebow, Nicole (1) (Presenter) and members of the EU Arctic Cluster
(1) Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
In April 2016, the European Commission (EC) and the High Representative published an integrated European Union policy for the Arctic, outlining the European Union’s interest in playing a key role in the region. With this strategy, the European Commission identified three priority areas: Climate change and safeguarding the Arctic Environment; Sustainable Development in and around the Arctic; and International Cooperation on Arctic Issues. In addressing these areas, the EU states its intent to attach particular importance to research, science and innovation and as such to continue to function as a major contributor to and funder of Arctic research. As a result of this intention, the EC is investing in a broad package of Arctic research activities in Horizon 2020, which are called the EU Arctic Cluster. All projects belonging to this cluster contribute with societal relevant knowledge, which enables informed decision making within the framework of the European Arctic Policy and operate in close cooperation with international partners. The EU Arctic Cluster comprises seven projects. EU-PolarNet, which as a coordination and support action supports the EC in all questions related to Polar issues and will develop a European Polar Research Programme co-designed with all relevant stakeholders. ICE-ARC, which looks into the current and future changes in Arctic sea ice – both from changing atmospheric and oceanic conditions. The project also investigates the consequences of these changes on the local and global economy, and their social impacts on for example indigenous peoples. Furthermore, four large research projects focussing on developing an integrated Arctic Observing system (INTAROS), on the effects of Arctic change on lower latitudes (APPLICATE and Blue Action) and on the effects of climate change on Arctic permafrost (Nunataryuk).The Arctic Cluster is completed by two infrastructure projects that offers transnational access to the Arctic; the International Network for Terrestrial Research and Monitoring in the Arctic (INTERACT), a network of 82 terrestrial field bases in all Arctic countries as well as in adjacent high alpine areas and the Arctic Research ICEbreaker Consortium (ARICE) which aims at providing the Arctic research community with better research icebreaker capacities for the Arctic and will offer trans-national access to six research icebreakers working in the ice covered Arctic Ocean.
Development of data processing algorithms for portable technologies to measure movement quality and muscle fatigue in Northern populations and workers: a pilot study
Bielmann, Mathieu (1,2) (Presenter), J.S. Roy (1,2) and L.J. Bouyer (1,2)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration (CIRRIS), Québec QC, Canada
BACKGROUND. Current transformation of the North caused by global warming is leading to a rapid development and diversification of human activity. With these rapid changes occurring in challenging and less known environments, safety and health of northern populations represent areas of concern. In addition, in the North, health care services are limited which may increase the probability of developing physical and mental health disorders, with a potentially important impact on the individual and their society. In order to limit the development of these health issues, prevention interventions specific for the northern populations have to be established. Regarding physical disorders, muscle fatigue, awkward posture, and repetitive movement have been identified as important risk factors for the development of musculoskeletal disorders. Our general hypothesis is that continuous monitoring during activities of daily living (including the workplace) with portable technologies to measure movement quality and muscle fatigue would be an effective means to help reducing such risks. Few portable data acquisition systems currently allow continuous recording of muscular effort and related movements. Furthermore, the reliable detection of fatigue during complex movements is very challenging and few data processing methods have been validated to date. The objective of the current study is to adapt quantitative laboratory tools to measure the development of muscle fatigue and motor incoordination. More specifically, this work focussed on 2 indicators, a drop in Median Frequency of surface electromyography and a drop in movement pattern coherence, as means of measuring muscle fatigue/movement quality in real time during actual movement (gait). METHODS. Two instrumented 6-minute walk tests (wireless sensors, 30 participants) were performed before and after completing a muscle fatigue protocol consisting of repetitive contractions of ankle muscles to the pace of a metronome. Muscle fatigue was quantified by a decrease in the median frequency of the power spectrum of electromyographic activity (EMG) in the tibialis anterior and the triceps surae muscles. The kinematic walking pattern degradation was measured using an algorithm of cross correlation between a template of joint angular excursion created from the initial 20 strides and compared to all subsequent walking cycle. RESULTS. A significant drop in median frequency (27 ± 11%; p<0.05) post fatigue exercise was observed only in the fatigued muscle, indicating the presence of muscle fatigue. In addition, a significant degradation of the kinematic walking pattern was observed post fatigue (cross-correlation reduction of 5%; p<0.05). DISCUSSION. Adaptation of simple methods, such as EMG median frequency drop and kinematic walking pattern characterization can be an efficient approach for “out of the laboratory” muscular effort and changes in movement measurement. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. This work was supported by Sentinel North.
Pelagic-benthic coupling on the Laptev Sea continental slope between two contrasting years (1993 and 2012)
Bienhold, Christina (1,2) (Presenter), F. Wenzhöfer (1,2), V. Schourup-Kristensen (1), E.-M. Nöthig (1), T. Krumpen (1) and A. Boetius (1,2)
(1) Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
(2) Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
The Laptev Sea plays an important role for sea ice formation in the Arctic Ocean, but very little is known about the biodiversity and ecosystem structure in this region. Sea ice dynamics in the Laptev Sea have undergone dramatic changes in the past decades, with negative trends in ice area and earlier ice retreat in summer. This in turn has led to increases in primary production observed by satellite measurements, which may result in higher carbon export fluxes from the surface to the seafloor. The effects of these changes on ecosystem structure and pelagic-benthic coupling are largely unknown. Here we investigated differences between benthic stations down the Laptev Sea continental slope (60-3400 m water depth) sampled two decades apart. Our results suggest that environmental changes in the past two decades have led to a substantial increase in phytodetritus availability at the seafloor along the entire transect, which is in contrast to hypotheses suggesting a decrease in carbon flux to the seabed as a potential result of increased zooplankton grazing in the water column. Bacterial communities play an essential role in carbon and nutrient cycling at the seafloor, and we therefore specifically investigated changes in their biomass, community structure and activity. While bacterial abundances (biomass) and overall community structure showed no systematic changes between the two years, extracellular enzymatic activities and to some extent also oxygen uptake had increased as a result of higher food availability. This indicates a direct effect of sea ice retreat and changes in primary production on the function of benthic microbial communities. Although the increase in bacterial community activity is not reflected in an increase of benthic bacterial standing stock, the response of larger benthic size classes remains unknown and would require additional comparative surveys. This study carried out in the framework of the ERC project ABYSS (no. 294757) reveals a close coupling between pelagic and benthic ecosystem processes in a region dramatically influenced by global change over a time frame of two decades.
Incidental seabird Bycatch in the Baffin Bay - Davis strait region
Black, Amie (1) (Presenter), C. Anderson (2), J. Provencher (2), S. Iverson (2), A. Hedd (3), F. Merkel (4) and M. Mallory (2)
(1) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) Acadia University, Wolfville NS, Canada
(3) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Mt. Pearl NF, Canada
(4) Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
The Arctic Migratory Birds Initiative (AMBI): protecting Arctic lifestyles and peoples through migratory bird conservation, is an Arctic Council initiative designed to improve the status and secure the long-term sustainability of Arctic breeding bird populations throughout their migratory range by establishing large-scale working groups organized around four flyways. One of the main objectives under the Circumpolar Flyway is to better understand the impacts of fishing activities on seabird populations in the Circumpolar region. Within Canada, activities under this objective have centred around understanding the current and projected impact of the growing Greenland Halibut gillnet fishery on populations of seabirds breeding in colonies in Baffin Bay and Davis Strait. We used a population viability analysis to explore how different variables, including unknowns and assumptions in the dataset, may influence the model outcomes. The range of seabird mortality rates used in the models is used to assess current impacts of fisheries bycatch on Northern Fulmar populations, as well as to better understand at which thresholds bycatch may have implications for these populations at a variety of spatial scales.
Vagabond, nomadic house (imagination + construction + experience)
Blais, Myriam (1) (Presenter)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
The recent sedentarization of Nunavik’s Inuit communities is addressed through an understanding of the nomadic ideal that has characterized – and still does – their relationship to their land and dwelling territories. By tackling the housing crisis mainly in a qualitative manner, we aimed at developing a variety of new possibilities. The idea of the nomadic, vagabond house is thus at the heart of the studio work done by architecture Masters students, at various scales and for different occasions. The studio aimed at re-inventing challenges that are taken for granted. Two main questions emerged [How to live in an arctic environment? How to build in an arctic environment?], which prompted students to “imagine” the ideal “experience” that culturally appropriate housing projects should offer, and to devise relevant and sustainable design and construction methods to achieve it. Design hypotheses implied that: 1) architecture produces the physical frameworks that allow dwelling; 2) dwelling, as fact and as aspiration, articulates various relationships between architecture and reality; 3) the architect's task consists in inventing opportunities for dwelling, in building them. In such context, the studio developed along a three-step sequence which offered a kind of itinerary for the students’ inquiries and architectural projects.: • Imagination + Construction. This first step invited students to “reinvent” design challenges for Northern dwellings, culturally and territorially appropriate for Inuit populations (the “vagabond” attitude of the studio), while revisiting their own preconceptions about the North and Inuit communities. They had to imagine the ideal experience that Inuit dwelling should offer, identify the project’s type and characteristics, and specify the most relevant and promising opportunities for construction development (in terms of systems, processes and materials). • Construction + Experience. This step aimed at materializing design intentions through the study and development of construction systems that are appropriate to the climatic and cultural contexts of Nunavik. The synthesis of the entire design approach has been carried out, considering that the project experience is the result of an eloquent conciliation of imagination and construction. • Atlas – illustrated travelers’ stories (Imagination + Construction + Experience). As a critical synthesis, this step anticipates on the reality and the realization of the housing projects. Illustrated scenarios of implementation of projects were produced that judiciously (and as much as possible) mobilized local resources (be they human, material, or natural). This communication will present a few of those new itineraries for contemporary Inuit dwellings.
Mapping species distribution in the North
Blanchet, F. Guillaume (1) (Presenter), S. Vissault (1), P. Ropars (2), N. Casajus (2), D. Berteaux (2) and D. Gravel (1)
(1) Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke QC, Canada
(2) Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
Having even a rough idea of where species can be found in northern territories is essential for performing both fundamental and applied science, but also for land management and conservation. It is also essential to understand where species are distributed because with this information we cannot only get a deeper understanding of where these species are currently found, but also project where they could potentially be in the future following global changes. Traditionally, the distributions of species have been defined by expert maps, describing large body of lands where a species is expected to be found. Although these maps represent a good start in understanding where a species can, or cannot, be found, they paint in coarse stroke the whereabouts of a species and rarely consider a species' ecological niche. A way forward is to include, in addition to the expert maps, fine scale resolution data that would also account for species ecological niche and thus obtain a more refine picture of where species are found. However, in an area as broad as northern Québec where large regions are rarely visited, it is impossible to obtain high quality data where presences and absences of species have been recorded. As such, we need to rely on other kinds of information to obtain fine scale resolution needed to more accurately describe species distribution. In recent years, there has been an increased centralization and digitalization of biological and ecological data gathered from, e.g., museums and citizen science studies. Although many of these data do not bare the rigour typical of classical scientific studies, for remote areas they are often the only data available to know where and when an individual of a species was recorded. In ecology, these data are usually referred to as presence-only data because only information on where an individual of a species was found is available and no information is available on where a species is absent. Recent statistical developments allow us to efficiently combined expert maps and presence-only data to refine our understanding of where species are located in areas where few data are available. In this study, we will build an atlas of species for Québec based on the most recent data digitally available. Using this atlas, we will be able not only to highlight the whereabouts of different species in northern Québec, but also to highlight regions where sampling effort would be essential to gather a more precise picture of where species are distributed. To make this atlas, we will rely on openly available data from local and international sources (e.g. global biodiversity information facility). The main result of this project will be distributed in the form of a website where the distribution maps we constructed will be made available. Because the data used to construct these maps are regularly updated through (recheck and correction) and enhance (from additions by museums and citizens), the model will be regularly and automatically updated to make sure the atlas represent the most current information available.
Essential results from a 10-Year research on aerosols, polar clouds, precipitation, and radiation interactions
Blanchet, Jean-Pierre (1) (Presenter), É. Girard (1), Q. Libois (2), L. Pelletier (1), P. Gauthier (1), L. Coursol (1), J. Abbatt (3), K. Strong (3), F. Châteauneuf (4) and C. Proulx (4)
(1) Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Météo-France, Toulouse, France
(3) University of Toronto, Toronto ON, Canada
(4) Institut National d’Optique (INO), Québec QC, Canada
The Arctic climate is highly sensitive to atmospheric water vapour and clouds through the radiation balance. During the cold season, long-range transport of particulates and gaseous precursors is responsible for the Arctic Haze with substantial influences from mid latitudes emissions. We have found a key link between thin ice clouds (TIC) formation and nucleation processes induced by sulfuric acid aerosols from natural and anthropogenic origins. Satellite instruments, cloud radar (CloudSat) and lidar (CALIPSO) launch prior to the IPY-2007 has been operating for more than a decade, producing massive data on aerosol, clouds and light precipitation. Models have simulated processes involved in Arctic climate response supporting the hypothesis of dehydration greenhouse feedback (DGF) responsible for the enhancement of cold anomalies in the polar vortex. In recent years, a collaboration between universities and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), INO, NETCARE, PAHA and AVATARS initiatives have permitted to develop a new instrument for observing in greater details the atmospheric water budget from far IR radiometry. A two aircraft polar campaign (NETCARE) and a ground validation experiment at Eureka (PAHA) have supported the development of new technology (INO) in the preparation of a dedicated satellite project (TICFIRE). Currently, during the Year of Polar Prediction (YOPP), research is increasingly oriented toward understanding atmospheric water processes, improving weather forecasting, climate simulations and monitoring of the Arctic. In this presentation, we will summarize the essential results obtained during last decade and the ongoing research.
BOAZU. A sameby-driven research project investigating the cumulative impacts of environmental and social change on reindeer herding and the future for Saami youth
Blangy, Sylvie (1) (Presenter), J.E. Länta (2) and R. Länta (2)
(1) CEFE, CNRS, UMR 5175, Montpellier, France
(2) Jåhkågaska tjiellde Sameby, Sweden
Reindeer herders today face many challenges, including climate change (resulting in later springs and colder summers), high rates of predation on young calves, and restricted access to land due to increased encroachment (by mining, wind farms, hydroelectric dams and tourism). Given these concerns about their future, they wish to better understand how the cumulative effects of these changes are currently affecting the reindeer-herding economy and lifestyle, the land, as well as their future impact on Saami reindeer-herder culture and language. When they finish school, young Saami students have to make choices based on what they believe the future holds. Would their best prospects be in mining, tourism, or other jobs combined with reindeer herding? To address these issues, an initial research project was drafted in July 2017 during a series of workshops with the Jåkkåkaska sSameby at the reindeer-marking camp in Arasluokta. The project, aimed at exploring options and possible future scenarios, is being led by Sameby members and students at the Saami school in Jokkmok, working with a team of researchers from universities in Sweden, Norway, Finland and France. In this way, Saami schools, Sameby members and academics are joining forces to develop an integrated, interdisciplinary, collaborative participatory-action research program to explore the issues and priorities and develop an action plan. This approach brings together local expertise and scientific knowledge in order to better understand the magnitude of changes, to analyze their impacts, and to envision the scenarios for the future. The Saami of Sapmi seek an overall view of the changes taking place rather than dealing with one question at a time.
TUKISIK (OHMI-Nunavik): Understanding together the socio-ecological system in Nunavik
Blangy, Sylvie (3,2) (Presenter) and Bernier, Monique (1,2) (Presenter), N. Bhiry (4,2) and J.-P. Dedieu (5,2)
(1) Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Québec, QC, Canada
(2) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Québec QC, Canada
(3) CEFE-CNRS, Montpellier, France
(4) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(5) Université Grenobles-Alpes, Grenoble, France
Adjusting to global climate and socio-environmental change has become a major issue for societies, especially in the Arctic. The Arctic is one of the most rapidly changing regions on the planet and Inuit communities are thus facing many challenges. Inuit are concerned about their future and wish to better understand the changes currently underway. In 2013, an OHMI (Human Environment Observatory), a multidisciplinary research program was designed in collaboration with northern communities and developed in this region. This six year research program aims to study the cumulative impact of global climate and socio-environmental changes and to help in developing adaptation measures for improving the wellbeing of Inuit communities. The OHMI-Nunavik is a scientific collaboration between the Kativik Regional Government (KRG), the Nunavik Research Centre (Makivik Corporation), the inter-institutional Centre d’études nordiques (CEN) (based in Quebec City) and several research institutions in France coordinated by CNRS. A team of academics and local Inuit partners joined forces to develop an integrated, interdisciplinary, collaborative, and participatory research program. The OHMI team named the research program “TUKISIK”, which stands for “understanding together” in Inuktitut. The OHMI-Nunavik program integrates local knowledge and expertise during the initiation and planning of the research, in the co-production of the science and in the dissemination. The research program is actually covering those research priorities: capacity-building; circumpolar agriculture and food security; health and wellbeing; Inuit culture, language and identity preservation; natural hazards and risks; protected areas; renewable energies; water quality and wildlife vulnerability; and youth-elder knowledge transmission. This presentation addresses, among other things, the reasons for the program TUKISIK, the scientific and social scope of the projects that it incorporates, the new collaborations and the expertise that are developed through the program.
Identifying capelin life-history traits, spawning tactics and inter-annual variability through implementation of an observer network and integration of Indigenous Knowledge and Local Ecological Knowledge with Western Scientific Knowledge: A Labrador and Québec Lower North Shore case study
Boaler, Chelsea (1) (Presenter), M. Clément (1,2), G. Murray (3), L. Bernatchez (4), P. Sirois (5), F. Mowbray (6), M. Castonguay (7), T. Broomfield (8) and P. Nash (9)
(1) Centre for Fisheries Ecosystems Research, Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University, St. John’s NL, Canada
(2) Labrador Institute of Memorial University, Happy Valley-Goose Bay NL, Canada
(3) Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort NC, United States
(4) Département de Biologie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(5) Département des sciences fondamentales, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Saguenay QC, Canada
(6) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John’s NL, Canada
(7) Institut Maurice-Lamontagne, Pêches et Océans Canada, Mont-Joli QC, Canada
(8) Nunatsiavut Government, Lands and Natural Resources, Makkovik NL, Canada
(9) NunatuKavut Community Council, Natural Resources and Environment, Happy Valley-Goose Bay NL, Canada
Capelin (Mallotus villosus) is an important forage fish species for piscivorous predators such as seabirds, fish, and mammals in North Atlantic and Arctic waters. It is clear that this species holds subsistence, commercial, and intrinsic value within the waters it occupies. In recent years, there has been a noticeable inter-annual variability in spawning timing, locations, and tactics. For example, schools are no longer appearing in areas where capelin traditionally spawned on beaches, or in some cases, have been observed spawning in deeper waters. Additionally, two spawning periods have been observed in Northern Labrador. The first spawning period occurs in mid-to-end of June and coincides with spawning timing in southern Nunavut waters. The second spawning period occurs in July to early August and coincides with the spawning sequence occurring on the Quebec Lower North Shore, moving northward along Labrador’s coast. These observations could support the hypothesis of a mixing zone between the North Atlantic and Arctic stocks in the Labrador Sea, where the overlap in spawning regions in early- and late-summer is being observed. An alternative hypothesis, as observed in Newfoundland, is that delayed spawning and number of runs is attributed to shifts in age-spread within the spawning population. Genetic and phenotype analysis of comparative samples from the Labrador Sea will distinguish such populations, should they exist, and such analyses are currently being conducted to identify capelin stock structure and local adaptations over its entire North Atlantic distribution range. Although the genomic and phenotypic data collection for this initiative has been ongoing since 2015, the current objective of integrating Indigenous Knowledge (IK) and Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) with Western Scientific Knowledge (WSK) has only recently begun. Through semi-structured interviews involving fishers and elders, and community outreach and citizen science initiatives, an observer network will be implemented within a case study area located in Labrador and along the Quebec Lower North Shore. The outcomes of this project are to: (1) Describe capelin life-history traits related to spawning and inter-annual spawning variability; (2) Identify beach and demersal spawning habitats; and, (3) Thoroughly answer questions through purposeful integration of knowledge-types and data sources (e.g., Determine if capelin stocks identified using genetic and phenotype analysis are showing distinct life-history traits as observed by fishers and elders). The results from this project will lead to further research opportunities, including guiding acoustic surveying by identifying key habitats through the observer network.
A 20-year record (1998-2017) of permafrost, active layer, and meteorological conditions at a High Arctic permafrost research site (Bayelva, Spitsbergen): An opportunity to validate remote sensing data and land surface, snow, and permafrost models
Boike, Julia (1,2) (Presenter), I. Juszak (1), S. Lange (1), S. Chadburn (3,4), E. Burke (5), P. Overduin (1), K. Roth (6), O. Ippisch (7), N. Bornemann (1), L. Stern (6), I. Gouttevin (8,9), E. Hauber (10) and S. Westermann (11)
(1) Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Telegrafenberg A43, Potsdam, Germany
(2) Geography Department Humboldt-University, Unter den Linden 6, Berlin, Germany
(3) University of Leeds, School of Earth and Environment, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
(4) University of Exeter, College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical sciences, Exeter EX4 4QF, United Kingdom
(5) Met Office Hadley Centre, FitzRoy Road, Exeter EX1 3PB, United Kingdom
(6) Institute of Environmental Physics, INF 229, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
(7) Institute for Mathematics, Erzstr. 1,Erzstr. 1, Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany
(8) Irstea, UR HHLY, centre de Lyon-Villeurbanne, 5 rue de la Doua, BP 32108, Villeurbanne Cedex, France
(9) Université Grenoble Alpes, Irstea, UR ETGR, Centre de Grenoble, 2 rue de la Papeterie-BP 76, St-Martin-d'Hères, France
(10) Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Rutherfordstr. 2, Berlin, Germany
(11) Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1047, Blindern, Oslo, Norway
Most permafrost is located in the Arctic, and in total it contains around 600Gt of frozen organic carbon. This represents several times the remaining budget for anthropogenic emissions if we are to limit global warming below 2ºC, and this carbon could have a significant impact on global climate if it is released to the atmosphere following permafrost thaw. At present, the Arctic climate is changing much more rapidly than the rest of the globe, and yet observational data density in the region is low. The positive feedback between climate warming and permafrost carbon emissions depends on changing land-atmosphere energy and mass exchanges. There is thus a great need to understand links between the energy balance, which can vary rapidly over hourly to annual time scales, and permafrost, which changes slowly over long time periods. This understanding mandates long-term observational data sets. There is also a need to realistically incorporate permafrost into global modelling frameworks such as Earth System Models. Evaluating and parameterising these process-based models especially requires simultaneous measurements of interacting variables. Here we present an example of such a long-term data set, from the Bayelva Site at Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, where meteorology, energy balance components and subsurface observations have been made for the last 20 years. Additional data include a high resolution digital elevation model and a panchromatic image. This paper presents the data set produced so far, explains instrumentation, calibration, processing and data quality control, as well as the sources for various resulting data sets. The resulting data set is unique in the Arctic and serves a baseline for future studies. Since the data provide observations of temporally variable parameters that mitigate energy fluxes between permafrost and atmosphere, such as snow depth and soil moisture content, they are suitable for use in integrating, calibrating and testing permafrost as a component in Earth System Models. The data set also includes a high resolution digital elevation model that can be used together with the snow physical information for snow pack modeling. The data show that mean annual, summer and winter soil temperature data from shallow to deeper depths have been warming over the period of record, indicating the degradation of permafrost at this site. This site is one of only a handful of permafrost sites where long-term automatic monitoring has taken place and data are accessible. There is a great need for continuous monitoring at more sites, to span the full range of permafrost conditions. Monitoring is often limited by scientific project funding, typically lasting only 3 or 4 years. This will continue to present a challenge unless there is investment by governments to operationalise these networks.
Emerging coasts of the northwestern Nunavik: characterization, evolution model and implications
Boisson, Antoine (1) (Presenter) and M. Allard (1)
(1) Centre d'études nordiques, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Although several studies have provided descriptions and interpretations pertaining to emergent coastal regions in the Canadian Arctic and Subarctic, the very long coastline of Nunavik (northern Québec), with its variety of morphologic and sedimentary environments has been so far poorly documented. Our study focused on the northwestern coast of Nunavik between the Inuit communities of Inukjuak and Ivujivik. We mapped and interpreted the shoreline processes of that region from geotagged shoreline videography and photography collected by helicopter in the summer of 2015. In total, 12 hours of videography and 6,500 photographs were taken along this coastline. These data were also used to segment and classify the coast. This presentation reviews how this coastal region was formed and how it evolved during postglacial land emergence, i.e. during the transition from submarine to raised landforms and sediments. This arctic/subarctic and periglacial coastline of about 2330 km is very sinuous and composed of more than one thousand islands and by emerging glacial and fluvioglacial landforms of various sizes and shapes such as De Geer moraines, eskers and drumlinoid ridges. The generally leveled bedrock surface is a peneplain that slopes gently under the waters of Hudson Bay. The bedrock surface is thinly mantled by glaciogenic materials and by postglacial marine sediments deposited by the Tyrrell Sea. The region lies within the east Hudson Bay glacio-isostatic uplift zone, with current emergence rates between 7.9 and 13 mm/yr. Therefore, the glacial and postglacial sediments are reworked by coastal processes as fast as they emerge. Wave erosion, shore drifting and sedimentation transform original glacial landforms into transverse spits, tombolos, dunes, barriers, beaches and tidal flats. An emerging “gridded pattern” of De Geer moraines, drumlinoid ridges, eskers, and inter-moraine depressions structures the coastal system into short beaches and spits, tombolos, small bays and pocket coastal marshes. Once raised above the reach of storm surges, the shoreline landscape evolves into a maze of low tundra ridges, wetlands and lakes, which is the end-result of the rapid shoreline regression. Exposure to the cold climate allows for the inception and expansion of permafrost in the rising sediments, and periglacial features such as frostboils and ice-wedge polygons appear in the tundra landscape. The current tundra and pond ecosystem is, therefore, a product of the action of coastal morpho-sedimentary processes under the post-glacial uplift regime. A model of coastal evolution spanning from original below water glacial landforms to the final tundra landscape is proposed. Although these coasts are morphologically similar to some emergent coastlines of the Gulf of Bothnia, they are unique due to the presence and aggradation of permafrost at intertidal and supratidal levels. Finally, coastal risks (e.g. storm surges, ice pushes) and several implications of coastal change (e.g. maritime and communication infrastructure, geopolitical issues) are discussed.
Phytoplankton biomass and production in a changing Arctic: contrasting summers of 2013, 2014 and 2016
Boivin-Rioux, Aude (1) (Presenter), M. Gosselin (1) and J. Charette (1)
(1) Institut des sciences de la mer de l’Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFAs Arctic surface waters are becoming fresher and warmer, it is expected that the water column’s vertical stratification will intensify, therefore limiting nutrient input to the euphotic zone. These changing conditions could in turn limit the growth of large phytoplankton cells in favor of smaller cells, which contribute less to carbon export to depth. However, northwards shift of the ice edge will enhance light availability for new phytoplankton blooms. In an attempt to understand how changing ice conditions, light availability and nutrient supply have influenced phytoplankton production and biomass in the eastern Canadian High Arctic (77-82°N, 60-90°W), we contrasted three years of summer data (2013, 2014 and 2016) collected during ArcticNet expeditions aboard the CCGS Amundsen. These three years were characterized by a very low sea-ice coverage throughout the sampling region. Total primary production varied widely over the course of the study, 2014 being by far the most productive year encountered, when rates were as high as 1500 mg C m-2 day-1 on the eastern side of the North Water (NOW) region. From 2013 to 2016, large cells (> 5 µm) contribution to total production declined, on average, from 80 to 20% in the northern Baffin Bay/Nares Strait region. Chlorophyll a biomass varied regionally during the course of our study, but showed less interannual variability than production rates. The highest biomass was 120 mg m-2 in 2013 and 90 mg m-2 in 2014 and 2016. Large cells contributed from 40 to 80% of the total biomass, except in 2016, when large cell contribution decreased to 20% in the NOW region. Interestingly, stations with the highest biomass did not always match stations with the highest production rates. In fact, the production:biomass (P/B) ratio of the phytoplankton community showed significant regional and temporal variability. Throughout the studied area, the east side of the NOW exhibited the lowest P/B ratio in 2013, but the highest in 2014. In 2016, P/B ratios were similar between regions and exhibited lower values than the two previous sampling years. P/B ratios of the large cells were also the lowest in 2016. In regards to the water column’s vertical structure, subsurface chlorophyll maximums (SCMs) were observed at all stations throughout this study; however, SCMs were shallower at the northern end of Kennedy Channel. Our results show large regional and interannual differences in phytoplankton production, biomass and size-structure in the outflow shelf of the eastern Canadian Arctic during summer. Future changes in ice conditions, light availability and nutrient supply related to climate change will have a strong impact on the production and fate of phytoplankton.
Cycle-stratified harvest policies for a sub-population of barren-land caribou
Bongelli, Eric (1) (Presenter), M. Taylor (1), M. Dowsley (1) and A. Cornwell (1)
(1) Lakehead University, Thunder Bay ON, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFMigratory barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) are a cyclic species that is highly valued by northern residents, and are a keystone species for North America’s vast barren-lands. Developing a sustainable harvest regime for a sub-population of barren-land caribou is currently difficult due to challenges in accommodating for natural population cycles. For example, when the Qamanirjuaq herd is increasing rapidly or near peak numbers, it is possible to allow free hunting, (10,000 or more caribou harvested per year) without negatively impacting the herd. A similar harvest during the decline phase or low numbers would be unsustainable. Thus, harvest regimes based upon status determinations may be inappropriate for cyclic species. Sound management practices can allow for continuous harvesting if the harvest is adjusted for both numbers and the anticipated recovery times. This would result in reduced recovery times that benefit stakeholders and allow management boards and agencies to meet their conservation mandates. To address this problem, I have developed a cyclic individual based life-table caribou harvest model to examine the user benefits of cycle stratified harvest policies. Cyclic population dynamics were modeled using density-dependent reductions to survival and recruitment, lag times for the specified density driven responses and a cyclic carrying capacity. Model parameters and model structure were empirically identified to produce cycles that mimicked observed herd population dynamics. The model allows for the development of harvest regimes that are specific to various stages of the cycles, which when taken together are sustainable on a cycle basis. An example of a recommended harvest protocol for a herd that ranges in population from ~30,000 to ~500,000 with a periodicity of 53 years allows for 18 years of reduced harvesting (2,500/year), 23 years of regular harvesting (5,000/year) and 12 years of free hunting (10,000+/year). This is only a single harvest protocol. The model can produce hundreds of harvest regime options based on the users wants and needs. The harvest model was based on a cyclic carrying capacity, and it did not require lag times or highly non-linear density effects which suggests that barren-land caribou population cycles are likely driven by slow regeneration of forage. Thus, in addition to the model I will be using Landsat imagery to determine how environmental variables such as Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Moisture Index (NDMI) and Normalized Difference Lichen Index (NDLI) are related to migratory caribou population cycles. I anticipate this research will contribute to harvest management planning and cycle-stage specific harvest regulations for barren ground caribou in northern Canada. Using this model harvest co-managers will be able to maximize the harvest benefits of caribou without needing to sacrifice the sustainability of the herd for future generations.
Assessing the contribution of migratory caribou to the diet of gray wolves and black bears in northern Quebec and Labrador using stable isotopes
Bonin, Michaël (1) (Presenter), C. Dussault (1,2), J. Taillon (1,2), V. Brodeur (1,2), N. Lecomte (1,3), J. Pisapio (1,4) and S.D. Côté (1)
(1) Université Laval - Caribou Ungava, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Ministère de la Forêt, de la Faune et des Parcs, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Université de Moncton, Moncton QC, Canada
(4) Wildlife Division, Happy-Valley-Goose-Bay NL, Canada
Caribou populations are widely declining in several parts of their range and factors such as climate change and human disturbances are commonly referred as causes for these declines. Still, the role of predators on the population dynamics of caribou is poorly understood. Rivière-George (~8,900 individuals) and Rivière-aux-Feuilles (~199,000 individuals) migratory caribou herds are both declining in northern Quebec-Labrador and individuals from these herds are exposed to predation by gray wolves and black bears. However, the extent to which these predators are consuming caribou and are potentially contributing to its decline is unknown. Wolves are suspected to be the main predator of caribou and predation by black bears could be mainly directed toward calves through opportunistic or active predation events. We aim to reconstruct the diet of both predator species and to determine the relative contribution of migratory caribou to their diet at different periods of the year on individual and population scales. Stable isotope ratios (d13C, d15N) of different tissues of a predator provide information on its assimilated diet within different time scales. Using biological samples (hairs, blood and serum) collected from wolves and black bears equipped with GPS collars and from a collaborative program with native trappers, we reconstructed the diet and determined the trophic position of both predator species. Our results revealed that even if plant-based resources represent the major part of black bear diet, animal resources such as fish, caribou and birds are a significant proportion of bear diet. We also detected differences between males and females in terms of the trophic position, i.e. males occupied a higher trophic position than females throughout the active season. The diet of wolves exploiting the area used by the Rivière-aux-Feuilles caribou herd is less diverse and based on caribou compared to the wolves of the Labrador coast. This could potentially be attributed to the difference in caribou availability between the two areas. The next step is to link the habitat selection of predators to the proportion of caribou in their diet during different periods of the year. Understanding the patterns of prey selection and consumption by predators constitute a first step to understand their impacts on the population dynamics of their preys and foster our comprehension of their ecology in arctic ecosystems.
Larval and adult fish assemblages along the Northwest Passage : The shallow Kitikmeot as a potential zoogeographic barrier
Bouchard, Caroline (1,2) (Presenter), M. Geoffroy (1,3), M. LeBlanc (1) and L. Fortier (1)
(1) Québec-Océan, Département de Biologie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Greenland Climate Research Centre, Nuuk, Greenland
(3) Centre for Fisheries Ecosytems Research, Marine Institute of Memorial, University of Newfoundland, St. John’s NL, Canada
The Arctic cod Boreogadus saida is a pivotal species in the pelagic ecosystem of Arctic Seas. We contrast the relative importance of Arctic cod in the larval and adult fish assemblages sampled from 2005 to 2015 in different oceanographic regions along the classical (Amundsen) Northwest Passage from the Beaufort Sea in the west to Baffin Bay in the east. Arctic cod larvae and adults were rare in shallow (<100 m) Dease Strait and Queen Maud Gulf compared to deeper areas to the west and east. Regional and interannual variation in the hatch-date frequency distribution of surviving age-0 Arctic cod were consistent with the freshwater winter refuge hypothesis. The combination of shallow depths, low freshwater input, and late sea-ice breakup suggests that the region acts as a significant barrier between Arctic cod populations in the western and eastern Canadian Arctic.
Endoparasite distribution in wild canids and felids in Subarctic regions of Québec, Canada
Bouchard, Émilie (1,2) (Presenter), J. Schurer (1), S. Revell (1), K. Temitope (1) and E. Jenkins (1)
(1) University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK, Canada
(2) Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe QC, Canada
The Canadian North is undergoing unprecedented climate and landscape change, which will alter changes in parasite distribution and prevalence. We are developing baselines for parasites in carnivores (wild canids and lynx) in Subarctic regions in northern Canada, including zoonotic helminths such as tapeworms Echinococcus granulosus/E. canadensis, roundworms Toxocara spp., and protozoans such as Toxoplasma, Giardia, and Cryptosporidium spp. Understanding these changes will help to understand trophic relationships of wild carnivores and their prey, and to predict the potential for altered zoonotic risk for northern human populations. Intestines were collected by local trappers from wolves (23), coyotes (77), foxes (184), and lynx (31) across Québec during the winter of 2016/2017. We use morphological, molecular, and immunological methods to detect zoonotic parasites in feces and/or intestines, which has increased sensitivity compared to basic fecal examination. Thus far, we have detected E. granulosus /E. canadensis, a zoonotic tapeworm, in wolf and coyote in west-central Québec, but not in any foxes in Nunavik or elsewhere within the province. Echinococcus multilocularis, a more serious zoonoses that recently expanded into Ontario, was not detected. Toxocara canis was detected in southern Québec so far. We will also report the presence of other potential zoonoses, such as the protozoans Giardia, Cryptosporidium, and Toxoplasma. Lynx are the proposed definitive host of Toxoplasma in subarctic regions, but intestinal infection has not been definitively demonstrated. This work provides important information on current wildlife and human health significance of parasites in northern ecosystems, and the basis for future predictive models.
Berries and berry picking in Inuit Nunangat: Traditions in a changing landscape
Boulanger-Lapointe, Noémie (1) (Presenter), J. Gérin-Lajoie (2,3), A. Cuerrier (4), L. Siegwart-Collier (5), C. Spiech (2,3), S. Desrosiers (1), E. Lévesque (2,3), L. Hermanutz (5) and G. Henry (1)
(1) Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC, Canada
(2) Département de Chimie-Biologie, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières QC, Canada
(3) Centre d’études nordiques, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(4) Jardin botanique de Montréal, Institut de recherche en biologie végétale, Montréal QC, Canada
(5) Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's NL, Canada
Berries occurs across the circumpolar Arctic and produce annually a great amount of fruits. Although a number of studies have documented their use in Inuit communities, berries are generally considered a country food of lesser importance and are seldom considered in land planning decisions. This study document Inuit relationship to berries and berry picking across Inuit Nunangat as expressed in 200 interviews conducted during the International Polar Year and stored in the archives of the Oral History Project in Igloolik. These showed that berry species were and remain important for Inuit throughout the Canadian North. Although berries are ripe for a short period of time, they are and were preserved for later use and were harvested throughout the year. Berries and berry picking confer physical, mental and community well-being in Inuit communities. It is a family activity that contributes to cultural preservation and connection with the land and is still one of the most affordable harvesting activities. When berry patches are present nearby, berry picking can easily be done after a day at work and does not require special equipment. It is an easy way to escape life in the community and connect with the land while providing nutritious food. While aboriginal groups located in the boreal forest tend to be protective of their berry patches, this is often not the case for Inuit in Canada. The place of berries in Inuit culture is however evolving: the quality and accessibility of berries are affected by recent climate change and community development, while availability may be constrained by overabundant goose populations in certain regions. Extensive field study conducted in Arviat reinforced the idea that in regions with limited access to good berry patches, the effect of community development might have a strong impact on resource availability. We thus discuss the importance of considering berries and the way this resource is used and shared when planning for community development and land use in Inuit Nunangat.
Decadal-scale changes in the feeding ecology of Alaskan polar bears
Bourque, Jennifer (1) (Presenter), T.C. Atwood (2), J.F. Bromaghin (2), G.J. Divoky (3) and M.A. McKinney (1)
(1) Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation Center, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment and Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs CT, United States
(2) US Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage AK, United States
(3) Friends of Cooper Island, Seattle WA, United States
Climate-driven loss of sea ice habitat is affecting the distribution and foraging strategies of polar bears (Ursus maritimus). In the southern Beaufort Sea (SB) subpopulation, the proportion of polar bears making use of onshore habitat during the reduced ice season has recently increased. Historically, the diet of polar bears in the SB has primarily consisted of ice-obligate seals, however, they appear to have become more reliant on land-based carcasses of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) leftover from routine subsistence harvest by local communities. We collected 573 adipose tissue samples from this subpopulation during the springs of 2004-2016. Previous fatty acid signature analysis from 2004-2012 found complex dietary patterns but a general lack of temporal trends, perhaps due to the limited number of years in the time series combined with large inter-annual variation, as has also been shown for sea ice trends. Here, we hypothesized that a longer-term time series would better capture an anticipated shift towards increased consumption of novel on-shore food resources and away from traditional ice-associated prey. Given reports of polar bears predating nests at colonial seabird colonies here and in other regions, we also used bird samples collected from a nearshore barrier island as potential prey. Estimates of the contribution of traditional prey (ringed seal (Pusa hispida), bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus), and beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas)) relative to novel onshore foods, including black guillemot (Cepphus grylle mandtii) nestlings and eggs, as well as bowhead whales are underway in relation to sea ice change. Preliminary results suggest dietary increases in the annual mean proportions of not just bowhead whales, but also bearded seals, while the dietary proportions of ringed seals appear to have declined. These results emphasize the need for long-term annual monitoring programs to detect and quantify on-going changes within Arctic marine food webs.
Gwich’in Harvest Data Collection Project: Empowering communities to manage their resources through community-based monitoring
Boxwell, Janet (1) (Presenter)
(1) Gwich'in Renewable Resources Board, Inuvik NT, Canada
There is increasing recognition that the integration of both traditional and scientific knowledge may result in a better understanding of a species’ status, current environmental conditions, and management needs than would have been possible if either source of knowledge were used alone. The Gwich’in Harvest Data Collection Project is a community-based monitoring project that was established by the Gwich’in Renewable Resources Board (GRRB). The GRRB is a public co-management board that was established under the Gwich’in Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement as the main instrument for wildlife, fish and forest management in the Gwich’in Settlement Area (GSA). This project is coordinated by the GRRB and locally administered by the Renewable Resources Councils (RRCs) in each of the GSA communities (Inuvik, Tsiigehtchic, Fort McPherson and Aklavik). In the past, the GRRB undertook a comprehensive harvest study that focused on all species as required under the land claim. The current study was implemented in 2008 and collects harvest and observational data of key species. Since 2010, the focus has been ungulates that are of management interest in the GSA. The presentation will focus on the benefits and challenges of the Gwich’in Harvest Data Collection Project. Some of the benefits include using harvest monitoring as a quantitative analysis of animals harvested (species, sex, age class) to monitor the species' health. In addition, observational data provided by harvesters can provide timely information that reflects what people on the land are observing in order to measure population status and health. Harvest monitoring is also often an objective in existing or draft management plans and strategies and so helps wildlife managers with implementation actions. Some of the challenges include securing long-term funding and working on harvester participation. The GRRB has taken measures to overcome some of these challenges. Overall, the project is a successful example of a community-based monitoring project that is empowering our communities.
A remote sensing approach for estimating sea ice concentration in coastal pixels
Bradley, Alice (1) (Presenter) and R. Obbard (1)
(1) Dartmouth College, Hanover NH, United States
With climate change, the length of the ice-covered season in much of the Arctic is shrinking. In coastal sites where there is active monitoring of ice conditions, the timing of fall freeze-up is moving generally later in the season, but monitoring coastal areas away from communities presents a challenge. Existing passive microwave sea ice concentration products are undefined near shore, and limited coverage of higher-resolution products can mean missing most of the freeze-up season. This presentation explores a new approach to remote sensing of coastal sea ice cover, based on the original NASA Team algorithm. Designed specifically for pixels with partial land and partial ocean area, it uses local land pixels as seasonally-varying tie points to control for changing land surface conditions over the course of the winter. The approach uses polarization and gradient ratios from brightness temperature retrievals to calculate a sea ice concentration over the fraction of a pixel that is ocean. Initial validation of the approach is done using local observations of sea ice conditions and, when available, MODIS images of the near-shore environment.
Association of Polar Early Career Scientists: A model for experiential learning in professional development for students and early career researchers
Bradley, Alice (1) (Presenter), G. Fugmann (2), H. Mariash (3) and R. Hindshaw (4)
(1) Dartmouth College, Hanover NH, United States
(2) Association of Early Career Polar Scientists, Bremerhaven, Germany
(3) Universiteit Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
(4) University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
The Association of Polar Early Career Scientists was established by early career researchers during the 2007-2008 International Polar Year as an organization for early career researchers in the polar and cryospheric sciences. APECS works to promote early career researchers through soft-skills training in both research and outreach activities, through advocating for including early career researchers in all levels of the scientific process and scientific management, and through supporting a world-wide network of researchers in varied fields. APECS is lead by early career researchers; this self-driven model has proved to be an effective means for developing leadership, management, and communication skills that are essential in the sciences, and has shown to be sustainable even in a community where frequent turn-over is inherent to the members. Since its inception, APECS has counted over 8000 early career researchers from more than 100 countries who joined the organization at the early stages of their careers, and we have placed dozens of early career researchers on working groups, committees and meetings with polar science organizations around the world. The close partnerships that APECS has with national and international organizations exposes members not only to pure academia but also to alternative career paths, including at the science-policy interface. This paper describes APECS’s approach to experiential learning in professional development and the best practices identified over our ten years as an organization.
Reinforced buoy for in situ microstructure observations during the ice growth season
Bradley, Alice (1) (Presenter), R. Obbard (1), I. Rigor (2) and J. Johnson (2)
(1) Dartmouth College, Hanover NH, United States
(2) University of Washington, Seattle WA, United States
In situ observation of sea ice processes is fundamental to validating remote sensing products, evaluating models, and understanding sea ice processes, though buoys are few relative to the expanse of the Arctic. Observations are particularly limited in the early winter in and around first-year sea ice, where difficulty of access and the forces of freeze-up combine to make for a daunting environment for deployment. We will describe a buoy developed to directly measure sea ice growth starting from open water. The buoy carries a vertical array of wire pairs for measuring the electrical impedance and temperature of the water/ice as a function of depth. These sensors are fragile, so the buoy is built with large pancake-guards surrounding the sensors. Microstructural parameters (bulk salinity, brine volume fraction, and Reynold’s number) are calculated from measurements taken at each depth. GPS location, tilt sensors, and air temperature measurements are included in the data packet with harp observations, and then the data is sent back hourly by Iridium short burst data. These buoys will be deployed near Utquiagvik (Barrow), Alaska in October 2017 and initial results from the freeze-up season will be presented.
Nearshore seabed habitats and benthic biodiversity, Arctic Bay, Nunavut
Brandt, Michelle (1) (Presenter), R. Steeg (1), A. Beckett (1), M. Garner (2), A. Aitken (1) and E. Edinger (3)
(1) University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK, Canada
(2) Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, Canada
(3) Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's NL, Canada
Recent pan-arctic inventories of benthic macrofauna diversity identified the waters bordering the Canadian Arctic Archipelago as some of the most poorly explored marine habitats in the circumpolar North. This is especially true for hard substrate habitats and the soft sediments surrounding them. Benthic community diversity varies over both spatial and temporal scales. Small-scale (i.e., 10’s-100’s metres) and short-term (i.e., seasonal) variations in benthic community structure are related to factors operating on a local scale such as variations in sea ice cover and seabed characteristics. This study explores the diversity of seabed habitats, benthic invertebrates and macroalgae observed in nearshore coastal environments of Arctic Bay, Nunavut. Seabed imagery acquired with a drop camera in July, 2009 provided information on the composition of the seabed (rock, gravel, sand, mud) and the variety of epifaunal invertebrates and macroalgae present in the bay. Multibeam sonar data provided information about water depth and seabed substrates (hard vs. soft bottoms). A total of 10.5 hours of towed camera video were collected during July, 2009. Thirty-nine 4-minute transects were selected from this data record based on the quality of image resolution as well as spatial coverage of the bay. Individual frame capture was initiated from the point of contact with the seabed and at subsequent 20 second intervals for each of the selected transects. Five images were selected along each transect for detailed study of the benthic biota: this process generated 195 images for the 39 transects. Presence-absence data for benthic biota were recorded from the 195 images. A 24 point grid was superimposed over each of the 195 images. The material observed beneath each grid point was recorded (e.g., rock, mud, coralline algae, brittlestar, etc.). Histograms were generated from the grid point data for each set of 5 images. This provided a dataset of 3900 observations incorporating both biotic and abiotic information related to the diversity of seabed substrates and epibenthic biota. A variety of benthic organisms were recorded in the towed video transects: actinian anemones, cerianthids, soft corals, infaunal bivalves (presence recorded by siphons and shell hash), polychaetes (both errant and sedentary), barnacles, asteroid echinoderms (sea stars), crinoids basketstars, echinoids, holothuroids, ophiuroids, coralline algae, Fucus sp., and Agarum sp. Bivalve molluscs, ophiuroid echinoderms and coralline algae are the most commonly recorded biota present in the bay. Five principal bottom types were identified from the video imagery: rocky bottoms associated with diabase outcrops; branching coralline algae (cf. Lithothamnion sp.) encrusting cobble and gravel clasts; cobble and gravel; sand; and gravelly mud. Mass movement of weathered rock along steeply-sloping rock cliffs and ice-rafting of stones by sea ice likely account for the presence of cobble and gravel clasts on the seabed throughout much of the bay. Mixed mud and stone substrates and rock outcrops in Arctic Bay are characterized by the presence and abundance of coralline algae, brittlestars, sea urchins and sea anemones. Sandy substrates within the bay are dominated by infaunal bivalves, polychaetes, Fucus sp. and Agarum sp.
Climate communication in Greenland
Brandtberg, Nathia (1) (Presenter)
(1) Ministry of Nature and Environment, Naalakkersuisut - the Government of Greenland, Greenland
Climate communication is about transforming climate science into useful knowledge for decision makers and the public so they have a solid basis to build their opinions and decisions on. In Greenland, the population lives in close relation with nature and we have a long tradition of adapting to a changing climate. Whether it is provoked by climate change or other types of change, it is in our Greenlandic nature to adapt to a changing climate and handle the challenges that arise from it. This aspect is important and often included in the development of climate communication in Greenland. Thus, this presentation will discuss climate communication in general, dissemination about climate change and climate adaptation and climate education in Greenland. The presentation spans from GIS application of climate model used in local planning, to education and the use of humor in Greenlandic climate communication. The Ministry of Nature and Environment is responsible for climate adaptation and communication about climate change to our decision makers and the public. In 2016 forecasts of key climate variables, based on a high resolution (5x5 km) regional climate model, were developed by the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI). However the usability of such data for adaptation purposes depend on how the data is transformed into useful knowledge and tools which can be used by municipalities, enterprises and the general public. To facilitate the use of the key climate variables the new climate data have been applied in NunaGIS – which is the national Greenlandic IT-tool used in planning and development. Furthermore, a special component for high school and university students, focusing on increasing knowledge about climate change and how to adapt to those changes in planning and development, is currently under development. The gained communication experience from the above project and communication efforts will be presented as well as experience from other Greenlandic climate projects, such as considerations for the modernization of the website www.climategreenland.gl. The site is about climate change in Greenland and provides an overview of some of the ways in which Greenland is affected by a changing climate and how this is dealt with. The target audience for this site is citizens, municipalities, professionals and teachers. The modernization of the website will be launched with a communication campaign. The presentation will also include thoughts on how to get messages across using humor and address Greenlandic outreach activities in relations to the recent Arctic Monitoring Assessment Programme (AMAP) report “Adaptation Actions for a Changing Arctic” (AACA) in the Baffin Bay and Davis Strait Region.
Importance of ice algae and phytoplankton detritus as food sources for three contrasting macrofaunal communities of the Canadian Arctic
Bravo, Gonzalo (1) (Presenter), J. Ciancio (2), U. Witte (3), G.Kazanidis (3), S. Bourgeois (3), A. Makela (3), P. Archambault (4) and C. Nozais (5)
(1) Université du Québec à Rimouski- Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos, CESIMAR CENPAT-CONICET, Chubut, Argentina
(3) School of Biological Sciences, Oceanlab, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen Scotland, United Kingdom
(4) Département de biologie, Québec-Océan, Takuvik, Université Laval; Québec QC, Canada
(5) Département de biologie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Québec QC, Canada
Phytodetritus are considered as one of the most important food supplies for deep-sea fauna. In Arctic ecosystems, sea ice algae and phytoplankton are known as the main primary producers that reaches the seafloor. So far, little is known about the responses of benthic macrofauna facing future changes regarding quantity and quality of food reaching the seafloor inflicted by sea ice reduction. We conducted on board pulse-chase experiments on sediment cores collected from the Baffin Bay, the Amundsen Gulf, and the Beaufort Sea, Canada to investigate the macrofauna response to a simulated food pulse of primary producers. Dual-labelled (13C and 15N) diatoms Thalassiosira nordenskioeldii (phytoplankton treatment) and Synedra hyperborea (ice algae treatment) were added separately to intact sediment cores and incubated for four days to compare results from different food supplies. Benthic community structure varied between regions and the total uptake of both sources was greater in Baffin Bay where the highest biomass was registered and where more than 70% of the biomass was represented by facultative filter feeder-surface/deposit feeders. In all the regions, phytoplankton was slightly more consumed, however no significant differences in the biomass-specific uptake of ice algae and phytoplankton were observed, suggesting that both food sources are consumed in a similar way.
Beluga Bits: Using citizen scientists to collect and process underwater beluga photos
Breiter, C-Jae (1) (Presenter), L. Burns (1), M. Hainstock (2), A. McCall, (2) and S.D. Petersen (1)
(1) Assiniboine Park Zoo, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Polar Bears International, Bozeman MT, United States
Engaging people in the collection of scientific data and the subsequent analysis is a powerful tool for both research but also for public engagement. We have established a two-part citizen science project aimed at learning more about beluga whales in the Churchill River estuary with applications to beluga throughout the Arctic. Each year thousands of beluga visit the estuary to feed, moult, and calve. Explore.org live streams video from under a zodiac traveling in the Churchill River and Hudson Bay. The first step in this project is to recruit the viewers of the live stream to collect snapshots of the beluga underwater while enjoying the unique video footage. Viewers are asked to take photos in real time that show the underside of animals or animals with markings. Once the live streams are completed for the summer, the snapshots are then transferred to Zooniverse.org, a citizen science platform, where participants can help classify the images. The result of the classification step is annotated photos with the number of animals in view, the age class of individuals, the sex of individuals, and any distinguishing marks that could be used for photo identification. Multiple participants review each photo to provide internal checks on data quality and the final dataset consists of photos are then date and time linked to GPS locations to provide spatial and temporal references. In 2016, 7,366 photos and in 2017 over 9,000 photos were captured. To date 18% of the 2016 data set has been classified using citizen scientists. These data will be used to gain insights into a variety of outstanding questions relating to social structure of beluga and space use by different age classes. The resulting photo identification catalogue will be used to follow individual beluga over time. These photos will also be used to assess health parameters such as the incidence of skin diseases, skin moulting phenology, and wound type and healing. We encourage all to participate in the project and assist our research efforts at https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/stephenresearch/beluga-bits.
Working together to monitor and manage Western Arctic marine protected areas
Brewster, Jasmine (1) (Presenter) and C. Blakeston (1)
Fisheries and Oceans, Canada, Inuvik NT, Canada
With the changing climate amplified in the Arctic, there is a need to monitor and manage important traditional and ecological components in the environment. Marine mammals and fishes are important not only to the Western Arctic ecosystem but also for subsistence of the Inuvialuit. Currently, there are two established marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Western Arctic: Tarium Niryutait and Anguniaqvia niqiqyuam, with conservation objectives to conserve and protect important traditional and ecological resources of marine mammals, fishes, their habitat and supporting ecosystems. The role of the Western Arctic Oceans Management division within Fisheries and Oceans, Canada (DFO) is to manage and monitor the two established MPAs, as well as to evaluate areas of interest for potential marine protection. This work is done through collaboration of DFO and co-management partners: Fisheries Joint Management Committee (FJMC), Inuvialuit governing bodies (Hunters and Trappers Committees (HTCs), Inuvialuit Game Council (IGC), Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC)), and Inuvialuit community members. In 2014, the Western Arctic Marine Protected Area Steering Committee (WAMPA) was created to provide guidance and collaboration among Inuvialuit and government, with the common goal to monitor and manage the Western Arctic MPAs. Through WAMPA and consultations with the six Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR) communities, DFO Oceans works toward coupling science and traditional and local knowledge into the monitoring and management of marine protected areas by supporting community-based monitoring programs, and assessing MPAs through Inuvialuit consultations. This presentation will serve to bring awareness to the established MPAs in the Western Arctic region, how we as DFO Oceans assess MPAs alongside our co-management partners (i.e. the State of the MPA Report), and incorporate Inuvialuit traditional and local knowledge to monitor and manage these areas.
Detecting the effect of climate change using a diving seabird
Brisson-Curadeau, Émile (1) (Presenter) and K. Elliott (1)
(1) McGill University, Montréal QC, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFA consequence of climate change will be the warming of the Arctic Ocean. This will affect the sea fauna, by benefiting certain species and disadvantaging others. As a result, changes in the sea species composition are expected, and efforts must be made to monitor these changes. The Thick-billed Murre (Uria lomvia), an Arctic generalist diving predator, could help us detect these potential perturbations, because it already samples the aquatic fauna through its diet. Using biologgers, we try to detect the interactions of this seabird with its prey, to eventually link the changes observed with climate change.
Sediment dynamics in the western Canadian Arctic since the last millennium : a mineralogical and geochemical approach
Brochard, Crystal (1) (Presenter), J.-C. Montero-Serrano (1) and G. St-Onge (1)
(1)Institut des Sciences de la Mer de Rimouski (ISMER), Université du Québec à Rimouski, Chaire de recherche du Canada en Géologie Marine, GEOTOP, Rimouski QC, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFThe Arctic Ocean currently experiences fast environmental changes (e.g., reduced sea ice thickness and extent) due to its response to global climate change. The long-term natural variability is poorly constrained, leading to uncertainties in numerical climate models. In this context, sedimentary records are of great importance to decipher the processes controlling the Arctic climate and oceanographic variability for time periods prior to instrumental data. In this MSc project, ~50 box cores recovered in the Makenzie Shelf/Slope, the Amundsen Gulf, the M'Clure Strait, the Banks Island shelf, the Barrow and Victoria Straits during the 2016 and 2017 ArcticNet expeditions will be investigated using quantitative X-ray diffraction (on the bulk and clay fraction) and X-ray fluorescence chemistry. The box core chronology will be assessed from 210Pb measurements. The data obtained, combined with multivariate statistical (notably, principal component and fuzzy c-means clustering analyses), sediment-unmixing model (SedUnMix), and spatial analyses will allow to: (1) compare the spatial distribution patterns of bulk minerals and elemental geochemistry in the western Canadian Arctic sediments during the Little Ice Age (LIA; ~1550 et 1850 AD), the Medieval Warm period (MWP; ~900 et 1300 AD) and the recent period; (2) identify different sedimentary provinces, source areas, and transport pathways of terrigenous material during these climatic periods; and (3) better document and understand the fundamental processes controlling the sediment dynamics within the western Canadian Arctic since the last millennium. This study will complement another MSc project focusing on the sedimentological, physical and magnetic properties of the sediments and will provide a baseline data for future studies using mineralogical and elemental geochemical signatures of Canadian Arctic sediments in order to reconstruct source-to-sink sediment changes related to late Quaternary climate and oceanographic variability.
Quantitative risk assessment : Iqaluit international airport, Iqaluit, Nunavut
Brooks, Heather (1,2) (Presenter), G. Doré (1,2), A. Locat (1) and C. Lemieux (1,2)
(1) Department of Civil and Water Engineering, Laval University, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Centre d’études nordiques, Laval University, Québec QC, Canada
A quantitative analysis of thaw settlement and sinkhole collapse was completed for the Iqaluit International Airport’s embankment. The risk is a measure of the probability of an event’s occurrence which damages infrastructure and the consequences (direct and indirect) as a result of the damage and calculated by multiplying the probability (hazard) and the consequence. The hazard, the direct costs, and the indirect cost factors were determined from available site data, project documents (plans, value-added reports, project agreement) and interviews with the citizens and businesses of Iqaluit. Finally, the risk was calculated for thaw settlement of the surficial deposits as well as sinkhole collapse. A climate fragility analysis, using a 2.5°C air temperature increase for the period 2010-2050, results in increased or constant hazard. The cumulative thaw settlement of the fragility assessment was used to determine the required repair cycles for the infrastructure’s serviceability limits is exceeded and the present cost of repairs from 2018 to 2050.
Investigation of a Holocene marine sedimentary record from Pond Inlet, Nunavut – Is there a paleoseismicity signal?
Broom, Laura-Ann (1) (Presenter), D.C. Campbell (2) and J.C. Gosse (1)
(1) Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, Canada
(2) Geological Survey of Canada (Atlantic), Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth NS, Canada
Fjords often have high sedimentation rates which gives them the potential to preserve a high resolution sedimentary record of the local and regional environment. Newly acquired sediment cores and geophysical data from Pond Inlet, a fjord in northern Baffin Bay, provide the first opportunity for a thorough investigation of the Holocene sedimentary record in this region. This dataset includes high resolution multibeam bathymetric data, 3.5 kHz sub-bottom profiler data, and five piston cores. Baffin Bay is in one of Canada’s highest seismic risk zones and experienced the largest measured earthquake (Mw = 7.3) north of the Arctic Circle in 1933. Earthquakes in the region have the potential to trigger slope failures and a detailed analysis of the marine sedimentary record is necessary to establish if marine sediments preserve a record of earthquake events in northern Baffin Bay. To address this problem, seabed mapping, analysis of core physical properties, shallow lithologic and acoustic stratigraphy, and geochronology will be undertaken to characterize and date the deposits preserved in Pond Inlet. Preliminary results indicate that a record of mass transport deposits (MTDs) and turbidites are preserved within the fjord which represent periods of seabed instability. The inlet reaches depths of >1000 m and high-resolution multibeam bathymetry shows a glacier-influenced seafloor with submarine glacial landforms, relatively flat basinal floors and bedrock highs. There is relatively little evidence of slope failures revealed in the multibeam data, however a prominent escarpment is recognized that appears to cut basinal sediments and the adjacent bedrock. Sub-bottom profiler data reveal that the basin sediments are composed of acoustically chaotic to transparent facies which have been interpreted as MTDs, as well as continuous high amplitude reflections interpreted as turbidites that are correlatable over a large area. The piston cores show evidence of deformed mud and mudclast conglomerate deposits up to 5 m thick interpreted as mass transport deposits, as well as centimeter thick sandy-silty turbidites. Radiocarbon dates indicate that over the last 3 ka a minimum of four turbidite events have been recorded in the inlet and that basinal sedimentation rates over the late Holocene are on the order of 0.8 mm/yr. Detailed sedimentological analysis and radiocarbon dating is ongoing. This is the first opportunity to establish an MTD chronology in northern Baffin Bay which will help improve the assessment of the geological hazards in the region and their potential impact on northern communities on Baffin Island. If sediment gravity flow events are linked to seismicity, the recurrence interval of large earthquakes may be evaluated which will improve understanding of the seismic risk for coastal communities.
Glacial to postglacial landform assemblages in fjords of northeastern Baffin Island
Brouard, Etienne (1) (Presenter) and P. Lajeunesse (1)
(1) Centre d’études nordiques & Département de géographie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
A glacial landsystem approach has been used to investigate ice sheet retreat in previously glaciated terrain in order to provide analogues for modern ice-sheets response to climate change and relative sea-level change. Although numerous sectors of palaeo-ice sheets have been studied using a landsystem approach, none has focused on the Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS) in Arctic Canada. At its maximum, the northeastern part of the LIS reached the outer continental shelve edge in Western Baffin Bay to subsequently retreat through the coastal mountain range and the fjords of northeast Baffin Island; today, the margins of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GIS) lie mostly in such a coastal setting. Understanding of the former retreat dynamics of the LIS in northeastern Baffin Island can therefore provide a valuable palaeoglaciological analogue for predicting future GIS dynamics related to climate change. Here, we present swath bathymetry imagery and geomorphological maps from Northeastern Baffin Island fjords that reveal a wide range of of deglacial to postglacial landforms and discuss their significance for glacial dynamics in fjord settings. Ice–flow landforms such as mega-scale glacial lineations, crag-and-tails and meltwater channels reveal the direction of Late Wisconsinan ice flow through fjords. The presence of undisturbed elongated landforms within fjords suggests that ice streams were still active until the late stage of deglaciation. Landforms showing a divergent ice-flow around bedrock highs indicate that bathymetric highs acted as sticky spots and, therefore, as obstacles to ice-streaming. The presence of meltwater-channel networks and ice-flow landforms over crystalline bedrock indicates that crystalline bedrock were not sticky spots, as suggested for other palaeo-ice streams in formerly glaciated North America. Landforms transverse to ice-flow landforms direction include grounding-zone wedges, frontal moraines, grounding-line fans, recessional moraines and De Geer moraines. These landforms are interpreted as the locations of former standstills of the ice margin during deglaciation. The occurrence of grounding-lines in deep (?800 m) part of fjords contrasts with studies suggesting instability and rapid retreat of outlet glaciers over deep basins. Moraines and fans linked to side-valley glaciers are also identified on the fjord floor. The presence of moraines from side-valley glaciers in the main trunk of all the fjords suggests that glaciers from local ice caps experienced a synchronous phase of positive mass balance and readvance. This readvance is probably associated with the Little Ice Age period (1375–1820 AD). Sediment-filled basins are observed between the main moraines and often characterized by the presence of turbidity channels. A sediment-filled basin between two shallow moraines in Clark Fjord indicates that most of sediment accumulation was ice-proximal and likely characterized by gravity-driven flows.
A race for ice discharge between ice streams on glaciated continental shelves
Brouard, Etienne (1) (Presenter) and P. Lajeunesse (1)
(1) Centre d’études nordiques & Département de géographie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFIce-streaming is one the most efficient mechanism through which ice can be exported from the interior of ice sheets to the ocean. The stability of ice sheet is therefore intrinsically linked to the activity of their ice stream networks. Inferred in modern and palaeo-ice sheets, changes in the drainage network of ice streams usually results into ice streams switching trajectory and/or shutting down. Switching of ice streams, which corresponds to a reorganization of the pattern of fast ice-flow, can have a considerable effect on ice sheet dynamics as it determines active vs passive pathways for ice to the ocean. While some hypotheses for reorganization of ice streams have emerged, the mechanisms that control switching remain poorly understood. Here, we examine the flow-switch of an ice stream that occurred during the last glaciation on the northeastern Baffin shelf associated with the glacial erosion and overdeepening of marginal troughs. The study of the geomorphology of the shelf provides evidence that although marginal troughs generally have a structural origin along lines of weakness in bedrock, they were excavated by upstream and lateral propagation of fast-flowing ice. The propagation of ice-streaming upstream Scott and Hecla & Griper troughs caused switching and the shutdown of the neighbouring Sam Ford ice stream. We postulate that competition for ice discharge between ice streams was the driving mechanism behind ice flow-switching. We advance that this race for ice discharge is responsible for the presence of transverse troughs and the presence of abandoned cross-shelf troughs along glaciated continental shelves.
Diving behaviour of Black Guillemots when prey switching in a changing Arctic environment
Brown, Erin (1) (Presenter), G. Divoky (2) and K. Elliott (1)
(1) McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue QC, Canada
(2) Friends of Cooper Island, Seattle WA, United States
Many species of Arctic wildlife rely on sea ice for breeding, foraging and overall survival. With recent decreases in sea ice and increasing sea surface temperatures (SST), a species’ ability to alter their behavior with the changing environment is crucial to their success. Prey switching allows wildlife to shift from traditional ice-associated prey to more available alternative prey and could allow wildlife to adapt to an ice-free Arctic summer. Since the early 21st Century Mandt’s black guillemot (Cepphus grylle mandtii) breeding on Cooper Island, Alaska frequently have to switch from the energy-dense Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) to the less desirable Fourhorn sculpin (Myoxocephalus quadricornis) once ice recedes, resulting in a reduced reproductive success. To obtain insights into the energetic costs of this recent shift in prey selection we deployed temperature-depth recorders (TDRs) on black guillemots breeding on Cooper Island to monitor annual and seasonal variation in dive behavior in relation to ice conditions, SST and prey type. Between 2011 and 2017, 71 birds provisioning nestlings were outfitted with TDR data loggers. Concurrent prey observations were conducted at each nest site using Reconyx cameras and visual observations. Daily ice and SST conditions were obtained from satellite data. Our preliminary results show cod gradually decreasing in nestling guillemot diets when SST is above 4C with dive frequency increasing as parents search for different prey. We tentatively conclude that parent black guillemots can partially adjust to variations in ice cover by utilizing alternative prey, although they expend more energy to do so. In the absence of sea ice guillemots apparently work harder to gain less, leading to reduced reproductive success for this ice-associated species.
Climate variability and change in the Canadian High Arctic
Brown, Ross (1) (Presenter), C. Barrette (2), D. Chaumont (3), E. Diaconescu (4), P. Grenier (3), P. Langen (5) and A. Mailhot (4)
(1) Environment and Climate Change Canada @ Ouranos, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Centre d’études nordiques, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Ouranos Consortium on Regional Climatology and Adaptation to Climate Change, Montréal QC, Canada
(4) Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Eau Terre Environnement, Québec QC, Canada
(5) Danish Meteorological Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark
The Canadian High Arctic provides perhaps the ultimate challenge for documenting current rates of change and for developing scenarios of how the climate may evolve over the next 30-50 years. First, the regions’ complex topography and waterways have major implications for local climate and ice conditions that influence human activities and ecosystem services. Second, the region is characterized by strong natural climate variability from atmospheric, oceanic and sea ice anomalies in the Arctic (e.g. Arctic Oscillation) as well as influences that extend into the north Pacific and north Atlantic. Adding to this complexity is a relatively sparse network of surface observations, and large uncertainties in the ability of reanalyses and climate models to represent key characteristics of the climate of the region. This talk will provide a synthesis of current understanding of observed and projected climate and cryospheric change over the Canadian High Arctic based on studies carried out for ArcticNet (IRIS-1 and -2 regional assessments) and AMAP (AACA-BBDS and SWIPA) by the presenter and colleagues over the past 5 years.
Updated climate information for Nunavik and Nunatsiavut IRIS region
Brown, Ross (1), C. Barrette (2) (Presenter) and R.G. Way (3)
(1) Environment and Climate Change Canada @ Ouranos, Canada
(2) Centre d’études nordiques, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Labrador Institute, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Happy Valley-Goose Bay NL, Canada
A number of new datasets and sources of climate information are being used to document observed climate variability and change over Nunavik and Nunatsiavut for the current update of the IRIS-4 report. The talk will discuss the various sources of data available, their limitations and uncertainties, along with key results from the analysis of new datasets and multi-dataset ensembles for air temperature, precipitation and snow cover climate variables. For example, a new 1-km gridded monthly surface air temperature dataset from Way et al. (2017) provides consistent temperature series from 1950 at all the communities in Nunavik and Nunatsiavut. These data show evidence of significant winter and summer warming at nearly all the communities in the region over the past 30 years, with warming rates of 0.5 to 0.9°C/decade in mean annual air temperature. The talk will also address the climate variability of the region which is a key consideration in assessing climate trends and extremes. For example, the period since ~1970 is characterized by strong multi-decadal variability over the IRIS-4 region related to a range of climate forcing mechanisms including salinity anomalies, volcanic activity (e.g. Mt. Pinatubo), and anomalies in atmospheric (north Atlantic oscillation, NAO) and oceanic (sea surface temperature, SST) circulation. The recent contrasting warm and cold extreme years of 2010 and 2015 are examples of this variability where anomalies in NAO and NW Atlantic SSTs of opposite sign acted to reinforce regional warming/cooling. The interpretation of trends and extremes for non-temperature related variables is challenged by the limited availability of stations in the region actively measuring key climate variables. Way, R.G., Lewkowicz, A.G. and Bonnaventure, P.P., 2017. Development of moderate-resolution gridded monthly air temperature and degree-day maps for the Labrador-Ungava region of northern Canada. International Journal of Climatology, 37(1), pp.493-508.
Climate change in the Baffin Bay/Davis Strait Region
Brown, Ross (2,3) (Presenter), P. Langen (1) and P. Grenier (2)
(1) Danish Meteorological Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark
(2) Ouranos Consortium on Regional Climatology and Adaptation to Climate Change, Montréal QC, Canada
(3) Environment and Climate Change Canada @ Ouranos, Montréal QC, Canada
This talk presents a summary of the Climate Drivers section for the AACA Baffin Bay/Davis Strait (BBDS) region. The main purpose of the section was to provide a synthesis of published information on observed and projected climate change over the BBDS region, a region characterized by significant regional and coastal climatic gradients as well as strong natural climate variability from atmospheric and ocean circulation. This natural variability has important consequences for assessing trends, and also for developing and interpreting climate change scenarios. The climate projections for the BBDS region were for the most part based on the CMIP5 multi-model ensemble. We also analyzed regional climate model (RCM) simulations from the Danish Meteorological Institute for Greenland, and the Ouranos RCM for the Canadian sector. Analysis of available data and publications indicate the BBDS region has experienced a relatively recent (post-1990) and intense period of warming that is interlinked with, and driving reductions in snow and sea ice extent, warming of permafrost, increased mass loss from glacier and ice sheets, and warming and freshening of the ocean. The talk will present a snapshot of these changes along with a discussion of some of the important mechanisms that drive climatic extremes in the region e.g. the role of the North Atlantic Oscillation and northwest Atlantic sea surface temperature anomalies in the recent 2010 and 2015 extreme warm and cold years. A summary of the projected changes in climate over the region will be presented for air temperature, precipitation, wind speed, snow cover, sea ice, sea level rise, ice sheets, and sea surface temperatures for emission scenarios RCP4.5 and 8.5 and the 2030 and 2080 time periods. A common characteristic of the projected changes in this region is a large model spread related to differences in model representations of the climate, and the strong natural variability of the climate in the BBDS region. The overall picture for the BBDS over the next century shows some general trends: the atmosphere will be warmer and wetter with uncertain changes to the winds; the period with snow and ice cover will be shortened, with little change to maximum snow accumulation but thinner ice; permafrost will warm with projected degradation of permafrost over southern Greenland; melting of glaciers and ice sheets is expected to continue; sea ice will continue to decrease substantially but multi-year ice is likely to remain a hazard for shipping in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago for the foreseeable future; and finally, changes in ocean circulation and mixing are uncertain, but relative sea level will fall regionally (but rise globally).
Overview of findings from “Snow, Water, Ice and Permafrost in the Arctic 2017” (SWIPA 2017) and their implications
Brown, Ross (5) (Presenter), M. S. Olsen (1), J. Overland (2), J. E. Walsh (3), V. Romanovsky (3), K. Isaksen (6), D. Barber (7), J. E. Box (8), T. Prowse (5,9), T. R. Christensen (10), S. Rysgaard (10), J. Mård (12), J. Pawlak (13) and L.-O. Reiersen (13)
(1) Danish Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate, Copenhagen, Denmark
(2) NOAA, Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, United States
(3) University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks AK, United States
(5) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canada
(6) Norwegian Meteorological Institute, Norway
(7) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(8) National Geological survey of Denmark and Greenland, Copenhagen K, Denmark
(9) University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
(10) University of Aarhus, Aarhus C, Denmark
(12) University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden
(13) Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme Secretariat, Oslo, Norway
A new scientific assessment of climate change in the Arctic, by the Arctic Council’s Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme, “Snow, Water, Ice and Permafrost in the Arctic, 2017” concludes that the Arctic is shifting—rapidly and in unexpected ways—into a new state. The warming of the Arctic, marked by record-setting temperatures in recent years, is leading to continued or accelerating losses in sea ice and snow, melting of glaciers and ice sheets, freshening and warming of the Arctic Ocean, thawing of permafrost, and ecological shifts. Further major loss of sea ice, snow and permafrost is foreseen over the next 20-30 years and is expected to continue throughout this century. The physical, chemical, and biological environments of the Arctic are undergoing fundamental changes,. This has important consequences for Arctic ecosystems and people living and working in the Arctic and the Arctic plays an important role in global climate and weather, sea level rise, and world commerce, meaning that impacts in the Arctic will resonate far south of the Arctic Circle. More than 90 scientists have contributed to the new assessment, which updates and supplement findings of the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme’s 2011 SWIPA assessment. The presentation will provide an overview of the results of the SWIPA 2017 assessment on observed changes in the Arctic Cryosphere, further expected changes, the global consequences of a changing Arctic cryosphere, and the potential for mitigating these consequences through GHG reductions.
Quantifying sea ice carbon uptake within polar ecosystems
Brown, Thomas (1) (Presenter) and N. Hussey (2)
(1) Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, UK
(2) University of Windsor, Windsor ON, Canada
The structure and functioning of polar food webs is, to a large extent, controlled by the availability of organic carbon from two distinct sources; sea ice algae and phytoplanktic algae. Traditionally, the incorporation of these resources within food webs has been investigated by measuring stable carbon isotopes (d13C) within animal tissue. In practice, carbon stable isotope end-member values considered representative of sea ice and phytoplanktic organic carbon can be difficult to establish, varying both temporally and spatially. The ‘H-Print’, a relatively novel method, differentiates between carbon derived from sea ice and phytoplankton, providing clearly defined end-members for use in food web analysis. Calculated from the analysis of a suite of algae biomarkers (Highly branched isoprenoids), including some that are unique to sea ice algae, the H-Print has been successfully applied across all trophic levels in the Arctic from zooplankton to polar bears. This poster provides an overview of some recent developments and applications, including a zooplankton-based calibration of the H-Print and application to benthic sampled Arctic fish.
SACriFice (Sustainability of Arctic Commercial Fisheries)
Brown, Thomas (1) (Presenter), N. Hussey (2), K. Hedges (3), A. Barkley (2), A. Fisk (4) and M. Abd (1)
(1) Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, Scotland
(2) University of Windsor, Windsor ON, Canada.
(3) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Division of Arctic Science, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(4) University of Windsor, Windsor ON, Canada
The speed of climatic change in the Arctic is fast; and most noticeable at the interface between the sub-Arctic regions (e.g. Barents Sea and Baffin Bay) and temperate oceans. These regions represent fertile environments that contain economically important natural resources in the form of fisheries. The aim of project SACriFice (Sustainability of Arctic Commercial Fisheries) is to provide data to guide the growth of sustainable commercial fisheries in the Canadian Arctic. Through the long-term integration of UK science capabilities within the Ocean Tracking Network (OTN) - Arctic program led through the University of Windsor, Canada. Key goals to address are 1) assist Inuit communities to develop coastal fisheries, 2) improve coastal and offshore fisheries management in Baffin Bay and 3) identify closed areas and quantify post release survival, to mitigate fisheries bycatch as Arctic climate undergoes rapid change. In this project we looked at the deep water turbot fishery of Scott Inlet. Comprehensive acoustic tagging of commercial fish and bycatch has been carried out to determine species ranges, habitat use and the potential for near-shore/off-shore resource partitioning. Additionally, biomarker analysis of turbot prey species has identified that springtime sea ice organic carbon provides a significant source of energy to these fisheries even at the end of summer. We hypothesise this occurs through recycling of sedimentary carbon in benthic and epi-benthic herbivores that is being transferred to commercially valuable fish. Combined these data will be used to inform the growth and management of sub-Arctic commercial fisheries.
The role of environmental researchers in Inuit youth land-based learning through collaborative science literacy activities
Brunet, Nicolas (1) (Presenter), G. Strickert (2), J. Shirley (3) and D. Henri (4)
(1) University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada
(2) University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK, Canada
(3) Nunavut Research Institute, Iqaluit NU, Canada
(4) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Montréal QC, Canada
Work in the field of research partnership development with Indigenous communities in Arctic Canada has emphasized the critical role of early and ongoing communication in building trust and ensuring that benefits accrued from research are shared amongst partners. However, little attention has been paid to researcher engagement and communications with Inuit youth. Recent studies have shown that the knowledge and expertise of highly trained environmental researchers in the Canadian Arctic rarely reaches this group. Given that 41% of Nunavut’s population is under age 20, this suggests a gap in community engagement with almost half of the northern population. Typically, older and more experienced hunters and trappers who own equipment and do not participate in wage employment are engaged in research processes and projects, and therefore accrue most of the benefits associated with research partnerships. In addition, studies have found that land based skills and knowledge are increasing held by an older and narrower group of individuals within northern indigenous communities. An erosion of Inuit knowledge and land-based skills has been documented among the younger generation of Inuit throughout Nunavut. This phenomenon is attributed in part to southern educational requirements, which result in decreased time to participate in hunting, increased dependence on wage employment, a general shift in social norms, the advent of exogenous forms of control of the land and natural resources traditionally used by Inuit, and an ongoing segregation of the young and older generations. Many young people in today’s Nunavut communities therefore have less exposure to knowledge of their land or their connection to it via parents and relatives, and experience limited opportunities to spend time outside villages observing and practicing land based skills. These skills are also rarely taught in schools, often lacking the resources and expertise. Importantly, this lack of land based knowledge and skills has repeatedly been associated with depression, anxiety and even suicide in school aged children. Many studies have found that time on the land can foster community cohesion, self-reliance, self-confidence and a sense of purpose among Inuit youth. The role that environmental researchers can play in providing youth with connections to the land through science literacy activities is unclear. However, we believe that if we are to accrue the most benefits from publicly funded research, it is worth exploring this potential. Although researchers will never replace the mentorship of elders and family, we believe that they may complement existing learning pathways with scientific knowledge, experience and skills. We will discuss preliminary findings of this ongoing project which aims to initiate important dialogue with local, regional and national stakeholders and experts on the role of environmental researchers in Inuit youth land based learning through culturally appropriate and creative science literacy activities both indoors and on the land.
The infamous P vs. E curve determination in the field: Comparing photosynthetrons and methods during the Green-Edge project
Bruyant, Flavienne (1) (Presenter), J. Ferland (1), K.M. Lewis (2), J. Larivière (1), M.-H. Forget (1), P. Massicotte (1) and M. Babin (1)
(1) Takuvik Joint International Laboratory, Université Laval (Canada) - CNRS (France), UMI3376, Département de Biologie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Stanford School of Earth, Energy and Environmental Science, Ocean Biogeochemistry Lab, Stanford University, Stanford CA, United States
Photosynthesis vs. Irradiance (P vs. E) curves determination in the field requires experience to master these delicate and tedious experiments. Even though complex, expensive and heavy in term of administration and logistic, the determination of photosynthetic parameters using radiolabelled carbon sources remains the most efficient and precise way to investigate the dark phase of phytoplankton photosynthesis. During the Green-Edge project, photosynthetic parameters were measured during both ice-camp (May- to June 2015 and 2016) as well as during the cruise onboard RV CCGS Amundsen (June -July 2016). Because measurements occurred concomitantly in two different locations, we had to use two different setups. On the ice-camp, we used a modified version of the radial photosynthetron from Babin et al. (1994) allowing acquisition of up to 10 curves of 50 ml samples stressed at 12 light levels simultaneously. During the cruise, we used an improved customized version of the Lewis and Smith (1983) incubators, allowing acquisition of 10 curves of 2 ml samples stressed at 14 light levels at each cast. During the ice-camps, 207 curves were acquired (49 on ice and 158 on sea water) while 260 curves were done during the cruise (10 depths profile at each sampled station). Values of the maximum carbon fixation rate (PBmax) varied widely from 0.0005 to 10.69 mg C (mg chl a)-1 h-1 in these extreme environmental conditions. While presenting a global distribution of photosynthetic parameters in the Baffin Bay and a timeline over the winter/spring/summer periods in relation to environmental conditions, we will also compare the two setups and techniques. Particularly we will stress out advantages and drawbacks for each techniques: measurement on the particulate fraction using filtration vs. on the total fraction.
Estimates of net community production during the spring ice-edge bloom in Baffin Bay
Burgers, Tonya (1) (Presenter), J.-É. Tremblay (2) and T. Papakyriakou (1)
(1) Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Québec-Océan et Takuvik, Département de biologie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
The net community production (NCP) of an ecosystem, defined as gross primary production minus community respiration, determines its potential for biomass accumulation and organic carbon export. Recent changes to the Arctic Ocean system, such as reductions in sea ice cover and increased freshwater inputs have been shown to impact rates of primary production, and hence NCP. Many former investigations of NCP within the Arctic Ocean have provided a seasonal view, comparing preformed or wintertime concentrations with summertime measurements. Here we provide estimates of NCP in Baffin Bay under phytoplankton spring bloom conditions using high-resolution underway pCO2 and O2/Ar measurements. Data for this study were collected during spring 2016 as part of the GreenEdge cruise onboard CCGS Amundsen, where the ship completed multiple transects between open water and thick ice cover crossing from post-bloom, through to pre-bloom conditions. This study provides insight on the contribution of the early spring phytoplankton bloom on the total warm season NCP in Baffin Bay.
The UK Arctic office and strengthening UK-Canada research connections: Role, achievements and opportunities
Burgess, Henry (1) (Presenter)
(1) NERC Arctic Office, c/o British Antarctic Survey, United Kingdom
The UK Arctic Office, funded by the UK's Natural Environment Research Council, has a key role to play in developing strong connections between researchers based in Canada and those in Britain. The Office has taken a prominent role in securing funding to enable UK researchers to join Canadian colleagues over the 2017 Arctic season. This oral session will provide the opportunity for participants to understand more about the role, activity and future plans of the Arctic Office in developing UK-Canada cooperation in the Arctic and the wider international role of the Office. At a time when a number of countries are developing a similar capacity and there are questions abut the future direction of the UK's international research, this oral session offers an insight into the activity and ambitions of the Office and of the United Kingdom research community as a whole. It will provide an overview of the Bursary activity and beyond, ahead of the detailed presentations on the findings and activity of the Bursaries from a number of the recipients.
Eddy covariance measurements of greenhouse gas exchange in the Arctic marine environment
Butterworth, Brian (1) (Presenter) and E. Brent (1)
(1) University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
Understanding how marine ecosystems exchange greenhouse gases (i.e. CO2, CH4) with the atmosphere is crucial to understanding ongoing and future climate change. The Arctic Ocean’s role as a carbon sink is particularly difficult to determine due to the presence of sea ice. Long considered a passive barrier to gas exchange, it is now widely recognized that dissolved gases in sea ice are actively cycled with the atmosphere. Accumulation chamber measurements have confirmed that significant CO2 fluxes do occur at the ice surface, but the technique only provides point samples, and it modifies the sampled environment. Eddy covariance, a meteorological technique, is capable of providing gas flux measurements at larger scales (hundreds of m2) without disturbing the surface. It is by far the most desirable method of measuring gas exchange, but biases associated with current instruments in cold weather and marine environments have produced confusing results. Furthermore, CO2 fluxes over sea ice (or any marine surface) are quite small, requiring instruments to operate near their detection limits. In this paper, we present our recent attempts to overcome these constraints on eddy covariance, using a new generation of techniques and instruments. Preliminary results are presented to show the performance of these systems on ocean going (i.e. the CCGS Amundsen) and coastal based installations. We also report preliminary findings on the role of sea ice on greenhouse gas exchange.
Concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances in traditional food animals from St. Lawrence Island, Alaska
Byrne, Sam (1) (Presenter), S. Sequinot-Medina (2), P. K Miller (2), V. Waghiyi (2), C. L. Buck (3), F. A. von Hippel (3) and D. O. Carpenter (4)
(1) Environmental Studies, St. Lawrence University, Canton NY, United States
(2) Alaska Community Action on Toxics, Anchorage AK, United States
(3) Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff AZ, United States
(4) Institute for Health and the Environment, University at Albany, Rensselaer NY, United States
The objective of this study was to assess the presence of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the diet of the St. Lawrence Island Yupik resident of St. Lawrence Island, Alaska. A total of fifty food samples from traditionally harvested animals on St. Lawrence Island were donated by community members. The concentration of 13 PFASs were quantified using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. PFASs had low detection rates in most traditional food samples. Of the 13 measured PFASs, 9 were detectable in any sample. Overall PFAS concentrations were highest in seal tissue. Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) was the most commonly detected PFAS, and was present at the highest mean concentration of any PFAS (15.4 ng/g ww). PFPeA was also present the highest maximum concentrations (24.8 ng/g in seal muscle). Importantly, PFPEA is not commonly included as an analyte of interest, and therefore PFPEA may make up a larger percentage of total PFAS burden in arctic organisms than previously believed. Interestingly, PFPeA was largely absent from traditional food samples other than seal. Analysis of heart, liver, kidney and intestine samples from a single juvenile seal suggest that PFASs preferentially partition into organs. Both total concentrations of PFAS and the number of detectable compounds were higher in organ meats. As such, marine mammal organs may represent an important route of exposure in this population. In bowhead whale samples, PFASs were only detected in muscle and blubber/skin samples. PFUNA, was the most commonly detected compound and was present in 3 of 8 blubber/skin samples. Overall detection rates of PFAS were low in reindeer samples with no apparent pattern of partitioning between tissue types. PFASs are present at variable concentrations in the diet of St. Lawrence Island Yupik people.
Continuous observations of a suite of volatile organic compounds in the surface ocean and lower atmosphere of the Canadian Arctic
C. Wohl (1), B. Else (2) (Presenter), B. Butterworth (2), M. Ahmed (2), T. Papakyriakou (3), D. Capelle (3), J. Abbatt (4), D. Collins (4), A. Jones (5), W. Sturges (6), R. Beale (1), P. Nightingale (1), Yang, Mingxi (1)
(1) Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth, United Kingdom
(2) University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
(3) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(4) University of Toronto, Toronto ON, Canada
(5) British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, United Kingdom
(6) University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are ubiquitous throughout the atmosphere where they are important in oxidation chemistry, air quality, and potentially cloud formation. Most VOCs have natural and/or anthropogenic sources. A major uncertainty in the cycling of VOCs in the Arctic is the role of the oceans and sea ice (i.e. whether they are net sources or sinks of these compounds). Here we report underway observations of the concentrations of a suite of VOCs in the surface waters and the lower atmosphere of the high Canadian Arctic from the Amundsun (May to Aug, 2017). These measurements were made using a proton-transfer reaction mass spectrometer (PTR-MS). To quantify water phase concentrations, the PTR-MS was coupled to a segmented flow coil equilibrator. Detected compounds include alcohols (methanol, ethanol, propanol), carbonyls (acetone, acetaldehyde), and marine biogenic gases (dimethyl sulfide, isoprene). From the measured concentrations we estimate the surface ocean saturations of these compounds and infer their net air-sea fluxes. Evaluations of these observations in conjunction with measurements of fine aerosol size distributions and ozone will help us quantify the impact of VOCs on chemistry and clouds in the Arctic Atmosphere.
Assessing and monitoring permafrost along the Dempster Highway, YT: Paving the way for an adaptation strategy.
Calmels, Fabrice (1) (Presenter), L.-P. Roy (1), M. Taillefer (2), M. Allard (2) and K. Grandmont (1)
(1) Yukon College, Whitehorse YT, Canada
(2) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
The Dempster highway is a pan-territorial road with major importance as an economic corridor and for tourism. Now linked all the way to Tuktoyaktuk, NT, it provides the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation access to the southern reaches of their traditional territory. As critical infrastructure for the region, it is important to maintain the Dempster highway in the face of climate change effects in the upcoming decades. Understanding the potential impacts of climate change on the Dempster Highway is of the utmost importance to support decision-making regarding highway construction and maintenance. Already, climate-related events such as flooding and differential settlement due to permafrost thaw have caused damage to the highway. The Yukon Research Centre’s Northern Climate ExChange (NCE) and Government of Yukon’s Department of Highways and Public Works (HPW) are partnering to establish a functional plan which takes climate change into account. Climate-aware planning and engineering will help provide a robust justification for project choices and contribute to cost-effective maintenance of the highway. Presented here are preliminary results of a large-scale survey aiming to fill important gaps in climate change monitoring and data collection for this region of the Yukon. Field investigations included: onsite mapping of surficial geology, landforms, and features related to permafrost occurrence; permafrost core drilling to investigate ground ice content and soil nature; active layer thickness probing to determine seasonal thaw depth; electrical resistivity tomography (ERT); and, ground penetrating radar surveys. Ground temperature monitoring was implemented along the highway via instrumented boreholes, providing a ground thermal monitoring network and an improved understanding of the permafrost conditions and their potential to respond to climate change. A total of 17 sites have been investigated from km 82 to km 458, in both glaciated and unglaciated terrain. The NCE has implemented permafrost monitoring stations at 10 sites, complementing 3 sites already monitored by HPW. Some critical sites which have been more deeply scrutinized are discussed here. A special focus has been on identifying and mapping massive ice bodies, the thawing of which constitutes a major, if not the largest, threat to the highway structure. The array of permafrost monitoring stations will inform and orient future maintenance policies of HPW. Combined with borehole and geophysical data, the monitoring array will contribute to establishing the highway as a permafrost research corridor, and be integrated into the monitoring network that has been progressively developed by the NCE with HPW, currently including more than 40 stations across the Yukon.
Controls of sea ice algal and bacterial production in Dease Strait of the Northwest Passage
Campbell, Karley (1) (Presenter), C.J. Mundy (1), J. C. Landy, (2), C. Michel, (3), C. Belize, (4), M. Gosselin (4), A. Delaforge, (1) and S. Rysgaard (1,5,6)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
(3) Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(4) Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(5) Arctic Research Centre, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark
(6) Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland
The rate of sea ice algal and heterotrophic bacterial production in sea ice is affected by environmental conditions that vary seasonally, between study areas, and with ongoing climate change. This causes variability in the contribution of microbial production to carbon cycling and foodweb dynamics across the Arctic marine system. We present a summary of ice algal and bacterial production in Dease Strait of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, and an evaluation of the physical or biological processes affecting production in the region. Results from a novel oxygen optode based method of measuring algal and community production show that sea ice in Dease Strait is only moderately productive relative to other regions of the Arctic. Algal chemical composition (carbon, nitrogen, chlorophyll a) and photophysiology further indicate that low primary production in the region is due to co-limitation by light and dissolved nitrogen. In comparison, bacterial production from 3H-leucine incubations suggest that carbon supply from the smallest size fraction of ice algae (< 2 µm) may be an important factor. Light, nutrient and salinity conditions influence the taxonomic composition of the ice algal community. Low salinity and nitrogen-poor waters in Dease Strait appear to favor a community of centric over pennate diatoms when sufficient light is available. Collectively these factors drive biomass accumulation, and determine whether the bottom ice will be autotrophic (net CO2 loss) or heterotrophic (net CO2 gain). We note the potential for heterotrophic conditions to occur well into the spring season, which challenges the common assumption that this period is consistently autotrophic as a result of algal photosynthesis.
Net heterotrophy in the sea ice algal bloom
Campbell, Karley (1) (Presenter), C.J. Mundy (1), M. Gosselin (2), J. C. Landy (3) and S. Rysgaard (1,4,5)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(3) University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
(4) Arctic Research Centre, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark
(5) Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland
Photosynthesis and respiration by sea ice algae and bacteria influence carbon fluxes in in the Arctic marine system and determine whether the ice is net heterotrophic (O2 uptake) or autotrophic (O2 release). Oxygen optodes were used in this study to examine the productive state of bottom-sea ice in Dease Strait over the spring algal bloom. Based on these measurements we divided the spring bloom into two phases of net community production and algal growth. Phase I was characterized by limited algal accumulation and low productivity, which at times resulted in net heterotrophy. Greater productivity in Phase II drove rapid algal accumulation that consistently produced net autotrophic conditions. The different phases were associated with seasonal shifts in light availability and species dominance. This study demonstrates the importance of community respiration measurements in spring, as respiration rates can maintain a heterotrophic state independent of algal growth. Our conclusions challenge previous assumptions of a fully autotrophic sea ice community during the ice-covered spring.
Causes of recent land cover changes (1985-2015) in the floodplains of western Banks Island, Northwest Territories
Campbell, Kiyo (1) (Presenter), T.C. Lantz (1) and R.H. Fraser (2)
(1) University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
(2) Canada Centre for Mapping and Earth Observation - Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
Many northern ecosystems are experiencing rapid changes in vegetation, permafrost, and hydrology. Remote sensing technologies are an effective way to detect ecological changes across large areas. This is especially important in the Arctic, where field-based monitoring is expensive and logistically complex. Landsat Tasseled Cap (TC) greenness and wetness indices from 1985-2015 have revealed widespread vegetation die-back and declines in pond area across the Banks Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary No. 1 (BIMBS1), in the Northwest Territories. Spatial analysis shows that the areas experiencing browning and drying trends are clustered almost exclusively within low-lying floodplains and drainage areas. These areas provide nesting and brood rearing habitat for over 95% of the western Arctic Lesser snow goose (Chen caerulescens caerulescens) population. This population has almost tripled since 1976 and may be driving the observed land cover changes. Field sampling in the summer of 2017 was preformed to evaluate the contributions of snow goose overgrazing to changes in land cover within the BIMBS1. Measurements of snow goose habitat use, vegetation, and abiotic conditions were made in areas where TC indices show: 1) vegetation browning, 2) drying, and 3) no significant change controls. An unmanned aerial vehicle was also used to collect high resolution aerial imagery of sampling sites. Generalized linear mixed models were used to test for differences in field measurements among these site types. Preliminary analysis shows evidence that intensive snow goose foraging activities are associated with vegetation die-back, but not declines in pond area. This suggests that land cover changes on western Banks Island are being driven by multiple processes. Our ongoing analysis uses decision tree regression to explore the influence of biotic and abiotic factors on changes in greenness and wetness across the entire migratory bird sanctuary. Altered or damaged habitat in the BIMBS1 will impact the population dynamics of snow geese and the many migratory bird species that use the area. Disappearing tundra ponds are also likely to impact the snow goose population, as they provide vital protection during a flightless moulting period in late July. The results from this project, will inform landscape-scale habitat assessment and management of the migratory bird sanctuary.
Effect of a storm during the sea ice minimum extent
Campbell, Yanique (1) (Presenter), D. Barber (1) and J. Ehn (1)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
The Arctic wave climate in recent years has undergone noteworthy changes in response to changing atmospheric and oceanic conditions. Sea ice acts as a barrier on the ocean surface preventing much of the wind’s energy and momentum from being absorbed at the surface. It also reduces the distance or fetch over which the wind blows, a key ingredient for the generation of waves. As the ice extent continues to decrease, fetch is correspondingly increasing, allowing for wave growth and propagation to become important issues in the climate change scenario. In addition, longer open water seasons increase the likelihood of storms creating energetic waves. This has significant consequences for the sea ice, coastlines and the upper ocean. This study examines the properties of surface gravity waves that developed in the Beaufort Sea during the second half of September 2009, when sea ice was at its minimum extent. Supported by the available fetch, a storm event during this period was able to generate significant waves. Data were collected via in situ wave buoys and CT sensors augmented by data from the WAVEWATCH III wave model and the Canadian Ice Service ice charts. The wave properties are examined in terms of their relationship to wind speed and direction, the ice edge location (fetch), the coast and the upper ocean distribution of heat and salinity. The storm generated significant waves with a maximum height of ~6 m and peak periods of ~9 s. The retreat of the ice edge ~140 km to the north of the sampling site greatly dictated the fetch available for wave development. Following the storm event, the upper ocean properties changed; the mixed layer depth increased significantly as well as the temperature and salinity of the layer. The interaction was compounded with the intrusion of the warm, fresh Mackenzie river, which spread offshore owing to northeasterly winds. The fetch-growth relationship was more pronounced in the high wind conditions as a longer fetch is required for maximum wave growth. This relationship also impacted the energy of waves arriving at the coastline, which exacerbates the coastal issues of erosion and sediment transport.
Arsenic, cadmium and lead cycling in permafrost thaw lakes
Canário, João (1) (Presenter), M. Pilote (2), M. C. dos Santos (1), M. F. Araujo (3), T. Duarte (1), G. Vieira (4), W. F. Vincent (5)
(1) Centro de Quimica Estrutural, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
(2) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Montréal QC, Canada
(3) Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Bobadela, Portugal
(4) IGOT, Centro de Estudos Geográficos, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
(5) Centre d’études nordiques (CEN) & Département de biologie, Laval University, Québec QC, Canada
One of the best-known features of permafrost degradation is the formation of thaw lakes. These lakes are widespread in Arctic and contribute to global carbon cycling. Moreover, these highly dynamic systems are not only a source of GHG to the atmosphere but also deliver huge amounts of natural organic matter (NOM), nutrients and metals to themselves and to the adjacent aquatic systems. Several studies have evaluated the concentrations of carbon compounds and trace elements in thaw lakes, and have examined some of the biogeochemical processes responsible for the partitioning, speciation and fate of certain elements on these lakes. However the biogeochemical processes involved are still poorly understood. In order to contribute to the understanding of trace element cycles in thaw lakes, field campaigns were undertaken in the Canadian subarctic region of Whapmagoostui-Kuujjuarapik (W-K) and Umiujaq (Quebec) in summer and winter as part of the Canadian ADAPT and the Portuguese PERMACHEM projects. Four permafrost thaw lakes were sampled. Water samples were collected at different depths and analysed for labile and total dissolved metals using the DGT method and ICP-MS. Lake sediment cores and nearby soils were also sampled and analysed using the equivalent techniques for solids and also by X-ray diffraction both in powder and single crystal analysis. The total concentrations of As, Cd, and Pb in Umiujaq thaw lakes (on mineral lithalsa soils) were generally higher than in W-K lakes (on organic palsa soils). At both sites, dissolved organic matter appears to be the main source of these elements, which are remobilized by microbial degradation. This process takes place especially during long winter period when the lakes are covered with ice. In all sampled lakes the concentrations of the analysed TEs varied with depth, in general increasing towards the bottom. The proportion of labile (% of the total) elements also varied, being related to the anoxia of the water and the concentrations of DOC and dissolved sulphide. Processes of co-precipitation/precipitation (with sulphide) and complexation (with DOC) were identified changing the TE- partitioning and availability in the water column. As an example, TE-sulphide precipitation/co-precipitation appears to play an important role for the removal of TE from the water. This hypothesis was supported by the analysis of the TE composition in surface sediments from the lake, which showed that 10 to 60% of the TE occurs in the form of sulphides. These results point to the importance of permafrost soils as a source of trace elements into thaw lakes, and indicate that in a thaw lake drainage scenario.
Ice and water column CO2, CH4, and N2O during winter-spring transition in SW Hudson Bay
Capelle, David (1) (Presenter), N. Geilfus (1), C. Manning (2), P. Tortell (2), L. Miller (3) and T. Papakyriakou (1)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC, Canada
(3) Institute of Ocean Sciences, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Sidney BC, Canada
Arctic marine coastal waters are hot spots for cycling and sea-air flux of methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), and nitrous oxide (N2O), and are vulnerable to ocean acidification. Previous research has highlighted the need for higher resolution measurements in nearshore environments, with sea-ice and under-ice water column measurements being particularly lacking. Here, we present preliminary concentration measurements of the greenhouse gases CO2, CH4 and N2O, as well as dissolved inorganic carbon and total alkalinity, water mass tracers (18O) and stable isotopes (13C-DIC) from the nearshore water column and sea ice in southwestern Hudson Bay, collected during the transition from winter to spring (Feb – April 2017). Preliminary findings show the Churchill and Nelson River estuaries experience significant accumulation of total alkalinity, CH4, and N2O in the water column during winter and spring. Future work will use freshwater tracers and stable isotope data to evaluate the sources and sinks of these compounds, and their influence on regional greenhouse gas cycling and ocean acidification. This work may shed light on the influence of freshwater on greenhouse gas cycling and ocean acidification in Hudson Bay and other Arctic coastal waters.
A Greenland climate story
Cappelen, John (1) (Presenter)
(1) Danish Meteorological Society, Copenhagen, Denmark
Over the last few hundred years, climate changes have taken place all over the globe, including Greenland. Understanding these changes is of great value if we want to find out how much human activities contribute to climate changes. To detect how much we are contributing to climate changes, we must know how much the climate changes by itself. This is the reason as to why historical weather data is of such great value. The first direct global temperature measurements go back to the 16th/17th centuries. However, reliable measurements covering the entire globe are not available before around 1850. In Greenland, reliable temperature measurements were carried out in the capital Nuuk from around 1785. Climate information from earlier times is revealed in tree rings, corals and cores in lakes, marshes, oceans and ice caps. Data of such types is by far less precise than direct measurements taken by instruments, such as thermometers. Still, instrumental measurements require a great deal of caution if used for climate change studies. Correction of errors caused by relocation of stations, changes in instruments and observation times and not least environmental changes in the surrounding area of a measuring station, such as vegetation, buildings (urbanization), must always be included. The poster will serve as an introduction to the DMI Greenland climate data monitoring, handling and dissimination for climate change studies.
Will ocean warming save the day and protect Arctic copepods from heatwaves?
Carignan, Marie-Hélène (1) (Presenter), M. Chemel (1), C. Thibault (1), P. Thor (2) and P. Calosi (1)
(1) Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(2) Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Center, Tromsø, Norway
The metabolic rate, as the most fundamental rate of life, sets the pace for many biological processes: from cellular biochemical reactions to organismal homeostasis, and from populations and communities dynamics to ecosystemic functioning. In ectotherms, the metabolic rate is highly dependent on the size of an individual and on environmental drivers, of which the most notable is temperature due to its influence on cell kinetics. The increase in temperature caused by human-driven climate change is challenging most organisms and ecosystems on Earth, Arctic environments being considered among the most vulnerable. In particular, the occurrence of both chronic elevated temperature and the increase in frequency and intensity of extreme climatic events, such as heat waves, will likely have deleterious effects on cold-adapted Arctic species such as the keystone copepod Calanus glacialis. On the other hand, could long-term acclimation to ocean warming of C glacialis provide protection and help them cope with such extreme thermal events? To answer this question, we investigated the metabolic responses of adult females of C. glacialis exposed to either or both long term warming and acute heat wave conditions. First, specimens were preconditioned to either control or ocean warming temperature predicted to occur by 2035 for three weeks. Then, they were exposed to either pre-exposure conditions or acute thermal levels, mimicking that of a heat wave by a fixed increase in temperature for both original pre-exposure conditions for one week. Metabolic rates, estimated via oxygen consumption rates, were measured and metabolomic fingerprint determined individually. We discuss our results within the context of C. glacialis ecology and its critical role in Arctic shelf ecosystems.
Snow condition characteristics of Prince Charles Island: Context of Barren Ground Caribou die-off during winter 2015-2016
Caroline Dolant (1,2), B. Montpetit (3) (Presenter), A. Langlois (1,2), C.A. Johnson (3), O. Zolina (4), A. Royer (1, 2) and L. Brucker (5,6)
(1) Centre d’Applications et de Recherches en Télédétection, Université de Sherbrooke QC, Canada
(2) Centre d’Études Nordiques, Quebec QC, Canada
(3) National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa ON, Canada
(4) Institut des Géosciences de l’Environnement - UMR 5001, Grenoble, France
(5) NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Cryospheric Sciences Laboratory, Code 615, Greenbelt MD, United States
(6) Universities Space Research Association, Goddard Earth Sciences Technology and Research Studies and investigations, Columbia MD, United States
In July 2016, a research scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada spotted the carcasses of dozens of Barren ground caribou on Prince Charles Island while scouting the location of a research station. The ECCC scientist, along with the Nunavut Department of the Environment, collected samples and an investigation into the cause and extent of the die off is ongoing. The Barren ground caribou on Prince Charles Island are part of a larger herd that is distributed across the Baffin Island Complex. The entire Baffin Island herd has experienced a substantial decline with numbers decreasing from >120,000 in 1991 to an estimate of between 3462 and 6250 in a 2014 survey. Dolant et al., (2016) and Montpetit (2015) has developed a rain-on-snow (ROS) detection algorithm and method capable of identifying ice layers (IDI) from satellites using passive microwave radiometry. The algorithms were applied to several islands in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago by Langlois et al. 2017 and their results showed that an increase occurrence of such events correspond to low caribou populations. Hence, the ROS and IDI algorithms have been used with the main hypothesis for Peary caribou population decline is limited access to winter forage during successive years of severe weather that creates snow pack conditions that limit forage accessibility. Note that the caribou do not access of food ground when the density snow layer exceed 350 kg.m-3. An adaptation of this method is necessary to detect wind slab due to strong wind events, in fact this one having a role on snow densification on the surface layer. The first results shows an increasing of gradient ratio polarisation (derived of brightness temperature) in the spring, only during 2015-1016 winter season and coincides with the period where caribou die off events. Dolant et al., (2016) demonstrated that a decreasing of index is due to a rain-on-snow events and the increasing here not suggest a rain-on-snow events. The increase in gradient ration polarisation could be explain by a very high dense snow layer caused by strong wind events. Also the results suggest a significant increase of the polarization effect (i.e. density) in 2015-2016 especially at 37 GHz where the occurrence of such events (60% and 56 % more in 2015-2016 when compared to 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 respectively). The fact that 37 GHz are much higher suggest very hard and dense layers near the surface since the penetration depth of such frequency is typically limited to the top 5 – 10 cm of the snow pack. The final results of simulation allows to extract a new threshold derived of Montpetit (2015) method and permit to understand snow response of high density layer (> 350 kg.m-3) and makes it possible to understand the cause of this episode of caribou die-off.
Evidence of Holocene climate change in northeastern Baffin Bay based on sedimentological analyses and dinoflagellate cyst assemblages
Caron, Myriam (1) (Presenter), J-C. Montero-Serrano (1), A. Rochon (1) and G. St-Onge (1)
(1) Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski, Université du Québec à Rimouski et GEOTOP, Rimouski QC, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFIn order to document the paleoclimatic and paleoceanographic variability in northeastern Baffin Bay during the Holocene, three sedimentary cores were collected on the northwestern Greenland margin (AMD14-204; AMD14-210) and Kane Basin (AMD14-Kane2B). We used paleomagnetic, bulk mineralogical and palynological analyses to: (1) track changes in sediment inputs and transport pathways, (2) estimate the evolution of sea surface conditions (temperature, salinity, sea-ice cover duration, productivity) and (3) document ocean, ice sheet and climate interactions in Baffin Bay during the Holocene. The chronology of the sediment cores was constrained by combining paleomagnetic analyses with AMS-14C ages and confirms that the three sedimentary sequences cover the last 10 000 years. Our sedimentological, mineralogical and magnetic proxies indicate fluctuations in the detrital sedimentation during the Holocene likely reflecting changes in the Greenland Ice Sheet dynamics. Indeed, specific variations of almost all the detrital proxies measured in this study are synchronous with other NW Greenland records, supporting the hypothesis that the NW Greenland Ice Sheet fluctuations are mainly driven by changes in the intensity of the West Greenland Current, themselves related to Holocene climate variability. The palynological results from cores AMD14-204 and AMD14-Kane2B reveal three dinocyst assemblage zones determined from the base to the top of the two sediment cores. At the base of both cores, dinocysts are sparse, indicating harsh conditions and low productivity, and this first assemblage zone is dominated by heterotrophic species such as Brigantedinium sp. and Islandinium minutum. From 7800 to 3500 cal BP for the core on the northwestern Greenland margin and from 8500 to 5500 cal BP for the core in Kane Basin, a second dinocyst assemblage zone is marked by a high species richness diversity with the dominance of autotrophic taxa such as Operculodinium centrocarpum, Spiniferites elongatus. This assemblage zone reflects improved sea surface conditions and warmer temperatures. This warming coincides with the Holocene Thermal Maximum, which is well observed in the Arctic region. Lastly, the third assemblage zone after 3500 cal BP in core AMD14-204 is dominated by the autotrophic species Pentapharsodinium dalei, which also appear, after 5500 cal BP in core AMD14-Kane2B. This assemblage is marked by a decreasing productivity and reflects the establishment of modern sea surface conditions with a general cooling trend that started following the Holocene Thermal Maximum. To conclude, these three northern Baffin Bay sedimentary records strongly support an early Holocene Thermal Maximum establishment in the Kane Basin (Nares Strait) compared to the West Greenland margin, likely in response to a greater influence of the high boreal summer insolation in this Arctic region.
What should we do with all these Snow Geese? ...Bringing Inuit local knowledge into management of an international wildlife resource
Carter, Natalie (1,2) (Presenter) and V. Johnston (1)
(1) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canada
(2) University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, Canada
(3) Irniuviit Co-Management Committee, Coral Harbour NU, Canada
(4) Nivvialik Co-Management Committee, Arviat NU, Canada
Populations of white geese (Snow geese and Ross’ geese) have increased dramatically in the last 50 years. In the eastern and central Arctic these geese have destroyed vegetation over large areas near their colonies. Scientists are doing studies to try to understand the impact that the geese are having on the land and on other animals that share the same habitat. The local committees that manage bird sanctuaries near Arviat and Coral Harbour, Nunavut and the Hunters and Trappers Organizations in those communities, consider the current overpopulation of white geese to be an issue of concern. This project documented Inuit knowledge and perspectives about white goose populations on Southampton Island and mainland Kivalliq, as well as goose impacts on the land, other birds, and people. This synthesis of Inuit knowledge is being used by Inuit project participants to form their own recommendations about how to manage white geese in Nunavut. In the final stage of the project, we will bring Inuit and western scientists together to share their findings and develop joint statements or recommendations for the management of white geese in Nunavut. The purpose of this presentation is to a) present preliminary results from Inuit knowledge interviews; b) describe lessons learned to date by the project committee; and c) solicit feedback and advice from the audience who have undertaken similar projects, or who have an expertise in waterfowl/habitat management, resource co-management, or local knowledge use in land and resource management. This project and this presentation are a collaborative effort of members of the project steering committee (Arviat and Aiviit Hunters and Trappers Organization, the Irniurviit and Nivvialik Co-Management Committees, and Environment and Climate Change Canada).
Arctic corridors and northern voices: Inuit-identified impacts of shipping and recommendations for low impact shipping corridors
Carter, Natalie (1) (Presenter) and J.Dawson (1)
(1) University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, Canada
Arctic ship traffic has increased by more than 75% since 2005. Most of that increase happened in Nunavut waters. Corridors have been mapped in the Arctic Ocean as part of the Low Impact Shipping Corridors Initiative co-led by three federal government agencies. Low impact shipping corridors are the current framework for governing shipping in the Canadian Arctic. The intent of the low impact shipping corridors is to reduce the likelihood of marine incidents by providing predictable levels of service to mariners transiting the corridors. Identification of Inuit and northerners’ perspectives on the potential impacts of marine vessels on marine areas used for cultural and livelihood activities, and on community members, and the inclusion of Northern voices in the development of potential management strategies for the low impact shipping corridors and Arctic marine transportation are key considerations in the current prioritization of the corridors. Through this study, Inuit and northerners’ perspectives on the potential impacts of marine vessels on local marine use areas and community members were documented, with the explicit purpose of informing the prioritization of the corridors to minimize those impacts. Participatory mapping, and semi-structured group discussions and interviews were conducted in 5 communities in Nunavut. Communities were purposively selected based on known concerns about shipping. Participants were active, current users of marine areas with expert knowledge of significant socio-cultural, archaeological, and ecological sites and travel routes, and the potential impacts of shipping. Discussions were conducted in Inuktitut, simultaneously interpreted to English, audio-recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Analysis focused on maintaining the integrity of respondents’ narratives. Maps were digitized using ArcGIS. In all communities, participants said that disruption of sea ice formation and break-up by icebreakers and marine vessels is especially disruptive to Inuit and northerners’ ability to use local travel routes, and travel, hunt, and camp safely on ice. Similarly, in every community, concerns that ships pass through traditional hunting grounds, and about oil spills and insufficient spills response capacity were expressed. Related concerns included changes to ecology (wildlife, erosion, ice conditions, contaminants); delays and expenditures when travelling and harvesting; restricted country food access, food insecurity, increased dependence on prohibitively expensive store-bought food, and decreased meat quality. Increased threats to security including Inuit culture, and the effects of ship sonar use, ship noise and wake were also expressed. Lastly, concerns were raised about monitoring and enforcement (ship traffic, sewage disposal); the need for additional charting; and the need for scientific evidence documenting the impact of ships on northern waters and shorelines. These Inuit-identified impacts of marine vessels transiting Canadian Arctic waters will be presented in the context of the current scientific body of knowledge and Canadian and international policy related to these perceived impacts, and in the context of Inuit and northerners’ recommendations for the low impact shipping corridors.
Biogeochemical modelling using NEMO and BLING
Castro de la Guardia, L. (1), A.S. Kahn (1), X. Hu (1), M. Claret (2), E.D. Galbraith (3) and P. Myers (1) (Presenter)
(1) Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
(2) College of the Environment, University of Washington, Seattle WA, United States
(3) Institucion Catalana de Recera I Estudis Acancats, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
BLING (Biogeochemistry with Light, Iron, Nutrient, and Gases) is a biogeochemical model that empirically calculates community production and explicitly simulates the biogeochemical cycles of oxygen (O), phosphate (P), iron (Fe) and inorganic carbon (C). The growth formulation is based on a mixed Monod-quota scheme, specifically, a in-cell fixed Redfield stoichiometry of C/P, but using a variable Fe quota. Ocean productivity and phytoplankton growth are limited by the ambient macro-nutrient concentrations, light, temperature and the internal availability of Fe. Iron also limits the light harvesting capacity of phytoplankton, and slows down photosynthesis if in low quantities. BLINGv0 can be used with either regional or global configurations of NEMO, at both high and low resolution. Here, we run BLINGv0 coupled to a regional configuration of NEMO at a 1/4 degree resolution. This talk will focus on the model evaluation. Analysis shows good agreement with observations in the Beaufort Sea and Baffin Bay. Using the new BLINGv0-DIC version, we will present preliminary results related to inorganic carbon and alkalinity.
Characterizing microbial communities in a rapidly changing high Arctic watershed
Cavaco, Maria (1) (Presenter), V. St. Louis (1), K. Engel (2), K. St. Pierre (1) and J.D. Neufeld (2)
1) University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
2) University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON, Canada
Arctic watersheds are being altered by climate change, with current climate models predicting increases in temperature and precipitation in the high Arctic of up to 8.3oC and 40%, respectively, by 2100. These changes will have profound impacts on the Arctic hydrological cycle, including enhanced glacial melt and permafrost thaw. Current research has identified corresponding changes to the physicochemical parameters of downstream freshwater systems, including changes in fluxes of bioavailable nutrients, pollutants, and turbidity. Alterations to downstream freshwater systems are hypothesized to alter resident aquatic microbial communities, with far reaching and unknown consequences for many Arctic freshwater biogeochemical cycles and ecosystem services. To address these concerns, we investigated microbial communities and associated physicochemical parameters from sample sites within the Lake Hazen watershed on Northern Ellesmere Island (81N; 71W), used here as a sentinel system for environmental change. We sampled from numerous glacially fed water bodies, as well as water bodies fed by permafrost thaw, over a spring and summer season. Collected water samples were analysed for a suite of physicochemical parameters (e.g., temperature, greenhouse gas content, pH) in parallel with high-throughput 16S rRNA gene data targeting bacteria and archaea. Ordination analysis revealed that samples grouped according to site, with the Lake Hazen microbial community sharing highest overall similarity with major glacial-source rivers. Operational taxonomic units associated with Polaromonas, Rhodoferax, and Flavobacterium genera dominated most waterbodies of this watershed, similar to the findings of other high Arctic freshwater studies. These rivers changed seasonally in response to chemical parameters, such as turbidity and temperature. These data help establish a baseline understanding of the microbial communities from Arctic watersheds so that future research can monitor how the quality of Arctic freshwater ecosystems and the services they provide may be changing temporally.
Validation and field deployment of a rapid diagnostic test for syphilis in Arctic communities
Caya, Chelsea (1) (Presenter), B. Sehrir (2), V. Morin (3), J-F. Proulx (3) and C.P. Yansouni (1)
(1) McGill University, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Laboratoire de santé publique du Québec, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue QC, Canada
(3) Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services (NRBHSS), Kuujjuaq QC, Canada
Background: Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection with several serious sequelae if untreated, including transmission to unborn children. Syphilis is endemic or emerging in parts of the Arctic. This is a region where timely access to diagnostics is difficult given the isolation of communities. In this region, the use of traditional laboratory testing algorithms that rely on referral to distant laboratories resulted in considerable delays between initial screening of potentially affected people and their treatment, often exceeding 14 days. This delay potentially contributes to syphilis transmission in sexual networks within and between communities. Intervention: To stop disease transmission and overcome obstacles to timely treatment, we performed an in-lab pilot validation of the Chembio DPP® Syphilis Screen & Confirm rapid diagnostic test (RDT; results =15 minutes) and obtained urgent authorization for use from Health Canada’s Special Access Program for medical devices. The RDT is being deployed in three Nunavik villages for use in parallel with Quebec provincial testing algorithms, allowing point-of-care screening and linkage to treatment in the same visit, with the aims of drastically reducing delays between testing and treatment, and making possible expanded on-site testing in villages wherever new outbreak cases are identified. Results: We will report preliminary data at 3 months of field-deployment of a point-of-care RDT. We will describe the clinical and epidemiological impact of the deployment in terms of (i) field diagnostic accuracy (e.g., sensitivity and specificity) of the RDT in this population, and (ii) added value (i.e., screening coverage, time-to-treatment, and number of infectious contacts averted) compared to traditional laboratory-based testing. We will also present a framework for a network analysis using dynamic individual-based disease transmission models to further investigate the impact of both diagnostic approaches on syphilis transmission dynamics over time. In addition to controlling current outbreaks, these data will inform implementation policy for RDT-based syphilis testing in remote Arctic communities.
Pujjunaq: Archaeology and History Project
Cencig, Elsa (1) (Presenter) and T. Weetaluktuk (2)
(1) Avataq Cultural Institute, Westmount QC, Canada
(2) Avataq Cultural Institute, Inukjuak QC, Canada
Pujjunaq (Mansel Island) is a large island located in north-eastern Hudson Bay, offshore from the mainland between Akulivik and Ivujivik (Nunavik). It holds an important position in the region as part of the traditional seasonal round for a number of families from Hudson Bay and Hudson Strait, and the island’s rich archaeological record indicates this was also true prehistorically. In 2014, Avataq Cultural Institute, a non-profit Inuit organization based in Inukjuak (Hudson Bay) and Montreal (Québec), launched an archaeology and history project on Pujjunaq. In collaboration with the northern village of Akulivik, this community archaeology project involves archaeological surveys, excavations, archival research, oral history and Inuit traditional place-names, in order to document the extent of human occupancy of the island through time and its significance to Nunavimmiut’s cultural heritage. The project started with an extensive archaeological survey in 2014, followed by the 2017 salvage excavation of a site threatened by erosion. Over one hundred sites were recorded along the central eastern coast of Pujjunaq, from Pre-Dorset to Inuit times. Impressive sites were discovered and documented, including an early Predorset camp site and two (potentially) early Thule Inuit sites. Their location on the off-shore island of Pujjunaq fits along a hypothesized migration route from Western Arctic and across Hudson Bay to Nunavik, which is very promising. Also, the excavation of the endangered Qulliapik Site (JlGu-3), a multi-component Dorset and Thule-Inuit site, revealed an excellent preservation of organic artefacts, especially from the Late Dorset period. The results to date indicate that the human occupation and the history of Pujjunaq, from an archaeological perspective, is rich and characterised by a concentration of sites that were occupied by successive cultural groups over more than 3 800 years. The area holds potential for answering important questions concerning the earliest migrations of inhabitants of Nunavik, placing Pujjunaq as a probable stepping stone during the Early Predorset and the Thule Inuit migrations to Nunavik.
Sharing Nuna and Istchee – Sharing the Views of Youth through Short Films
Chanteloup, Laine (1) (Presenter), T.M. Hermann (2) and F. Joliet (3)
(1) Université de Limoges, Géolab, France
(2) Université de Montréal, Département de géographie, Montréal QC, Canada
(3) Angers Agrocampus, ESO, Canada
Life on the land is important in the construction of indigenous identity and well-being in northern communities. Settler colonialism characterised by evangelization, forced settlement, and the integration into the market economy has deeply affected indigenous sense of place, use and activities linked with it in Canada. If many studies on relationship to the land are documenting Elders previous way of life or hunters mobility, it is equally important to look at the youngest generation and the way they perceive the land because they are the future leaders of their communities. In the Canadian North, the youth represents almost 40% of the population and few researches look at their points of view. Here, we present the results of three video workshops that have been organized in Nunavik (Québec, Canada) with Inuit and Cree youth in order to have a better understanding of the ways in which they relate to the land. As a source of youth empowerment, videos create dialogues between researcher and youth but also between youth amongst themselves and between generations within communities. This presentation focus on the methodology used in youth filmmaking and addresses youth perception and perspectives on the land. Results show that use, practice and sense of the relationship with the land have been upheaved within a generation, raising some major stakes for the future of an embedded relationship to the land and its knowledge. It also appears that the holistic view of nature still persists: some traditional ceremonies linked to the land are rising again in order to strengthen indigenous identity and in different and specific ways, land brings them both physical and mental well-being.
TSFN harvest study : Characterizing economic, social, and biological factors that influence harvest practices to ensure responsible fisheries development in Gjoa Haven, Nunavut
Chapman, Jacqueline (1) (Presenter), K. Nimiqtaqtuq (2) (Presenter), B. Puqiqnak (2), J. Qitsualik (2), A. Hayes (3), S. Lougheed (4), V. Walker (4), P. van Coeverden de Groot (4) and S. Schott (5)
(1) Faculty of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) Gjoa Haven Hunter's and Trapper's Association, Gjoa Haven NU, Canada
(3) Geomatics and Cartographic Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
(4) Faculty of Biology, Queens University, Kingston ON, Canada
(5) School of Public Policy and Administration, Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
The responsible development of sustainable Northern fisheries is of paramount importance. This is particularly salient for communities where subsistence fisheries provide access to affordable, safe, and culturally relevant food. To profile current harvesting practices and food distribution in Gjoa Haven, Nunavut, the community, the Hunter’s and Trappers Association, and Carleton University have collaborated to create an innovative Harvest Study that incorporates social, economic, and biological information by using a multi-dimensional research approach. GPS satellite tracking and communication devices are used to track each hunter’s travel routes and report successful harvests, wildlife sightings, and environmental conditions using a specifically designed application created in collaboration with Carleton University’s Geomatics and Cartographic Research Centre and Garmin®. By integrating satellite tracking and harvest reporting data with Geomatic’s Nunaliit software, each observation is immediately uploaded to a central database, with exact GPS location and observation viewable on an internet-accessible Atlas map. This detailed information is combined with pre- and post-trip cost analysis to assess expenses associated with harvesting country food. Since the launch in August 2017, the Harvest Study has been administered by a local facilitator and youth apprentice in Gjoa Haven in partnership with researchers from Carleton University. Our presentation outlines the community-based integrated research process, lessons learned, as well as preliminary observations from our tracking and pre-and post trip surveys.
Extremely high phytoplankton biomass in the nearshore waters of the Hudson Bay system in early summer 2017
Charette, Joannie (1) (Presenter) and M.Gosselin (1)
(1) Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
We present for the first time the size-fractionated phytoplankton chlorophyll a (chl a) biomass along a transect following the Quebec coast from Kuujjuarapik in Hudson Bay to Ungava Bay in early summer. Samples were collected from 7 to 12 July 2017 onboard the CCGS Amundsen. Sea-surface salinity and temperature ranged from 25.5 to 31.2 psu and from 0.2 to 10 °C, respectively; the lowest salinity and highest temperature occurring at the southernmost stations of Hudson Bay. The chl a biomass integrated over the water column ranged from 30 to 420 mg m-2, the lowest and highest values being measured in the vicinity of the Great Whale River plume near Kuujjuarapik and in Ungava Bay, respectively. The phytoplankton biomass was always dominated by large cells (>20 µm), except in the Great Whale River plume. Subsurface chl a maxima were detected from 20 to 50 m, suggesting that surface nutrients were depleted at most stations. In addition, in Hudson Bay, the subsurface chl a maxima were below the euphotic zone, suggesting phytoplankton advection or sedimentation. These data shed new light on the nearshore productivity of the Hudson Bay system and will help to improve bio-physical model of the planktonic production in this subarctic region.
Spatial use and distribution of Narwhals in Tallurutiup Imanga, the Lancaster Sound national marine conservation area
Charry, Bertrand (1) (Presenter), M. Marcoux (2), M. M. Humphries (1), T. Schwinghamer (3) and P. Dutilleul (3)
(1) Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Macdonald Campus, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue QC, Canada
(2) Central and Arctic Region, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(3) Department of Plant Science, McGill University, Macdonald Campus, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue QC, Canada
In 2017, Qikiqtani Inuit Association, the Government of Canada and Nunavut announced the designation of the largest Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the Canadian Arctic in Lancaster Sound. To define critical habitat zones for different species present in Lancaster Sound, natural resource managers will rely on knowledge of spatial use and distribution of each species and adapt their plans accordingly. The narwhal (Monodon monoceros), a medium-size odontocete, is one of the species present in the Lancaster Sound area. Narwhals are known to migrate to different parts of the Eastern Arctic during the summer. While the general summer distribution of narwhals in this region is known, many gaps of knowledge exist on the distribution pattern of narwhals at a fine spatial scale. In this study, we used georeferenced high-resolution photos taken during aerial surveys inside the boundaries of Lancaster Sound protected area. We performed spatial point pattern analysis from photos to determine whether narwhals were randomly distributed or not within a photo, using Diggle's randomization testing procedure. We also applied directional statistical methods, namely Rao’s uniformity test and Watson’s test for the von Mises distribution, to determine if narwhals were traveling (going all in one direction) or engaged in other behaviors.Narwhals were found to be more aggregated than expected by chance. Narwhals movement were not random and in some locations of the MPA narwhal frequently had unimodal directional movements. This study will help natural resource managers to define appropriate narwhals management zones inside the MPA.
Temporal stability of aquatic insect communities after a major flood and implications for biomonitoring using environmental DNA
Chatila-Amos, Kamil (1) (Presenter), R.H. Hanner (1) and S.J. Adamowicz (1)
(1) University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFThe Arctic is an environment prone to rapid and large landscape-modifying events, and the organisms that inhabit it must quickly react to the frequent changes in habitat availability to survive. This instability in the environment begs questions about the interannual variability of species occurrence and how frequently organisms relocate. To test how habitat-specific species react to environmental change in the subarctic, we sampled caddisflies (Trichoptera) in Churchill, Manitoba. These insects have an aquatic larval stage and are surveyed frequently because of their value as indicator species of environmental conditions. The Churchill region was recently afflicted with a severe flooding event, and we investigated its impact on local trichopteran communities. In 2010, a previous study by Boyle and Adamowicz sampled 70 sites for these aquatic macroinvertebrates, including tundra ponds, lakes, streams, and rivers. We repeated their sampling and have found that this extreme hydrological event was associated with local extirpation events centered around the Churchill River. It is still unclear if the flooding has affected all types of habitat in the region equally. By comparing the 2010, 2017, and planned 2018 sampling, we plan to shed light on the temporal stability of habitat specificity of Arctic aquatic macroinvertebrates. This is important groundwork for future biomonitoring in the Arctic as it will allow us to understand how much change in species occurrence can be considered within the range of interannual variation, as contrasted with decadal-scale directional changes. By using phylogenetic hypotheses based upon the DNA barcode region of COI (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I) and other genetic regions, we are also investigating the evolutionary history of shifts among freshwater habitat types in caddisflies. In addition to contributing to knowledge of evolutionary history of Arctic insects, this work provides knowledge of how many closely-related species inhabit the same environments, which informs the design of DNA-based biomonitoring assays. We are now using this phylogenetic work and the knowledge of habitat specificity acquired during this study to develop accurate environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling protocols, which will be tested in the field in summer 2018. The successful development of standardized, validated eDNA assays will enhance our ability to monitor Arctic freshwater diversity in northern Canada, a critical component of environmental monitoring.
Weather variability has no direct impact on adult survival in a High Arctic carnivore
Chevallier, Clément (1) (Presenter), G. Gauthier (2) and D. Berteaux (1)
(1) Canada Research Chair on Northern Biodiversity and Centre d’études nordiques, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(2) Département de biologie and Centre d’études nordiques, Université Laval, Quebec QC, Canada
Natural causes of mortality in carnivores are not well known, thereby causing a lack of understanding of their demography. Indeed, the majority of studies on the sources of carnivore mortality were done on populations facing anthropological threats, such as hunting or car collisions. Moreover, resource variation sometimes fail to explain survival patterns. Here, we aim to test the weather as a possible factor causing mortality in wild canids. To do so, we used satellite collars to determine monthly survival of Arctic foxes during an 8-year study in the High Canadian Arctic. In a known-fate capture-recapture analysis, we tested local (temperature, wind speed and snow precipitation) and regional (Arctic Oscillation) weather variables at a monthly and seasonal time scale. Because food resources are critical to the life history of carnivores, we also tested the interactions of these variables with prey availability. We found no strong evidence that weather variables affected monthly survival of this carnivore even in interaction with prey abundance. Given that weather does not significantly impact mortality in Arctic foxes, it is unlikely that climate change has any direct effects on individual mortality in this species, at least in the center of its distribution range where we conducted this study. Despite the technical difficulties underlying the close monitoring of top predators, it remains essential to better understand carnivores’ demography in order to understand and predict the impacts of global changes on ecosystems.
Linking dominant physical controls on subsurface flow patterns with spatial extent of hydrological connectivity during thaw period, Niaqunguk River, Iqaluit, Nunavut
Chiasson-Poirier, Gabriel (1) (Presenter), J. Franssen (1), P. Legendre (2), M. Lafrenière (3), S. Lamoureux (3), D. Fortier (1) and A. Prince (1)
(1) Département de géographie, Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Département de sciences biologiques, Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(3) Departement of Geography and Planning, Queen's University, Kingston ON, Canada
Landscape characteristics exert strong, scale dependent controls on the surface and subsurface flow of water. In Arctic environments, the dynamics of water flow remain especially difficult to predict due to uncertainty about the spatiotemporal variation of active layer thaw depth (e.g. frost table depth). Few field studies have investigated the relation between physical controls and scale of hydrological connectivity at the hillslope scale during the active layer thawing period. We combined the Asymmetric eigenvector maps (AEM) method and canonical analysis to study the links between mechanisms controlling the routing of suprapermafrost groundwater and the extend of hydrological connectivity through a hillslope underlain by permafrost Data consisted of continuous measurements of groundwater levels variation (GWLV) from 19 piezometers installed across a hillslope situated within the Niaqunguk River watershed, near Iqaluit, Nunavut. Spatiotemporal variation in saturation conditions and thawing depth indicate that (i) subsurface flows were mainly condensing in the central portion of the hillslope and strongly responded to precipitation inputs, while (ii) uneven thawing led to the development of heterogeneous frost table which exerted a strong influence on the routing of suprapermafrost groundwater. Patterns of GWLV were significantly explained by the distance upslope of the piezometers during the mid-summer period, then with the progress of the thawing front the hydraulic conductivity emerged as a more important physical control on hillslope drainage. Results of our statistical analysis also reveal that hydrological connectivity modelled by the spatial-autocorrelation of the GWLV, closely matches the streamflow conditions observed in the tributary stream adjacent to our hillslope study site, with greater hillslope-stream connectivity during stormflow and recession and limited connectivitity during baseflow. Results also provide evidence that the mechanisms governing the routing of suprapermafrost groundwater are nested at distinct spatial scales and are relevant to explained the scales of connectivity depending on both the degree of saturation of the hillslope and the degree of frost table microtopography. Our statistical approach using AEM allowed us to determine the degree of hydrological connectivity in a complex network, and investigate the spatial dependency between processes scale and physical controls of the flow of suprapermafrost groundwater. This method is particularly relevant for Arctic environments since the dynamic state of the active layer can lead to a transition of mechanisms controlling the routing of water through and across the landscape.
The spatial distribution of ice-wedge polygons in Nunavik
Chiasson, Alexandre (Presenter) (1,2) and M. Allard (1,2)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Centre d'études nordiques, Québec QC, Canada
The Arctic regions are experiencing a rise in surface temperatures at a higher rate than the rest of the planet. Ice wedges in polygonal terrain are one of the dominant features of permafrost that are affected by the deepening of the active layer and the thawing of permafrost that result from climate warming. Despite numerous research in Nunavik on permafrost, on ice-wedge polygons and on soil thermal cracking, no study has yet been been done concerning the spatial distribution of active frost cracking and of ice-wedge polygons. Furthermore there is paucity of knowledge of the surface geological conditions and ecological conditions were active (currently cracking under a significantly cold climate) and inactive (or fossil; i.e. non-cracking) ice wedges are distributed. Previous studies by Péwé (1966), Romanovskij (1973) and Mackey & Matthews (1983) mention that the mean annual air temperature (MAAT) must be between -2 °C and -6 °C to allow the formation of ice-wedge polygons. However, for permafrost cracking and ice-wedge formation to occur, the ground temperature must in fact drop abruptly to temperatures below -10 °C. If the temperature does not decrease rapidly enough, the material may contract without cracking (Lachenbruch, 1966; Mackay, 1984; Sarrazin and Allard, 2015). The first objective of this master’s project is to produce an aerial inventory of ice-wedges polygons in Nunavik as well as a detailed characterization and classification of this phenomenon. This inventory uses satellite imagery and thousands of photograps taken by staff from the Ministère de la Forêt de la Faune et des Parcs du Québec and by researchers from Centre d’études nordiques. We will apply the TTOP model to estimate the mean and minimum ground temperature at the top of permafrost for the months of January and February 2015-2017. The buffer layer effect of the snow cover that may impede frost cracking will be calculated with an existing model of canopy cover, a model of snow cover and a surficial geology map at a resolution of 250 m. The ice wedge polygons will be classified into four categories according to the degree of activity of the ice-wedges: (1) active ice-wedge polygons, (2) sporadically active ice-wedge polygons, (3) inactive ice-wedge polygons and (4) fossil ice-wedges. The resulting new theoretical spatial model will make it possible to interpret current, recent and past active zones of permafrost cracking over the territory under variable climate regimes.
Chemical partitioning of crude oil in sea ice and its implementation for real-time risk assessments and vulnerability mapping
Chirkova, Diana (Presenter), D. S. Desmond, N. Firoozy, T. D. Neusitzer, M. Lemes, D. G. Barber and G. A. Stern
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Within the Northern Arctic, global warming has led to a persistent decrease in sea-ice extent and type. Consequently, shipping and oil exploration in the Hudson Bay is becoming increasingly more feasible, allowing for a potential increase of crude oil or fuel being spilled into the marine environment. This impending possibility has led to a need for the development of oil detecting techniques suitable for ice-covered waters and study one-celled first responders - microbes. Geospatial technologies (e.g. sea ice remote sensing, satellite seabed hydrocarbon seep detection, real-time maritime transport monitoring) will be combined with microbiome mapping using genomics tools to quantify key biomarkers to deliver integrated real-time risk assessments and vulnerability mapping. The presented research focused on crude oil partitioning in first-year ice and its impact on microwave signature measured by C-band polarimetric scatterometer. The oil-in-ice mesocosm experiment was conducted at the University of Manitoba Sea-ice Environmental Research Facility from January 12 to March 14, 2017. A spatial mapping of the oils composition throughout the ice was facilitated with the use of the analytical instruments GCxGC-HR-TOF-MS and QQQ GC-MS, allowing for an understanding of the movement tendencies of the oil on both a macroscopic (total oil volume) and microscopic (individual chemical components and chemical groups) level. The core samples demonstrated a significant amount of oil in the ice sections both above and below the crude oil introduction point. We also observed a depletion of low molecular weight n-alkanes, alkylcyclohexanes, alkylbenzenes and PAHs down the section from the point of oil introduction resulting from the partitioning and the loss of the more volatile compounds. Changes in chemical composition of crude oil lead to changes in its physical properties what consequently impact the physical properties of the ice which potentially can be identified via remote sending.
Bayesian analysis of eastern Beaufort Sea beluga whale inter-annual diet: insights on environmental change
Choy, Emily S (1) (Presenter), C. Giraldo (2), B. Rosenberg (3), J.D. Roth (1), A. Stasko (4), A. Majewski (3), H. Swanson (4), M. Power (4), J.D. Reist (3) and L.L. Loseto (1,3)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Ifremer, Laboratoire Ressource Halieutique, Boulogne sur mer, France
(3) Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(4) University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON, Canada
As a top predator with a circumpolar distribution, beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) may be a potential indicator species for the effects of climate change. The eastern Beaufort Sea beluga whale population, one of Canada’s largest, has experienced a twenty-year decline in individual growth rates, hypothesized to be the result of climate-induced prey shifts. To understand food web dynamics and diet linkages, we used ecological tracers and Bayesian statistics to reconstruct the diet of beluga whales and identify food web linkages useful for evaluating this hypothesis. Ecological tracers such as fatty acid and carbon (d13C) and nitrogen (d15N) stable isotope ratios can provide valuable information on changes in productivity and food web dynamics. We used these tracers in Bayesian mixing models to reconstruct diets of beluga whales from 2011-2014. During a warm year anomaly (2012), beluga habitat-use groups demonstrated greater overlap in dietary tracers, whereas greater differences among size classes occurred in years with greater sea ice extent in the Mackenzie Shelf (2013 and 2014). Body condition indices were highest in belugas in 2011 and 2012 and lowest in 2014, possibly a reflection of annual variability in sea ice and prey fluctuations. Individual diet estimates using a Bayesian mixing model identified Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) and capelin (Mallotus villosus) as the dominant prey, but beluga whales also consumed decapods and octopus. Diet estimates varied annually, with belugas most opportunistic (consuming the greatest prey diversity) in 2014 and consuming a higher proportion of decapods in 2012. As Arctic marine ecosystems are currently undergoing rapid change, understanding inter-annual variations in beluga diet in response to environmental conditions, and in particular, the long-term effects of beluga whales shifting from an Arctic cod to a capelin or decapod-dominated diet, should be a conservation priority for this population.
Body condition affects oxygen storage capacity and calculated aerobic dive limits in Beaufort Sea beluga whales
Choy, Emily S. (1) (Presenter), K.L. Campbell, (1), M. Berenbrink (2), J.D. Roth (1) and L.L. Loseto (1,3)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
(3) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Arctic marine ecosystems are undergoing rapid environmental changes, and long-lived Arctic vertebrates with low reproductive rates are particularly vulnerable. Considering their declines in individual growth rates over the past 20 years, beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) may be an indicator species to predict the physiological response of Arctic marine mammals to environmental change. We explored relationships between body condition and physiological parameters pertaining to oxygen storage capacity in eastern Beaufort Sea belugas. Mean muscle myoglobin concentrations averaged 83.9 mg g-1 (77.9 mg g-1 corrected using spectral deconvolution), one of the highest values reported for marine mammals. Males had higher total body oxygen stores than females due to larger body sizes and higher hemoglobin concentrations, consistent with their deeper foraging dives. Furthermore, blood hematocrit and hemoglobin concentration, muscle myoglobin concentrations, and calculated aerobic dive limits were positively correlated with indices of body condition. Consequently, environmental changes that negatively impact condition appear to be linked to decreases in breath-hold endurance, which may be critical under stressful circumstances such as evading predators or ice entrapments. Importantly, the relationship between body condition and oxygen storage capacity may represent a positive feedback mechanism, in which environmental changes resulting in decreased body condition impair foraging ability.
Impact of climatic perturbations on the phenology of arctic birds: The bioacoustic way
Christin, Sylvain (1) (Presenter) and N. Lecomte (1)
(1) Canada Research Chair in Polar and Boreal Ecology and Centre d’Études Nordiques, University of Moncton, Moncton NB, Canada
There is now a growing body of evidence that climate change can affect the phenology of living species. Birds, for example can change the timing of their migration or breeding in response to warmer springs. Polar regions are particularly vulnerable to climatic perturbations, as temperatures rise faster there. However, due to their remoteness, the cost and logistics involved, few studies describe how climatic variation impacts the phenology of arctic birds. Recent advances in acoustic technology now allow us to use robust automatic devices that can record sounds for months in harsh conditions and collect lots of data in a way that is cheaper, more precise, more objective and more replicable. This also introduces a new challenge: analysing the data. Identifying the species in bird sounds recordings still require a lot of human work, a task that is made harder by the huge amount of data collected. Moreover, existing softwares do not yet provide ecologically meaningful information. Since 2013, sound boxes (n = 20) have been deployed in two arctic sites: Igloolik and Bylot Islands. The recorders are placed in the center of monitoring plots where nesting data is collected for shorebirds, passerines, and predators (arctic foxes, gulls, jaegers, and snowy owls). The presence/absence of birds and their activity (e.g. territorial defence) can be recorded. Since nesting success per bird species can vary between 0% and 80% on these Islands due to predation, important temporal variations are expected. Those temporal variations will be used to determine whether we can predict presence and activity for each bird species from the sound recordings. Using the results of these analyses, we will then try to develop a unique technology platform which generates an automated analysis of sound data to monitor species phenology. Machine learning algorithms will be used in order to speed up bird species identification and minimize human input. We hope this will provide us with a reliable, cheaper, and easier way to monitor arctic environments and will allow us to further our understanding on how bird species can react to climatic variations.
The Canadian consortium for Arctic data interoperability: An initiative for facilitating Canadian Arctic data sharing and analysis
Christoffersen Vossepoel, Shannon (1) (Presenter), M. Murray (1), D. Arthurs (2), C. Barnard (3), S. Carpendale (4), B. Chu (5), C. Duguay (6), A. Forest (3), J. Friddell (6), C. Herbert (7), S. Liang (4), G. Ljubicik (8), M. Maloley (9), S. Nickels (10), T. Papakyriakou (7), J. Parrott (11), P. Pulsifer (8), T. Scassa (12), D. Scott (6), J. Sokol (13), F. Taylor (8), W. Vincent (3) and C. Wilson (9)
(1) Arctic Institute of North America, University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
(2) Polar View, Ottawa ON, Canada
(3) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(4) University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
(5) Cybera Inc., Calgary AB, Canada
(6) University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON, Canada
(7) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(8) Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
(9) Natural Resources Canada, Canada
(10) Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Ottawa ON, Canada
(11) Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Inuvik NT, Canada
(12) University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, Canada
(13) Polar Knowledge Canada, Canada
The Canadian Consortium for Arctic Data Interoperability (CCADI) is an emerging initiative that aims to advance the collaboration of Canadian Arctic data centres through the development of a cohesive Canadian arctic data management system that facilitates information discovery, establishes metadata and data sharing standards, enables interoperability among existing data infrastructures including Inuit Knowledge, and is accessible to a broad range of users. This session will review the objectives of the consortium, its governance, current initiatives, progress to date, and the important advances this consortium can make to data sharing and access both nationally and internationally. CCADI partners include the University of Calgary (Arctic Institute of North America), the University of Waterloo (Canadian Cryospheric Information Network and Polar Data Catalogue), Carleton University (Geomatics and Cartographic Research Centre), the University of Manitoba (Centre for Earth Observation Science), Université Laval (Centre d'études nordiques),University of Ottawa (Faculty of Law) Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Natural Resources Canada, Polar Knowledge Canada, Cybera Inc., Polar View, and Sensor-Up Inc.
The Canadian consortium for Arctic data interoperability
Christoffersen Vossepoel, Shannon (1) (Presenter), M. Murray (1), D. Arthurs (2), C. Barnard (3), S. Carpendale (4), B. Chu (5), C. Duguay (6), A. Forest (3), J. Friddell (6), C. Herbert (7), S. Liang (4), G. Ljubicik (8), M. Maloley (9), S. Nickels (10), T. Papakyriakou (7), J. Parrott (11), P. Pulsifer (8), T. Scassa (12), D. Scott (6), J. Sokol (13), F. Taylor (8), W. Vincent (3) and C. Wilson (9)
(1) Arctic Institute of North America, University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
(2) Polar View, Ottawa ON, Canada
(3) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(4) University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
(5) Cybera Inc., Calgary AB, Canada
(6) University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON, Canada
(7) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(8) Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
(9) Natural Resources Canada, Canada
(10) Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Ottawa ON, Canada
(11) Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Inuvik NT, Canada
(12) University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, Canada
(13) Polar Knowledge Canada, Canada
The Canadian Consortium for Arctic Data Interoperability (CCADI) is an emerging initiative that aims to advance the collaboration of Canadian Arctic data centres through the development of a cohesive Canadian arctic data management system that facilitates information discovery, establishes metadata and data sharing standards, enables interoperability among existing data infrastructures including Inuit Knowledge, and is accessible to a broad range of users. CCADI partners include the University of Calgary (Arctic Institute of North America), the University of Waterloo (Canadian Cryospheric Information Network and Polar Data Catalogue), Carleton University (Geomatics and Cartographic Research Centre), the University of Manitoba (Centre for Earth Observation Science), Université Laval (Centre d'études nordiques),University of Ottawa (Faculty of Law) Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Natural Resources Canada, Polar Knowledge Canada, Cybera Inc., Polar View, and Sensor-Up Inc.
Constraints and opportunities for Arctic search and rescue prevention and response
Clark, Dylan (1) (Presenter) and J. Ford (2)
(1) McGill University, Dept of Geography, Montreal Qc, Canada
(2) University of Leeds, Priestley International Centre for Climate, Leeds, UK
Across the Canadian Arctic, there are over 500 search and rescues (SAR) annually. These SAR events, largely involving individuals engaged in traditional land use activities, carry risk of injury, death, and physiological stress to both patient and rescuers, as well as high financial and resource costs. Search and rescue cases are anticipated to continue to increase across the region as social and environmental changes alter sensitivity to hazards. This research focuses on search and rescue and emergency planning in Nunavut drawing from a human security framing. We review the complex factors contributing to search and rescues in the North, assess community response capacity to disaster, and examine how tools such as UAVs and young hunter programs can build on Indigenous knowledge to reduce risk and build response capacity. The project included tests of UAVs for SAR and hazard identification with community search and rescue members. We also conduct interviews with officials at community and regional levels that are involved in disaster preparedness and management, and community member and Elders that are involved in young hunter programs, search and rescue, and harvesting activities across Nunavut. While use of emerging technologies such as UAVs and locator beacons have strong potential to help reduce vulnerability and improve emergency response in the North, we find overarching economic and organizational limitations, particularly at the community level, to be a major constraint that if alleviated could produce meaningful improvements in human security.
Mapping transportation system vulnerabilities to climate change across the Canadian Arctic
Clark, Dylan (1) (Presenter), N. S. Debortoli (1), J. D. Ford (2)
1) McGill University, Dept. of Geography
2) University of Leeds, Priestley International Centre for Climate
Across the Arctic, transportation infrastructure and related systems are susceptible to environmental shifts driven by climate change. Arctic communities are uniquely dependent on the sparse transportation networks, such as summer shipping, air transportation and travel on the land. These systems are vital to community food access, healthcare, fuel, and electricity. While climate change is expected to influence many of these transportation modes, specific vulnerabilities and adaptation opportunities are not well understood. Further, there has been limited research quantifying the degree of impacts to transportation system given various climate scenarios throughout the century. Drawing from the vulnerability approach and our previous work mapping multiplex networks of livelihood variables, we develop an index for Arctic transportation vulnerability. We use this index to assess transportation vulnerability at a regional and community level using RCP 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios. Using the index, we demonstrate that transportation system vulnerability varies throughout the Canadian Arctic, that social variables are highly influential in transportation system adaptation, and that there are pathways for both adaptation or maladaptation in the region.
Schools on Board: Engaging northern youth in Arctic system science through experiential learning opportunities that connects them with researchers
Clyde, Michelle (1,2) (Presenter), L. Barber (1) and D. Barber (1)
(1) Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) ArcticNet, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Since it’s inception in 2004, Schools on Board, ArcticNet’s outreach program based at the University of Manitoba, has focused on bridging high school education and Arctic science research. This unique program provides students and teachers from across Canada’s north and south with experiential learning opportunities through various types of programming. Schools on Board aims to promote science, increase awareness of climate change issues, and inspire young Canadians to explore future studies and career opportunities in science related fields. Engaging northern youth in unique hands-on learning opportunities that connects them with Arctic researchers, elders, their peers and policy makers has been threaded throughout Schools on Board programming. While the annual field program on board the CCGS Amundsen is the main outreach program of Schools on Board, additional initiatives such as the 2012 IPY Circumpolar Youth Leaders Program, Ice-Camp Day 2014 (Cambridge Bay), and the 2017 Northern Youth Mentoring Program have focused specifically on engaging northern youth in Arctic science and with researchers. With the goal of developing and/or defining best practices in mind, this presentation will provide an overview of programs that engaged northern youth and will explore successes, challenges and opportunities moving forward.
Summer rainfall impacts on sediment, solute and DOC fluxes in a small Arctic coastal catchment
Coch, Caroline (1,2) (Presenter), H. Lantuit (1,2), M. Fritz (1) and S. Lamoureux (3)
(1) Alfred-Wegener-Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar- and Marine Research, Potsdam, Germany
(2) University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
(3) Queen's University, Kingston ON, Canada
Coastal ecosystems in the Arctic are being affected by climate change leading to permafrost thaw and a shifting streamflow regime with implications for changing fluxes of freshwater, sediment and nutrients to the Arctic Ocean. As rainfall frequency and intensity are projected to increase in the future (Bintanja & Andry 2017), more sediment and nutrients could be mobilized and transported from the coastal and nearshore zones to the ocean. The fluxes from large rivers have been focus of numerous investigations as they cover 53% of the area draining into the Arctic Ocean (e.g. Holmes et al. 2012). However, smaller catchments are widespread and could contribute large amounts of sediment and nutrients to the nearshore zone but have been investigated in a limited way. Streamflow and sediment transport is being monitored continuously only at a few sites (e.g. Favaro & Lamoureux 2015), which constraints the understanding regarding water quality and nutrient availability. This project is intended to address this knowledge gap by investigating dynamics of streamflow, sediment transport, solutes and DOC in a small coastal catchment on Herschel Island in the western Canadian Arctic. We present data from an extensive hydrological monitoring between 2014 and 2016. Water samples were collected at the hydrological monitoring station to determine concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total dissolved solids (TDS) as well as suspended sediment. Summer rainfall events of different magnitudes were analyzed with regard to their impacts on water, solute and sediment fluxes. Data and discharge hysteresis suggests a fast initial mobilization of sediments in the catchment followed by a rapid exhaustion. In general, there seems to be a limited supply of sediments; and interannual variability is most likely cause by short-lived localized disturbances. In contrast, results suggest that DOC and TDS are widely available throughout the catchment and exhibit positive linear relationships with runoff. Based on these results, we hypothesize that increased projected rainfall in the future will result in a similar increase of DOC and TDS fluxes. Sediment fluxes will be dependent on local disturbances such as thermokarst and vary on a year-to-year basis. This study will contribute to a baseline for pan-Arctic assessments of sediment and nutrient flux to the Arctic Ocean.
Communicating permafrost research and Arctic climate change: A modular concept for student workshops
Coch, Caroline (1,2) (Presenter), K. Kohnert (3), S. Muster and J. Nitzbon (1)
(1) Alfred-Wegener-Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
(2) University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
(3) Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
The adventure of doing field research in an exotic, faraway place such as the Arctic is a riveting story that holds many great possibilities to fascinate students of all ages. We use this circumstance to transport information about Arctic permafrost and climate change research as well as scientific methods in an entertaining and fascinating manner. Here, we present the modular concept of a student workshop that we have offered three times to school classes with students aged 11 to 16. The workshop is easily adaptable to students of different grades. The two to three hour workshop is set up of five modules: a scientific presentation, three different workstations, and a final discussion. Firstly, students attend the scientific presentation to learn about the background of Arctic climate change and permafrost. Students are then divided into small groups to participate in each of the three workstations consisting of games, hands-on experiments and background information. This allows the students to get an impression of life and work on expedition in the Arctic, as well as scientific field methods. The small size of the groups and the interactive format allow the students to raise questions and start discussions. In the end, the workshop wraps up with a final discussion about the global and local implications of Arctic climate change. It also emphasizes how human behavior can cause impacts in distant places.
Technological adaptation and traditional ecological knowledge about beluga whales in Ulukhaktok, NT, Canada
Collings, Peter (1) (Presenter) and T. Pearce (2,3)
(1) University of Florida, Gainsville FL, United States
(2) University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs QLD, Australia
(3) University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada
This paper examines ecological knowledge of beluga whales in Ulukhaktok, Canada. During summer 2014, hunters in Ulukhaktok landed 33 beluga whales. The hunt was unprecedented: beluga whales are only rarely encountered in local waters, and there is no cultural tradition among Ulukhaktomiut for hunting beluga. Observations of the 2014 hunt and interviews subsequently conducted during 2015 suggest that, although Ulukhaktomiut lacked facts about beluga whales, Inuit understand ecological knowledge as a process in which new knowledge is constructed through reference to traditional practices. Processual knowledge about beluga whales emerges materially in the adoption of the cell phone as a hunting technology, experimentation with lances as killing implements, and the development of practices for distributing meat and maktaq following a successful hunt. Understanding ecological knowledge as a process has clear implications for both understanding Inuit adaptation to climate change and for scientific and management endeavours occurring under the mantle of knowledge co-production.
Inuit conceptions of “knowledge” and “ecological knowledge” about beluga whales in Ulukhaktok, NT, Canada
Collings, Peter (1) (Presenter), T. Pearce (2,3) and J. Kann (1)
(1) University of Florida, Gainsville FL, United States
(2) University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs QLD, Australia
(3) University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada
This paper reports on interviews conducted during June and July, 2015, to document ecological knowledge of beluga whales in Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories, Canada. Beluga whales are not a traditionally available or important species for Ulukhaktomiut, but they have appeared in increasing numbers in the waters around the community, and hunters have actively pursed and taken them. We conducted interviews in English with 31 Inuit about their beluga knowledge. A Key Words in Context (KWIC) analysis of the word know in the narratives reveals different conceptions of what it means to know something about whales. Know variously references practical skill, concern and empathy for others, or the developing awareness of one’s place in the world. Each of these meanings is coded uniquely in Inuinnaqtun, providing insights about the important differences between researchers and Inuit in how “ecological knowledge” is understood and activated. This research is part of ArcticNet Project 1.8 Knowledge Co-Production for the Identification and Selection of Ecological, Social, and Economic Indicators for the Beaufort Sea.
Weather constraints on ships serving coastal settlements in Nunavik, 1993 to 2016
Comtois, Claude (1) (Presenter), B. Slack (2) and A. Champagne-Gélinas (1)
(1) Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Concordia University, Montréal QC, Canada
There are no road connections between the villages of Nunavik and the outside world. Apart from air transport, shipping is the only means of servicing the needs of 14 villages. Arctic shipping is exposed to many weather challenges that in the case of Nunavik are accentuated by the absence of port facilities which would have allowed vessels to unload directly on land. The goal of this paper is to measure and analyse the frequency of occurrence of three weather conditions that are shown to have impacts on vessel operations: poor visibility, strong winds and freezing temperatures. Data from 1993 to 2016 are drawn from Environment Canada records for 11 of the villages. They are used to examine overall trends and identify differences between the villages. In addition, the weather observations entered in the logs of one of the shipping companies over the same time period are compared. Correlations between the climate variables and data on the time ships spend at each village are obtained. Unfortunately, the level of statistical significance does not permit further multivariate modelling. Because the occurrence of significant weather conditions vary so much between villages the paper goes on to identify those settlements where the greatest weather challenges are encountered and also those where conditions are more benign.
Patterns of tidewater glacier retreat across the Canadian Arctic Archipelago since the late 1950s
Cook, Alison (1) (Presenter), L. Copland (2), B. Noel (3), C. Stokes (1), M. Bentley (1) and M. Sharp (4)
(1) Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
(2) University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, Canada
(3) Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
(4) University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
Recent studies of post-2000 observational data have shown variability in the dynamic ice discharge of tidewater glaciers throughout the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA). Expanding this to all tidewater glaciers in the region on a decadal time scale using earlier records can help identify when glacier retreat began, and determine longer-term temporal trends in mass balance. Our study shows that over 94% of 300 tidewater glaciers in the CAA (from southern Baffin Island to Ellesmere Island, excluding those on the northern coast) have retreated since the earliest observational records (aerial photographs acquired in 1958-1960). Mean overall length change rate between the 1950s and 2015 of the 211 glaciers in the Queen Elizabeth Islands (QEI) is -9.3 ma-1 (± 1.38 SE), and of the 89 glaciers on Baffin and Bylot Islands (BBI) is -7.1 ma-1 (± 0.72 SE). Mean frontal widths of tidewater glaciers in the QEI are greater than those on islands to the south, resulting in greater mean area loss from this region. Each glacier has ~6 frontal positions digitised from a range of image sources at approximately decadal intervals. Length change rates have been calculated across each time interval for each glacier, and results indicate a similar temporal pattern throughout the region, whereby glaciers show minimal change in early years with retreat rates gradually increasing, followed by acceleration in retreat rates since the early 2000s. A similar trend (at differing magnitudes) has been observed at all latitudes, and for glaciers of differing frontal widths. Further observations of glacier changes are shown on the poster. To understand the primary control behind these distinct patterns of change, the results have been compared alongside ocean temperature records and surface mass balance from the latest atmospheric climate model. Statistical analysis results reveal that on a regional scale ocean temperatures have had little control on the frontal change rates relative to atmospheric temperatures. The clear correlation with patterns of surface mass loss indicates this is the primary driver of glacier front change in this region.
The role of indigenous communities and their traditional knowledge in federal and territorial Species at Risk Act processes
Cooper, Kaytlin (1) (Presenter)
(1) Gwich'in Renewable Resources Board, Inuvik NT, Canada
The Gwich’in Renewable Resources Board (GRRB) is the main instrument of wildlife management in the Gwich’in Settlement Area (GSA), NT as established under the Gwich’in Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement. The GRRB therefore advises Government on matters relating to wildlife and wildlife habitat, and has the power to approve designations of species of risk, and plans for the management and protection of particular wildlife populations, including endangered species. To make these decisions, the Board works in cooperation with Gwich’in people, using the best available traditional and scientific knowledge. The Board has a policy which outlines the rules and procedures required for meaningful consultation. Past traditional knowledge gathering has been primarily in the form of semi-structured interviews and have focused on high profile species such as caribou, wolverine, grizzly bear, and Rat River dolly varden char. Recently a knowledge sharing workshop on insects was held with participants from each Gwich’in community (including elders and youth), a northern entomologist, a cultural heritage specialist, and a species at risk biologist. This semi-structured group discussion focused on Species at Risk processes, species present in the GSA, how populations are changing, how insects are beneficial or detrimental, the biology of insects, potential impacts of climate change, and which species are new to the area. The workshop was audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and information was then compiled into a report. While it can be challenging to conduct scientific studies on insects in the Arctic due to logistics and financial costs, workshops of this kind, and the reports created, help fill knowledge gaps in upcoming Species at Risk assessments, management plans, and recovery strategies. By recording Gwich'in traditional knowledge we are facilitating the transmission of traditional and scientific knowledge on to youth and future generations, and ensuring the involvement of Gwich’in people in Species at Risk processes and consultations.
Seasonal and interannual variations of somatic growth and reproduction driven by environmental conditions on a sub-arctic krill species Thysanoessa raschii in the Gulf of St. Lawrence
Cope, Laurie Emma (1) (Presenter), W. Gesche (1) and P. Stéphane (2)
(1) Institut des sciences de la mer (ISMER), Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(2) Institut Maurice-Lamontagne, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Mont-Joli QC, Canada
Krill plays a key role in the food web of marine ecosystems. Despite the important contribution in the plankton community, little is known about its population dynamics in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Krill were sampled in the St. Lawrence Estuary, Québec, Canada, for five years between 2010 and 2016 from spring to late summer. Thysanoessa raschii individuals were incubated at 4°C in filtered sea water for a maximum of 6 days to measure two components of total growth: somatic growth and reproduction. Daily observations were made to collect fresh moults and the number of eggs spawned. Moults and fresh moulted individuals were measured to calculate a growth increment with the instantaneous growth rate method (IGR). Our results revealed that somatic growth and reproduction of T. raschii followed a seasonal pattern related to abiotic (temperature) and biotic (chl. a) factors. Somatic growth and egg production increased during summer with increasing temperatures and chl. a concentrations. However, a decrease in somatic growth was observed in August when egg production was at the maximum, suggesting a potential trade-off between somatic growth and reproduction possibly related to krill age. Further detailed analyses of interannual variability in the relationships between total growth of T. raschii and abiotic and biotic factors in the Gulf of St. Lawrence will be examined and presented, to better understand its optimal “growth conditions” and potential consequences of environmental changes to the population of T. raschii.
Rapid recent changes to glacial environments in the Canadian High Arctic
Copland, Luke (1) (Presenter), A. White (1), W. Van Wychen (2), L. Thomson (3), D. Mueller (4), W. Vincent (5), A. Hamilton (1), A. Dalton (1) and D. Medrzycka (1)
(1) University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) Defence Research and Development Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
(3) Simon Fraser University, Vancouver BC, Canada
(4) Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
(5) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
The eastern Canadian Arctic contains over a third of the world’s Arctic glaciers and ice caps, and the last remaining ice shelves in the Northern Hemisphere. These components of the cryosphere provide an important part of the landscape diversity of Nunavut, act as important sentinels of climate change, and provide unique habitats for life living under extreme conditions. Glaciers and ice caps have been losing significant mass in recent decades, with current melt rates at their highest for at least the past 3000 years. Here we present our measurements of some of the impacts of these changes over the past few decades, such as the complete loss of ice shelves and small ice caps on northern Ellesmere Island, and increasingly negative mass balance conditions at White Glacier, Axel Heiberg Island. These changes have resulted in a variety of dynamic responses, such as a reduction in velocity of land-terminating glaciers, but an increase in speed of some tidewater terminating glaciers (e.g., Trinity Glacier, SE Ellesmere Island, has tripled in speed since the year 2000). Widespread regional surface mass loss has been linked to increasing summer air temperatures, while the rapid retreat of some tidewater glaciers could be linked to enhanced submarine melting due to changes in ocean circulation and temperature. Overall, our observations suggest that glaciers and ice caps in the Canadian High Arctic are far out of equilibrium with current climate and mass loss is expected to continue in the future.
Late Quaternary patterns of deglaciation in Clyde Inlet, eastern Baffin Island
Couette, Pierre-Olivier (1) (Presenter), P. Lajeunesse (1), B. Dorschel (2), E. Brouard (1), C. Gebhardt (2) and J.F. Ghienne (3)
(1) Centre d'études nordiques and département de géographie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Alfred-Wegener-Institut (AWI), Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
(3) Institut de Physique du Globe de Strasbourg (IPGS), UMR 7516 CNRS - Université de Strasbourg/EOST, Strasbourg, France
The maximal extent of the Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS) on eastern Baffin Island has been widely debated during the last decades as different palaeoglaciological models have been proposed, ranging from a single-domed ice sheet extending beyond the shelf break to an ice sheet margin barely reaching the head of the fjords. Spatial and temporal variability of ice sheets extension on eastern Baffin Island during Quaternary glaciations complicate the establishment of a reliable reconstruction of the ice margin. Furthermore, the lack of geophysical data in most of the fjords, and seaward, makes it difficult to reconcile the proposed terrestrial and marine glacial margins during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). High-resolution swath bathymetry imagery and acoustic stratigraphy data would therefore improve existing regional models of the extent and dynamics of the formerly marine-based LIS. Here we use high-resolution swath bathymetry imagery combined with acoustic stratigraphy data collected during a recent oceanographic expedition onboard the RV Maria S. Merian to: (1) define the maximal extent of the LIS margin in Clyde Trough during the LGM; (2) reconstruct ice-flow variations and glacial dynamics as the ice sheet retreated; and (3) identify periods of stillstands and/or readvances during deglaciation. Geomorphological mapping of Clyde Inlet and its adjacent continental shelf allowed the identification of glacial landforms, such as crag-and-tails and mega-scale glacial lineations (MSGLs), which are indicators of fast-flowing ice (i.e., ice streams). The swath bathymetry imagery also allows delineating grounding-zone wedges (GZWs) in the trough, indicating positions of stability of LIS margins during the LGM and deglaciation. Several moraines are observed in the fjord, suggesting that ice retreat occurred by steps in a less catastrophic way than previously proposed. Sediments cores collected during the summer of 2017 will provide additional insight on the deglacial environment, which will complement the analyses on reconstructing palaeo-ice dynamics on eastern Baffin Island.
Thermokarst lakes formed in buried glacier ice, observations from Bylot Island, eastern Canadian Arctic
Coulombe, Stephanie (1,2,3) (Presenter), D. Fortier (2,3), F. Bouchard (3,4) and S. Charbonneau (2,3)
(1) Polar Knowledge Canada, Cambridge Bay NU, Canada
(2) Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(3) Centre for Northern Studies, Québec QC, Canada
(4) Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Québec QC, Canada
In formerly glaciated permafrost regions, extensive areas are still cored by a considerable amount glacier ice buried underneath glacigenic sediments. Its spatial distribution can play a significant role in reshaping periglacial landscape, in particular the aquatic systems. This study focuses on lake initiation and development in response to the melting of buried glacier ice on Bylot Island, Nunavut. We studied a lake-rich valley using dated lake-sediment cores, detailed bathymetric data and observations of buried glacier ice exposures. We have identified three types of lakes according to their lake sediment facies and lake-floor geomorphology: 1) thermokarst lakes that formed from the melting of permafrost intrasedimental ice and ice wedges; 2) thermokarst lakes that formed from the melting of buried glacier ice; and 3) kettle lakes. Slightly more than half of the twenty-one studied lakes tend to be shallow (~2-3 m) of uniform depth with a central pool. These shallow thermokarst lakes evolved from the enlargement of ponds enclosed in the depression of low-center ice wedge polygons and the melting of ice wedges. Our results suggest that lake initiation of deeper thermokarst lakes is believed to have been triggered by the melting of buried glacier ice. Over time, they have enlarged through thermal and mechanical shoreline erosion and subsequently coalesced with neighbouring water bodies to form larger lakes. Five of the twenty-one studied lakes stand out by their notably larger depths (~9-12 m), and in some cases, the presence of multiple sub-basins. These deep lakes were primarily kettle holes that resulted from the melting of buried stagnant blocks of glacier ice. This interpretation is supported by the presence of two exposures of glacier ice revealed by small lakeside slumps. These lakes now evolve as classic thermokarst lakes that expand in area and volume as a result of the melting of intrasedimental ground ice in the surrounding material and the underlying glaciofluvial and till material. It is expected that the deepening of talik and the enlargement of arctic lakes in response to global warming will reach undisturbed buried glacier ice which in turn will significantly alter lake bathymetry, geochemistry and Green House Gas emissions of arctic lowlands.
Spatial assessment of total mercury concentrations on Baffin Island, Nunavut: By use of surface waters, soils and the moss Hylocomium splendens
Cowden, Phaedra (1) (Presenter), T. Liang (1) and J. Aherne (1)
(1) Environmental and Life Sciences, Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFCanada’s arctic is one of the last remaining pristine environments in the world. However, it is under the influence of an influx of pollution in the form of atmospheric deposition. One pollutant of concern is elemental mercury (Hg) which is a known bioaccumulator and poses a threat to human health as a subsistence lifestyle is common to arctic inhabitants. Most Hg in the arctic arrives through long-range atmospheric transport and is deposited (both wet and try) onto the landscape. Given the threat to human health, monitoring is integral to assess both ecosystem and human health. Monitoring a variety of ecosystem components (both abiotic and biotic) can provide a comprehensive understanding of the degree of deposition within a region, illustrating spatial patterns and areas of concern. This study assessed the concentration of total mercury (THg) in surface waters (n=80), the moss Hylocomium splendens (n=38) and surface soils [0-10cm] (n=21) collected from the regions of Iqlauit, Pond Inlet and Auyuittuq National Park along Pangnirtung Pass. THg of surface waters ranged from 0.010 to 7.106 ng/L with results illustrating that smaller lakes tended to present higher THg concentrations than larger lakes; soil THg concentrations ranged from 2.18-132.9 ng/g and exhibited a weak correlation with soil organic matter (r2=0.46) while moss THg ranged from 24.1 to 78.3 ng/g and presented a uniform distribution across the sampling region. All three parameters measured; surface water, soils and moss, presented THg concentrations comparable and within range of other arctic THg studies and followed similar spatial trends throughout the sampling area.
CH4 and N2O dynamic in brine during sea ice melting season from land fast sea ice in the Canadian Archipelago
Crabeck, Odile (1) (Presenter), G. Ryan (1), N-X. Geilfus (1), B. Delille (2), J-L. Tison (3) and S. Rysgaard (1)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) University of Liege, Liege, Belgium
(3) Free University of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium
We report greenhouse gases (CH4 and N2O) dynamic of first-year landfast sea ice in the Resolute Passage, Nunavut, in June 2012. Past and recent literature have highlighted that sea ice might play a crucial role in controlling and contributing to the exchange of significant climatically active biogases between the ocean and the atmosphere in polar areas. However, CH4 and N2O dynamic within sea ice cover are still poorly understood. While most past literature reported bulk ice gas measurements, this research presents in situ measurement of dissolved CH4, and N2O directly in the brine medium using sackhole technic. In order to better understand the fate of greenhouses within the sea ice system, CH4 and N2O were also measured at the seawater interface and in meltponds. For the whole sampling period, the concentration of CH4 in brines, seawater and meltponds were above 12 nmL-1 meaning that brine, seawater and meltponds were supersaturated regarding atmospheric CH4 concentration. CH4 supersaturation level reaching 600 in brine suggest the presence of close methane sources in sea ice. Brines, seawater and meltponds were either close to atmospheric N2O concentration or slightly supersaturated with concentration of N2O ranging from 16 nm L-1 to 26 nmol L-1. This study represents a fundamental step for the understanding of how sea ice can affect CH4 and N2O flux in ice cover area, as it reports the first measurements of CH4 and N2O concentration in brine medium.
What is an Inuit business? A comparative analysis between the Inuit regions of Canada
Croce, Francesca (1) (Presenter), N. Cohen-Fournier (2) (Presenter), T. Rodon (3) and S. Schott (4)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Makivik Corporation, Kuujjuaq QC, Canada
(3) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(4) Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
What is an Inuit business? The communication aims to answer to this question with a view of exploring the operational definition of Inuit business according to specific policies and criteria adopted in the four Inuit regions of Inuit Nunangat: Nunavut, Nunatsiavut, Nunavik and Inuvialuit Region. Therefore, it is through a descriptive analysis that the criteria that are currently adopted in each Inuit regions to register as Inuit business are explored and compared, having regard to their strengths as well as their weaknesses. Also, the conceptual framework of Inuit business is considered and discussed. In conclusion, policies recommendations and suggestions for further research on the topic are highlighted and provided.
An overview of the new NERC Changing Arctic Ocean Programme: Implications for marine biology and biogeochemistry
Crocket, Kirsty (1) (Presenter)
(1) Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), Oban, Scotland
The Changing Arctic Ocean (CAO) is a 5 year (2017-2022) research programme, representing £16 million investment to investigate the effects of climate change on the marine biology and biogeochemistry of the Arctic Ocean. This is the second large research programme with an Arctic focus funded by the UK’s Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), and follows the previous Arctic Research Programme that ran from 2010 to 2015. The overarching aim of the CAO programme is to understand how change in the physical environment (ice and ocean) will affect the large-scale ecosystem structure and biogeochemical functioning of the Arctic Ocean, the potential major impacts, and to provide projections for future ecosystem services. This will be met by two key research challenges that examine (1) the controls on the spatial and temporal structure and functioning of Arctic ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles, and (2) the impacts of multiple stressors on Arctic species, biogeochemical cycles and ecosystem structure and functioning. There are currently four large projects (Arctic PRIZE, ARISE, ChAOS, DIAPOD) that form the core of the programme, with up to a further 10 smaller projects joining in spring 2018. The second round of projects will be co-funded by NERC and the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research. An important aspect of the CAO programme is the strength of its international collaboration. The four current projects already have links with over 60 international partner institutions. The topics covered by this international collaboration span the full scope of the science in the programme, as well as addressing societal challenges specific to the Arctic and the provision of evidence to feed into decision and policy making. The forms of this collaboration range from the level of communication between individual researchers, data sharing, exchange of staff on respective cruises, to representation of CAO investigators by collaborators at Arctic committees and other international bodies. Ultimately, the aspiration of the CAO programme is to forge lasting engagement with the international Arctic community beyond the funded lifetime of the programme. In this poster, I outline the structure of the programme, provide brief introductions to each project, and describe CAO cruises to the Arctic. One of the key aims of the poster is to publicise the CAO programme to a broad Arctic audience and to encourage further international collaboration. More information can be found on the CAO programme website (http://www.changing-arctic-ocean.ac.uk/).
Screening of the main photoprotective features of Arctic diatoms over seasonal species succession
Croteau, Dany (1) (Presenter), J. Larivière (1), F. Bruyant (1), M. Babin (1) and J. Lavaud (1)
(1) Takuvik Joint International Laboratory, Université Laval (Canada) - CNRS (France), UMI3376, Département de Biologie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFDynamic interactions with snow and sea-ice, and extreme seasonal variations make solar energy an elusive and potentially harmful resource to harvest for diatom microalgae of the Arctic Ocean. Diatoms nevertheless display remarkable success, particularly during the annual spring bloom. The transition of environmental gradients, from early spring sea-ice covered to summer ice-free waters, triggers an explosive increase in biomass through the succession of many sympagic and planktonic species. Climate change is inducing the decline of Arctic sea-ice and extends open water season, severely modifying Arctic diatoms’ light environment. Through physiological strategies, mainly the fast-responding non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), diatoms exhibit flexible photoprotective abilities, allowing them to limit photodamage and maximize growth in fluctuating light. Diatoms’ NPQ is swiftly regulated by the xanthophyll pigment cycle (XC) upon light shifts, while their LHCx protein content modulates its degree of induction in accordance with environmental acclimation conditions. However, documentation remains scarce on how these traits respond to the unique challenges faced by Arctic strains. Using different light exposures and inhibitors, we aim to monitor the main photoprotective features of several diatoms species, representative of the ecophysiological diversity found during Arctic spring to summer succession. Our preliminary results with Fragilariopsis cylindrus (pennate, sympagic and planktonic) and Thalassiosira gravida (centric, planktonic) reveal shared abilities to sustain NPQ in prolonged darkness, and to activate XC and NPQ at very low irradiances. Deciphering how ecophysiological traits affect the photoprotective response of Arctic diatoms will provide a deeper understanding of their seasonal succession and of primary production trends in the Arctic Ocean, under present and future light conditions.
Monitoring Arctic changes with drones
Cunliffe, Andrew M. (1) (Presenter), J. Kerby (2), H. Lantuit (3), G. Tanski (3), and I. H. Myers-Smith (1)
(1) School of GeoScience, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
(2) Neukom Institute, Dartmouth College, Hanover NH, United States
(3) Alfred Wegener Institute, Potsdam, Germany
A key challenge in the study of arctic ecosystems has been the lack of data at appropriate spatial and temporal scales to understand many important environmental processes, such as annual and decadal changes in the productivity of vegetation communities, environmental controls on landscape phenology and changing disturbance regimes. Historically, the only means of collecting fine grain data over landscapes have been aerial surveys using manned aircraft, but high costs have limited data availability. Drone technologies have now matured as a means of collecting proximal remote sensing data, and can be a cost-effective solution for collecting spatially explicit data that can bridge the spatial and temporal gaps between satellite remote sensing and in situ ecological monitoring programs. Here, we present new results from our research program on Qikiqtaruk - Herschel Island, in the Yukon, where we have been using drone acquired image data and image-based modelling approaches to observe the rapidly changing biophysical environment. (1)Long-term (18 year) ecological monitoring at this site has found substantial changes in the structure and composition of plant communities, and using drones we are now expanding our observations to quantify canopy structures more widely across the landscape. We have found strong linear relationships between biovolume (the size of plants) and their aboveground biomass, which are strikingly similar to those previously observed for grasses, shrubs and trees in semiarid ecosystems. (2)Qikiqtaruk-Herschel Island is the site of one the largest retrogressive thaw slumps in the Western Canadian Arctic. Using image data from drones we are monitoring thaw-driven geomorphic change over and across growing seasons, and investigating how permafrost disturbance features such as retrogressive thaw slumps are modifying landscape reflectance properties. (3)During our 2017 field season, we observed extremely rapid coastal erosion along a section of coastline on Qikiqtaruk - Herschel Island. If these rates continue, this erosion could quickly threaten the settlement and key infrastructure at Qikiqtaruk - Herschel Island. Using repeat drone surveys, we are documenting erosion patterns to inform future Park management. For further detail on how these drone-based research programs are being used to advance understanding of Arctic ecology, please see https://teamshrub.wordpress.com/research/
Developing a training program for northern energy, water, food production, and resource management
Curry, Nathan (1) (Presenter)
(1) Terragon Environmental Technologies Inc., Montréal QC, Canada
Terragon is partnering with Northern educational institutions to develop a “Northern Guardians Training Program” that will provide training and certification for youth in the North to implement, operate, and maintain the systems and technologies that will assist with local autonomy, self-sufficiency, off-grid sustainability, and environmental protection. The main areas the Guardians will be trained in are: Energy, Water, Food Production, and Resource Management. The training program will provide a broad context for local food, water, and energy autonomy as well as extensive hands-on experience with the technological tools required for local resource generation. Northern agricultural practices will be covered in the training program as well as the integration and implementation of renewable energy and water treatment technologies. The Guardians will gain hands-on experience in generating valuable resources including biochar and clean, reusable water that will protect the environment and aid in the local production of food. The training of the Guardians will take place both at Terragon’s Headquarters in Montreal and at the Northern Farm Training Institute (NFTI) in Hay River, NWT. The research conducted at the NFTI addresses multiple pressing issues related to climate change and food security: lack of fresh food and soil fertility, livestock grazing practices in the North, Northern crop varieties, community resilience, and the building and sharing of skills. Additionally, work carried out at the NFTI aims to have a carbon-negative footprint. This is achieved through waste reduction and composting, bio-char production, no-till and organic crop production, holistic planned grazing, and implementation of rocket mass heaters. Terragon’s Micro Auto Gasification System (MAGS) and Wastewater Electrochemical Treatment Technology (WETT) systems will be installed at the NFTI to provide season-extending heat for the greenhouse (waste-to-energy via MAGS), biochar for soil amendment (byproduct of MAGS), and valuable clean water for crop irrigation and animal needs (water onsite is high in arsenic and miscible natural organic matter and will be treated with WETT).
Is sea ice important for seabirds in the Canadian High Arctic ?
Cusset, Fanny (1) (Presenter), J. Fort (2), M. Mallory (3), B. Braune (4) and G. Massé (1)
(1) Biology Department, UMI Takuvik, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) LIENSs – UMR 7266 CNRS, Université de La Rochelle, La Rochelle, France
(3) Biology Department, Acadia University, Wolfville NS, Canada
(4) Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
Sea ice plays a central and structural role in polar ecosystems for many adapted species, including ice associated diatoms. These latter ensure a substantial production of organic matter, and thereby constitute, together with the phytoplankton, the basis of the polar food web, impacting all trophic levels from zooplankton up to marine mammals and seabirds. Over the last decades, Arctic sea ice has undergone not only a decrease of its extent but also an earlier break up. Its progressive disappearance in summer will alter and modify the structure and the functioning of entire marine ecosystems. Hence, it is important to better understand the risks associated with climate change, and specifically the reduction of the sea ice cover, for top predators such as seabirds. Recent studies have shown the potential of “Highly Branched Isoprenoid” (HBIs) for tracing and quantifying the flow of ice algal-produced carbon to higher trophic levels. Initially used in paleo-oceanography, this technique has also been validated and applied to different marine organisms (macrobenthic fauna, marine mammals and subarctic seabirds) in the Arctic and in Antarctica. In this project, we use for the first time HBIs to investigate how much arctic seabirds depend on sea ice cover, and how changes in ice availability may affect their reproduction. To this end, we focused on two of the most abundant arctic seabird species: the thick-billed murre (Uria lomvia), feeding primarily on fish, especially ice associated arctic cod (Boreogadus saida), and the northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) which has a more varied diet composed of fish, squid and copepods. A total of 15 eggs of each species were collected on Prince Leopold Island (Nunavut, Canadian high Arctic) between 2010 and 2013; with 2010 and 2012 considered as years of extensive ice cover and late ice break up, while restricted ice cover and early ice break up characterized 2011 and 2013. Lipid (Fatty Acid Signatures and Highly Branched Isoprenoids) and isotopic compositions were determined in whole egg subsamples. This multi-tracer approach will enable us to assess how strongly these two key species rely on prey associated with sea ice, and comparison of our results with environmental data (surface temperature, surface chla sea ice, etc.) and indices of bird physiological condition (e.g. egg size), will provide us with new and essential knowledge to comprehend the consequences of future changes on the fate of these Arctic seabirds populations.
MOXNET: International muskox network under the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program Terrestrial
Cuyler, Christine (1) (Presenter)
(1) Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland
Muskoxen are ice age survivors perfectly adapted to arctic environments. As one of only two large herbivores in the arctic food-web, they provide ecosystem services at multiple trophic levels. MOXNET (international muskox network under Arctic Council/CAFF’s Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program) began in 2014. Network members’ expertise is diverse, providing perspectives from managers, scientists, veterinarians and locals, and includes participants from Canada, Denmark, Greenland, Japan, Norway, Russia, and USA. MOXNET intends to improve circumpolar muskox monitoring by facilitating collaboration, standardization of sampling protocols and tool sharing. Coordination, integration and analysis of circumpolar data sets has begun to facilitate assessment of baseline conditions and trends in muskox abundance, distribution, demographics, health and other variables across political boundaries around the Arctic. Although muskoxen are an integral component of arctic biodiversity, their resilience and vulnerability to rapid environmental change remains unknown. Therefore, MOXNET is now preparing a manuscript on global trends in muskox status for a CBMP Terrestrial special journal issue. The manuscript will summarize current circumpolar knowledge on muskox population status, distribution, trends, vulnerabilities, and drivers of change, and provide updated delineation of both endemic and introduced populations. Further, it will evaluate existing datasets and monitoring methods, and recommend protocols for standardizing methodology. MOXNET is also developing a flexible muskox management plan template, which may be best implemented using the adaptive management framework. The MOXNET template may be adjusted to create customized plans for specific populations and regions. Revisions and changes to the template will arise with new knowledge, experience and changing conditions in the Arctic.
A quest for the most functionally diverse coastal habitat of Subarctic Canada
Cypihot, Valérie (1) (Presenter), K. Howland (2) and P. Archambault (3)
(1) Université du Québec à Rimouski, Institut des sciences de la mer, Rimouski QC, Canada
(2) Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institut, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(3) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Coastal habitats provide unique conditions as it is the location of strong land and ocean interactions which allow a specific diversity of species to establish. However, in the Canadian Arctic, this unique habitat may experience a growing number of impacts such as oil spills and aquatic invasive species. In this context, effective, low-cost sampling methods are required to obtain baseline data on Arctic species and coastal environments in remote areas. The Emergency Spatial Pre-SCAT (shoreline cleanup assessment technique) for Arctic Coastal Ecosystems (eSPACE) project developed a classification of habitats by videography using parameters such as substrate and geomorphology. In order to verify the relationships between this habitat classification and the biological composition, the objective of this study was to characterize coastal benthic communities and associated habitats in Churchill, Manitoba. To ground truth the videographic classification of habitat with biological data, species abundance, diversity and biomass of algal and benthic communities were collected in six different habitats (Boulder, sand, bedrock platform/ramp, marsh, mixed sediment, mixed tidal flat). Results combined with a species traits analysis show differences between biological composition of each habitat which will allow for direct information on the relative biological importance of the sampled habitats and help validate the classification of these habitats.
Abundance and species diversity hotspots of tracked marine predators across the Arctic
D. J. Yurkowski (1) (Presenter), M. Auger-Méthé (2), M. L. Mallory (3), S. N. P. Wong (3), H. G. Gilchrist (4), A.J. Gaston (4), F. Jean-Gagnon (5), A. E. Derocher (6), E. Richardson (7), N. J. Lunn (7), N. E. Hussey (8), A.T. Fisk (8), L. A. Harwood (9), M. P. Heide-Jørgensen (10), R. Dietz (11), A. Rosing-Asvid (10), E. W. Born (10), A. Mosbech (11), J. Fort (12), J. Iacozza (1), T. M. Brown (13), K. H. Westdal (14), J. Orr (15), B. LeBlanc (15), S. T. Kessel (8), P. Blanchfield (15), S. Davis (16), M. Maftei (16), N. Spencer, (16) C. Anderson (3) and S. H. Ferguson (15)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC, Canada
(3) Acadia University, Wolfville NS, Canada
(4) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
(5) Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
(6) University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
(7) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Edmonton AB, Canada
(8) University of Windsor, Windsor ON, Canada
(9) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Yellowknife NT, Canada
(10) Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland
(11) Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
(12) Centre national de la recherche scientifique, Paris, France
(13) Memorial University, St. John’s NF, Canada
(14) Oceans North Canada, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(15) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(16) High Arctic Gull Research Group, Victoria BC, Canada
The distribution, abundance and diversity of predators underpins the ecological structuring and functioning of ecosystems. Highly mobile marine predators (i.e. marine mammals, seabirds and large fishes) integrate resources at several spatial and temporal scales, thus act as sentinel species to ecological productivity within ecosystems. Climate change is causing deleterious effects on marine habitats and is most pronounced in the Arctic with drastic physical changes to snow depth, water temperature and distribution, phenology and thickness of sea ice. Therefore, identifying important areas that sustain higher levels of predator abundance and biodiversity is critical for the implementation of targeted conservation and management measures across the Arctic. Here, we compiled existing animal telemetry data collected on 21 Arctic marine predator species during the summer and winter from eastern Russia to West Greenland. We identify space-use and abundance hotspots for four species groups; (1) cetaceans and pinnipeds, (2) polar bears, (3) sea birds and (4) fishes by season, and map the seasonal distribution across species groups to identify abundance and species diversity hotspots. Telemetry data consisted of 1298 individuals and resulted in 186,903 daily location estimates after data filtering and processing. We applied a spatial hotspot analysis in the form of Getis-Ord Gi* statistic to quantify specific areas of high spatial clustering and significance. We outline specific abundance and species diversity hotpots during summer and winter in Baffin Bay, Davis Strait, Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, Amundsen Gulf, Beaufort Chukchi and Bering Seas within and across taxonomic groups. During summer, abundance and species diversity hotpots generally occurred near shore, whereas during winter hotpots were generally offshore in areas of moving pack-ice. Overall, our results identify areas of ecological significance during summer and winter and have multi-nation implications for conservation, management and policy of endemic and highly migratory species across the North American Arctic.
Bacterioplankton responses to dissolved organic matter produced by different phytoplankton species in the Arctic Ocean
Dadaglio, Laëtitia (1), J. Dinasquet (1,2), I. Obernosterer (1), F. Joux (1) and P.-L. Grondin (3) (Presenter)
(1) Microbial Oceanography Laboratory (LOMIC)- Observatoire Océanologique de Banyuls -Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06 - CNRS, France
(2) Marine Biological Research Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla CA, United States
(3) UMI Takuvik, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
The Arctic sea ice cover is undergoing an unprecedented decline due to climate change. This decline may result in earlier ice algae blooms and more intense phytoplankton blooms leading to higher concentration of dissolved organic matter (DOM) derived from primary production. We investigate the response of Arctic bacterial communities to addition of phytoplankton derived DOM through biodegradation experiments during the Green Edge cruise, in the Baffin Bay, in spring-summer 2016. DOM (corresponding to 10 µM DOC) produced by two arctic diatoms (Chaetoceros neogracilis, Fragilariopsis cylindrus) and one green picoeukaryote (Micromonas pusilla) were added to bacterioplankton communities from three stations (open ocean zone, marginal ice zone and ice zone) for 12 days at in situ temperature. For the three stations studied, the addition of inorganic nutrients (PO4 and NO3) was not sufficient to stimulate the bacterial growth compared to the controls microcosms, suggesting that bacteria were mainly limited by organic carbon. The bacteria used 6 % to 100% of the added carbon. The highest DOM utilization rate was observed for the marginal ice zone bacteria supplied with DOM from C. neogracilis. In this treatment, priming effect of the phytoplankton derived DOM to bacterial utilization of ambient DOM was also observed. The bacterial growth efficiency was higher in the presence of phytoplankton DOM (3-30%) compared to the control microcosms (0.7-19%). To complete these results, the bacterial community composition will be studied by 16S rDNA gene sequencing to identify the bacterial taxa involved in the degradation of each type of phytoplankton DOM. A shift in bacterial community structure was observed after the DOM addition in the two first experiments. A limited number of OTUs (4-5) explained 70% of the the dissimilarity observed between the control microcosms and those enriched with the DOM excreted by C. neogracilis.
Dissolved organic and inorganic carbon dynamics in glacial river systems of the Canadian High Arctic
Dainard, Paul (1) (Presenter), S. Schiff (1), P. Aukes (1), R. Elgood (1), K. St. Pierre (2), V. St. Louis (2), M. English (3) and I. Lehnherr (4)
(1) Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON, Canada
(2) Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
(3) Department of Geography & Environmental Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON, Canada
(4) Department of Geography, University of Toronto-Mississauga, Mississauga ON, Canada
The sensitivity of northern freshwater and marine ecosystems to climate change is of keen interest to the scientific community. Research has been designed to better describe vectors of this change, but the dynamic nature of Arctic environments has challenged process-based studies and future projections. Glacier mass loss of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago has been bolstered over past decades resulting in increased fluxes from networks of glacial melt water to receiving aquatic environments. The unique physical and chemical characteristics of these glacial melt waters and their transformation via processes taking place along glacial river continua could impact the global carbon cycle by affecting dissolved organic and inorganic carbon (DOC and DIC). The hydrologic mass budget of Lake Hazen, located on northern Ellesmere Island, is dominated by runoff from glacial melt waters and has been selected as a sentinel for change in the Canadian high Arctic as part of a three year collaborative project spanning 2015 to 2017. Glacial river continua feeding Lake Hazen were sampled for DIC and DOC including a suite of DOC quality measures including absorbance (a?, S?-?, SR), fluorescence excitation emission matrix spectra (EEMS), size exclusion chromatography and stable carbon isotopes (d13C-DOC) to better describe the nature of DOC in glacial rivers and how it changes during transit to Lake Hazen. Using DIC concentrations, pH, and pCO2, theoretical stable carbon isotopes in DIC (d13C-DIC) were calculated for comparison with the actual d13C-DIC. In addition, d13C-DOC, d13C-CH4, ? (actual-theoretical) d13C-DIC, and DOC quality were used to assess how processes such as mineral weathering, POC dissolution/DOC remineralisation, or subsurface methane infiltration could influence DIC in glacial rivers. This research is poised to assess DOC and DIC in glacial melt water, processes controlling their dynamics and potential implications for the biogeochemistry of high arctic aquatic environments and sources/sinks of CO2.
Interdisciplinary knowledge, collaboration, and local leadership through co-management of the Torngat mountains caribou herd
Dale, Aaron (1) (Presenter) and J. Snook (1)
(1) Torngat Wildlife, Plants and Fisheries Secretariat, Happy Valley-Goose Bay NL, Canada
The Torngat Mountains Caribou Herd (TMCH) is a small population found on the Northeast corner of the Ungava Peninsula in the Torngat Mountains. Although Inuit in the region had long understood the TMCH to be distinct from migratory populations occurring in close proximity, it was only recognised by the Government of Canada as a distinct designatable unit in 2011. The TMCH is now understood to be a montane caribou, which uses altitudinal movements throughout its range at different seasons to procure food and avoid insect harassment and predation. The TMCH does not aggregate at calving, or undertake long migrations. The herd size was estimated only once, in 2014, at 930. Inuit in Nunatsiavut and Nunavik have harvested the herd for quite some time, and more recently there has been increasing recognition of the herd’s distinct traits, its significance to Inuit, and its uncertain future. Members of the Torngat Wildlife and Plants Co-management Board expressed a desire to learn more, and to ensure the herd was equally prioritized at a time when management actions were being considered for the occasionally overlapping George River Caribou Herd. Co-management partners across the region have come together to co-produce knowledge, and the process has resulted in a comprehensive traditional knowledge study, an aerial survey, studies of mortality and space use, extensive policy analysis, interjurisdictional dialogues, and plans for long-term monitoring. In 2017 the Torngat Wildlife and Plants Co-Management Board convened a technical committee comprised of appointees from partner organizations, and worked closely with the communities of Nain, Nunatsiavut, and Kangiqsualujjuaq, Nunavik, to plan and execute a second aerial survey. To maximize comparability, survey design was similar to the design from 2014, but responded to community input by adding coverage in areas considered to be high-density, and by adding approximately 1000km2 in the Southwest. Over 26 days in March and April, 2017, a five person crew with representation from Nunavik and Nunatsiavut flew over 8000km on transects spaced 3km apart in high-density strata and 4km apart in low-density strata. We here present preliminary findings of the 2017 aerial survey, with implication for conservation and management.
Spatial variation in arctic hare populations and arctic wolves diet at their northern range limit
Dalerum, F. (1), L. Dalén (1), C. Fröjd (2), N. Lecomte (3) (Presenter), Å. Lindgren (3), T. Meijer (1), P. Pecnerova (1) and A. Angerbjörn (1)
(1) Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
(2) Swedish Polar Research Secretariat, Stockholm, Sweden
(3) Canada Research Chair in Polar and Boreal Ecology and Centre d’Études Nordiques, Department of Biology, University of Moncton, Moncton NB, Canada
Arctic environments have relatively simple ecosystems. Yet, we still lack knowledge of the spatio-temporal dynamics of many Arctic organisms and how they are affected by local and regional processes. The Arctic hare (Lepus arcticus) is a large lagomorph endemic to high Arctic environments in Canada and Greenland. Current knowledge about this herbivore is scarce and the temporal and spatial dynamics of their populations are poorly understood. Here, we present observations on Arctic hares in two sites on north Greenland (Hall and Washington lands) and one adjacent site on Ellesmere Island (Judge Daly Promontory). We recorded a large range of group sizes from 1 to 135 individuals, as well as a substantial variation in hare densities among the three sites (Hall land: 0 animals/100 km2, Washington land 14.5–186.7 animals/100 km2, Judge Daly Promontory 0.18–2.95 animals/100 km2). However, pellet counts suggested that both Hall land and Judge Daly Promontory hosted larger populations at other times. We suggest that our results could have been caused by three spatially differentiated populations with asynchronous population fluctuations. Prey remains in 54 wolf scats collected at same three sites pointed to a dietary importance of Arctic hare (55% frequency of occurrence), although we observed diet variation among the sites. With food limitation being a likely driver behind the observed variation, we argue that food limitation likely interacts with predation and competition in shaping the spatial dynamics of Arctic hares and the diet of their predators in this region. Climate-induced alterations in the distribution and population dynamics of Arctic herbivores may cause shifts in High Arctic terrestrial predator-prey interactions.
Assessing exposure pathways and human health risks attributable to wastewater treatment practices in the Canadian Arctic
Daley, Kiley (1) (Presenter), R. Jamieson (1), D. Rainham (1), L. Truelstrup Hansen (2) and S. Harper (3)
(1) Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, Canada
(2) Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
(3) University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada
Most Arctic communities use basic wastewater (sewage) treatment systems that are reliant on natural environmental processes. In many ways these economical, yet effective, systems are well-suited for the small populations and extreme climate of the region. One limitation, however, is that these systems are capable of achieving only low levels of pathogen removal. As a result, partially treated effluent that still contains potentially hazardous microorganisms is released into some wetlands and marine waters that border on communities. These natural areas may simultaneously serve as recreation or food harvesting locations. Within these complex ecological systems, people may unknowingly be exposed to wastewater pathogens, either by direct contact or indirectly through handling and consumption of contaminated wild food. Exposure to microbial pathogens in municipal wastewater can lead to acute gastrointestinal illness or more severe disease. Rates of infectious gastrointestinal illness in the Arctic are believed to be higher than in other parts of Canada due to a variety factors; however the burden of disease attributable to wastewater exposure has never been evaluated. In this study, we conducted a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) to provide the first estimates of microbial health risks attributable to wastewater pathogens in the region. We estimated the level of contamination in effluent-impacted wetlands and marine waters in several communities using fecal indicator bacteria. We then used questionnaires and community forums to gather activity pattern data about the local population’s interactions with the natural environment surrounding wastewater treatment sites. We integrated these inputs in a QMRA model to characterize the microbial health risk for a range of potential exposure pathways and scenarios. Preliminary results and risk mitigation strategies will be discussed during this presentation.
Tidal straits as hotspots for ice algal production: A case study in the Kitikmeot Sea
Dalman, Laura (1) (Presenter), B. Else (2), D. Barber (1), E. Carmack (3), W.J. Williams (3), K. Campbell (1) and C.J. Mundy (1)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
(3) Institute of Ocean Sciences, Fisheries and Oceans, Sidney BC, Canada
Sea ice algae are an important component of primary production in the Arctic marine ecosystem. A major controlling factor of ice algal production, bloom length, and taxonomic composition is access to nutrients from the underlying ocean. Previous studies have demonstrated that tides and currents play an important role in the flux of nutrients to bottom-ice algal communities when biological demand is high during the spring bloom. In May 2016, we sampled bottom-ice algae in landfast first-year ice along a tidal strait near Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. Through this strategic sampling approach we investigated how surface currents influence nutrient supply, algal biomass and species composition. Analysis of bulk nutrients in the ice bottom (0-5 cm) demonstrated that chlorophyll a (chl a) increased with the concentration of phosphate and silicic acid in the ice. However, no relationship was observed with nitrogen (nitrate+nitrite), which fit close to a dilution curve from an averaged 1.3 umol L-1 available in the surface water column. These results supported the potential for strong nitrogen limitation, which is consistent with previous studies in this region. Stronger currents in the tidal strait were associated with a decrease in ice thickness, an increase in ice algal biomass and a decrease in the ratio of particulate organic carbon to chl a. Furthermore, pennate and centric diatoms dominated the ice algal community with slightly greater contribution of larger pennate diatoms within the centre of the strait where currents were greatest. These trends all support the likely existence of a greater nutrient flux to the bottom ice where currents increased towards the centre of the tidal strait. It is hypothesized that similar hotspots of sea ice primary production exist across the Arctic where enhanced under-ice turbulence, and thereby greater nutrient flux to the bottom ice algal community occurs.
Iceberg production and characteristics at the termini of tidewater glaciers around the Prince of Wales Icefield, Ellesmere Island
Dalton, Abigail (1) (Presenter) and L. Copland (1)
(1) University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, Canada
Since the 1960s, warming air and sea surface temperatures have led to decreasing sea ice extent and longer periods of open water in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA). Recent and rapid changes have also been observed in the ice discharge patterns of glaciers in this region. For example, Trinity and Wykeham glaciers on the Prince of Wales Icefield (POW), SE Ellesmere Island, contributed ~62% of total ice discharge to the ocean from the Canadian Arctic Archipelago in 2016, compared to ~22% in 2000. Given these changes, an important question is whether there is a relationship between changing sea ice conditions (e.g., extent, freeze up dates, break up dates) and iceberg production from these glaciers. This study used SAR and optical imagery to identify iceberg plume events and sea ice break-up/freeze-up dates between 1997 and 2015 for 40 tidewater glaciers around the Prince of Wales Icefield. Results show a clear relationship between the presence of sea ice and the production of icebergs from glaciers, with most events occurring during the open water season and fewer when sea ice was present. For Trinity and Wykeham Glaciers, increases in detected iceberg plumes coincide with increases in glacier velocity measured by Van Wychen et al. (2016). These comparisons are also used to explore the role of other factors in iceberg production, such as tidal cycles and climatic conditions.
Effect of oil pollution and ice formation on microbial community in seawater from Ofotfjorden, Norway
Dang, Nga (1) (Presenter), M. O’ Sadnick (1), C. Petrich (1) and N. Willassen (2)
(1) Northern Research Institute Narvik, Narvik, Norway
(2) The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
Ongoing development of Norwegian oil exploration activities into northern areas where seasonal ice cover is common, presents challenges in terms of oil spill response. Spill oil can drift into the ice-covered water, become entrapped into pockets in the sea ice, and permeate into brine channels within the sea ice. There have been very few studies on biodegradation of oil at sub-zero temperatures and in sea ice. Ice mesocosm in 125L-tanks have been conducted at Norut Narvik. Troll B crude oil from Statoil was injected underneath the ice to form an oil lens in the sea ice. Comparative metagenomic sequencing of the microbial community was applied to the ice samples after 3 months to identify the key microbial species and metabolic pathways responsible for biodegradation of the oil, and to evaluate bioremediation potential of seawater from the Norwegian Sea. The results revealed that the microbial community in seawater to be predominated by Alphaproteobacteria (33-37%), Gammaproteobacteria (10%), Bacteroidetes (14-15%) and Actinobacteria (12-16%), while the microbial community of the ices shifted toward Alpha- and Gammaproteobacteria, 56-59% and 16-18% respectively. Archaea, Eukaryota, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria however, reduced significantly in the ice. The comparison of sea ice samples which contained the oil with the clean sea ice did not showed a significant shift in microbial community. However, bacteria genera Pseudoalteromonas, Colwellia, Galciecola, Arcobacter and Sulfitobacter increased in the oil contaminated samples. Many species of genera Pseudoalteromonas, and Glaciecola have been known for their hydrocarbon-degrading ability. Colwellia have been associated with oil-contaminated cold marine environments such as Antarctic and Arctic seawater and sea ice. They were also found to dominate after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Analysis of the hydrocarbon-degradation genes in the metagenomes from the sea-ices is still under investigation.
Mapping zooplankton distribution in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago using the ArcticNet zooplankton database: 2005-2016
Darnis, Gérald (1) (Presenter) and L. Fortier (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
In the Arctic Ocean and seas, zooplankton such as the large herbivore copepods Calanus glacialis and C. hyperboreus directly channel most of the metabolic energy from the ice algae and phytoplankton primary production to the fish, seabirds and marine mammals at the top of the Arctic marine food web. On the other hand, smaller zooplankton, including the neritic Pseudocalanus spp., are important prey for the larval stages of fishes, like the Arctic cod that dominates Arctic fish biomass. Currently a dearth of information on the large-scale spatial patterns of zooplankton biomass and community structure limits our knowledge of ecological connectivity within the Canadian Arctic marine ecosystem and, thus, our ability to develop predictions about the ecosystem response to the multiple effects of Arctic warming and increased human activity. We used the mesozooplankton abundance and biomass data from the vertical water-column integrated plankton net sampling during the ArcticNet annual expeditions from 2005 to 2016 to study the biogeography of zooplankton at the scale of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. A multivariate analysis showed that the shallow south Kitikmeot (Dease Strait, Queen Maud Gulf) stands out as a region hosting a zooplankton assemblage clearly different from those found in the deeper Western and Eastern Canadian Arctic. However, zooplankton assemblages at both ends of the archipelago did not display marked differences since there were no strong indicator species of Pacific and Atlantic waters, respectively, among the zooplankton taxa. The oceanic copepods such as the Arctic Calanus hyperboreus, Calanus glacialis, Metridia longa, and ubiquitous Microcalanus spp. and Triconia borealis were much less abundant in the south Kitikmeot in all years than in surrounding regions deeper than 100 m where they usually dominate in terms of abundance and/or biomass. On the other hand, the shelf copepod Pseudocalanus spp. represented a major fraction of the zooplankton assemblage of the south Kitikmeot compared to deeper areas. The low biomass of Arctic Calanus species may explain in part the low populations of vertebrate predators such as the arctic cod, seabirds and the bowhead whale in the south Kitikmeot. We interpret the observed zooplankton biogeographic patterns based on information on bathymetry and temporal variability in hydrography, sea ice cover, and biomass of pelagic algae.
Export fluxes of biogenic particles in the sea ice-free Kongsfjorden and the seasonally ice-covered Rijpfjorden (Svalbard)
Darnis, Gérald (1) (Presenter), C. Lalande (1), J. Søreide (2), J. Berge (3), S. Swoboda (2), P. Assmy (4), F. Cottier (5) and C. Halsband (6)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) The University Centre in Svalbard: UNIS, Longyearbyen, Norway
(3) The Arctic University of Norway UiT, Tromsø, Norway
(4) Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø, Norway
(5) The Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, United Kingdom
(6) Akvaplan-niva, Tromsø, Norway
Variation in the strength, timing and composition of the biological carbon pump determines energy transfer to higher trophic levels and the capacity of the ocean to sequester atmospheric CO2. In Svalbard fjords ecosystems, lack of knowledge on sinking fluxes limits our ability to understand the drivers of this critical process, to monitor and to model carbon cycling. By comparing two fjords with different environmental settings, especially regarding seasonal sea-ice cover, this study aims at (1) assessing the nature of annual sinking fluxes in these systems and (2) identifying the forcing factors and implications for food web processes. We analysed sediment trap samples from the autonomous ocean observatories operated in ice-free Kongsfjorden on the west coast of Svalbard largely influenced by Atlantic Water, and in the seasonally ice-covered Rijpfjorden further north. One sequential sediment trap in each fjord sampled at 100 m depth throughout a quasi-annual cycle sinking particles. Magnitude of the total mass flux and of the protist flux was much higher in Kongsfjorden than in Rijpfjorden. However, the timing of the protist sharp peak flux occurred about the same time in the 2 fjords (1st or 2nd week of May depending on year). Over the 3 comparable annual cycles in Rijpfjorden, the peak flux of Nitzschia frigida, an obligate ice algal diatom, preceded only by one to two weeks the peak flux of other diatoms indicative of the main pelagic spring bloom in this system. Sinking flux linked to the ice algae and phytoplankton blooms appeared to be intense but brief events in April-May, except in 2014 in Rijpfjorden when significant flux lasted from May to July. This dataset provides insights into the seasonal dynamics and timing of processes critical to better understand links between biological production as well as other events in the surface layer and biological production at the seafloor.
Changes and patterns of shipping activity in Nunavut since 1990
Dawson, Jackie (1) (Presenter), O. Mussells (1,2), L. Copland (1) and N. Carter (1)
(1) University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) Oceans North Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
This study provides a comprehensive examination of historic changes in shipping traffic in Nunavut, Canada from 1990-2015, both temporally and spatially. Historic position point NORDREG data collected by the Canadian Coast Guard was geo-located, quality controlled and connected using a least-cost-path approach, and a longitudinal geospatial shipping database was created. The database was used to analyze shipping traffic changes in Nunavut in order to better understand specific temporal and spatial changes to historic traffic patterns that have occurred in the territory over the past 25 years. Overall, there has been an increase in the average number of kilometers traveled by ships in the territory and an increase in the number, type, and size of vessels. Marine traffic increased dramatically from 1990 to 2015, as the total distance travelled by all vessels doubled, with a notably steep increase between 2006 and 2008. Specifically, the distance travelled by pleasure crafts, fishing vessels, and general cargo increased more substantially than other vessel types. General cargo (which include re-supply vessels) and government icebreakers (including private icebreakers and research ships) consistently made up the greatest proportion of traffic in Nunavut. The fastest growing vessel sector was pleasure craft (private yachts), followed closely by fishing vessels. Tanker ships and tug and barge activity related to community re-supply and general cargo vessels also increased. There has been a clear shift in geographic concentration of tourism vessels that favours the Northwest Passage over southern areas utilized in the past. The location of general cargo, tankers, and bulk carriers was largely linked to the location of communities and natural resource projects. Fishing activities remained concentrated on the eastern side of Baffin Island but expanded both to the north and the south. Further increases in shipping activity in Nunavut are expected as sea ice regimes continue to change. Nunavut is well positioned to benefit from shipping activities but development is not without risks. It is vital that forward looking governance measures such as the low impact shipping corridors, pro-active vessel management, local monitoring programs, and collaborative co-management and shared leadership initiatives on Arctic shipping and oceans management continue.
Impacts of sea-ice thermodynamic stages on open water phytoplankton blooms in the Hudson Bay System
de Freitas, Lucas Barbedo (1) (Presenter) and S. Bélanger (1)
(1) Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie. Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFPhytoplankton phenology in polar region can be largely influenced by sea-ice thermodynamic stages at the end of the winter and in spring. Melt pond and drainage onsets, for example, are good indicators of the light transmission through the ice, which is a key component controlling the phytoplankton bloom initiation. The impacts sea-ice thermodynamic stages on phytoplankton blooms in open waters are investigated in the Hudson Bay System (HBS), which is the largest sub-arctic inland sea. To understand how shifts in the cryosphere dynamic can affect phytoplankton, a novel methodology using multi-satellite missions has been developed. Satellite observations from active microwave scatterometer are used to access sea-ice thermodynamic stages, while ocean color sensors are used to detect phytoplankton phenology metrics from the analysis of chlorophyll-a concentration (Chla) time series. The analysis is performed for 7 years (2003-2008) in HBS where both sea-ice and phytoplankton phenology showed large inter-annual variability. Three distinct patterns are observed in the phytoplankton phenology in open waters following sea-ice retreat: 1) a peak of Chla occurs immediately after sea-ice retreat, 2) the Chla peak occurs a few weeks after the sea-ice retreat and 3) Chla remains low during the whole spring and summer seasons. The first pattern can be attributed to bloom development in the marginal ice zone where Chla reaches about 3 mg m-3. This pattern is observed when the duration of the melt pond season, defined as the number of days between pond and drainage onsets, is relatively short (about 1 week), and when the pond onset occurs between March/April, or when the drainage onset is between May/June. In contrast, preliminary analysis suggested that a long melt pond season results in low surface Chla in open waters for the rest of the spring and summer. In the same fashion, when late sea ice retreat occurs in June when the solar irradiance is maximum, no phytoplankton bloom is observed from space. This is likely due to high photosynthetic available radiation beneath the ice pack during melt pond season allowing under ice blooms.
Can migratory birds become contaminated with lead during their migration out of Nunavik ? A literature review to address concerns raised by Nunavimmiut
De Sérigny, Cécile (1,3) (Presenter), S. Ricard (2), M. Brisson (2) and M. Lemire (3)
(1) Département de Géographie, Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, Kuujjuaq QC, Canada
(3) Chaire Nasivvik, Axe santé des populations et pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec – Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
The 2004 Qanuippitaa Health Survey found that almost 10% of Inuit adults et 2% of women of childbearing age had lead (Pb) exposure above Health Canada's recommended blood concentration threshold (0.48 µmol/L). Despite the prohibition on lead shot for hunting migratory birds in Canada in 1999, the main known source of Pb in Nunavik adults nowadays is lead ammunition (shots and bullets) use and their remaining fragments found in the meat. During consultation, a member of the Nunavik Hunting, Fishing, and Trapping Association and a midwife from one of the communities have expressed concerns that migratory birds may become contaminated with Pb when migrating out of Nunavik. The objectives of this project are to document, through a literature review: (i) the primary migratory bird species consumed by Nunavimmiut and their migration territories according to season, (ii) their possible sources of Pb contamination outside Nunavik in territories along the bird’s migration route, depending of local legislation regarding hunting/shooting activities and use of Pb ammunition, (iii) their potential for exposure to Pb from spent shots, (iv) their pathway of exposure to Pb according to the food strategy of these species, and finally (v) the possibility of a female exposed to Pb transmits the Pb to its eggs and if so, in which way and at which proportion. This literature review identified snow geese, Canadian geese and common eiders as the main species consumed by the Inuit for their flesh and eggs. Pb pellets are still used for hunting in parts of geeses migration territories, including James Bay, Newfoundland and various American ranges. For the common eider, their migration also takes them to James Bay and Newfoundland, as well as Greenland where the sale and use of Pb shots have been banned only since 2014. Both geese and eiders can be contaminated with Pb shots embedded in their body when they survive their wounds. These three species can also be contaminated by the accidental ingestion of Pb pellets, which they confuse with gravel (useful for their gizzard), and there is every indication that this is their main pathway of exposure to Pb when birds migrate in regions where Pb pellets are still used. Finally, females of these Pb contaminated species may present Pb in their eggs and feathers at varying concentrations. However, the overall contamination of birds while migrating outside Nunavik appear to be negligible when compared to the level of Pb contamination caused by the direct use of Pb-ammunition when hunting and related fragments later found in the meat. The use of Pb-free ammunition is the primary measure to protect Nunavimmiut from Pb exposure, and particularly young children which are more sensitive to Pb neurotoxicity. This project supports the communication campaign by the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services to prevent exposure of Nunavimmiut to Pb.
The PACEMAP project – Predicting Arctic Change through Ecosystem MoleculAr Proxies
de Wet, Gregory (1) (Presenter), S. Crump (1), J. Sepúlveda (1), M. Bunce, (2), D. Walker (3), E. Thomas (4), M. Raynolds (3), J.Raberg (1) and G. Miller (1)
(1) University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder CO, United States
(2) Curtin University, Perth, Australia
(3) University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Fairbanks AK, United States
(4) University of Buffalo, Buffalo NY, United States
The Arctic has proven to be one on the most climatically sensitive regions on Earth and is predicted to warm two to three times more than the global average by the year 2100 CE. To accurately capture possible feedbacks in future climate projections, it is necessary to constrain the expected ecological response to warming at high latitudes. Past interglacial periods that were warmer than the Holocene serve as useful analogues for future environmental conditions and can provide valuable insights into the ecological response to higher temperatures and altered hydroclimates. The goal of this project is to utilize newly developed molecular techniques to reconstruct both climate and vegetation changes through the Holocene (past ~11 ka) and the Last Interglacial period (~130 - 115 ka) across a bioclimate gradient in the Canadian Arctic ranging from treeline (northern Quebec) to northern Baffin Island using lake sediment archives. The statistical relationships between plant community and climate in the past derived from this effort will be used to predict the response of these systems to modeled temperatures in 2100 CE. We will reconstruct paleo-temperatures through the analysis of bacterial cell membrane lipids (branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers [brGDGTs]) and hydroclimate via the hydrogen isotopic composition of leaf waxes. We will reconstruct vegetation history using sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA). Here we present both our overall research plan as well as initial results from a small lake on southern Baffin Island spanning the last ~7.2 ka. The combination of paleoclimatic and paleo-vegetation data reveals that the vegetation community has responded sensitively to early Holocene warmth, Neoglacial cooling, and possibly modern anthropogenic warming. To our knowledge, this represents the first combination of a quantitative, biomarker-based climate reconstruction with a sedaDNA-based paleoecological reconstruction, and offers a glimpse at the potential of these molecular techniques used in tandem.
Individual diet variation of ringed seals (Pusa hispida) in the Belcher Islands, Hudson Bay using chronological whisker isotopic profiling and satellite telemetry
Debets, Cassandra (1) (Presenter), S. Newsome (2), C. Matthews (3), D.Yurkowski (1), B. Young (3) and S.H. Ferguson (1,3)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM, United States
(3) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Knowledge of how diets differ among conspecifics within species provides essential insights into trophic interactions within an ecosystem. There are multiple approaches to investigating diet composition of wildlife populations; stable isotopes (d13C and d15N) are efficient at quantifying diets of predators and measuring individual- and population-level diet specialization. Ringed seals (Pusa hispida) are an important species in the Arctic food web and an important component of Inuit subsistence and culture. Previous diet studies have documented spatial and temporal changes of ringed seal diets; however, few studies have been able to quantify and document individual temporal changes in diet and foraging strategy. The objective of this study was to examine the individual diet variation of ringed seals from the southern extent of their range (Belcher Islands, Hudson Bay). We used whisker isotopic composition of 42 satellite-tagged seals to determine individual diet composition over time and tested for seasonal shifts and individual variability in dive behavior from tagged seals, 2006-2012. Potential prey species (e.g., amphipods [ Calliopius spp], sand lance [ Ammodytes spp], capelin [Mallotus villosus], and Arctic cod [Boreogadus saida]) were collected from the Hudson Bay ecosystem during the same time period. Stable Isotope mixing models revealed that differences in both d13C and d15N values from seal whiskers may be explained by dive behaviours (number of dives, time spent at depth) obtained from satellite tags. There was a wide range of averaged whisker segment isotopic values from individual seals: mean d13C values range from -18.6‰ to -15.8‰ and mean d15N values ranged from 12.1‰-17.5‰ which falls within the range of isotopic signatures represented by a diversity of possible prey species. Seals varied from having a wide range of isotopic values (generalized diet) to a narrow range reflecting specialization. Age and dive behaviour parameters helped explain some of the differences in the degree of diet specialization. For instance, seals that spent more time near the bottom had higher d13C values in their whiskers than seals that foraged pelagically. Understanding dietary variation of ringed seals will be important information to better inform management of seal populations, which is increasingly important in the face of changing climatic conditions that may alter food web dynamics within Hudson Bay.
Talus topography and morphometry to infer slope processes in Lac à l’Eau Claire, western Nunavik
Decaulne, Armelle (1,2) (Presenter) and N. Bhiry (3,4)
(1) CNRS LETG Laboratory, Nantes, France
(2) GDR 2012 AREES (Arctique - Enjeux pour l’Environnement et les Sociétés), Meudon, France
(3) Centre d’études nordiques, Québec QC, Canada
(4) Département de géographie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Lac à l’Eau-Claire (56°20’N; 76°17’W) is one of the several meteoritic craters on the Ungava peninsula (Nunavik, Canada), located about 115 km east of Hudson Bay. It is composed of two neighboring craters (CL-West and CL-East). CL-West is about 30 km in diameter, with a distinct inner ring of islands. Clearwater Lake is situated within the boundaries of the Tursujuq National Park. The region lies on granite-gneiss rocks of the Precambrian Shield while islands constitute a central uplifted area and are covered with impact melts (breccia). Deglaciation of the region occurred at approximately 6000 yr BP. From this period the reliefs of Clearwater Lake islands were exposed to the cumulative effects of heavy periglacial conditions and gravity processes on 25 to 150 m high slopes. The aims of this ongoing research are: -To inventory the range of slope processes (landslides, rockslides, screes, debris flows, snow avalanches, etc.) -To estimate their degree of activity by examining landforms they created (inherited versus active processes through inherited versus fresh landforms) -To date movements on slopes (both relative dating by lichenometry and plant cover, and absolute dating by dendrochronology since Picea mariana lives hundreds of years in the area, and 14C in stratigraphic deposits) -To estimate the runout of the processes and their distance to the lake water in order to document the risk for Cree camps and tourists in case a slope process event generates a wave by entering the outer lake shallow waters. The preliminary results we present here provide identification and classification of slope types and associated processes on the main northern island of Lac à l’Eau Claire, Lepage Island. From field-based methods, the longitudinal profiles are characterized, and the vegetation cover on the talus is documented. The results show that present-day slope processes are active, despite a limited altitudinal difference from the apical to the distal part and an almost exhaustion of debris supply. The research provides clues on the processes that are remobilizing and redistributing the debris on the talus, and explores perspectives for further work, especially to obtain dating on the stages of development of the talus, before shortly discussing its paraglacial evolution.
357 observation days on Caribou slope, Lac à l’Eau-Claire, Nunavik
Decaulne, Armelle (1,2)(Presenter) and N. Bhiry (3,4)
(1) CNRS LETG Laboratory, Nantes, France
(2) GDR 2012 AREES (Arctique - Enjeux pour l’Environnement et les Sociétés), Meudon, France
(3) Centre d’études nordiques, Québec QC, Canada
(4) Département de géographie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
The external face of Lac à l’Eau-Claire islands (56°20’N; 76°17’W) are characterized by steep slopes. The slope topography and talus morphometry indicate that gravity processes are both inherited and active. Several fresh deposits are observed, sometimes scattered in the far distal part of the talus. At Caribou slopes, evidence of recent activity has been observed during filed investigations. However, the identification of gravity processes on slopes remains difficult, as no event has ever been reported and no witness is able to relate any event in this remote area. Nevertheless, Lac à l’Eau-Claire is traversed by Cree and Inuit hunters and fishermen all year-round, and a well-known place for trap. Lac à l’Eau-Claire is also part of the Tursujuq National Park, and welcomes tens of tourists each year. Gravity processes thus become not only physical processes, but may raise hazard and risk issues. In an attempt to better know the year-round gravity processes acting on Caribou slope, we installed in August 2016 an automatic camera taking eight pictures a day, hourly from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. This slope has been selected because it presents fresh scattered boulders indicative of recent slope activity; furthermore, the apical rockwall is heavily affected by frost weathering and deep cracks are opening on the uppermost of the rockwall. From the collection of 2855 pictures, we are able to survey gravity movements on the slope and talus. Especially, the snow cover evolution on the slope is surveyed, showing instabilities and downslope movements in April. In addition, a calendar of meteorological characteristics and events can be established, as well as a phenologic calendar. These results are presented in this talk. The camera at Caribou slope is still operating and records further information, as well as three other automatic cameras on different slopes on the two northern islands of Lac à l’Eau-Claire, Lepage and Aux Foreurs. Additional cameras surveying slopes and slope processes have also been installed in other places encountering gravity processes in Nunavik: in Tasiapik valley, south-east of Umiujaq; and over the road leading to the airport in Kangiqsualujjuaq.
Submarine slope failures in inner Frobisher Bay: What, where, when, and why?
Deering, Robert (1) (Presenter), T. Bell (1), D. Forbes (1,2), C. Campbell (2) and E. Edinger (1)
(1) Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's NL, Canada
(2) Natural Resources Canada, Geological Survey of Canada, Dartmouth NS, Canada
Inner Frobisher Bay, on which the City of Iqaluit is located, hosts an abundance of marine geohazard features (iceberg scours, methane seep pockmarks, and submarine slope failures). This raises the question of what threat these geohazards pose to Iqaluit, the hub of transportation, government, and commerce in the eastern Canadian Arctic. Essential municipal, commercial, and subsistence infrastructure and important cultural resources are located along the urban waterfront at levels vulnerable to flooding. In addition, new seabed and coastal infrastructure projects such as fibre-optic cables and harbour facilities may be vulnerable to geohazards in the bay. Submarine slope failures (SSFs), gravitational movements of sediments on the seafloor, if still actively occurring, have the potential for local seabed and widespread onshore effects. Comprehensive multibeam echosounding (MBES) mapping, covering approximately 75% of inner Frobisher Bay, has revealed 246 SSF features in the basin, a greater density than known anywhere else in Arctic Canada (~1 per 4 km2). SSFs can cause destruction directly through their rapid displacement of seafloor and indirectly through the generation of tsunami waves. A preliminary morphometric analysis of these features revealed most to be small (1 km2) may pose a localized tsunami risk in a partially enclosed basin, depending on position relative to basin geometry. Further analysis focusing on three key aspects (morphology, distribution, and chronology) can better establish whether these SSF events pose a hazard in the region. Using a high resolution MBES dataset, SSF features in inner Frobisher Bay were mapped and key morphometric parameters (i.e. runout length, thickness, direction of transport) were measured, allowing for further assessment of their magnitude and tsunamigenic potential. Analysis of SSF distribution both geographically and bathymetrically enables the study of these features in relation to basin geometry which may focus their energy and impacts. Furthermore, highlighting areas of greater feature abundance can inform planning of future developments in the region. The establishment of a chronology of events determines whether SSFs are ongoing processes in the bay or if the SSF signatures are simply indicative of mechanisms that have become inactive. The seabed expression of SSF features in inner Frobisher Bay ranges from very fresh-looking to subdued, the latter presumably because of sediment accumulation since the event. This suggests that the SSFs have a wide range of ages. Preliminary results from radiocarbon ages from a small set of cores indicate ages ranging from 4 to 7 ka. This study has demonstrated that SSF events large enough to pose a hazard to seabed and coastal infrastructure have occurred in inner Frobisher Bay, but it remains unclear what triggered the failures and whether this is an ongoing risk today.
Gastrointestinal parasitism of dogs in Kuujjuaq, Nunavik: Documenting zoonotic disease risk for dogs and people
Déry, Hélène (1) (Presenter), C. Aenishaenslin (5), E. Avard (2), D. Bélanger (1), L. Callaghan (3), B. Ford (2), M.-C. Frenette (1), E. Jenkins (4), A. Ravel (1), A. Simon (1) and P. Leighton (1)
(1) Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe QC, Canada
(2) Nunavik Research Centre, Makivik Corporation, Kuujjuaq QC, Canada
(3) Northern Village of Kuujjuaq, Kuujjuaq QC, Canada
(4) Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK, Canada
(5) Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montréal QC, Canada
Gastrointestinal parasites of dogs are an ongoing health risk in Arctic communities both for the domestic dog population and for people since many of these parasites are zoonotic and can cause human disease. In Kuujjuaq and Inukjuak, two large communities in Nunavik, dogs are ubiquitous and form an integral part of the community; however, the degree to which these dogs are affected by parasites, and their potential for transmitting zoonotic parasites to people, remains poorly documented. The objectives of our study were to: 1) determine the diversity and the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in dogs 2) characterize the risk factors associated to gastrointestinal parasitism. In order to document the diversity and prevalence of parasites (objective 1), two collections of feces were organized. The first one was done through a prospective cohort study and the second one was done through a random sampling of the streets in the town. In May 2016, a cohort study was initiated in Kuujjuaq and 31 dogs were examined. In 2017, 32 dogs were examined. For all dogs, feces were collected and owners were asked questions about habits (diet composition, housing, medication, exercise, etc.). The second collection of feces was done throughout both communities to obtain parasitism data for free-roaming dogs. Random GPS points were generated and transects were done around these points. Ongoing laboratory analyses will quantify parasite prevalence of all feces collected using fecal flotation, except for Giardia and Cryptosporidium that will be quantified with a commercial immunofluorescent antibody test. For objective 2, we focused on the following parasites that include key zoonotic parasites of dogs in the Arctic: Echinococcus granulosus, Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina, Diphyllobothrium spp., Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. Moreover, in order to document spatial and temporal distribution of attached and free-roaming dogs, we carried out visual censuses in Kuujjuaq in summer 2016 and in both Inukjuak and Kuujjuaq in summer 2017. All roads in the village were surveyed by car, attached and free-roaming dogs were counted, and their locations noted. Documenting the prevalence of parasites in the dog population of these communities and the determinants of parasitism in individual dogs is essential in determining which treatment approaches would be most appropriate for improving human and animal health. Linking this information to the distribution and abundance of dogs in the environment will help identify where and when the risk of zoonotic parasite transmission to people is most likely to occur.
Does flow regulation transcend climate change impacts on river discharge into Hudson Bay?
Déry, Stephen J. (1) (Presenter), T. A. Stadnyk (2), M. K. Macdonald (2), K. A. Koenig (3) and C. Guay (4)
(1) Environmental Science and Engineering Program, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George BC, Canada
(2) Department of Civil Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(3) Manitoba Hydro, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(4) Institut de Recherche d’Hydro-Québec, Hydro-Québec, Varennes QC, Canada
Apart from net precipitation, sea ice production and melt, and oceanic transport, terrestrial river discharge largely controls the freshwater budget of Hudson Bay. The Nelson, Churchill, Moose and La Grande Rivière are all intensively regulated and fragmented river basins that now contribute about one third of the annual freshwater input to Hudson Bay. These four river systems are managed for hydropower production, leading to significantly altered hydrological regimes related to seasonal changes in hydroelectric demand. Other rivers draining into Hudson Bay remain largely unregulated but climate change is also modifying their flows. This presentation will explore flow regulation and climate change impacts on daily and annual river discharge variations and trends into Hudson Bay over the period 1960-2016. Daily observed streamflow data from the Water Survey of Canada, Manitoba Hydro and Hydro-Québec for 20 rivers draining into Hudson Bay are used in the analyses. Decadal climatological hydrographs of the mean and coefficient of variation of daily river discharge are first developed to assess the changing hydrological regimes in both the four regulated and 16 unregulated systems. Then spectral analyses are used to infer the dominant controls on the combined daily river discharge input to Hudson Bay from the regulated and unregulated systems. Apart from the expected peak in spectral power on an annual timescale arising from the nival regimes observed in both regimes, a strong secondary peak emerges at the weekly timescale from hydropower production in the regulated rivers. Climate change also leads to seasonal hydrological shifts but these remain secondary relative to flow regulation at the basin scale. The talk will close with a brief discussion of the potential impacts of changes in river discharge into Hudson Bay on its physical, biochemical and ecological characteristics.
Results of the multi-site Nunavut Acute Childhood Gastroenteritis Surveillance Project
Desai, S. (1), A. Miners (2), M. Smieja (3), E. Serra (5) (Presenter), L. Amagoalik (4), B. Barker (3), W. Nishi (2), C.P. Yansouni (5), J.M. Pernica (3), K. Barker (6) and D.M. Goldfarb (3,7)
(1) Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) Qikiqtani General Hospital, Iqaluit NU, Canada
(3) McMaster University, Hamilton ON, Canada
(4) Qaujigiartiit Health Research Centre, Iqaluit NU, Canada
(5) McGill University, Montréal QC, Canada
(6) Department of Health, Government of Nunavut, Iqaluit NU, Canada
(7) Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC, Canada
Background: Rotavirus gastroenteritis is a common cause of diarrhea in young children. The burden of illness among children residing in Nunavut is unknown. Rotavirus vaccine has been available in Canada since 2008, but has not been introduced in all Canadian jurisdictions including Nunavut. The purpose of this project is to characterize the burden of illness due to rotavirus and other gastroenteritis pathogens in children who reside in Nunavut. Methods: Pediatric flocked swabs were collected from children = 5 years of age presenting with acute gastroenteritis to Health Centres in 6 communities across Nunavut. Samples were stored frozen until testing with a previously validated multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay that detects 22 enteropathogen targets (13 bacteria, 4 protazoan parasites, and 5 viruses) simultaneously (BioFire Filmarray™ Gastrointestinal panel, bioMerieux Inc.). All testing was done at the Qikqitani General Hospital, Iqaluit, Nunavut. Results: 80 samples were collected between September 26th, 2014 and September 13th, 2017. 55% were male and the median age was 12 months (interquartile range was 8.5 to 18 months). Sixty subjects (75%) had at least one pathogen detected. The leading viral pathogens detected were sapovirus, (n=22), rotavirus, (n=16) and norovirus (n=14). The leading bacterial pathogens detected were enteropathogenic E. coli (n=9) and C. difficile toxin A/B (n=8). No protozoan parasites were detected. Discussion: Rotavirus was found to be the second leading cause of acute gastroenteritis in Nunavummiut children and the planned territorial vaccination program should result in a significant reduction in childhood diarrheal disease. Toxigenic C. difficile was also relatively common but its role in causation is less clear. Potential sources of other prevalent pathogens (e.g. diarrheagenic E. coli) are not clear and require further study.
Mineralogy and rare earth elements geochemistry of sediments from the western Arctic Ocean: Implications for sediment provenance and paleoclimate
Deschamps, Charles-Edouard (1) (Presenter), J.-C. Montero-Serrano (1) and G. St-Onge (1)
(1) Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski (ISMER), Canada Research Chair in Marine Geology, Rimouski QC, Canada
Mineralogy and rare earth elements (REE) signatures were studied on two piston core recovered in the Canadian Beaufort Sea (02PC) and the Chukchi Sea (05JPC) to investigate changes in detrital sediment provenance and transport related to climate variability since the last deglaciation. Mineralogical data were derived from X-ray diffraction of the bulk and clay sediment fractions while REE and trace elements were measured on both bulk and clay size fractions by LA-ICP-MS on fused glass beads. A sediment unmixing program (SedUnMixMC) was used to determine downcore changes in sediment provenance. Unmixing models of the sediment composition based on five potential source regions, as well as REE distribution indicate that sediments in core 02PC are mainly derived of felsic material with high REE content from the Mackenzie River. The sediment of core 05JPC are mainly derived from felsic material supplied by the Mackenzie River during deglaciation and by a mixture of sediments from the Bering Strait inflow, East Siberian Sea and Mackenzie River during the Holocene. The higher proportion of sediment from the Bering Strait inflow and East Siberian Sea are characterized by higher inputs of mafic materiel depleted in REE and sediment rich in chlorite-smectite. In addition, downcore profiles are punctuated by ice rafted debris intervals (IRDs) with dolomite and quartz-rich sediments. The IRDs with high dolomite content can be related to the different phases of meltwater and iceberg discharges from the M’Clure and the Amundsen Gulf Ice Streams in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and are dated at ~13.5 ka cal BP and ~10 ka cal BP, respectively. The IRDs with high quartz contents are likely related to two meltwater events from the Brooks Range glaciers at ~14 and ~11 ka cal BP. Overall, our results demonstrate the usefulness of comparing mineralogical and REE signatures in the western Arctic Ocean to better document source-to-sink sediment changes in glacial marine environments.
Sedimentary environments and post-glacial evolution of the Gulf of San Jorge (Patagonia) following the Last Glacial Maximum
Desiage, Pierre-Arnaud (1,2) (Presenter), G. St-Onge (1,2), J.-C. Montero-Serrano (1,2), M.J. Duchesne (3) and M.J. Haller (4,5)
(1) Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski (ISMER), Canada Research Chair in Marine Geology, Rimouski QC, Canada
(2) GEOTOP Research Center, Montréal QC, Canada
(3) Geological Survey of Canada, Québec QC, Canada
(4) Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco (UNPSJB), Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
(5) IPGP-CENPAT, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
The Patagonian coast of the Argentine Continental Shelf (ACS) extends along a relatively stable continental margin at the intersection of the present Antarctic ice sheet and the relic of the former Patagonian ice sheet. This provides a preferential area to study the impact of Quaternary sea-level fluctuations and ice extent variations on sedimentary processes on the shelf. In this context, we investigate Quaternary marine deposits from the Gulf of San Jorge (GSJ) to characterize the last stage of the post-glacial transgression and related post-glacial sedimentation in the central part of the Argentine Patagonian margin. In 2014, during the MARGES (Marine Geology of the Gulf of San Jorge) expedition, ~2000 km of geophysical data (sub-bottom profiler and sparker) along with 15 sediment cores (gravity and piston cores) were collected in the GSJ and continental shelf. The post-glacial evolution of the sedimentary environments was reconstructed using CT imaging, geochemistry, bulk and clay mineralogy, multi-sensor core logging, and radiocarbon dating, coupled with the interpretation of seismic lines. The base of the lithostratigraphy identified in the Gulf is characterized by a decametric-thick highly-indurated sediment layer corresponding to a high amplitude and laterally continuous seismic reflection extending through the entire GSJ, which most likely reflects both the sea-level lowstand and absence of seawater in this part of the ACS during the LGM. In addition, seismic identification of incised valleys possibly revealed the development of a paleo-fluvial drainage network in the GSJ during glacial times. The post-LGM sedimentary sequences reflect a high energy environment associated with relatively high sedimentation rates (>65 cm/kyr) during the marine invasion (e.g., tidal flat environment) prior to 13 700 cal yr BP with a progressive decrease of energy to reach contemporary conditions between 10 250 and 7400 cal yr BP.
Impacts of light, substrate availability and pH on nitrification in surface waters of the low western Arctic (Baffin Bay and Labrador Sea)
Deslongchamps, Gabrièle (1) (Presenter), J.-É. Tremblay (1), J. Granger (2) and C. Lovejoy (1)
(1) Québec-Océan and Takuvik, Biology Department, Laval University, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, Groton CT, United States
In the Arctic Ocean, the environmental conditions are changing dramatically; the extent, thickness and seasonal persistence of sea ice are declining rapidly (thereby affecting light availability and vertical mixing), freshwater runoff is increasing and the ocean is warming and acidifying. These multiple stressors are likely to affect microorganisms involved in nitrogen cycling and the structure and function of marine food webs, but their impacts are poorly quantified. In this study, the effects of light, ammonium concentration and pH on nitrification, ammonium uptake and ammonification rates in the euphotic zone were assessed experimentally in Baffin Bay and the Labrador Sea during fall 2012. Comparison between nitrification rates and amoA transcripts indicated that Archaea were the dominant ammonia oxidizers during the survey. Light had no impact on nitrification rates, except at the two stations containing the highest fraction of Atlantic water. This result suggests that enhanced light penetration resulting from sea-ice loss should minimally impact surface nitrification within Pacific-derived Arctic waters. Ammonium enrichment and pH reduction had no discernible effect on nitrogen cycling rates at the depths sampled. In our study, competition between nitrifiers and phytoplankton for substrate did not affect nitrification probably because substrate was sufficiently high to fuel both processes. Moreover, the apparent short-term resistance of nitrifiers to sudden acidification suggests that the progressive pH drop expected for this century is unlikely to directly affect nitrification in the upper Arctic Ocean.
A real-time and forecast thermodynamic sea-ice model for Cambridge Bay
Dewey, Richard (1) (Presenter), A. Loewen (1), M. Hoeberechts (1), M. McLean (1) and M. Otokiak (2)
(1) Ocean Networks Canada, University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
(2) Nunavut Impact Review Board, Cambridge Bay NU, Canada
Forecasting and modelling sea-ice formation, growth, and melt over short, medium, and eventually long-term periods will provide critical information for shipping and community ventures into the Arctic marine environment. As part of Polar Knowledge Canada’s Safe Passage project, Ocean Networks Canada has developed a thermodynamic sea-ice model based on the real-time observations available from the Cambridge Bay Community Observatory and community-collected snow-fall data. The observatory collects real-time data including temperature, salinity, ice draft, oxygen, chlorophyll and solar radiation. The snow-fall data were collected by students at Kiilinik High School, led by a local Youth Science Ambassador. The model includes a layered snow and ice formulation that predicts sea-ice freeze-up, growth, and melt conditions for a coastal setting. Using a combination of in situ observations and forecast weather predictions, the model can project the thermodynamic sea-ice conditions out to the extent of the forecast. Parameterizing the complex changes in the energy absorption once melt ponds form remains a critical factor determining accurate forecasts of open-water conditions. The presentation will include examples of the observatory data, a brief overview of the thermodynamic snow/sea-ice model, and example simulations, including those forced by 14 day weather forecasts for Cambridge Bay.
Polar bear predation of seaduck nests: Causes, consequences and projections for the future
Dey, Cody (1) (Presenter), E. Richardson (2), S. Iverson (3), D. McGeachy (4), H. Gilchrist, H. Grant (5) and C.A.D. Semeniuk (1)
(1) University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada
(2) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Wildlife Research Division, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
(3) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service, Ottawa, ON, Canada
(4) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Wildlife Research Division, Edmonton, AB, Canada
(5) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Wildlife Research Division, Ottawa, ON, Canada
The loss of Arctic sea ice is causing polar bears to spend more time in terrestrial environments, and is limiting their ability to hunt marine mammals. As a result, polar bears are consuming more bird eggs, and are causing widespread reproductive failure in colonial nesting birds. We have been using aerial videography, landscape level surveys, and long-term data sets to study interactions between polar bears and nesting common eider seaducks in the Eastern Canadian Arctic. Additionally, we have been using predictive 'agent-based' models to forecast the effects of sea ice loss on these species in the future. Our research demonstrates that polar bear predation of seaduck nests is likely to increase in the future, and this may have widespread consequences for polar bear and seaduck populations.
Annual cycle of phytoplankton and zooplankton in the Queen Maud Gulf region
Dezutter, Thibaud (1) (Presenter), C. Lalande (1) and L. Fortier (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
The recent discovery of Franklin’s ship HMS Erebus in eastern Queen Maud Gulf led to a burst of scientific interest for the Kitikmeot region. As part of the Kitikmeot Marine Ecosystems Study, a partnership with Parks Canada jointly funded by the W. Garfield Weston Foundation and ArcticNet, a moored sediment trap has been re-deployed in Queen Maud Gulf starting in October 2015 to better understand the dynamics of the marine ecosystem of the region. Here, seasonal variations in phytoplankton (ice alga Nitzschia frigida and diatoms) and zooplankton (Calanus hyperboreus, Calanus glacialis, Pseudocalanus spp., Metridia longa and Microcalanus spp.) collected in sediment trap samples from October 2015 to September 2016 are presented to investigate the timing and magnitude of primary production and secondary production in relation to sea ice in the region. Sea ice remained above the mooring until mid-July, providing favorable conditions for the growth of N. frigida late into the summer. The ice breakup led to maximum diatom export in early June. Peaks in the occurrence of the herbivorous copepods C. glacialis and Pseudocalanus spp. in the traps were observed a few weeks before the export of N. frigida. These results confirm that C. glacialis and Pseudocalanus spp. use ice algae to fuel their reproduction and a match between copepod nauplii and the following elevated diatom fluxes in June. Overall, sediment trap samples showed a clear ontogenic succession through the year of the omnivorous copepods M. longa and Microcalanus spp. and the herbivorous Pseudocalanus spp., C. hyperboreus and C. glacialis. The Queen Maud Gulf marine ecosystem is still strongly influenced by ice and ice algae compared to other Arctic regions.
Dinoflagellate communities in the ports of Churchill (MB), Iqaluit (NU), Deception Bay (QC) and Milne Inlet (NU), Canadian Arctic
Dhifallah, Fatma (1) (Presenter), A. Rochon (1), K. Howland (2) and N. Simard (3)
(1) Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski (ISMER), Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(2) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Arctic Research Division, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(3) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Mont-Joli QC, Canada
Due to global warming, the reduction of the sea ice cover in the Canadian Arctic has lead to the opening of new waterways and the lengthening of the shipping season. In addition, the economic development of the north, mainly through mining activities and subsequent ship transport of ore (nickel, iron, etc.), will also contribute to increase shipping in this fragile ecosystem. A predicted increase in shipping activity would increase the risk of introduction of non-indigenous species (NIS). Dinoflagellates are among organisms which may be introduced and are known to be responsible of important ecological and economic risks. The main objective of this study is to characterize dinoflagellate communities in high risk Canadian Arctic ports to provide baseline data and detect the arrival of potential NIS. Specific objectives aim to 1) compare dinoflagellate communities between and inside ports and explain variations using environmental factors of each port; 2) determine changes in community composition over a period of 7 years in the port of Churchill; 3) compare dinoflagellate communities found in ballast water samples collected during previous years with the results of the present work and; follow annual dinoflagellate community compositions in the ports of Deception Bay and Churchill. We have collected 59 plankton samples into four ports located in the Canadian Arctic: 16 from Churchill (MB) in 2007 and 10 in 2015, 11 from Deception Bay (QC) in 2016, 10 from Iqaluit (NU) in 2015, and 11 from Milne Inlet (NU) in 2017. Preliminary results indicated that 54 dinoflagellate taxa were present in the ports of Churchill, Iqaluit and Deception Bay, including six taxa known to be toxin producers (Dinophysis acuminata, D. acuta, D. norvegica, Alexandrium spp., G. spinifera and Protoceratium reticulatum). The highest abundances were measured in the port of Churchill (48 – 756 cells/l in 2007; 73 – 364 cells/l in 2015), followed by Deception Bay (32 – 320 cells/l), and Iqaluit (8 – 110 cells/l). The port of Deception Bay had the most diverse community (47 taxa identified), followed by Churchill (38 taxa in 2007 and 40 in 2015) and Iqaluit (7 taxa). Dinoflagellates species from the Protoperidiniaceae and Gonyaulacaceae groups were present in the three ports, while those from the Peridiniaceae and Dinophysiaceae groups were only found in Churchill and Deception Bay. The six toxic species were present in Churchill and Deception Bay ports and represented 26% and 30% of the assemblages respectively. Only one taxa (P. reticulatum) was present in low abundance (5%) in Iqaluit.
Climate scenarios for Nunavik and Nunatsiavut based on regional climate model simulations from CORDEX
Diaconescu, Emilia Paula (1) (Presenter), A. Mailhot (1), D. Chaumont (2) and R. Brown (2,3)
(1) Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Eau Terre Environnement, Québec QC, Canada
(2) OURANOS, Montréal QC, Canada
(3) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Montréal QC, Canada
Recent records of increasing temperature, melting glaciers and sea ice provide clear evidence of a warming trend for the Arctic. These climate changes are expected to have a major impact on the Arctic and sub-Arctic environments as well as on human socio-economic activities. As most of these activities are located in coastal areas, which are not well resolved in global models, the use of regional climate models is more appropriate for developing climate scenarios. The purpose of this presentation is to provide a summary of the process and results of developing climate scenarios for Nunavik and Nunatsiavut from the new generation of regional climate models participating in CORDEX (Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment) experiment over the North American domain. In most of the cases, climate scenarios are a combination of climate projections and reference dataset defining the current state of the climate. In the Canadian Arctic context, the identification of reference dataset is a major challenge because of the scarcity of observed data. We have applied an objective methodology for evaluating and selecting the reference climate from a large number of reanalysis, observed and model-generated datasets. The climate change scenarios are presented on a 0.25° grid for two future horizons (2040-2064 and 2076-2100) and for high- and medium-low radiative forcing scenarios (RCP 8.5 and RCP 4.5). Results are presented for a number of key climate and climate extreme indicators based on daily temperature, precipitation and snow depth. These indices were selected as having important impacts on northern populations and their activities. Our study shows that all regional models project a positive change in mean, maximum and minimum annual temperatures, with the largest projected warming of mean annual temperature over northern Nunavik of ~10°C for the RCP 8.5 scenario over the 2076-2100 period. Models also indicate an increase in the wintertime precipitation, in the maximum annual precipitation of daily precipitation as well as in 95th and 99th annual percentiles of daily precipitation. The snow cover duration is projected to decrease significantly in response to a shorter period with below-freezing temperatures.
Human impacts of the caribou hunting ban: Prey switching in Northern Labrador
Dicker, Jason (1) (Presenter)
(1) Memorial University of Newfoundland - Grenfell Campus, Corner Brook NL, Canada
Biodiversity plays an important role in ecosystem functions because it is what underpins the integrity and resilience of that particular environment. Biodiversity in Labrador is minimal because of the harsh, cold climate. The people of Labrador, especially the Inuit, rely on their surrounding resources to sustain themselves and their culture. In particular, the Labrador Inuit depended upon the George River Caribou Herd (GRCH), once one of the largest caribou herds in the world, to fulfill their utilitarian, spiritual, and cultural needs. This woodland caribou population, however, has declined by 99% since the 1990s (during the time which was nearly 800,000) over much of its range resulting in a hunting ban, and consequently, a cascade of impacts on the people of Labrador. For generations, the hunting of George River Caribou by the Inuit people provided them with a staple food supply, nourishment, and materials and facilitated the intergenerational sharing of knowledge and important social norms, all of which are critical to life in Arctic and subarctic environments. The proposed research will look at the ongoing dietary, financial, cultural, and social impacts of the population decline and hunting ban on the Inuit of Labrador and will explore whether best practice examples can be identified where wildlife management policies better reflect the needs of resource users.
An assessment of the biological effects of organohalogen and mercury exposure in Arctic wildlife and fish
Dietz, Rune (1), J.-P. Desforges (1), I. Eulaers (1), S. Wilson (3), R. Letcher (2) (Presenter) and C. Sonne (1)
(1) Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
(2) AMAP Secretariate, Tromsø, Norway
(3) Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
Since the last AMAP Biological Effects assessment report published in 2010 there have been a number of studies reported in the literature on (potential) biological effects of organohalogen compounds (OHCs) and mercury (Hg) in exposed Arctic biota. Here we provide an update on our current knowledge of the breadth and recent, i.e. 2010 to present, levels of OHCs and Hg and/or associated effects in key Arctic marine and terrestrial mammal, bird and fish species and populations. We also report the current knowledge of how combined effects of several OHCs, amongst which persistent organic pollutants (POPs), perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and Hg, as several individual or congener contaminants, can have similar effects. Depending on the species and population, tissue contaminant burdens can be high enough to exceed putative risk threshold levels that have been previously estimated for non-target and species outside the Arctic. In these non-target Arctic species studies, exposure to specific OHCs and Hg have been shown to result in deleterious and observable effects via mode(s) of action and mechanisms that are a function of the contaminant type and level of exposure. Such effect levels are either derived from laboratory studies, semi-field studies or observations of affected animals in the wild. However, as described in the upcoming AMAP Biological Effects assessment, our new approaches make use of risk quotient calculations to summarize the cumulative effects of environmental contaminants from which critical body burdens can be estimated for wildlife across the Arctic. As our ultimate goal is to better predict or estimate the effects of contaminants in Arctic wildlife at the individual, population and ecosystem levels, there remain numerous knowledge gaps on the biological effects of contaminants in Arctic biota. These knowledge gaps include the establishment of concentration thresholds for individual contaminants and realistic mixtures that in fact indicate biologically relevant, and not statistically determined, health effects for specific species and subpopulations. We have also reviewed observed effects based on various biomarkers including vitamins, immune function, hormones, oxidative stress, histopathology and bone mineral density. The assessment also includes a number of case studies on multiple stressors, including zoonotic diseases, altered climate and species interactions, in a changing Arctic and how this may affect wildlife health. Finally we provide future perspectives on understanding Arctic wildlife health using new techniques, amongst which ‘omics’, in vitro experimental exposure scenarios and in silico population- and ecosystem-level modeling, and on more closely integrating wildlife and human health assessments.
The sponge fauna of Frobisher Bay, with the description of a new species of Iophon and geographic range extensions
Dinn, Curtis (1) (Presenter), E. Edinger (2) and S. P. Leys (1)
(1) Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
(2) Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John’s NL, Canada
Frobisher Bay is an large inlet on the southeast corner of Baffin Island, Canada that is not routinely sampled for benthic fauna despite its proximity to the rapidly expanding city of Iqaluit, a locality experiencing steady population growth and increased marine traffic. As part of the ArcticNET HiBio project aboard the CCGS Amundsen, three expeditions between 2015 and 2017 used Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), box core and Agassiz trawl tows to sample the benthos throughout the bay. In total 41 sponge specimens were collected from the inner and outer bay. ROV video from 2015 at a site near Hill Island in inner Frobisher Bay revealed the presence of extensive sponge gardens which were unlike other highly sampled sponge communities in the Eastern Canadian Arctic. The main garden forming sponge is a species new to science, Iophon amundseni n. sp. Geographic range extensions are described for 5 species, Iophon piceum (Vosmaer, 1882), Mycale lingua (Bowerbank, 1866) Tetilla sibirica (Fristedt, 1887), Craniella polyura (Schmidt, 1870), and Polymastia thielei (Koltun, 1964); two of these, T. sibirica and C. polyura were previously unknown in the western Atlantic. The sponge fauna of the bay is quite rich, with at least 20 sponge species in 11 families identified in the inner and outer bay to date, though more species have yet to be collected. Collections outside Frobisher Bay from the 2016/2017 Amundsen cruises in Baffin Bay, Davis Strait, North Labrador Sea, and Lancaster Sound have revealed diverse sponge communities, yet the density of sponge aggregations and faunal composition in Frobisher Bay is distinctive. These results increase our present knowledge of sponge community structure on the Northeast Canadian shelf and give broad insight into the distribution patterns of sponges in the North Atlantic as a whole.
The hidden biodiversity of sponges in the Eastern Canadian Arctic - improving our understanding of benthic communities through targeted sampling
Dinn, Curtis (1) (Presenter), E. Edinger (2), B. de Moura Neves (3), X. Zhang (1) and S. P. Leys (1)
(1) Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
(2) Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John’s NL, Canada
(3) Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, St. John’s NL, Canada
Benthic habitats in Canada have been well-sampled since the annual groundfish survey commenced in 1970. However, trawl surveys only cover non-rocky sediments and many species collected are not identified to lower taxa, leaving large gaps in our understanding of benthic diversity. Sponges are a prime example. Sponges preferentially attach to hard substrates and therefore trawls do not sample the most sponge rich habitats. Further, the identification of sponge species requires extensive comparative taxonomy that cannot be performed on board a survey vessel. While almost 9000 sponge species are known globally, in trawl surveys only few characteristic species are identified, otherwise sponge catches are frequently narrowed only to the phylum level. Sponges provide important habitat for fish and other animals and as such play a valuable role in overall marine ecosystem functioning. We carried out targeted sampling of sponges using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), box cores and short Agassiz trawl tows. Skeleton morphology and DNA barcoding were used to develop a new view of sponge community structure and habitat types in the Eastern Canadian Arctic and Subarctic. At least 56 species have been identified along the North Eastern Canadian shelf since 2015 in Baffin Bay, Frobisher Bay, and Davis Strait. Of the species collected, fourteen are species never before collected in the region, and three specimens are species new to science. These results substantially enhance the number of known sponge species in eastern Canada. Many of these sponges are small, cryptic, or encrusting species that would be ignored in non-targeted sampling. The diversity, density and abundance of sponges was also quantified from ROV video imagery. These new species records, new species descriptions, and density estimates provide a baseline for future benthic work in the Arctic. In view of the increased anthropogenic influences anticipated for Arctic regions, further understanding of benthic biodiversity and ecosystem functioning is critical.
Ship mediated non-indigenous mesozooplankton: Are they in Canadian Arctic ports yet?
Dispas, Antoine (1) (Presenter), G. Winkler (1) and K. Howland (2)
(1) Institut des sciences de la mer (ISMER), Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR), Rimouski QC, Canada
(2) Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institut, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Climate change and increasing resources exploitation in the Arctic are contributing to recent increases in shipping traffic and northern range expansions of more temperate organisms. These changes have the potential to increase rates of biological introduction of non-indigenous species into the arctic coastal ecosystem. To identify new species and diagnose their ecological and economic impacts on the native biodiversity of the ecosystem, it is important to create an up-to-date baseline on the current native and non-indigenous species, particularly for areas that are expected to be highly vulnerable to introduction (e.g., ports with relatively high levels of shipping activity). Thus, the objective of this study was threefold: 1) to determine the baseline biodiversity of mesozooplankton; and 2) to compare the community structure, within and among three of the most active canadian Arctic ports: Churchill, Deception Bay and Iqaluit in relation to environmental parameters; and 3) to evaluate if non-indigenous species occur in the sampled ports. We sampled environmental data and zooplankton at 10 stations per port between 2015 and 2016 using a CTD probe and two sizes of zooplankton net, 80µm and 250µm, respectively. In total, we found 42 species and 15 higher taxonomic groups in the 3 ports. The highest abundance was found in Churchill and the lowest in Deception Bay. However, the Shannon-Wiener index and evenness were lowest in Churchill, implying that only a few species were dominant (e.g. Echinodermata, Cyclopoida) unlike in Deception Bay and Iqaluit. Community structure (with a focus on presence-absence) differed largely among these 3 ports, mostly due to species such as Triconia borealis, mysids and cyclopoid copepods which were only present in one of the ports. Environmental parameters explained 75 % of the zooplankton community variance of the three ports, differentiating Churchill by higher temperatures, Deception Bay by deeper mixing layer and Iqaluit by higher salinities. Zooplankton data were compared with a recently compiled Arctic Canadian database of historical species records to determine their status (native, non-indigenous, cryptogenic). The results will show whether the ports are pristine or invaded knowing that non-indigenous species were recorded in the ballast water of national and international ships arriving at Churchill (e.g. Eurytemora affinis) and Deception Bay (e.g. Acartia tonsa). Such data will allow a better understanding of potential risks from shipping and provide baseline information for evaluating future changes in the zooplankton community.
Was the 2017 breeding season a tipping point for Mandt’s Black Guillemot in Alaska? : An ice-associated seabird continues to struggle in a melting Arctic
Divoky, George J. (1) (Presenter) and E. Brown (2)
(1) Friends of Cooper Island, 652 32nd Ave, Seattle WA, United States
(2) Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue QC, Canada
Mandt’s Black Guillemot is one of the few truly pagophilic seabird, occupying the Marginal Ice Zone of Arctic sea ice throughout the year. In 1972 a colony of ten pairs was discovered on Cooper Island, in the western Beaufort Sea off northern Alaska, with all nests in cavities provided by manmade debris. The colony has been studied annually since 1975 with investigator provisioning of new nest sites increasing colony size to 200 pairs in 1989. Since 1990, coinciding with a phase shift in the Arctic Oscillation that increased the rate of regional warming and melt, the Cooper Island colony has experienced a substantial decrease in breeding success and colony size, with 100 pairs breeding in 2016. Fieldwork in the summer of 2017 found a continuation of the colony’s past declines in numbers and breeding productivity but also revealed reductions in additional demographic parameters that could portend the beginning of a period of increasing colony reduction. In 2017 there were only 85 breeding pairs, the fewest since the early 1980s, and for the first time in the four decades of study, a number of pairs with experienced breeders occupied nest sites but failed to lay eggs. Overwinter survival of breeding adults, which has averaged close to 90 percent over four decades, was approximately 75 percent. Nonbreeding birds, which prospect nest sites before recruiting to the colony in subsequent years, used to constitute up to a third of the birds in colony but were essentially absent in 2017. Early sea ice retreat north of the island and associated extremely high sea surface temperatures in July and August, resulted in decreased availability of the preferred prey, Arctic Cod (Boreogadus saida), and irregular availability of alternative prey during the period of chick provisioning, causing high nestling mortality. Breeding success was only 0.5 fledges per nest, half of what is needed to maintain a stable population. However, three breeding pairs were able to each fledge two chicks, indicating a small number of birds are adapting to the ice-free subarctic conditions now present in late summer.
Snow-climate-vegetation-permafrost feedbacks and the prediction of permafrost thaw
Domine, Florent (1) (Presenter), M. Barrere (1), M. Belke-Brea (1) and D. Sarrazin (2)
(1) Takuvik joint International Laboratory, Université Laval and CNRS, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Centre d'études nordiques, Université Laval and CNRS, Québec QC, Canada
The thawing of Arctic permafrost and its impact on geomorphological processes are largely influenced by the thermal and optical properties of the snow cover: depth, thermal conductivity, density and albedo. These properties are in turn mostly determined by climate, through the amount of precipitation, wind regime, and conditions for snow metamorphism. Another factor which is becoming more and more important is the presence of erect vegetation, which strongly impacts all snow properties. We have installed 4 atmospheric, snow and soil measurement stations between 55 and 83°N in the eastern Canadian Arctic to investigate the relationships between permafrost, snow, climate and vegetation, in order to better predict the rate of permafrost thaw in the current climate warming context. In particular, we continuously monitor thermal conductivity at several levels in the ground and the snow cover. Many processes are revealed by our data, two of which will be detailed. (1) The basal snow layer is made of depth hoar, and this snow type is usually of low thermal conductivity. We find that its properties are determined by the timing of the first snowfall relative to ground cooling, soil moisture, the occurrence of rain-on-snow events, and the wind regime. (2) The effect of vegetation on snow thermal properties can go either way. In very cold regions, shrubs favor snow accumulation, prevent snow compaction and lead to a very thick and highly insulating depth hoar layer, so that shrubs growths accelerates permafrost thaw. Under milder climates, however, shrubs may lead to snow melt because of their low albedo, forming melt-freeze layers or even ice layers of very high thermal conductivity. These melting events strongly mitigate the shrub warming effect. Several sets of climatic conditions are shown to illustrate positive and negative feedbacks between permafrost and climate, and to show that most current models cannot reliably predict the thawing rate of permafrost.
Our land, our air: TB free together campaign
Doody, Sylvia (1) (Presenter) and T. Buckle (1)
(1) Nunatsiavut Government, Department of Health & Social Development, Happy Valley-Goose Bay NL, Canada
BACKGROUND In Nunatsiavut, TB has been endemic since the 1950’s and continues to be a major health concern. Since 2009 there have been three TB outbreaks which have caused significant community anxiety and fear because of the historical context of TB in the region. The most recent outbreak involved young adults sharing smoking devices. During a community engagement session in Hopedale, it was identified by the community that a TB education campaign was needed to reach out to high risk groups. INTERVENTIONS/RESPONSE In response to the community engagement meeting, a collaborative team was pulled together to design and implement a TB campaign for Nunatsiavut which focused on a harm reduction approach. Youth were engaged to provide direction around the content of the campaign and promotional items that youth would use to start the conversation about the spread of TB. RESULTS A TB campaign was rolled out to celebrate World TB day to raise awareness about the spread of TB during high risk activities. Community events included education, and a community feast with prizes and promotional items bearing the new TB logo and slogan. Youth were vocal and asked questions which reflected their genuine interest and engagement. Media coverage throughout the campaign complimented the community celebrations and helped to raise TB awareness. CONCLUSION All of the community events were well attended. Youth engagement in the planning stages proved critical in the success of the campaign and further highlights the need for future engagement on TB promotion activities.
Challenges and opportunities in monitoring and research for northern mountainous regions
Drukis, Shailyn (1) (Presenter) and S. Slocombe (1)
(1) Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON, Canada
Resource and environmental management require, among other things, good information on biodiversity and ecosystems. It is basic to protected area planning, wildlife conservation, resource development, and environmental assessment, among other core activities. Biodiversity and ecosystems are also central to national and international efforts such as the CBD’s Aichi targets and mitigating and adapting to climate change. Obtaining information can be especially important, and challenging, in dynamic, less well-known environments such as northern mountains. Based on a review of the experience of biodiversity and ecosystem monitoring in northern and mountainous regions, and a case-study of the southwest Yukon’s Kluane region, we explore the history, challenges, and opportunities in developing and maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem monitoring and data programs. Challenges such as capacity and cost, seasonality, reactive data gathering, and sensitive data are discussed. Possible approaches include short and long-term monitoring programs, participatory approaches such as wildlife cameras and citizen science, collaboration with research institutes, and national and international networks. Data and monitoring not only can facilitate conserving nature and resources, but also connecting to people and partners at a range of scales.
The biogeochemistry at the base of Arctic glaciers
Dubnick, Ashley (1) (Presenter) and Martin Sharp (1)
(1) University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
Ice at the base of glaciers and ice caps can interact with the underlying substrate and produce a thin layer of ice (up to 10s of m thick) that is chemically and/or physically distinct from the overlying ice. While once assumed to be devoid of microbial life, recent research indicates that basal ice and subglacial systems can host active microbial ecosystems that can mediate redox reactions at glacier beds and play an active role in rock weathering and in producing and/or consuming ecologically important nutrients where liquid water is present. Basal ice shows widespread variability in its physical and chemical characteristics, both within and between glacier systems, due to differences in the underlying substrate, glacier dynamics and thermal/hydraulic regimes. However, very little research has investigated the biogeochemistry and microbial community structures of basal ice or the heterogeneity in these characteristics despite the fact that basal ice 1) biogeochemistry may provide an indicator of in situ subglacial processes, 2) is melted by geothermal, frictional and conductive heat sources and contributes to the biogeochemistry of glacial runoff that impacts downstream aquatic ecosystems, and 3) supplies freshly deglaciated landscapes with a blanket of sediment and meltwater from which the new terrestrial landscape can evolve. In this study, we explore the biogeochemistry (major ion chemistry, N and P nutrient concentrations, microbial community structures, and DOM characteristics) of basal ice and its parent material (i.e. snow/englacial ice) from seven glaciers that drain from the Devon Ice Cap, Nunavut, and that exhibit a range of physical, chemical, and hydrological conditions. We found that while basal ice from cold-based glaciers (glaciers that are frozen to the bed) can represent a wide range of biogeochemical characteristics, they are generally more similar to those of englacial ice/meltwater/snow, than to those of basal ice from warm-based glaciers (glaciers that contain melt water at the bed). However, marked differences between specific cold-based basal ice samples and englacial ice/meltwater/snow were evident, including relatively high proportions of PO43- and NH4+ in the solute load, distinct microbial community structures, and distinct DOM characteristics. We therefore conclude that ice at the base of cold-based glaciers acquires biogeochemical characteristics that can differ significantly from both its parent material (i.e. snow/englacial ice) and basal ice from warm-based glaciers. The distinct characteristics of cold-based glaciers suggests that the biogeochemistry of the subglacial system may be more diverse than previously assumed.
Chronostratigraphy and evolution of environmental conditions in Hudson Strait and Labrador fjords since deglaciation
Duboc, Quentin (1) (Presenter), G. St-Onge (1), P. Lajeunesse (2) and M. Moros (3)
(1) Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski - Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(2) Département de géographie - Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research, Warnemünde, Germany
The retreat and complete ablation of the Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS) led to the deposition of a sequence of glaciomarine, paraglacial and postglacial sediments in fjords and on the continental margin of Eastern Canada. As important glacial outlets of the LIS, Hudson Strait and Labrador fjords basins can provide high-resolution sedimentary records of deglaciation, Holocene climate and oceanographic history and the establishment of modern environmental conditions. By combining swath bathymetry data, acoustic sub-bottom profiles and sediment core data, this project aims to study Late Holocene chronostratigraphy and sedimentology of these glacial outlets in order to reconstruct the history of environmental conditions since deglaciation. During the R/V Maria S. Merian research cruise MSM 46 in the summer of 2015, several cores were retrieved from the Hudson Strait, Lake Melville estuary, as well as Saglek and Nachvak Fjords, Labrador. Sub-bottom profiler (Parasound) and swath bathymetry surveys were also undertaken in these areas. Cores were described and sampled onboard with u-channels. High-resolution magnetic susceptibility has been measured on split cores and the u-channels were analyzed with a CT-scan to visualize sedimentary structures and derive density variations. These u-channels were then run in a 2G cryogenic magnetometer to measure the Natural Remanent Magnetization (NRM), the Anhysteretic Remanent Magnetization (ARM), the Isothermal Remanent Magetization (IRM) and the Saturated Isothermal Remanent Magnetization (SIRM). These paleomagnetic data will be combined with 210Pb data and 14C ages to determine the chronostratigraphy of the studied areas. The preliminary data reveal two distinct lithological units in all the cores delineated by a sharp shift in magnetic susceptibility. The lower unit is denser with a high concentration of ice-rafted debris, show higher and more variable magnetic susceptibility and has a stronger and more stable magnetization. This lower unit is characterized by a different thickness and is interpreted to reflect glaciomarine and paraglacial processes. The upper unit is more homogeneous, shows lower and steadier values of magnetic susceptibility and has a weaker and less stable magnetization. This upper unit is interpreted as bioturbated, organic-rich postglacial sediments. In Hudson Strait, some cores recorded a red muddy layer in the lower unit, which is interpreted as the Lake Agassiz outburst flood chronostratigraphic marker dated at 8470 cal BP. Further work will focus on the parasound and swath bathymetry data to identify glacial or postglacial features and establish a chronostratigraphy at a larger scale, in order to characterize the sedimentary processes in the fjords and Hudson Strait and link these processes with the evolution of the climatic and oceanographic conditions in the area since deglaciation. This project will also complement upcoming micropaleontological studies to reconstruct Late Holocene environmental variations in the area.
Can humans develop passive immunity against rabies ? Investigating this hypothesis amongst an Inuit population from Nunavik with a history of hunting and manipulating terrestrial mammals
Ducrocq, Julie (1) (Presenter), B. Lévesque (3), G. De Serres (3), H. Wood (4) and M. Lemire (1)
(1) Nasivvik Research Chair, Axe des populations et pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec – Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, 945, avenue Wolfe, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, PO Box 900, Kuujjuaq, Québec QC, Canada
(4) National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 1015, rue Arlington, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Intro: The Arctic clade of the rabies virus (RABV) has adapted to a variety of hosts in circumpolar regions. Confirmed cases of rabies in domestic dogs and wildlife still regularly occur in Nunavik, which increases risk for human exposure. Though rabies is considered a fatal disease, there is also accumulating evidence that humans can develop passive immunity against this virus which, leads to question whether nowadays Nunavik Inuit can develop antibodies against it. Methodology: Two hundred Inuit aged = 40 years with a history of skinning, washing, cutting or eating terrestrial mammals based on the 2004 cross-sectional Inuit Health Survey were selected. Based on the 1991-2004 RABV immunisation register of the Nunavik Public Health Direction, two study participants were ruled out following prior rabies vaccination or post-exposure prophylaxis. We evaluate the presence of antibodies against RABV by plaque-reduction neutralization test amongst 198 individuals. Results showed that two Inuit participants had antibodies levels above the positive threshold of 0.5 UI/ml (0.51 and 0.71 UI/ml). However, examination of their medical charts and phone interview revealed prior immunisations against rabies that were not concealed in the register. Discussion: Hypothesis surrounding the theory of passive immunity against rabies in humans will be discussed. Conclusion: Hence, passive immunity against rabies has not been demonstrated in our subset of Nunavik’s Inuit population, which is among the human populations most at risk of contact with rabies. Promotion of preventive actions and behaviors (e.g. wildlife and dogs management, washing hands, using gloves) and post-exposure prophylaxis remain essential strategies for the management of this disease in Nunavik.
Documenting landfast Sea-Ice in Nunavik Hudson strait using polarimetric radar satellite imagery (RS2 and TSX)
Dufour-Beauséjour, Sophie (1,2) (Presenter), M. Bernier (1,2), A. Wendleder (3), V. Gilbert (4), J. Tuniq (5), Y. Gauthier (1,2), J. Poulin (1,2), V. Plante Lévesque (1) and A. Rouleau (6)
(1) Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique - Centre Eau Terre Environnement (INRS), Québec QC, Canada
(2) Center for Northern Studies (CEN), Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) German Aerospace Center (DLR), Oberpfaffenhofen, 82234 Weßling, Germany
(4) Kativik Regional Government, P.O. Box 9, Kuujjuaq QC, Canada
(5) Northern Village of Salluit QC, Canada
(6) Raglan Mine (a Glencore Company), Laval QC, Canada
Sea ice in the Arctic region is behaving in an increasingly unpredictable and treacherous way due to climate change. Monitoring of sea ice is essential in order to document its response to these changes, as well as to provide operational information to arctic communities and industries. The Safe Passage project (Polar Knowledge Research Program) gives us a privileged access to three Arctic study sites, all featuring bays in the northern Nunavik coast: Salluit, Deception Bay and Kangiqsujuaq (Wakeham Bay). Through this collaboration with the Kativik Regional Government and the Raglan Mine, we monitor ice extent, thickness and general characteristics at these sites through in situ snow an ice depth measurements, in situ cameras, fully polarimetric RADARSAT-2 images and dual-polarisation TerraSAR-X products. Two years now into the project, we present a study of ice and snow thickness variability within the three sites and the extent to which these physical variables can be correlated with satellite radar imagery. A correlation between sea ice thickness and C-band radar backscatter is observed in all sites, with a spread of approximately 15 dB at a given thickness. Sea ice thickness shows no correlation to the shorter wavelenght X-band radar backscatter. No correlation is observed between snow thickness and C-band or X-band radar backscatter. The high-density TerraSAR-X time-series obtained yields insight into the temporal evolution of X-band radar backscatter over landfast first-year sea ice. In both C- and X-band, average radar backscatter over the bays decreases sub-linearly from December to March, before the onset of sprint melting. We demonstrate the potential of satellite radar imagery in the C-band to map rough ice patches on the bays, yielding information useful for transport on the landfast sea ice. Rough ice zones observed on the bay during the January 2017 field campaigns in Salluit and Kangiqsujuaq correspond to high-backscatter patches on the RADARSAT-2 images, as expected. Finally, we describe efforts to classify landfast sea ice radar image pixels both image-wise and in a multi-temporal stack. Unsupervised classification runs based on the RADARSAT-2 polarimetric backscattering bands were tested on a range of predicted number of classes. Gap statistics anaysis of the results show that most images feature two levels of backscatter signature clustering : on a basic level, all the ice is in the same class except fringe elements, and on a higher-information level, the bulk of the ice is placed in two or three classes.
Ice Mission: Including Nunavik High School Science Classes in the Ice Monitoring Project
Dufour-Beauséjour, Sophie (1,2) (Presenter), M. Bernier (1,2), V. Gilbert (3), J. Tuniq (4), Y. Gauthier (1,2), V. Plante-Lévesque (1) and A. Rouleau (5)
(1) Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique - Centre Eau Terre Environnement, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Kativik Regional Government, Kuujjuaq QC, Canada
(4) Northern Village of Salluit QC, Canada
(5) Raglan Mine, a Glencore Company, Laval QC, Canada
This presentation will cover the school outreach efforts that have been an important part of the Safe Passage project (2015-2018, Polar Knowledge Canada). In this project, our team has a privileged access to two Nunavik communities - Salluit and Kangiqsujuaq (Wakeham Bay) - in the context of an ice monitoring research program. Through this collaboration with the Kativik Regional Government and Raglan Mine, a Glencore Company, we monitor sea ice in various ways. This talk will detail how we’ve been working for three years now on creating, maintaining and deepening the connection between our research and the Salluit and Kangiqsujuaq high school students, mainly through the sciences classes. Our strategy has relied on stability and thoughtfulness. We’ve visited the classes as often as possible, two to three times per school year, ramping up to an April-May outing on the ice with the students. On the ice, the students can try our equipment and do the same work we do, accompanied by their teachers, scientists and by the local Inuit guides our team works with. This fieldtrip is usually followed the next day by a visit to the science classes to do some hands-on analysis and discussions. Students that are interested in the project can follow it on Facebook (Ice Monitoring in Salluit, Deception Bay and Kangiqsujuaq) and see videos and photos of the research process. The presentation will also outline the audio recording and radio project which is being developed this year by one of the team members, thanks to support from the W. Garfield Weston Foundation. This outreach project is funded by Polar Knowledge Canada, Raglan Mine and the W. Garfield Weston Foundation.
Selenium distribution and speciation within arctic marine ecosystems: A multi-marker approach
Dufour, Francis (1,2,3) (Presenter), G. Massé (1), C. Guilmette (1), A. Achouba (3), N. Ouellet (3), M. Lemire (2) and P. Ayotte (2,3)
(1) UMI Takuvik, Département de Biologie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Axe santé des populations et pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec – Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Centre de toxicologie du Québec, INSPQ, Québec QC, Canada
Traditional marine foods have always been an important component of Canadian Arctic’s Inuit diet. Food derived from marine organisms possesses several nutritional benefits, including high levels of energetic fatty acids (including long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids) and microelements such as selenium (Se). Due to its importance in reducing oxidative stress, Se is essential in human health and, Inuit populations exhibit among the highest intakes worldwide. In contrast to other populations, Se is mainly present in Inuit blood as selenoneine, a recently identified organic form of Se and recent studies suggest that selenoneine may participate in methylmercury (MeHg) detoxification mechanisms. Animals cannot synthesize selenoneine and very little is known about the origin and concentration of selenoneine in the Arctic environment. The main aim of this study was to determine total Se, selenoneine and essential fatty acids concentrations in a broad range of marine organisms selected upon their importance in terms of energy transfer in the Baffin Bay area. Two distinctive food webs (i.e. pelagic: phytoplankton and ice algae -> zooplankton -> arctic cod and sculpin -> seal, pelago-benthic: phytoplankton and ice algae -> clams -> walrus) were studied and compared in terms of stable isotope (d15N, d13C), highly branched isoprenoid (IP25) and fatty acid trophic marker (FATM) contents. Specimen sampling took place on the ice near the village of Qikiqtarjuaq and aboard the CCGS Amundsen as part of GreenEdge field programs. Our data revealed relatively high concentrations of Se in the samples, especially in marine mammal muscle and liver tissues, along with large concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly for zooplankton. Above all else, walrus muscle exhibited high relative amounts of selenoneine with concentrations up to 21% of total Se. Our results also suggest that the different pools of primary producers do not contribute equally to Se inputs at higher trophic levels as higher concentrations of Se are observed in organisms that are relying on ice algae as a primary food source. Further data analysis will assess potential relationships between total Se and selenoneine concentrations and ecological characteristics, such as trophic position and feeding behaviors.
The Permafrost Young Researchers Network: Supporting the next generation of permafrost young researchers and introducing PYRN-North America
Dumais, Simon (1) (Presenter), J. Heslop (2), D. Vecellio (3), M. Whitley (4), J. Ramage (5), C. Coch (5), H. Brooks (1) and A. Evgrafova (6)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Queen's University, Kingston ON, Canada
(3) Texas A&M University, College Station,TX, United States
(4) University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks AK, United States
(5) Alfred Wegener Institute, Bremerhaven, Germany
(6) University of Koblenz-Landau, Mainz, Germany
The Permafrost Young Researchers Network (PYRN) is an international organization established under the patronage of the International Permafrost Association (IPA) in 2005. The objectives of PYRN are to recruit and promote future generations of permafrost researchers, to promote innovative collaboration, and to provide a common forum and support activities to communicate and exchange ideas related to permafrost science and engineering. Service to PYRN members include dissemination of technical and non-technical permafrost information and of opportunities of interests to early career scientists and engineers such as upcoming events and meetings, travel grant and scholarship programs, studentship and job postings, etc. PYRN also works in close collaboration with the IPA and other partners to assist with the organization of the young researchers’ activities during regional and international permafrost events and conferences such as the coordination of travel grant programs and of student presentation awards. The organization of many successful young researchers’ workshops during these events also represents a key contribution of the PYRN to the permafrost research community. The Permafrost Young Researchers Network is pleased to announce during Arctic Change 2017 the creation of a new local branch: PYRN – North America. This announcement is also being made simultaneously at the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting held in New Orleans, USA. The objectives of PYRN – North America are to increase the reach of PYRN in North America and to increase the collaboration and fellowship within the young permafrost researchers’ community based in Canada and in the USA. A community-driven PYRN – North America Facebook group provides the opportunity for members to share and discuss permafrost research information. A PYRN – North America mailing list is used to share North American focused information to its subscriber which will also be available on a website. PYRN – North America also aims at fostering and promoting the interests of the young researchers’ community in Canada and in the USA by building a strong network of collaborations with organizations involved in permafrost science and engineering research.
Iqqaumajauninga - ?????????: An Inuit Research Legacy for Inuit Nunangat
Dunford, Andrew (1) (Presenter), S. O'Hara (2) (Presenter), C. Pamak (3), R. Laing (3), J. Cheechoo (5), M. Barrett (4), P. Moss-Davies (6), R. Watt (4) and K. Tagoona (5)
(1) Nunavut Tunngavik Inc, Iqaluit NU Canada
(2) Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Inuvik NT Canada
(3) Nunatsiavut Government, Nain LB Canada
(4) Kativik Regional Government, Kuujjuaq QC Canada
(5) Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Ottawa ON Canada
(6) Inuit Circumpolar Council Canada, Ottawa ON Canada
Iqqaumajauninga - ?????????: An Inuit Research Legacy for Inuit Nunangat is a project developed by the ArcticNet Inuit Advisory Committee (IAC). Iqqaumajauninga- meaning to remember or reflect, refers to the development of an Inuit research legacy through reflection on the life of ArcticNet research from its inception to today. This three part project consisted of an Inuit-specific workshop held with participants from the Inuit Advisory Committee, as well as partners from the research community and Inuit organizations. During the workshop, participants were given a chance to discuss gaps and challenges within arctic research. As a result of these discussions, a vision for future arctic research was developed. The second phase of this project was a questionnaire given to IAC members and research partners to identify best practices and lessons learned. The final phase consists of an Inuit research legacy document that will outline identified gaps and regionally specific visions for future arctic research. At Arctic Change 2017, the IAC would like to present the Inuit Legacy document and discuss the pathway that led to its creation.
The eNuk health and environmental monitoring system; improving user engagement through social gaming elements
Durish, Nicolas (1) (Presenter), D. Gillis (1), O. Cook (1), A. Cunsolo (2), A. Sawatzky (1), I. Shiwak (3), C. Flowers (4), the Rigolet Inuit Community Government (4) and S.L. Harper (1)
(1) University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada
(2) Labrador Institute, Memorial University, Happy Valley-Goose Bay NL, Canada
(3) 'My Word: Storytelling and Digital Media Lab', Rigolet, Nunatsiavut NL, Canada
(4) Rigolet, Nunatsiavut NL, Canada
Anthropogenic climate change and resulting impacts to the environment have negative impacts on ecosystems, economies, and the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities globally. These effects are amplified in Northern Canada, where Inuit communities are heavily reliant on the environment and its resources for sustenance and livelihoods. While ongoing research has revealed a number of links between the environment and well-being, in order for Northern communities to address the implications of environmental changes, there is a need for Inuit-led, integrated, and locally-appropriate health and environment monitoring systems. In particular, there has been a call from decision makers and Northern community members for the development of tools to help collect and share data that affect their ability to identify, implement, and evaluate local climate change and health adaptation strategies. In response to this need, the Rigolet Inuit Community Government, the Nunatsiavut Department of Health and Social Development, and a team of Inuit and non-Inuit researchers have partnered to develop the eNuk application using participatory software design methods. In the first phase of the eNuk research program, the community-led web and mobile application was designed to track and analyze changes in weather, climate, environment, wildlife, and plants, and the resulting cultural, physical, and mental health impacts of these changes. Focus groups, on-going community discussions and design workshops, and in-depth interviews have been a critical step in the collection of functionality requirements for the application, and have been used to identify and prioritize relevant environmental and health metrics within the community. However, the long-terms success of the eNuk app is reliant on its ability to continually remain engaging and relevant to the members of the community. Given the unique nature of the eNuk application, it is important to explore novel approaches to User Interface (UI) design that will honour the culture, history, and values of the community and engage users in a meaningful manner. Gamification, or the use of game design elements and principles in a non-game context, has been a trending method to increase user interest, engagement, and participation in other research fields. Gamification strategies commonly include rewards and competitions to leverage peoples’ interests in participation and to increase usability. These can include badges, progress bars, skill trees, points, leaderboards, rankings, or virtual currencies. Consultations with community members have identified that gamification elements, particularly social, would be welcomed means for increasing user engagement. Therefore, evaluation of the utility of various gamification methods will be a critical step in improving user engagement for the eNuk app within the community. ? The addition of gaming elements is expected to improve user engagement with the eNuk environmental and health monitoring system and will enhance understanding of gamification strategies to enhance app useability in the North. The data from these systems will ultimately be used to develop strategies to combat environmental and health stressors as well as establish locally-appropriate programming and policy in the region.
Seasonal patterns of downward carbon export in seasonal ice zone north of Svalbard
Dybwad, Christine (1) (Presenter), M. Reigstad (1) and P. Assmy (2)
(1) UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
(2) Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø, Norway
While a reduction in sea ice extent and thickness in the Arctic seasonal sea ice zone may increase primary productivity, the consequences for phytoplankton community compositions and downward export of organic material remain unclear. Consecutive and detailed cross-seasonal patterns are needed to track changes. Short-term sediment traps, placed between 5 and 200m, were deployed at 22 sea ice stations north of Svalbard, during the three cruises: CarbonBridge (RV Helmer Hansen) in 2014, TRANSSIZ (RV Polarstern) and N-ICE (RV Lance) in 2015. The daily patterns of chlorophyll a, phytoplankton community composition, particulate organic carbon (POC) flux and the contribution of phytoplankton and zooplankton fecal pellets to carbon export are described, over pre-, mid- and post-bloom conditions. Highly variable daily carbon export rates were found within a considerably small period and area of the seasonal ice zone. Two different kinds of blooms were found to develop: the ones dominated by Phaeocystis sp., and the ones dominated by diatoms. Nevertheless, both these phytoplankton communities contributed significantly to carbon flux, resulting in daily export rates to 90m of 250-500 mgPOC m-2 d-1. Fecal pellets from copepods, krill and appendicularians were found highly variable but generally increasing in their relative contribution to vertical carbon export as nutrients became limiting (post-bloom conditions). Additionally, under slower bloom development, grazers appeared to be effectively controlling and inhibiting the accumulation of biogenic biomass and subsequent vertical flux. Lastly, the current study reveals that, during the spring bloom, the northern ice-covered Barents Sea shelf break can provide comparable vertical export rates to its shallower and central waters.
Identifying key wildlife movement corridors on Herschel Island-Qikiqtaruk Territorial Park
Eckert, Cameron D. (1) (Presenter), K. Burden (1), R.R. Gordon (1), S. Goesen (1), R. Joe (1), E. McLeod (1) and S. McLeod (1)
(1) Yukon Parks, Department of Environment, Whitehorse YT, Canada
Herschel Island-Qikiqtaruk Territorial Park, a 116 km2 island located in the Beaufort Sea off the Yukon Territory’s north coast, was established in 1987 as part of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement. The park hosts a well-established long-term ecological monitoring program, designed to inform park management and maintain ecological integrity. The program relies on the integrated involvement of Yukon Parks staff and park rangers (who are themselves Inuvialuit), community members from Aklavik and Inuvik, research institutions, co-management bodies, and other government agencies. Good knowledge and data for wildlife movement and habitat use better enables the protection of wildlife and habitats, and helps preserve visitor experience and other park values. Knowledge of wildlife use is very good in areas of the park regularly patrolled by rangers, particularly Simpson Point and Pauline Cove. However, adequate data does not exist for some other important and remote areas of the park, especially Avadlek Spit and Osborn Point, the two primary linkages to the North Slope mainland. These areas are known to be wildlife movement corridors, but the diversity of wildlife species, and seasonal use are not well documented. In 2016-17, a new project was initiated using automated cameras to document the diversity and frequency of wildlife use along Avadlek Spit, Osborn Point, and other sites of interest on the island. The resulting photo-data revealed that these areas are well used by a diversity of birds and mammals, and serve as key movement corridors for Grizzly Bears, linking Qikiqtaruk to Ivvavik National Park on the adjacent mainland North Slope. An unexpected result was that the cameras, being motion-triggered, recorded extreme weather and flooding events that surged over Avadlek Spit – providing park managers with compelling visual references as to how the island is transformed during intense storms and tidal surges. In the first two seasons, this project has informed park management and contributed new wildlife information to community-based ecological monitoring in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region.
Arctic bamboo coral forests as millennium-scale ecosystem engineers
Edinger, Evan (1) (Presenter), B. de Moura Neves (1,2), D. Belanger (1), V.E. Wareham-Hayes (2), O. Sherwood (3) and C. Campbell (4)
(1) Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's NL, Canada
(2) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, St. John's NL, Canada
(3) Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, Canada
(4) Natural Resources Canada, Dartmouth NS, Canada
Cold-water corals are long-lived animals that provide habitat for a wide variety of other invertebrates and fishes. Corals in Canadian Arctic waters are mostly gorgonians, black corals, sea pens, and soft corals. The ages of individual gorgonians and black corals can reach hundreds of years, and individual sea pens can live up to 6 decades, as determined by counting skeletal growth rings and radiometric methods. The age of the habitats created by gorgonians, sea pens, and black corals is largely unknown. Here we report on the minimum age of Keratoisis sp. bamboo coral forests in southeastern Baffin Bay. The bamboo corals examined here grow around 900 m water depth on the trough-mouth fan outside Disko Bugt. They live on small (~1-2 m high) mounds of siliciclastic sediment with interspersed flat areas between mounds. Video transect data shows that the bamboo coral habitat of mounds and intervening swales extends laterally for at least 500 m, with coral cover values ranging from 0 to 100%, averaging 25% over a 500 m video transect. Acoustic sub-bottom profiles show ridges of about 5 m height and 200-500 m separation, but do not show the small-scale topography associated with the corals. An acoustic hard reflector is visible about 1-2 below the sediment surface. Based on video surveys, individual coral colonies were up to 1m in height. Analysis of growth bands in the corals estimated 103-120 growth bands per stem, with stem diameters invariably less than 5 mm, suggesting very slow growth of individuals. Piston cores and their associated trigger-weight cores collected in 2016 penetrated one small mound and two adjacent off-mound locations. In all cases, the cores passed through a relatively thin layer of post-glacial mud to encounter glaciomarine gravels which were probably deposited as glacigenic debris flows. Coral fragments were found throughout the 130 cm upper, post-glacial sediment layer of the on-mound piston and trigger weight cores, but no other macroscopic invertebrate fossils were found within those cores. No coral fragments were found in the post-glacial sediments of two off-mound cores, or in the glaciomarine gravels. Thirteen coral fragments from the on-mound cores were large enough to subsample for radiocarbon, weighing between 0.3 g and 2.85 g each. Radiocarbon analysis of coral fragments within the post-glacial mud of the cores through the coral mound revealed a maximum age of corals of 2638 ±35 14C years, from a coral fragment found immediately overlying glaciomarine gravels. Bivalve shell fragments found in sandy intervals within the glaciomarine gravels had a radiocarbon age of 13450 ±79 14C years. Sediment accumulation rates within the coral mound cores were approximately 58-77 cm/1000 years and 2.2 cm/1000 years in the non-mound core. The pattern of growth of these bamboo corals, combined with the age of their deposits, indicates continuous occupation of their habitat, and continuous alteration of near-bottom hydrodynamic conditions and sedimentation rates, over at least 2000 years. The longevity of these habitats, and the ability of gorgonian corals to structure and alter their physical environment underscore their importance for conservation.
What is “good weather” in the North? Perspectives from residents in Ulukhaktok, Tuktoyaktuk and Sachs Harbour
Eerkes-Medrano, Laura (1) (Presenter) and D. Atkinson (1)
(1) University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
This poster will present the perspectives of residents from Sachs Harbour, Ulukhaktok and Tuktoyaktuk on what constitutes “good weather” to conduct subsistence activities. It is based on interviews with community residents in response to their request to have forecasting products that address their specific needs in terms of geographic location, season, type of subsistence activity and length of time required to conduct their activities. As part of a Marine Environmental Observation Prediction and Response Network (MEOPAR) project, Professor David Atkinson at the University of Victoria and his team have visited and interviewed residents in Tuktoyaktuk Ulukhaktok and Sachs Harbour, in the Inuvialuit Settlement region. The main objective has been the identification of specific occurrences of problematic weather or wave events that interfere with residents’ subsistence activities while on the water. The goal is to link these occurrences to the broader atmospheric patterns that caused them. While conducting this work, residents have mentioned that although improving weather forecasting is important, it would be useful to know if they will have “good weather” and for how long. They want to know the length of the good-weather window in order to plan a one-day hunting trip or go camping for a couple-of-weeks, or conduct other activities, such as fishing, travelling by snowmobile, berry picking, because every activity is affected differently by the weather. During the 2016 site visit, Atkinson and his team set to find out what “good weather” means to residents. They asked residents to identify good/bad weather conditions according to the type of subsistence activity, season, location and transportation need. For example, they found that Tuktoyaktuk residents go ice fishing in the lakes and rivers as soon as the freeze up starts, meaning weather and sea ice forecasting at this time of the year is more relevant than during break up. Residents do not go fishing during breakup because as fish are not as edible. Information on winds from the west/northwest that exceed 10 km/h is highly relevant as the surge and swells build up before the freeze up, making fishing from the harbour dangerous. These types of observations, conducted by Inuvialuit residents, provide direction to this project. Only community residents can provide us with information on what constitutes “good weather” to conduct their activities and also identify problematic weather events that affect them. An important methodological aspect of this project is the establishment of a project Oversight Committee in each community, with a representative from the Hunters and Trappers Organization, Hamlet, and Community Corporation. This committee provides direction to the project, and guidance on research priorities and interview participants. The committee also keeps their respective organizations informed on project activities. This poster will highlight the work of the committee and present some of residents’ insights on the type and format of weather information useful to them. It will also show the weather and sea ice variables and conditions required for safety while residents conduct their subsistence activities.
Dangerous weather and sea ice and marine shipping: comparing the Northwest passage and the Gulf of Bothnia
Eerkes-Medrano, Laura (1) (Presenter), D. Atkinson (1) and D. Snider (2)
(1) University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
(2) MartechPolar, Victoria BC, Canada
This presentation focuses on observations of impactful weather and sea ice events that affect marine shipping along the Northwest Passage and the Gulf of Bothnia, a northern arm of the Baltic Sea. It is based on personal experience aboard three icebreakers, the CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier and CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent during 2015 and the icebreaker Otso in the Gulf of Bothnia during the winter of 2016–17. This presentation compares and contrasts these experiences, focusing on the different types of ice conditions and traffic type and density. In recent decades, Arctic sea ice has been forming later and melting earlier, and the extent of sea ice has been declining. Though this declining sea ice average has been observed in recent years, the trend is not linear. Mild winters were also observed in the 70s and 80s, reflecting the inter-annual variability characteristic in this declining trend. In the Canadian Arctic, relatively ice-free conditions have resulted in increased shipping and tourism. Reduced sea ice poses new challenges to navigation, such as longer fetch, higher swells, and increased wave action. In the Canadian Arctic, the presence of multiyear ice determines the ship’s ability to move ahead. Accurate ice charts and wind forecasts are critical. CCGS often uses a helicopter to check accuracy of ice charts, particularly when charts may show significant change on multiyear ice within a couple of hours or days. Additional weather impacts on navigation, observed by the CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent’s crew in the Beaufort Sea, included icing and freezing spray formation. These have become a bigger problem with less sea ice and more open water. Marine shipping plays an important role in Finland’s economy. More than 60 percent of the world fleet of icebreakers have been designed and built in Finland, and 85 percent of its GNP derives from goods shipped to and from Finland. Industries around the Gulf of Bothnia rely on year-round shipping. In this region, all the ports freeze during the winter, and industries depend on six months of icebreaking operations. In recent years the ice-formation patterns have changed, with frequently forming thinner ice becoming the new norm. This ice is readily broken up by winds, and the resulting ice floes are very mobile, forming leads and ridges. During winter, dynamic ice and compressive ice are the two most important hazards for navigation. In this region, wind direction and speed are the main drivers affecting these conditions. With the likely increase of marine shipping along the Northwest Passage and Gulf of Bothnia, we must consider the dangers of navigating in Arctic waters, as posed by weather but also by evolving patterns in ship design. The presentation will include an overview of threats and risks to navigation, as well as the crew’s perspective on instruments and information required to make decisions and assess risks, and on the training and experience required to navigate in ice conditions. It will conclude with the crew’s suggestions on how to improve navigation in the Arctic and the Gulf of Bothnia.
Stakeholders and change in the Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort Region
Eerkes-Medrano, Laura (1) (Presenter), L. Klengenberg (2) (Presenter), H. Huntington (3)
(1) University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
(2) Ulukhaktok, NWT, Canada
(3) Huntington Consulting, Eagle River AK, United States
This presentation will focus on the drivers and the adaptation measures being taken by stakeholders on their own and in collaboration with others to deal with the impacts of Arctic change in the Bering-Beaufort-Chukchi (BCB) region. This region and its stakeholders are undergoing rapid change of many forms. Climate change produces direct and indirect effects on the physical and biological environment. Social and cultural change alters the fabric of indigenous and other communities, including the transmission of traditional knowledge. Economic change brings opportunities but also dislocation, most visibly in Chukotka after the demise of the Soviet Union. Political change can affect resource use and the ability of stakeholders to organize themselves. In Alaska and Canada, stakeholders have so far been able to respond to change, though coastal erosion and loss of economic opportunity have caused difficulties in some cases. In Chukotka, the lasting effects of the end of the Soviet Era can still be seen, most notably in the sharp decline in the region’s population and a economic decline for many people and industries. More recently, China is taking a greater interest in the Arctic, as can be seen by its investment in research as well as resource development potential. The Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP) has produced the integrated report on Adaptation Actions for a Changing Arctic C (AACA-C). It focuses on the understanding of the interactions between multiple drivers of change and pressures in order to respond to a changing arctic. This presentation is based on work done as part of this report and provides an overview of 19 stakeholders’ perspectives in the BCB region. The perspectives are organized in five major thematic sections: community, regional, legal and policy, and commercial perspectives on adaptation to changing conditions in the BCB region, and of Chinese interest in the region. They cover a range of views and provide insights into the challenges faced by those who live, work, or take an active interest in the region. As such, these perspectives shed light on the interplay between the social, economic, and legal conditions that characterize different parts of the region, the changes being experienced in different ways throughout the region, and the ways in which people perceive and take action to respond to Arctic change drivers and impacts. Initial work of the Adaptation Actions for a Changing Arctic (AACA-A) initiative found that: The effects of climate change are vast and a truly holistic vision of those changes is required to fully implement adaptation options. Climate change is happening, and Arctic communities and inhabitants are already adapting. However, many of the perspectives in this presentation will show another, more detailed view reflecting that the effects of climate change occur within a context of multiple drivers of change including social-economic, cultural, political, and environmental in which short-term concerns tend to be dominated by social, economic, and political issues.
Does mercury interfere with thick-billed murres’ ability to respond to ice disappearance at their southern range limits in the Canadian Arctic?
Elliott, Kyle (3) (Presenter), R. Letcher (2), B. Braune (2), J. Head (3) and K. Fernie (1)
(1) Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, Burlington ON, Canada
(2) Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa ON, Canada
(3) Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue QC, Canada
Many species of Arctic wildlife are pagophilic, requiring ice to successfully forage, reproduce and survive. As ice disappears from much of the Arctic during the summer months, the ability of those species to respond to variation in ice cover will be critical to their survival. Endocrine systems play a critical role in regulating how Arctic animals respond to environmental stress, including changing ice patterns. At the same time, effects of contaminants on Arctic wildlife are occurring in conjunction with rapid climate change. Thus, endocrine disruption could limit the plasticity of wildlife to respond to climate change. We examine these interactions using thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia) breeding in northern Hudson Bay, Canada. In 2016, we collected preliminary data seeking to determine whether contaminants compound the impacts of climate change on avian wildlife by limiting their ability to respond to changes in ice availability. A total of 38 thick-billed murres were sampled, including tracking of their foraging behavior with GPS-accelerometers, and assessing the circulating concentrations of thyroid hormones (free (F)/total (T) triiodothyronine, T3; F/T thyroxine, T4), corticosterone, total mercury, and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in all 38 individuals. Per-/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) levels were measured in the plasma of 10 individual birds. Concentrations of BFRs and PFASs were low, and unrelated to FT3, TT3, FT4, TT4, corticosterone or the foraging behavior of the murres. However, the birds’ total mercury concentrations were associated with their plasma T3 prior to the foraging trips, and in turn, these pre-foraging T3 concentrations were associated with the birds’ foraging behavior; higher levels of T3 were associated with higher diving rates. We found no associations with corticosterone. The GPS tracks demonstrated that birds were foraging near regions of floating ice, which may improve foraging success and reduce diving rates. Thus, mercury was positively associated with T3, which may relate to increased diving rates away from ice. Based on our preliminary findings, we tentatively conclude that mercury may be influencing the ability of thick-billed murres to adjust to variation in ice cover.
Seabird responses as Hudson Bay switches from an Arctic to sub-Arctic ecosystem
Elliott, Kyle H. (1) (Presenter)
(1) McGill University, Ste Anne-de-Bellevue QC, Canada
The Greater Hudson Bay Ecosystem is home to many species of birds, including nationally and globally significant populations of several species. Most of the central, pelagic region of the Bay itself is out of reach for most seabirds during the breeding season and covered in ice in the winter, but the Bay provides important staging areas for several seabird species during migration. More importantly, perhaps, are the coastal wetlands that host large populations of declining or threatened shorebirds, and where snow and Canada geese nest in large areas in the coastal flats, with rapidly increasing goose numbers degrading shorebird habitat in areas such as near Churchill and Southampton Island. In recent years, the Bay has seen substantial changes as the average ice-free period has extended by over a month. Indeed, the Bay now has many characteristics more similar to sub-Arctic Newfoundland than Arctic waters farther North. Here, I will review changes in seabird communities in response to ecosystem shifts in Hudson Bay. Bottom-up effects include dietary switches from Arctic fish to sub-Arctic fish, with effects on seabird fitness. Top-down effects include increased predation by polar bears that now coincide with seabirds during the breeding season and increased parasitism from black flies and mosquitoes. Horizontal effects include the arrival of invasive competitors from the south. To enhance ecosystem monitoring in Hudson Bay, I recommend the continuation of long-term monitoring stations that provide important data on population trends in a time of shifting baselines, the conduct of at-sea surveys in Hudson Bay to combine with year-round tracking data to delineate critical at-sea habitat in Hudson Bay, and, given that birds are obvious and well-recognized components of ecosystems, that we find ways to connect scientific and traditional knowledge about birds.
Evidence for long-term survival of arctic foxes following rabies exposure
Elmore, Stacey A. (1,5,7) (Presenter), C. Fehlner-Gardiner (2), R.B. Chipman (3), E.J. Jenkins (4), K.P. Huyvaert (5), R.T. Alisauskas (6) and A.T. Gilbert (7)
(1) University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto ON, Canada
(2) Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Ottawa ON, Canada
(3) United States Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Rabies Management Program, Concord NH, United States
(4) University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK, Canada
(5) Colorado State University, Fort Collins CO, United States
(6) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon SK, Canada
(7) United States Department of Agriculture, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins CO, United States
Although rabies is endemic in the North American Arctic, our understanding of rabies dynamics in arctic foxes is predominantly generated from regions with a high probability of wildlife/human interactions. We report rabies exposure data in arctic foxes from a remote site in the central Canadian Arctic (Kitikmeot Region, Nunavut) that is ~300km away from human communities. We surveyed sera (n=59) from 41 individual arctic foxes (2011-2015) for rabies antibodies by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) and rabies virus neutralizing antibody test (RVNA). Through a long-term capture mark-recapture, we were able to complete multi-annual surveillance for 9 individual foxes. We detected rabies antibodies in 7/59 serum samples from unique individuals The overall antibody prevalence of rabies virus arctic foxes at Karrak Lake captured at any time from 2011 to 2015 was 17% (seven of 41 individuals), combining results from either the cELISA or RVNA. We detected antibodies by cELISA in 6/59 samples and in 3/59 by RVNA. Sera from two individual foxes demonstrated detectable antibodies by both assays. One of the two foxes with test agreement was not recaptured after rabies antibodies were detected. The second fox with test agreement in 2014 was recaptured in 2015. Antibodies were not detected in the latter year, and the fox raised an apparently healthy litter that summer. While it is unknown how these foxes were exposed to rabies virus (i.e., through prey ingestion or bite wound), our results add to the available knowledge of arctic fox survival following general exposure to rabies virus, and provide preliminary evidence for the circulation of rabies virus in the Karrak Lake ecosystem.
Winter ticks, cervids, and climate change in Yukon: What do we know?
Elmore, Stacey A. (1) (Presenter), N.J. Harms (2), M. Larivee (2) and P.K. Molnár (1)
(1) University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto ON, Canada
(2) Department of Environment, Government of Yukon, Whitehorse YK, Canada
Winter tick (Dermacentor albipictus) infestations can contribute to profound declines in moose (Alces alces) health and can also affect elk (Cervus elaphus), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), and woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou). Although winter ticks are well-established throughout southern boreal forests in Canada, our knowledge of their geographic distribution in Yukon is limited. Winter ticks were first detected in south-central Yukon following the introduction of infested elk and have since remained, despite attempts to prevent its persistence. Also, winter ticks have more recently emerged in southeast Yukon due to apparent natural range expansion from British Columbia and Alberta. Under forecasted climate scenarios, the ecology of arthropods in northern Canada are anticipated to change; predictions include northward range extensions and longer durations of seasonal activity. In this presentation, we will summarize existing information about the co-occurrence and ecology of winter ticks and their cervid hosts in Yukon under current climatic conditions. We will present a framework for our upcoming investigation of winter tick ecology in Yukon, which combines lab experiments on the thermal biology of ticks and field data collections to record spatial range of ticks. The data will be used in statistical occupancy models and mechanistic range expansion models to understand current and likely future impacts. The results from this study will extend our understanding of tick ecology under climate change and will be used to enhance the management and sustainability of cervid populations in Yukon.
Maintaining individuality through scaling with equitable transformation: Applications to long-term phenology rates in tundra plants
Elphinstone, Cassandra (1) (Presenter) and G. Henry (1)
(1) University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFUsing a new data analysis technique, known as an equitable transform, air temperatures at Alexandra Fiord, Ellesmere Island were found to have warmed by 1.8 ±0.4 °C/decade (winter) and 1.1±0.2 °C/decade (summer) from 1986 to 2007. This same transformation was applied to phenology data of Dryas integrifolia from the same site. By allowing the day number of phenological events to correspond to one variable within the equitable system and individual plants under various conditions to represent different replicates, we determined that the yearly cycles of phenology events could be modelled accurately using this transformation. We introduce the idea of scaling and shifting the seasonal cycle of a reference plant via the equitable transform in order to approximate the behaviour of multiple phenological cycles. Relative phenology rates of Dryas integrifolia were found to have increased over time at Alexandra Fiord indicating that the duration of phenological stages has become shorter in recent years. These two examples along with simulations demonstrate the potentially wide applicability of this technique for modelling and data analysis of ecological systems. An equitable transformation maintains systematic differences between instances when the underlying pattern for each instance is a separable function in two variables. This technique allows any reference instance to be transformed into any other instance. This is similar to the Boltzmann transformation used in soil science to describe water content in comparable media. The equitable transform, however, creates a system in which all instances can be interchangeably used as the reference case. It partitions the original data approximately into the underlying separable function and its residuals. The regression dilution bias inherent in linear regressions is corrected for when three or more sequences in a data set are combined. Without regression dilution, points from one sequence are transformable to any other sequence. This allows information from one or more sequences to be used to infer the other sequences. Thus, this transform can be used to: impute missing data points, determine systematic patterns underlying the data, observe baseline changes, and detect different amplitudes in the replicated sequences. It is particularly applicable to short discrete two or three dimensional data sets. Nearly complete recovery of data can be achieved when up to 47% of the data are missing for a 10x15 point data set. When sampling is increased by a factor of 3 up to 70% of the data can be missing and the data set can still be effectively recovered. The technique does not depend on the continuity or ordering of the sequences. It is ideally used to pre-process noisy or incomplete data sets prior to analysis with other well-established techniques. In a manner reminiscent of fractals, multiple levels of the transform allow the incorporation of many scales. This then allows flexibility in the two-dimensional pattern at various scale sizes. Applicability criteria for the transformation provide a quantitative means to determine the scale sizes of each system. The equitable transformation has potential applications in soil science, life history studies, population dynamics, climate and spatial/temporal modelling.
Response of the Arctic marine inorganic carbon system to ice algae and under-ice phytoplankton blooms: A case study along the fast-ice edge of Baffin Bay
Else, Brent (1) (Presenter), J. Whitehead (1), V. Galindo (2), J. Ferland (3), C.J. Mundy (2), N. Pogorzelec (2), S. Rysgaard (2) and M. Babin (3)
(1) University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
(2) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(3) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Studying the marine inorganic carbon system in the Arctic allows for identification of CO2 source/sink areas, assessment of vulnerabilities to ocean acidification, and insights into biogeochemical processes. Despite significant efforts in recent years, many aspects of this system remain unknown in the Arctic, particularly seasonally driven processes in the late winter and early spring. Past research has suggested that ice algae play a role in reducing surface water dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) during spring, pre-conditioning surface waters to low dissolved CO2 (pCO2sw) and uptake of atmospheric CO2 during the ice free season. The potential role of under-ice phytoplankton blooms in this seasonal cycle has generally not been considered. The objective of this study was to look at trends in the inorganic carbon system in the upper water column under sea ice from early spring to ice melt onset. During a ten-week study on landfast ice near Qikiqtarjuaq, NU, water samples were collected for analysis of DIC, total alkalinity (TA), and a suite of other parameters. Samples collection started midway through an ice algae bloom, and continued until the early stages of an under-ice phytoplankton bloom. During most of the ice algae bloom period we observed a slight increase in DIC and pCO2sw in the top 5 m of the water column, as opposed to the expected reduction in those parameters. Although it is possible that we missed substantial pCO2sw/DIC drawdown at the initiation of the ice algae bloom, rough calculations show that previous studies may have overestimated role of ice algae, and that this null result may be widely applicable. Following the formation of melt ponds, we observed a rapid phytoplankton bloom in the upper 25 m of the water column that did dramatically reduce DIC and pCO2sw. We conclude that under-ice phytoplankton blooms may be the most important biological mechanism predisposing the Arctic surface mixed layer to act as a CO2 sink in the open water season. We also found that pCO2sw was undersaturated at the study location even at the beginning of our sampling period, adding to a growing body of literature showing that seasonally ice covered regions in the Arctic do not often experience pCO2sw supersaturation in winter. Finally, we present the first measurements of carbonate saturation states for this region, which may be useful for assessing the vulnerability of a local soft-shelled clam fishery to ocean acidification.
Development of low temperature algal biotechnology
Elster, Josef (1,2) (Presenter) and J. Kviderova (1)
(1) University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
(2) Institute of Botany, CAS, Trebon, Czech Republic
The adaptation/acclimatization mechanisms of Arctic microalgae (including cyanobacteria and eukaryotic microalgae) evolved to withstand the harsh Arctic environment characterized by low temperature, freeze-thaw cycles, desiccation, salinity, and high and variable photosynthetically active and ultraviolet radiations. Hence, the Arctic microalgae developed ecological, physiological and molecular defensive and adaptive strategies, which include the synthesis of a tremendous diversity of compounds originating from different metabolic pathways which protect them against the above-mentioned stresses. Production of different biological compounds followed by various biotechnological applications, for instance, water treatment technology in low-temperature environments, and many others are the perspectives for human that widely explore and exploit rich Arctic resources. In proposed lecture, the non-marine environmental conditions in Arctic environments and microalgal adaptations will be introduced with respect to possible biotechnological applications. The presentation also provides a survey of the possible compounds to be exploited from Arctic microalgae. Possible constructions of photobioreactors for mass cultivation of microalgae are proposed for operations in the Arctic.
Towards an understanding of the relationships between precipitation and surface discharge in unregulated basins of the Snare River watershed
English, Michael (1) (Presenter), J. Hickman (2), P. Marsh (1) and R. Gordon (1)
(1) Cold Regions Research Centre, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON, Canada
(2) Global Water Futures, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON, Canada
Over the past few years’, production of hydroelectricity for more than half of the population of the NWT has been severely hampered by low water levels in the Snare River system on which four hydroelectric power stations run by the Northwest Territories Power Corporation (NTPC) are located. In order to compensate for this loss, diesel fueled generators are being utilized at significant cost. This research examines the hydrological mass balance in two unregulated basins in the Snare River watershed over a period of 11 years: 1999 to 2010, a period which experienced both elevated water inputs and drought. The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between precipitation inputs and resulting surface discharge from two sub-basins (Ghost and Chalco) in the upper, unregulated portion of the Snare River watershed. In doing so, our understanding of the drivers behind the conditions leading to low-flow events will be expanded upon, and our ability to analyze antecedent conditions to predict low-flow events will be improved. By studying two sub-basins over an 11-year period (1999-2010), variability in historical basin discharge from each basin is apparent, and patterns in basin response to hydrological inputs can be recognized. It is also possible to determine what, if any, antecedent conditions from previous years play a role in the current years conditions. This may help us understand the importance of continuous monitoring in the basin, and provide an increased predictive capacity in the future. The Ghost and Chalco sub-basins represent 11,780 km2 and 1,520 km2 respectively, and are comprised of a network of lakes, ponds and streams, with a high potential for reservoir storage. Large surface area coverage of fens and bogs is typical of this area, further increasing the potential for water storage. Despite the differences between the basins, annual discharge (Q) data indicate they are responding similarly to changes in conditions affecting flow, however the Chalco basin efficiency (Q/P) is consistently higher than that of the Ghost basin. Furthermore, the basin response to similar water inputs from year-to-year are not the same. For example, despite normal precipitation inputs, the 2003-2004 hydrological year experienced the lowest peak Q and the lowest basin efficiency of any year within the study period. This may indicate that storage is not consistent from year to year (as is commonly assumed), and that the Ghost basin may be experiencing a reservoir effect, thus increasing the potential for water loss through evaporation and reducing its basin efficiency as compared to the Chalco basin. In addition, a significant relationship exists between the slope of the cumulative flow curve during the spring and the annual basin efficiency. It is possible that a delayed and prolonged melt may increase the volume of water directed to storage. In contrast, an early and rapid melt while the ground surface remains largely frozen may promote an increased volume of surface runoff, contributing to a higher basin efficiency and ultimately replenishing hydroelectric reservoirs.
The importance of carry-over effects on the breeding ecology of Arctic Shorebirds
English, Willow (1) (Presenter), P.A. Smith (1,2) and J.R. Bennett (1)
(1) Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
Arctic-breeding shorebirds are long-distance migrants, making them reliant on habitat and food resources throughout tropical, temperate and Arctic regions. Carry-over effects, where conditions experienced during one part of the annual cycle affect subsequent behaviour and demographic rates, have been found in a wide variety of avian species, but their effect on long-distance migrants such as shorebirds remains unclear. We aim to determine whether observed low rates of breeding success at Arctic sites is the result of local conditions, or whether conditions on wintering grounds and on migration might also influence breeding success by affecting arrival times and body condition of breeding adults. Conversely, breeding investment might influence behaviour or survival through the southbound migration. At our study site in Nunavut, Canada, we will study a suite of six shorebird species and monitor breeding performance through indicators such as arrival dates, timing of nest initiation and reproductive effort and success. We will relate levels of stress hormones in feathers grown on the wintering grounds to body condition and performance during the breeding season in order to assess whether the influence of wintering sites can carry-over into the breeding season. We will deploy VHF nanotags to evaluate the timing and route choice for birds migrating south and relate this to previous body condition and breeding performance. By combining remote tracking, direct observations, and physiological indicators, we hope to determine the extent to which phases of the annual cycle are interlinked, allowing us to better focus conservation action on the regions and times where it will be most beneficial.
Hydrothermal regimes in small channels and water tracks of the Tuktoyaktuk Coastlands and Anderson Plain, Northwest Territories, Canada
Ensom, Timothy (1) (Presenter), P. Marsh (1) and S. Kokelj (2)
(1) Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON, Canada
(2) Northwest Territories Geological Survey, Yellowknife NWT, Canada
Across the Arctic, the movement of water and extent of winter freezing in stream channels and water tracks have important implications for terrestrial ecology, hydrology, aquatic habitat, and infrastructure development. Although the hydrology and thermal characteristics of large water bodies have received research attention in Arctic Canada, Alaska, and Siberia for various purposes, knowledge of contemporary winter hydrothermal dynamics in stream channels across small tundra watersheds in continuous permafrost is limited. Climate warming and related increases in tundra vegetation height and coverage are likely delaying the period of active layer freeze-back in autumn and early winter, increasing the potential for the movement of water during winter. This winter flow can pose challenges to infrastructure operation and maintenance. In addition, a warming climate is likely to significantly change the hydrothermal regime of these flow paths, with significant hydrological and ecological consequences. In the western Canadian Arctic, the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway (ITH) is a 130 km project spanning the taiga-tundra ecotone across the western portion of Anderson Plain and Tuktoyaktuk Coastlands north of Inuvik, Northwest Territories. The ITH crosses several hundred watercourses each with contributing watersheds from less than one km2 up to 360 km2. Observations were made of winter hydrological activity in several of these small watersheds during the winter of 2016/17. The purpose of this research is to determine year-round ground and water temperatures in tundra and nearby taiga stream channels and water tracks in continuous permafrost, to quantify runoff during winter as a proportion of annual runoff, and to identify the watershed characteristics and meteorological and subsurface thermal conditions that can contribute to the formation of stream icings (aufeis) in both natural settings and at ITH crossings.
Improving the connectivity of Rigolet using the Inuit-led eNuk application and wireless Mesh Technologies
Ernst, Jason (1,2) (Presenter), P.F. Seymour (1,2), N. Durish (2), O. Cook (2), A. Cunsolo (3), A. Sawatzky (2), C. Flowers (4), I. Shiwak (5), Rigolet Inuit Community Government (5), S.L. Harper (2) and D. Gillis (2)
(1) RightMesh, Maple Ridge BC, Canada
(2) University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada
(3) Labrador Institute of Memorial University, Happy Valley-Goose Bay NL, Canada
(4) Rigolet Nunatsiavut NL, Canada
(5) 'My Word: Storytelling and Digital Media Lab', Rigolet Nunatsiavut NL, Canada
In 2016, Canada declared access to broadband internet a fundamental right for all citizens. Despite this declaration, roughly 18% of Canada’s population has limited connectivity and many communities are entirely without cellular access. This is particularly true in Canada’s North, where bandwidth is limited, internet connection is at times sporadic, competition between Internet service providers is scarce, and investment in infrastructure is currently lacking. These limitations mean that Northern communities are not granted equal access to online resources, are excluded from contributing to and competing in the Canadian economy in an equitable manner, and are not provided an equal voice that is essential for active participation in a democratic society. At a local level, this also means that communities have fewer tools at their disposal for establishing effective communications pathways. This affects their ability, for example, to easily collect and disseminate information necessary to achieve and maintain self-government and sovereignty, manage and mitigate safety challenges and public health risks, and understand and promote community vitality and wellness. Wireless mesh networks (WMN) are a particularly well-suited solution to these problems. They have been used in remote communities in Africa and Asia, but have traditionally relied on the deployment of hardware to support lacking infrastructure. This can be costly and time-consuming and ignores the use of existing technology that resides in the remote communities. Recently, WMNs have become possible with the widespread availability of affordable consumer smart-phones. In particular, using Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi direct enabled devices, WMNs allow wireless sharing of data from phone to phone to phone without need for costly infrastructure (e.g. cellular towers, Wi-Fi hotspots). Since these networks do not require new infrastructure, instead relying on affordable devices the community possesses, it is a natural fit to improve connectivity without using the limited bandwidth available on existing Internet infrastructure. Given the potential of WMNs in remote locations, the fly-in Inuit community of Rigolet, Nunatsiavut is working with researchers to develop and pilot a mesh technology suitable for Northern communities, in support of an Inuit-led environment and health monitoring app. Developed using participatory methods, the eNuk app prioritizes identified data needs most relevant to addressing and documenting changes to environment and health as a result of climate change (for example, ice safety and wellness). Over the past year, the community has piloted the eNuk app to better understand the limitations and opportunities of collecting data while on the land and in the community. Data collection given limited Internet bandwidth, non-existent cellular signal, and sporadic connectivity has been identified as a major concern and limitation to the success of the eNuk applications. As such, we present the process of implementing and testing a WMN in the remote community of Rigolet, and show how existing applications (such as eNuk) can be developed/modified to work with a WMN. In particular, we explore the ability of the WMN to address communications equity and knowledge sharing, while providing various examples of applications for domain-specific research.
Connectivity between planktonic larvae and adult benthic invertebrate communities in the Pacific Arctic
Ershova, Elizaveta (1,2) (Presenter), R. Descoteaux (1), B. Bluhm (1), R. Hopcroft (3), K. Kosobokova (2), K. Iken (3) and J. Grebmeier (4)
(1) UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
(2) Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Moscow, Russia
(3) University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks AK, United States
(4) University of Maryland, Solomons MD, United States
Pelagic larval stages of benthic animals (meroplankton) can play a seasonally significant role in planktonic communities, as well as influence the abundance and distribution of benthic species, yet are frequently overlooked by both plankton and benthic studies. Within the Arctic, the role of meroplanktonic larvae may be particularly important in regions of inflow from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, where they can serve as vectors of advection of sub-Arctic species into the Arctic. In this preliminary study, we describe the links between the distribution of meroplankton and benthic macrofaunal and epifaunal communities in the Bering and Chukchi Seas during several sampling years (2004-2013) in August-September, as well as oceanography and seasonal and climatic variability. The highest abundance of meroplankton was observed during August expeditions, when it composed up to 50% of zooplankton abundance, but was significantly lower in September. Bivalve, cirriped and echinoderm larvae were the most numerous members of the meroplanktonic communities, sometimes exceeding 10,000 ind m-3, and occasionally dominating the zooplankton in terms of absolute abundance. There was little correlation between observed larval and adult benthos at the same locations, suggesting that most larvae are advected from other areas rather than produced locally. Bivalve larvae were closely associated with Alaska Coastal Water, despite abundance of adult bivalves being relatively low in this water mass, yet, surprisingly, were rare or absent in the south-eastern sector of the Chukchi Sea, which is a biomass hotspot for benthic infauna, dominated by bivalves. Echinoderm larvae, mostly represented by ophiuroids, were also found in close association with Alaska Coastal Water during August 2004, 2007 and 2010; however, in September 2009 and 2012 they were absent in this water mass, yet numerous in the northern Chukchi Sea, where ophiuroids are prominent members of epibenthic communities. These differences likely reflect the different time windows of spawning for different species or populations in this region. Larval cirripeds (barnacles), on the other hand, were observed across the study area with no affinity to water mass or season, suggesting that they spawn continuously throughout the season and can disperse widely from their predominantly coastal spawning grounds. Future studies will use molecular tools to further resolve taxonomic diversity of meroplanktonic larvae in this region, and investigate the role of advected larvae in “seeding” of Arctic populations.
Working with Indigenous Northern communities at the intersection of maps, data, traditional knowledge, and the web
Evans, Peter (1), E. Keats (1) and P. Wong (1) (Presenter)
(1) Trailmark Systems, Victoria BC, Canada
Community-based monitoring is an important intersection for the production of interdisciplinary information based on both Indigenous knowledge and conventional scientific knowledge. CBM is increasingly being recognized as an emerging method of research that is rooted in gathering local or Indigenous observations of social and environmental phenomena at the community-level, according to parameters defined either internally or by external organizations. Most of the agencies involved in the production of CBM knowledge are public sector. This presentation will review some of the technical and methodological challenges and successes Trailmark Systems has experienced supporting community based monitoring projects across Northern Canada, from Nunavut to Northern BC, since its inception as a social enterprise in 2014, and reflect on the limited role the private sector currently plays in northern monitoring, and ways to address this.
Small-scale spatial patterns of soil organic carbon and macro-nutrients in northern Siberian permafrost-affected soils
Evgrafova, Alevtina (1,2) (Presenter), T. de la Haye (1), I. Haase (3), O. Shibistova (3,4), G. Guggenberger (3,4), N. Tananaev (5), L. Sauheitl (3) and S. Spielvogel (1,6)
(1) University of Bern, Faculty of Science, Bern, Switzerland
(2) University of Koblenz-Landau, Institute of Integrated Sciences, Koblenz, Germany
(3) Leibniz University of Hannover, Institute of Soil Science, Hannover, Germany
(4) VN Sukachev Institute of Forest, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
(5) Igarka Geocryology Laboratory, Melnikov Permafrost Institute SB RAS, Yakutsk, Russia
(6) University of Kiel, Institute for Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, Soil Science Department, Kiel, Germany
Thawing permafrost, driven by climate change, alters pedogenic processes and properties as well as soil-plant- atmosphere interactions in high-latitude regions. Increased plant-available macronutrients, i.e. nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), may induce vegetation growth and further vegetation community shifts in polar climate regions. However, the influence of permafrost thaw on the spatial distribution and variability of permafrost-affected soil properties remains unclear. This research studied the changes in spatial patterns and relationships between soil organic carbon (SOC), N and P stocks (0-30 cm) and active layer thickness (ALT), soil acidity, pedogenic (hydr)oxides, and plant-derived C inputs and neutral sugars as a result of permafrost degradation within the six study grids (16 m 2 ) using the principles of geostatistics. The study grids, characterized by various ALT and under different vegetation communities, were located within the forest-tundra ecotone underlain by warm and discontinuous permafrost at the Little Graviyka Creek catchment (67°28.933’N, 86°25.682’E). The soil samples were collected from two depth increments, top- (n=61) and subsoil (n=61) for each study grid, with a sample spacing of 0.2, 0.5 and 1.0 meters. The results showed that permafrost thaw caused a decrease and homogenization of SOC, N and P stocks and increase in P availability for plants within the studied small-scale grids. Moreover, declining permafrost table led to the formation of soil organic matter (SOM) accumulation “hot spots” in thawed soil horizons, associated with the development of organo-mineral associations and deeper root systems. The semivariogram ranges for SOC and N stocks were estimated at less than 3.1 m. The nugget-to- sill ratios were estimated between 29 and 52% for shallow AL soils and between 19 and 34% for intermediate AL and non-permafrost soils. Based on vegetation analyses, higher grid-specific vascular species abundance was observed for grids with a deeper ALT likely due to the increased availability of macronutrients, while species diversity was lower likely due to more homogeneous distribution of macronutrients. Hence, the changes in vegetation communities in high-latitude regions could be an indicator of permafrost thawing linked to possible vegetation shifts and changing carbon sequestration potential in the Arctic regions. Combined research on vegetation structure and ecosystem carbon storage capacity can be seen as a key approach for estimating carbon and biodiversity losses driven by permafrost degradation.
A systematic approach to untangle the interacting impacts of climate change on the Arctic marine social-ecological system
Falardeau, Marianne (1) (Presenter) and E. Bennett (1,2)
(1) Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Macdonald Campus, Ste. Anne-de-Bellevue QC, Canada
(2) School of the Environment, McGill University, Montréal QC, Canada
Climate change is causing multiple impacts in the Arctic that interact through complex and non-linear processes. Because Arctic systems are tightly coupled, the impacts of climate change can trigger cascading effects that flow from ecological to social systems. As Arctic marine ecosystems are being altered, so are the ecosystem services they provide – i.e. the benefits humans obtain from ecosystems including healthy marine food, cultural activities and climate regulation. In turn, Arctic indigenous peoples are affected by those changes as their well-being is often connected to local ecosystems and ecosystem services. Integrative approaches are required to understand interconnected problems like Arctic climate change; however, research that integrates across multiple impacts of Arctic change on ecosystem processes, ecosystem services, and human well-being is not common. We compiled research on Arctic climate change from across several disciplines to develop an integrated understanding about the social-ecological impacts of climate change in the Arctic Ocean, focusing on Inuit as a case study. We used a systematic review to gather articles on the impacts of climate change on marine and coastal ecosystem processes, ecosystem services, and human well-being. We analyzed 102 articles, coding findings into chains of social-ecological impacts. Chains of impacts were then integrated using network analysis – a powerful tool to study social-ecological dynamics. Our synthesis reveals that climate change caused a complex network of tightly connected social-ecological impacts. Some key leverage points – including sea ice decline and the ecosystem service of healthy marine food – had a disproportionate influence on the social-ecological system, funnelling multiple impacts throughout the system. We identify five key research gaps that hinder social-ecological understanding of Arctic change, including a lack of research on how ecosystem services and Inuit well-being are likely to respond to future changes. We suggest that inter- and trans-disciplinary research efforts that collaborate with Indigenous knowledge systems could help monitor changing Arctic social-ecological systems.
The heart of resilience: Constructing an adaptation plan for Baffin Bay and Davis Strait - part 1, chapter 11
Falk, Knud (1) (Presenter), J. Ford (2,3) and C. Tesar (4)
(1) Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Denmark
(2) McGill University, Montréal QC, Canada
(3) Priestley International Centre for Climate, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
(4) Clive Tesar Consulting Services, Ottawa ON, Canada
The Adaptation Actions for a changing Arctic regional report on Baffin Bay and Davis Strait examines the part of the Arctic that is projected to change less, compared to the other two AACA areas. In the marine realm, sea ice thickness and duration of cover is declining, but will remain a factor affecting livelihoods and development opportunities. On land, massive ice caps and glaciers characterize much of the region. While they are melting at a rate not previously measured, they will likely continue to dominate the terrestrial area of the region for centuries to come. The influence of ice in the region, coupled with relatively minimal infrastructure and a small, dispersed population makes it a high-cost region for extractive and other industries, likely to set limits for the rate of development and its impacts. However, high development costs have not scared off the development of one of the world’s largest and richest iron ore deposits, with its attendant shipping, in Nunavut. Likewise, in the relatively light ice conditions on the Greenland side has allowed for developing an intensive, expanding modern fisheries sector. The two “sides” of BBDS – West Greenland and Nunavut – differ significantly in the natural environment, infrastructure and political, social and socioeconomic aspects which, in combination, induce different development and adaptation challenges and opportunities. Although some climate change effects will come gradually (e.g. receding sea ice, reduced permafrost) there are more immediate effects, in particular more extreme weather events (intense rain- or snowfall events, storms and dry spells). In the short-term, adaptation efforts can be relatively “climate centered” by planning for handling more extreme weather events and those impacts that are certain (e.g. permafrost thawing). But when preparing for longer-term impacts, responses need to also target other drivers of change – including social/economic/demographic conditions and development trajectories – that will determine how climate change will affect people and society. Hence, the adaptation options may be more “vulnerability centered” and focus on reducing existing vulnerabilities, which could be exacerbated by changing climate conditions. Many ideas proposed in the BBDS report fall somewhere in the continuum between being “climate centered” and “vulnerability centered”. In this session, we intend to discuss this continuum between clear “climate-centered” and “vulnerability centered” approaches and how it informs our synthesis of BBDS adaptation options.
Optimal Estimation Method Retrievals of Stratospheric Ozone Profiles from DIAL Lidar Measurements in the Arctic
Farhani, Ghazal (1) (Presenter), R.J. Sica (1), A. Haefele (2), S. Godin-Beekmann (3), J. Drummond (4) and K. Strawbridge (5)
(1) The University of Western Ontario, London ON, Canada
(2) Federal Of?ce of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss, Payerne, Switzerland
(3) Université due Versailles en Saint Quentin, Versailles, France
(4) Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, Canada
(5) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto ON, Canada
The first-principle application of the Optimal Estimation Method (OEM) for lidar retrievals uses the lidar equation as a first-principle forward model, from which geophysical quantities are retrieved. OEM retrievals allow the calculations of averaging kernels, which in addition to giving the vertical resolution of the retrieval, allow comparison between other measurements with different resolutions, an important advantage for comparison with other ground-based instruments and satellite measurements. OEM also provides a complete uncertainty budget on a profile to profile basis. We are applying OEM to retrieve stratospheric ozone profiles from the CANDAC Stratospheric Ozone Differential Absorption Lidar located in Eureka, Nunavut and will show examples of our new method and its close agreement to the traditional method and coincident ozone soundings. Furthermore, we have validated our method by using the measurements from the Observatoire de Haute-Provence (OHP) located in South-East France. The comparison with this well validated system is within a good agreement with the traditional analysis methods. Our retrievals simultaneously use 3 channels of measurements at 2 wavelengths to determine an ozone profile, a full uncertainty budget, and the vertical resolution of the retrieval. In addition to an ozone profile, an air density profile is retrieved, along with the lidar constant and the background for each channel. For the Eureka DIAL, a valid retrieval is possible from 7 km to 50 km altitude. The retrieval is currently being extended to more general usage. For example, many detectors will saturate while they get exposed to high intensity photons, therefore, the dead time value needs to consider inside the forward model and retrieved as a parameter. This talk will show the numerous advantages to using OEM, advantages that can be realized on both new and existing measurements. The complete uncertainty budget captured on a profile by profile basis will have a significant impact on improving our assessment of trends in ozone concentration. .
Evaluation of several methods to monitor lemming abundance: simple can also be good
Fauteux, Dominique (1) (Presenter), G. Gauthier (1), N. Coallier (1), J. Bêty (2) and D. Berteaux (2)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
Lemmings are key species in the Arctic terrestrial ecosystem because they are prey to a large guild of predators and can sometimes damage vegetation during outbreaks. Moreover, recent studies show that lemmings have strong indirect interactions with other prey such as snow geese and shorebirds because they share the same predators. Therefore, monitoring small mammal abundance is essential to understand the dynamics of the whole Arctic terrestrial ecosystem. Such monitoring is even more important as recent studies reported the collapse of lemming and vole cycles in Greenland and Fennoscandia, which is particularly worrisome for species depending on these small mammals. In Canada, such collapse has yet to be seen but our ability to detect it is greatly hampered by the lack of small mammal monitoring programs in the Arctic. In an effort to encourage monitoring of lemmings at more sites in the Canadian Arctic, we have evaluated invasive and non-invasive methods to estimate lemming abundance that require variable amounts of financial resources, analytical skills, and manpower. Five methods were used to estimate lemming abundance on Bylot Island between 2007 and 2016. The methods were (1) live-trapping in grids combined with spatially-explicit capture-recapture models to estimate animal densities, (2) snap-trapping along trap lines, (3) winter nest densities estimated with the line-transect method, (4) burrow counting in quadrats, and (5) incidental observations. We compared abundance estimates obtained with methods 2 to 5 with those obtained with live-trapping data, the only method that could directly estimate animal density using a robust statistical framework. We found that snap-trapping and incidental observations yielded abundance estimates the most closely related to the live-trapping densities (r > 0.90). Winter nest and burrow densities were also correlated with live-trapping densities, but to a lesser degree (r > 50). We also evaluated the impact of reduced sampling effort and sample size on the bias and precision of each abundance estimate. Bias was low for most estimates except when live-trapping and winter nest densities were estimated in situations of low sample size (i.e. low phase of lemming cycles) or when sampling effort was low. Precision of all abundance estimates rapidly declined with reduced effort and sample size, except for live-trapping densities. We found that incidental observations with a sampling effort of > 200 observer-hr allowed unbiased and precise estimates of lemming abundance. Thus, when live-trapping is not an option, incidental observations with sufficient field effort appears to be a simple and robust method to obtain reliable estimates of lemming abundance.
Inuit adaptability to changing environmental conditions over an 11-year period: A case study of Ulukhaktok, NT
Fawcett, David (1) (Presenter), T. Pearce (1,2), J. Ford (3), and P. Collings (4)
(1) Department of Geography, University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada
(2) Sustainability Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC, Queensland, Australia
(3) Priestley Centre for International Climate, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
(4) Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville FL, USA
Current understanding of climate change vulnerability among Inuit in the Arctic is relatively static, rooted in the community and time that individual case studies were conducted. This research seeks to capture the dynamism of Inuit-climate relationships by applying a longitudinal approach to assessing vulnerability to climate change among Inuit in Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories. Data were collected in the community in 2005 and 2016 using semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and analysis of secondary sources of information following a consistent methodological framework for vulnerability assessment. Findings from the two studies are comparatively analyzed together with longitudinal sea ice and harvesting data to examine how Inuit experienced and responded to climatic changes over an eleven-year period. The data reveals that many of the climatic changes recorded in 2005 that adversely affected hunting activities have persisted or progressed, such as decreasing sea ice thickness and extent, and stronger and more consistent summer winds. Inuit are responding to these changes by altering travel routes and equipment, taking greater pre-trip precautions, and concentrating their efforts on more efficient and accessible hunts. Rising costs of living and subsistence activities, time-constraints due to wage employment, changes in the generation and transmission of traditional knowledge and land skills, and the concentration of country food sharing networks on fewer hunters were identified as key constraints to adaptation. These findings indicate that the connections between subsistence activities and the wage economy are central to understanding how climate change is experienced and responded to.
A photographic survey of the benthic macrofauna of Inugsuin, Itirbilung and Tingin fjords, eastern Baffin Island, Nunavut
Fehr, Carly (1) (Presenter)
(1)Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK, Canada
Recent pan-arctic inventories of benthic macrofauna diversity identified the waters bordering the Canadian Arctic Archipelago as some of the most poorly explored marine habitats in the circumpolar North. This is certainly true for the fjords of eastern Baffin Island. The Sedimentology of Arctic Fjords Experiment (SAFE), coordinated by the Geological Survey of Canada between 1982-1985, acquired information related to fjord bathymetry, seabed morphology and substrates, physical oceanography, and macrofauna density, diversity and distribution. Published research derived from these data initially focused on the macrofauna inhabiting Cambridge, Itirbilung and McBeth fjords and, more recently, Maktak and Coronation fjords. This project builds on this body of research to explore the density, diversity and distribution of benthic macrofauna observed in Inugsuin and Tingin fjords recorded in drop camera images of the seabed. Seabed images acquired from four stations were examined in this study. Two fjord-head stations, Inugsuin station 1 (IN-1, 160 m depth) and Itirbilung station 1 (IT-1, 167 m depth), and two fjord-mouth stations, Itirbilung station 3 (IT-3, 417 m depth) and Tingin station 3 (TI-3, 487 m depth), were selected for detailed study. Bottom water temperatures are below -0.9 degrees Celcius and salinities exceed 33‰ at all four stations. The number of images available for study varied between stations: n = 11 at IN-1, n = 18 at IT-1, n = 6 at IT-3, and n = 15 at TI-3. Each image encompasses an area of 2 square metres. Macrofaunal organisms were identified and counted in each image and their counts were converted to numbers per square metre. Organisms observed in the seabed images include infaunal bivalves (siphons only), buccinid gastropods, actinian anemones, pennatulaceans, tubiculous polychaetes, asteroid echinoderms (sea stars), echinoid echinoderms (sea urchins), ophiuroid echinoderms (brittlestars), and holothuroid echinoderms (sea cucumbers). At the fjord-head stations, ophiuroid echinoderms and tubiculous polychaetes dominate the biota at IT-1, while onuphid polychaetes and actinian anemones dominates the biota at IN-1. At the fjord-mouth stations, ophiuroid echinoderms and tubiculous polychaetes dominate the biota at IT-3, while holothurians and ophiuroid echinoderms dominate the biota at TI-3. Comparison of these faunas with those recorded in other eastern Baffin Island fjords reveals several similarities. The onuphid polychaete-sea anemone community observed in the fjord-head environment in Inugsin Fjord is similar to the onuphid polychaete-sea anemone association observed in fjord-head environments in Cambridge Fjord. This study confirms the presence of the holothurian-ophiuroid echinoderm association at station TI-3. The ophiuroid echinoderm-tubiculous polychaete associations recorded at stations IT-1 and IT-3 are similar to biota observed inhabiting soft mud bottoms at depths greater than 150 m in Pangnirtung Fjord.
Findings and recommendations on Arctic marine mammals from the state of the Arctic Marine Biodiversity Report
Ferguson, Steve (1) (Presenter), R.H. Meehan (2), S. Belikov (3), G. Desportes (4), K.M. Kovacs (5), K.L. Laidre (6), G.B. Stenson (7), P.O. Thomas (8), F. Ugarte (9) and D. Vongraven (10)
(1) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) ArcticTurn Consulting, Anchorage AK, United States
(3) Russian Research Institute for Natural Protection, Moscow, Russia
(4) North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission, Tromsø, Norway
(5) Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø, Norway
(6) University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
(7) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, St. John's NL, Canada
(8) Marine Mammal Commission, Washington DC, United States
(9) Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland
(10) Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø, Norway
Marine mammals are top predators in Arctic marine ecosystems and are key to ecosystem survival. Many Arctic marine mammal species are an important resource and hold special cultural significance in Arctic communities. The Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program - Marine Mammal Expert Network aggregated and reviewed data on the population status and trends of 11 ice-associated marine mammal species across eight Arctic marine Areas as well as the state of current monitoring efforts. We detail changes in sea ice duration that are affecting marine mammal behaviour, abundance, growth rates, body condition and reproduction, impacting the resilience of marine mammal populations with concomitant effects on the people who rely on them for subsistence, economic and cultural purposes. Trends by species and area were evaluated for 84 stocks including status, harvest, and abundance. Half of the stocks have unknown status with examples of decreasing stocks for seals, cetaceans, and polar bears. Interpretation of current population dynamics and trends has to take into account historical overharvest, which can mask the potential effects of climate change. Marine mammals continue to be harvested in many regions, however most are under sustainable management regimes. Changing environmental conditions present new challenges to managing marine mammal populations. Thus, effective marine mammal population monitoring will need improved techniques at appropriate geographic scales and detail to measure trends that can be evaluated relative to changes in climate (e.g., sea-ice cover) and human activities (e.g., hunting, shipping, mineral exploration). We summarize current level of monitoring across the Arctic, the status and trends of stocks, drivers of observed trends, and knowledge and monitoring gaps.
Phytoplankton spring “bloomer” in Baffin Bay
Ferland, Joannie (1) (Presenter), M. Parenteau (1), F. Bruyant (1), J. Ras (2), H. Claustre (2), P. Massicotte (1), P. Raimbault (3), J.-E. Tremblay (1), P.-L. Grondin (1), M.-H. Forget (1) and M. Babin (1)
(1) Takuvik Joint International Laboratory, Laval University (Canada) - CNRS (France), UMI3376, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Laboratoire d’Océanographie de Villefranche-sur-Mer, Quai de la Darse, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
(3) Laboratoire d'Océanographie et de Biogéochimie, Institut Méditerranéen d’Océanologie, Campus de Luminy, Marseille, France
Phytoplankton spring blooms (PSB) in the Arctic region may occur more extensively and more often under the ice-pack as recently suggested. Phytoplankton is a key player in the Arctic marine ecosystem. However, its primary productivity and the fate of the organic matter it produces during the spring must still be better understood. The Green Edge project aims to fill this gap by studying key physical, chemical and biological processes taking place during the spring season. Aboard the CCGS Amundsen, the expedition navigated in Baffin Bay following seven transects, each composed of ice covered and open water stations, between June 5th and July 11th 2016. Several blooming events were successfully captured and sampled during the cruise. Phytoplankton abundance and community composition were assessed, using inverted microscopy and an imaging flow cytometer, to identify the key species involved in the PSB. Total abundance ranged from 0.15×106 to 12 ×106 cell L-1 with an average concentration of 0.8×106 cell L-1 at the surface and 2.8×106 cell L-1 in the chlorophyll-a sub-surface maxima (SCM). Associated chlorophyll a concentrations ranged from 0.20 to 6.09 µg L-1 with an average of 0.98 µg L-1 at the surface and 2.01 µg L-1 at the SCM. Phaeocystis spp. dominated the phytoplankton community at several stations, reaching a maximal concentration of 11×106 cell L-1 (92% relative abundance). Elsewhere Phaeocystis spp. dominated the community (>50%). Prymnesiophytes coexisted with diatoms such as Chaetoceros spp. (maximal concentration 4×105 cell L-1; 12% relative abundance), dinoflagellates (Gymno- and Gyrodinium spp.), (maximal concentration 2×105 cell L-1; 3% relative abundance) and flagellates (maximal concentration 4.5× 105 cell L-1; 14% relative abundance). Statistical analyses will be used to better understand the links between the spatio-temporal distribution of blooms and the physical (temperature, salinity, ice coverage, stratification) and chemical (nutrients) properties of the environment.
Institutions to empower Indigenous Peoples for successful adaptive action – A case study of Tribal Conservation Districts
Fidel, Maryann (1) (Presenter)
Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council, Alaska, USA
In a rapidly changing Arctic, rigid policies and regulations often do not allow Indigenous Peoples most affected by climate change the flexibility to adapt. This is causing some to seek atypical institutions that can help mitigate impacts and seize opportunities. In Alaska, one of these institutions are Tribal Conservation Districts (TCDs). TCDs were intended to address food security issues but have inadvertently addressed some of the unique jurisdictional challenges that Alaska Natives face, since many do not directly own land. TCDs encourage partnerships around common conservation goals, and allow Tribes to prioritize research and project needs on traditional territories regardless of land ownership. Some Tribes have creatively used TCDs to better participate in environmental regulations that affect them while others are actively building agricultural capacity to increase food security. The current niche TCDs are filling in the stewardship of traditional territories will be discussed and a case study will be presented from a three-year project to support the development of TCDs.
Nutrients dynamics and primary production in Baffin Bay during spring bloom
Filteau, Gabrielle (1,2) (Presenter), J.-E. Tremblay (1,2) and P. Raimbault (3)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Québec-Océan, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography, Marseille, France
In the Arctic ocean, the environment that supports primary production and its transfer to the food web, deep ocean or sediment is altered by climate change. In this context, it has been proposed that sea-ice melt will enhance light penetration into the water column and lead to earlier and possibly more intense spring blooms. However, phytoplankton growth also requires nutrients whose inventories are limited in the euphotic zone, especially in the case of inorganic nitrogen. Few data are available on the relative contributions of irradiance and nutrient availability in affecting the magnitude of primary production during phytoplankton blooms in today’s Arctic Ocean. The main objective of this study, which is part of the Green Edge project, is to evaluate the impacts of light (controlled by sea ice, mixed-layer dynamics and atmospheric conditions), water masses properties and nutrient availability on primary production and nitrogen cycling in Baffin Bay. In the bay, waters are partly derived from the northward flowing West Greenland Current in the east and from southward flowing Arctic water in west. Results show striking contrasts in the concentration and stoichiometry of nutrients as well as in the potential and realized seasonal drawdown of nitrate (NO3-), silicic acid (Si(OH)4) and phosphate (PO43-) in these two water masses. Nutrients drawdown is estimated by calculating the difference between observed nutrient concentrations at the time of sampling and those expected in the absence of biological consumption. Expected concentrations were assessed using late-winter data from the ice camp (for western Baffin Bay) and regional nutrient-salinity relationship in the absence of seasonal biological consumption. Nitrate was depleted from the surface in the east, suggesting post-bloom conditions there. The estimated pre-bloom concentrations in this sector were high (10 to 12 µM), indicating strong and early seasonal depletion. In the west, strong depletion had not yet occurred due to ice conditions at the time of sampling. Nutrient concentrations at the surface remained close to the surface maximum, but this maximum was much lower than the one estimated for the eastern sector. This difference indicates that nutrient availability is the primary control on potential productivity across Baffin Bay, where light mostly dictates the timing of nutrient depletion. Measured daily rates of primary production showed that stations with a well developed surface bloom were close to the ice edge, while stations with a sub-surface chlorophyll maximum (SCM) typical of a post-bloom period were concentrated in the east.
Building and operating permanent Arctic Observing Systems
Flagg, Ryan (1) (Presenter), R. Dewey (1),K. Juniper (1), B. Pirenne (1), S. McLean (1) and I. Kulin (1)
(1) Ocean Networks Canada, University of Vicotira, Victoria BC, Canada
Long-term observations provide the opportunity to monitor, make scientific discoveries, improve our knowledge of how the environment works, and ultimately provide tangible benefits to local and regional communities. These are the key metrics of success for any permanent observing system. The Arctic, however, is a challenging environment for major, permanent infrastructure. Ocean Networks Canada has successfully built and operated some of the worlds most advanced ocean observing systems across a range of marine environments, including a cabled community observatory in Cambridge Bay. Other Arctic sites are presently under construction or evaluation for permanent observation systems. We will review the core elements of a permanent ocean observing system, where and why they may or may not be feasible, and highlight ONC’s experiences and best practices in maintaining and operating multidisciplinary observing systems as they relate to Arctic observing systems.
Drivers and projections of change in the Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort (BCB) Region
Flato, G. (1), M. Ananicheva (2), P. Outridge (3) (Presenter), E. Antonov (2), D. Atkinson (4), R. Brown (5), L. Hamilton (6), L. Harwood (7), G. Jia (8), V. Kattsov (9), K. Kivva (10), M. Muir (11), J. Overland (12), R. Rong (1), N. Steiner (13), G. Stern (14), J. Walsh (15), and X. Wang (16)
(1) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Victoria BC, Canada
(2) Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
(3) Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
(4) University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
(5) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Montréal QC, Canada
(6) University of New Hampshire, Durham NH, USA
(7) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
(8) Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
(9) Voeikov Main Geophysical Observatory, St. Petersburg, Russia
(10) Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography, Moscow, Russia
(11) Arctic Institute of North America, Calgary AB, Canada
(12) NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, Seattle, USA
(13) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Victoria BC, Canada
(14) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(15) University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks AK, USA
(16) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto ON, Canada
Climate change is more rapid in the Arctic than elsewhere owing to feedbacks in the regional climate system that amplify the effects of warming. Simultaneously, changing national or global socio-economic drivers such as globalization and natural resource prices are affecting regional communities and industries, and their financial capacity to respond to future challenges. Mean surface air temperature has increased ~1.5oC over the last five decades, leading to declining snow cover duration, rising permafrost temperatures, and retreating summertime sea-ice. These trends will likely continue, with their magnitude depending directly on future greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Bearing in mind the uncertainties due to natural variability and future GHG trajectories, wintertime warming for a mid-range GHG emission scenario is projected to be ~3-7oC over BCB lands by 2100, and even larger over the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas. As the climate warms, increasing ocean temperatures and longer open-water seasons affect virtually all features of the ocean, and human use of it, including larger waves, more coastal erosion, increasing ocean acidity, and changing biological productivity and ecology. Higher precipitation will lead to increasing river flows. The transportation, deposition, and bio-uptake of many contaminants from southern latitudes will be affected in unpredictable ways. Future oil and gas development in the region may increase local sources of petroleum hydrocarbon contamination to levels equalling current natural sources. As in the ocean, terrestrial ecosystems are responding to warmer and longer summers, with observed changes in plant productivity and animal distributions, which may affect subsistence harvests. Feedbacks between vegetation and climate, e.g. changes in surface reflectance and trapping of snow by shrubs, will affect water availability, permafrost degradation, and carbon release, though comprehensive projections are lacking. Regional socio-economic changes will continue to be driven by external influences largely beyond the control of regional/local governments. For example, until recently, oil and gas development and associated employment was anticipated to grow in coming decades, particularly among Beaufort Sea communities, but recent consistently low oil prices have put most development activities on hold. The pace and magnitude of human change will vary considerably within the region owing to differences in resource demand, demographics, and governance systems. The prevailing lifestyle among BCB aboriginal communities is a variable combination of traditional harvesting and cash employment. In Nunavut the economic value of traditional foods is comparable to that of imported food, indicating the subsistence harvest continues to be very important; it is less so in other BCB areas. In Chukotka, mining has long been an important economic activity, and some growth, particularly in gold and coal, is expected in the coming decades. Marine shipping is expected to increase across BCB with declining sea-ice duration. Road transportation, by contrast, is projected to become more difficult as the ice-road season becomes shorter and permafrost degradation affects trafficability. There are plans however for expansion of the highway network in the North American sector. Tourism is expected to continue growing, bringing economic opportunities to the region, but its potential negative effects must be carefully managed.
Climate change isn’t the only change: Indirect effects of hyperabundant geese on sympatric-nesting birds
Flemming, Scott (1) (Presenter), L.V. Kennedy (1), E. Nol (1) and P.A. Smith (2)
(1) Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
(2) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
In some Arctic areas, abundant populations of geese are significantly altering their breeding and staging grounds. The resulting habitat changes could impact sympatric-nesting birds such as shorebirds. Overgrazing and grubbing by geese can result in habitats with shorter graminoids or exposed sediment, providing less cover for shorebird nests. Predators of geese are attracted to goose colonies, potentially elevating the risk of predation for other birds. Many populations of Arctic-breeding shorebirds are declining, and our research seeks to evaluate whether goose induced habitat alteration adversely affects shorebirds, and if so, whether the effects are sufficient to influence shorebirds at the population level. Using shorebird surveys carried out across the Canadian Arctic as part of the Program for Regional and International Shorebird Monitoring (PRISM), we relate shorebird abundance to the distribution of breeding geese. We show that goose colonies are negatively influencing the abundance of some cover-nesting shorebirds at large spatial scales. At the local scale, using camera monitoring and artificial nests, we show that predator abundance near a goose colony is elevated, and survival probability of artificial nests reduced. We also show that geese alter habitat important for nesting shorebirds, at spatial (up to 10 km from a colony) and temporal scales (over 15 years). The dramatic increases in the abundance of geese in the Eastern Arctic and concurrent declines of shorebirds in this region suggest at least the potential for an issue of conservation concern. Our research provides information on how geese can affect other sympatric birds, so that goose management can acknowledge the needs of other species.
Harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) in the Churchill River Estuary: Increased abundance coincident with decreasing sea ice conditions in western Hudson Bay
Florko, K. (1), W. Bernhardt (2), C.C. Breiter (3), S.H. Ferguson (4), M. Hainstock (5), B. Young (4), and S.D. Petersen (3) (Presenter)
(1) Department of Biology, York University, Toronto ON, Canada
(2) North South Consulting, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(3) Conservation and Research Department, Assiniboine Park Zoo, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
(4) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(5) Polar Bears International, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) occur in the Arctic but little is known of their population abundance and natural history. In western Hudson Bay they occur at lower numbers relative to ringed seals (Pusa hispida) and their distribution is largely unknown. However, changes in sea ice in Hudson Bay may be shifting the habitat suitability of the region towards one that favours harbour seals. The Churchill River estuary haul-out site was observed directly or remotely (via GigaPan™ photos) for the duration of the open water seasons in 1998 to 2005, and 2014 to 2016. We document an increase in abundance over the study period; the maximum number of harbour seals observed hauled out was during the early summer, and the minimum known alive is 142 harbour seals in 2016. In addition, we document pupping for the first time in the Churchill River estuary. We expect climate change related changes in sea ice to continue to support an increase in abundance of harbour seals in Hudson Bay and potentially the entire Arctic.
Key principles and challenges for effective knowledge mobilization with Arctic communities
Flynn, Melanie (1) (Presenter) and J. Ford (1)
(1) Priestley International Centre for Climate - University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
The last decade has witnessed a rapid increase in research focusing on environmental change, vulnerability, and resilience across the circumpolar north, much of it seeking to inform decision-making on climate adaptation and risk reduction. Such work commonly advocates the need to work closely with community members and decision makers to create ‘usable science’ and translate research into practice through knowledge mobilization (KM). Despite this, a number of studies, have argued that there is a disconnect between the producers and users of Arctic research (Ford et al., 2013, 2016; McDonald et al., 2016). Research on KM is abundant and spans any academic fields. Nevertheless, we see a limited academic output synthesizing this work to provide a full picture of KM work in Arctic communities. Thus, those who would like to build a strong KM component into their environmental research projects with Arctic communities are lacking an overview of the lessons learned across disciplinary and geographical boundaries. This talk is based on the results of a literature review (n=72) and semi-structured interviews (n=24) with stakeholders. The presentation outlines a framework of key principles and challenges in effective KM with Indigenous communities in the North American Arctic.
Ecosystem classification and mapping of the Yukon North Slope
Flynn, Nadele (1) (Presenter), W.H. MacKenzie (2) and C. Kennedy (3)
(1) Government of Yukon, Whitehorse YK, Canada
(2) Meidinger Ecological Consultants, Victoria BC, Canada
(3) Whitehorse YK, Canada
The Yukon North Slope falls under a special conservation regime whose dominant purpose is the conservation of wildlife, habitat and traditional aboriginal use. It is also an area in which controlled development may take place. In this context, ecological land classification and mapping is used as a fundamental base for describing and mapping landscapes and ecosystems for a wide variety of users. An ecosystem results from a complex interaction of plants, animals, and micro-organisms with the physical environment. Ecosystems can be described at various scales, from local to regional. A Predictive Ecosystem Map was developed for the North Slope of Yukon (east of the Babbage River) to show the spatial distribution of arctic ecosystems. The North Slope study area covers 8,400 km2 along the northeast coastline of Yukon. A Predictive Ecosystem Map is a map modelling approach that uses computer models and GIS-based approaches to develop an ecosystem map. Ecosystem modeling makes it possible to map ecosystems across large geographic areas in a rapid and cost effective manner. Mapped ecological units were derived from an ecosite classification developed for the Arctic Region of Yukon following the Yukon Bioclimate Ecosystem Classification system. The Yukon Bioclimate Ecosystem Classification system groups similar segments of the landscape, i.e., ecosystems, to form ecosites. Ecosite units are classified by combining components of the classification system at a local scale. The arctic ecosystem classification brought together previous classification work into a harmonized classification standard. The classification also organizes our current understanding of the ecological relationships among vegetation communities, landscape position, soil, and climate in this bioclimatic region. Ecosystem classes that cannot be represented in the map are expressed as a complex map unit (common for wetland classes) or generalized grouping of ecosites. How ecosystems were expressed in the map and map legend was dependent on desired map accuracy and intended map use.
The re-analysis of a historical atmospheric high resolution infrared spectral data-set for molecules involved in stratospheric ozone destruction
Fogal, Pierre (1) (Presenter), J.R. Drummond (2) and R.L. Mittermeier (3)
(1) University of Toronto, Toronto ON, Canada
(2) Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, Canada
(3) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto ON, Canada
From 1993 to 2008 a Bomem DA8 high spectral resolution Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) was located near Eureka, NU at 80 oN and operated as part of the Network for Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC). In 2006, the instrument was replaced in the network by a newer Bruker IFS125HR. Development of tools for analyzing infra red spectra also continued, providing enhanced functionality, including better physical and instrument models and the determination of atmospheric profiles through the application of inverse calculations. Current spectral analyses techniques are not automatically applicable to older data-sets due to file format differences as well as lacking ancillary meta data. The DA8 recorded spectra during the sunrise period of each year. At this time of the year, catalytic ozone destruction can occur in the presence of polar stratospheric clouds and inside the polar vortex. Some of the molecules important in the ozone destruction cycle include Hcl, HNO3, ClONO2, and ClO. Analyses of infrared spectra can yield both column amounts and some profile information. The original analyses of the DA8 spectra was done for column amounts only and the current analyses extends that to partial column retrievals that provide information on the vertical distribution of the molecules.
Physical and biological processes at the margin of the Mackenzie Shelf: A summary of salient results from mooring-based observations over 2009-2017
Forest, Alexandre (1) (Presenter), P.D. Osborne (2), G. Curtiss (3), S. Meredyk (1), J. Zier (1) and L. Michaud (1)
(1) Amundsen Science, 1045 ave. de la Médecine, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Golder Associates Ltd., 200-2920 Virtual Way, Vancouver BC, Canada
(3) Golder Associates Inc., 200-18300 NE Union Hill Rd, Redmond WA, United States
The shelf-break region (80-200 m isobath) at the margin of the Mackenzie Shelf is perhaps the most dynamic zone in terms of ocean circulation, sea ice variability and particulate matter cycling in the southeastern Beaufort Sea. Within this narrow band along the continental shelf, a flaw lead polynya system characterized by highly-variable sea ice conditions and enhanced heat exchange develop every winter, strong subsurface currents trapped along the upper slope are generated under the passage of storms, bottom sediments are recurrently remobilized and transported offshore through these current surges, and pelagic-benthic coupling of freshly-produced algal material can inter-annually vary from none to extreme depending on the interplay of sea ice variability and primary productivity. Since 2009, physical and biological processes at the Mackenzie Shelf margin are monitored through a series of taut-line moorings deployed on the 120-170 m isobath as part of successive programs pertaining to oil & gas exploration in the offshore Beaufort Sea (i.e. ArcticNet-Industry Partnership, Beaufort Regional Environmental Assessment, and more recently the integrated Beaufort Observatory). Moorings are equipped with Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs) to record ocean currents from bottom to surface and set up with an inverted bottom-track mode to estimate ice thickness and velocity. Biophysical probes (fluorescence, transmissivity, oxygen, temperature and salinity) as well as particle-size analyzers are deployed near the bottom to provide a proxy for particulate matter fluxes of both organic and inorganic origin as a function of water mass exchange across the shelf-break. Upward-looking sonars to measure ice draft more precisely as well as to characterize the wave regime were also sometimes deployed. In this presentation, we will provide an overview of the most interesting features recorded by these instruments moored at the shelf-break over the last years with the aim of showcasing events of interest in the context of potential industrial development. Emphasis will be on the upwelling- and downwelling-induced current surges, winter-spring sea ice patterns, and vertical and horizontal particle fluxes near the bottom. In particular, we will respectively use the years 2013 and 2016 to contrast the impacts on the ecosystem of a severe, more prolonged, spring-summer ice regime (ice break-up in August) vs. those induced by light ice conditions and a very early ice break up (late April). Sea ice and ocean circulation variability during the preceding winter of these two years in terms of flaw lead dynamics and ocean mixing as a result of current surges in the shelfbreak jet will also be addressed.
Challenges with historical water quality data for Inuu’tuti, a collaborative cumulative effects monitoring program in the Baker Lake watershed
Forté, Sarah (1) (Presenter), C. Lafferty (1), L. Manzo (2) and W. Bagley (3)
(1) Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, Iqaluit NU, Canada
(2) Kivalliq Inuit Association, Rankin Inlet NU, Canada
(3) Nunavut Water Board, Gjoa Haven NU, Canada
Inuu’tuti is a collaborative aquatic monitoring program currently being developed that is focused on cumulative effects in the Baker Lake Basin. Freshwater of the Baker Lake Basin faces ongoing pressure from resource development, climate change and other activities. The program grew from community resident concerns about water quality and is spearheaded by four organizations: the Kivalliq Inuit Association, Nunavut Water Board, and both the Nunavut General Monitoring Plan Secretariat and Water Resources Division of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada. Though the program is still in its infancy, one of its aims is to gather and share data that could be used for regulatory processes. Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and western scientific data form intersecting parts of the program, with a vision to have community based monitoring contributing essential data to the program in the future. Many types of relevant data are available from a variety of sources that span more than half a century. The types of data include meteorological, freshwater ice regime, hydrometric, water quality, sediment characteristics & quality, aquatic biological monitoring and Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit. Water quality has been the focus of most of the compilation work to date. Integration of historical data and currently collected data is challenging because of differing and unreported detection limits, temporal data gaps, differing and unknown data quality control and assurance, and unevenly distributed spatial coverage. Some of the deficiencies identified have helped inform the scientific program design, which is under development. We will present some of the water quality data gathered to date, highlighting inconsistencies which complicate its interpretation. These include: parameters for which the detection limit changes by more than an order of magnitude, water quality results for which the electrical charge balance is regularly over 15% and data reported without detection limits.
BriGHT (Bridging Global change, Inuit Health and the Transforming Arctic Ocean)
Fortin, Gabrielle (1) (Presenter), J.-É. Tremblay (1), M. Lemire (2), D. Antoniades (1), P. Archambault (1), P. Ayotte (2), L. Bernatchez (1), L. Fortier (1), M. Lucas (2), F. Maps (1), G. Massé (1), J. Lavaud (1), J.-S. Moore (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec – Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Local marine foods (LMF) are central to Inuit culture and subsistence in the Arctic. Inuit make food choices according to their preferences but also the accessibility, abundance, appearance and quality of different LMF. These four characteristics of LMF are strongly tied to the light environment via the photosynthetic production of microalgal biomass, which is the main entry point for energy,numerous vital or health-enhancing molecules, and contaminants into the food web. Yet we do not know how the quantity and proportion of these substances in algae, zooplankton and LMF respond to climate driven changes in sea ice, light availability and the physicochemical properties of Arctic seawater, how this response modifies the food choices of Inuit and impacts their health and wellbeing. BriGHT will 1) assess the synergistic effects of light, warming, acidification and nutrient availability on the accumulation of contaminants and the production of harmful or health-enhancing molecules in microalgae, 2) model the transfer of these substances from algae to the upper food web, 3) quantify these substances in LMF and the blood of Inuit with respect to their food consumption profiles, the visual appearance of LMF, and indicators of food security, well-being and physical and mental health, and 4) implement novel genomic approaches to monitor spatial and temporal changes in the presence and abundance of LMF and invasive species. The work will integrate oceanographic sampling, optics, ecosystem modeling and a metagenomic study of Arctic Char foraging in Nunavik, building synergies with the Qanuilirpitaa health survey and the Nunavik Child Cohort Study. The results will allow to establish plausible climate-driven trajectories in LMF characteristics and their likely impact on Inuit health and wellbeing, assisting with the formulation of adaptation strategies aimed at promoting Inuit local food systems and security.
Asymmetrical power relationships and public influence within evaluation and authorization processes of mining projects in Northern Quebec: What place for free, prior and informed consent?
Fortin, Julie (1) (Presenter)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
By presenting two case studies of communities that have to deal with mining operation in the first stages (exploration and construction), this communication will focus on some impacts and issues of mining development that are less taken into consideration by the government authorities responsible for the evaluation and authorisation of such projects. These issues may notably relate to the emotional and cumulative impacts of projects on community members, as well as the impacts these may have on social cohesion. A particular focus will be placed on groups of people that may face greater marginalisation throughout the decision-making process of a project’s evaluation to assess their capacity to provide their free, prior and informed consent. This could notably concern women, youth, elders or other community members with livelihoods more directly reliant on the practice of traditional activities. The first case study is the Inuit village of Aupaluk, the Nunavik’s smallest village with a population of less than 200 inhabitants. Due to its large mineral concentration, especially iron, Aupaluk’s subsoil is coveted by two Canadian junior mining companies. The mining projects create expectations and fears among the community members, mostly because of their proximity to the village, the lack of information available and the limited interactions with the companies that are still in exploration phase. The other case study is the Cree community of Nemaska, where an open-pit lithium mining project is currently under construction. The project is located 30 kilometers from the community and its life span is estimated at 26 years. Some community members are worried about the project’s impacts on air and water quality, the increase of traffic on the route du Nord and the cumulative impacts linked to the Rupert River diversion for the construction of hydroelectric dams in 2007. The mining project has created many divisions among community members, as some are in favor of the project and some are against. And even though an Impact and Benefit Agreement has been signed, it is called into question by some community members, who complain about the lack of consultation from the community leadership.
Inuit Quajimajatuqangit: How involvement of the community of Ikaluktitiak (Cambridge Bay), Nunavut, was key in helping generate the architectural design of the Canadian High Arctic Research Station (CHARS)
Fournier, Alain (1) (Presenter)
(1) EVOQ Architecture (McGill U 1975), Montréal QC, Canada
The Canadian High Arctic Research Station (CHARS) built in Ikaluktutiak (Cambridge Bay), Nunavut, as part of Canada’s Northern Strategy, is nearing completion. The architects (FGMDA/NFOE) were commissioned to design a world-class Arctic research station, demonstrating state of the art design excellence that serves as a model for similar polar facilities around the world. Now Polar Knowledge Canada’s headquarters, covering 83,000m2, it is the largest facility in the Inuit Nunangat territory. The commission also stated that the CHARS would have to be integrated, in every way possible, to the host Inuit community of Ikaluktutiak . While CHARS will make an international statement on Canadian research in the Arctic, it must also be an architectural representation of Inuit culture to ensure full integration into the community of Ikaluktutiak. The design and fundamental personality of the CHARS tangibly and visibly constitute a major break away from the old scienti?c research station model in Arctic communities. The CHARS brings Traditional Science and Technology and Traditional Inuit knowledge to work together under one roof. The architecture (planning and design) of the Station re?ects and makes possible this new paradigm. The community’s participation to the design process set a leading-edge precedent of collaborative community design. The community was involved from the very outset of the actual project definition. Numerous consultations, meetings and discussions were held at many important junctures in the design process. These were held with various community groups (elders, youths, community leaders, etc.) This small group approach proved to be very effective, letting all voices to be heard, unencumbered by deference to age, status or public speaking abilities. The resulting building design can be said to have been the result of real co-design. The community asked the architects to integrate Inuit Quaujimajatuqangit (IQ) principles in the design of the station. Inuit Quaujimajatuqangit literally translates as ‘What should be known by Inuit. This holistic set of concepts was articulated by the Nunavummiut to assist them in creating their territory Nunavut and shaping all aspects of its development.
The role of community programs in food security: A case study of Ilisaqsivik Society in Clyde River, Nunavut
Fox Gearheard, Shari (1) (Presenter)
(1) University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder CO, USA
All across Canada, community organizations play a key role in delivering a wide range of food-related services and resources. Community food programs include nutrition education programs, meal and snack programs, food banks, community gardens/greenhouses/kitchens, and other food provision, awareness, and education programs. Community food programs exist in many Nunavut communities in a number of forms. This project looks at food-related programs designed and delivered by Ilisaqsivik Society in Clyde River, Nunavut. Established in 1997, Ilisaqsivik is a community-initiated, community-based Inuit organization and charity. Ilisaqsivik’s mission is to promote community wellness by providing space, resources, and programming that help families and individuals find healing and develop their strengths. Food-related services and programs have been an integral and growing part of Ilisaqsivik’s activities since its inception. This presentation explores the range and history of food programs at Ilisaqsivik and the successes and challenges they have faced. We will look at both direct and indirect impacts on local food security and the current and future roles of food programs in the community. The Ilisaqsivik case study provides insight into how Nunavut may consider supporting other organizations and community-designed/delivered food programs in other communities.
Short-Lived Climate Pollutants: From knowledge to action
Foy, Norah (1) (Presenter)
(1) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Gatineau QC, Canada
In July 2017, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) published a Strategy on Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCPs). Short-Lived Climate Pollutants are gases and particles that, despite having relatively brief atmospheric lifetimes (ranging from a few days to a decade), exert a strong warming influence on climate, and impact air quality. SLCPs include black carbon, methane, HFCs, and ozone. The Strategy outlines a holistic approach to addressing SLCPs through five pillars for action: enhancing domestic mitigation efforts; science and communications; engaging in international fora; improving coordination of ECCC and government-wide activities; and collaborating with provincial and territorial governments and other partners. Future actions outlined include developing regulations to limit emissions from stationary diesel engines, considering options to reduce black carbon emissions from wood burning appliances, further reducing methane emissions by moving to eliminate routine flaring, developing landfill gas recovery, organics diversion, and food waste reduction to complement existing provincial measures. These new and proposed measures build upon recent announcements by the Government of Canada including investments in clean energy that will help northern, remote and Indigenous communities to reduce reliance on diesel for electricity and heating; work to finalize regulations to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector; and steps to reduce consumption of hydrofluorocarbons. ECCC’s Strategy on Short-Lived Climate Pollutants can be found at http://ec.gc.ca/GES-GHG/default.asp?lang=En&n=FF677357-1. The Arctic Council was one of the first fora to recognize the importance of taking action to address SLCPs. Working Groups and Expert Groups within the Arctic Council focus on SLCPs from a scientific perspective, as well as from a mitigation and policy perspective. This multi-pronged, coordinated approach has been successful in translating science into action, as evidenced by the 2017 Arctic Council adoption of the collective goal to further reduce black carbon emissions by at least 25 to 33 percent below 2013 levels by 2025 – the first ever aspirational, collective goal on black carbon for Arctic States. The Arctic Council’s work on SLCPs is now influencing policy decisions within Arctic States, including Canada.
Monitoring Ivvavik National Park’s grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) occupancy using remote wildlife cameras
Frandsen, Jay (1) (Presenter)
(1) Parks Canada Agency, Western Arctic Field Unit, Inuvik NT, Canada
Grizzly bears are Ivvavik National Park’s (INP), dominant, large terrestrial predator. They are considered a keystone species, not only for their predation, but also for the ecosystem disturbance resulting from their nearly endless search for roots, forbs, grasses and berries. INP’s remote camera placement was designed specifically to monitor grizzly bear habitat use and their relative abundance, in a non-invasive manner. Currently, INP has 30 remote camera sites located within and adjacent to the Firth River corridor, transecting the park from its southern boundary all the way to its northern boundary at the Beaufort Sea. The pilot phase of the project was from 2014-2016. During this time we increased the camera array from 22 to 30 sites, improved camera site reliability, determined predictor variables, completed a power analysis and conducted a statistical analysis of grizzly bear occupancy. The power analysis determined that 30 camera sites are acceptable but 40 would be optimal for monitoring grizzly bear occupancy, when considering logistical and financial constraints caused by INP’s remote location. The statistical analysis determined that the average grizzly bear occupancy from 2014-2016 on active sites was 0.840 with a standard error of 0.128, while maintaining a statistical power of 0.834. More importantly annual changes in occupancy and detection probability can be monitored along with seasonal patterns of habitat use and site favourability. An initial observation of grizzly bear habitat use within INP, showed higher presence along the Yukon North Slope, this may be supported by our predictor variables once our data set improves with time. As a result of INP’s successful implementation of monitoring grizzly bear occupancy using remote cameras, we are optimistic that we will continue to improve this model as well as initiate monitoring of additional species that live within this arctic environment, possibly using the same camera array.
Recent Ice-Wedge Degradation and Melt Pond Formation on Banks Island, Canadian Arctic Archipelago
Fraser, Robert (1), S. Kokelj (2), T. Lantz (3) (Presenter), M. McFarlane-Winchester (1) and I. Olthof (1)
(1) Canada Centre for Mapping and Earth Observation, Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) Northwest Territories Geological Survey, Government of Northwest Territories, Yellowknife NWT, Canada
(3) School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
Wedge ice is the most widespread ground ice type in Arctic permafrost. Tundra polygons are the surface manifestation of underlying ice-wedge networks, which develop over millennia due to thermal contraction cracking of the ground and infilling by snowmelt. Wedge ice is typically encountered at the top of permafrost, so near-surface thawing can result in subsidence of the terrain surface, ponding, and the development of high centred polygons. Studies have documented that recent permafrost warming is associated with degradation of ice-wedges at local scales (10-100 km2) in several arctic environments leading to trough subsidence and ponding of water. In this analysis we use a combination of the 1985-2017 Landsat satellite image archive, high resolution optical satellite imagery, air photos, detailed digital elevation models, and field surveys to show that ice-wedge thermokarst has been extensive over Banks Island’s 70,000 km2 landmass during a period of recent warming. We show that newly formed ice-wedge melt ponds are larger (avg. > 100 m2) and more widespread than those previously characterized in most other Arctic regions. Polygonal terrain in the lower-Arctic, Tuktoyaktuk Coastlands several hundred kilometers to the southwest has shown more limited ice-wedge degradation over the same period under similar warming. The contrasting landscape responses highlight the inherent sensitivity of high Arctic permafrost environments. Increasing evidence suggests that ongoing temperatures increases are likely to most rapidly alter these landscapes.
Beating the heat: Behavioral thermoregulation by adult Atlantic salmon during up-river migration
Frechette, Danielle (1) (Presenter), S. Dugdale (2), J. Dodson (3) and N. Bergeron (1)
(1) INRS Centre Eau Terre Environnement, Québec QC, Canada
(2) University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
(3) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is a cold-water species with a narrow temperature tolerance range and a subarctic and temperate distribution. In Canada, Atlantic salmon are distributed as far north as Ungava Bay. Even in the more northern reaches of their distribution, Atlantic salmon can be exposed to summer temperatures that exceed their upper limit for temperature tolerance. Salmon survive high heat events by engaging in behavioral thermoregulation in cool water patches, termed ‘thermal refuges’. Despite considerable research on thermal refuge use by juvenile Atlantic salmon, relatively little information exists on use of refuges by adult salmon. This is surprising, since adults return to natal rivers during summer, many months before the onset of spawning, and require access to cool thermal refuges to avoid mortality and retain sufficient energy stores for spawning. We examined thermal refuge use by adult Atlantic salmon during summer 2016 in the Sainte-Marguerite River Nord-Est, (Quebec, Canada). We used airborne thermal infrared (TIR) imagery to identify refuges and deployed acoustic receivers inside and outside of refuges to assess use. We measured fish temperature using acoustic transmitters equipped with temperature sensors (N=20) and recorded river temperature with data loggers. Refuge use began at river temperatures as low as 17 C but was greatest when river temperature exceeded 20 C. During refuge use, fish temperature was as much as 5 C cooler than ambient river temperature. Interestingly, fish sought out warm water patches at lower river temperatures (14-16 C). The most heavily used refuges were large, stable, thermally stratified pools that were not identified by the TIR survey, because TIR only detects temperature anomalies in the upper few centimeters of the water column. Our findings highlight the importance of combining aerial and ground-based methods to identify thermal refuges that are suitable for use by salmon across their varied life stages. Protecting large, stable refuges may be crucial for persistence of Atlantic salmon within their North American range given current climate change scenarios that predict warmer, drier summers. Tolerance to high temperatures is linked to acclimation temperature, thus individuals in more northerly populations may initiate refuge use at lower temperatures than were observed during our study. Consequently, our findings could be used to identify habitat requirements and predict responses of northern populations of Atlantic salmon to increasing river temperatures resulting from climate change.
Vegetation productivity at Cape Bounty, Melville Island, NU: A high spatial resolution satellite NDVI time series analysis (2003-2016)
Freemantle, Valerie (1) (Presenter), P. Treitz (1), D. Atkinson (2) and F. Gregory (3)
(1) Queen's University, Kingston ON, Canada
(2) Ryerson University, Toronto ON, Canada
(3) Silvacom, Edmonton AB, Canada
The climate of the High Arctic is changing. Greening trends, indicative of increased vegetation productivity, have been observed in the Canadian Arctic using remote sensing data. However, the majority of remote sensing studies have examined coarse resolution data, leaving uncertainty over how the vegetation is changing at local scales (i.e., < 5 m spatial resolution). Understanding changes at fine spatial scales is necessary to determine how warming is affecting different vegetation types (i.e., polar semi-desert, mesic heath, and wet sedge). Important factors for vegetation growth like water availability differ between these community types, indicating that they might have different responses to climate change. In order to examine how a warming climate is affecting these vegetation types, a 14 year (2003-2016) high spatial resolution satellite data record (IKONOS-2, Worldview-2, Worldview-3) for Cape Bounty, Melville Island, NU (74°55’ N, 109°35’W) was examined. The normalized differential vegetation index (NDVI) was used to track changes in vegetation productivity. These satellite data were supported by field campaigns in 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2017. Field measurements included soil moisture, percent vegetation cover as well as data from a Canon digital near-infrared camera (Maxmax Inc., Carlstadt, NJ) to estimate NDVI (2017). Site weather records (2003-2017) were also examined. This research aims to determine if the vegetation communities of Cape Bounty have demonstrated significant greening trends over the study period. In addition, it aims to examine the link between trends in vegetation productivity and environmental variables (soil moisture, precipitation, temperature, growing degree days, growing season length and summer warmth index) for each vegetation type and the study area as whole. The productivity of vegetation is a factor in the carbon sequestration potential of the High Arctic. The results of this research will aid in understanding how changes in climate may impact the Arctic’s ability to contribute as a carbon sink.
Long-term effects of climate change on functional traits of High Arctic plant species
Frei, Esther R. (1,2) (Presenter) and G.H.R. Henry (1)
(1) University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC, Canada
(2) Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
The Arctic is warming more rapidly than any other region on Earth. Rapid climate change leads to changes in the structure and composition of tundra plant communities with unknown consequences for ecosystem functioning. Thus, understanding plant functional trait responses to elevated temperatures and altered snowmelt regimes is crucial because these traits act as key mechanisms explaining feedbacks between climate change and vegetation. We investigated how changes in snowmelt timing and warming affect common tundra plant species in a High Arctic evergreen shrub heath community at the International Tundra Experiment (ITEX) site at Alexandra Fiord on Ellesmere Island, Nunavut. A factorial experiment combining passive warming, snow removal, snow addition and control treatments was established in 1995. While open-top chambers (OTCs), that passively warmed vegetation by 1 – 2°C, remained on plots all year round, snow manipulations were applied each spring before snowmelt. Between 2009 and 2013 only the warming treatment was sustained. In summer 2014, we examined intraspecific trait responses of six common tundra species to two decades of experimental warming and altered snowmelt regimes. We assessed functional traits related to different aspects of plant performance: leaf size, specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC) and plant height. We found that all species sustained their increased growth in response to two decades of experimental warming, whereas warming did hardly affect SLA and LDMC. Snowmelt timing, however, had little effect on functional traits, which complements our earlier results showing that early season phenology was primarily controlled by snowmelt timing. Later phenological stages and plant growth, however, were mainly influenced by warming. Our findings demonstrate that functional traits of several High Arctic plant species are sensitive to long-term environmental change and highlight the importance of quantifying trait-environment relationships for a better understanding of climate change impacts on Arctic ecosystems.
Arctic microbial eukaryotes in Northern Baffin Bay
Freyria, Nastasia (1) (Presenter), N. Joli (1) and C. Lovejoy (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFPhytoplankton and single celled microzooplankton are the base of the food chain, ultimately supporting fish, marine mammals, and birds across the Arctic, many of which are economically or culturally important. Different microbial communities may be more advantageous for either pelagic or benthic harvestable species. Ice conditions across the Arctic influence the geographic distribution, intensity and timing of phytoplankton production; nonetheless, recent changes in ice conditions mean historical patterns are not reliable indicators of present day seasonal and spatial patterns. In particular, remote sensing and in situ data has shown that the highly productive Northern Baffin Bay, referred to as Pikialasorsuaq by the Inuit, has undergone marked changes in regional biomass and productivity patterns over the last 15 years. However, detailed examination of the phytoplankton and associated heterotrophs communities has not been undertaken, and the changes in the microbial food web associated with these changes is unknown. Microbial composition is key for understanding ecosystem responses in the face of global change. Here we examine two contrasting sides of Northern Baffin Bay using samples collected during ArcticNet missions aboard the CCGS Amundsen. Microbial species were identified using high throughput amplicon sequencing of the V4 region of 18S rRNA and the 18S rRNA gene. We found marked changes in the community of cells < 3 µm over time and space, potentially indicating resilience of microbial community composition to ongoing change. In our preliminary results, we found that Chaetoceros spp., which are characteristic of this region, were common in surface waters on both sides of Northern Baffin Bay. The persistence of these diatoms suggests ongoing surface production. Changes in heterotrophic community may be more responsive to environmental effects. Combined spatial and temporal studies exploiting DNA sequencing, together with improved bioinformatics tools and large scale sampling methods, enable researchers to improve their understanding of the variability of microbial communities, and may help us predict both the temporal and spatial patterns of diversity at multiple levels.
Increasing access to polar data through visualization, collaboration, and policy
Friddell, Julie (1) (Presenter), G. Alix (1), D. Church (1), Y. Dong (1), D. Friddell (1), N. Koylass (1), T. Koylass (1), F. Lauritzen (1), E. LeDrew (1), and K. Sudarshanakumar (1)
(1) Canadian Cryospheric Information Network/Polar Data Catalogue, University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON, Canada
For the last decade, the Polar Data Catalogue (PDC, https://www.polardata.ca) at the Canadian Cryospheric Information Network (CCIN) has been supporting Arctic and Antarctic research programs in Canada and polar data-producing organizations around the world to archive and serve their data and information products. At the current time, the PDC serves online over 2.8 million data files in more than 300 datasets and over 28,000 satellite images of Arctic Canada and Antarctica. PDC also hosts a metadata collection of 2550 records which describe datasets and projects and provide links to other data portals and people engaged in polar research. The overall goal of the CCIN/PDC is to facilitate increased understanding of ongoing polar environmental, societal, and other changes so that societal needs can be more effectively addressed. We aim to reach this goal by preserving and providing access to valuable data via our websites and interoperable sharing linkages with other polar data portals and by enhancing public awareness and reuse of data in growing repositories around the world. To extend the utility of data in our archive, the PDC and CCIN websites have a variety of interactive data visualizations that facilitate use and understanding of several collections of snow, ice, and marine data. Data visualizations are increasingly popular with data providers as they enable more efficient graphical investigation of the dataset. As many of our visualization tools were created several years ago, we are in the process of updating them, along with the entire CCIN website (https://www.ccin.ca), to improve the user experience and increase accessibility of targeted datasets. We are currently undertaking a project to expand the tools and datasets visualized in the new website. Another aspect of our work over the past year has been organizing and hosting the second Canadian Polar Data (CPD) Workshop in Ottawa in May 2017. Nearly seventy data managers, researchers, funding agency representatives, Inuit and other residents of northern Canada, and other individuals interested in polar data management in Canada attended this Workshop. The goal of the meeting was to expand on the first CPD Workshop in 2015 by sharing information, coordinating the activities of the polar data community in Canada, developing a governance structure for our community, and producing a position paper which represents the group in advocating for good data management within the country and in our international partnerships. The community hopes to continue this dialogue and hold a 2019 CPD Workshop in northern Canada. One example of increasing collaboration which we have supported is a new document, Data Management Principles and Guidelines for Polar Research and Monitoring in Canada, outlining expectations and requirements for researchers funded by several federal government organizations. The participating member organizations seek to unify data management tasks to simplify the work of funded researchers and ensure proper stewardship of the resulting data. Such collaboration increases availability of data and encourages a culture of ethical data sharing, both of which are vital for advancement of research and discovery for the benefit of society.
Are arctic seabirds able to adapt to environmental change?
Friesen, Vicki (1), K. Elliot (2), M.-J. Fortin (3), G. Robertson (4), G. Gilchrist (4), A.J. Gaston (4), T.P. Birt (1), J.R. Franckowiak (1), D. Leigh (1) (Presenter), Provencher (4), N. Clark (1), L. Colston-Nepali (1), R. Turner (1), S. Whelan (2), E. Lachance Linklater (1), S. Kalan (1) and S. McCaul (1)
(1) Queen's University, Kingston ON, Canada
(2) McGill Uiversity, Montreal QC, Canada
(3) University of Toronto, Toronto ON, Canada
(4) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
Artic Seabirds are apex predators with long generation times and slow reproductive rates. Due to their life history strategies, these species are highly sensitive to both acute and chronic stressors, and many species are already showing signs of stress due to the vast array of contemporary environmental changes arising from anthropogenic activities. These signs of stress include sometimes sudden and extreme declines in breeding success and population size. Within this consortium, we are combining genomic approaches with behavioural and ecological data to gain insight into the capacity for Arctic seabirds to respond through dispersal, phenotypic plasticity and genetic adaptation, to the changing environment. Seven seabird species spanning a wide range of population distributions and Red List categories are being examined. Ultimately, we will provide Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) with baseline data on populations of these species and their vulnerabilities to the changing environment. The proposed work will provide ECCC with data strategic to developing policies for a balanced, socially responsible approach to arctic development and stewardship that incorporates the long-term sensitivities of seabirds to natural and anthropogenic changes to the environment.
Introduction to the Arctic Council Initiative: Adaptation Actions for a Changing Arctic (AACA)
Fuglestad, Jon (1) (Presenter), L. Hinzman (2), M. Lemay (3), P. Outridge (4), M. Simon (5), A. Mosbech (6), A. Klepikov (7), C. Barrette (3), T. Bell (8), T. Brown (8), D. Boertmann (5), R. Becker Jacobsen (6), and L. Thorsteinson (9)
(1) Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP), Oslo, Norway
(2) University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks AK, United States
(3) ArcticNet, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(4) Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
(5) Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland
(6) University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark
(7) Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia
(8) Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s NL, Canada
(9) U.S. Geological Survey, Juneau AK, United States
The diverse and serious challenges that northern peoples presently face are the result of both climatic and non-climate stressors, from global, national and local sources. These multiple interwoven stressors are affecting the social and economic fabric of communities, as well as their environmental foundations. In 2011, the 8-nation Arctic Council directed AMAP to assess and develop syntheses of approaches and strategies which could help families, communities, governments and industries adapt to these rapid environmental and socio-economic changes. The resulting initiative, Adaptation Actions for a Changing Arctic (AACA), is the subject of the all-day Session that this talk introduces. Here, we will briefly overview the political actions underpining AACA, its regional structure, and aims. We also describe the current social, economic and environmental status of two AACA study areas that include the Canadian Arctic – the Baffin Bay-Davis Strait region including parts of Nunavut (Canada) and Greenland (Denmark), and the Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort region spanning parts of Chukotka (Russia), Alaska (USA) and the western Canadian Arctic.
The importance of scale in understanding and addressing Arctic food security
Furgal, Chris (1) (Presenter), K. McTavish (1,2), R. Martin (1) and IHACC Research Team (3)
(1) Trent University, Peterborough ON Canada
(2) Nunatsiavut Government, Department of Health and Social Development, Nain, Nunatsiavut, Canada
(3) Guelph University - Guelph, ON; McGill University - Montreal, QC; the My Word Digital Storytelling and Media Lab, Rigolet, Nunatsiavut Canada
Food insecurity is a persistent problem in Canada. From 2008 to 2012, the proportion of households that reported experiences of food insecurity increased from 11.3% to 12.7%. The 2007-2008 Inuit Health Survey drew particular attention to the seriousness of this issue in Inuit regions in Canada, where levels ranged from 44.2% in Nunatsiavut to 70.2% in Nunavut. Communities in these regions face unique challenges in addressing food insecurity and the factors influencing food access can vary significantly from one community to the next in the same region. It is critical that decision makers have access to the best available information to identify and develop strategies to address challenges to food access at the appropriate scale. However, the majority of data gathered in the Canadian North to date has been focused at the Territorial, regional or sub-regional level. Recognizing the variance that may exist among communities within the same region and the importance of having access to this data to support the development and implementation of appropriate solutions, this presentation draws upon three datasets to explore the importance of the community specific nature of food security in Inuit communities of the Canadian Arctic. In 2004 the Nunavik Inuit Health Survey (Qanuippitaa?) gathered data that facilitated the identification of food insecurity levels at the regional and sub-regional levels. The regional level of food insecurity was identified as 24% while further analysis of the dataset identified that community specific levels ranged between 9% and 52%. In response to the need for local data, the Nunatsiavut Government partnered with Trent, Guelph and McGill University to conduct a large household survey in the 5 Nunatsiavut communities between 2012 and 2014. The regional food insecurity level reported for the region was 61.1% (marginally, moderately or severely food insecure) and ranged between communities from 21.6% to 79.3%. In cooperation with the community of Baker Lake, NU we conducted the same survey in that community and found the food insecurity level to be 83.4% (marginally, moderately, severely food insecure), significantly different than the Territorial level reported by the Inuit Health Survey in 2007-08 of 70.2% (moderately and severely food insecure). When food support mechanisms are developed and implemented, they need to be based on the best information available about the status and factors influencing food security in the environment in which they are being applied. Most often this is at the community scale. Results of this series of surveys and a discussion of their implications for the development of food support strategies illustrate the importance of community level data in creating a more accurate understanding of food security in the Canadian Arctic. This understanding of scale is critical to recognize when planning and resourcing response strategies to address this critical public health issue.
A systematic review of food insecurity measurements among Indigenous populations in Arctic Canada
Furgal, Chris (1) (Presenter), L. Teh (2), M. Lucas (3), G. Muckle (3) and C. Pirkle (2)
(1) Trent University, Peterborough ON Canada
(2) University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Honolulu HI, USA
(3) Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec, Quebec QC, Canada
OBJECTIVES: Food insecurity is a pressing issue for Indigenous Peoples residing in Northern Canada, especially Inuit. The measurement tools used to estimate food insecurity prevalence for Indigenous communities have been criticized, because they were developed in non-Indigenous contexts and fail to take into account Indigenous food practices. There is a need to critically review how these prevalence estimates are obtained, concentrating specifically on threats to validity. Our objective was to review published research using Indigenous samples from Northern Canada, documenting the various measurement instruments employed and the extent to which the reliability and validity of said instruments have been investigated in these populations. METHODS: Systematic review of peer reviewed and grey literature published between 1994 and 2016 that reports food (in)security prevalence estimates. Samples had to contain at least 51% Indigenous participants living above the 55.45th parallel in Canada. RESULTS: Published food insecurity prevalence varied geographically with the highest estimates reported in Nunavik and Nunavut (>50%). Most studies measured food insecurity with an instrument developed and validated in the United States (USDA HFSSM) or a locally developed questionnaire with no psychometric assessment. In general, instrument psychometric properties were poorly examined. Reliability was almost entirely unexamined by the studies/report reviewed, although it is a precondition for validity. CONCLUSION: More rigorous application of sound measurement techniques to study of food insecurity in Northern Canada is urgently needed, as effective policy responses require accurate and reliable estimates.
When you wish upon a (sea) star: Investigating hydrocarbon baselines and bioaccumulation in Baffin Bay
Gaden, Ashley (1) (Presenter), A. Burt (1), J. Ritchie (1), A. Loria (1), W. Armah (1), Z.A. Kuzyk (1) and G.A. Stern (1)
(1) Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Baffin Bay is increasingly at risk of petroleum hydrocarbon exposure, as shipping is an important economic activity in the region. The North West Passage has experienced high traffic densities over the last two decades and is expected to be among the fastest available transit ways for open-water ships under projected future reduced ice conditions. We set out to establish baseline concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons and to describe the distributions of naturally-occurring (biogenic, pyrogenic) hydrocarbons. To this end, we quantified a large number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, “PAHs”, which derive from various sources, in surface sediment and various benthic invertebrate (sea star) species across Baffin Bay (2013-2015). To assess the bioaccumulation potential between sediment and sea stars, we applied a biota-sediment accumulation factor (BSAF). Sediment and invertebrate concentrations of total PAHs (n=26) fell within a similar range spanning nearly two orders of magnitude (5.9 to 260 ng/g dry weight (dw)). As expected, sediment and invertebrate PAH signatures differed significantly between the oil-seep bearing West Greenland Shelf, the river-influenced Northwest Passage and the productive Northwater Polynya. BSAFs also varied regionally. Most BSAFs indicated no net sediment-invertebrate accumulation of PAHs. BSAFs were higher for the lower molecular-weight PAHs (naphthalene to pyrene), perhaps reflecting (aqueous) mode of uptake. The one infaunal, sediment-ingesting species (Ctenodiscus crispatus) included in the study had significantly higher concentrations of perylene, indicative of uptake from sediment, and lower parent:total PAH proportions compared to the other species investigated.
IRIS 3: Contaminants in Hudson Bay
Gaden, Ashley (1) (Presenter), J. Chételat (2), J. Heath (3), Z.A. Kuzyk (1), G.A. Stern (1) and F. Wang (1)
(1) Centre for Earth Observation Science (CEOS), University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa ON, Canada
(3) The Arctic Eider Society, St. John’s NL, Canada
Country foods are a central part of the well-being of Indigenous communities. However, some animal tissues can attain concentrations of persistent and toxic contaminants that can potentially pose health risks to country food consumers. Environmental monitoring programs serve the dual purpose of providing information to evaluate the safety of country food consumption as well as the effectiveness of global pollution emissions regulations. In Hudson Bay, many persistent organic pollutants (e.g. PCBs, DDTs) have significantly declined in thick-billed murre eggs, ringed seals and polar bear subpopulations. Mercury trends in recent decades appear more variable among species, with decreasing concentrations in ringed seals and some beluga populations, increases in thick-billed murre eggs and some Arctic char, and stable concentrations among polar bears. There are limited data available for other substances such as microplastics and petroleum hydrocarbons in the Hudson Bay environment. Based on our review of current contaminants science in Hudson Bay, we strongly recommend the continuation of environmental monitoring programs to address chemicals from local and long-range sources in multiple environmental and ecological matrices. Further information is needed on contaminant processes and fate in the Arctic to strengthen models and projections on future change. There is also limited, albeit growing, knowledge of the toxicological effects to Canadian Arctic animals exposed to contaminants. We encourage the engagement of Indigenous partners in all research activities and knowledge mobilization events/processes, such as science conferences and political conventions, pertaining to contaminants and climate change. Our presentation will highlight some of the contaminants research initiatives in Hudson Bay, including GENICE and a community-driven project with the Arctic Eider Society and Environment and Climate Change Canada, and also summarize anticipated climate change impacts for the region.
Linking climate, caribou and indigenous knowledge about meeting needs in Northwestern Canada
Gagnon, Catherine A. (1) (Presenter), S. Hamel (2), D.E. Russell (3), D. Cooley (4), M.Y. Svoboda (5), T. Powell (4) and D. Berteaux (1)
(1) Université du Québec à Rimouski and Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Rimouski QC, Canada
(2) University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway.
(3) Yukon College, Whitehorse YT, Canada
(4) Yukon Government, Whitehorse YT, Canada
(5) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Whitehorse YT, Canada
Several indigenous communities from Northwestern Canada have strong cultural and subsistence ties with caribou. Like other arctic social-ecological systems, these human-caribou systems are experiencing social and biophysical changes that are challenging their adaptive capacity. To manage the sustainability of these systems, it is essential to understand the mechanisms linking climate, caribou and the capacity indigenous hunters to meet their needs in caribou. This task requires interdisciplinary research that bridges knowledge from different sources, including scientific data as well as the knowledge and perspectives of local people. Here, we worked in collaboration with the Arctic Borderlands Ecological Knowledge Coop (ABEKC). Since the late 1990’s, ABEKC has encouraged the use of both science and local knowledge for ecological monitoring and ecosystems management. Using path analysis, we linked a decade of climate data, satellite caribou locations and observations from indigenous hunters collected through the community-based monitoring program of ABEKC. Our results show that temperature and snow conditions have an effect on caribou distribution and availability for hunters from the Yukon and Northwest Territories, both in the spring and the fall hunting seasons. These, ultimately, affect the capacity for hunters and the communities who rely on them, to meet their needs in caribou. Our results thus identify some of the mechanisms linking climate and human well-being in the studied human-caribou systems. Our study also emphasizes the benefits of engaging in long-term participatory projects, and how these open paths to new methods for linking science and indigenous knowledge. By allowing community members, scientists and managers to meet regularly and plan the monitoring agenda, ABEKC has provided a unique example of knowledge co-production in Northwestern Canada. Yet, challenges remain regarding the application of ABEKC’s monitoring results within management decisions.
Global heterozygosity positively impact body mass in migratory caribou
Gagnon, Marianne (1,2,3) (Presenter), G. Yannic (2) and S.D. Côté (1,2,3)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Caribou Ungava, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Centre d’études nordiques (CEN), Québec QC, Canada
(4) Université Savoie Mont Blanc, le Bourget-du-Lac, France
Fast decline of populations can lead to reduced genetic diversity at the population level and to inbreeding, which reduces genetic diversity at the individual level. Inbreeding can result in the expression of deleterious recessive alleles that reduce individual fitness. This reduction in fitness can in turn contribute to the decline of the population, leading to an extinction vortex. Thus, management and conservation of populations should include the monitoring and maintaining of genetic diversity, especially for declining populations. Studying the correlation between genetic diversity and fitness can help understand the consequences of inbreeding on individual performance. In northern Quebec and Labrador, two migratory caribou (Rangifer tarandus) herds – Rivière-aux-Feuilles (RAF) and Rivière-George (RG) – experienced a marked decline in the last few decades. Little attention has been paid to the genetic factors that could have contributed to the decline. Here, we assessed the relationship between individual genome-wide genetic diversity and body mass and survival in migratory caribou. We predicted that individuals with higher mean heterozygosity should have higher body mass and survival because heterozygosity is usually negatively associated with inbreeding. We captured 400 caribou from RAF and RG herds between 1996 and 2016. At capture, individuals were sampled for DNA, weighted (364 of them) and equipped with a satellite collar (229 of them), allowing the estimation of annual survival. We extracted genomic DNA and used a double-digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing protocol to genotype individuals at more than 22,000 SNPs from which we estimated individual global heterozygosity. With a model selection approach, we tested the effects of global heterozygosity on body mass and annual survival, in interaction or not with sex, age, age2 and herd. Heterozygosity did not affect survival, but it had a positive effect on body mass in individuals > 7 years-old. However, no effect of heterozygosity on the body mass of calves, yearlings and adults in general were detected. This suggests that the effects of inbreeding (reduced heterozygosity) could impact individual performance late in life, possibly because of higher susceptibly of genetic diseases. Overall, our results suggest that there is probably little to no inbreeding depression in both populations. As we detected an effect of heterozygosity on individual performance, it could in turn impact population dynamics. While we detected no effect of heterozygosity on survival, a positive association between heterozygosity and body mass suggests that if inbreeding depression was to increase in our populations, survival could be negatively affected.
Dwarf birch growth in the low Arctic increases the soil carbon stocks
Gagnon, Mikael (1,2,3) (Presenter), F. Domine (1,2,3), D. F. Nadeau (4) and F. Anctil (4)
(1) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Takuvik Joint International Laboratory, Université Laval (Canada) and CNRS-INSU (France), Québec QC, Canada
(3) Department of Chemistry, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(4) Department of Civil and Water Engineering, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Global warming has brought about various changes in Arctic and Subarctic ecosystems. On the one hand, permafrost thawing promotes soil microbial activity and organic carbon mineralization, resulting in a positive feedback to global warming. One the other hand, permafrost thawing has induced widespread greening and the emergence of shrubs in circumpolar regions. This phenomenon can be observed in Umiujaq, Nunavik, where the dwarf birch Betula glandulosa is expanding and is becoming dominant in regions where lichen Cladonia stellaris was once prevailing. Having a greater biomass than lichen, the dwarf birch, along with its litter production, represents a more important carbon sink. This carbon sink could offset the carbon source caused by microbial respiration in Nunavik’s soil. The equilibrium between these two mechanisms will determine whether the emergence of the dwarf birch represents a positive or negative feedback relative to global warming. This study aims to 1) quantify Betula glandulosa’s impact on the carbon budget of soils near Umiujaq, an ideal study site containing very little ancient carbon in its soil, and 2) obtain insight on the lability of the dwarf birch’s organic matter, which accumulates in the soil.
Climate change and ecological interactions affecting permafrost temperature regime and ice-wedge activity in the Narsajuaq river valley, Nunavik, Canada
Gagnon, Samuel (1,2) (Presenter) and M. Allard (1,2)
1) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Québec QC, Canada
2) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Despite the growing attention the northern regions are now receiving, field studies spanning multiple decades are scarce and consequence assessments of permafrost thawing over many years remain speculative, based on numerical models or limited to observations of short duration. This project aims to determine how climate change may have affected active layer depth and dynamics, and reduced winter ice-wedge cracking frequency, which was very high at the beginning of the 1990s. To make direct measurements, we revisited a dozen sites in the Narsajuaq river valley near Salluit (Nunavik, Canada) that were extensively studied between 1989 and 1991. Climate warming only started around 1993 whence mean annual air temperatures started to rise from -10 °C then to about -7 °C nowadays. We thus have the unique opportunity to observe and measure changes by directly comparing actual data with data pre-dating a climate warming of known amplitude. The top of ice wedges in 1991 had upgrowth features (shoulders) indicating thinning of the active layer during the cooling period 1948-1992. During the summer of 2016, we installed a series of high-precision extensometers capable of measuring the timing of frost cracking and width variations of the open cracks over ice wedges during the winter. We also installed a weather station to measure active layer and permafrost temperatures, weather variations and snow cover thickness. In addition, we dug over 100 soil pits and observed the depths and top features of near 60 ice wedges across various soil types to record how they physically changed due to climate warming. We also aim to document the interaction between permafrost temperature regime, change in vegetation cover, active layer deepening and ice wedge degradation during the past 25 years. To do so, we mapped changes in surface vegetation, the nature and depth of the topsoil horizons, and active layer depths compared to 1989-1991. The ground temperature measurements will help validate a heat conduction model of the transient temperature regime of the active layer and the near surface permafrost over the period of climate variation. Results from the 2016 and 2017 field campaigns show that the active layer thickness has increased on average by 41% since 1991. But in most instances upgrowth forms had disappeared and the ice-wedge tops were in decay. Whereas 94% of the ice wedges excavated in 1991 by Kasper and Allard (2001) showed recent growth structures, only ~5% of the wedges unearthed in 2017 still showed similar stages. We observed recently formed ice veins through the active layer in several pits, indicating some continuing frost cracking and ice-wedge activity. This suggests that ice wedges can still be cracking and growing in width under a cold enough climate, but decreasing in height due to active layer deepening. The melting of ice wedge tops also left underground tunnels in sites with thick organic surface deposits. These tunnels appeared to be the precursors of erosion gullies through the collapsing of the ground when the active layer reaches into mineral deposits beneath the organic soils.
How do Inuit fishers experience and respond to climate change? Empirical evidence from the Pangnirtung community in Nunavut, Canada
Galappaththi, K. Eranga (1) (Presenter) and J. D. Ford (1,2)
(1) McGill University, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
Coastal fishery systems in the Arctic are undergoing rapid change. This paper examines the ways in which Inuit fishers in the Arctic experience and respond to change, focusing in particular on climate change. We studied the Pangnirtung Inuit fisher community located in Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada. Data was collected using participant observations, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. The social-ecological systems (SES) approach was used to capture the interconnected nature of climate change impacts. The climate change impacts experienced most by Inuit fishers are: changes in sea ice conditions, the implications of recently emerged species, including Capelin (Mallotus villosus), warm weather conditions and melting glaciers around mountains, and changes in Inuit cultural values. Inuit fishers respond to change individually as well as collectively. First, fishers share their catch with relatives and elders, especially those who are unable to fish and hunt. This strengthens community cohesion and food security. Second, the use of technology such as Global Positioning Systems (GPSs), Very High Frequency (VHF) radios, and advanced rifles for fishing/hunting minimise vulnerabilities related to climate change. Third, place-based attitudes and cultural identity help the Inuit live with change. Fourth, Inuit-owned fishery institutions such as Pang fisheries, Baffin Fisheries create employment and commercial fishing opportunities for local fishers. Finally, the Inuit use various kinds of knowledge to face climate change. This includes local knowledge about fishing, traditional knowledge from elders, and the co-produced knowledge of fishers.
WMD on the seabed: National security decisions and their environmental impacts
Galazin, Melissa (1) (Presenter)
(1) Missouri State University, Department of Strategic Studies, Springfield MO, United States
Poster: Link to the PDFNational security decisions of the past leave environmental and human health impacts that challenge the international community. Weapons of mass destruction (WMD) have significant and catastrophic impacts on the environment and human health. WMD has multiple definitions, but for the purpose of this paper, they will be categorized as nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) weapons. Now, more than ever, the Arctic region is a contested area of strategic importance for several nations, impacting their vital interests of economic prosperity and security. Countries are looking to exploit the mineral and petroleum resources of the area and take advantage of new transit routes to increase global trade. The expansion of the global commons into the Arctic creates security challenges for countries in this region. Peer and near-peer competitors seek to establish the greatest military and diplomatic presence in the area. Improper WMD weapons disposal, ballistic missile and nuclear testing, and the poor decommissioning of military bases (both terrestrial and marine) are only a few examples of environmental vulnerabilities now surfacing with declines in sea ice cover and rapid Arctic warming. For example, Greenland has called for the remediation of United States Cold War military installations that are now showing the impacts of climate change. Melting ice threatens to expose radioactive waste and other toxic chemicals from a nuclear power plant. Several international treaties address types of weapons and restrictions on where weapons may be not used, but fail to address the long-term environmental impacts. Some examples of these international treaties include the 1972 Seabed Treaty, 1967 Outer Space Treaty, 1972 Biological Weapons Convention and the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention. The opportunity to engage globally with both scientists and policy makers in government, academia, industry, and partners provides opportunity to counter these environmental threats. Additional domestic and international regulations and partnerships across government, industry, academia, and other organizations need to evolve to counter WMD threats to this region.
Measuring seasonal fluctuations in the body condition of polar bears
Galicia, Melissa P. (1) (Presenter), G.W. Thiemann (2) and M.G. Dyck (3)
(1) Department of Biology, York University, Toronto ON, Canada
(2) Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University, Toronto ON, Canada
(3) Wildlife Research Section, Department of Environment, Government of Nunavut, P.O. Box 209, Igloolik NT, Canada
Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) rely on stored energy to survive periods of low prey availability. Their ability to accumulate and store energy can be influenced by foraging opportunities and habitat conditions. Adipose tissue acts as the primary site for energy storage in polar bears and an individual’s adipose tissue lipid content provides an index of overall fatness. Lipid content has been used as a measure of body condition in western Hudson Bay and southern Beaufort Sea; however, a lack of data exists on body condition across the species’ range, especially during winter and summer when capture efforts are limited. Our aim was to track seasonal changes in body condition of polar bears across Nunavut, Canada. We analyzed tissue samples from 1100 polar bears harvested in 2010-2016 in five subpopulations: Baffin Bay and Foxe Basin (year-round), Davis Strait (August – June), Gulf of Boothia (September – May) and Lancaster Sound (August – May). All regions showed similar seasonal patterns in lipid content with bears reaching their lowest body condition in March/April for Baffin Bay, Davis Strait, and Foxe Basin and April/May for Gulf of Boothia and Lancaster Sound. Bears experienced a decreasing trend in lipid content beginning in late winter (February) through spring (May), followed by an increase from spring (April/May) to late summer/early fall (August/September). There was no trend in lipid content from fall through winter suggesting that mid-winter feeding may be crucial for the maintenance of body condition. Seasonal trends in body condition likely reflect changes in sea ice conditions and prey availability, indicating the importance of the spring/summer feeding period for bears to accumulate fat reserves for the rest of the year. Ongoing and projected declines in sea ice conditions may result in reduced access to prey and longer onshore fasting periods. Harvest-based monitoring of body condition may facilitate the detection and prediction of polar bear responses to climatic change across their Canadian range.
Differences in production regimes of simulated under-ice blooms during Arctic spring
Galindo, Virginie (1) (Presenter), M. Gosselin (2), J. Ferland (3), C.J. Mundy (1), D. Vaulot (4), P. Raimbaud (5), K. Campbell (1), A. Delaforge (1), M. Babin (3) and S. Rysgaard (1,6,7)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(3) Takuvik Joint International Laboratory, Laval University (Canada) - CNRS (France), Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(4) CNRS and UPMC, Paris 06, UMR7144, Station Biologique, Roscoff, France
(5) Laboratoire d'Océanographie et de Biogéochimie, Centre d'Océanologie de Marseille, Campus de Luminy, Marseille, France
(6) Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
(7) Greenland Climate Research Centre, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland
Under-ice algal blooms (UIBs) are either more widespread with the transition from multi-year to first year ice coverage in the Arctic and, or better monitored as observations of their occurrence has increased greatly in the recent decade. UIBs play an important role in setting up the budget of primary production for the arctic marine ecosystem. However, the relatively unknown productivity of these blooms and their sporadic documentation make it difficult to link their occurrence with ambient nutrient conditions. We investigated the impact of nutrient growth conditions (control and addition of nitrate (N), silicate (Si), and nitrate/silicate/phosphorus (All)) on the biological properties (composition, photoprotection, bacterial and primary production) of simulated UIBs. During the ice camp campaign of the Green Edge project 2016, near Qikiqtarjuak (Baffin Island, Canada), we simulated UIBs from two types of microalgal community. One UIB was initiated with seawater collected at 5 m under first-year ice (5W), whereas the other one was initiated with seawater from the ice-water interface (IA) in which ice algae were added. Both initiated UIBs were grown in incubators mimicking under-ice light conditions from May 31 to June 16. Our experiments resulted in the development of 3 UIB communities dominated by different species: (1) Navicula sp. in two treatments (5W+N and 5W+Si), (2) Phaeocystis pouchetii in two treatments (5W-control and 5W+All) and (3) Cylindrotheca closterium (IA exp.). The dominance of P. pouchetii in 5W-control and 5W+All was associated with the relative concentration of nitrate to silicate. In addition, primary and bacterial production in 5W+All suggest a potential competition between algae and bacteria for nutrients. These results highlight that nutrient conditions, which are expected to decline with climate change, may dictate the dominant species and overall productivity of UIBs.
Airglow observations with the PEARL All Sky Imager
Gamblin, Dustin (1) (Presenter), C. Vail, S. Kristoffersen and W. Ward
(1) University of New Brunswick, Fredericton NB, Canada
The airglow is a natural emission in the terrestrial upper atmosphere due primarily to chemiluminescence associated with recombination of atomic oxygen. It occurs primarily close to the mesopause (a height of ~90 km) although there is one emission that occurs around 240 km altitude. The brightness of the emission is modulated by temperature and vertical motion (as well as variations in the atomic oxygen mixing ratio) so variations in its brightness provide information on the transport of atomic oxygen as well as the passage of waves through the layer. An all sky imager has been located at Eureka, Nunavut for close to the past decade and provided airglow images during Polar winter night during that time. It is one of the instruments at the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory (PEARL). In this paper, an overview of the phenomena observed and details of their scientific relevance are presented. The imager provides information on gravity wave parameters and the seasonal/interannual variation of these waves and the airglow brightness. There are also opportunities to combine the imager observations with other instruments at this site and at Resolute Bay to investigate the dynamics of this region in detail.
Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the Mackenzie River Delta: Downstream changes in quantity and quality throughout the ice-free season
Gareis, Jolie A.L. (1) (Presenter) and L.F.W. Lesack (1)
(1) Simon Fraser University, Burnaby BC, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFArctic floodplains, which are located at the interface between large north-flowing circumpolar rivers and the Arctic Ocean, have been identified as important but poorly understood sites of carbon cycling. Recent work that used aerial imagery to map changes and quantify erosion in Arctic floodplains found that three to seven times more carbon is cycled through these ecosystems than is ultimately discharged to the Arctic Ocean. This indicates a potential for extensive processing and transformation of carbon-containing compounds during periods of floodplain storage. To date, however, most studies investigating discharge from large circumpolar rivers have treated the river as a pipe funnelling water and carbon from continents to the oceans, largely unaltered during transport, with sampling sites located upstream from any large, lake-rich floodplains. The Mackenzie River Delta in the northwestern Canadian Arctic is the second largest Arctic floodplain, contains more than 45,000 shallow lakes, and is remarkably biodiverse and productive relative to the surrounding tundra landscape. From 2007 to 2010, we sampled multiple delta sites throughout the ice-free season, starting during the high discharge period of the freshet (May) and continuing through to summer base flows (August/September). Samples were taken from both the Mackenzie and Peel Rivers upstream of the delta, as well as at downstream sites in the delta, to assess downstream changes in the quantity and quality (bioavailability) of carbon-containing compounds (dissolved organic matter, or DOM). Additionally, to assess potential changes that occur during floodplain storage, a set of seasonally- and differentially-flooded lakes in the east-central delta were sampled in three out of the four study years. We designed our study to assess the following hypotheses; (1) DOM quantity and quality would differ between the two inflow rivers (Mackenzie and Peel) due to differing topography and permafrost extent in their basins, (2) DOM quantity and quality in the Mackenzie River would be greatest during the freshet, (3) DOM would be extensively processed during storage in floodplain lakes, and (4) DOM quality would shift over the ice-free season, to less bioavailable forms in inflow rivers but more bioavailable forms in floodplain lakes. Several absorbance- and fluorescence-based analyses were used to assess the above hypotheses; these will be presented in the poster, although results are not currently finalized. Our results will help to establish baseline carbon data for the Mackenzie River and Beaufort Sea basin of the Arctic Ocean, against which future changes resulting from anticipated warmer, wetter conditions can be assessed.
History, goals, and facilitated research of the Arctic Risk Management Network
Garland, Anne (1) (Presenter)
(1) Applied Research in Environmental Sciences Nonprofit, Inc., Lisle IL, United States
The presentation will review the history, goals, and facilitation updates about The Arctic Risk Management Network (ARMNet) which is conceived as a trans-disciplinary hub to encourage and facilitate greater cooperation, communication and exchange among American, Russian, and Canadian academics and practitioners actively engaged in the research, management and mitigation of risks, emergencies and disasters in Arctic localities and regions. The aim is to assist local and regional decision-makers through the sharing of applied research, best practices, research gaps, and to support greater inter-operability and bilateral collaboration through improved networking, joint exercises, workshops, teleconferences, radio programs, and virtual communications (e.g., webinars). In this session, several facilitation teams which are achieving Arctic research to EMO/SAR practice are reviewed. The goal of expanding ARMNet among early career researchers is presented with their network, called ADECA,(Arctic Disaster Early Career Association, www.adeca.net). Most importantly, ARMNet is to facilitate a relational “clearinghouse”, in collaboration with the ecosystem map of the IASC Arctic Data Committee, for all information about the management of the frequent hazards of Arctic climate and geography, including new and emerging challenges arising from rapid environmental changes, increased maritime polar traffic and expanding economic development to build capacity for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in collaboration with the UNISDR and the Sendai Framework 2015.
HISTORICAL ECOLOGY FOR RISK MANAGEMENT: Coastal Observers of Barrow Community Based Monitoring
Garland, Anne (1) (Presenter)
(1) Applied Research in Environmental Sciences Nonprofit, Inc., Lisle IL, United States
Applied Research in Environmental Sciences Nonprofit, Inc., ARIES, the North Slope Borough Risk Management, UIC Cultural Resource Management, and the Tuzzy Consortium Library are collaborating to plan, develop and implement a historical ecology model for the North Slope Coastal Region of Alaska. Historical ecology is an applied research program that focuses on interactions of people and their environments. Research applications involve studying and understanding this relationship in both time and space to gain a full picture of all of its accumulated effects. The research program can be applied to understanding changes among community landscapes that can assist strategies for the future. The program emphases align with the ARIES mission of research, education and community engagement, the Inupiaq Learning Framework of the North Slope School District (http://www.nsbsd.org/domain/44), and the eco-heritage indicator of the RECOOP model (http://ariesnonprofit.wixsite.com/recoop) to improve capability, services, and resources across emergency management jurisdictions. The emphases are 1) a bibliographic database of relevant historical resources, 2) an examination of the shoreline to provide a long time-series baseline, 3) simulation models to demonstrate socio-natural cycles of change for the North Slope shoreline, 4) the historical ecology study of the shoreline, interactive mapping and database available as a web based resource to assist academia, industry, regional government and local communities for socio-natural risk management (e.g., partnered with Barrow Area Information Database, www.barrowmappped.org), 5) an integrated team of researchers, corporations, community planners, and Risk Management of the North Slope Borough to extract data and provide simulation models that apply to current studies and hazards of the region, especially mitigation tools for community decisions, and 6) provide a variety of eco-heritage opportunities that include community participation in research, educational products, age level appropriate activities and outreaches for community service learning, such as The Coastal Observers of Barrow Community Based Monitoring (2014 to present, FB @COBCBM) that includes citizens and youth to provide beach erosion and storm surge metrics to researchers which assists risk mitigation decisions for local, state, and federal programs. Using the methods of the Alaska Corps of Coastal Observers (AkCCO), they are the local early warning system for threats to critical infrastructure in Utqiagvik, AK. (http://leoimages.blob.core.windows.net/hubfiles/ALASKA/23_May21-2013b_HowardFerren-AKSC.pdf)
Connecting Arctic communities: Live Streaming as a tool to connect, share and educate
Gauthier, Maeva (1,2) (Presenter), M. Irvine (2), and P. Daigle (2,3)
(1) University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
(2) Fish Eye Project, Victoria BC, Canada
(3) Collège Lionel-Groulx, Sainte-Thérèse QC, Canada
Real-time interactions are becoming more present in the realm of digital tools to engage audiences. It has the potential to improve communication between scientists and communities, in-between communities, share knowledge and stories on a given topic, and give a voice to communities to a large audience that wouldn’t have the same opportunity otherwise. In this case study presentation, we will share our recent experience hosting an interactive Arctic Live Dive that reached over 192,000 Canadians on Facebook Live from Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. This event was part of Canada's 150th coast to coast to coast to share about Arctic marine biodiversity, the experience of diving, and the community connection to the ocean. Research has shown that online web streaming can facilitate direct discussions between scientists and the public. In this case, questions were transmitted directly to the host and answered online by research labs and partner organizations through the Facebook chat. We will share the process, engagement and impact measured. To build on this project, our next step is to use live participatory video in up to three villages, to build local capacity and skills to use live video as a tool to share knowledge and stories on topics of interest to the communities (development, climate change, subsistence stories, history, culture, etc). Live broadcasting gives the opportunity to explore and discover the richness of a place, motivating the audience to engage in these topics, connect with the organizations involved, and feel connected to a place.
Northward range expansion of boreal species into the Arctic: Further evidences from the polar night
Geoffroy, Maxime (1,2) (Presenter), J. Berge (2,3), S. Falk-Petersen (4,2), G. Johnsen (5,3), N. Santana Hernández (2), M. Cusa (2), M. Daase (2), B. Bluhm (2), M. Graeve (6) and F. Cottier (7,2)
(1) Centre for Fisheries Ecosystems Research, Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s NL, Canada
(2) Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
(3) University Centre on Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Norway
(4) Akvaplan-niva. Fram Centre for Climate and the Environment, Tromsø, Norway
(5) Centre of Autonomous Marine Operations and Systems (AMOS), Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Technology and Science (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
(6) Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
(7) Scottish Association for Marine Science, Scottish Marine Institute, Oban, United Kingdom
A shift in the northern range of boreal fish species has been identified as one of the most apparent consequences of climate change, and the rate of change is expected to be faster for pelagic species than for any other group. In January 2016 and 2017, we conducted acoustic-trawl surveys in the European Arctic to document the assemblage and distribution of pelagic organisms at a poorly documented moment of the year, the polar night. A mesopelagic Sound Scattering Layer (SSL) consistently occupied the top 500 m, from the northern tip of Svalbard at 79°N to the ice margin at 82°N. Age-0 beaked redfish (Sebastes mentella) dominated the biomass assemblage of the SSL in 2016 (68%) and 2017 (58%), and the mean biomass or redfish reached 1,426 kg nmi-2 in 2016 and 2,708 kg nmi-2 in 2017. In addition, we report first occurrences of the helmet jellyfish (Periphylla periphylla) in high Arctic fjords, a species known to decimate fish stocks in southern Norway. These observations confirm the ongoing trend of a borealization of the European Arctic, and future studies will focus on placing them in a broader, circumpolar context.
The post-glacial opening of Nares Strait, NW Greenland, and its implication on productivity in Northernmost Baffin Bay: Preliminary results from marine sediment cores
Georgiadis, Eleanor (1,2) (Presenter), J. Giraudeau (1), G. Massé (2), P. Martinez (1), I. Billy (1), P. Lebleu (1), S. Zaragosi (1), C. Racine (1) and C. Guilmette (2)
(1) Université de Bordeaux, France
(2) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Along with the other passages of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA), Nares strait supplies nutrient-rich Pacific water to Northern Baffin Bay. Nares Strait further supports productivity in the area by maintaining the presence of the North Water Polynya through the establishment of ice arches between Greenland and Ellesmere Island. The entire CAA was however covered with grounded ice during the last glacial maximum (ca. 18 ka BP) and the former confluence of the Greenland and Ellesmere Ice Sheets was situated along Nares Strait. Two marine cores were collected in Kane Basin, central Nares Strait, and in Trinity Fjord, Northernmost Baffin Bay, with the aim of establishing a connection between the oceanography and sea ice conditions in Nares Strait, and the evolution of primary productivity during the Holocene (past ca. 10 ka BP) in link with the development of the North Water Polynya. Sedimentological, geochemical and micropaleontological records obtained on both cores suggest that the retreat of glacier ice in Nares Strait occurred in two stages: Kane basin was opened by 9.3 cal ka BP, while Kennedy Channel remained blocked by grounded ice until ca. 8.5 cal ka BP. The newly established throughflow of nutrient-rich water through Nares Strait after 8.5 cal ka BP did not, however, boost primary productivity instantaneously in both Kane Basin and Northernmost Baffin Bay. Instead, efficient organic matter burial was initiated a thousand years later, at ca 7.5 cal ka BP. This age corresponds to a sudden change in seasonal sea-ice in Kane Basin. The preliminary results suggest that both the supply of Pacific-sourced water and sea ice in Nares Strait play an equally important role in productivity rates in Northernmost Baffin Bay. Our results are discussed in the light of the nearby archaeological literature that have found little evidence of Inuit settlements in the area prior to 3 ka BP.
Academic and community perspectives in a collaborative environmental monitoring program in the George River watershed, Nunavik, Canada
Gérin-Lajoie, José (1,2) (Presenter), H. Snowball (3) (Presenter), E. Hébert-Houle (1,2) G. A. MacMillan (4), E. Townley (3), M. Monfette (4), J.A. Rowell (4), E. Lévesque (1,2), J. Franssen (4,5) M. Amyot (2,4), T.M. Hermann (2) and J.P. Dedieu (6,7)
(1) Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières QC, Canada
(2) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Québec QC, Canada
(3) Northern village of Kangiqsualujjuaq, Nunavik QC, Canada
(4) Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(5) Groupe de recherche interuniversitaire en limnologie et en environnement aquatique, Montréal QC, Canada
(6) Université Grenoble-Alpes, Grenoble, France.
(7) Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Québec QC, Canada
Canada’s North is experiencing a growing interest in community-based environmental monitoring as resource exploitation and climate change increasingly impact remote indigenous territories, and as local knowledge gains greater recognition. A long-term environmental monitoring program of the George River ecosystem was co-initiated by the community of Kangiqsualujjuaq and university-affiliated researchers. Following a local consultation, the community decided to establish a water quality monitoring program of George River before a rare earths mining project starts its operations in the watershed. As the community wanted the youth to be trained in biomonitoring, a Science Land Camp program involving youth, Elders and local experts was implemented in 2016. Training workshops were organized, and subsequent work at sampling station stations along the river involved site characterization, in situ measurements, water sampling for laboratory analyses and macroinvertebrate sampling. In 2017, a second phase was initiated to evaluate both water quality and environmental change at the scale of the George River watershed, using tools such as remote sensing and indigenous mapping. More educational activities were also created to introduce the youth to various fields of the natural and physical sciences. As the community had previously expressed interest in the quality of local country food, we extended the monitoring program by starting a contaminant study with local hunters collecting fish, caribou, seal and lichen samples. While providing samples to the project, monetary compensations to hunters are helping them to lower the substantial traveling costs of their traditional subsistence activities. Local capacity in environmental monitoring and stewardship was fostered by a land-based and hands-on approach and by participating actively in a scientific field campaign. Sharing between generations and cultures made science practical and meaningful for the Inuit youth and other participants. In return, the local knowledge of the river basin was determinant in the selection of the sampling sites and in the choice of target species to monitor. The science land camp was also an excellent occasion for local experts to transmit land and navigation skills to the youth while traveling between sampling sites and during activities. It is challenging to have both pedagogical and scientific objectives and to combine community and academic agendas, but these dual objectives can greatly benefit from one another. In order to meet the local training needs and capacities, academics need to adapt their protocols, methodology and sampling tools for the community use. Building a long-term project is crucial to earning trust from local authorities and to working in tandem with community’s needs, expectations and realities. Working with local coordinators greatly improved the communication between scientists, hunters and camp’s participants. Putting together our various expertise and knowledge bodies in a multidisciplinary and multicultural approach was a good way to create a simple, sustainable and low-cost monitoring program. This initiative can become a learning and empowering tool for both academics and indigenous communities to build a fuller understanding of the impacts of environmental change on watershed ecosystems in the Circum-Arctic.
IMALIRIJIIT : A community-based environmental monitoring program of the George River watershed ecosystem, Nunavik
Gérin-Lajoie, José (1,2) (Presenter), H. Snowball (3) (Presenter), G.A. MacMillan (2,4), J.A. Rowell (4), M. Monfette (4), E. Hébert-Houle (1,2), E. Townley (3), M. Amyot (2,4), J. Franssen (4,5), T.M. Hermann (4), E. Lévesque (1,2) and J.P. Dedieu (6,7)
(1) Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières QC, Canada
(2) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Québec QC, Canada
(3) Northern Village of Kangiqsualujjuaq QC, Canada
(4) Université de Montréal, Montreal QC, Canada
(5) Groupe de recherche interuniversitaire en limnologie et en environnement aquatique, Trois-Rivières QC, Canada
(6) Université Grenoble-Alpes, Grenoble, France
(7) Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Québec QC, Canada
Adjusting to global climate and socio-environmental change has become a major issue for northern communities and for researchers. In addition, there is significant pressure to exploit northern natural resources thereby increasing human impacts on terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems. At the same time, there are calls for sustainable development by local governments and populations. It is widely acknowledged that there is a need for long-term and more effective environmental monitoring in the Arctic to understand better the diverse impacts of global changes on socio-ecological systems. As scientific assessment of change in the Arctic moves from documentation to development of strategies for adaptation and mitigation, interest is increasing in multiple knowledge systems, and in community-based participatory approaches to science, particularly in environmental monitoring. Even though youth under 24 years old now represent over 50% of Northern Canada Indigenous populations, youth continue to be under-represented both as primary informants and as active research participants contributing towards the production of data and its outcomes. This community-based program aims to put in place a long-term environmental monitoring program of George River, before the start of a rare earth elements (REE) mining project in its upper watershed. The program includes Science Land Camps, training workshops and scientific data collection. George River flows over 505 km from south, in Naskapi and Innu territory, to north, in Inuit territory, ending in Ungava Bay, Nunavik. George River benefits from a conservation status over its entire length (9 000 km2 protected from resource exploitation under Québec law) and its watershed covers 41 700 km2. Ten sampling stations were established along a 60 km stretch of the river for in situ surface water quality measurements. Unfiltered and filtered surface water samples were collected for laboratory analysis of nutrients, major ions, chlorophyll-a, trace metals and rare earth elements. In addition, hunters are gathering biological samples to measure total mercury, methyl mercury, trace metals and rare earth elements. We focused on seal (muscle and liver tissues, blubber and lower jaws, plus teeth for age measurements), caribou (muscle and liver tissues, kidneys, anklebones), whitefish (muscle and liver tissues, stable isotope ratios) and lichen, in order to better align with other country food contaminant projects in the North. Key biological indicators (lichen, macroinvertebrates and whitefish livers) will be examined and tested for future use as basic biomonitors of atmospheric and aquatic conditions. Remote sensing will be used as a complementary tool of in-situ measurements to estimate water turbidity, chlorophyll and temperature as well as environmental change at the watershed scale. Collection of local knowledge will be done through mapping interviews with Inuit knowledge holders from Kangiqsualujjuaq. The interviews will focus on ecological knowledge, land use, spiritually important places, local toponymy, stories and songs, including observed changes in the watershed. Finally, an interactive map will be produced, in collaboration with a local youth trainee for community outreach, integrating qualitative and quantitative data as well as audiovisual material.
Ringed seal feeding ecology determined through local ecological knowledge and stomach content analysis
Ghazal, Maha (1) (Presenter), C. Furgal (2) and S. Ferguson (3)
(1) University of Manitoba, Pangnirtung NU, Canada
(2) Indigenous and Environmental Studies Program, Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
(3) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Ringed seals are opportunistic predators and have a varied diet of fish and invertebrates. Studies evaluating their diet in the past have found that Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida), pelagic amphipods, and mysids dominate the diet in the high Arctic but a shift to capelin and sand lance has been observed in the Hudson Bay region. We developed a mixed methods ringed seal feeding ecology study on Baffin Island to assess changes in food habits and more fully understand foraging ecology. First, we used qualitative data represented by narratives gathered through semi-directed interviews with Inuit Elders and hunters. Interviews focused on Inuit knowledge of ringed seal biology and habitat use. Second, quantitative data was collected from analysis of ringed seal digestive track contents collected by hunters in three Baffin Island, Nunavut communities: Arctic Bay, Pangnirtung, and Pond Inlet. Similar to previous studies, stomach contents were dominated by Arctic cod, mysids, and large amphipods (Themisto libellula). In the southern study community of Pangnirtung there has also been a shift towards more Capelin (Mallotus villosus) in the diet over time – something not seen in the samples from northern Baffin Island. Understanding the feeding ecology of ringed seals as well as tracking changes over time will help wildlife managers better understand the evolving dynamics of the Arctic food web and determine potential impacts on species at different trophic levels. As well, this study will help in addressing Inuit concerns regarding the use of local Inuit knowledge as a valuable component to scientific research.
Marine ecological conservation for the Canadian Eastern Arctic: A science-based proposal for priority areas and networks
Giangioppi, Martine (1) (Presenter)
(1) World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Canada
Climate change impacts in the Arctic, such as reduced sea-ice cover, migration of southern species into the Arctic, and decreased Arctic species numbers, are affecting Inuit ways of life. There is an urgent need to identify and to protect key areas in the Arctic marine environment to maintain Arctic species’ health and ecosystem functions, mitigate impacts of human activities on ecosystems, and ensure that Inuit can maintain cultural and subsistence connections with the marine environment. Marine conservation area networks are a key tool in oceans management to inform and achieve marine conservation goals, support marine spatial planning, contribute to environmental impact assessments, and more. In the Canadian Eastern Arctic marine bioregions, candidate locations for stand-alone marine protected areas (MPAs) are being identified without considering broader network planning for the region. World Wildlife Fund–Canada (WWF-Canada) is undertaking a marine conservation planning process to identify and map a proposed network of priority areas for marine conservation in the Eastern Arctic. This presentation will discuss WWF-Canada’s MPA network mapping project, including the approach, methods, and anticipated outcomes. The map will be a tool to policy makers and managers to support the creation of an Eastern Arctic marine conservation network. Drawing on a wide range of biophysical and geophysical data, Marxan analysis, and subject matter expert input, the network will include both representative and distinctive areas and account for connectivity in the Arctic marine environment. The map will also be integrated into a broader proposed pan-Arctic MPA network led by the Arctic Council.
Emergent constraints framework: An application with sea ice concentration and surface air temperature over the Hudson Bay area
Giguère, Véronique (1) (Presenter) and P. Grenier (1,2)
(1) Centre pour l’Étude et la Simulation du Climat à l’Échelle Régionale (ESCER), Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Ouranos, Montréal QC, Canada
In order to adapt to upcoming climate change, nordic communities need relevant information at regional and local scales. However, the North comes with major challenges regarding climate change adaptation. For example, the arctic amplification, by which global changes in term of temperature and precipitation are stronger in the high latitudes than elsewhere, brings considerable uncertainties. Uncertainties in climate change projections are multi-causal, arising primarily from future anthropogenic emissions, natural climate variability and model imperfections. The latter cause can be partially offset by the recourse to emergent constraints, which links the climatic state of a variable during a reference period (the predictor) and the long term change in another or the same variable (the response). Such relationships are based on an ensemble of climate simulations, and a reference product is used to identify the more plausible responses from simulations with the better predictors. However, this selection method has limits of applicability and utility: identified emergent constraints must ideally have a physical explanation, and uncertainties related to the reference product as well as natural variability must be taken into account. In this project, an ensemble of 83 simulations from CMIP5 is used to seek for relevant relationships between the sea ice cover and surface air temperature over the Hudson Bay area. The ultimate objective is to provide more precise and user-friendly climate information to the different actors of climate change adaptations, especially the coastal communities of the Nunavik.
Wildlife co-management under the James Bay & Northern Quebec Agreement: Forty-two years of frustration
Gilbert, Gregor (1) (Presenter), M. O'Connor (1), A. Penn (2) and S. Olpinski (1)
(1) Makivik Corporation, Kuujjuaq QC, Canada
(2) Cree Nation Government, Montreal QC, Canada
The James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (JBNQA) was signed in 1975 after two years of intense negotiations against the backdrop of the development of the James Bay hydroelectric projects. It was a major achievement at the time and represents the first of the Modern Comprehensive Land Claim Agreements. Despite the revolutionary advance, Section 24, which deals with wildlife co-management, seems archaic when compared to more recent Land Claims Agreements. This presentation explores the failings of Section 24, including systemic issues related to the structure of the Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Coordinating Committee, how these issues have impacted wildlife co-management in Northern Quebec, and proposes possible solutions to remedy current deficiencies.
Three decades of fisheries co-management in the western Arctic
Gillman, Vic (1) (Presenter)
(1) Fisheries Joint Management Committee, Inuvik NT, Canada
The Inuvialuit Final Agreement (IFA) of 1984 created 5 distinct co-management entities to address the needs of fish, wildlife, and environmental management in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR) of the Western Arctic. This paper provides an examination of the Fisheries Joint Management Committee (FJMC), and how it has addressed their responsibility for co-management of fish, marine mammals, and their habitats in this earliest of Arctic land claims. The evolvement of various institutions and best practices is demonstrated, along with how these institutions have addressed the intent of the agreement, and the objectives of the IFA for the participation and involvement of the Inuvialuit in decisions affecting the well-being and sustainability of their marine and freshwater resources. Specific best practices for the recognition and insertion of traditional knowledge into decision processes are highlighted. A description of the formal business cycle of the FJMC is provided to emphasize how the involvement of the 6 ISR communities, the Committee, and the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans is accomplished. An analysis of a variety of tools employed by the Committee is provided and the outcomes achieved evaluated for success against the IFA objectives and the needs of Canada. Commentary is provided on experiences gained in national and international networking activities and the readiness and ability of the current structure to address a changing Arctic.
The Inuit gut microbiome: Dietary transition and mercury metabolism
Girard, Catherine (1) (Presenter), Y. Terrat (2), N. Tromas (2), M. Amyot (1) and B.J. Shapiro (2)
(1) Centre d'études nordiques, Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
The microbiome is a complex ecosystem of microbes colonizing the human gut, which contributes to host health via immunity regulation, nutrition and behavior. The microbiome is an important source of genetic and metabolic variation across human populations. Diet is one of the main drivers of community structure, and much effort has been put into characterizing the microbiome of populations with contrasting diets. Studies comparing Westerners to agrarian or hunter-gatherer populations of South America and Africa have found differences in the microbiome of these individuals, associated with their diets. However, animal-rich diets like that of the Inuit had until now not been studied. Furthermore, little is known about the interactions between the gut microbiome and dietary mercury, which the Inuit can be exposed through by their traditional diet of high trophic level marine mammals and fish. From 2013-2015, we collected stool samples from volunteers in the community of Resolute Bay (Nunavut). We also had participants complete dietary habit questionnaires, to assess traditional Inuit diet consumption. Using deep-sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, we show that at a broad scale, the Inuit microbiome resembles that of Montrealers, both for taxonomic diversity and community composition. However, with shotgun metagenomic sequencing, we found that the traditional Inuit diet significantly explains 17.5% of variation in metabolic pathways present in the gut microbiome. Furthermore, we identified subtle but significant differences in the abundance of several microbial groups, associated with a combination of diet and environmental factors. We noted a lower diversity in fiber degrading bacteria in the Inuit microbiome, and unique assemblage of strains from other taxa. We also searched the microbiomes sampled for the presence of bacterial genes involved in the metabolism of mercury. We did not find the hgcAB gene, responsible for methylating inorganic mercury into toxic methylmercury, supporting findings by other authors. We did however find several genes from the mercury resistance mer operon, including the merA gene which reduces inorganic mercury into volatile Hg(0). This gene was found in almost all our Inuit participants, and we also found it in Western microbiomes sampled in this study and in 50% of samples surveyed from the Human Microbiome Project. The merA gene appeared to be well diversified, and while its abundance was not correlated to the traditional Inuit diet, it may be associated with a “personalized” resistance to mercury in the gut. Like many other populations around the world, the Inuit are undergoing a rapid dietary transition. This shift could potentially impact the gut microbiome, and establishing a baseline for the typical Inuit microbiome could provide a resource for eventual health interventions. Furthermore, interactions between the microbiome and dietary mercury may affect how this contaminant is absorbed by the human body. Better understanding of the Inuit microbiome thus could help prevent biodiversity loss and promote conservation of Inuit heritage, while improving risk assessments for mercury in Northern human populations.
Monitoring freshwater ice phenology in Canada’s North in the era of abundant open-access satellite sensors
Giroux-Bougard, Xavier (1) (Presenter), M.M. Humphries (1) and J.A. Cardille (1)
(1) McGill University, Montréal QC, Canada
In recent decades, Subarctic and Arctic regions have undergone disproportionately rapid warming compared to other regions of the globe (IPCC 2014), a trend which is expected to continue well into the next century. Consequently, the length of the ice-free season in freshwater bodies of the Northern Hemisphere has been increasing an average of 12.3 days/century, as observed consistently in historical ice records (Magnuson et al. 2000) and historical satellite records (Du et al. 2017). Canada’s North is no exception (Duguay et al. 2006; Latifovic & Pouliot 2007), which is particularly alarming because the prevalence of freshwater lakes and wetlands in these regions (15-40% cover, Duguay et al. 2003) exerts great influence on socio-economic, climate, and ecological systems. While there have been considerable efforts to develop remote sensing techniques to monitor ice phenology, it remains a challenging task because spring break-up and autumn freeze-up are dynamic and sometimes rapid processes. Ice can be distinguished from standing water using a large variety of satellite sensors, but the choice of sensor typically forces researchers to consider important trade-offs between temporal resolution and spatial resolution. In recent years, a surge in the variety and availability of open-access satellite imagery (e.g. Sentinel and Landsat constellations) has presented new opportunities to bridge the gap between the spatial and temporal resolution of earth observations. Furthermore, cloud computing platforms such as Google Earth Engine have significantly decreased the computational limitations of analysing sizeable image collections over large regions. In our research, we use Google Earth Engine to explore and monitor ice phenology during the spring break-up and autumn freeze-up periods in the Canadian Arctic by producing ice-water classifications derived from multiple open-access satellite sensors and fusing them into a single time series using the Bayesian Updating of Land-Cover (BULC, Cardille & Fortin 2016) algorithm.
One grass, two grass, ice grass, new grass: A second taxon of Phippsia (Poaceae) in the Canadian Arctic based on molecular data
Godfrey, Samantha (1,2) (Presenter) and L. Gillespie (1,2)
(1) University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa ON, Canada
Phippsia is a genus of two arctic-alpine grasses, P. algida (ice grass) and P. concinna (snow grass). Although the species were found to be distinct in northern Eurasia, the presence of P. concinna in North America is controversial. The objective of the present study is to resolve the taxonomy of Phippsia in the North American Arctic. Several DNA regions were sequenced for samples from across the Arctic. Maximum parsimony analysis of the ITS and ETS nrDNA data revealed three clades: P. algida from all regions sampled, P. concinna from Russia and Norway, and a third distinct clade from High Arctic Canada and Greenland that is most closely related to P. concinna. While screening of 17 non-coding cpDNA regions revealed little to no variation, four contained one single-nucleotide polymorphism each that were, for the most part, taxon specific. Maximum parsimony analysis of the four cpDNA regions indicated that the material from High Arctic Canada and Greenland is most closely related to P. algida, counter to the nrDNA data and suggested possible hybridization. Preliminary morphological data also supports the recognition of three taxa within Phippsia. These results suggest that a second taxon, distinct from P. concinna, should be recognized in Canada. This new taxon has a High Arctic distribution, restricted to the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and northern Greenland. Additional morphological and molecular work is underway to determine whether this taxon is best recognized at the species or subspecies level.
Enteric infections among symptomatic and asymptomatic preschool-age children in Nunavik: Interim results from a prospective cohort study
Goldfarb, David M. (1), E. Serra (2), H. Kim (2) (Presenter), C. Caya (2), K. Demir (2), L. Audlaluk (3), J.-F. Proulx (4) and C.P. Yansouni (2)
(1) University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC, Canada
(2) McGill University Health Centre, Montreal QC, Canada
(3) Concordia University, Montreal QC, Canada
(4) Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services (NRBHSS), Kuujjuaq QC, Canada
Background: Human infections with intestinal parasites, particularly from Cryptosporidium, are recently recognized as being highly prevalent among people with diarrhea in parts of the Arctic. However, data are lacking about their transmission among asymptomatic community members as a potential reservoir of endemicity. This is important because cryptosporidiosis has been repeatedly associated with impaired growth and development in children, and may synergise with other challenges faced by remote Arctic communities, such as overcrowding and food-insecurity. Objective: To assess the spectrum of intestinal pathogens circulating among daycare-attending children in Nunavik, with and without diarrhea. Methods/Study Design: A prospective cohort of daycare-attending children (age <5 years) in Kuujjuaq, Nunavik, was assembled in collaboration with community stakeholders. Stool specimens and anthropometric data were collected every 4 months, and a questionnaire was administered to parents asking about diarrhea symptoms. Stool specimens were stored frozen until testing with a previously validated multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay that detects 22 enteropathogen targets (13 bacteria, 4 protazoan parasites, and 5 viruses) simultaneously (BioFire Filmarray™ Gastrointestinal panel, bioMerieux Inc.). Results: We will present results of an interim analysis of the first 8 months of serial data collection on the causative spectrum of enteric infections in young children from a 2-year prospective cohort study funded by ArcticNet.
Assessing the ecological risk on predicted ship-mediated invasions in the Canadian Arctic
Goldsmit, Jesica (1,2,3) (Presenter), P. Archambault (2,3), C. Mckindsey (1) and K. Howland (4)
(1) Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Mont-Joli QC, Canada
(2) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Institut de sciences de la mer à Rimouski, Universite du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(4) Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Climate change is impacting environmental conditions, especially with respect to temperature and ice cover in high latitude regions. Predictive models and risk assessment are key tools for understanding potential changes associated with such impacts on coastal regions. The present study is a relative ecological risk assessment for future invasive species incursions in the Canadian Arctic. The species assessed were the periwinkle Littorina littorea, the soft shell clam Mya arenaria and the red king crab Paralithodes camtschaticus. These species are connected to Canadian Arctic ports and have the potential to be introduced by shipping through ballast water discharge. The shipping database included domestic and international vessels from 2005-2014. This region has been exposed to different levels of relative overall risk that vary by port and from year to year, highlighting temporal and spatial patterns. In general, domestic discharge events posed a higher relative overall risk on a vessel-specific basis than did international discharges. The main ports of Deception Bay and Churchill were classified as being at moderate to high relative risk for L. littorea and M. arenaria, especially from domestic vessels. The relative overall risk for P. camtschaticus was low for international vessels and null for domestic vessels. This work can serve as a starting point for building a list of potential high risk species – a “grey” watch list – for the Canadian Arctic, and provides useful information for consideration in future decision making actions.
In Vitro bioavailability of methylmercury from traditional foods of Bigstone Cree First Nation (Alberta, Canada)
Golzadeh, N. (1) (Presenter), M. Bradley (1), B.D. Barst (1), J. Baker (2), J. Auger (3) and N. Basu (1)
(1) Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Department of Anthropology, McGill University, Montréal QC, Canada
(3) Bigstone Cree First Nations, Wabasca AB, Canada
Methylmercury (MeHg) is a global pollutant of concern with impacts on public health and ecosystem quality. First Nations communities whose lives are heavily dependent on traditional foods are particularly susceptible to mercury exposure given that their traditional foods are known to be contaminated with mercury. Most studies have focused on mercury contamination in seafood consumed by First Nations communities, while relatively few studies have investigated other food types. Further, it is assumed that 100% of ingested MeHg is bioavailable (reaches the systemic circulation), though new studies suggest that this may be less than 100%. The objective of this study is to characterize in vitro MeHg bioavailability from muscle tissue of four food items consumed by members of the Bigstone Cree Nation (Alberta, Canada). The food items of concern (grouse, hare, fish and, duck muscle samples) were collected through a participatory research activity. The mercury levels in these samples ranged from 0.02 ppm to 0.34 ppm. Next we will assess Hg bioavailability using an in-vitro model of human digestion; bioaccessible MeHg will be measured in the soluble fraction of the digests, and MeHg bioavailability will be measured using a Caco-2 Transwell assay. The expected results of this work are an increased understanding of MeHg bioavailability from a range of foods not previously studied, and ultimately improved abilities to assess exposure-related risks.
Global Cryosphere Watch initiatives to improve Arctic cryospheric information
Goodison, Barry (1) (Presenter), Á. Snorrason (2), R. Nitu (3), Ø. Godøy (4), R. Brown (5), K. Luojus (6), W. Schöner (7), J. Key (8) and C. Fierz (9)
(1) World Meteorological Organization, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) Icelandic Meteorological Office, Reykjavík, Iceland
(3) World Meteorological Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
(4) Norwegian Meteorological Institute, Oslo, Norway
(5) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Montréal QC, Canada
(6) Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland
(7) University of Graz, Graz, Austria
(8) Co-chair, Information and Services WG, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Madison WI, United States
(9) Member, GCW Steering Group, WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos Dorf, Switzerland
The cryosphere exists in various forms in about one hundred countries, at all latitudes and at high altitudes. It is one of the most useful indicators of climate change yet is significantly under-sampled, including in much of the Arctic. Timely and reliable information on the current state of the Arctic cryosphere is essential for a wide range of science and application areas. Hence, in 2012, as a legacy of IPY, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) launched the Global Cryosphere Watch (GCW – globalcryospherewatch.org) to provide service-oriented information for informed decision-making and policy development related to climate, water and weather. Activities are now being implemented to ensure that GCW will provide a comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable system of observations and information that will allow for a full understanding of the cryosphere and its changes. One of the key objectives of GCW is the development of a surface-based cryosphere observing network with a core component, CryoNet, and contributing stations. There are now 120 WMO approved CryoNet and contributing stations operating on five continents, with 33 in the Arctic. Stations are operated by National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, universities, and other research organizations. Stations will operate according to specified requirements, measure at least one variable of a cryosphere component and must also carry out ancillary meteorological observations. Essential to this effort is to improve the consistency and quality of observations. GCW is leading the establishment of best practices, guidelines and standards for cryospheric measurement, as well as refining observational requirements for the various elements of the cryosphere. It also initiated the ESA funded SnowPEx project which has been obtaining a quantitative understanding of the uncertainty in existing continental to global satellite Snow Extent and Snow Water Equivalent products through an internationally coordinated and consistent evaluation exercise. These initiatives are crucial to determine the accuracy and reliability of various datasets applied in monitoring of the cryosphere. To provide access to data from its surface network and from other sources, GCW is establishing and expanding interoperability between data management systems. The GCW Data Portal makes data and information available to users while providing the ability to increase access, exchange and share data and information among a distributed network of providers, including CryoNet stations. The Portal Team is a leading partner in Arctic data management. GCW led the approval of real-time data exchange of snow depth and snow cover on the WMO Global Telecommunication System/WMO Information System for improved weather and hydrological forecasting and climate monitoring. This supports the development of unique cryospheric information products tailored to specific user needs, such as snow trackers, which are available through the GCW website and provided as GCW contributions to the new network of Arctic Polar Regional Climate Centres. This presentation will provide an overview of the current status of these GCW initiatives; will highlight the linkages to other Arctic weather and climate information activities; and will provide recommendations for improving the observing and sharing of Arctic cryospheric information. Collaboration and partnerships are critical.
The Nuluaq Project – Mapping Inuit community-based food security initiatives
Goodman, Lauren (1), E. Loring (1) (Presenter) and L. Laflamme (2) (Presenter)
(1) Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) Nunavik RBHSS, Kuujjuaq QC, Canada
Food insecurity is a critical issue for Inuit throughout Canada. In Inuit Nunangat, the four Inuit regions of Canada, research has found that upwards of 68.8% adults and 69.6% of preschoolers reside in food insecure households. This is six times higher than the Canadian national average. There are many community-based initiatives that are playing a critical role to improve Inuit food insecurity. These include school food programs, community freezers, food banks, community kitchens and many more. The Nuluaq Project was developed by the Inuit Food Security Working Group to highlight and promote the work of these important community-based initiatives; facilitate partnerships and improve coordination between initiatives; bring attention to the food insecurity situation in Inuit communities; and help guide decisions and inform policy work in the area. This project features the first online interactive mapping tool of Inuit community-based food security initiatives. Initiatives submit information directly to be posted on the map. Visitors to the site can explore the location of initiatives, learn detailed project information and make connections with initiative representatives. Complimentary content is also available on the website, including information on Inuit food security, important resources and funding opportunities
The East whitefish weather and observation station - the benefits of capturing and sharing base line data in real-time
Gordon, A. (1) (Presenter), D. Whalen (2), K. Scharffenberg (3,4), S. MacPhee (3), E. Hille (1), A. Trimble (1), E. Way-Nee (5) and L. Loseto (3,4)
(1) Aurora Research Institute, Inuvik NT, Canada
(2) Natural Resources Canada, Geological Survey of Canada–Atlantic, Dartmouth NS, Canada
(3) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Arctic Aquatic Research Division, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(4) Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(5) Fisheries Joint Management Committee, Inuvik NT, Canada
East Whitefish, located in Kugmallit Bay (Beaufort Sea), is used as a hunting and subsistence whaling camp during the summer months. Situated just a few kilometers from the one and only navigable channel connecting the Mackenzie River to the Arctic Ocean, this location sees a fair share of coastal and marine ship traffic. During the summer months, Inuvialuit, the Inuit of the Western Arctic, travel to the area (East Whitefish and Hendrickson Island) to hunt beluga whales. This subsistence hunt is an important part of Inuvialuit culture and has been for thousands of years. Traditional knowledge regarding wind speed and direction in Kugmallit Bay, and how it can relate to water levels, has been passed down over the generations. Climate driven changes to sea ice cover, air temperatures, and wind oscillation patterns have changed the wave climatology and subsequent water levels, making them less predictable. To explore and understand these changes and their impacts on travel and subsistence, a weather station was set up at the East Whitefish harvesting camp. The weather station was installed in the summer of 2015 to measure air temperature, wind direction, and amplitude data. The station was upgraded in 2016 and 2017 to capture oceanographic conditions via an underwater cable connected to an instrumented mooring on the seabed. The mooring has the capacity to measure temperature, salinity, water depth, waves, and turbidity. In addition, the weather station now includes a time-lapse camera to collect photography and videos. Together, this provides the scientific baseline information necessary to gain a better understanding of changing conditions in this sensitive environment. Furthermore, this new information allowed for the comparison between winds, water levels, and ocean chemistry in Kugmallit Bay. Lastly, the weather station is a key component for a passive acoustic monitoring project that examines the relationship between the presence/absence of beluga whales and changing environmental factors. The live camera feed, and time-lapse photography are being used in conjunction with unmanned aerial vehicle surveys, and shore-based visual observations to validate vocalization data recorded on a nearby hydrophone. The capability of the weather station to broadcast data on a near real-time basis provides communities and other travelers to the region access to current data. Kugmallit Bay, near East Whitefish, is a popular travel destination and accurate information and the ability to check water level and weather conditions ensures safe travels to the area. The data can be viewed through a publicly accessible webpage (http://dataservices.campbellsci.ca/nrcan/index.php). This weather station will continue to provide updated scientific data and oceanographic observations for many years to come, but it is the capacity to share all of this information on a near real time basis that could actually be seen as the real benefit. This poster presentation will address the following key questions: What are the key drivers of environmental change in the region and How do they vary seasonally and annually? How do the conditions at East Whitefish compare to other areas and long term environmental data monitoring sensors in the region.
The influence of environmental factors on eelgrass distribution in eastern James Bay
Gosselin, Michel (1) (Presenter), U. Neumeier (1), H. Xie (1), S. Bélanger (2), R. Costanzo (1,2), J. Charette (1), V. Galindo (1), F. Danhiez (2), F. Short (3), E. Rabbitskin (4) and D. Torio (3)
(1) Institut des sciences de la mer (ISMER), Rimouski QC, Canada
(2) Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(3) University of New Hampshire, Durham NH, United States
(4) Niskamoon Corporation, Chisasibi QC, Canada
Eelgrass beds (Zostera marina) are an important component of many coastal ecosystems providing habitats and food to other species. Along the east coast of James Bay, eelgrass beds decreased drastically in the late 1990s and have since only partially recovered. The causes for this eelgrass decline are not well understood, though it is generally recognized that eelgrass growth depends upon various factors such as water properties, light availability, seabed properties, bathymetry, and wave exposure. In late August 2017, a preliminary survey was conducted at five sites located between Paul Bay and Goose Bay (north of La Grande River and south of the Bay of Many Islands) to determine the basic physical and chemical conditions of the water column and their potential relationships to eelgrass distributions. Eelgrass beds were absent in Paul Bay, south of Longue Pointe, and north of Pointe Wastikun where the salinity, temperature, and light attenuation coefficient in shallow waters (depth ? 2 m) ranged from 8.6-10.9, 12.2-13.6 ºC and 0.96-1.82 m-1, respectively. In contrast, eelgrass beds were observed in Goose Bay with its surface layer characterized by substantially higher salinity (20.8) and lower temperature (8.3 ºC) and light attenuation coefficient (0.70 m-1). Offshore of potential eelgrass habitat, salinity and temperature at depth > 5 m ranged from 20-22 and 8-9 °C, respectively. These preliminary results suggest that salinity, temperature and light transmission play a role on the distribution of eelgrass beds in eastern James Bay. Consistent with other studies, it seems that high salinity and low temperatures are suitable for the preservation of Z. marina seeds to maintain germination potential. Future fieldwork and satellite data analysis will further address the seasonal and spatial variability of oceanographic conditions to identify the main drivers controlling eelgrass variability along the east coast of James Bay.
Dimethylsulfide dynamics in first year ice melt ponds in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago
Gourdal, Margaux (1) (Presenter), M. Lizotte (1), G. Massé (1), M. Gosselin (2), M. Scarratt (3) and M. Levasseur (1)
(1) Département de biologie, Québec-Océan and Unité Mixte Internationale 3376 TAKUVIK, CNRS-Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski (ISMER), Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(3) Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Mont-Joli QC, Canada
Melt pond formation is a natural seasonal pan-Arctic process. During the thawing season, melt ponds may cover up to 90% of the Arctic first–year sea ice (FYI) and 15 to 25% of the multi-year sea ice (MYI). These pools of water lying at the surface of the sea-ice cover are habitats for microorganisms and represent a potential source of the biogenic gas dimethylsulfide (DMS) for the atmosphere. Here we report on the dynamics and in situ concentrations of DMS in nine melt ponds sampled in July 2014 in the Eastern Canadian Arctic. DMS concentrations were under detection limit (< 0.01 nmol l-1) in freshwater melt ponds, and increased linearly with salinity up to ca. 6 nmol l-1 in brackish melt ponds (rs = 0.84, p < 0.05). This relationship suggests that the intrusion of seawater in melt ponds was a key physical mechanism responsible for the presence of in situ DMS. Results from experiments conducted with water from three melt ponds incubated for 24 h with and without the addition of two stable isotope-labeled precursors of DMS (dimethylsulfoniopropionate (D6-DMSP) and dimethylsulfoxide (13C-DMSO) show that de novo biological production of DMS can also occur within brackish melt ponds through DMSP microbial cleavage. No DMSO reduction into DMS was measured in the melt ponds studied. Potential contribution of brackish melt ponds to regional sulfur fluxes could be significant considering their direct contact with the atmosphere at a time when the presence of sea ice still considerably limits direct sea-air gas exchange. DMS emissions from melt ponds are expected to increase as a response to the thinning of sea ice and the areal and temporal expansion of melt ponds on Arctic FYI.
Ocean color remote sensing at the marginal ice zone : A radiative transfer based assessment
Goyens, Clémence (1,2,3), C. Cornet (4), A. Matsuoka (2), E. Devred (5), M. Babin (2) and S. Bélanger (1) (Presenter)
(1) Université du Québec à Rimouski, BORÉAS & Québec-Océan, Rimouski QC, Canada
(2) Université Laval, Takuvik & Québec-Océan, Québec QC, Canada
(3) VITO, Boeretang, Belgium
(4) Laboratoire d'Optique Atmosphérique, Lille, France
(5) Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth NS, Canada
High contrasts between sea ice and water surfaces tend to blur the images captured by satellite along marginal ice zones (MIZ) or within leads in the ice pack. This image blurring is called the adjacency effect in remote sensing, which is amplified by molecular scattering in the atmosphere. New high-resolution spatial resolution sensors, such as Landsat-8 or Sentinel-2, now offer the capability to measure the ocean color, and therefore phytoplankton chlorophyll-a pigment, at 30-m resolution. These data have the potential to detect phytoplankton blooms at the MIZ or even within the ice pack where cracks or leads occur. However, adjacency effect is extremely high in those conditions and algorithms to correct for such contamination need to be developed. Here numerical simulations are preformed using a 3-dimensional monte-carlo radiative transfer model, 3DMCPOL (Cornet et al., 2010), to quantify the adjacency processes. This model allows running simulations over a gridded surface filled with different surface reflectance for different wavelengths, sun and viewing geometries and aerosol atmospheric conditions. Accordingly, with 3DMCPOL, top of atmosphere reflectance may be simulated for any ocean color image with a particular sensor and illumination geometry and heterogeneous surface. Here, as a first step, 3DMCPOL simulations are performed over a simple grid with a straight ice line cutting a homogeneous surface of water pixels in two parts. Evidence of adjacency effect using 3DMCPOL simulations is shown and our simulations are compared with previous observations of Belanger et al. (2007) about sea-ice adjacency effect. Next, the sensitivity of the top of atmosphere reflectance to variations in the adjacency effect is evaluated. This allows us to evaluate how adjacency effect may affect the retrieval of the water reflectance. Algorithm development to correct adjacency effect will be discussed.
Enabling capacities from optical sensors deployed on highly elliptical orbit over the poles
Grandmont, Frederic (1) (Presenter)
(1) ABB Measurement & Analytics, Space & Defense Systems, Québec QC, Canada
The earth’s poles do not benefit from the same attention as the rest of the world when it comes to satellite observations. While polar orbiting satellites such as the US and European national weather platform (JPSS and METOP) offer much more frequent overpass over the poles, they often use this time for calibration of sensors looking at onboard target. The other popular earth observing orbit, the geostationary used by the GOES & METEOSAT series is completely blind to polar regions. The poles thus lack an important observing capacity; that is the ability for global and uninterrupted observation. This capacity is not strictly tied to observation of rapid developing events, its main advantage is to allow sufficient observing time over the pole to yield useful data quality when it comes to detailed optical observations. Spectroscopic observations through hyperspectral imagery enable a wealth of diagnostics that spans well beyond what classical panchromatic or RGB color image we are getting accustomed to allows. Detailed spectra can provide such diverse information as atmospheric composition (GHG and trace gas), measure the sun irradiance on the ground and the portion reflected back to space, the temperature of the ground layer and profile of the atmosphere above, the nature of the ground cover, atmospheric pressure, winds and so on. However subdividing the number of photons received from the ground in many wavelength bins and ever smaller ground pixels requires time to accumulate photons in each of these bins as we have no control over the light source (earth self-emission or sun reflected). Scale-wise, low earth orbit satellite are so close to the earth surface that a given ground patch is visible for tens of seconds at most. This is inadequate for high SNR complete coverage of the area underneath a satellite. The Highly Elliptical Orbit (HEO) known for decades and used anecdotally by the original 4 Sirius radio service satellites allows to fly near stationary over any part of the globe as opposed to just the equator. With increased understanding of the impact of the changes in the north, national agencies have come to consider launching earth observation satellites in HEO (ex. the PCW mission in Canada and Sentinel-9 HEO by ESA). However, the case behind these missions often lacks broad community support as the surveyed land area have little direct return for a country population when competing against missions providing data over more densely populated area. These typically make for an easier sale within governments. It is imperative that the scientific community understands well the benefit of such platform and the global unbiased monitoring opportunity that it would enable. Canada being a large northern country should be at the fore front of international attempt to make this happen. This presentation will try to expose quantitatively the gains that can be made over current mission and sensors as well as the challenges and limitations of orbital observations vs alternatives.
Spotlight on the benthic communities in the Kitikmeot region, Canada
Grant, Cindy (1) (Presenter), L. de Montety (1), L. Treau de Coeli (1) and P. Archambault (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Since the Canadian Archipelago, including the Kitikmeot region (Nunavut), has been identified as the least sampled region at the pan-arctic scale for benthic community, a 3-year study allowed collecting data to fulfill this gap. The main objective was to describe and compare the benthic fauna biodiversity in the Kitikmeot region in relation to environmental variables and to others regions in Canada. Does this region is a hotspot for benthic species or an ecotone for some taxa? Sampling conducted in 2015-2017 from the CCGS Amundsen in this region revealed more than 350 macrobenthic taxa, including two new mentions of polychaetes for the Canadian Archipelago. In comparison to the entire Canadian Arctic, the Kitikmeot region shows a high benthic richness. Our understanding of benthic communities is definitely increasing in the region and this study improves our general knowledge of Arctic waters. These results could be use as reference point for future modification in this ecosystem.
Testifying lived knowledge in the Nunavut regulatory system
Greene, Ezra (1) (Presenter)
(1) University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC, Canada
The Kivalliq region of Nunavut is experiencing rapid industrialization and development as major mining projects grow and expand and others ramp up towards full scale operations. Meanwhile, many exploration companies search their claims in hopes of finding more resource-rich deposits to develop. Communities close to activities associated with development experience major changes as landscapes are altered to build roads and the infrastructure of projects; increased transportation is witnessed in the skies, land and water; and side-effects of projects like increased dust and impact on wildlife and waterways affect the region. With each new project, the regulatory approval process initiates a series of meetings requiring community input, and companies also hold their own consultations to receive feedback related to their projects and to address concerns about their activities. Furthermore, management boards related to wildlife and land use continuously seek Inuit expertise and input. From environment and socio-economic impact studies to land use planning to wildlife co-management to community information sessions, Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ), or Inuit knowledge, is touted as an important input into decision-making and management processes that affect Inuit and other residents of Nunavut as well as wildlife and the ecosystems in which people live and interact. Yet, with the changes that are happening, how does Inuit knowledge and the way in which it grows through people’s lifetimes change through time? And as this body of knowledge is affected by changing times and generational shifts, what does it mean for how IQ contributes to and impacts regulatory regimes and management policies? My ongoing anthropological research in Rankin Inlet and Chesterfield Inlet, Nunavut explores how Inuit knowledge, particularly as it relates to environs of land, sea and ice, has been passed from generation to generation. Through in-depth interview, I have discussed with Inuit from multiple generations how the transfer of knowledge has changed through time, as well as how it has stayed the same. This includes discussions about the strengths of knowledge transmission as well as challenges that Inuit face today in passing on their traditions, culture and extensive knowledge of the Arctic. Changes in technology, transportation, communications, weather and local economies have all impacted people’s knowledge and access to the land. Nevertheless, for many, there remains a distinct and strong connection to the land and sea and people want to be involved with decisions that affect these areas. In this paper, I present findings from my research and draw connections from people’s lived experiences to participation in the many forms of community consultation that frequently take place in Nunavut. I discuss practical challenges in the consultation process such as overwhelming people and organizations that have scarce human and financial resources, and I delve into theoretical complexities inherent in the transition of experienced knowledge into Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, which is meant to influence and contribute to regulatory and management regimes.
A computationally efficient finite element model to simulate large scale fracture in ice island
Greg Crocker (1), M. Sazidy (1,2), D. Mueller (1) (Presenter) and J. Smith (1)
(1) Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) VARD Marine Inc., Ottawa ON, Canada
A finite element model has been developed to investigate the role of large-scale fracture (calving) in the ice island deterioration process. The model is based on beam-on-elastic foundation theory, and utilizes strength based failure criteria. The buoyancy force from the underwater ram (extended portion of keel), responsible for the large-scale-fracture, is defined with a simple user-defined function. The overall modelling technique avoids the traditional approach of damage mechanics, fracture mechanics and complicated hydrodynamics, which results a computationally efficient and user-friendly fracture assessment tool. The model has been successfully validated against analytical solutions and the observed failure of 3 Petermann ice island fragments with known geometries. The model can be used as a tool to study the influence of sail and keel geometries on the ice island deterioration process.
Modeling coagulation and benthic-pelagic coupling in a productive Arctic environment
Gremion, Gwenaëlle (1) (Presenter), I.R. Schloss (2,3), P. Archambault (4) and D. Dumont (1)
(1) Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC,Canada
(2) Instituto Antártico Argentino, Buenos Aires, Argentina
(3) CADIC, CONICET, Argentina
(4) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
The ocean biological pump transports organic carbon produced in surface waters to the seafloor, where it can be consumed by benthic organisms. This last process is part of the commonly called bentho-pelagic coupling (BPC), which in certain environments controls the abundance and composition of benthic communities. Aggregates are an important fraction of the organic matter in the ocean. However, only few biological models include the formation of aggregates (coagulation) and their role in downward organic matter flux and through the planktonic food web. Even less biological and coagulation models are coupled to a physical model to address this issue. The North Water Polynya (NOW), northern Baffin Bay, is a long known hotspot of biological productivity that is currently decreasing, or at least getting less intense due to climatic changes. Recent field studies found significant increasing trends in benthic productivity (in terms of bivalve growth rate) at 600 m below the polynya which suggests changes in the BPC. Here we use a complete coagulation model in an idealized 1-dimensional model of the oceanic water column to analyse trajectories of organic matter from production to sedimentation as a function of particle size, settling velocities, initial conditions, stratification, turbulence and aggregation processes. Preliminary results show that particle size and settling velocities as well as the turbulence level are the most relevant physical factors affecting coagulation processes and sedimentation time scales. Therefore, plankton food web interaction model will, at the end, be turned on, as well as implemented in a 4-dimensional physical model, to study both the effects of biological interactions and physical factors, such as horizontal transport. This study will contribute to determine the most critical factors driving the intensity, spread and timing of the BPC in the NOW, and define which ones could possibly explain observed changes and changes to come in a warmer climate.
Greening of the Arctic – Patterns and mechanisms: Has there been significant net growth and areal expansion of birch shrubs across a Canadian continental low arctic landscape over the past decade, and if so, what is the cause?
Grogan, Paul (1) (Presenter), R. Andruko (1), B. Reid (1) and R. Danby (1)
(1) Queen's University, Kingston ON, Canada
The widespread recent ‘greening’ and expansion of deciduous shrubs across much of the Arctic reported by many remote sensing and ground-based studies has been largely attributed to climate warming trends. However, by far the most unequivocal of these vegetation and correlated climate changes have been in coastal tundra, while trends in the interior continental low Arctic appear to be relatively small in magnitude and patchy. Increases in net shrub growth have the potential to create large-scale climate feedbacks, including localized atmospheric heating due to lowered land surface reflectance, and enhanced soil CO2 release due to shrubs trapping snow and insulating soils over the winter. Therefore, understanding the intensity and spatial distribution of shrub expansion across the Arctic is necessary to predict future climate and vegetation patterns. We established ten long-term deciduous shrub Dwarf Birch (Betula glandulosa) monitoring plots (100 m2) in very distinct topographic areas (e.g. highly exposed esker tops, snowbeds protected from the winds, mesic tundra, floodplains) at the Daring Lake research station 300 km north of Yellowknife in 2006 and recorded shrub density, height, and branching architecture in that first year and again in 2016. Our goals were to investigate if there was a significant decadal trend in net growth, to compare growth rates among topographic units, and to evaluate these growth-rates, as well as dendrochronologically-based annual secondary growth-rates, in relation to habitat-type environmental characteristics and a 20-year climate dataset. By 2016, birch shrub height, lateral dimensions, and land-cover had generally increased 20-25% relative to the 2006 values in all habitat-types. However, the lack of significant correlation between annual climate and annual secondary growth, the limited evidence of a significant warming trend at this site, and the absence of significant differences in growth-rates among habitat-types, together strongly suggest that climate change is unlikely to be the primary causal factor. Instead, we hypothesize that a release from herbivory following recent caribou herd declines may be an important driver of birch shrub expansion at this site. Overall, our results suggest that spatial variation in climate warming rates and in caribou herd density may each be significant factors contributing to the patchiness in greening trends and vegetation change across the Arctic region.
Melting snow: Unveiling phytoplankton spring blooms
Grondin, Pierre-Luc (1) (Presenter), J. Ferland (1), G. Bécu (1), V. Galindo (2), J. Ras (3), H. Claustre (3), P. Raimbault (4), J.-E. Tremblay (1), P. Massicotte (1), M. Gali Tapias (1), M.-H. Forget (1), L. Karp-Boss (5) and M. Babin (1)
(1) Takuvik Joint International Laboratory, Laval University (Canada) - CNRS (France), UMI3376, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Centre for Earth Observation Science, Faculty of Environment, Earth and Resources, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(3) Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris06, CNRS, Observatoire Océanologique de Villefranche (OOV), Laboratoire d’Océanographie de Villefranche (LOV), Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
(4) Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography, MIO UMR110, Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS/INSU, Université de Toulon, IRD, 13288 Marseille, France
(5) School of Marine Sciences, University of Maine, Orono ME, United States
Sympagic and planktonic algae support the entire food web, making their study of great importance with ongoing climate changes in the Arctic Ocean. The role of physical and chemical processes on sub-seasonal rapid changes in microalgal community composition during ice algal blooms and phytoplankton spring blooms (PSB) were assessed at an ice camp (67.48N, -63.79W) in Baffin Bay from May to July during the 2015-2016 Green Edge campaigns. The Imaging FlowCytobot, a high-frequency imaging flow cytometer, was used for the identification and enumeration of algal cells (<150µm) within the sea ice bottom 10-cm and at 3 to 6 depths in the water column. High biomass was observed in the bottom 3-cm of sea ice (up to 1115.69 and 220.57 mg chla m-3 in 2015 and 2016, respectively), dominated by pennate diatoms (80-90%). Both in 2015 and 2016, following the snow melt and the increase in under-ice light intensities, some chain forming (e.g. Fragilariopsis spp.) and single-cell pennate diatoms (e.g. Navicula spp., Cylindrotheca closterium) contributed to the phytoplankton bloom (40% relative abundance). Centric diatoms (Thalassiosira spp., Chaetoceros spp.) and prymnesiophytes (Phaeocystis spp.) followed with relative abundances of 40% and 5-10%, respectively. Other groups (chlorophytes, prasinophytes, cryptophytes, dinoflagellates, ciliates, cyanophytes, euglenophytes and small unidentified flagellates), although ubiquitous, accounted for only 10-15% of the biomass. These results suggest a sustained growth of sympagic algae under low light intensities (ca. 10 µE m-2s-1) for both years, thereafter impaired by rapid snow melt events, which caused a massive release of ice algae in the water column in 2015. An increase in phytoplankton biomass was observed from early to mid-June, with significant growth starting early July, reaching values of 8.65 and 5.13 mg chla m-3 in 2015 and 2016, respectively. The bloom sank down to ca. 40-50 m within 2 weeks, with light intensities < 5 µE m-2s-1, following the nitracline. Nitrate limitation restricted the expansion of the PSB over time and consequently favored its decline. Our results highlight the dominant role of snow cover depth on controlling light availability, regulating the onset of the algal bloom both in ice and seawater, and the effect of nitrate limitation on its decline.
Understanding food webs in Arctic lakes: Production and transfer of essential fatty acids from plankton to fish
Grosbois, Guillaume (1,2) (Presenter), M. Power (3) and M. Rautio (1,2)
(1) Département des sciences fondamentales, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi QC, Canada
(2) Centre d’études nordiques (CEN), Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave. W., Waterloo ON, Canada
Fish are the main source of essential fatty acids (FA) for many human populations in the world, and significantly so in the Inuit communities of the Arctic. Humans and animals must ingest essential FA because the body requires them for good health, cannot synthesize them de novo, and must acquire them with diet. They are mostly synthesized by algae and then transferred and preserved in lipid reserves through the food web. Therefore, the accumulation and composition i.e. quality of FA in consumers is affected by changes in the algal FA production. Measures of algal, zooplankton and fish production rates are rare in the aquatic literature as they are challenging and time consuming, especially when carried out in remote Arctic lakes. However, knowing the algal production of FA is essential for understanding production of zooplankton and fish as the FA are essential for consumer development. FA are required for organism growth and the development of the visual and immune systems. A decrease in FA production and availability might affect the entire ecosystem and life traits, such as organism size and ability to survive. Further, quantification of essential FA production and fluxes between producers and consumers would improve understanding of likely changes in lake ecosystem services (e.g., fish production) under climate warming scenarios likely to change phytoplankton community composition and FA production rates. Here we present FA health indicators for the aquatic food web of Greiner Lake near Cambridge Bay in Nunavut (Canada), known to be an important halieutic source for the local Inuit community. The study aims to identify the main sources of essential FA in the lake and to quantify their transfer along the food web up to fishes and ultimately to human consumption. Pelagic and benthic algal production was estimated with 14C-assimilation technique and quantified for FA, and was confirmed to be the major source of essential FA, with the benthic production being more important than the pelagic production. Zooplankton production was estimated with measurement of chitobiase enzyme that is released to the water when crustaceans molt i.e. grow, to quantify the FA flux from algal producers to their zooplankton consumers. Finally FA analyses were carried out in zooplankton and fish flesh to identify and quantify the transfer of essential FA along the food chain to humans. This study demonstrates that it is necessary to estimate present production rates and transfers from producers to consumers to be able to evaluate the effects of global warming on ecosystems and to better predict the future of Arctic lakes.
Towards quantifying local permafrost thaw more comprehensively: Measuring time series of temperature, unfrozen water content, and surface subsidence
Gruber, Stephan (1) (Presenter)
Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
Subsurface temperature monitoring alone provides an incomplete representation of permafrost thaw. This is because close to 0ºC, latent heat transfer during phase change becomes increasingly important. Consequently, large amounts of energy can be expended on raising the unfrozen water content of permafrost or on melting ice and have water evacuated by lateral runoff. These effects are very difficult to infer or quantify from temperature observations alone. To better quantify local permafrost change, three pilot installations to a depth of around 2m were made in summer 2017 near Yellowknife. They measure profiles of temperature and unfrozen water content as well as surface heave and subsidence with hourly resolution. Temperature is calibrated to 0.02ºC and unfrozen water content has a repeatability of a fraction of a percent. Absolute calibration of water content is work in progress. This poster will show first results obtained from July to November (subsidence/heave) and September to November (temperature and unfrozen water).
Predicting liquid water content in permafrost from temperature time series: The importance of a structurally sound model
Gruber, Stephan (1) (Presenter) and N. Brown (1)
(1) Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
Ground temperature measurements are typically used to monitor permafrost. In thawing permafrost, temperature changes with time are often minute, intuitively creating the misleading impression that little change occurs. During this phase, latent heat transfer is strong and the amounts of ice, liquid water, and energy in the soil can change strongly while temperature change is subdued. Given that changes in subsurface ice and liquid water contents are significant for human and biophysical systems, as well as for calculating the latent heat associated with ground energy fluxes, it would be desirable to monitor these changes in warming permafrost. Unfortunately, such measurements are rarely collected. Previous studies have demonstrated that soil properties can be estimated by using observed temperature time-series to fit the parameters of a numerical model. To this end, two techniques, the differential evolution search algorithm and generalized likelihood uncertainty estimation, are used to estimate soil properties from temperature data using the GEOtop model. In this, we aim to estimate changing liquid-water content in soil based on fitted model parameters. Both methods exhibit promising results with synthetic data, and are able to accurately estimate soil properties, even with the addition of noise into the synthetically generated ‘observational’ data. Tests with field data, however, demonstrate that even when fitted parameters are suitable for reproducing temperature observations, they may not be appropriate for calculating liquid water contents. The choice of cost function is known to significantly influence the results in parameter-fitting studies, so the effect of incorporating information about heat content into the cost function is also evaluated. This new cost function is shown to yield poorer estimates of soil properties with the exception of the soil freezing temperature. We conclude that the mismatch between model structure and soil profiles at measured locations to be the likely cause for the difference in performance between synthetic and observed data. For example, seasonal variation of water content within the active layer, heterogeneity and 3D effects near the surface, or the loss of excess ice can affect how well the assumed 1D homogeneous soil column can represent reality. An understanding of how the uncertainty in model parameters propagates to predictions of liquid water content derived from temperature data will be essential as permafrost continues to thaw. The current inability to fit model parameters suitable for simulating liquid-water content in permafrost points to our limited capacity to monitor and predict relevant change in permafrost.
Effects of changing photoperiod on the circadian rhythmicity of photosynthesis in the polar diatom Fragilariopsis cylindrus
Guérin, Sébastien (1) (Presenter), F. Bruyant (1), J. Larivière (1), P. Massicotte (1), J. Ferland (1), M. Gosselin (2), M. Babin (1) and J. Lavaud (1)
(1) Takuvik Joint International Laboratory, Laval University (Canada) - CNRS (France), UMI3376, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Rimouski Institute of Ocean Sciences (ISMER), University of Quebec at Rimouski (UQAR), Rimouski QC, Canada
The impact of photoperiod in the regulation of photophysiological processes of unicellular eukaryotic algae is largely unknown. Arctic diatoms experience large seasonal changes in photoperiod which make them relevant model to study the circadian rhythmicity of photophysiological processes. The aim of this study is to characterize the phenological and rhythmic response of the cold-adapted species Fragilariopsis cylindrus to representative seasonal photoperiods observed at 67°N. Cells were acclimated for three weeks in bioreactors with light:dark photoperiods of 0:24 (middle/end of December), 6:18 (early February), 12:12 (end of March), 18:6 (early May) and 24:0 (end of May). Experiments were conducted at 0° C and an illumination of 30 µmol photons m-2 s-1, the optimal irradiance for growth of this species. Our results suggest that some aspects of the photophysiology of F. cylindrus, especially photoprotection (non-photochemical quenching and xanthophyll pigments content), have a strong circadian rhythmicity. We also exposed the diatoms from an alternance of light:dark photoperiod (18:6) to either complete darkness (0:24) or continuous light (24:0). The results of this experiment suggest that the observed photophysiological rhythmicity appears to depend on an endogenous regulation based on the regular alternation of light and dark phases. F. cylindrus shows extraordinary photoacclimation abilities allowing it to grow under the extreme Arctic seasonal light conditions and transitions, mainly through a finely tuned photoprotection ability.
Impacts of changes in krill vertical distribution and density on foraging efficiency of Northwest Atlantic blue whales in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada
Guilpin, Marie (1) (Presenter), V. Lesage (2) and G. Winkler (1)
(1) Marine Science Institute – University of Québec in Rimouski, Rimouski Qc, Canada
(2) Maurice-Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Mont-Joli Qc, Canada
Survival and fitness of individuals, thereby of the population, is highly contingent on successful foraging and food acquisition. Marine mammals are air-breathers constrained by oxygen at the surface and single prey items or prey patches at depth. Blue whales are capital breeders, critically fueling reproduction and other energetic expenses on previously acquired energy stocks, and feed most exclusively on krill during an intense feeding season. The Northwest Atlantic blue whale population is listed as endangered on the Canadian Species at Risk Act with a population of about 500 individuals with signs of low calving rate. They use the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence (Canada) as feeding grounds to replenish their fat reserves. We could show that they have to seek the highest densities within krill patches with low leeway in their reachable foraging efficiency. As a next step the aim of this study is to investigate, though model simulations, the effects of climate and natural variability in krill density and vertical distribution on blue whale foraging efficiency. Ultimately, it will provide information on blue whales ability to cope with changes in the prey field, due to long-term changes in the climate.
Krill density requirements and foraging efficiency of Northwest Atlantic blue whales foraging in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada
Guilpin, Marie (1) (Presenter), V. Lesage (2), I. McQuinn (2), M. Moisan (3), J. Goldbogen (4), J. Potvin (5), T. Doniol-Valcroze (2), R. Michaud (3) and G. Winkler (1)
(1) Marine Science Institute – University of Québec in Rimouski, 310 Rue des Ursulines, Rimouski QC, Canada
(2) Maurice-Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 850 Route de la Mer, Mont-Joli QC, Canada
(3) Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals, 108 de la Cale Sèche, Tadoussac QC, Canada
(4) Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove CA, United States
(5) Department of Physics, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis MO, United States
Foraging efficiency (FE) is determined by the ratio of energy intake over energy expended while foraging. In capital breeders, such as blue whales, which store energy to fuel the costs of reproduction, FE represents a useful metric for estimating energy reserves. In many cases, prey density has been described as one of the main drivers of the foraging effort exhibited by animals. Blue whales feed most exclusively on krill, which significantly vary, both spatially and temporally, in their abundance and distribution. We deployed velocity archival tags allowing the detection of lunges on 11 blue whales foraging in the St. Lawrence Estuary, Canada. Monte Carlo simulations incorporating uncertainty in all model parameters (e.g., hourly estimate of foraging effort and associated bioenergetic costs) were used to model ranges of krill densities required to balance energy expenditures, while allowing for surplus energy to be stored. During daytime, blue whales generally dove to deeper depths and performed fewer dives than at night (10.8 vs 16.2 feeding dives/hour); however, they performed more lunges per dive during daytime (2.8 vs 1.3 lunges/dive) which allow for a stable feeding rate (lunges/hour) throughout the entire day. Predicted required density of arctic krill (median and 90% CI) ranged from 11.79 (2.82-31.17) g wet weight·m-3 to 38.70 (32.05-48.14) g wet weight·m-3 throughout the hours of the day to meet their hourly energy demands (FE = 1). To double foraging efficiency (FE = 2), i.e., to store as much energy as what was expended, arctic krill densities would need to range between 23.15 (5.72-63.76) g wet weight·m-3 and 77.38 (64.05-95.86) g wet weight·m-3. In situ density of krill patches, measured with hydroacoustic techniques, were about 15g wet weight·m-3 on average, and never exceeded 120g wet weight·m-3. These results indicate that blue whales need to seek the highest densities within krill patches, and that they are unlikely to reach a FE above 3 in the St. Lawrence. This study furthers our understanding of blue whale foraging ecology, helps to identify suitable feeding habitats as well as to predict effects of climate and natural variability in krill density on blue whale condition and vital functions.
Freshwater and nutrient distribution in coastal waters of James Bay and Southeast Hudson Bay
Guzzi, Alessia (1) (Presenter), M. Warbanski (2), J. Heath (2), M. Kamula (3), J. Ehn (3) and Z.Z. Kuzyk (3)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Arctic Eider Society, St. John’s NL, Canada
(3) University of Manitoba – Centre for Earth Observation Sciences (CEOS), Winnipeg MB, Canada
The watershed and coastal environment of eastern James Bay have undergone evident change since the late 1970s. Among the most notable changes have been the decline of eelgrass beds and associated coastal ecosystems. Dam construction, between the 1970s and 2011, on the La Grande River for hydroelectric generation has altered the natural seasonality and magnitude of freshwater fluxes to James Bay. Climate change may also be attributed to the observed impacts on river runoff and the sea-ice cycle. These hydrographic and ecological changes provide potential mechanisms for changing nutrient dynamics in James Bay and the ‘downstream’ area of southeast/east Hudson Bay. There is limited historical nutrient data for the eastern James Bay region. New data obtained in 2016-2017 provide hydrographic context for eastern James Bay for the first time since the completion of the La Grande hydroelectric complex development. Our focus is to describe freshwater composition (differentiating river water and sea ice melt) together with nutrient (nitrate, phosphate, and silicate) distribution both geographically and seasonally in this region. We also aim to compare the present data with the limited historical data to evaluate any notable changes. In partnership with the Cree Nation of Chisasibi and the Arctic Eider Society (AES), we collected water samples and conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) profiles of the water column at sites along the eastern James Bay coast, extending from the mouth of La Grande River north to Cape Jones. Water samples and CTD profiles were collected in January, April, and August of both 2016 and 2017. Additionally, in partnership with the communities of Sanikiluaq, Kuujuaraapik, Umiujaq and Inukjuak, we collected CTD profiles and water samples near the Belcher Islands and along the east Hudson Bay coastline in winter 2016 and 2017. Water samples were analyzed for parameters including salinity, oxygen isotope ratio (O-18), nutrients (phosphate, nitrate, nitrite, and silicate), and total suspended solids. Along the eastern James Bay coast, winter salinity - O-18 relationships reflect the strong influence of river water (O-18 ~ -14 per mil). Focusing on the James Bay region, preliminary results show that, at least in winter, La Grande River water contains higher concentrations of nitrate than the coastal James Bay waters. In contrast, phosphate concentrations are close or equal to zero in the river waters, and generally high in coastal James Bay waters. Nitrate and phosphate are both present at higher concentrations in the marine waters along the Nunavik coast and near the Belcher Islands compared to coastal James Bay. In summer, along the James Bay coast, we have seen evidence for possible nitrate drawdown in a salinity range of 8-20 psu and possible phosphate drawdown in a salinity range of 10-16 psu. Once current data have been fully analyzed we will look at comparing the freshwater and nutrient distributions to the historical data to gain an appreciation of the change that has occurred over the last few decades.
Physiology and primary production of sea ice algae along a tidal strait in Northwest Passage of the Canadian Arctic
Ha, Sun-Yong (1) (Presenter), C.J. Mundy (2), B.-Y. Lee (1), K. Kim (3), N. Pogorzelec (2) and S.-H. Kang (1)
(1) Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI), Ncheon, Korea
(2) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(3) Pusan National University, Busan, Korea
The contribution of sea ice algal primary production to total primary production in the Arctic varies depending on the region and ice extent. Ice algal primary production can be expected to increase as climate changes force a shift towards greater first-year ice coverage, and thus increased light transmission through the thinner ice. In this poster we present an investigation of the physiology and primary production of ice algae in landfast first-year ice during the spring 2017 ICE-CAMPS (Ice Covered Ecosystem-Cambridge Bay Process Study) field campaign across a tidal strait located in the Dease Strait near Cambridge Bay, NU, CA. We examine temporal and spatial primary production estimates of sea ice and ice-water interface samples from in-situ incubation using carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes. Photo-protective compounds (mycosporine-like amino acids and photo-protective pigments) are also investigated relative to their location along the tidal strait. Preliminary results show that in the bottom 0-10 cm of sea ice, cells >20 µm accounted for more than 60% of the ice algal community, while distribution of chlorophyll a concentration (chl a) averaged 32.4 ± 16.2 µg l-1 (range from 9.0 to 65.3 µg l-1). Furthermore, an increasing gradient in chl a towards the center of the tidal strait support the hypothesis that greater currents within the strait provide an enhanced nutrient flux and production.
Shipping in the western Canadian Arctic: Potential impacts on marine mammals in marine protected areas and possible management solutions
Halliday, William (1,2) (Presenter), S. Insley (1,2), L. McWhinnie (3), M. Pine (1,2), C. Hilliard (4), T. de Jong (1) and R. Canessa (3)
(1) Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Whitehorse YT, Canada
(2) Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
(3) Department of Geography, University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
(4) Department of Computer Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, Canada
As the Arctic becomes more ice-free during the summer, ship traffic is increasing. The Northern Sea Route along the Russian coast is already used as a viable shipping route from Asia to Europe, and the Northwest Passage along the Canadian coast may not be far behind. In preparation for increased ship traffic, managers and policy makers must consider the impact of this increased traffic on sensitive Arctic ecosystems and animals. Here, we examine the acoustic impacts of shipping through the western Canadian Arctic on marine mammals. We use acoustic propagation modeling to examine the acoustic footprint of ships traveling along the proposed shipping corridor through the western Canadian Arctic, and examine the impact of this acoustic footprint on marine mammals in the marine protected areas in the region. We then examine automatic identification system data for ships to look at shipping within and around these marine protected areas, and examine management options to reduce the impact of ship traffic on whales in these marine protected areas. This work is an important first step in understanding the impact of shipping on marine mammals in the western Canadian Arctic, and offers potential solutions that managers can use to reduce the impacts on marine mammals in the region.
Modification and variability of ocean properties in a High Arctic ice shelf fjord: Milne Fiord, Ellesmere Island
Hamilton, Andrew K. (1,2) (Presenter), D.R. Mueller (2) and B.E. Laval (1)
(1) University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC, Canada
(2) Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
The northern coast of Ellesmere Island, Canada, has undergone widespread loss of coastal ice since 2000, including calving of ice shelves and the break-up of glacier tongues. The loss of ice has been linked to rapidly warming air temperatures, but the role of the ocean, and the effect these changes have on fjord dynamics, is not well understood. This is due primarily to a lack of marine observations in the region. We present extensive field data collected from 2011 to 2015 to describe the hydrography of one of the few remaining ice shelf-dominated fjords in the Arctic: Milne Fiord (82N). Here, the up to 100 m thick Milne Ice Shelf (MIS) spans the mouth of the fjord, while the 150 m thick Milne Glacier tongue occupies the head of the fjord. The presence of these cryospheric features strongly modifies water properties in the fjord compared to those on the continental shelf. The ice shelf acts as a floating dam, trapping seasonal meltwater runoff in the fjord resulting in a year-round fresher and warmer upper water column compared to waters offshore. This freshwater is gradually exported under the MIS over winter through a narrow basal channel in the ice shelf. In contrast, exchange of water below the base of the MIS and above a 260 m deep bathymetric sill is relatively unrestricted, allowing temperature fluctuations on the continental shelf to propagate to the head of the fjord where it drives submarine melting of the Milne Glacier. We discuss the impact of ice-ocean interactions, runoff, and bathymetry on water column structure along transects extending from the Milne Glacier grounding line to the continental shelf. In addition, we show that interannual and seasonal variation of fjord properties are driven by both external and internal forces, with the MIS in particular modifying the magnitude and timing of salinity and temperature variations in the fjord. The inevitable collapse of the MIS in the current climate will substantial alter the water column structure, heat content, and dynamics of the fjord, with important implications for the stability of the Milne Glacier tongue and the dynamics of the Milne Glacier.
Biodiversity of benthic mollusc assemblages in the central and eastern Canadian Arctic Archipelago derived from historical data
Hamp, Meghan (1) (Presenter)
University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK, Canada
The benthic biota inhabiting nearshore environments in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CCA) are poorly understood. Baseline information such as benthic species inventories, patterns of abundance, and comparisons of biodiversity within the CCA are difficult to find. The goal of this research is to explore the relationship between benthic mollusc species diversity and environmental variables along gradients related to latitude (i.e., Ellesmere Island to Igloolik Island) and depth (i.e., from 5 m to 100 m). Data supporting this research are derived in roughly equal measures from the peer-reviewed research literature and the faunal collections and associated metadata archived in the Canadian Museum of Nature. Sampling locations include: Turton Bay, Igloolik Island; Arctic Bay, Baffin Island; Creswell Bay, Somerset Island; Expedition and Strand fjords, Axel Heiberg Island; and Slidre and Cañon fjords, Ellesmere Island. Sampling at these locations spans the period 1954 to 2002. Benthic biota were recovered in grab samples (all organisms retained on 0.5 mm sieve) and benthic trawls (all organisms retained on a 5 cm sieve). Locational and environmental data include: latitude, longitude, depth, bottom water temperature and salinity, and seabed substrate texture. An aggregated species inventory was created from the species lists recorded at each research location. Subsequently, all stations with less than 5 taxa present and all taxa found at less than five stations were eliminated from the initial inventory. Bray-Curtis similarity (ß diversity) for all pair-wise combination of sites was computed using R studio. The R-mode (similarity between stations) dendrogram derived from this analysis produced 5 discrete clusters. Cluster 1 includes only stations within Turton Bay. Cluster 2 includes stations from Creswell Bay, and Slidre and Cañon fjords. Cluster 3 includes stations from Creswell Bay, Expedition and Cañon fjords. Cluster 4 includes only stations in Creswell Bay. Cluster 5 includes stations from Creswell Bay and Slidre Fjord. The Q-mode (similarity amongst species) dendrogram derived from this analysis produced 7 discrete clusters: 4 of these clusters correspond to mollusc assemblages with a wide geographic range in the circumpolar North. Cluster 1 is characterized by Ennucula spp., Portlandia lenticula, and Cyclopecten greenlandicus. Cluster 2 is characterized by Axinopsida orbiculata, Ennucula sp., Macoma calcarea, and Serripes groenlandicus. Cluster 3 is characterized by Astarte crenata, Bathyarca glacialis, Portlandia intermedia, and Thyasira flexuosa. Cluster 4 is characterized by Astarte spp., Hiatella arctica, Macoma spp, Mya truncata, and Portlandia arctica. Cluster 1 and Cluster 3 are associated with muddy bottoms in deep water. Cluster 2 and Cluster 4 are associated with mixed bottoms of gravel, sand and mud in shallow water. The acquisition of new data from the Arctic is essential to improve our comprehension of the ecological processes that govern benthic community diversity. The use of data sets from the published literature and museum collections contributes to the development of a solid knowledge base for comparison with modern sampling programs. These results provide a basis for future investigation of the biological processes and environmental factors responsible for patterns of benthic mollusc biodiversity in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.
Cold climate wind energy as a replacement for coal energy in Longyearbyen 78°N
Hann, Richard (1,2) (Presenter), L. Veshniakova (1,3), P. Cicilio (1,4), M. Romero (1,4)
(1) University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
(2) Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
(3) University of Tromsø (UIT), Tromsø, Norway
(4) Oregon State University (OSU), Corvallis OR, United States
Longyearbyen is a remote town near the North Pole at 78° N. The community is historically and economically built on local coal mining and coal energy. Causes and effects of climate change go hand in hand here and give a taste of what may come for the rest of the planet. There is an opportunity to use wind turbines in Longyearbyen as a renewable energy source. High average wind speeds, high air density and all-year availability make wind a suitable candidate for a sustainable energy supplier in the Arctic. However, the cold climate and remoteness of the location brings several challenges that are discussed in depth. Atmospheric icing is an issue that can negatively affect wind power production and may even damage wind turbines. To mitigate this problem, icing protection systems have to be implemented in the turbine blade. The permafrost is also a significant challenge for building stable foundations of the turbines. In addition, installation of the wind power plants is an issue that needs to be accounted for. This paper will look at three possible locations for a wind farm and discuss them with regards to wind potential and practical challenges. Last but not least, an evaluation of the health, safety and environmental (HSE) impacts is included.
Opportunities and challenges for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in the Arctic
Hann, Richard (1) (Presenter)
(1) Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
In recent years, there has been a strong development and an increased utilization of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). These automated drones are suitable for a wide range of applications and are used in many different industries or science areas today. Fixed-wing UAVs are well suited for remote sensing operations in isolated and harsh areas, such as the Arctic. In particular, UAVs offer significant opportunities for marine operations and for integrated remote sensing. The main technology developments that will be discussed are the detection and tracking of icebergs and oil spills. In addition, other applications of UAVs in the Arctic will be covered, such as in-situ burning of oil spills, search & rescue missions, glaciological photogrammetry as well as conventional monitoring and mapping tasks. The cold climate conditions in the Arctic impose special challenges for UAV operations. This is a topic that has only recently shifted into the focus of research and will be discussed in detail. The main challenge for fixed-wing UAVs in cold climate conditions is atmospheric icing. This type of icing occurs when super-cooled cloud droplets collide with the leading-edge of the aircraft and form ice. This ice is considered to cause a significant reduction in the aerodynamic performance. Atmospheric icing has been attributed as the main reason for UAV losses in cold climate regions and is particularly relevant for arctic operations. Developing an effective and efficient icing protection system is a key technology that is required for successful UAV operations in the Arctic. Electro-thermal heating systems installed on the wings can prevent or remove ice formation. Efficient control of these systems is necessary in order to reduce energy consumption and allow for autonomous long-range operations. The current state of technology as well as ongoing research topics will be presented.
Benthic spatial biodiversity patterns in the seas of the Arctic Siberian shelf
Hansen, Miriam Lea Sarah (1) (Presenter), D. Piepenburg (1,2,3) and C. Kraan (2,3)
(1) Christian Albrecht University, Kiel, Germany
(2) Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), Bremerhaven, Germany
(3) Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity (HIFMB) at University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
Climate change and its consequences are very pronounced in the Arctic Siberian shelf region and impact marine benthic organisms. Even small changes in the environment could have wide-ranging consequences for benthic communities, food webs and ecosystem functions. Yet, little is known about the response of benthic communities towards these changing environmental conditions. Combining data from different regions and the employment of recent ecological modelling approaches should allow to address this knowledge gap, and investigate the community structures, diversity and ecosystem functions in Arctic benthos across larger scales. Here we present our plans to achieve this. The required ecological data for such modelling approaches are provided by expeditions in the Arctic seas from the years 1991, 1993, 2013 and 2014. Sixty-nine stations across the Arctic Sea were sampled by trawling and grab methods. These data have been cleaned and harmonised, resulting in data on around 400 species. (1) Spatial variation in community composition will be investigated by the help of Moran’s eigenvector mapping. Results will show which abiotic variables, such as ice cover or Chlorophyll-a, are important at which scale and which macrobenthic species are most associated with these distinct scales. (2) Species archetype models shall define distinct groupings, their probability of occurrence across Arctic Siberian Shelf seas and determine which environmental variables are most important for which archetype. (3) Spatial patterns in functional redundancy will show spatial patterning in traits related to ecosystem functioning across Arctic Siberian shelf seas.
Novel Arctic phytoplankton producing a series of aliphatic hydrocarbons
Harada, Naomi (1) (Presenter), M. Sato (1), J. Onodera (1), F. Itoh (2) and Y. Hirose (3)
(1) Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Yokosuka Kanagawa, Japan
(2) Phytorox Inc., Uruma Okinawa, Japan
(3) Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi Aichi, Japan
Polar region including Arctic Ocean and Antarctica is one of extreme area for organisms on Earth. It is not rare that organisms having some special functions survive in there. Here, we introduce a novel phytoplankton that can produce a series aliphatic hydrocarbons collected from the Chukchi Sea in the western Arctic Ocean. According to genetic analysis, this phytoplankton belongs to Haptophyta. We found that this Arctic strain of Haptophyta is capable to produce aliphatic hydrocarbons having carbon number from 11 to 38 which are categorized as naphtha, diesel and heavy oil. It is well known that phytoplankton commonly produce aliphatic hydrocarbons with a couple of major compounds such as carbon number of 15 and 17, but no organisms which can produce a series of aliphatic hydrocarbons from short to long carbon chains have not been discovered on Earth. Characteristics of the Arctic strain and potentiality as a new resource of biofuel will be introduced in detail at the session.
Sea ice surface property detection during the summer melt period: Using ship-based passive microwave systems and UAVs in Canada’s northern waters
Harasyn, Madison (1) (Presenter), D. Isleifson (1,2) and D. Barber (1)
(1) Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
The focus of this project is to strengthen our knowledge of the connection between the summer thermodynamic properties of Arctic sea ice and ice emissions in the microwave regime. During the summer melt period, sea ice undergoes changes in surface properties, such as liquid water and snow content, surface roughness or surface temperature, altering microwave emissions from the ice body and complicating ice classification using radiometric systems. Through the combination of in situ passive microwave data collection and physical ice sampling, this project aims to generate a comparative analysis between direct and indirect ice measurement techniques, in efforts to build confidence in accurate sea ice classification and characterization during the summer melt period. Data collection was completed aboard the CCGS Amundsen as part of the 2017 BAYSYS campaign. Sea ice physical characteristic data as well as in situ passive microwave (PMW) data and high-resolution UAV imagery were collected for 3 floes within the Labrador Sea during the month of June. Snow depth/presence, temperature, density and salinity were measured at intervals along an ice core at each station. Passive microwave data was collected for frequencies of 19, 37 and 89 GHz for a series of incidence angles at both horizontal and vertical polarizations. A camera housed in the PMW system captured images at each instance of microwave data collection, which was used in combination with UAV imagery to classify surface features within the field of view (FOV) of the radiometer at each incidence angle. Passive microwave data as well as ice characteristics have been summarized for analysis, along with surface features of each floe within the FOV of each incidence angle. Future work will involve relating measured microwave emissions to designated classes of floe characteristics (e.g., dry snow, ice/open ocean mix, melt pond). This will be completed by directly comparing brightness temperature values to measured physical characteristics and analyzing polarization and gradient ratios. Through supervised pixel classification of the UAV imagery, surface characteristic detection will be scaled up to the whole UAV survey area for which estimations of microwave emittance will be made. As an end goal, this prediction will be compared to coincident satellite-based radiometric data in efforts to apply this relationship over a greater spatial scale.
An assessment of population genomic structure in black guillemots (Cepphus grylle) in North America
Harkness, Bronwyn (1) (Presenter), G.J. Robertson (2) and V.L. Friesen (1)
(1) Queen's University, Kingston ON, Canada
(2) Environment and Climate Change Canada, St. John's NL, Canada
Identifying genetically differentiated populations is important for successful species conservation. If local populations are genetically differentiated, then loss of a population can result in partial loss of a species’ genetic diversity, including adaptations that were unique to that population. Loss of genetic diversity also can affect a species’ ability to adapt to stressors, such as oil pollution or climate change. Arctic seabirds are particularly vulnerable to climate change due to their close relationship with sea ice cover. Atmospheric changes in temperature as well as decreasing sea ice cover are already affecting breeding success in some arctic seabirds. The Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle) for example, is experiencing decreased breeding success in parts of its range as retreating sea ice cover has altered prey distribution and abundance, and resulted in the introduction of new competitors and predators to breeding grounds. We have little knowledge of the population genetics and demographics of Black Guillemots. An analysis of variation in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences from seven colonies in the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans suggested that regional populations of Black Guillemots differ genetically and that gene flow may be limited. In cases where weak genetic differentiation is found using low numbers of markers, larger numbers of markers from next-generation sequencing often resolve some population genetic structure. I conducted a genome-wide survey of genetic variation using double-digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq) to determine the extent to which regional populations of Black Guillemot differ at neutral and putatively adaptive markers. I tested the hypothesis that regional populations of Black Guillemots are genetically distinct. Results from my study showed that FST values were weak but significant, suggesting that gene flow among Black Guillemot populations is restricted. Clear population genetic structure was also visible in a principle components analysis. These results confirm results of previous studies of population genetic structure in Black Guillemots using mtDNA. Possible reasons for this marked genetic structure include strong philopatry, physical barriers to gene flow, tendency to remain close to breeding colonies year-round, and historical isolation in separate refugia during the Pleistocene. Our research indicates that regional populations of Black Guillemots differ genetically at neutral markers and should be managed as separate units.
Changes in plant functional traits across a warming tundra biome: Linking vegetation change to ecosystem function
Haydn J.D. Thomas (1) (Presenter), I.H. Myers-Smith (1), A.D. Bjorkman (2), S.C. Elmendorf (3,4), Tundra Working Group (5), Tundra Trait Team (5), TRY (5) and ITEX (5)
(1) University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
(2) Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
(3) University of Colorado, Boulder CO, United States
(4) National Ecological Observatory Network, Boulder CO, United States
(5) 121 additional authors from multiple institutions
One of the most pressing questions of our time is understanding how anthropogenic climate change will impact the world’s ecosystems and the key processes that they provide. Perhaps nowhere will ecosystem response to climate change be greater than in the tundra, which is warming at twice the global average rate and undergoing rapid vegetation change. However, we don’t yet know how current and future vegetation change will influence key ecosystem processes such as decomposition and carbon storage. To better understand these links, we can examine plant traits: the measured characteristics that describe plant form and function. Traits can change through adaptation of individuals, changes in the abundance of existing species, or immigration of new species. In this study we examined 1) the sources of trait variation in the tundra biome, 2) the links between traits and environment (temperature and moisture availability) over space and time, and 3) the impact of community trait change on decomposition rates. We integrated more than 56,000 trait observations with nearly three decades of plant community vegetation surveys at 117 Arctic and alpine tundra sites spanning the northern hemisphere, forming the largest ever database of plant traits for the tundra biome. Firstly, we found that trait variation in the tundra aligned with global patterns, despite harsh environmental conditions and low species richness. The majority of trait variation occurred at the species level, but variation within species was important at small scales. Secondly, we found strong spatial relationships between key plant traits and summer temperature, which were primarily explained by species turnover across space. Over the past three decades, community plant height increased with warming across all sites, but most other traits lagged far behind rates of change predicted from spatial temperature-trait relationships. Thirdly, leaf traits correlated closely with decomposition rate, indicating that vegetation community change could be a major driver of decomposition in the tundra. However, we found no evidence that community level decomposability has changed over time or as a result of warming in the last three decades. Overall, our results reveal the strength with which environmental factors shape biotic communities at the coldest extremes of the planet and contribute to improved projections of how tundra ecosystems, and the critical functions they provide, may change with climate warming
Building Nunaliit with communities and vice versa
Hayes, Amos (1) (Presenter) and D. Keith (2)
(1) Geomatics and Cartographic Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) Kitikmeot Heritage Society, Cambridge Bay NU, Canada
The Geomatics and Cartographic Research Centre (GCRC) is a multidisciplinary research centre at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario. Indigenous and local spatial knowledge are central research interests of the GCRC. For over a decade, the GCRC and its partners have been co-developing a number of community-focused projects in the Canadian north. The collaborations with several Inuit and First Nations organizations, territorial governments, and funding agencies in the north have led to a community-designed approach to knowledge management. As part of our approach to this work, the GCRC has always sought to find common needs among our partners and turn much of our research into software tools that can be applied by all. The Nunaliit Cybercartographic Atlas Framework (Nunaliit) is a result of this effort and there are now many communities in the north and elsewhere using it. The GCRC and some of its partners will present a handful of case studies illustrating how a shared knowledge platform is driving new collaborations, community-focused system development, and new possibilities for knowledge stewardship by and for northern communities.
Characterization of aerosol size distributions and optical properties in the Canadian High Arctic using surface and columnar observations
Hayes, Patrick (1) (Presenter), S. Tremblay (1), N. O'Neill (2), J. Prakash Chaubey (2), Y. AboEl Fetouh (2), K. Ranjbar (2), R. Chang (3), F. Kolonjari (4), S. Sharma (4), W.R. Leaitch (4) and P. Fogal (5)
(1) Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Université de Sherbrooke, Québec, QC, Canada
(3) Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, Canada
(4) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto ON, Canada
(5) University of Toronto, Toronto ON, Canada
This study presents long-terms observations of aerosol size distributions for both coarse and fine modes as well as of aerosol light scattering and absorption that are ongoing at the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory (PEARL) in the Canadian High Arctic (80N, 86W). A variety of optical properties are determined including aerosol single scattering albedo, the scattering angstrom exponent for 405 nm and 870 nm as well as black carbon concentration. The surface measurements of the aerosol scattering coefficient are also compared against the coefficient values calculated using Mie theory and the measured aerosol size distributions, the real refractive index can be estimated from such comparisons. The optical properties determined from the surface measurements are then compared against sun photometer measurements to understand the relationship between surface and columnar aerosol optical properties. The measurements at PEARL provide a unique combination of surface and columnar data sets on aerosols in the High Arctic, a region where such measurements are scarce despite the important impact of aerosols on the climate of the Arctic.
The inaugural Hudson Bay Summit (Winter 2018): Towards coordinated environmental stewardship for the greater Hudson Bay/James Bay region through formation of a Hudson Bay Consortium
Heath, Joel P. (1) (Presenter) and L. Arragutainaq (1,2) (Presenter)
(1) The Arctic Eider Society, St. John's NL, Canada
(2) Sanikiluaq Hunters and Trappers Association, Sanikiluaq NU, Canada
The Hudson Bay Consortium initiative has arisen from a long series of ongoing efforts to develop a framework for coordinated environmental stewardship across the greater Hudson Bay/James Bay region. Recent efforts were catalyzed by an initial meeting in Ottawa in December 2014 that led to formation of a planning steering committee and initial funding for a secretariat. A western Hudson Bay Regional Roundtable group has made excellent progress in coordinating regional efforts for several years, and in Nov. 2016 the first Eastern Hudson Bay/James Bay Regional Roundtable was held in Chisasibi with great success and over 100 registered participants providing broad representation from communities, Indigenous organizations, various levels of government and other interested parties. A detailed report is available, emphasizing next steps for consortium building with a particular interest in coordinating research, communications and planning (e.g. for protected areas across jurisdictions). Since that time, the planning steering committee has developed a draft Vision Statement/Terms of Reference with consultation ongoing through the fall of 2017. An inaugural Hudson Bay Summit is now planned for Winter 2018 that would bring together both western and eastern groups and other interested parties to share knowledge and formally create the Hudson Bay Consortium. This presentation will focus on recent progress and planning for the Hudson Bay Summit. For additional details, please visit www.hudsonbayconsortium.com
SIKU: The Inuit Knowledge Wiki and Social Mapping Platform
Heath, Joel P. (1) (Presenter), K. Kownak (1,3) (Presenter), L. Arragutainaq (1,2) and G. Ljubicic (4)
(1) The Arctic Eider Society, Sanikiluaq NU, Canada
(2) Sanikiluaq Hunters and Trappers Association, Sanikiluaq NU, Canada
(3) Nunavut Sivuniksavut, Ottawa ON, Canada
(4) Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
SIKU, based on the Inuktitut word for sea ice, is a social media mapping platform and mobile app designed with and for Inuit. It combines traditional knowledge and tools with cutting edge technology, providing novel ways to mobilize Inuit knowledge for self-determination in research, education and environmental stewardship. The purpose of this presentation is to share progress to-date on the platform and mobile app, as a means to build new partnerships and engage the Arctic community towards creating tools and services that will benefit as many projects and organizations as possible in a free and accessible manner. The SIKU platform builds on a highly successful prototype (IK-MAP, Interactive Knowledge Mapping Platform) developed by the Arctic Eider Society through a variety of partnerships including the Nunavut General Monitoring Plan, Nunavik Marine Region Wildlife Board, Northern Contaminants Program, Esuma, Kativik School Board, Nunavut Sivuniksavut, Tides Canada, University of Manitoba, Carleton University, Cree Nation of Chisasibi, Kuujjuaraapik, Umiujaq, Inukjuak and Sanikiluaq. Winner of the Google.org Impact Challenge in Canada, SIKU will significantly expand the IK-MAP platform so that it can be used broadly as a free and culturally relevant social media platform across the north. As a core service of the SIKU platform, high resolution weather, tides, and marine forecast data are provided for communities and remote locations, as well as a common place to access extensive near-real time and historical satellite imagery (including radar), even at low bandwidths (e.g. MODIS, Landsat, Sentinel 1 and 2). Profiles for Communities, Organizations, Projects, People and dynamic taggable wikis for traditional place names, wildlife species, sea ice (including Inuktitut terminology), provide a compelling way to cross-reference knowledge thematically and geographically, and to share information through user-driven feeds that include a wide variety of post types (e.g. photos, hunting stories, wildlife observations, sea ice conditions, documents/reports, press coverage, multi-media, Inuit knowledge interviews, traditional knowledge and more). Real and near-real time deployments of oceanographic equipment, wildlife sampling and diverse research tools are also integrated. The mobile app for documenting Inuit observations of wildlife and sea ice conditions (including dangerous ice/ice safety notifications) is being piloted in winter 2018. The project is conducting ongoing consultation to develop the platform with and for Inuit, including workshops in northern communities, with students at Nunavut Sivuniksavut, through partner organizations and networks including ArcticNet and the Hudson Bay Consortium. We welcome broad feedback and input, and are looking to work closely with key projects as use case scenarios, including the ability to customize online and mobile app features for ongoing projects across the north. For additional information, please visit siku.org or contact the Arctic Eider Society.
Hydrographic under-ice surveying using the MUNIN AUV and Single-Beacon Navigation
Hegrenaes, Oyvind (1), C. Wallace (1), E. Borhaug (1) and N. Burchill (1) (Presenter)
(1) Kongsberg Maritime, Horten, Norway
This paper reports a commercially delivered under-ice survey carried out by an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) meeting strict positioning requirements. The campaign was completed as collaborative effort between Kongsberg Maritime (KM) and Ballard Marine Construction in January 2017. The surveys took place beneath a frozen lake in North America using the KM MUNIN AUV, with launch and recovery through a single hole on the ice not much larger than the vehicle itself. Localization was based on inertial navigation and georeferenced acoustic positioning using single-beacons pole mounted through the ice. No dedicated homing devices were used during recovery. Unlike many previous reports on under-ice AUV missions, the mobilization and operations were low-logistics and truly commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS), that is, without any under-ice-adaptations being made to the AUV or supporting systems. Also, while reduced navigation performance traditionally has been non-consequential to any final data product, the data was in this case required to comply with the S-44 Special Order specification by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO). This paper reports the operational experience, challenges, and lessons learned when doing commercial AUV operations under ice. Details are also given on the performance and setup of the single-transponder navigation.
The many faces of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit: A frame analysis
Held, Mirjam (1) (Presenter)
(1) Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFHard to pronounce and even harder to define, Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ) is a term one cannot evade when doing research in the Territory of Nunavut as the two are intrinsically tied. Coming from the Inuktitut verb root “qaujima-“, meaning “to know”, Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit is often translated as “Inuit traditional knowledge”. I analyzed how various stakeholders understand Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit by using frame analysis. This method revealed that different communicators use different frames to make sense of IQ. While many Elders use a traditional frame that focuses on the past, others use a solely ecological frame. The political frame built by the Government of Nunavut is used to “inuitize” government institutions and decisions. Some younger Inuit who are well-versed in Inuit and Western education frame IQ as a set of more universally applicable guiding principles. Framing – the use of historically and socially created frames of reference to interpret the world around us – is crucial for our understanding of verbal communication; a mismatch in frames between the sender and the receiver inevitably leads to misunderstandings. Thus it is paramount to understand the frames in which IQ is used and in turn to specify one’s own frame when employing the term.
Aerobic and anaerobic sedimentary respiration in Baffin Bay - a water column perspective
Helmuth, Thomas (1) (Presenter), N. Lehmann (1), F. Dehairs (2), J. Granger (3), M. Kienast (1), J. Mol (1), C. Monnin (4), and J.-E. Tremblay (5)
(1) Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, Canada
(2)Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussel, Belgium
(3) University of Connecticut, Groton CT, United States
(4) CNRS -Université Paul Sabatier-IRD-OMP, Toulouse, France
(5) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Baffin Bay is a 2300m deep basin in the northwestern polar Atlantic Ocean, separated from the 3400 m deep Labrador Sea to the south by a sill at Davis Strait (640-1000m), and enclosed by Greenland and Baffin Island in the east and west, respectively. In the northeast, Baffin Bay is connected to the Arctic Ocean through the North Water polyna and Nares Strait. The deep waters in Baffin Bay therefore present relatively stagnant conditions, favouring the consumption of oxygen and the accumulation of nutrients, dissolved inorganic carbon and bio-reactive elements such as barium (Ba).. During the Canadian 2015 GEOTRACES expedition to the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, we investigated the biogeochemical conditions in Baffin Bay and sampled the water column properties, including upstream and downstream locations. While oxygen saturation is diminished by up to 70%, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and nutrients markedly accumulate in Baffin Bay deep waters, as does Ba. Accumulation ratios of Ba to DIC, as well as the barite saturation state, indicate vertical input of particulate organic matter fueling respiration in the deep Baffin Bay. Because alkalinity increases in the deep waters as well, respiratory pathways other than aerobic respiration - which would cause alkalinity to decrease - are necessary,. Balancing alkalinity sources in Baffin Bay indicates that anaerobic processes such as denitrification, which release alkalinity, contribute substantially to the organic matter respiration. The nitrogen isotopic signature of nitrate (d15N-NO3) in the Baffin Bay deep waters, which is enriched by up to 2 permill above average North Atlantic deep waters, and the deficit of NO3 relative to phosphate (i.e., the N* tracer) imply denitrification as well. Water column denitrification can be excluded because of the presence of oxygen. We show that sedimentary respiratory processes along aerobic and anaerobic pathways, with subsequent return flux into the deep water column contribute up to 90% to the accumulation of DIC, 50% to the consumption of oxygen and 50% to the accumulation of Ba. Sedimentary processes thus exert the dominant control on the biogeochemistry of the deep Baffin Bay water column.
Vegetation change in the Canadian High Arctic: potential, constraints and evidence
Henry, Greg (1) (Presenter)
(1) University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC, Canada
The High Arctic is the least vegetated region of the Arctic, due to the environmental conditions and contingencies. Large areas are essentially bare and have remained so for millennia, since deglaciation. The very short melt season and cold dry climate has ultimately restricted vegetation and soil development. Plant species diversity and abundance decreases steadily with latitude, filtered by environmental conditions and isolation. The predicted greening of High Arctic landscapes in response to current climate change will likely be constrained by the slow development of suitable soils, permafrost degradation leading to significant effects on moisture conditions, and the lack of adaptation in southern populations to the conditions in the High Arctic at all scales. Any increase in plant diversity and abundance will, at least initially, depend on the responses of the extant species. Over the long-term, the composition and abundance of the vegetation will depend on the adaptation capacity of the major species in the Arctic, and this is poorly understood. I will explore these issues through a review of experimental and observational research conducted in the High Arctic over the past 30 years.
Assessing spatial and temporal change in benthic biodiversity over 50 years in Frobisher Bay
Herder, Erin (1) (Presenter), B. Misiuk (1), E. Edinger (1) and A. Aitken (2)
(1) Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's NL, Canada
(2) University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK, Canada
Arctic coastal marine environments are under tremendous pressure resulting from anthropogenic activities and changing climate conditions. Long-term ecological studies provide an effective way to assess the biological impacts of these pressures. Unfortunately, long-term ecology studies in the Arctic that measure temporal changes in benthic communities are rare. Inner Frobisher Bay provides a unique opportunity to study potential changes to the marine benthos over the last 50 years. Iqaluit, NU is a rapidly expanding coastal city near Frobisher Bay that has undergone a steady increase in population, expanding commercial and subsistence fisheries, and infrastructure development. Frobisher Bay has also experienced a steady decline in sea ice thickness and a shortened ice season. Therefore, it is crucial to examine how anthropogenic influence and climate change have affected the marine benthos over this time. Historical benthic macrofaunal and sediment data were collected at 12 long-term ecology (LTE) stations near Iqaluit between 1967 and 1976 using a grab sampler. Between 2015 and 2017 these stations were re-sampled using comparable methods, and were photographed with an underwater camera. An additional 19 stations were also sampled. Multibeam echosounder data were collected to support the production of a benthic habitat map for the LTE study. The historical data is species-rich with 475 taxa observed among the 12 stations sampled. Multidimensional scaling (MDS) analysis of these data indicates a high degree of homogeneity among seven deeper stations (30-80 m) sampled farthest from Iqaluit. Five shallower stations (9-40 m) closer to Iqaluit were less homogenous. Sediment grain size analysis correlated with water depth, with a smaller proportion of sand and higher proportion of silt observed at deeper stations. Count data from 2016 biological samples indicated a dominance of the class polychaeta (93%) at the station closest to Iqaluit with a larger portion of arthropods and mollusks present at stations farther from Iqaluit. A comparison of historical and modern data for the phylum Mollusca was made. The historical data revealed 80 taxa and this number remained largely unchanged in the modern dataset. However, a larger number of bivalve species, and smaller number of gastropod species were observed in the modern dataset. The greatest difference observed was at one station close to Iqaluit where no gastropods and five bivalve species were observed in the modern dataset compared to six gastropods and 13 bivalve species in the historical dataset. Analysis of benthic community change will be completed via: 1) taxonomic analysis using MDS and comparison between historical and modern data to identify temporal change; 2) functional traits analysis and comparison between historical and modern data to identify temporal change; and 3) predictive habitat mapping to identify spatial shifts in benthic communities between the historical and modern sample data. The marine benthos of Frobisher Bay is species-rich but may be sensitive to disturbance and slow to recover. Long-term studies are fundamental to our understanding of Arctic marine ecosystems and for identifying ecosystem change over time.
Understanding socio-ecological changes in Inuvialuit fishing livelihoods and implications for food security: The role of local and traditional knowledge
Heredia, Iria (1) (Presenter), S. Wesche (1) and Kristin Hynes (2)
(1) University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) Fisheries Joint Management Committee, Inuvik NT, Canada
Background: The Mackenzie Delta is an ecologically-rich freshwater environment in Canada’s Northwest Territories. It is vulnerable to multiple stressors such as climate change, resource development activities (oil and natural gas) and upstream-downstream linkages related to extraction activities in the southern part of the Mackenzie watershed. Resultant socio-ecological impacts affect fishing livelihoods, which represent a significant component of traditional food systems and ways of life for Inuvialuit. As such, there is a need to further explore the interconnection between water security, fishing livelihoods, and food security. This research seeks to effectively mobilize Local and Traditional Knowledge (LTK) to a) assess the importance of Inuvialuit fishing livelihoods in the Mackenzie Delta, b) identify socio-ecological changes related to fish ecology and fish procurement in the Mackenzie Delta based on Inuvialuit Knowledge, and c) understand the critical impacts of socio-ecological changes on fishing livelihoods and food security. Methods: This research was developed in partnership with the Fisheries Joint Management Committee in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, the western-most Inuit region in Canada. Following Indigenous research methodologies, we undertook collaborative, qualitative research that was highly participatory, while also drawing on relevant literature and complementary data. Using an ethnographic approach, we conducted 28 semi-structured interviews, including mapping and harvest survey components, in both Inuvik and Aklavik. We also analyzed components of the Arctic Borderlands Ecological Knowledge Society database, which contains longitudinal data from land-users in multiple communities. It provides complementary insights on indicators and observations of environmental change, fish harvest levels, and fishing practices. Findings: Participants indicated that fishing livelihoods are essential contributors to the Inuvialuit food system, as well as to cultural practices around harvesting and food procurement, Moreover, they implied the importance of secondary species, such as burbot and inconnu, for food security, a finding that has received limited attention in other studies. Preliminary findings also show that multiple environmental changes are occurring in the Delta, including lower water levels, increasing erosion, decreasing fish populations, and changes in Delta-reliant wildlife populations (e.g. more beavers). Other changes are observed over particular periods of the year, such as warmer water temperatures and poorer fish quality (e.g. softer flesh, parasites) during the summertime and thinner ice during the wintertime. On this basis, we identify a range of temporally- and seasonally-sensitive indicators that are tracked by local fishers. Major concerns are raised regarding water quality, the health of fish, and the safety of fish for consumption, which is particularly significant given harvesters’ reliance on country food and the importance of fish in food sharing systems. Ultimately, these concerns, combined with some of the changes discussed, require Inuvialuit to adapt their fishing practices and strategies, challenging fishing livelihoods as a way of life. As such, these results both reflect the meaning of environmental change for communities, and also set priorities for developing appropriate policies, programs, and actions. Results from this community-based research project are jointly shared and reviewed with our regional partners and community participants.
Are northern coastal mountains responding differently to climate change?
Hermanutz, Luise (1) (Presenter), L. Siegwart Collier (1), R. Way (2,4), A. Trant (3) and A. Lewkowicz (2)
(1) Memorial University, St. John’s NL, Canada
(2) University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, Canada
(3) University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON, Canada
(4) Labrador Institute, Memorial University, Happy Valley-Goose Bay NL, Canada
Alpine and tundra ecosystems are highly variable in their responses to environmental change. In addition to a warming climate, northern coastal tundra ecosystems are influenced by the presence of sea ice, and abundant precipitation throughout the year, including heavy snowfall. We studied the responses of coastal tundra ecosystems to climate change in northern Labrador. There has been a ~2oC summer warming in the region since 1993 and sea ice in the adjacent Labrador Sea has dramatically decreased over the past two decades resulting in earlier seasonal warming and longer growing seasons. After 7-10 years of experimental warming, mesic tundra has experienced greater changes in vegetation structure and abundance than wet and dry tundra due to height growth/density of deciduous shrubs (Betula glandulosa) which is also linked to declining berry production of all species (Empetrum nigrum>Vaccinium vitis-idaea>V. uliginosum). Mosses and lichens have declined due to the rapid shrub growth in both controls and warming treatments. One of the most significant landscape changes documented over the past 10 years has been the drying of wet sedge meadows that provide crucial summer forage for caribou. Geophysical surveys using DC electrical resistivity tomography allow us to infer deepening active layers at study sites and to explore whether permafrost thaw may be altering hydrological pathways leading to surface drying and shrub invasion. Warming-induced shrubification of northern coastal Labrador is inferred to have had a negative impact on permafrost in the region by increasing snow accumulation, and warming ground temperatures. Ground surface temperature data indicate the presence of permafrost at approximately half of the logger sites (n=32), suggesting that the area is better classified as in the extensive discontinuous permafrost zone rather than the continuous zone as it appears on most maps. Our results suggests that permafrost-shrub-snow interactions are important in northern coastal mountains leading to greater heterogeneity of shrubification compared to non-coastal areas due to cool summer temperatures, high winter precipitation and windy conditions.
Slow treeline response to warming in Northern Siberia: past, present, future
Herzschuh, Ulrike (1) (Presenter), S. Kruse (1), M. Wieczoreck (1), L.A. Pestryakova (2)
(1) Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
(2) North Eastern Federal University, Yakutsk, Russia
North-Central Siberia is among those areas that show strongest warming rates in recent decades. The Siberian boreal treeline, solely formed of Larix (larch), is expected to response to this climate signal with a northward shift which would entail feedbacks that further support arctic climate amplification. However, evidence on the treeline-climate relationships past, present and future are rare. Here we show that Larix forests-climate relationship was strong on millenial time-scale using pollen data and chironomid data from Holocene lake sediments on the southern Taymyr Peninsula. Our studies of modern Larix population however, showed a more complex forest-climate relationship as revealed by the investigation of establisment history in modern Larix stand on the souhern Taymyr peninsula. The field results were substantiated with results from an individual-based Larix model. We observed that recruitment is missing in the northernmost treeline area probably due to the lack of viable seeds. While climate is significanly related to tree recruitment in the forest-tundra transition area. We concluded from our results that competition deminishes a significant climate-recruitment relationships in the taiga areas. Using simulation of future forest changes, we could show that treeline response lag several decades to climate change. Our results indicate that treeline-vegetation relationship differs among time-scales and position in the treeline area. This complicates the assessment when feedbacks from treeline response to present warming will impact Arctic climate in future.
Antecedent conditions governing flow in an unregulated arctic watershed and implications for hydroelectric power generation in the Northwest Territories
Hickman, Jennifer (1) (Presenter), M. English (2), E. Humphreys (3), R. Gordon (2) and P. Marsh (2)
(1) Global Water Futures, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON, Canada
(2) Cold Regions Research Centre, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON, Canada
(3) Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
Located northwest of Yellowknife, NWT, the Snare River hydroelectric power system operated by the Northwest Territories Power Corporation (NTPC) supplies power to Yellowknife and surrounding communities. Recent low water levels in the Snare River have intermittently reduced and/or eliminated the possibility of generating hydroelectric power, resulting in significant expenditure by NTPC on diesel fueled generators as an alternative power source. The International Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2014) reports amplified warming in large portions of the NWT and predicts this trend will continue over the next several decades. The largest temperature changes are predicted to occur during the spring and autumn, two of the most hydrologically active periods annually in the subarctic. Of significant concern to NTPC and the citizens of the NWT is whether drought conditions will become more frequent in the future, and result in a potentially non-sustainable expense. The objective of this study is to understand how antecedent climatic and hydrological conditions in an unregulated basin influence flow patterns, specifically the conditions that result in low discharge contributions to hydroelectric reservoirs in the Snare River system. By identifying patterns among the various controls on flow, it may be possible to provide a predictive capacity for stakeholders of the Snare River hydroelectric system to aide in decision-making surrounding the generation of power. With very little climatic and hydrological research conducted in the unregulated upper Snare River watershed, a significant absence of usable data exists for the area. As such, this study uses numerous data extrapolation techniques to complete an annual hydrological mass balance, including methods for the estimation of snowpack water equivalent, rainfall, evapotranspiration, and storage. Studying a 15-year period from 1999-2014, it has become clear that the conditions in any given year are heavily influenced both by the current climatic conditions of that year, and by the climate and resulting antecedent hydrological conditions of previous years. For example, 2011 experienced the highest total precipitation of any year within the study period, however it had one of the lowest flows and basin efficiencies (Q/P). This example demonstrates that high water input to the system does not necessarily translate to a high water output, and other important factors must be considered. Among these are the timing and intensity of the spring freshet, which heavily influences the storage dynamics of the system, and the annual basin efficiency.
Science education and outreach at the Western Arctic Research Centre, Inuvik, NT
Hille, Erika (1) (Presenter), A. Trimble (1), P. Seccombe-Hett (1) and M. Dares (1)
(1) Aurora Research Institute, Aurora College, Inuvik NT, Canada
Youth from northern Canada are less likely to pursue studies in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) and as compared with youth from southern Canada, are ill-prepared to enter a workforce that increasingly demands STEM skills and training. This is largely due to the lack of STEM education opportunities in northern communities. Using funds provided by Polar Knowledge Canada (POLAR), the Aurora Research Institute (ARI), part of Aurora College, has employed a full-time Outreach Coordinator. The ARI Outreach Coordinator, with support from other ARI staff, will use their knowledge of the Beaufort Delta region of the Northwest Territories to expand ARI’s current outreach program and provide tailored STEM activities to Beaufort Delta youth. The successful delivery of STEM activities will depend on strong community partnerships and collaborations. ARI will work closely with local Indigenous organizations to incorporate traditional knowledge and on-the-land learning into STEM activities, which will help students contextualize STEM and see how it’s relevant to their daily lives. ARI will also work closely with local educational institutions to help engage students in STEM activities and to provide educators with professional development and training in STEM communication, outreach, and education. ARI’s Western Arctic Research Centre (WARC), located in Inuvik, NT, hosts over 200 visiting researchers each year, many of whom are studying the physical, natural, and environmental sciences. Whenever possible, ARI will draw on the expertise and knowledge held by visiting researchers at WARC, in order to customize STEM outreach programming to regional concerns and priorities. This initiative will provide researchers with more direct and concrete ways to support meaningful STEM outreach and allow them to support the development of regionally specific programming and outreach material within the context of their work. STEM enrichment activities have been shown to increase uptake in STEM post-secondary studies. Moreover, access to STEM education activities has a demonstrable effect on the confidence and engagement of students in STEM, empowering youth of all ages and backgrounds. The overall goal of this project is to increase capacity within the Beaufort Delta region to provide STEM education opportunities to youth. This oral presentation will provide an overview of ARI’s current outreach program, including lessons learned on how best to engage youth in the Beaufort Delta region, as well as a look at what role the ARI Outreach Coordinator will play over the next two years.
Investigating the effects of climate change on upland tundra lakes in the Beaufort Delta region: A long-term collaboration between the Aurora Research Institute and the Water Climate Impacts Research Centre
Hille, Erika (1) (Presenter), E. Amos (1), P. di Cenzo (2) and F. Wrona (2)
(1) Western Arctic Research Centre, Aurora Research Institute, Inuvik NT, Canada
(2) Water and Climate Impacts Research Centre, University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
For the past 13 years, the Aurora Research Institute (ARI) has worked closely with the Water Climate Impacts Research Centre (W-CIRC) to support research programs aimed at improving our understanding of how climate change and permafrost thaw impacts the aquatic health of small tundra lakes in the Upland Region Northeast of Inuvik. Over the past several decades, the frequency of Retrogressive Thaw Slumping (RTS) in the Beaufort Delta region has increased, as a result of climate warming. RTS occurs when ice-rich shoreline sediments thaw, making the terrain unstable and causing it to slump. Research into RTS was prompted by the concern members of the Beaufort Delta region have for how RTS is affecting freshwater systems. During the years 2004 to 2010, the main focus of this research collaboration was to characterize the hydrology, geochemistry, nutrient status, and ecology of tundra lakes affected and not affected by RTS. This was achieved by investigating the physical processes through which permafrost slump material is delivered to upland tundra lakes and how this affects water quality and lake ecology. In 2010, the scope of this research expanded to include lake ice and how changes in lake ice, associated with recent climate warming, are affecting the geochemical and ecological conditions of lakes in the study region. To this end, a new innovative fully-automated, instrumented buoy and subsurface mooring system was developed and put into Noell Lake to monitor the physical and geochemical conditions of the lake, to measure lake ice, to log data year-round, and to transmit project data to project partners via satellite. Data obtained from the buoy, coupled with annual lake ice surveys, were used to examine lake ice initiation, growth, and breakup, and its effect on lake water quality and aquatic ecology. In 2012, there was a fire in the study region and the scope of the study was expanded even further, to examine the impacts of tundra fires on the water quality and ecology of small tundra lakes. Notably, the frequency of tundra fires is expected to increase, due to increased frequency of thunderstorms and lightning strikes associated with climate warming. Over the years, ARI and WCIRC have worked together to engage the community and promote aquatic research in the region. This poster presentation will provide an overview of the ongoing collaborative research ARI and WCIRC have done in the Beaufort Delta region, including key findings. It will also highlight the community engagement and capacity building initiatives that have contributed to its success in the region.
Adaptation actions in a changing Arctic - Greenland, Canada, Alaska and Siberia
Hinzman, Larry D. (1) (Presenter), P.M. Outridge (2), A. Klepikov (3), J.E. Walsh (1), M.D. Ananicheva (4), T.R. Armstrong (5), J. Bengtson (6), G.M. Flato (7), J.L. Fuglestad (8), J. Gamble (9), S.C. Gerlach (10), H.P. Huntington (11), G.P. Kofinas (1), J.M. Kuperberg (12), F. Lipschultz (12), P.A. Loring (13), A.L. Lovecraft (1), L. Eerkes-Medrano (14), E. Nikitina (15), B.L. Preston (16), S.F. Trainor (1) and L. Thorsteinson (17)
(1) University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks AK, United States
(2) Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
(3) Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Saint Petersburg, Russia
(4) Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
(5) Madison River Group LLC, Ashburn VA, United States
(6) Alaska Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries, Seattle WA, United States
(7) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Victoria BC, Canada
(8) Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme, Oslo, Norway
(9) Aleut International Association, Anchorage AK, United States
(10) University of Calgary, Calgary AL, Canada
(11) The Pew Charitable Trusts, Eagle River AK, United States
(12) US Global Change Research Program, Washington DC, United States
(13) University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK, Canada
(14) University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
(15) EcoPolicy Research and Consulting, Moscow, Russia
(16) RAND Corporation, Santa Monica CA, United States
(17) U.S. Geological Survey (retired), Juneau AK, United States
The “Adaptation Actions to a Changing Arctic (AACA)” project was the first comprehensive analysis of the science and policy associated with adaptation in the Arctic Region. It demonstrated interesting similarities but also stark differences within the Bering Chukchi Beaufort region. A comparison of this report to other regional reports further demonstrates important commonalities. It clearly describes the importance of the role of governments in promoting adaptation and articulates the importance of engaging local communities, community leaders, and all stakeholders living and working in the BCB region. Key to promoting effective adaptation and building regional resilience is understanding the adaptation decision-making context within each sector, as well as the many feedbacks, influences, and impacts across these sectors. In many respects, the Indigenous peoples of the Arctic have displayed remarkable resilience and adaptation capacity as inherent and cherished characteristics of their cultures. In other ways, northern residents have both benefited and suffered from our own civilization, tying communities to established infrastructure or promoting reliance upon non-local food sources and fuel types. Adaptation is both difficult and yet natural. Individuals who value their homes and lifestyles will seek or create solutions to new challenges that arise from evolving conditions. Indigenous peoples will need support to maintain traditional practices in the face of these environmental and social changes. Maintaining networks of communication and information transfer can strengthen the capacity for adaptation. Safeguarding ties to community and family, with the responsibilities to contribute and the benefits of mutual support and protection, enhances one’s resilience and thus ability to adapt. Preserving strong, healthy, functional families and communities – despite stresses introduced through downturned economies or difficulties in conducting traditional activities – yields the benefits of health and well-being, as well as the benefits of participating in community and family, thus enhancing innovation and adaptation. The current mixed subsistence/cash economies of rural Indigenous communities stand as an example of the adaptation of traditional lifeways to the non-Indigenous economic structure that has been a driver of change for at least a century in the BCB region. Training and educational opportunities should be an emphasis of integrated planning at all levels of governmental organization. Within the BCB region, there are few examples of economic developments that have integrated local communities, stakeholders and business into their planning, but this must be considered through strategic planning in order to create robust, diverse economies. Native corporations or regional governments must become involved in possible developments in order to ensure opportunities for local employment and the protection of important subsistence food sources. The BCB nations must make sure local Indigenous values and issues are known to their respective governments and people. Trends in emigration must be monitored as part of economic and cultural sustainability. Regional and national governments, which tend to be far removed from the BCB, must become more effective in actively engaging local officials, scientists and stakeholders who have vital perspectives and contexts for effective adaptation.
Considering climate change in Northern and Arctic environmental assessments
Ho-Foong, Elise (1) (Presenter)
(1) Savanta, Inc., St. Catharines ON, Canada
Climate change is and will continue to affect Arctic and Northern environments at a drastic and rapid rate. Climate change is affecting wildlife migratory patterns, permafrost, water quality and quantity, invasive species, sea ice, and other areas of the environment. These changes need to be considered to properly measure project effects on Arctic environments for long (and in some cases short) term development projects. Project effects in the North need to be assessed in the context of current and future baseline scenarios, which ought to consider climate change. This presentation will discuss findings from reviews of selected Environmental Assessment case studies in Nunavut and how they have or have not considered climate change. The presentation will discuss findings from this work, which shows for example, that northern mining projects depend on permafrost to contain waste rock and tailings, well beyond the life of the mine itself. Projections of permafrost integrity and thaw must be accurately considered to measure the future containment of mine waste products. Other findings show that climate change will be likely to bring more tourist cruise ships to the north, and while these are relatively short term (1-2 year) permit applications, their cumulative effects need to be considered in some way. Furthermore, while many EAs now do include some reference to Traditional Knowledge, this often does not include climate change, and area which Traditional Knowledge can be extremely informative. This presentation will include feedback from Northern Environmental Assessment practitioners, regulators, and other agencies regarding their experiences of including climate change considerations in Northern and Arctic EAs to share ideas, barriers to implementation, and best practices.
Looking back and looking ahead: Changing sea-ice in Cambridge Bay, Kugluktuk, and Gjoa Haven
Hoeberechts, Maia (1) (Presenter), L. Eerkes-Medrano (2) and M. McLean (1)
(1) Ocean Networks Canada, University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
(2) Department of Geography, University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
This presentation focuses on methods for understanding coastal sea-ice conditions in Cambridge Bay, Kugluktuk, and Gjoa Haven, Nunavut and assessing the associated impacts of any observed changes on community residents, including the use of the ice for hunting, fishing, transportation, and recreation. This project is coordinated by Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) in collaboration with representatives of the participating communities. ONC, an initiative of the University of Victoria, operates cabled observatory systems which enable continuous collection of real-time data from coastal and deep ocean environments. Since 2012, ONC has operated a community observatory in Cambridge Bay and has worked closely with local residents through scientific collaborations, high school programming, and public engagement to better understand Arctic Ocean conditions and local priorities. Under a new project funded through Polar Knowledge Canada, “Enhancing Capacity for Northern-led Monitoring of Snow, Ice and Ocean Conditions,” ONC is expanding to two additional communities: Kugluktuk and Gjoa Haven. Community residents make regular observations of snow, sea-ice formation, break up, thickness, and weather conditions as part of the daily pattern of living and travelling on the ice during the winter season. These observations provide direction to this project by identifying specific types of sea-ice changes that are problematic to local activities, infrastructure, and the environment. By establishing an Oversight Committee in each community with a representative from the Hunters and Trappers Organization, Hamlet, and Kitikmeot Inuit Association, local residents will guide project activities. The primary objectives of this work are to increase northern residents’ capacity and participation in collection, analysis, and use of scientific ocean data and to understand connections to local and Indigenous Knowledge. This presentation will describe three aspects of the project: 1.Documenting local observations of snow and sea-ice through interviews with Inuit and non-Indigenous knowledge holders in the communities and understanding how these observations can be used with scientific data to best understand changing climate conditions. 2.Developing snow and ice data products tailored to community needs which will be locally accessible. 3.Creating opportunities for educator and youth participation in ocean science through engagement in research and ONC’s novel education program, Ocean Sense. A Youth Science Ambassador will be hired in each community and youth will engage in data collection through interviews with Elders and community-based monitoring. The Ocean Sense program, facilitated by the Youth Science Ambassador, allows students to gain a cross-cultural understanding of the ocean by incorporating ocean science and Inuit knowledge of the ocean into education resources and activities. This will increase interest and create opportunities for Inuit and northern students, who are underrepresented in science, to be directly engaged in local research and the transfer of Inuit knowledge. We will reflect on the design of the study by looking back at five years of successes and lessons learned in Cambridge Bay and by looking ahead to opportunities for knowledge co-creation and meaningful engagement in all three communities under the new project.
Building capacity for stewardship of the peel river watershed: Tracking change of fish stocks by Nacho Nayak Dun first nation
Hogan, Joella (1) (Presenter) and B. Parlee (2)
(1) Nacho Nayak Dun First Nation, Mayo YK, Canada
(2) University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
Tracking Change in the Peel River Watershed is important to many communities who would like to ensure the continued sustainability of this river system. Determining ways to become more involved in the stewardship of the Peel is urgent given pressures for oil and gas exploration and new mineral exploration activity. Among the most concerned communities is the Northern Tutchone community of Nacho Nayk Dun First Nation. The present community is located in Mayo, Yukon, however, elders such as Jimmy Johnny have long histories of travel for hunting and fishing in the Peel River area and in the adjacent Stewart River Basin. The community has just over 400 people; the majority of its settlement areas are located in the Stewart River but the First Nation also has traditional use areas in the Peel River watershed in the Nash Creek area. The First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun was involved in establishing the Bonnet Plume Canadian Heritage River and producing the management plan for this river. The culture and economy of Nacho Nyak Dun First Nation is interconnected with the natural resources of the Yukon. While salmon fishing in the Stewart River watershed is a major focus, the livelihoods Northern Tutchone peoples in the Peel River also included the harvesting of Lake Trout, Round Whitefish and Grayling. The health of salmon in the adjacent Steward River Basin has been monitored for many years by Nacho Nyak Dun First Nation and similar approaches to monitor changes in the Peel River Watershed near the community are planned. We discuss the key indicators being monitored and data collected including: observations of population change, timing of spawning and movements, total harvest, observations of fish condition (i.e., lesions, parasites etc.) as well as taste. Water quality and water flow indicators have also been monitored for several years including sediments, perceptions of contaminants, water levels, ice conditions, freeze-up / breakup, and water access. Engaging community members including youth in collecting data about changes will contribute to efforts to understand the impact of climate change (i.e., warming temperature) on fish stocks as well as implications for First Nations from the region who depend on these fishing resources for livelihood and cultural well-being.
Persistence of permafrost after 55 years of climatic warming and fire disturbance in the sporadic discontinuous zone
Holloway, Jean (1) (Presenter) and A. Lewkowicz (1)
(1) University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, Canada
Effects of global climate change are being felt in all aspects of the cryosphere, and how permafrost will respond to these variations is of concern. Ecosystem-protected permafrost covers millions of square kilometres in the subarctic and is protected by forest vegetation from changes in air temperature. It is thought to be sensitive to environmental change as it is thin, discontinuous, and just below 0°C. However, peatlands may follow other trajectories because of the insulating properties of the substrate. This study examined 26 sites along the Mackenzie Highway between Meander River, AB (59.05°, -117.72°) and Hay River, NT (60.82°, -115.79°) in August 2017 in order to evaluate current permafrost conditions. The sites all had permafrost when they were first examined in 1962 (Brown, 1964). Ten of the sites have subsequently experienced forest fires and the entire region has warmed by 1.7°C over the last 55 years. Brown (1964) indicated site locations using milepost numbers and also showed them on a map at a scale of 1:650,000. This map was digitized and overlain on a GoogleEarth image to generate approximate site coordinates. In the field, 2 km sweeps of the highway were conducted, centred on the approximate coordinates, and locations were identified which best matched site descriptions of terrain, drainage, and vegetation. These locations were then probed using a 1.2 m long frost probe, starting at the approximate coordinates. If a frost table was identified, depth to frozen ground was measured at 10 points located 1 m apart. If no frost table was reached at the approximate coordinates, investigations proceeded at the next location until a frost table was located or it was established that no frozen ground was present in the area. Organic mat thickness and substrate were recorded at all transects, and soil samples taken within the active layer at permafrost sites. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) surveys were undertaken at four sites to evaluate permafrost thickness. Our results show that permafrost has persisted at 17 of the 26 (65%) sites investigated in 1962. These sites all have a sphagnum moss cover and an organic layer thickness of at least 60 cm. Sites which experienced permafrost loss are underlain by coarser-grained substrates (generally sand and gravel) whereas the sites where permafrost has persisted are mainly in fine-grained materials (silt and clay). Six of the ten burned sites still have permafrost, including sites which burned recently (in 2007 and 2012) and others which burned several decades ago (1971 and 1981). Frost tables were as shallow as 45 cm (on August 5) and the ERT surveys indicate permafrost thickness up to 8 m. Overall, our results suggest the importance of substrate in post-fire trajectories for warm permafrost. They also indicate a much higher level of permafrost persistence than has been previously reported for the sporadic discontinuous permafrost in this part of the Mackenzie Highway (Kwong and Gan, 1994). Brown, R.J.E. (1964). Technical Paper No.175, National Research Council. Kwong and Gan (1994). Climatic Change, 26(4), 399-419.
Announcing a Panarctic Biodiversity Data Warehouse for open access and exploration of biodiverdity data
Holstein, Jan M. (1,2) (Presenter), D. Piepenburg (1,2), P. Kloss (1,2), A. Breckwoldt (1) and C. Kraan (1,2)
(1) Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Department of Functional Ecology, Bremerhaven, Germany
(2) Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity (HIFMB) at University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
Data on Arctic biodiversity are entering the public domain, yet they are at risk of being lost due to poor documentation, inconsistent quality or tremendous investments necessary in form of data cleaning. We are currently developing the strategic foundations for the establishment of an panarctic information system on benthic biodiversity data that is geared towards arctic research, decision making, and conservation biology. The service was christened CRITTER. The architecture of the CRITTER warehouse consists of i) a universal data model ultimately defining in what way the data can be interrogated, ii) Tools designed to help scientists to transform, ingest and curate their data thus enabling them to refurbish the data one last time and iii) a web-based information system for data exploration and retrieval. Through a REST API backend we encourage everyone to build their own services for specific analyses or story telling. Two main questions are in focus: How data management must be set up to handle both research in progress and outbound data services which is critical to enable high quality data to be staged into the warehouse, and second, how an information systems must be designed be useful and hence taken up by users, because an important lesson to learn is that information systems have a great chance of failure if not designed according to user needs. We do not aim for competition with the big players like OBIS and GBIF. By being small we can serve as a working database for scientists and profit from their in depth knowledge about the data and achieve high quality data. Currently, we have over 70,000 species information on occurrence, abundance or biomass for over 7000 samples all across the Arctic. We are currently in the process of gathering information on how users want the information presented and how they want to interact with the information system. Rollout is planned for February, 2018.
Integrating multiple perspectives and available data to assess marine indicators in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region
Hoover, Carie (1) (Presenter), K. MacMillan (1,2), K. Hynes (3), S. MacPhee (2) and L. Loseto (1,2)
(1) Department of Environment & Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada Central and Arctic, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(3) Fisheries Joint Management Committee, Inuvik NT, Canada
Using indicators to monitor ecosystem changes often requires input from multiple sources. Bringing together managers, communities, and researchers is important to ensure a balanced perspective when selecting indicators for long-term monitoring. Here we highlight the process and outcomes from assessing regional scale indicators for the Tarium Niryutait MPA and greater Beaufort Sea region of the Inuvialuit Settlement Region. This begins with identifying the goals for different stakeholders. Co-management agencies, government agencies, and Inuvialuit boards were consulted to identify management goals for the region. Community perspectives were included through a series of community interviews for each of the six communities in the region. These interviews highlight local interests for monitoring and are compared to management goals. We focus on the similarities and differences in these views and discuss how to move forward with an integrated set of goals for long term-marine monitoring. Finally, we incorporate a database of long-term data sets to assess the practicality of these indicators for use in management.
Arctic Invasive Alien Species Strategy: A new policy for the prevention and mitigation of impacts from invasive alien species
Howland, Kimberly (1) (Presenter)
(1) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg MB, Canada
The combination of a warming climate, increased development and accessibility are increasing the susceptibility of the Arctic to species introductions via a number of pathways. These include movement of marine organisms via domestic and international shipping, terrestrial insects and plants via road vehicles, horticulture and landscape remediation activities, and freshwater organisms via recreational boating. Although introduced species are typically from lower trophic levels, they can severely alter the ecosystem resulting in impacts at multiple levels of the food chain. The slow growth and late maturity characterizing many cold- adapted Arctic species makes them particularly vulnerable to introductions of more r-selected invasive organisms. Information on current and projected development, climate change and key vectors, as well as the unique features of Arctic fauna will be reviewed in the context of risks for invasive alien species introductions. Recent developments in global policy for invasive species in the Arctic, in particular, the new Arctic Invasive Alien Species Strategy and Action Plan will be discussed.
Development of tools and capacity for community-based monitoring of biodiversity shifts and early detection of aquatic invasive species (AIS) in the Canadian Arctic: preparing for impacts of climate change and associated increases in shipping activity
Howland, Kimberly (1) (Presenter), P. Archambault (2), L. Bernatchez (2), V. Cypihot (3), F. Difallah (3), A. Dispas (3), J. Goldsmit (4), A. Lacoursière-Roussel (2), D. Lodge (5), N. Leduc (2), C. McKindsey (4), A. Rochon (3), N. Simard (4) and G. Winkler (3)
(1) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Laval University, Quebec QC, Canada
(3) Universite du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(4) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Mont Joli QC, Canada
(5) Cornell University, Ithaca NY, United States
The combination of climate change and marine introductions through shipping are predicted to have significant impacts on Arctic ecosystems resulting in substantial changes in biodiversity, particularly in coastal regions where development and warming will be most intense. Establishing reliable baseline data and ongoing monitoring for early detection of new species are essential for developing effective management and conservation plans and adapting to shifts in the ecosystem. However, many marine coastal areas of the Canadian Arctic and their fauna (especially lower trophic levels) are poorly surveyed.The aims of this project are to establish a baseline for future monitoring of biodiversity shifts and potential species introductions in Arctic coastal areas, with an emphasis on areas of increased development (e.g., ports, communities, mines). This is being coupled with: 1) Identification and ranking of key ship-mediated invasive species and geographic locations with highest probability for establishment for early detection and monitoring; 2) Development of user-friendly monitoring tools and training/engagement of community members and permanently stationed research staff in the use of these tools with the goal of building capacity and providing a foundation for an ongoing, cost-effective community-based coastal biodiversity monitoring program in the Canadian Arctic. We are focusing on adapting environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis for Arctic marine ecosystems to enable detection of biodiversity shifts including AIS that may occur through introductions or range expansions. Although standard approaches (e.g., netting, trawling, grabs) can be effective at sampling marine diversity, more sensitive methods like eDNA can enhance detection of more difficult to sample organisms including benthic and fouling taxa and provide robust baseline genetic information as a reference point for current native biodiversity prior to significant change.
Domestic shipping: A potential vector for transport of nonindigenous species to Canadian Arctic waters?
Howland, Kimberly (1) (Presenter), S. Bailey (2), F. Laget (3), A. Rochon (3), N. Simard (4), P. Tremblay (3) and G. Winker (3)
(1) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Burlington ON, Canada
(3) Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(4) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Mont-Joli QC, Canada
Although regulations exist for international ships, domestic vessels navigating between Canadian ports are exempt from ballast water management; however some opt to conduct voluntary coastal exchange to reduce risk of non-indigenous species (NIS) introductions. We present findings from an experimental study on the effectiveness of coastal exchange using the MV Arctic, a vessel that transits between Quebec City and eastern Arctic, Canada. Objectives were to 1-evaluate seasonal risk based on variation in plankton abundance and diversity within ballast and 2-to experimentally evaluate efficacy of coastal exchange by comparing plankton communities before and after exchange in control and test tanks at two exchange locations. There was a strong seasonal effect on propagule pressure and species composition with highest plankton abundance in tanks exchanged in July-August. Exchange resulted in the replacement of freshwater with marine species and higher propagule pressure (native and NIS) relative to control tanks. Currently, exchange occurs in areas of upwelling with high summer productivity increasing risk for uptake/transfer of marine NIS with potential to survive in coastal Arctic regions. Future studies should examine potential for use of exchange sites that may have lower productivity/fewer NIS such as off the Labrador Shelf. Information from this study can improve our abilities to understand and manage ballast-mediated species introductions, guide voluntary ballast management practices by industry and feed into regulatory decisions by Transport Canada.
Snot For Science: Using respiratory condensate to measure stress levels in Western Hudson Bay belugas (Delphinapterus leucas)
Hudson, Justine (1) (Presenter) and M. Marcoux (2)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Fisheries and Oceans, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Climate change has caused significant warming in the Arctic, leading to a decrease in sea-ice, alterations in range and abundance of prey species, increases in anthropogenic activity, and the emergence of infectious disease. These factors can potentially increase stress levels in marine mammals, ultimately impacting the overall health and fitness of the population. Cortisol is often used as an indicator of stress and is used to monitor the long-term health of populations. While the short-term benefit of stress is increased survival (e.g. fight or flight response), chronic stress is linked to decreases in reproductive success and health. Quantifying stress in cetaceans commonly involves the collection of blood samples; however, the process of obtaining samples from wild individuals may itself increase stress. Respiratory condensate, or “blow” is a novel sampling method and has proved useful in studying stress in cetaceans due to its non-invasive nature. Blow has been used to study genetics, reproductive status, sex, infectious disease, and stress of cetaceans. The objectives of this study are to (1) develop a method to collect blow from wild, unrestrained beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) in Western Hudson Bay and (2) quantify cortisol levels of the population. Samples were collected from beluga within the Churchill River estuary. To collect blow, we positioned a pole fitted with a petri dish over the blowhole of passing beluga and waited for an exhalation. This method has been used in previous studies on captive and wild, restrained beluga but never before in wild unrestrained beluga. Using this method, we successfully collected 233 blow samples. To measure cortisol, we will use an enzyme-immunoassay. Determining the impacts of climate change on Western Hudson Bay belugas requires monitoring the long-term health of the population. If this technique proves successful, it could be used to assess the impacts of environmental stressors, like shipping.
Spatial and temporal patterns of soil nitrogen availability and carbon exchange in a High Arctic wetland
Hung, Jacqueline K.Y. (1) (Presenter), D.M. Atkinson (2) and N.A. Scott (1)
(1) Queen's University, Kingston ON, Canada
(2) Ryerson University, Toronto ON, Canada
Increased soil nutrient availability, and associated increase in ecosystem productivity, could create a negative feedback between Arctic ecosystem and the climate system, reducing the contribution of Arctic ecosystems to future climate change. To predict whether this feedback will develop, it is important to understand the environmental controls over nutrient cycling in High Arctic ecosystem, and how they vary over space and time. This study explores the environmental controls over spatial patterns of soil nitrogen availability in a High Arctic wet sedge meadow and how they influence carbon exchange processes. Ion exchange resin membranes measured available inorganic nitrogen through in soils out the growing season at a high spatial resolution, while environmental variables (e.g. active layer depth, soil temperature, soil moisture) and carbon flux measurements were taken at frequent intervals during the 2016 field season. Environmental measures correlated highly with total and late season nitrate (total season dry tracks NO3- R2 = 0.533, total season wet tracks NO3- R2 = 0.803, late season NO3- R2 = 0.622), with soil temperatures at 5 cm depth having the greatest effect. Soil available nitrogen correlated highly with total and early season gross primary productivity (total season wet tracks R2 = 0.685, early season dry tracks R2 = 0.788, early season wet tracks R2 = 0.785). Higher ammonium concentrations coincided with greater CO2 uptake. Nitrate concentrations correlated strongly to soil moisture, but nitrate levels were much lower than ammonium concentrations, suggesting low rates of nitrification vs. mineralization. Similar patterns were observed regardless of whether the wet-sedge meadow was classified as wet vs. dry, but the relationships were always stronger in areas classified as wet, indicating the importance of moisture and water availability on abiotic processes in High Arctic wet sedge meadows. Topography played an important role in the movement and transport of water, which influenced how nutrients were cycled and moved within the wetland. Generally, the low-lying areas had the highest inorganic nitrogen concentrations. These results suggest that finer scale processes altering nitrogen availability may influence the C balance of wet sedge meadows in the High Arctic, and how these ecosystems may respond to changes in climate.
Vessels, risks, and rules: Planning for safe shipping in Bering Strait
Huntington, Henry P. (1) (Presenter)
(1) Ocean Conservancy, Eagle River AK, United States
Commercial vessel traffic through the Bering Strait is increasing. This region has high biological and cultural significance, to which commercial shipping poses several risks. For this environment, these risks include ship strikes of whales, noise disturbance, chronic pollution, and oil spills. Indigenous Chukchi, Iñupiaq, St. Lawrence Island Yupik, Siberian Yupik, and Yup’ik peoples may be affected by proximity between small hunting boats and large commercial vessels leading to swamping or collisions, through displacement of animals or impacts to food security from contaminants, and through loss of cultural heritage if archeological sites and other important places are disturbed by wakes or an increase in people spending time on shore. Several measures are available to govern shipping through the region, including shipping lanes, Areas to Be Avoided (ATBAs), speed restrictions, communications measures, reporting systems, emissions controls, oil spill prevention and preparedness and salvage, rescue tug capability, voyage and contingency planning, and improved charting. These measures can be implemented in various ways, unilaterally by the U.S. or Russia, bilaterally, or internationally through the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Regulatory measures can be established as voluntary measures or as mandatory measures. No single measure will address all risks, but the framework presented herein may serve as a means of identifying what needs to be done and evaluating whether the goal of safe shipping has been achieved
How small communities respond to environmental change: Patterns from tropical to polar ecosystems
Huntington, Henry P. (1) (Presenter)
(1) Huntington Consulting, Eagle River AK, United States
Local communities throughout the world are experiencing extensive social, cultural, economic, environmental, and climatic changes. Rather than passively accepting the effects of such changes, many communities are responding in various ways to take advantage of opportunities and to minimize negative impacts. We review examples from 13 cases around the world (including six from the Arctic) to identify patterns in how communities have been able to respond to change. Communities are able to respond by making changes in the time and location of activities, by using different species, by developing or using new technologies, and by organizing themselves internally or in networks. The possible responses a community can make on its own constitute the autonomous response space. When communities work with others to respond, they are in the collaborative response space. These findings suggest that assessments concerning climate and other forms of change should include local responses as a foundation for policy recommendations, recognizing that both autonomous and collaborative responses can contribute to adaptation. Policies designed to achieve adaptation or sustainability should consider ways to expand the autonomous response space, thus freeing local initiative, while also making the collaborative response space more cooperative, thus providing support to communities rather than imposing limitations.
Evaluating the effects of climate change on Indigenous marine mammal hunting in Northern and Western Alaska using traditional knowledge
Huntington, Henry P. (1) (Presenter), L. Quakenbush (2) and M. Nelson (2)
(1) Huntington Consulting, Eagle River AK, United States
(2) Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fairbanks AK, United States
Iñupiaq, Yup’ik, and Cup’ik hunters in 14 Alaska Native communities described a rapidly changing marine environment in qualitative traditional knowledge interviews conducted over the course of a decade with 110 individuals. Based on their observations, sea ice conditions are the most notable change, with later freeze-up, thinner and less reliable ice, and earlier and more rapid break-up. Marine mammal populations in northern and western Alaska have been affected by changes in the physical environment, with alterations to migratory timing and routes, distribution, abundance, health, and behavior. Despite these changes, marine mammal populations in the region remain generally healthy and abundant. For hunters, access is the biggest challenge posed by changing conditions. Sea ice is less safe for travel, particularly for more southerly communities, making hunting more dangerous or impossible. Rapid break-up has reduced the time available for hunting amid broken ice in spring, formerly a dependable and preferred season. Social change also affects the ways in which hunting patterns change. Increased industrial development, for example, can also alter marine mammal distribution and reduce hunting opportunity. Reduced use of animal skins for clothing and other purposes has reduced demand. More powerful and reliable engines make day trips easier, reducing the time spent camping. An essential component of adjustment and adaptation to changing conditions is the retention of traditional values and the acquisition of new information to supplement traditional knowledge. Our findings are consistent with, and add detail to, what is known from previous traditional knowledge and scientific studies. The ways in which hunters gather new information and incorporate it into their existing understanding of the marine environment deserves further attention, both as a means of monitoring change and as a key aspect of adaptation. While the changes to date have been largely manageable, future prospects are unclear, as the effects of climate change are expected to continue in the region, and ecological change may accelerate. Social and regulatory change will continue to play a role in fostering or constraining the ability of hunters to adapt to the effects of climate change.
Characterization of the spectrofluorescence and reflectance properties of Arctic benthic algae as LiDAR targets
Huot, Matthieu (1) (Presenter), E. Rehm (1), F. Dalgleish (3), M. Piché (2), S. Lambert-Girard (1), S. Matteoli (4) and P. Archambault (1)
(1) Takuvik, Québec Océan, Université Laval, Département de biologie, Québec QC, Canada
(2) COPL, Université Laval, Département de physique, génie physique et optique, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Ocean Engineering and Technology, Fort Pierce FL, United States
(4) National Research Council (CNR) of Italy, Institute of Electronics, Computers and Telecommunication Engineering (IEIIT), Pisa, Italy
The recent regime shift observed in Arctic algal communities suggests the need for a more wide-scale characterisation of community response to temperature-related changes. Along with under-ice, water column, and benthic microalgae, benthic macroalgae provide ecosystem services to the marine environment, especially in coastal waters, and proper assessment is key in predicting future effects on marine and coastal communities. Working in and under these ice-covered coastal regions is however very difficult from organisational, safety and operational standpoints. Remote optical means such as fluorescence LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) and DiAL (Differential Absorption Lidar) can be built for detection and quantification of photosynthetic substrates, relying on absorption, inelastic scattering (fluorescence), and elastic scattering characteristics of their targets. We plan on partly solving the 'difficult-to-access' challenge by integrating such a LiDAR system on an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), thereby improving our ability to cover significantly more under-ice terrain. However, little is known on fluorescence emission, absorption, quantum yield of fluorescence which can differ by class due to differences in their dominant photopigments (red: phycoerythrin and phycocyanin, brown: fucoxanthins, green: chlorophyll, beta-carotene and xanthophylls), as can surface reflectances by morphology (flat, erect) and structure (calcareous, filamentous, blade-like). A proper characterization of target spectral response to different excitation wavelengths as well as a clear understanding of light-water-substrate interactions such as absorption, scattering and reflectance (BRDF - Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function) will be necessary for proper return signal analysis. Hence, we begin by characterizing light absorption and fluorescence excitation-emission (EEM) spectra of potential Arctic macroalgae and in parallel, verifying their quantum yield of fluorescence. Simulations using these light response characteristics will guide us in optimizing LiDAR configuration, and ultimately see how each application (fluorescence vs DIAL) performs under a variety of operating (e.g., water clarity) conditions. In later stages of the project, we will model target surface reflectance through BRDF modeling. This will make possible the interpretation of LiDAR return signals when taking into account other water-light-substrate interactions. We will present the results of our investigations on spectral characteristics and response of macroalgae and discuss possible implications for the development of the LiDAR system.
Determining carbon and water budgets under increasing pressures using eddy covariance towers across the Northwest Territories in Canada’s Southern Arctic ecozone
Hurkuck, M. (1,2,3), P. Marsh (1), W. Quinton (1), E. Humphreys (3) (Presenter), P. Lafleur (4), M. Helbig (2), G. Gosselin (1,2) and O. Sonnentag (2)
(1) Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON, Canada
(2) Département de Géographie & Centre d’études nordiques (CEN), Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(3) Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
(4) School of the Environment, Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
Canada’s high-latitude ecosystems cover about 40 % of its terrestrial surface, store vast amounts of carbon, have unique land surface properties and disturbance regimes, span multiple Arctic, subarctic and boreal ecozones, and are thus important drivers of the regional and global climate systems. Here, we present results from three eddy covariance towers measuring carbon, water, and energy fluxes in the Northwest Territories’ Southern Arctic Ecozone to shed light on high-latitude carbon and water budgets and their rapidly changing biotic and abiotic controls in response to increasing natural and anthropogenic pressures. Two sites are located north of the tree line (Trail Valley Creek, 68.7°N, 133.3°W and Daring Lake, 64.8°N) while the Havikpak Creek flux tower (68.3°N, 133.3°W) is south of the tree line. All sites are underlain by continuous permafrost, but cover different ecosystem types (low-shrub tundra, subarctic woodland, dwarf-shrub tundra) and climatic settings (coastal, continental). With our contribution, we present the spatial and temporal variability in and sensitivity of tundra carbon and water budgets to environmental factors within a single ecozone. The outcome of this research will help us to understand the potential impacts of ecological changes such as shrub proliferation and tree line advance in northern environments. This will allow for estimates of potential future changes in Arctic and subarctic ecosystem functioning.
Water quality monitoring on Baker Lake: Pairing western science data collection and analysis with Traditional Ecological Knowledge
Hutchinson, Neil (1) (Presenter), K.R. Hadley (1), R.A. Nesbitt (1) and L. Manzo (2)
(1) Hutchinson Environmental Sciences Ltd., Kitchener ON, Canada
(2) Kivalliq Inuit Association, Rankin Inlet NU, Canada
The Baker Lake Limnology Study was implemented in August 2015 to describe the baseline water quality in Baker Lake to inform the ongoing Baker Lake Cumulative Effects Monitoring Program (now called “Inuu’tuti”), to investigate local water quality issues identified by residents of the Baker Lake community, and to update the only published records of water quality from the mid 1960s. Sampling performed in August 2015, May 2016 and August 2017 at seven sites across Baker Lake included the collection of field profile measurements (e.g., dissolved oxygen, pH, water temperature and conductivity) and a comprehensive suite of water chemistry parameters at all sites. The surface water quality of Baker Lake under ice cover was indicative of a nutrient poor, low alkalinity, soft water Arctic Lake, however, a defined, wide-spread saline layer was noted in the bottom waters of Baker Lake. Conductivity, sodium and chloride concentration increased with depth in the water column at all lake sites and with distance eastward from the inflow of the Thelon River to the outlet of Baker Lake suggesting inputs from Hudson Bay via Chesterfield Inlet as a likely source of saline intrusion to Baker Lake. Comparison of results from three sampling dates showed significant inter-annual variability in parameters associated with the saline intrusion, suggesting that the intrusion has resulted from an ongoing saline source rather than an ancient intrusion of sea water trapped by isostatic rebound. These data are supported by Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ) which identified taste issues with drinking water supply (salty) at times of low river flow and high tide. IQ documentation of a “fishy” taste to the water was related to the occurrence of chrysophyte algae.
Sustainable housing for Nunavik residents through the eye of future designers and engineers
Huynh, Estelle (1) (Presenter), B. Jasmine (1), B. Samuel (1), B. Lorant (1), L. Rosemary (1) and M.-D. Anne-Marie (1)
(1) Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Polytechnique de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(3) HEC Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
This project is a habitation adapted to arctic conditions and its residents. The team is comprised of students coming from the University of Montréal, Polytechnique Montréal and HEC Montréal. Our perspective on habitation is product orientated rather than architecturally orientated. We will be in partnership with the Société d’Habitation du Québec (SHQ), Habiter le Nord Québecois and the Institut de l’Énergie Trottier. As a group, we will tackle the challenges of arctic habitations with a multidisciplinary approach. Engineers, industrial designers and managers will collaborate in developing this project. In terms of housing construction, they need to resist northern climate condition and allow easy maintenance and repairs when due. All aspect of the process will be studied, from the financing to the logistics of the constructions along with the life-cycle in order to create a sustainable product fitted to the realities of the North. Factors such as transport of materials and construction procedures have to be efficient and easy like in any other northern housing project. In our case, we will include the participation of resident communities. This criterion is important to us since we want to give regional independence for isolated communities, which would allow better preservation of real estate holdings. In order to integrate social and cultural needs of residents, we will contact individuals from communities to understand their concerns. Throughout this project, we want to work alongside them have their constant feedback. Doing so will in turn create products with which they can connect with and cherish. Having housings with integrated cultural elements will help preserve culture and tradition. Furthermore, houses need to reflect the typical First Nations family lifestyle that still contain some traditional practices. In terms of energy usage, we will explore different avenues in alternative energy sources and maximize energy efficiency. We will explore the right sources that are adapted to the context of this project. In the case of malfunctioning mechanical equipment in houses, we will develop a modular system that will ease the replacement of defective equipment. In current houses, reparations can demand the work of specialised personnel that are not necessarily available. Through our system, defective components are replaced by new components. In doing so, residents do not need to wait for the services to be available. This project will offer an opportunity to communicate and share thoughts about these issues. Through this project, we will present different new approaches reflecting the diversity of our knowledge. Concerned parties will also be able to see the presence and existence of initiatives that aim to improve the quality of life for people in the northern parts of Québec. With the collaboration of multiple disciplines, the project will offer a unique vision of houses as a product. We will present preliminary concepts through sketches and schematics that will show the visual representations and functionality of our project.
Seasonal patterns in acoustic detections of marine mammals near Sachs Harbour, Northwest Territories
Insley, Stephen J. (1,2) (Presenter), W.D. Halliday (1,2), T. de Jong (1) and X. Mouy (3,4)
(1) Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Whitehorse YT Canada
(2) Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria BC Canada
(3) School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria BC Canada
(4) JASCO Applied Science Ltd, Victoria BC, Canada
The Arctic is changing rapidly, leading to changes in habitat availability and increased anthropogenic disturbance. Information on the distribution of animals is needed as these changes occur. We examined seasonal presence of marine mammals in the western Canadian Arctic near Sachs Harbour, Northwest Territories, using passive acoustic monitoring between 2015 and 2016. We also examined the influence of environmental variables (ice concentration and distance, wind speed) on presence of these species. Both bowhead and beluga whales arrived in late April, and belugas departed in mid-August, while bowheads departed in late-October. Bearded seals vocalizations began in October, peaked from April through June, and stopped in early July. Ringed seals vocalized occasionally in all months, but were generally quiet. Whales migrated in as the ice broke up, and migrated out before ice formed in the autumn. Bearded seals started vocalizing as ice formed, and stopped once ice was almost gone. Given the importance of sea ice to the timing of migration of whales and vocalization by bearded seals, the trends that we present here may change in the future due to the increasing ice-free season caused by climate change. Our study therefore serves as a baseline with which to monitor future change.
Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and wildlife co-management: Recognizing Inuit systems of wildlife management that contribute to the conservation of wildlife and protection of wildlife habitat
Irngaut, Paul (1), B. Dean (1), C. Wray (1) and D. Lee (1) (Presenter)
(1) Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., Iqaluit NU, Canada
Harvesting wildlife remains critical to the Inuit of Nunavut for both subsistence and cultural reasons. Ringed seal, caribou, bowhead, arctic char, walrus, narwhal, beluga, birds, and polar bears, are some examples of wildlife that Inuit currently utilize. Sustaining the capacity to harvest wildlife is vital for maintaining and strengthening Inuit economic, social and cultural well-being. The Nunavut Agreement states that there is a need for an effective system of wildlife management that complements Inuit harvesting rights and priorities, and recognizes Inuit systems of wildlife management that contribute to the conservation of wildlife and protection of wildlife habitat. This paper highlights the importance of the inclusion of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ) in the co-management decision making processes in order to achieve this objective. IQ represents the past, present, and future knowledge, experience, and values of Nunavut Inuit society. Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., (NTI), as the representative aboriginal organization that represents the Inuit of Nunavut is responsible for the implementation of the Nunavut Agreement. NTI continues to promote the inclusion of IQ in wildlife management decision processes.
Present and future impacts of coastal dynamics on the human environment of the Yukon coast
Irrgang, Anna M. (1,2) (Presenter), H. Lantuit (1,2), R. Gordon (3), A. Piskor (4) and G. Manson (5)
(1) Department of Periglacial Research, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar- and Marine Research, Germany
(2) Institute of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Potsdam, Germany
(3) Department of Environment, Qikiqtaruk-Herschel Island Territorial Parks, Inuvik NWT, Canada
(4) Western Arctic Field Unit, Parks Canada, Inuvik NWT, Canada
(5) Geological Survey of Canada-Atlantic, Dartmouth NS, Canada
Due to high ground ice contents and fine grained sediments, the Yukon coast of the western Canadian Arctic is a highly dynamic landscape. The Yukon coast is extensively used by indigenous people for pursuing their traditional lifestyle. Additionally, with the maintenance of two North warning systems it is of strategic importance for national defense. Due to the abundance and diversity of cultural sites, it is further an important region for national cultural heritage. To assess how present and future coastal processes might interact with the human environment, shoreline dynamics along 210 km of the Yukon coast were analyzed and combined with socio-economic and cultural information. Shoreline change rates for several time periods between the 1950s and 2011were calculated from aerial and satellite imagery using the Esri ArcGIS software extension DSAS (digital shoreline analysis system). These data were used for the projection of shorelines for a conservative (S1) and dynamic (S2) scenario for the year 2100. Locations of cultural features were obtained from a Parks Canada database, the Yukon Archaeology Program, and were combined with coastal process information and data from literature, air photo analyses and field site measurements. An analysis of future shoreline positions with respect to cultural features revealed that 46% and 52% of all cultural features will most likely be eroded by 2100 under the S1 and S2 scenario, respectively. This would result in a great loss of the cultural wealth of the Yukon coast. Further analyses showed that future shoreline changes likely will lead to highly restricted usage of the two landing strips. Travelling by boat along the Yukon coast will also be increasingly challenging due to the enhanced transport and deposition of sediments derived from coastal erosion. A quantitative analysis of shoreline dynamics along Tapqaq (Shingle Point), where three Inuvialuit summer camps are situated, revealed that the camps are not considered to be in immediate danger at the present. However, to gain certainty, further analyses incorporating onshore and nearshore bathymetry data will be needed.
Effects of photolytic and microbial degradation of dissolved organic matter in the Hudson Bay watershed
Islam, Sohidul (1) (Presenter) and G. Celine (2)
(1) Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
(2) Chemistry Department and Trent School of Environment, Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
The Hudson Bay embraces a sensitive environment, where anthropogenic activities have been increasing during the last decades influencing the aquatic ecosystem. The degradation of terrestrial organic carbon supplied by river runoff is an important biogeochemical control on carbon cycling in the Bay but yet to be determined. In this study, the role of the two main DOM removal processes (i.e. photodegradation and microbial alteration) was assessed in the Churchill River and coastal Hudson Bay using a multi-technique approach including optical properties, molecular weight assessment and molecular composition. Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) analysis showed that the microbial communities and solar exposure induced significant molecular changes.The higher molecular weight compounds were preferentially lost upon light exposure, congruent with the decrease in apparent molecular weight determined by asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation. Photo- and bio-labile compounds were more predominant in coastal Hudson Bay water relative to Churchill River estuarine waters. The DOM chemical transformation rate was 0.046h-1, higher in photodegradation relative to microbial degradation, suggesting that DOM quality was more sensitive to light exposure. The results from this multi-technique approach will expand the knowledge of DOM fate and composition by understanding biogeochemical cycling in a changing Arctic environment.
INTAROS: Integrated Arctic observation system development under Horizon 2020
Iversen, Lisbeth (1) (Presenter), S. Sandven (1), H. Sagen (1), E. Buch (2), R. Pirazzini (3), D. Gustavson (4), A. Beszczynska-Möller (5) , P. Voss (6), F. Danielsen (7), P. Gonçalves (8), T. Hamre (1), G. Ottersen (9), M. Sejr (10), D. Zona, (11) and N. Dwyer (12)
(1) Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center, Bergen, Norway
(2) EuroGOOS, Brussels, Belgium
(3) Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland
(4) Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), Norrköping, Sweden
(5) Institute of Oceanology PAS, Physical Oceanography Dept. Powst., Sopot, Poland
(6) Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), København K, Denmark
(7) NORDECO, Skindergade 23, 1159 Copenhagen K, Denmark
(8) Terradue Srl, Via Giovanni Amendola, 46, Rome, Italy
(9) Institute of Marine Research, P.O. Box 1870 Nordnes, Bergen, Norway
(10) Arctic Research Centre (ARC) Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade, bldg. 1540, Aarhus C, Denmark
(11) The University of Sheffield, Western Bank Sheffield, United Kingdom
(12) EurOcean, Avenida Dom Carlos I, 126-2°, Lisboa, Portugal
INTAROS is a research and innovation action under the H2020-BG-09 call in 2016 and will run from 2016 to 2021. The main objective of INTAROS is to develop an integrated Arctic Observation System (iAOS) by extending, improving and unifying existing systems in the different regions of the Arctic. INTAROS has a strong multidisciplinary focus, including data from atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and terrestrial sciences, provided by 49 institutions in 20 counties in Europe, North America and Asia. In Canada, INTAROS has Takuvik and Univesité Laval as well as with Ocean Network Canada as partners, whereas collaboration is developed with several other Canadian institutions and networks. Satellite earth observation (EO) data plays an increasingly important role in such observing systems, because the amount of EO data for observing the global climate and environment grows year by year. In situ observing systems are much more limited due to logistical and technological constraints. The sparseness of in situ data is therefore the largest gap in the overall observing system. INTAROS will contribute to YOPP and MOSAIC by deploying ice platforms and moorings to increase sea ice and ocean observations from 2018 to 2020. However, YOPP and MOSAIC are time-limited efforts to increase the observations in shorter periods where enhanced human work will be involved. Intense research campaigns do not necessarily lead to implementation of new observing systems. A key challenge is therefore to develop the most promising observing platforms and sensors from research tools to operational systems which can collect year-round data. At present INTAROS is assessing strengths and weaknesses of selected existing observing systems in collaboration with SAON. The assessment will identify gaps in the observjng systems from sensors to data dissemination. A long-term goal of INTAROS is to improve the sustainability of the Arctic observing system. This requires more coordination, mobilization and cooperation between the existing international and national infrastructures (in-situ and space-based observations), the modeling communities and relevant stakeholder groups. INTAROS is also working with development of community-based observing systems and collaboration between local communities and science communities. An integrated Arctic Observation System will enable better-informed decisions and better-documented processes within key sectors (e.g. local communities, shipping, tourism, fishing), in order to strengthen the societal and economic role of the Arctic region.
Microbial diversity across the Hudson Bay: a river to sea continuum
Jacquemot, Loïc (1) (Presenter), D. Kalenitchenko (1) and C. Lovejoy (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Many of the key physical, biological and geochemical processes occurring in Hudson Bay, including sea ice growth and decay are strongly linked to freshwater input. Freshwater within Hudson Bay System originates from rivers with large drainage basins and is modified by sea ice formation and melting. Similar to other estuaries, gradients in light, heat and salinity through freshwater and seawater mixing, are predicted to influence microbial community structure. Here, we sampled microbial assemblages using marker genes and high throughput sequencing, along a salinity gradient in the Great Whale River (Inuit: Kuujuaraapiup Kuunga, Cree: Kwakutuy) estuary to Hudson Bay to investigate how these gradients affect microbial assemblages from the three domains of life: Archaea, Bacteria and planktonic microbial eukaryotes, which includes phytoplankton and protist grazers. Data on the distribution and composition of microbial communities was compared with environmental parameters along the salinity gradient to identify factors potentially controlling the distribution of the microbes. Additional work is planned using shotgun metagenomic analysis to explore the genetic potential of these microorganisms to adapt to environmental gradients and to assess putative metabolic pathways that facilitate adaptation of Hudson Bay system organisms to changing freshwater conditions. This information will be of use to managers by inferring whether present day organisms will be able to adjust to increased freshwater inputs or whether new invading organisms will more likely replace current species.
What happens when you add geese to an Arctic ecosystem: Undercovering the mechanisms between alternative prey, primary prey and a declining incidental prey population
Jacques, Sarah (1) (Presenter), J. Bêty (2), S. Léger (3) and M.-A. Giroux (1)
(1) K.-C.-Irving Research Chair in Environmental Sciences and Sustainable Development, Université de Moncton, Moncton NB, Canada
(2) Département de biologie and Center for Northern Studies, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(3) Université de Moncton, Moncton NB, Canada
Combined effects of climate change and agricultural intensification has lead to a massive increase in geese populations in the last decades. Millions of geese migrate annually from agricultural lands to arctic nesting areas generating a massive flow of additional food for arctic predators that boost their productivity. Such demographic response in predator populations to inputs from other ecosystems (hereafter “allochthonous inputs”) has likely induced indirect impacts on tundra-nesting shorebirds. Indeed, predation risk on shorebird nests have been found to increase in areas of high geese abundance. This could represent one of the underlying causes of the recent decline in many shorebird populations. Simultaneously, shorebirds can experience a release in predation rates during peak phases of the lemming cycle, because the latter prey is the preferred food resources of most tundra predators. Despite site-specific empirical evidences of goose and lemming impacts on shorebird nest survival, we lack predictive tools to anticipate the extent of such effects at a circumpolar scale. The objective of this project is to predict the effect of an allochthonous resource (goose), and of a cyclical prey (lemming) on the nest success of a prey of conservation concern (semipalmated sandpiper). The semipalmated sandpiper is an arctic-nesting shorebird whose population is declining in eastern North America, and the causes of such decline are still unknown. We will use this biological model to predict the combined effect of goose and lemming cycles on this species. We will use differential equations parameterized with data from sites with and without geese during different years of the lemming cycle. Our model will provide an important predictive tool to steer current conservation efforts aimed at better understanding declines in species of conservation concern such as arctic-nesting shorebirds. It will also provide the knowledge required to manage migrating prey species such as goose, which are reshaping the functioning of tundra food webs located at more than 3,000 km away from the agricultural activities that sustained their demographic explosion.
Exploring the bioenergetics and behaviours of polar bears foraging on land
Jagielski, Patrick (1) (Presenter), C.J. Dey (1), H.G. Gilchrist (2), E. Richardson (3) and C.A.D. Semeniuk (1)
(1) Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor ON, Canada
(2) Environment Canada, National Wildlife Research Center, Ottawa ON, Canada
(3) Environment Canada, Science and Technology Branch, Montréal QC, Canada
Climate change is cited as a leading threat to polar bears (Ursus maritimus), a species that relies on Arctic sea ice as a hunting platform to catch seals. In recent years, polar bears have been appearing on shore earlier in the season and have been exploiting alternative food sources such as common eider (Somateria mollissima) eggs. East Bay Island, Nunavut is home to the largest colony of breeding common eider pairs in the Canadian Arctic. Using East Bay Island as my study site, I will be exploring the costs and benefits of polar bears consuming eider eggs. Specifically, I will determine the energetic consequences of foraging on eider eggs using aerial videography of feeding bears and agent-based modelling of polar bear movements. Additionally, I will be exploring the basic foraging ecology of polar bears on land, a subject that is poorly understood. Two hypotheses that I am exploring are whether: 1) the energetic benefit of foraging for sea duck eggs decreases with every subsequent foraging bout, and 2) polar bears use visual cues to find nests and therefore do not rely solely on olfaction. These studies will lead to a greater understanding of the effects of sea ice loss on polar bear populations.
Learning to forage in the North: distribution and ontogeny of foraging of newly weaned hooded seal pups
Jeanniard du Dot, Tiphaine (1) (Presenter), M. Hammill (1), G. Stenson (2), H. Weimerskirch (3) and C. Guinet (3)
(1) Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Mont-Joli QC, Canada
(2) Department of Fisheries and Oceans, St. John's NL, Canada
(3) Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chize (CNRS), Prisse-la-Charriere, France
Pagophilic seals depend on ice to survive and reproduce. In fast changing polar systems, they must adjust their physiology, behaviours and distribution to decreasing ice with potential effects on fitness and population dynamics. Young-of-the-year and juveniles are more vulnerable to these changes as they have greater relative energy needs to survive while being naïve and with limited diving and foraging capacities. This is particularly true for hooded seals weaned after a 4-day lactation period. The objectives of our study were to determine foraging distribution and development of foraging capacities of newly weaned hooded seal pups and understand the influence of environmental parameters such as water temperature or sea ice coverage on these factors. To do so, we equipped 14 newly weaned 1-week old hooded seal pups off the East coast of Newfoundland with SCOUT-DSA tags attached on their head (Wildlife Computers). These tags processed data on-board from 1 dive every ~ 2h that was then satellite-relayed. The transmitted summarized data included dive start time and duration (s), initial and final depth (m), swimming effort (m/s), prey capture attempts (s), pitch angle (°) for the descent and ascent segments and sea water temperature (°C) in addition to Argos locations. Results show that after a month off the coast of Newfoundland, 70% of newly weaned pups started migrating northward through the Atlantic Ocean and then towards Eastern Greenland (for some of them as high as latitude 82°N). The remaining 30% lingered around the Newfoundland shelf for ~3-4 months before migrating towards Davis Strait and Baffin Bay, or towards Cape Farewell. Newly weaned pups doubled to tripled their diving capacities (dive depth, dive duration, swimming effort, etc.) during the first 6-8 weeks at sea. Their diving capacities then stabilized or only slightly increased. Drift rates during passive dive phases, and descent and ascent speeds and pitch angles indicated that pup body condition declines during these 6-8 weeks before stabilizing and increasing again. Interestingly, prey capture attempts do not follow any trend over time and are highly variable within individuals, indicating that either pups become more successful with each prey capture attempted or that they forage on better quality prey. Pups all rapidly sought to forage in areas of relatively high temperatures (~8-10°C) during their first 5 months at sea (compared to initial water temperatures below 0°C), but then targeted colder temperatures again. Environmental parameters such as water temperature, bathymetry and ice coverage are likely to shape naïve pup foraging success.
Evolution of Arctic springtime trace gas species between 2006 and 2017
Jeffery, Paul S. (1) (Presenter), D. Griffin (1), K.A. Walker (1), L. Dan (1), E. Eckert (2), P.F. Fogal (1), D. Fu (3,4), A. Harrett (1), F. Kolonjari (1), G.L. Manney (5,6) and K. Strong (1)
(1) Department of Physics, University of Toronto, Toronto ON, Canada
(2) Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
(3) Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON, Canada
(4) Now at Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology, Pasadena CA, United States
(5) NorthWest Research Associates, Socorro NM, United States
(6) Department of Physics, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro NM, United States
The chemical composition of the Arctic atmosphere is influenced by both natural and anthropogenic effects. As atmospheric composition is tied to climate, studying the changes in trace gas species can lead to a more thorough understanding of the changing Arctic conditions. Since 2004, remote sensing measurements of trace gases have been made on a yearly basis at the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory (PEARL; 80.05° N, 86.42° W) located in Eureka, Nunavut, as part of the Canadian ACE/OSIRIS Arctic Validation Campaigns. These yearly validation campaigns commence in late February, shortly after polar sunrise, and continue for approximately six weeks into early April. One of the Fourier transform spectrometers used for these measurements is the Portable Atmospheric Research Interferometric Spectrometer for the InfraRed (PARIS-IR), which records solar absorption spectra within the range of 750 - 4400 cm-1. PARIS-IR makes a measurement approximately every seven minutes, weather permitting, for the duration of the campaign. The focus of this study is to build upon the work of Griffin et al. (2017) who analyzed changes in eight trace gas species (O3, HNO3, HCl, HF, CH4, C2H6, N2O and CO) retrieved from the PARIS-IR springtime measurements for the eight-year period spanning 2006 to 2013. The eight-year dataset studied by Griffin et al. (2017) allowed for the identification of significant trends in four of the eight trace gas species (O3, HCl, HF, and CH4), but was insufficiently long to detect trends in the other four species. Adding an additional four years of data, spanning 2014 to 2017, the trends in all eight of these species and their significance will be examined in this work and compared with those found for the earlier period by Griffin et al. (2017). Additionally, a ninth species, water vapor, is currently being implemented in the PARIS-IR retrieval process, and the current progress of this retrieval will be shown. Griffin, D., Walker, K. A., Conway, S., Kolonjari, F., Strong, K., Batchelor, R., Boone, C. D., Dan, L., Drummond, J. R., Fogal, P. F., Fu, D., Lindenmaier, R., Manney, G. L., & Weaver, D. (2017). Multi-year comparisons of ground-based and space-borne Fourier transform spectrometers in the high Arctic between 2006 and 2013. Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, 10(9), 3273-3294.
Population structure of caribou in an ice-bound archipelago
Jenkins, Deborah. A. (1,5) (Presenter), G. Yannic (2,5), J.A. Schaefer (3), J. Conolly (4) and N. Lecomte (5)
(1) Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
(2) LECA - Laboratoire d’Écologie Alpine – UMR CNRS 5553, Université Savoie, Mont Blanc, France
(3) Department of Biology, Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
(4) Department of Anthropology, Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
(5) Canada Research Chair in Polar and Boreal Ecology, Department of Biology and Centre d’études nordiques (CEN), University of Moncton, Moncton NB, Canada
Archipelagos provide ideal natural systems for inferring the effects of isolation and fragmentation on the genetic makeup of populations – an important consideration, given that many insular species are of conservation concern. Two theories predominate: Island Biogeography Theory (IBT) posits that the proximity to mainland drives the potential for migrants and gene flow. The Central Marginal Hypothesis (CMH) predicts that island populations at the periphery of a species range may experience low gene flow, small population size, and high rates of genetic drift. Using genetic fingerprinting, we explored caribou genetic diversity below the species level and deciphered how IBT and CMH could act in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago where isolation is highly variable due to sea-ice and open water. We used hierarchical Bayesian clustering and multivariate analysis to determine genetic groups, evaluated the influence of ecological and geographic variables on genetic diversity using linear mixed effects models, and compared diversity among mainland and island herds. Bayesian clustering revealed nine genetic clusters with differentiation among and within caribou subspecies. Genetic differentiation was predominantly explained by isolation-by-distance across all caribou, even at the scale of subspecies. Island caribou were less genetically diverse than mainland herds; individual heterozygosity was negatively correlated with distance-to-mainland and length of the autumn ice-free coastline, and positively correlated with island size. Our findings underscore the importance of hierarchical analysis when investigating genetic population structure. Diversity and its key drivers lend support to both IBT and CMH, and highlight the pending threat of climate change and sea ice loss.
Food-borne parasites in harvested wildlife in the Canadian North
Jenkins, Emily (1) (Presenter), N. Bachand (1), E. Bouchard (1,2), S. Elmore (1,3), A. Hernandez Ortiz (1), R. Sharma (1), P. Leighton (2), A. Simon (2), N. Ogden (2), B. Scandrett (4), B. Al-Adhami (4), A. Gajadhar (4,5), B. Dixon (6), A. Iqbal (6,7), M. Ndao (7), S. Olpinski (8), L. Loseto (9), S. Ostertag (9), S. MacPhee (9), J. Harms (10), B. Elkin (11) and R. Alisauskas (12)
(1) University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK, Canada
(2) Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe QC, Canada
(3) Currently University of Toronto, Toronto ON, Canada
(4) Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Saskatoon SK, Canada
(5) Currently Parasitix, Saskatoon SK, Canada
(6) Health Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
(7) McGill University, Montréal QC, Canada
(8) Makivik Corporation, Montréal QC, Canada
(9) Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(10) Environment Yukon, Whitehorse YT, Canada
(11) Government of the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife NT, Canada
(12) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon SK, Canada
Country foods (harvested wildlife) represent a significant nutritional, cultural, and economic contribution to food security in the Canadian Arctic. However, some parasites can be transmitted via food borne routes from harvested wildlife. We have been testing wildlife across the Canadian Arctic for the food-borne parasites Toxoplasma and Trichinella. This includes beluga and wolverine in the western Arctic, geese and foxes in the central Arctic, and geese, foxes, caribou, and seal in the eastern Arctic. We have found larvae of Trichinella and DNA of Toxoplasma in wolverine and foxes, consistent with the carnivorous and scavenging diet of these predators, making them excellent sentinels for these parasites in northern ecosystems. Toxoplasma was present at lower prevalence in migratory geese, consistent with the hypothesis that these Arctic migrants are infected on their overwintering grounds and serve as a source of exposure for Arctic carnivores and hunters. Caribou and marine mammals (beluga and seal) showed evidence of exposure to Toxoplasma (antibodies in blood), but DNA was not detected on examination of multiple tissues except in the brain of one beluga. It is possible that these animals are infected with atypical strains of Toxoplasma not detected with our PCR; alternatively, serological tests may be unreliable in these wildlife species. While there are many technical and risk perception challenges, future goals are to encourage safe country food consumption through validation of tests and creation of local capacity for testing harvested wildlife, and to enable detection of new and old pathogens in an increasingly warmer and globalized Arctic.
Response of Calanus biogeographic boundaries to climate forcing in the Arctic Ocean
Ji, Rubao (1) (Presenter), Z. Feng (1), R. Campbell (2), J. Zhang (3), K. Kvile (1) and C. Ashjian (1)
(1) Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Falmouth MA, United States
(2) University of Rhode Island, South Kingstown RI, United States
(3) University of Washington, Seattle WA, United States
The lipid-rich copepods of the Calanus genus play a critical role in the pelagic food web of high-latitude oceans. Whether and how their biogeographic boundaries will be impacted by climate change are important but challenging questions due to the interaction of multiple processes operating at different temporal and spatial scales. For instance, large scale changes in temperature and local changes in circulation and food environment all can interact with species life history traits to impact biogeography. In this talk, I will present case studies for Calanus species in the Arctic, including both Arctic endemic species (e.g. C. glacialis and C. hyperboreous) and expatriate species (e.g. C. finmarchicus). A biological-physical coupled individual-based model has been used for data synthesis, sensitivity analysis and hypothesis testing. Our results indicate that the capability of species reaching diapause stages within the growth season can be a critical constraint on its distribution, and that the endemic and expatriate species may respond differently to the variability of climate forcing. Our results also indicate that species commonly considered as endemic to the central Arctic are resource limited under current environmental conditions. This study has a direct implication for the future projection of biogeographic boundary shifts and production regimes in a changing Arctic environment.
Using cosmic ray sensors to measure snow water equivalent in high northern latitudes
Jitnikovitch, Anton (1) (Presenter), P. Marsh (1), B. Walker (1) and M. Tsui (1)
(1) Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFIn the Arctic, winter persists for up to 9 months, resulting in a hydrologic system that is primarily regulated by snow melt runoff. Snowcover experiences considerable variation in depth and density over short distances, directly affecting the spatial variation in snow water equivalent (SWE). Traditional SWE measurements such as various remote sensing techniques provide coarse resolution data, while snow surveys and snow-pits are labour intensive and often not representative of an entire watershed. Over the last few decades, cosmic ray neutron sensors (CRS) have been proposed as a way to provide much improved snow data, but few studies have tested and used CRS in a robust network. In this study we will use two types of CRS, the CRS 1000-B & SnowFox model from Hydroinnova. An advantage of CRS is that they can be installed in remote locations, deliver a continuous reading which can be monitored online, and provide a landscape-scale footprint (1000-B model) and point (SnowFox) measurements. In addition, individual SnowFox sensors can be installed along a transect, providing details of snow accumulation across deep snow drifts. These instruments were assessed at (1) a tundra and (2) a shrub environment in the western Canadian Arctic from October 2016 to July 2017. Neutron counts were compared to manual snow measurements obtained during field seasons in December 2016, January/February 2017, and April/May 2017. Preliminary results indicate that at low SWE values, both types of CRS show high accuracy, however as SWE increases, the sensitivity and accuracy of the sensors diminish. This research has the potential to bridge the gap between point- and large-scale measurements by providing continuous intermediate-scale SWE values. Over the short term, landscape-scale SWE measurements can be used for hydrological modelling, flood risk-assessments and water resource management. Over the long term, it can help scientists understand how the climate may be changing.
INTERACT goes viral: An advanced community steps into a global role
Johansson, Margareta (1) (Presenter) and Terry Callaghan (2,3) on behalf of the INTERACT Community
(1) Dept. of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
(2) Dept. of Plant and Animal Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
(3) Tomsk State University, Tomskaya oblast', Russia
INTERACT is a circumarctic network of 82 terrestrial field bases in all arctic countries and adjacent high alpine and forested areas. INTERACT is building capacity for identifying, understanding, predicting and responding to diverse environmental changes throughout the wide environmental and land-use envelopes of the Arctic. During the first phase of the EU FP7 programme INTERACT, more than 500 scientists were granted access to the field through the Transnational Access programme. Their science was presented in a book and mass outreach course. The project also developed best practices in station management, a standardised presentation of the stations and an overview of monitoring/research projects from 2000 until present through its Station Managers Forum. This information has been published in several books available on INTERACT’s web site (www.eu-interact.org). Three joint research activities developed standardised monitoring system for surface energy balance, technology for monitoring of phenology and an integrated database system for research stations – the INTERACT GIS. INTERACT is now an advanced community grant in EU Horizon2020 programme. Now we will further develop the Transnational Access programme with access to twice as many stations. In 2017, INTERACT has granted 1700 days of Transnational Access to 58 user groups working at 32 research stations in 12 countries. The physical access has been complemented with virtual (free access to metadata and data collected by the research stations) and remote (observations carried out by station staff) access. New Station Managers’ Forum activities include safety at research stations, reducing emissions from research stations and improving access to data from the research station. In addition, joint research activities will develop standardized monitoring schemes for biodiversity, drone technology in the field, local adaptation schemes and procedures for action when a hazard occur. We will also develop guidelines for storing real data through our Data Forum.
Use of optical sensors to identify, map and monitor phyto- and zooplankton
Johnsen, Geir (1,2) (Presenter), G. Fragoso (1), E. Davies (3), A. Sørensen (4), M. Ludvigsen (2,4) and J. Berge (2,5)
(1) Centre of Autonomous Marine Operations and Systems (AMOS) at Dept Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
(2) University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), Longyearbyen, Norway
(3) SINTEF Ocean, Dept. of Environmental Technology, Trondheim, Norway
(4) Centre of Autonomous Marine Operations and Systems (AMOS) at Dept Marine Technology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
(5) UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Tromsø, Norway
During the last decades, new in situ optical sensors have been used to identify, map and monitor phytoplankton and zooplankton dynamics. To provide information at large spatial and time scales, these sensors have been deployed on data buoy systems (time-series as a function of depth at different sites), Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV), Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) and Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USV). The recent development of in situ fluorometers to estimate photosynthesis versus irradiance, such as Fast Repetition Rate fluorometers (FRRf), is an important tool to measure photosynthesis as a function of depth (profiling frame) or photosynthesis at different depths over larger areas deploying the FRRf on ROV or USVs. Combining these measurements to obtain photosynthetic rates and phytoplankton biomass (chlorophyll a concentration) with pigment chemotaxonomy (High Precision Liquid Chromatography, HPLC) gives us information of major pigment groups (PG) such as Chl c-containing chromophytes (Chl c1, Chl c2, Chl c3, fucoxanthin, acyloxy-fucoxanthins, peridinin and gyroxanthin diester), green algae (Chl b, prasinoxanthin, lutein, neoxanthin) and phycobiliprotein-containg algae and cyanobacteria (phycobiliproteins and zeaxanthin). Together with FFRf and HPLC, the current development of in situ silhouette camera (SilCam), providing online detection of plankton (phytoplankton, zooplankton and larvae), the combined data give us the opportunity to look at plankton dynamics on larger time and space scales. The combined information from FRRf and SilCam enables us to obtain a better overview of plankton dynamics in general to elucidate how key environmental variables, such as light regime (irradiance, spectral irradiance and day length), temperature, salinity, nutrients, current speed and direction are important cues for plankton biomass, speciation and dynamics. Further, the data can give us new insight with respect to patchiness of biomass (chlorophyll a, enumeration of species, health status) and corresponding particles such as marine snow, detrital particles, inorganic matter and microplastics. Preliminary data indicates that the combined information of phytoplankton and zooplankton biodiversity and health status are close linked and the use of these automated in situ optical sensors may contribute to provide knowledge based information for a better nature management and decision making.
The Arctic Migratory Birds Initiative: getting a bigger bang for the conservation buck
Johnston, Victoria (1) (Presenter)
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Gatineau QC, Canada
The Arctic Migratory Birds Initiative (AMBI) aims to conduct bird conservation at a continental flyway scale. It has had success in the Americas Flyway by lending the AMBI name, buttressed by the reputation of the Arctic Council, to leverage partnerships and funding from diverse sources that would not ordinarily connect. We will describe an AMBI-launched project, funded by the NAFTA Commission for Environmental Cooperation, that is connecting several conservation initiatives throughout the Americas and delivering funding for projects that would not otherwise have been considered by this particular source.
Linking Arctic Science & Policy: Use of the new AMAP assessment to identify policy and infrastructure needs to control point source pollution in the Arctic
Jones, Olivia (1) (Presenter), E. Reppas-Chrysovitsinos (2), M. MacLeod (2), C. de Wit (2), D. Muir (3), K. Vorkamp (4), S. Wilson (5) and J. Balmer (1,5)
(1) Department of Biology, The Citadel, Charleston SC, United States
(2) Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ACES), Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
(3) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Center for Inland Waters, Toronto ON, Canada
(4) Aarhus University, Department of Environmental Science, Roskilde, Denmark
(5) Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme, Oslo, Norway
Given the remote nature of the Arctic and its small population, the occurrence of chemicals in the region has mostly been attributed to long-range transport from lower latitudes. Global regulatory bodies such as the Stockholm Convention have acted to restrict the use of chemicals with known properties of persistence (P), bioaccumulation (B), long-range transport potential (LRT), and toxicity (T). However, this group of globally-regulated persistent organic pollutants (POPs) remains small in comparison to the thousands of unregulated chemicals currently in production and use, and regular monitoring of the Arctic environment is needed to identify the presence of new chemicals of concern. To this end, recently published data for ‘chemicals of emerging Arctic concern’ (CEAC) were reviewed as part of a fourth updated assessment by the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP), including the preparation of a database of physicochemical properties for the 631 chemicals identified in the assessment. The updated AMAP assessment identified several groups of CEACs at elevated levels near Arctic towns and villages, suggesting local settlements, in addition to long-range transport, may also serve as sources of some CEACs to the Arctic. The physiochemical database was used to score and rank > 450 of the chemicals included in the assessment based on the P, B and LRT criteria used by the Stockholm Convention to characterize POPs. The analysis indicates many of the same chemicals found at elevated levels near Arctic settlements, including plasticizers, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products commonly associated with household use, are of relatively low estimated persistence, bioaccumulation and long-range transport potential, further supporting the local origins of these CEACs. Their presence in the Arctic is likely explained by discharge of wastewater from local communities for which treatment facilities are often inadequate. As these chemicals do not meet the current P, B, and LRT criteria to be considered for global regulation, these findings suggest a need for infrastructure upgrades and/or local, state, or national regulations to address these likely point source discharges.
Direct and indirect effects of climate on a simplified trophic network in the Arctic tundra
Juhasz, Claire-Cécile (1,3) (Presenter), N. Lecomte (1,3) and G. Gauthier (2,3)
(1) Université de Moncton, Moncton NB, Canada
(2) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Québec QC, Canada
Climate change can impact ecosystems by reshaping dynamics of resource exploitation for predators and their prey. For instance, the accelerated changes in summer rainfall and air temperature in the High Arctic observed over the last 20 years could explain a higher nesting success of the Greater Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens) via two mechanisms: 1-An increase in water availability translates into higher chances of repelling eggs predators like the Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus); 2-An increase in summer air temperatures improves food availability for nesting geese. How does this translate into net benefits for arctic breeding geese since predation intensity of the Arctic fox on goose eggs is modulated by lemming abundance, which is also influenced by climate variables? Here we aim to identify direct and indirect mechanisms driven by climate change that affect the predator-prey relationship between nesting geese and Arctic foxes in a large breeding colony (Bylot Island Nunavut, Canada). We used a combination of models mapping multiple links among variables (causal path diagrams) derived from a long-term database (e.g. 4,024 goose nests monitored over 20 years, including the monitoring of climate, primary production, fox dens, and abundance of lemming). We obtained several possible scenarios linking large-scale climate factors like Arctic Oscillations (AO; negative AO indices correspond to weaker winds and warmer temperatures than normal in the High Arctic, while positive AO indices coincide with stronger winds and colder temperature than normal) and local conditions of temperature and precipitation to the various trophic links of the tundra. Our results suggest that both large-scale and local climate factors had direct impacts on the breeding of predators and their prey. For instance, the spring AO index, while negatively tied with the lemming abundance and the primary production, indirectly affected the number of reproductive fox dens. In addition, warmer local temperatures were also negatively tied with the number of reproductive fox dens while both warmer temperatures and increased precipitations in early summer improved the Greater Snow geese success breeding. These results will extend our understanding of the complex effects of climate change on Arctic species and predator-prey interactions. It will also provide essential information for the management of an overabundant population of Greater Snow Geese.
From the British Arctic Expedition (1875-76) to the present: Application of genomics to identify historical and modern microbiomes as sentinels of Arctic change
Jungblut, Anne D. (1) (Presenter), F. Raymond (2,3), V. Mohit (4), A. Culley (5) C. Lovejoy (4), J. Corbeil (2,3,6) and W.F. Vincent (4)
(1) Life Sciences Department, The Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
(2) Centre de recherche en infectiologie, CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Centre de recherche en données massives de l’Université Laval, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(4) Centre d’études nordiques (CEN) & Département de biologie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(5) Département de biochimie, de microbiologie et de bio-informatique, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(6) Département de médecine moléculaire, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
The Arctic is warming at rates more than twice the global average, and much larger changes are projected for high northern latitudes by the end of this century. In this project, funded by a UK-Canada Arctic Partnership Bursary and in collaboration with researchers from Laval University as part of Sentinel North, we are addressing the question: what sentinel microbiome properties of northern freshwater environments can be used to improve surveillance of Arctic ecosystem health in the face of these increasing climate perturbations? Of particular importance are cyanobacteria, especially the genus Nostoc, which are keystone primary producers, contributors of bioavailable nitrogen, drivers of food webs and carbon cycling in Arctic freshwater ecosystems. However little is known about their genomic characteristics. To create a temporal baseline data, we first sequenced the genome of cyanobacteria Nostoc commune, Vaucher specimen which was collected in a freshwater pond at Floe-Berg Beach (82”27 N) which was the “Alert” winter quarters for the expedition located on Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canadian High Arctic in July 1876 by Captein Feilden during the Arctic Expedition under Captain Sir Georges Nares command, and likely one of the oldest cyanobacteria specimen from the Arctic. DNA was extracted directly from a historic herbarium specimen from the Natural History Museum London and sequenced by next generation sequencing (HiSeq 2500) at the Centre de recherche CHUQ-CHUL genome research facility (Laval University). We were able to obtain more than 70% coverage of the genome using the dried 130-year old herbarium material. From a comprehensive16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analysis, the Nares Nostoc specimen formed a clade with N. commune from other geographic regions, but also other Nostoc genotypes. However, comparison with other Nostoc genomes found that it only shared up 64% with any other Nostoc genome available to date, and whole genome hierarchical cluster analysis grouped the genome into Nostocaeae with N. punctiforme as sister clade. Two dinitrogenase reductase (nifH) gene copies were found in the Arctic N. commune genome that were similar to nifH gene sequences from Arctic and Antarctic freshwater ecosystems. Subsequent functional analysis identified a wide range genes associated with mechanisms to overcome cold stress and other conditions common for permanently cold environments. The findings confirm a pole-to-pole distribution of N. commune and highlights its importance for nitrogen fixation in Arctic and Antarctic freshwater and soil ecosystems, but also showed that there is still a lack of genome data for phylogenomics and comparative genomic analysis. The results demonstrate that Nostoc commune is a suitable candidate cyanobacterium to study the relationship between microbiomes and environmental variables on regional and global scale to identify microbiomes as sentinel species for Arctic environments. They also highlight the value and potential of museum herbarium cyanobacteria collections in investigating potential effects of climatic change on microbiomes in Arctic ecosystems.
The Arctic Inspiration Prize: encouraging, enabling and celebrating the achievements of Northerners
Kablutsiak, Kevin (1) (Presenter), A. Witzig (2) and S. Sharifi (2)
(1) Arctic Inspiration Prize, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) S. and A. Inspiration Foundation, Vancouver BC, Canada
It is too often forgotten that the story of Canada’s North is one of resourcefulness, incredible innovation, and collaboration; when these three forces coalesce, the impact is such that lives can measurably be improved. The Arctic Inspiration Prize (AIP), with its $3 million CAD award and comprehensive representation of all sectors living and working in the North, joins the ranks of the highest profile prize programs in the country. The AIP was established by Arnold Witzig and Sima Sharifi in 2012 in collaboration with ArcticNet, as managing partner, to recognize ‘ideas-to-impact’ projects which stand to transform all areas of life relevant to Canada’s North. Since its inception, the AIP has awarded $6 million to 14 diverse teams, enabling innovative projects in education, preserving traditional knowledge and language, community inclusion in science, sustainable housing, performing arts and health - thus encouraging, enabling and celebrating the inspiring achievements of Northerners. With the transition of the management of the prize moving to the Rideau Hall Foundation, in the fall of 2017 the AIP underwent an Impact Evaluation looking at the relevance of the prize, the results achieved by the laureates from 2012 to 2015, the sustainability of the laureate projects, and whether the desired results would be achieved through the current design of the AIP. Results of this first, comprehensive Impact Evaluation will be presented.
New productivity hotspots fueled by rare marine protists from the Lincoln Sea
Kalenitchenko, Dimitri (1) (Presenter), N. Joli (1), J.-É. Tremblay (1) and C. Lovejoy (1)
(1) Département de Biologie, Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes, Québec Océan, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
The Arctic marine microbial community supports higher food webs and consists of multiple trophic networks. In the Arctic, access to both light from above and nutrients determines the net production; however, the rate of nutrient influx, the variability in light quality, and light availability select the microbial community. As the ice bridge that creates the North Water Polynya in Northern Baffin Bay migrates northward, the Kennedy Channel and Kane Basin represent emerging productivity hotspots fed by high-nutrient water from the ice-covered Lincoln Sea. Based on the hydrogeographic characteristics of the channel that connects the Lincoln Sea to Baffin Bay, we hypothesized that the channel community is directly influenced by the Lincoln Sea microbial source by microbes advected from the Lincoln Sea. We tested this on data collected onboard the CCGS Amundsen, using a community-wide Bayesian approach that linked the biodiversity of phytoplankton and other protists at multiple depths in the channel (Kennedy Channel and Kane Basin) and near Nares Strait with the biodiversity of the closest station to the Lincoln Sea (reference station). We found a strong relationship between the channel water column and the reference station water column; however, protists detected in the near Nares Strait station had more microbes of unknown origin. Therefore, we concluded that even if future environmental conditions in the channel area community become more similar to those in Baffin Bay, there is no a priori expectation that the ecosystem functions would be also converge, since the two environments do not have access to the same microbial source.
Wager Bay (Ukkusiksalik National Park) and Chesterfield Inlet marine baseline study
Kamula, Michelle (1) (Presenter), C. Grant (2), B. Misiuk (3), M. Mahy (4), C. Vis (5), K.Regular (6), Z. Kuzyk (1), G. Stern (1), P. Archambault (2) and E. Edinger (3)
(1) Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's NL, Canada
(4) Parks Canada Agency, Iqaluit NU, Canada
(5) Parks Canada Agency, Ottawa ON, Canada
(6) Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's NL, Canada
Coastal regions in the Arctic and sub-arctic are experiencing increasing pressures from climate change and human activities. The gathering of baseline data for these complex marine systems is critical to monitor changes that may occur in the future. In 2016, the Parks Canada Agency and Government of Nunavut, with the Universities of Manitoba and Québec à Rimouski, Memorial University of Newfoundland, and the Canadian Hydrographic Service, developed a multi-disciplinary marine baseline study of Wager Bay (Ukkusiksalik National Park) and Chesterfield Inlet. This project provided a unique opportunity to investigate two understudied coastal sub-arctic inlets, each that currently experience very different levels of human and industrial activity. Wager Bay, a large, deep inlet that is a marine component of Ukkusiksalik National Park, currently sees very little marine traffic. However, with the potential for increased tourism to the Park, and the possibility that the Bay would be used for shipping ore out of the region by neighbouring mining activities in the future, marine transportation could increase through Wager Bay. In contrast, shipping through Chesterfield Inlet, a long narrow inlet that connects Baker Lake to Hudson Bay, is already experiencing increasing ship traffic due to mining activities inland. To address concerns around ship activity, the overall baseline study consisted of two main objectives: I) to map the seafloor for navigation purposes and to determine the distribution of biological habitats, and II) to develop an inventory and understanding of the processes occurring within these coastal systems (biologically, geochemically, and oceanographically). Additionally, the Ukkusiksalik baseline data project included an Inuit knowledge component, guided by advice from the park’s Inuit Knowledge Working Group. Here we present an overview of the result from the baseline study including bathymetry, water mass composition, benthic ecosystem, and geochemical data for Wager Bay (Ukkusiksalik National Park) and Chesterfield Inlet.
The study of arctic environmental change: Scenarios to inform science planning
Kelly, Brendan (1) and A.L. Lovecraft (1) (Presenter)
(1) University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks AK, United States
The Arctic is facing a suite of interconnected transformations. Tipping points and irreversible social-ecological changes will be heterogeneous in space and time and require adaptive strategies. Effective responses to such rapid non-linear changes will require governance that enhances the capacity of stakeholders, in particular arctic residents, to engage the decision-making arena. But, what do we do when the crystal ball of predictive modeling goes dark, and we cannot determine the future with confidence? By mid-century, what sorts of science will be needed to address the future conditions of the Arctic? Scenarios are exercises in asking “what if?” Imagine you are walking into a room of doors, each door represents the Arctic, the world, in 2050. Behind each door is a combination of greenhouse gas emissions, sea level rise, weather patterns, community livelihoods, and political-economic trends. What combination, which Artic in 2050, will be behind the door you choose? Will the Arctic still function as “the Earth’s refrigerator” to stabilize climate and weather patterns? Will it provide reliable seasonal sea ice for hunters, industry, and marine life? Science is fundamental to understand what we know about the Arctic and to predict what changes are most likely. It is such science that decision-makers require for planning. But, we need to consider more carefully how the different drivers of circumpolar change will interact with one another in the future in order to make decisions – we need to track multiple trajectories into a future beyond what we can currently predict. We also need to demonstrate the value of investments in science for the future. Scenarios can inform science to think imaginatively in order to plan for the future. This presentation explains the value of scenarios to manage risk by anticipating changes in science strategies, technology, and knowledge trends through a series of research examples from both an organizational perspective – The Study for Arctic Environmental Change (SEARCH) – and a research perspective – the Northern Alaska Scenarios and Arctic Future Makers projects. We conclude that science’s ability to effectively inform decisions is enhanced by scenarios, and the more we learn about the Arctic in the short-term, the better we can inform long-term decision making for proactive adaptation rather than passive reactions.
Climate change and food security in a coastal Arctic community
Kenny, Tiff-Annie (1,2) (Presenter), M. Lemire (2) and L. Chan (1)
(1) University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Marine environments support the livelihood and provision a rich source of animal protein, micronutrients, and fatty acids, to billions of people worldwide. Globally, climate-related declines in fish catch are projected to mediate cascading impacts on human health through the decline of critical micronutrients in the diets of seafood-dependent peoples. The 2014 report by the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition highlighted the central role of seafood in the global food system, and recommended that states develop scenarios to understand the possible impacts of climate change on fisheries, and implement necessary actions to mitigate negative impacts to the food and nutrition security of the most vulnerable zones through inclusive processes. The human health extension of the GreenEgde project (commenced in 2017) aims to assess how climate-mediated changes in the abundance of key marine species may impact food security, nutrition, and, health in Inuit communities. Based on local biophysical data collected by the GreenEdge project, a marine food web model is being developed to project the response of Arctic marine ecosystems to climate change, including changes in the abundance of key marine species (St-Béat & Maps). This information will be coupled with detailed food use and harvest data previously collected in the community/region (e.g. 1988-1989 Broughton Island study) to model dietary change and human nutrition over time and under different scenarios of climate change and harvest. By adopting a participatory approach to model development, the objective is to convene researchers, key community representatives, and representatives from the public health and wildlife management sectors, to co-develop and compare alternative adaptation strategies to support sustainable food security and marine harvest over the long term. The participatory approach also facilitates the incorporation of local knowledge, perspectives, and priorities into model development. This presentation describes the objectives and methodological development of the project, and reports on the outcomes of a consultation held in the community of Qikiqtarjuaq at the onset of the project (August 2017).
Meso-scale Arctic ecology: Leveraging the High Latitude Drone Ecology Network (HiLDEN) to address longstanding knowledge gaps
Kerby, Jeffrey (1) (Presenter), I. Myers-Smith (2), J. Assmann (2), A. Cunliffe (2), T. Kumpula (3), P. Korpelainen (3), B. Forbes (4) and the HiLDEN network (5)
(1) Dartmouth College, Hanover NH, United States
(2) University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
(3) University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
(4) University of Lapland Arctic Centre, Rovaniemi, Finland
(5) droneecology.wordpress.com
Arctic monitoring efforts reflect the inherent tradeoffs between research priorities and logistical realities. For decades, terrestrial meso-scale (1 – 100 km^2) ecological research has combined plot- and satellite-informed datasets to yield critical insights about Arctic environmental change. This approach has also propagated an unintended knowledge gap about ecological variability in high-latitude systems, e.g. a lack of empirical data on and subsequent understanding of individual-level variability in the productivity, distribution, and phenology of vegetation at landscape extents. Improved monitoring at this combination of grain and extent has direct relevance to mechanistic research questions spanning herbivore foraging ecology, landcover change, and the carbon cycle. The rapid development and widespread accessibility of small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS, a.k.a. drones) offers promising methodological solutions to some of the historical constraints on monitoring landscape-scale ecological variability. The High Latitude Drone Ecology Network (HiLDEN) was established to share common UAS data collection protocols across Arctic research sites to better facilitate meso-scale ecological research, while also providing a framework for building plot- to satellite-based research syntheses. The first summer of data collection in 2017 included participation from over a dozen tundra research teams spread across six Arctic nations. Here, we report on the continued development of this network, identify key research priorities in meso-scale Arctic research, and present a multi-site analysis demonstrating how the network can be leveraged to address specific research topics. In this preliminary analysis we address the question: how generalizable is the relationship between tundra productivity (quantified with various metrics of ‘greeness’) and soil moisture (Topographic Wetness Index) within and across tundra systems? We present data on the non-linear scaling of this relationship across spatial grains and its generality across sites. These results are contextualized in their application to interpreting past and predicting future Arctic landcover change.
Flooding hazard and remote first nation communities: The case of Kashechewan, Northern Ontario
Khan, Arshad (1) (Presenter)
(1) University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
There are several types of floods such as riverine, flash, urban, GLOF, and spring or ice breakup and jamming-related flooding. Spring flooding is a common natural hazard, particularly in northern Canada. Several Canadian watersheds including the Red River, the Mackenzie River and the Albany River basins are exposed to the risk of spring flooding hazard (Boluwade & Rasmussen, 2015; Abdelnour, 2013; Cunderlik & Ouarda, 2009). Accordingly, in northern Canada, flooding is one of the major natural hazards among the remote and isolated communities (Haque, 2005; Newton et al., 2005). And Indigenous peoples are the largest group prone to the spring flooding hazard. For example, the K’atl’odeeche First Nation along the Hay River in the Northwest Territories (N.W.T) and Cree First Nations such as Attawapiskat, Fort Albany and Kashechewan communities settled along the southwestern James Bay coast in northern Ontario are prone to the spring flooding hazard risk (Nafziger et al., 2016; Ho et al., 2011; Abdlnour, 2013). The recurring spring flooding hazard risk has been impacting the Kashechewan and Fort Albany First Nations mainly because of ice jams that occur close to the mouth of the Albany River (Abdelnour, 2013; Canadian Encyclopedia, 2006). Noticeably, affected by the risk of spring flooding, the Kashechewan residents have been evacuated ten times since 2004. As well, localities and communities settled along rivers’ banks throughout Canada are prone to the spring flooding with multiple social, economic and ecological impacts including property and infrastructure damage, navigation problems, hydropower generation disruption and reduced aquatic resource (Mavhura et al., 2013; Beltaos & Prows, 2009; Beltaos, 2006). The total (tangible) annual cost to the Canadian economy because of ice jams has been estimated at CD$60 million in the year 1990, excluding the costs associated with the missed opportunity to generate hydroelectricity mainly because of little understanding of the river ice regimes (Gerard & Davar, 1995; Raban, 1995). In New Brunswick, out of the total flooding events, there has been one-third of the spring flooding events because of ice jams (Beltaos & Prowse, 2009; Humes & Dublin, 1988). According to Cunderlik and Ouarda (2009), snowmelt, because of warming weather, is a major trigger of spring floods in the watersheds of Canada. They further state that the significant trend of the earlier snowmelt is resulting in the occurrence of earlier spring flooding in several Canadian watersheds. Research indicates that there is an earlier snowmelt runoff in the spring season e.g., the Mackenzie River Basin, and break-up ice jams can trigger extreme flooding (Cunderlik & Ouarda, 2009; Beltaos, 2006). Moving or stationary ice flows in Canadian rivers that range from a few days to few months (Beltaos & Prows, 2009). In a nutshell, the spring or ice breakup and jamming-related flooding hazard risk threaten several northern riverine communities including the Kashechewan First Nation.
Long-term community-based monitoring of beluga whale at Hendrickson Island, NT: Perspectives from a beluga monitor
Kikoak, Lionel (1), J. Brewster (2), S. MacPhee (3) (Presenter), S. Ostertag (3), E. Way-Nee (4) and L. Loseto (3)
(1) Tuktoyaktuk Hunters and Trappers Committee, Tuktoyaktuk NT, Canada
(2) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Inuvik NT, Canada
(3) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(4) Fisheries Joint Management Committee, Inuvik NT, Canada
Beluga whale are an important component of a traditional subsistence lifestyle for Inuvialuit of the Western Canadian Arctic. To ensure a sustainable harvest for future generations, beluga monitoring has taken place on Hendrickson Island, offshore of Tuktoyaktuk in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, for more than 40 years, and is recognized as one of the longest running marine mammal monitoring programs in the circumpolar north. The core program is led in partnership between the Fisheries Joint Management Committee and local Hunters and Trappers Committees, and is focused on the collection of harvest statistics, population demographics (morphometrics, sex, age, genetics) and contaminants. Over the past 10 years, in partnership with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the program has expanded to address new research priorities identified through a co-management framework (e.g., diet, energetics, noise impacts), to include capacity building through youth employment, and, more recently, to include the collection and integration of traditional and local knowledge (TLK) indicators as a core monitoring component. At the heart of the program is the participation of local harvesters and beluga monitors, who understand traditional harvest practices, safe handling and sampling procedures, the role of local weather conditions in beluga presence, habitat use, hunting success and safety, and who recognize signs of unusual or unhealthy whales. Come speak with an experienced beluga monitor to learn about the importance of beluga whale to Inuvialuit culture, the successful long-term beluga monitoring program, youth training experiences, how to sample a beluga, and how to identify indicators of beluga health.
Sea-ice thickness from moored ice-profiling sonar in the Canada Basin, Arctic Ocean
Kikuchi, T. (1) (Presenter), M. Itoh (1), Y. Fukamachi (2,3), N. Kimura (4), R.A. Krishfield (5), E. Moriya (6), J. Onodera (1) and N. Harada (1)
(1) Japan Agency for Marine-Earth and Science Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
(2) Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
(3) Arctic Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
(4) Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
(5) Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole MA, United States
(6) Hydro Systems Development, Inc., Tokyo, Japan
Time-series ice-draft data were obtained from moored ice-profiling sonar (IPS), in the Arctic Canada Basin, where reductions in sea-ice cover have been particularly significant since late 1990s. Time-series data show seasonal and spatial variabilities of ice draft at four mooring stations (Stns. NAP, BGOS-A, BGOS-B, BGOS-D) from summer 2013 to summer 2014 (Figure 1). Spatial difference of ice-draft in the Canada Basin is largely affected by circulation of sea ice forced by anticyclonic Beaufort Gyre. The overall mean draft at Stn. BGOS-D is the largest, because thick ice is advected from the north. Ice draft observed at Stn. NAP is generally the smallest during summer, because melting ice in the southern Canada Basin flows west to Stn. NAP. Modal draft distributions exhibit two modal values from October to December at BGOS-A, BGOS-B, BGOS-D (Figure 2). Thinner and thicker modes correspond to newly formed young ice and multi-year ice remaining from summer melting season, respectively. In contrast, only thinner mode is evident at NAP, because sea ice melts away at this station during summer 2013. The evolution of modal ice thickness observed can be explained mostly by thermodynamics growth.
Impact of implementation of in-territory molecular testing for gastrointestinal pathogens at the Qikiqtani General Hospital, Nunavut
Kim, Harry (1), C.P. Yansouni (1), S. Desai (2), A. Miners (3), B. Barker (2), W. Nishi (3), E. Serra (1), S. Marchand (3), M. Smieja (2), K. Barker (4) and D.M. Goldfarb (2,5) (Presenter)
(1) McGill University, Montreal QC, Canada
(2) McMaster University, Hamilton ON, Canada
(3) Qikiqtani General Hospital, Iqaluit NU, Canada
(4) Department of Health, Government of Nunavut, Iqaluit NU, Canada
(5) Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC, Canada
Background: Nunavummiut have previously been shown to have a high burden of acute gastrointestinal infections. Prior retrospective studies have also demonstrated a relatively broad range of enteric pathogens causing illness in the territory as well as a relatively low yield of detection using conventional diagnostic testing. We seek to present preliminary data from the implementation and evaluation of on-site molecular testing for enteric pathogens at the only hospital in the Qikitaaluq region of Nunavut. Methods: All stool samples submitted for clinical microbiological testing at the Qikiqtani General Hospital (QGH), Iqaluit were assayed using a Health Canada licensed multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay (BioFire Filmarray™ Gastrointestinal panel, bioMerieux Inc.) according to manufacturer’s instructions. This assay detects 22 enteropathogen targets (13 bacteria, 4 protazoan parasites, and 5 viruses). Pathogen detection rates and time to results were compared between the year prior to implementation and during the molecular diagnostic implementation period. Results: Routine molecular testing of stool samples at QGH was implemented on July 7th, 2017. In the one year prior to implementation (June 1st, 2016 to May 31st, 2017) a total of 281 stool samples submitted to QGH were sent out of territory for a total of 440 separate microbiological tests. During this baseline period a total of 12 patients had at least one potential enteric pathogen detected (4%). A total of 5 patients (1.8%) had a reportable enteric pathogen detected (2 Salmonella, 2 Campylobacter, 1 Giardia). In the first 10 weeks of implementation of on-site molecular diagnostics (July 7, 2017 until September 12, 2017) a total of 34 stool samples had been submitted to QGH for microbiological testing of which 11 (29%) were positive for at least one enteropathogen. Of these 4 (12%) were reportable to the public health unit (3 Campylobacter and 1 Salmonella) and 12 potentially treatable bacterial enteric pathogens were detected. Discussion: The availability of on-site broad molecular diagnostic testing appears to have significantly increased the pathogen yield as well as the detection rate of enteric pathogens of public health importance. Many of the previously identified pathogens are waterborne (e.g. Campylobacter and Plesiomonas) and may be linked to climate change. Further analysis is required to determine the clinical, public health, and financial impact of having this testing available in territory.
Disaster risk reduction in Arctic cruise shipping: The human dimension
Kirchner, Stefan (1) (Presenter)
(1) University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland
Shipping is essential for the global economy. Even though shipping is becoming safer, it remains an inherently dangerous activity. Every day, between one and two million seafarers are risking their lives in order to keep the flow of goods across the oceans running. International law has been used as a tool to enhance safety in shipping. Due to climate change, new sea routes become available in the Arctic Ocean, some of which are already used by cruise vessels. This research looks at at how international law can be used to enhance the skills of those working on cruise ships operating in the Arctic in order to reduce the risk of disasters. While natural factors such as extreme weather events play an important role in many shipping disasters, many incidents and casualties are caused by human failure. In the Arctic, this risk awareness if often absent among newcomers to the region. As shipping in the Arctic is just beginning to take off, most non-local seafarers have no Arctic experience at all. While the majority of traffic in the region is still local rather than transit shipping, there is a growing interest in Arctic shipping and accordingly a growing need to strengthen the safety of seafarers in this region. The entry into force of the Polar Code on 1 January 2017 is an important step in this direction. In addition to a lack of general seafaring experience in the newly ice free areas, the lack of crew experience with polar environments but also when it comes to cooperating with local coastal state authorities the Polar Code outlines some of these dangers, including cold temperatures and extreme weather events. To a large degree, the regulatory approach in the Polar Code is technical in nature, as are most attempts at improving shipping safety through regulation. But the lack of prior experience and the diminished value of prior experience make it imperative to focus not only on technical improvements to vessels but also to increase risk awareness and skills among seafarers. This research is part of a series of research articles, some written together with scientists from other disciplines, for example an expert on the impact of cold temperatures on human performance. It aims at identifying ways to improve maritime safety by enhancing skills and raising awareness of Arctic-specific risks. The approach used here is one of seeing international shipping law is a form of disaster prevention law. Traditionally the creation of international shipping law has already benefited greatly from the expertise of those actively working in the field. Taking into account legislative and academic developments outside the maritime sector can provide the maritime community with additional expertise and awareness of different approaches. The Sendai Principles are one example for such interaction. This is particularly the case when it comes to safety issues and the prevention of disasters.
Stuckberry Valley lakes: Sentinels of environmental change at Canada's extreme northern limit?
Klanten, Yohanna (1,2) (Presenter), D. Antoniades (1,2), S. Bonilla (3) and W.F. Vincent (1,2)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
Despite being at the northernmost fringe of land on Earth, the northwest coast of Ellesmere Island is a highly dynamic region at the interface of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and the Arctic Ocean ice pack. The region contains a variety of aquatic ecosystem types, including fiords, meromictic lakes, epishelf lakes, and supraglacial meltwater ponds. Many such ecosystem types exist at the climatic limits of their viability and when environmental thresholds are crossed they are often manifest as ecosystem regime changes. The region has seen important Holocene climate variability, however little is known about the history of ice shelves or sea ice prior to the late 19th Century. This information is critical for assessing the recent degradation of coastal ice in the context of long-term natural variability. Eight km to the west of Clements Markham Inlet, Stuckberry Valley (82° 54’ N, 66° 56’ W) ascends from the ocean to encompass a series of four unnamed lakes, the last of which is situated 56 m asl. The marine limit in this region was 124 m asl and these lakes were thus submerged sea floor depressions when glaciomarine environments appeared following glacial retreat ~11.4 cal ka BP. Isostatic uplift later sequentially separated the lakes from the ocean. To our knowledge, it is the only chain of coastal lakes spanning such an altitudinal gradient on the northern coast of Ellesmere Island. With their different time spans in isolation, these lakes present a unique opportunity to reconstruct past sea ice cover and to evaluate natural climate variability as well as to test hypotheses related to microbial diversity. In summer 2017, we sampled the water and sediments of four lakes which were previously completely unexplored. Here we present preliminary results from our project, a multidisciplinary study that seeks to understand the ecology and history of these lakes through studies of diatoms, photosynthetic pigments, genomic microbial analysis, hyperspectral imaging spectroscopy and paleomagnetic analyses.
The psychological safety model of oil and gas workers in the Arctic
Korneeva, Yana (1, 2) (Presenter), N. Simonova (1.2) and T. Tyulyubaeva (1)
(1) Northern (Arctic) Federal University, Arkhangelsk, Russia
(2) Northern State Medical University, Arkhangelsk, Russia
The study was sponsored by the RF President's grant for state support of young Russian scientists - PhD (MK-7500.2016.6). The research is concerned with the justification of a model of psychological safety of oil and gas workers in the Arctic. The safety in industrial activity in the first place depends on the employee, at the same time not only on his attitude toward observance of occupational safety and health regulations, but also on the personal attributes of the specialist, his subjective sensation and the effectiveness of his psychological self-regulation. The study was conducted at an oil and gas facility with a watch-based method of labor organization in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation (duration of a rotation shift is 30 days). The aim is to study the psychological safety of oil and gas workers of different professional groups in the Arctic. The study involved 70 persons at the ages from 24 to 60 years (average age 38.7 ± 1.3). The methods are as follows: study of documentation, monitoring of work process, questionnaires, psycho-physiological and psychological testing, and statistical methods of data analysis. The study clarified the concept of psychological safety as a mental state of a subject who has control over a set of internal and external factors of the ergatic system providing updating of internal resources of the individual for efficient professional activity on the psycho-physiological and psychological level. As a result, the model of psychological security of oil and gas workers in the Arctic was introduced and evidence based. It includes the following components: 1) The psycho-physiological level of functional status (reduced or optimal); 2) The psychological level of functional state (emergency or economical); 3) The image of the labor object (low undifferentiated hazard assessment or high differentiated hazard assessment); 4) The image of the subject (high undifferentiated or moderately high differentiated self-assessment); 5) The image of the subject-object and subject-subject relations (neutral, negative, or positive). In this research, the components of psychological safety of oil and gas workers of different professional groups (operators of oil and gas, boiler operators, drivers, engineers and technical workers, maintenance specialists) in the Arctic were empirically studied and characterized. The psychological level of functional state was expressed in economical adaptive strategy mainly on the basis of results gained from the study of operators of treatment facilities and boiler houses, engineering and technical staff and maintenance staff. On the contrary, the emergency strategy was defined in the course of the study of operators of oil and gas. Low psycho-physiological levels of functional states were noted among drivers and operators of treatment facilities and boiler houses. Higher rates of this component of psychological safety were found among engineering and technical personnel, oil and gas operators, as well as maintenance specialists.
Architectural lessons on foundation building in Van Tat Gwich’in territory: Foundation typologies constructed within this continuous permafrost region and their reciprocal relationships with people, buildings, and the land
Kovalcik, Katherine (1) (Presenter)
(1) University of Waterloo, Cambridge ON, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFThe foundation is an architectural component that mediates the relationship between a building and the land. It is a connection that is particularly challenging to ground in dynamic soils underlain by permafrost. Bridging the Arctic Circle in the Northern Yukon, Van Tat Gwich’in territory is situated between overlapping cultural and geopolitical realities of the North and the South. The lives and knowledge of the Peoples who have inhabited this place for millennia are entangled with a shifting land, one that experiences both changing seasons and increasing warming trends. The Van Tat Gwich’in, like many northern Indigenous Peoples, are positioned as the ‘ground truthers’ of environmental change in their territory. Distanced professional ‘experts’ also engage this critical issue through research and design. These perspectives overlap in the practices of foundation design, building, and maintenance. Foundations are located within a web of reciprocity that intertwines multiple ways of knowing the land. Conceptually, this paper positions foundations as connections to the land. Two main foundation typologies exist for building on permafrost: deep and shallow foundations. Deep foundations – such as piles that require imported materials, equipment, and skilled labour – attempt to isolate a building above the upper surface of the ground from the shifting, active layer by connecting to a more solid material below. Shallow foundations – such as vernacular Gwich’in timber designs used in contemporary life out on the land – float on top of or within the earth’s surface. The latter types of systems are often used in residential construction, where the ground’s transformations can manifest themselves in the physical experiences of living in these buildings, and often result in a need to maintain and constantly re-level these structures. As the land shifts with climate change, many foundations must adapt and either dig deeper or tolerate more movement. Methodologically, this paper is compiled as an academic overview of the multi-scalar relationships between people, buildings, and the land that architecture might build on. This work takes the form of an open-ended and non-technical illustrated index of existing foundation typologies for building in this continuous permafrost region, and details how these systems function. At a larger scale, an additional series of deep section drawings annotates the interrelationships between buildings and the ground, and looks beyond the architect’s typical ‘ground-up’ purview. This paper presents an understanding of foundations informed by a constellation of work that includes architectural research, conversations, and time spent over the course of two summer seasons in Old Crow, Yukon, and the author’s experience out on the land with local citizens who live close to it. Written from the position of a ‘not-knower’ – a visiting student of architecture and the land – this paper offers a series of questions, attunements, and prompts for the consideration of the visiting designer that emerge through the examination of foundations and their reciprocal relationships with people, buildings, and the land.
Reindeer pastures under change, landuse and climate induced impacts in Central Yamal peninsula, Russia
Kumpula, Timo (1) (Presenter), T.M. Verdonen (1), P. Korpelainen (1) and B.C. Forbes (2)
(1) Department of Geographical and Historical Studies, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
(2) Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland
In central Yamal peninsula in the Arctic Russia both natural and anthropogenic changes has occurred during the past 40 years. Petroleum production activity causes a rapid land use and land cover changes in the Russian Arctic. Mega size Bovanenkovo gas field (BGF) was found in 1972. Giant gas resources of the field makes BGF one of the world's three largest with estimated with estimated reserves of 4.9 tcm The large scale building of infrastructure started in mid 19080’s but in early 1990’s as the Soviet Union collapsed and economical crisis spread over Russia gas field went to hibernation phase. In 2006 Gasprom launched new plan for production and in October 2012 gas production began. Within few years railroad, pipelines were build to reach BGF. We have studied gas field development and natural changes like increase of shrub growth, cryogenic landslides, thawing lakes in the region. Employing a variety of high- to very high-resolution satellite-based sensors (CORONA, Landsat MSS/TM/ETM7, SPOT, Terra ASTER VNIR, Quickbird-2 and Worldview-2 images), we have followed the establishment and spread of Bovanenkovo, the biggest and first field to be developed in Yamal. Extensive onsite field observations and measurements of land use and land cover changes since 1985 have been combined with intensive participant observation in all seasons among indigenous Nenets reindeer herders and long-term gas field workers during 2004–2007 and 2010–2014. Nenets managing collective and privately owned herds of reindeer have proven adept in responding to a broad range of intensifying industrial impacts at the same time as they have been dealing with symptoms of a warming climate. Here we detail both the spatial extent of gas field growth and the dynamic relationship between Nenets nomads and their rapidly evolving social-ecological system.
Combining UAS data, Very High Resolution satellite imagery and field measurements to interpret landslide stabilization process in Yamal peninsula
Kumpula, Timo (1) (Presenter), T.M. Verdonen (1), P. Korpelainen (1), J.T Kerby (2) and B.C. Forbes (3)
(1) Department of Geographical and Historical Studies, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
(2) Dartmouth College, Hanover NH, United States
(3) Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland
A large set of cryogenic landslides (e.g active layer detachments) occurred in Bovanenkovo region in Central Yamal peninsula, Arctic Russia in late 1980’s. Database of satellite images was collected to follow landslide activity 1969-2017. Imagery used were CORONA, Landsat MSS/TM/ETM7, SPOT, Terra ASTER VNIR, Quickbird-2 and Worldview-2/-3 images from years 1969, 1988, 1993, 1998, 2001, 2004 2011, 2013 and 2017. Field data was collected from several years and sites. Earliest data was collected in 1993. More recent data was collected in 2004, 2005, 2011,2014, 2017. Main field data was collected in 2011, 2013 2014 and 2017 from Mordy-Yakha river landslide field site. In 2017 UAS data was collected in July using several. We used also The High Latitude Drone Ecology Network (HiLDEN) protocol and data was collected from different altitudes (30, 50, 80, 100, 120 meters). CORONA image from 1969 is used as a baseline date of analysis. Landsat TM image dated from 1988 just before the main landslide event in 1989. This image was compared to SPOT (1993,1998), Landsat ETM+ (1999, 2001), Landsat TM (2011) and Terra ASTER VNIR (2001) images to detect occurred landslides. Quickbird-2 (2004) (QB) images were used to help the interpretation of the SPOT and Landsat images and to detect small scale landslides (< 1 ha). All identified landslides were saved into a GIS database as points and the boundaries of the landslides were digitized. From SPOT, Landsat, Quickbird-2 and Worldview-2/3 images bare soil were classified both with unsupervised and supervised methods. Characteristic spectral reflectance of landslides was estimated and images were reclassified. We are combing in our analysis satellite data with new 2017 UAS data and field data. Detailed DEMs and classifications are created from RS and UAS data. UAS data proves its high value in detailed interpretation of landslides structure and vegetation coverage. Then we can investigate how vegetation succession has advanced in Mordy-Yakha landslides during the past 28 years.
Multi-proxy reconstruction of late Holocene palaeoceanography and sediment dynamic over the Mackenzie slope (Beaufort Sea, Canadian Arctic)
Kutos, Omnain (1) (Presenter), A. Rochon (1) and J.-C. Montero-Serrano (1)
(1) Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski (ISMER), Université du Québec à Rimouski, GEOTOP and ArcTrain, Rimouski QC, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFDuring the last decades, instrumental data have shown an increasing temperature and an accelerated reduction in the Arctic sea ice cover in summer, together with an overall decline of volume and thickness. However, to place the reduction of Arctic sea ice in perspective, it is necessary to know the history of Arctic sea ice in the geological past. In the context of this master project, two short sedimentary sequences (a box core of 45 cm and a trigger weight core of 172 cm AMD0214-03) were recovered on the Mackenzie slope. Dinoflagellate cyst assemblages, mineralogy and elemental geochemistry will be studied to reconstruct and document the hydrological variability over the last 2000 years in the Beaufort Sea (Canadian Arctic), and their influence on the sedimentary dynamics. These assemblages will allow reconstructing the evolution of sea-surface conditions (temperature, salinity, productivity and the duration of sea-ice cover), while fluvial influence will be assessed from freshwater indicators. The quantitative reconstructions are based on transfer functions and the modern analogue technique (MAT) using a modern dinocyst reference database (GEOTOP data: n=1492). The sediment chronology will be assessed from 210Pb measurements for the box core, while that of the trigger weight core will be based on physical (L*, a*, b*, CAT-Scan) and paleomagnetic (inclination, declination and relative paleointensity of the Earth’s magnetic field) analyses. The mineralogical (bulk and clay fraction) and geochemical (trace metals and rare earth elements) data will allow assessing changes in sediment inputs and transport pathways. Preliminary results of the box core reveal dinocyst concentrations ranging from 316 to 1883 cysts/cm3. Based on dinocysts relative abundances, three assemblage zones were determined: Zones I and III are dominated by Operculodinium centrocarpum and the cyst of Pentapharsodinium dalei, with low abundance of Brigantedinium spp. in zone III. Finally, zone II is dominated by heterotrophic taxa Islandinium minutum and Echinidinium karaense. Autotrophic taxa are dominant in the upper 10 cm, indicating a major marine influence over the Mackenzie plume. Furthermore, quantitative reconstructions reveal relatively stable conditions with occasionally cooler and warmer events that could be associated with the Little Ice Age and the Medieval Warmer Period, based on correlations with the chronology of the nearby trigger weight core for which we calculated a sediment accumulation rate of ~50 cm/kyr-1. Based on this, the box core would encompass approximately the last ~900 years. However, these assumptions will be verified when the box core chronology becomes available. Overall, this study will allow to better document and understand the fundamental processes controlling the hydrological variability in the Canadian Beaufort Sea beyond the time period covered by instrumental measurements.
Community-driven research on freshwater dynamics in the coastal domain of Southeast Hudson Bay and East James Bay
Kuzyk, Zou Zou (1) (Presenter), J.K. Ehn (1), R. Macdonald (2), C. Guéguén (3), D.G. Barber (1), R.A. Eastwood (1), C. Peck (1), A. Guzzi (1), V. Petrusevich (1), M. Warbanski (4), L. Arragutainaq (5), G. Lameboy (6), J. Lameboy (6,7), Aali Nalukturuk (8) and J.P. Heath (4)
(1) Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Institute of Ocean Sciences, Fisheries & Oceans Canada, Sidney BC, Canada
(3) Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
(4) Arctic Eider Society, Sanikiluaq NU, Canada
(5) Sanikiluaq Hunters and Trappers, Sanikiluaq NU, Canada
(6) Cree Nation of Chisasibi, Chisasibi QC, Canada
(7) Eeyou Marine Region, Chisasibi QC, Canada
(8) Nunavik Marine Region Wildlife Board/Northern Village of Inukjuak, Inukjuak QC, Canada
The coastal domain is an important region of change because it connects terrestrial and marine ecosystems, which are both responding to global climate change and other stressors. It contains highly productive and important ecosystems, including, in Hudson Bay, estuaries that host belugas and subtidal seagrass beds that support migratory birds. Inuit and Cree are reliant on the coastal domain for traveling and harvesting. Freshwater dynamics in the coastal domain are influenced by river discharge, which naturally peaks in the spring, and the sea-ice cycle, which introduces freshwater when the sea ice melts during the summer and withdraws freshwater from the surface ocean (leaving behind salty water or brine) when ice forms during winter. The spring/summer addition of river water and sea ice melt stabilizes the water column whereas brine addition during sea ice formation destabilizes the water column inducing mixing. However, if freshwater is present in winter, there is potential for interactions between freshwater and the sea-ice cycle, with implications for the structure and properties of the water column and the ice. In the Hudson Bay system, river discharge in winter has significantly increased due, in large part, to hydroelectric development and regulation. Climate change is projected to also increase winter river discharge to the Hudson Bay system. Since 2014, the University of Manitoba, the Arctic Eider Society, and community partners from Sanikiluaq, Inukjuaq, Umiujaq, Kuujjuaraapik, and Chisasibi have been collecting observations to support the study of freshwater dynamics in eastern James Bay and southeast Hudson Bay with a focus on the winter period. More than 90% of the river discharge to Hudson Bay and James Bay occurs ‘upstream’ and potentially circulates through this coastal region on the way to Hudson Strait. The research has focused on describing how river water is distributed in the region in winter, where it originates, and how it interacts with the sea ice and the tidal cycle. The detailed knowledge of the Inuit and Cree concerning conditions and recent changes in their coastal areas provided a foundation for scientific studies intended to begin answering the questions of ‘how’ and ‘why’. The observations include conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) profiles of the water column during three seasons (winter, summer and fall), as well as water and ice samples. Samples have been analyzed for salinity and oxygen isotope ratios (O-18), nutrients, carbon constituents and additional freshwater tracers. Using moorings, time series data (salinity, temperature, currents, and bottom pressure) were collected at selected sites. This presentation will provide an overview of preliminary findings. The results show that a coastal domain characterized by the presence of excess freshwater (relative to interior Hudson Bay) is a perennial feature in southeast Hudson Bay. River water is the major freshwater source in winter and, counter to expectations for a natural northern coastal system, the amount of river water present increases from fall to winter. The river water impacts several under-ice physical oceanographic processes, including stratification and thickness of the depth of winter mixing.
Integrated Regional Impact Study (IRIS) of the greater Hudson Bay marine region: Foxe Basin, Hudson Bay, James Bay, and Hudson Strait
Kuzyk, Zou Zou (1) (Presenter), L. Candlish (1), M. Kamula (1) and D. Barber (1), on behalf of the IRIS Steering Committee
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Although scientific study of the Greater Hudson Bay Marine Region has occurred sporadically for roughly two centuries and in a more concerted fashion over the last two decades, the products of this research have not been widely read nor influential with regard to policy. This shortcoming likely arises from the research products being inaccessible for a broader audience, either because the research is written in highly-technical language or because the research is published in forums that are expensive or unfamiliar for non-scientists. With climate change, industrialization, and modernization causing rapid changes in the environments and societies of northern regions, such as the Greater Hudson Bay Marine Region, it is important that scientists communicate up to date information effectively to those affected by the changes in the North. At the same time, it is important that northerners’ observations of the changes occurring in the environment are communicated effectively to the scientific community to inform new research priorities and areas of interest. The ArcticNet Integrated Regional Impact Study (IRIS) for the Greater Hudson Bay Marine Region has been written to summarize the current knowledge available for the coastal and marine environments of the region. The IRIS report incorporates results from scientific studies, published compilations of traditional knowledge, insights of Inuit and Cree represented through the IRIS steering committee, input from community meetings at which components of the IRIS were presented, and comments from a variety of stakeholders who contributed to the editorial team. The goal of this document is to provide relevant and practical information for regional decision-makers in an accessible format. This presentation will give an overview of the topics addressed in the IRIS and the key messages and policy recommendations emerging.
Large differences in ecophysiological responses to combined stress by high light and ocean acidification in sympagic and pelagic Arctic diatom species
Kvernvik, Ane Cecilie (1,2) (Presenter), C.J.M. Hoppe (3), E. Leu (4), S. Rokitta (3) and B. Rost (3)
(1) The University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), 9171 Longyearbyen, Norway
(2) University of Tromsø – the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
(3) Alfred Wegener Institute – Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570, Germany
(4) Akvaplan-niva, AS, CIENS, Gaustadalleen 21, 0349 Oslo, Norway
Ongoing environmental changes, in particular earlier ice breakup and increased transparency of Arctic sea ice, will strongly affect the light available for photosynthetic organisms. Concomitantly, increasing oceanic CO2 will lead to chemical changes, including a redistribution of inorganic carbon species and lowered sea surface pH. The effects of ocean acidification will be particularly pronounced in the Arctic ocean, where low temperatures and alkalinity make the system extra sensitive to anthropogenic CO2 loading. Sea ice algae and phytoplankton constitute the basis of the food web in the Arctic, and both light availability and ocean acidification have been shown to affect biomass, primary production and species composition. In this study, two Arctic diatom species, Thalassiosira hyalina, a dominant pelagic algae, and Nitzschia frigida, a dominant sympagic algae, were cultivated at pCO2 levels of 400 and 1000 µatm and low light (20 µmol photons m-2 s-1). Then, their immediate and acclimation responses to high light (385 µmol photons m-2 s-1) exposure were investigated. We found contrasting high pCO2-responses between the two species, where N. frigida showed inhibited growth, negatively impacted photophysiology and reduced synthesis of photoprotective pigments. In CO2-enriched T. hyalina cultures, however, we observed increased light harvesting pigments and biogenic silica, but neither photophysiology nor growth was negatively affected. Our results highlights the influence of both high CO2 concentrations and high light on dominating Arctic diatom species, and suggests acclimation responses in T. hyalina that ensures competitive success to future conditions.
Quantification of calcium carbonate (ikaite) in first– and multi–year sea ice
Kyle, Heather (1,2) (Presenter), S. Rysgaard (1,2,3,4), F. Wang (2) and M. Fayek (1)
(1) Department of Geological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(3) Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
(4) Greenland Climate Research Centre, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland
Ikaite (CaCO3•6H2O) is a metastable calcium carbonate mineral that forms at low temperature and/or high pressure. Ikaite precipitates in all types and thicknesses of sea ice and may play a significant role in air-sea CO2 exchange in ice covered seas and oceans. However, due to the limited availability of measurements and the lack of efficient quantification techniques, the spatial and temporal dynamics of ikaite in sea ice are poorly understood. A new method for quantifying ikaite in sea ice was developed and compared with existing imaging techniques to determine its effectiveness. In short, sea ice cores were melted at low temperatures (<4ºC) to ensure that ikaite did not dissolve and filtered for ikaite crystals that were subsequently dissolved and analyzed as dissolved inorganic carbon. This technique agrees well with the imaging technique that is more time consuming. The new method was applied to cores from experimental sea ice in Winnipeg, Canada, natural first-year sea ice near Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, Canada, and first- and multi-year sea ice near Station Nord, Greenland. Ikaite crystals were found in all sea ice types, with high concentrations present in 20 cm thick young sea ice (2595 µmol kg-1), lower concentrations in 1.5 m thick first-year sea ice (117 µmol kg-1), and low concentrations in 3.3 m thick multi-year sea ice (8 µmol kg-1). Ikaite concentrations were highest in the upper ice layers at all stations and the presence of sea ice algae at Cambridge Bay was also associated with an increase in ikaite abundance. Ikaite most commonly occurs in first-year sea ice, so as multi-year sea ice in the Arctic is replaced with seasonal ice cover, ikaite concentrations will increase along with its contributions to air-sea CO2 exchange.
Subsistence social-ecological systems in a development context: Hunting pressure affects the condition, behaviour and social structure of tundra wolves
L’Hérault, Vincent (1,2,3) (Presenter), N. Lecomte (2), M. Awan (3), G. Szor (3), D. Berteaux (4) and the hunters and Elders of Qamani’tuaq (Baker Lake), Nunavut (5)
(1) Département de biologie, chimie et géographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(2) Canada Research Chair in Polar and Boreal Ecology, Université de Moncton, Moncton NB, Canada
(3) Department of Environment, Government of Nunavut, Igloolik NU, Canada
(4) Canada Research Chair on Northern Biodiversity, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(5) Qamani’tuaq’s Hunters and Trappers Organization, Baker Lake NU, Canada
Global drivers can force subsistence social-ecological systems into unsustainable states. Empirical research is needed to investigate these transitions and help avoiding their most negative effects. In the context of mining development near the Inuit community of Qamani’tuaq, Nunavut, we addressed a community-generated research hypothesis stating that subsistence hunting negatively impacts tundra wolves. Using local observations and monitoring data from a multi-year wolf carcass recovery program, we tested four predictions dealing with the body condition, behaviour, social structure, and feeding patterns of wolves. We compared an impact area located near the community and encompassing a mine access road to a control area located away from the mine and community. We also examined the perceptions of local observers with regards to the main drivers influencing local hunting pressure. To discriminate the relative importance of industrial and other drivers on hunting pressure, we compared the body condition of wolves living in the impact area to that of wolves from other Inuit settlements exempt from industrial activity. Wolves in the control area were 4.1 kg (95% CI [0.1:8.3] heavier (scaled mass condition index) and 56.6g (95% CI [-6.8:119.8], p=0.08) fatter (sternal fat) than those in the impact area, which was congruent with local observations. Local observers also reported signs of individual stress (fear of humans, frequent escape behaviour) and disturbed packs (small groups of 2-3 individuals, alpha individuals sometimes absent) in the impact area. We found no effect of treatment on the quality or quantity of food used by wolves, yet local observers suggested a decreased use of caribou meat but increased use of caribou leftovers in the impact area. Differences in wolves’ state were attributed to higher hunting pressure (also perceived as being higher than before the mine) in the impact than in the control area. Increased hunting was due to i) facilitated access to the land due to a mine access road and newest transportation technologies (performance snowmobiles) acquired through better cash income, ii) higher interest in wolf pelts in the community to satisfy increased need for cash income, and iii) emergence of new harvest practices such as short-distance and weekend hunting. Two drivers (industrial activity causing direct disturbance and habitat degradation, and climate change) were pointed as main influences on the state of wolves, mostly through effects on caribou availability and quality. However, the condition and body reserves of wolves did not differ among the impact area and other settlements, suggesting that elevated hunting pressure can happen even without industrial development. Our study provides a first step into disentangling the complex human-resource interactions coupled to global drivers, as it suggests overharvest of wolves in the context of rapid economic development. Wolves represent an integrative indicator of tundra health due to their high trophic position; hence we suggest that other unknown ecological impacts of development may also exist in our study system. To promote the sustainability of the studied subsistence SES in a context of rapid industrial development, we recommend the implementation of community-based conservation, rather than increased government regulation.
Micro-parasites from the past: a portrait of viruses in ancient Arctic seawater
Labbé, Myriam (1,2) (Presenter), A.I. Culley (1,2) and W.F. Vincent (1,2)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Québec QC, Canada
Microbial communities dominate polar aquatic ecosystems, and a significant fraction of these communities are comprised of viruses. Viruses play many roles including the regulation of host biomass, driving microbial community evolution and affecting the circulation of energy through trophic webs that ultimately impact biogeochemical processes. This study aims to develop new approaches to sample, characterize and analyse wild viral communities in polar lakes. Our sampling has been at the northernmost frontier of Canada on Ellesmere Island (NU) where the effects of climate change are already evident and will continue to accelerate as temperatures in the Arctic continue to rise. One of the study sites is Lake A, a meromictic lake consisting of a freshwater surface layer fed by the spring run-off of the surrounding catchment, overlying ancient seawater that was trapped by isostatic rebound several thousand years ago. This salt water layer is particularly resistant to mixing and its physical and chemical conditions are very stable. Accordingly, previous work has demonstrated that the community composition of prokaryotes (Archaea and Bacteria) found in this layer is remarkably constant over time and that these organisms are most closely related to microbes with a marine origin. In the surface freshwater layer, however, physical, chemical and biological conditions can vary significantly through the summer season driven by large fluctuations in freshwater input, light, temperature, and ice cover among other variables. Because the viral communities of this ecosystem are essentially undescribed, we used a metagenomic approach based on both 2nd and 3rd generation, to generate a more comprehensive assessment of viral diversity and viral genetic potential. An environment as complex as Lake A harbours potentially unique genes that could give insight into viral dynamics and their role in key microbial metabolic processes such as photosynthesis and nutrient assimilation. The main hypothesis of this study is that the distinct differences in the dominant metabolic processes in each vertical strata of the lake, such as aerobic phototrophy in the surface and anaerobic sulfur metabolism at depth, will be reflected in the co-occurring viral communities and viral gene pools. The improved understanding of viral diversity in this High Arctic lake will lead to greater insight into virus-host interactions and the impacts of viruses on the cycling of carbon, nutrients, and energy.
Development of an analytical strategy for the field dissolution of targeted species in country foods
Laberge-Carignan, Audrey (1) (Presenter), D. Larivière (1) and P. Ayotte (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Cananda
Poster: Link to the PDFIn spite of the presence of imported products, traditional foods derived from hunting and fishing play an important role in the diet of northern communities. These foods are a good source of essential nutrients. However, they may also contain high concentrations of contaminants such as lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg), which pose a health risk for those communities. It is therefore important to provide to consumers food quality data to guide them in their intake choices. In order to do that, our project in the Sentinel North strategy is to develop a device to quantify certain targets elements in traditional foods in the field. To be able to carry out the quantification of potential contaminants or essential nutrients, it is first necessary to carry out the dissolution of the foodstuffs. In our project, we are focusing on the dissolution of arctic char meat. Acid or microwave dissolutions are the most widely used methods in the laboratory, but they require large amounts of acid, high pressures and elevated temperature. These methods therefore not appropriate for field deployment. Alkaline dissolution using tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) and ultrasonic frequencies is a fast, simple technique that requires little energy and a small amount of chemicals used; sought-after characteristics for field analyses. In order to be able to have an effective dissolution in a short period of time, an experimental design, which make it possible to vary several parameters at the same time and to see the influence of the various parameters studied, was used. The analysis of inorganic lead and mercury are carried out by ICP-MS/MS. The preliminary results obtained lead to recoveries of 91 ± 2% and 100 ± 4%, for Pb and Hg, respectively. The impact of the parameters as well as the optimal conditions according to the constraints imposed by the type of analysis will be discussed.
Deeper winter convection increases the efficiency of the microbial carbon pump in a sub-Arctic sea
LaBrie, Richard (1) (Presenter), B. Péquin (1), N. Fortin St-Gelais (1), F. Guillemette (2), D.C. Podgorski (3), L. Tremblay (4), Y. Gélinas (5) and R. Maranger (1)
(1) Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières QC, Canada
(3) University of New Orleans, New Orleans LA, United States
(4) Université Moncton, Moncton NB, Canada
(5) Université Concordia, Montréal QC, Canada
Winter convection in the Labrador Sea is one of the few locations on Earth where the bathypelagic is ventilated and in direct contact with the atmosphere. During this intense mixing, a large quantity of organic carbon synthesized at the surface is dragged down to deep prokaryotic communities that are accustomed to more recalcitrant carbon. To assess the role of deep prokaryotic communities in carbon burial via the microbial pump, we simulated two realistic deep winter convection scenarios by mixing sterile filtered surface water with inoculums from the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones as well as a surface control. We sampled these microcosms for various organic matter (DOC, DON, FT-ICR-MS, amino acids and FDOM) and prokaryotic-related (abundance and diversity) variables during several months. During the first three months, the amount of carbon consumed was directly related to mixing depth: deep communities degraded more carbon than those in the surface. Although the amount of C degraded in both the meso- and bathypelagic water was approximately the same, the deeper inoculum resulted in the production of more recalcitrant compounds. The prokaryotic community structure found in deep mixing scenarios corroborated this level of specialization and consumption of specific and more recalcitrant compounds. Our results suggest more carbon may be processed and transformed into recalcitrant compounds by prokaryotes when the winter convection is deeper. The decadal variations in the depth of the Labrador winter ventilation may thus modulate the amount of organic carbon buried through the microbial pump and influences how bathypelagic prokaryotic communities gather their energy.
Analysis of water and energy budgets in a Subarctic experimental watershed in Northern Quebec, Canada
Lackner, Georg (1) (Presenter), D. Nadeau (1) and F. Domine (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFThe subarctic tundra regions sum up to a big fraction of the earth's surface. This landscape is particularly vulnerable to climate variations and thus prone to significant changes in the years to come. Unfortunately, there is still very limited available climatological data in these areas to validate models used to anticipate how these changes will affect weather patterns and local hydrological processes. This project focuses on the analysis of water and energy fluxes throughout the whole soil-vegetation-snow-atmosphere continuum, and on a better understanding of processes happening inside these layers as well as how they interact with each other. More precisely, it aims to trace fluxes of water vapor and heat between soil, snow and atmosphere and the transformation the two quantities evoke in each layer. To achieve this, measurements of soil and snow thermal conductivity and broadband albedo observations of the top snow layer are inimitably combined with eddy covariance data from a tower above the snowpack which reveals information about turbulent fluxes of heat in the atmosphere. The study site is a 2.1 km^2 watershed near Umiujaq in northern Quebec, Canada (56.5N, 76.5W). This heavily equipped catchment has been monitored for several years and thus the project has access to a large network of existing observations of snow and soil properties as well as groundwater flow. Here, using eddy covariance data and several other hydrometereological observations collected in summer and fall 2017 are presented, providing a first glimpse of the energy and the water budgets.
Phytoplankton bloom dynamics in a changing Arctic ocean: Use of spaceborn lidar CALIOP
Lacour, Léo (1) (Presenter), R. Larouche (1) and M. Babin (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
This project aims at understanding how ongoing changes in Arctic environments, especially sea-ice extent, impact the phytoplankton bloom dynamics. Passive ocean color observations have revolutionized our understanding of global marine ecosystems but suffer sampling limitations in polar environment due to clouds, sea-ice signal contamination and low sun angle. Active observations from spaceborn lidar present a new opportunity for overcoming these limitations. Using depolarization ratio measurements from CALIOP, we can retrieve ocean subsurface particulate backscatter, a proxy for phytoplankton biomass. By improving actual algorithms, CALIOP’s full resolution (~70 m footprint, 330 m pulse-to-pulse distance) can be exploited to estimate the phytoplankton biomass at the ice edge or within open-water fractures of the ice pack, where most of the Arctic primary production occurs. We will introduce the theoretical basis of the algorithms and present preliminary results of the first in-situ validation of CALIOP ocean subsurface data in the Arctic using gliders and biogeochemical-argo floats.
eDNA metabarcoding as a new surveillance tool for coastal Arctic biodiversity
Lacoursière-Roussel, Anaïs (1) (Presenter), K. Howland (2), E. Normandeau (1), E. Grey (3), P. Archambault (1), K. Deiner (4), D. Lodge (4), C. Hernandez (1), N. Leduc (1) and L. Bernatchez (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Central and Arctic Region, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(3) Governors State University, University Park IL, USA
(4) Cornell University, Ithaca NY, USA
Because significant global changes are currently underway in the Arctic, creating a large-scale standardized biodiversity database for Arctic marine biodiversity is particularly pressing. Marine monitoring typically requires large and expensive sampling tools, multiple experts and may sometimes have negative impacts on the habitat, limiting the capacity for detecting biodiversity changes in such a large ecosystem. Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding, which involves less challenging and intrusive field methods, could be a revolutionary tool for overcoming the lack of extensive biodiversity data. However, eDNA from metazoans has mainly been used in freshwater systems and its efficacy for detecting biodiversity shift needs to be evaluated in other ecosystems. Our goal was to evaluate the potential of eDNA metabarcoding in assisting with sustainable development in coastal areas of the Canadian Arctic by generating new biodiversity monitoring tools for the marine ecosystem. The eDNA was extracted from ~80 water samples collected in two Arctic Canadian ports (Churchill and Iqaluit) and amplified using two COI primer pairs. We: (i) evaluated the efficacy of eDNA metabarcoding to assess coastal biodiversity in Arctic commercial ports, (ii) contrasted community structure among sampling locations (i.e. water column depths and tide pools) and (iii) evaluated seasonal variability. We successfully used eDNA metabarcoding of water samples to monitor coastal metazoan species in the Arctic. We showed that eDNA is spatially and temporally heterogeneous within ports and that the efficiency of the eDNA monitoring surveillance is improved when sampling under-ice cover. By allowing rapid sample collection by inexperienced or novice individuals, reducing the cost associated with data collection/shipping and reducing manipulation of organisms, the analysis of eDNA from water samples could be a revolutionary tool to increase the power of detection, spatial coverage and frequency of sampling, thus improving detection of biodiversity shifts in large coastal Arctic ecosystems.
Filling the gaps in shrub tundra – Atmosphere interactions in a changing world
Lafleur, Peter (1) (Presenter) and E. Humphreys (2)
(1) Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
(2) Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
The complex interactions and feedbacks between changing tundra shrub cover and atmospheric heating were summarized by Myers-Smith et al. (2011), Figure 3. Here we use this framework to synthesise 8 years of research on tundra-atmosphere interactions in the Canadian low Arctic. Data from long-term eddy covariance towers, shrub ecophysiology, decomposition and soil microclimate studies are used to illustrate new knowledge about the potential impacts of shrub expansion in a warming world. We show how ecosystem-scale carbon, energy and water exchanges vary with increasing shrub cover, how shrub ecophysiology changes to enhance photosynthetic capacity with shrub expansion, how snow depth and insulation by mosses control active layer development under shrub cover and how soil respiration increases with increasing shrub cover. Our research reinforces existing knowledge of certain feedbacks and refutes others. Finally, we highlight where the greatest uncertainty in shrub-atmosphere climate feedbacks currently reside.
Pelagic-benthic coupling in the Chukchi Sea: Annual cycle of biogenic matter fluxes on the most productive Arctic shelf
Lalande, Catherine (1) (Presenter), J. Grebmeier (2), S. Danielson (3) and L. Fortier (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Solomons MD, United States
(3) College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks AK, United States
The Chukchi Ecosystem Observatory (CEO) was established in 2014 in the shallow northeast Chukchi Sea to autonomously record year-round high-resolution multidisciplinary data. Since August 2015, a sequential sediment trap has been deployed as part of the CEO to assess the seasonal and interannual variations in the export of biogenic matter on the Chukchi continental shelf. Export fluxes of chlorophyll a (chl a), phytoplankton cells, particulate organic carbon (POC), and total particulate matter (TPM) were measured at 37 m (8 m above seafloor) at a 1-month resolution during winter and at a 1-week resolution during spring and summer. Zooplankton actively entering the sediment trap (swimmers) were also identified and quantified to provide insight on the seasonal patterns of zooplankton development and migrations. Export fluxes obtained from August 2015 to July 2016 clearly showed a fall and a summer peak in chl a and phytoplankton export, with diatoms representing >90% of phytoplankton cells collected at all times. Elevated chl a and diatom fluxes were observed in September and October 2015 at a time of high storm frequency and open water in the area. Diatom cells exported during fall were nearly all Cylindrotheca closterium, a benthic-planktonic diatom growing rapidly when transported upward into the water column during and following mixing events. Diatom fluxes were low from November to May but remained high compared to diatom fluxes recorded on other Arctic shelves. Two peaks in fluxes of the ice alga Nitzschia frigida were observed in May and June-July, indicating at least 2 snow melt events before ice retreated from the region. Chl a and diatom fluxes drastically increased at the end of June and remained very high for the month of July until the end of the deployment. Overall, diatom fluxes were as high during fall 2015 as during summer 2016, underscoring the tremendous importance of fall blooms for the annual primary production of the Chukchi Sea and supporting strong pelagic-benthic coupling in the region.
Variations of different environmental components and their impact on light availability for phytoplankton at the Green Edge Site
Laliberté, Julien (1) (Presenter) and M. Babin (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Arctic marine ecosystems are fuelled by the production of algal biomass. While the growth of phytoplankton (single-celled algae suspended in seawater) was believed to be largely limited to the period when Arctic Ocean seasonal ice cover was decreasing (Jul-Oct), massive blooms of phytoplankton occurring under sea ice in the spring were recently documented. It is currently impossible to determine the extent of this phenomenon and its contribution, perhaps major, to annual marine primary production, as the mechanisms controlling the dynamics of phytoplankton blooms under sea ice are poorly understood. The most recent observations to understand this phenomenon suggest that phytoplankton growth under sea ice is largely conditioned by access to underwater light, which is determined by the presence above of snow, sea ice, leads and melt ponds. However, the impact of clouds on light and, in turn, on the spring bloom dynamics of phytoplankton, has never been closely examined. Yet, the omnipresence of clouds in the Arctic strongly constrains light. The appearance of an important cloud cover coincides with the seasonal melting of the sea ice. The heat transfer from the sun enhances evaporation and moist air contributes to cloud formation. This ultimately tempers the transition from a low light regime (icy ocean) to a high light regime (ocean free of ice). Many environmental components were measured at a coastal Baffin Bay location during the Green Edge 2015 and 2016 field campaign. Using in situ and satellite observations, we evaluate how the snow, sea ice, melt ponds, and clouds impact light availability for phytoplankton at a very local scale for the spring and summer seasons.
Planting seeds in Nunavik: citizen-science conversation on the future of agriculture for Northern food sovereignty
Lamalice, Annie (1,2) (Presenter), T.M. Hermann (2), S. Blangy (1), V. Coxam (3) and D. Haillot (4)
(1) Centre d’Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive UMR 5175, CNRS – Université de Montpellier – Université Paul Valéry, Montpellier, France
(2) Département de Géographie, Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(3) Unité de Nutrition humaine, INRA, Clermont-Ferrand, France
(4) Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour, LaTEP, ENSGTI, Pau, France
Settler colonialism in Nunavik characterised by forced sedentarisation, evangelisation, and the integration into the market economy have greatly affected the ability of its residents to meet their dietary needs and preferences in a way that responds to cultural needs and to a holistic conception of health that recognises interlinkages between the individuals, the food they eat, their culture and lifestyle choices, and the natural-environmental context. The implementation of community greenhouse projects is one of the initiatives undertaken to address this issue. This research project has two main goals. Firstly, it aims to contribute to the development of alternative food procurement strategies in Kuujjuaq and Kangiqsujuaq by supporting and accompanying the implementation of gardening projects to improve the supply and availability of fresh local food. Secondly, several scientific objectives are being pursued. In Kuujjuaq, where a community greenhouse program is already in operation since almost ten years, the project aims at documenting the functioning, the technical and organizational challenges and at identifying appropriated solutions. We also wish to evaluate the benefits of such projects for the health and well-being of its participants as well as for the environment. In Kangiqsujuaq, where the idea of a community gardening project is just emerging, the objectives are to co-design a food growing program that responds to local motivations and needs and to assess the possibility of including local plants and berries in these projects. In both villages, we wish to take these gardening initiatives as an opportunity to reflect with the community on the factors that foster or counteract tomorrow’s food sovereignty in Nunavik. Our results show that the establishment of a local production of fresh food not only corresponds to a need expressed by the residents of Kuujjuaq and Kangiqsujuaq, but it would also allow to bypass some of the difficulties associated with the conveyance, freshness, affordability and availability of food sold at the stores as well as enhance youth education, well-being and health. Our results also reveal that the development of northern agriculture poses many challenges and risks that require adaptations taking into account the geographical isolation, the arctic climate and the availability of local resources.
Year-round variation in migratory connectivity in American Golden-Plover (Pluvialis dominica)
Lamarre, Jean-François (1,2) (Presenter), J. Bêty (2), E. Reed (3), R. Lanctot (4), O. Love (5), G. Gauthier (6), O.W. Johnson (7), J. Liebezeit (8), R. Bentzen (9), M. Russell (10), L. McKinnon (11), L. Kolosky (12), P. Smith (13), S. Flemming (12), N. Lecomte (14), M.-A. Giroux 15), S. Bauer (16,17) and T. Emmeneger (17)
(1) Polar Knowledge Canada, Canadian High Arctic Research Station (CHARS), Cambridge Bay NU, Canada
(2) Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie and Centre d’études nordiques (CEN), Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(3) Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Yellowknife NT, Canada
(4) Migratory Bird Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage AK, United States
(5) Biology Department, University of Windsor, Windsor ON, Canada
(6) Département de Biologie and Centre d’études nordiques (CEN), Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(7) Department of Ecology, Montana State University, Bozeman MT, United States
(8) Audubon Society of Portland, Portland OR, United States
(9) Arctic Beringia Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Fairbanks, AK, United States
(10) Alberta Environment and Parks, Grande Prairie AB, Canada
(11) Bilingual Biology Program, York University Glendon Campus, Toronto ON, Canada
(12) Environmental and Life Sciences, Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
(13) Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
(14) Canada Research in Polar and Boreal Ecology and Centre d'Études Nordiques, Université de Moncton, Moncton NB, Canada
(15) K.-C.-Irving Research Chair in Environmental Sciences and Sustainable Development, Université de Moncton, Moncton NB, Canada
(16) Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
(17) Department of Bird Migration, Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland
Many species of migratory birds are currently suffering global declines and setting up effective conservation measures requires an understanding of their migratory connectivity. When migratory connectivity is low, individual from a particular breeding population spread over a shared area during the non-breeding season, mixing with individuals from other breeding populations. On the other hand, strong connectivity reflects the use of discrete, population-specific non-breeding areas. Thus, positive or negative events taking place during a certain period will have an impact on a species that is proportional to the level of mixing of population at that given space and time. Although migratory connectivity per se can apply to all periods of the annual cycle, most studies have only contrasted the breeding and the wintering locations of individuals. Yet, the proportion of populations while on the move and at stopover sites has to be considered as the mortality reaches its peak while individuals are migrating. The main objectives of our study were to i) describe the spatiotemporal use of sites outside the breeding season in arctic-nesting American Golden Plovers (Pluvialis dominica), and ii) quantify the range-wide degree of migratory connectivity while taking time into consideration. American Golden Plovers are transequatorial migrants with a wide distribution across the North American Arctic region during the summer and their populations are currently declining. From 2009 to 2016, adult golden plovers were marked at 8 breeding sites covering the entire breeding range of the species (from Alaska to eastern Canadian Arctic). Individual migratory paths were obtained with light-level loggers (geolocators). Light level data is converted into day length / night length as well as time of sunrise / sunset in order to calculate animal location throughout the year. Sequential Mantel tests were used to quantify the level of migratory connectivity through time. Even though breeding sites were widely separated (maximum distance of 3800 km), plovers shared many stopover and non-breeding sites during the annual cycle. Overall, plovers showed high inter-population mixing (relatively low connectivity) for a significant proportion of the non-breeding period (~70% of the time) and were found at a relatively small spatial scale, with mean distances between individuals <1000 km throughout most of the non-breeding period. Consequently, environmental stressors encountered during the non-breeding period could similarly affect plovers nesting in very distinct arctic sites. Low migratory connectivity raises serious conservation issues and key stopover and wintering sites of arctic birds must be identified and protected to reduce the impact of global change on migrating populations.
Direct measurements of the radiance distribution beneath Arctic landfast sea ice during the spring transition
Lambert-Girard, S. (1) (Presenter), E. Leymarie (2), S. Marty (2), L. Matthes (3), D. Antoine (2-4), J. Ehn (3) and M. Babin (1)
(1) Takuvik Joint International Laboratory, Université Laval, CNRS, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Laboratoire d’Océanographie de Villefranche, CNRS-UPMC, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
(3) Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(4) Remote Sensing and Satellite Research Group, Curtin University, Perth WA, Australia
Improved modelling of the interaction of sun photons (radiative transfer) with snow, sea ice and the upper water column is required to better understand energy deposition and primary production in ice covered oceans. The basic requirement for this—and the focus of many former studies—are the measurements of spectral surface albedo and transmittance for the various ice types and surface conditions present. However due to the variegated nature of sea ice, an improved understanding of the seasonal evolution of radiative interactions necessitates measurements that are set in a spatial context and conducted over time. In addition to irradiance information, measurements of the radiance angular distribution (the light field) are needed to facilitate the inversion of inherent optical properties and sea ice structural properties. This presentation details the deployment of a radiance camera beneath first-year landfast sea ice near Broughton Island, southern Baffin Bay during the Green Edge ice camp in June/July 2016. The design of the experiment allowed data to be gathered along four dimensions: space (40-150 m horizontal transmittance transects and 25 m vertical profiles under the sea ice), time (from dry snow to melt pond and bloom seasons), spectral (6 bands across the visible region) and angular (downwelling radiance distribution). Relationships between these dimensions and e.g. ice/water inherent optical properties, ice/water chlorophyll-a concentrations, sea ice surface conditions, sea ice thickness and salinity will be presented.
Watershed impacts from permafrost change and disturbance in the High Arctic
Lamoureux, Scott F. (1) (Presenter) and M.J. Lafrenière (1)
(1) Queen's University, Kingston ON, Canada
Projected climate change in the Arctic is expected to have substantial impacts on permafrost through increased seasonal thaw and these changes will likely result in changing water availability and alter hydrological processes that control water quality. Predicting these impacts is an important need for sustainable development and maintaining ecosystem health in Arctic regions. We have investigated these processes through a long term integrated watershed program at the Cape Bounty Arctic Watershed Observatory (CBAWO) in the Canadian High Arctic. Surface water discharge and quality has been assessed since 2003 and in particular, through a period of record summer temperatures that began in 2007. Exceptionally warm summer conditions during 2007 and subsequent years caused deep active layer thaw and resulted in widespread localized slope and channel disturbances. Our research has documented the impact of these permafrost changes and tracked the recovery for ten years to improve our understanding of the linkages between permafrost landscape disturbance, hydrology and altered downstream water quality. Key results indicate that deeper active layer thaw alters subsurface flow paths, resulting sustained, multi-year changes to solute and nutrient fluxes and likely occur over most of the landscape. By contrast, physical disturbance due to localized permafrost slope failures (active layer detachments) generate impacts ranging from minimal to locally significant increases in downstream sediment and solute transport. Deciphering the catchment scale impact of permafrost changes requires determining the relative roles of these distinctive responses to improve our understanding and predictive capacity regarding hydrological and aquatic change in the Arctic.
Rapid lake hydrochemical and ecosystem change in high arctic lakes due to permafrost change
Lamoureux, Scott F. (1) (Presenter), K.E. Roberts (1), T.K. Kyser (1), D.C.G. Muir (2), M.J. Lafreniere (1), D. Iqaluk (3), A.J. Pienkowski (4,5) and A. Normandeau (6)
(1) Queen’s University, Kingston ON, Canada
(2) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Aquatic Contaminants Research Div., Burlington ON, Canada
(3) Resolute Bay, NU, Canada
(4) MacEwan University, Edmonton AB, Canada
(5) Bangor University, Anglesey, United Kingdom
(6) Natural Resources Canada, Geological Survey of Canada Atlantic, Dartmouth NS, Canada
Climate-induced permafrost changes are expected to have important impacts on terrestrial and aquatic systems in the Arctic. Research has shown changes to river discharge and water quality, and also major changes to pond composition and ecosystems. Fewer studies have shown changes in larger lake systems, especially in the High Arctic. We assess the impact of recent warm climate and permafrost perturbation in the Canadian High Arctic on the hydrochemistry and aquatic ecosystem in paired downstream lakes at the Cape Bounty Arctic Watershed Observatory (CBAWO). This location is a comprehensive watershed and lake research site located on Melville Island, Nunavut (75°N, 109°W). We utilize a record of hydrochemical and limnological measurements that span the 2003-2016 period, combined with terrestrial hydrological and permafrost observations. We further assess the impact of climate and permafrost change on the lakes through analysis of otoliths (ear bones) from Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) to identify geochemical changes related to the lake environment. We also assess the diatom community in the lakes prior to the period of warming (2004) and after (2014) to determine changes in lake primary productivity. Results indicate that there has been a sharp increase in solute loads in both of the lakes at CBAWO, particularly after 2010. In particular, sulfate (SO42-) has increased 500% and 380% in the West and East lakes, respectively. The years with the greatest increases in the lakes follow record warm years and deep active layer development in the catchments. Active layer and permafrost cores indicate high solute loads are available in the transient layer and suggest that flushing of the deep active layer is the likely mechanism for the observed hydrochemical changes. Otolith analysis indicates that most fish sampled show an abrupt increase in Mg and a corresponding decrease in Ba associated with the observed sharp increase in lake solutes and metal concentration changes. Diatom community analysis also shows a shift from predominantly benthic to small planktonic species, consistent with changes observed elsewhere in the Arctic and with the amelioration of climate at CBAWO. These results indicate that permafrost changes can impart rapid changes on relatively large aquatic systems and these changes have measurable impacts on ecosystem elements. Our results suggest that large changes can occur in 2-4 years, rates previously not observed elsewhere in the Arctic and suggestive of an important sensitivity between the climate-permafrost-aquatic systems in the High Arctic.
Imagining Inukjuak's future development, a review of Northern planning issues and strategies
Landry, Julien (1) (Presenter) and L. St-Jean (1) (Presenter)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
This communication presents the results of an urban design project that focus on representing sustainable and culturally appropriate scenarios and strategies for development and consolidation of the Inuit villages in Nunavik. Illustrated with urban design proposals, these 'opportunities' take place on familiar sites in the community of Inukjuak, considering qualities desired by the Inuit. These representations highlight the impacts of certain actions on the environments such as access to community services, the variety of uses and dwellings, the location of houses, etc. After validation with community members, this collection of ideas could help inform decision-making by local Nunavik stakeholders who are implementing their new masterplan and to include citizens in the development of shared visions for the future of Nunavik. For several years, the lack of housing has led to the emergency construction of clusters of identical houses resulting from standardized programs. Uniform supply of housing, both in terms of program and tenure, does not seem to meet Inuit needs and aspirations nor the diverse demands of different types of households (nuclear families, extended or single-parent families, young couples, singles, etc.). The lack of complementary solutions to social housing hinders Inuit initiatives and participation in housing construction. Some interviewed Inuit expressed that the current construction methods are insensitive to the richness of natural landscapes, from an ecological and a symbolic point of view. Village facilities are often gray, repetitive, standardized, and monotonous. A one-week stay in Nunavik last March provided an opportunity to visit potential sites, submit draft sketches, and collect new data from the land and local populations. Different technical, cultural and policy issues were discussed with local managers. These consultations were intended to enrich the proposals for a variety of 'knowledge' in order to reflect the aspirations, values and visions of local people for living environment. Based on consultations and meetings with managers, four development themes had been identified : Preservation, Consolidation, Diversity and Meeting Places. These themes help to frame the various issues and potential concerning the urban planning of northern villages, but intend to be flexible, since the issues are not mutually exclusive to each of the themes. The propositions are rather complementary and transcend the different scales of intervention. The proposals are based on current planning practices in Nunavik while drawing inspirations from innovative examples of northern development observed elsewhere in the world. The approach is also enriched by local aspirations and values. The results of this work are published on a friendly-user web site. A series of printable posters, intended for discussion meetings through Northern Villages, also summarizes the results and the process of this research.
Quantifying dynamic-thermodynamic interactions within melting first-year sea ice (UK-Canada Arctic Partnership 2017)
Landy, Jack (1) (Presenter), A. Diaz (2), R. Scharien (3), J. Ehn (2), B. Else (4) and C.J. Mundy (2)
(1) University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
(2) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(3) University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
(4) University of Calgary, Alberta AB, Canada
As the snow cover and surface layers of sea ice melt, a pressure head is created that drives the melt water to the ocean. Depending on the sea ice permeability and surface topography, this melt water can either: (1) pool at the surface creating melt ponds, (2) flow vertically through the ice cover, or (3) flow horizontally creating melt-water channels on the sea ice surface. The fraction of the sea ice covered by melt ponds controls the overall ice albedo, thereby directly affecting the rate of ice melt and timing of ice break-up. At present it is poorly understood how the interplay between melt-water dynamics, sea ice thermodynamics and surface topography regulate the mass balance of the ice cover. Our UK-Canada Arctic Partnership Bursaries Project aims to improve understanding of the feedback processes occurring between first-year sea ice and its surface meltwater, and to identify how these processes affect the rate and timing of summer ice melt. Here we introduce the techniques used and equipment deployed during our field campaign out of Cambridge Bay, Nunavut in May-June 2017, in collaboration with partners from the Universities of Victoria, Manitoba and Calgary. We will highlight the opportunities offered through the bursary programme and our experience of the logistical support provided by POLAR in Cambridge Bay for UK science in the Arctic. Finally, we will present preliminary results from the campaign, including novel measurements of sea ice mass balance from a pressure-sensor array, radiation profiles through the melting ice, acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) observations of currents at the ice-ocean interface during melt pond drainage, and electrical conductivity/permeability of the upper ice cover. Together these observations will be used to improve understanding and parameterization of summer sea ice melting processes and ice-ocean interactions.
Utilizing ICESat and Cryosat-2 altimeter data to predict the albedo of Arctic sea ice during summer
Landy, Jack (1) (Presenter), J. Ehn (2), D. Barber (2), J. Stroeve (3) and M. Tsamados (3)
(1) University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
(2) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(3) University College London, London, United Kingdom
Seasonal changes in Arctic summer sea ice coverage have so far proven immensely challenging to forecast: existing forecasting systems cannot yet make skilful predictions of ice retreat dates at lead times beyond 2-3 months nor map ice extent below the pan-Arctic scale. Here we show that winter sea ice surface roughness offers a significant and as yet untapped source of sea ice predictability, based on the fundamental relationship between the pre-melt ice surface topography and summer melt pond fraction. At the onset of summer, meltwater pools within topographic depressions at the sea ice surface, initiating a positive feedback mechanism which lowers the albedo of the ice cover and accelerates further melting. By developing a quantitative relationship between melt pond fraction and topography, we previously demonstrated that ICESat laser altimeter observations of winter sea ice roughness could be used to predict the regional pattern of melt with a lead time around 6 months. We will present new results examining the potential for roughness derived from Cryosat-2 radar altimeter data to forecast summer sea ice albedo over the past 7 years. Furthermore, we will investigate whether reliable sea ice roughness information can be obtained at high resolution from individual Cryosat-2 waveforms, to be applied to forecast albedo in test case areas at a scale of a few kilometers. Finally, we will discuss the potential of surface roughness data to initialize sea ice forecasting systems and improve seasonal predictions for the end-of-summer sea ice extent.
Assessing the ecological consequences of losing the Last Ice Area
Lange, Benjamin A. (1,2) (Presenter), C. Haas (1,3), J. F. Beckers (4), J. A. Casey (3,4), G. Castellani (1), H. Flores (1), I. Hatam (5,6), G. Meisterhans (2), A. Niemi (2), A. Reppchen (2) and C. Michel (2)
(1) Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
(2) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(3) Department of Earth and Space Sciences and Engineering, York University, Toronto ON, Canada
(4) Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
(5) Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
(6) Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC, Canada
It remains unclear how the rapidly changing Arctic sea ice cover will affect sea ice algae, a very important food source (directly or indirectly) for all organisms within the Arctic Food web. Thus, it is critical to predict the ecological impact of the changing sea ice environment on ice algal biomass and primary production. Our understanding of Arctic physical-ecological processes is particularly misrepresented within the so-called Last Ice Area, a considerably under sampled region home to the last remaining really thick, old Arctic sea ice, referred to as multi-year sea ice (MYI). This region is one of the most remote and inaccessible regions in the world, which makes it very difficult to access the sea ice to take ice core samples and make measurements of important physical-ecological relationships. The Last Ice Area has gained quite some attention recently and was proposed as a potential Arctic World Heritage Site. However, these claims have very little ecologically-based scientific motivation since very few observation-based ecologically relevant studies have been conducted in this region. Here we will present results from a recent study, which showed that losing the remaining thick, old MYI from the Last Ice Area will have profound ecological consequences far exceeding our current projections. During this study sea ice samples were collected over a period of four consecutive spring seasons (2010 to 2013) from the Last Ice Area. They measured ice algae biomass values among the highest ever reported for old Arctic sea ice. This was attributed to the typically low-snow cover of hummocks resulting from re-distribution of snow by wind, which allowed for continuously suitable light conditions for algae to grow despite ice thicknesses over 4 m. Hummocks were identified as common suitable habitat features of really thick, old sea ice (MYI) with an average coverage of 33%. Accounting for the spatial distribution of hummocks within a pan-Arctic habitat classification resulted in nearly 30 times more suitable habitat. This is likely a conservative estimate since we did not consider the potential of horizontal light scattering around hummocks, which would further increase the coverage of suitable habitat. We will combine these results with additional biogeochemical analyses of MYI samples (e.g., bacterial production, nutrients, oxygen isotope ratios, and organic carbon content) in order to provide some more insights into this unique region. In addition, we will present a set of key scientific questions and ecologically relevant knowledge gaps that need to be addressed in order to better understand the consequences of losing the Last Ice Area.
Introducing the young investigator group PermaRisk: Simulating erosion processes in permafrost landscapes under a warming climate – a risk assessment for ecosystems and infrastructure within the Arctic
Langer Moritz (1,2) (Presenter), T. Schneider von Deimling (1), S. Kaiser (1,2), T. Kemper (2) and S. Jacobi (1)
(1) Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung (AWI), Potsdam, Germany
(2) Department of Geography, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Permafrost landscapes and high northern infrastructure are under threat of erosion as a consequence of thawing permafrost across the Arctic due to a rapidly warming climate. The young investigator group PermaRisk aims to provide a novel approach for the simulation of erosion and mass wasting processes in permafrost landscapes under a warming climate. The project aims to deliver comprehensive risk assessments for Arctic ecosystems and infrastructure taking into account different processes of permafrost degradation. Current model approaches used to simulate the degradation of permafrost under a warming climate are highly simplistic since they only consider one-dimensional (top-down) thawing and ignore lateral processes such as soil erosion and mass wasting which are the most abundant form of thaw in many regions. Thus, current model assessments are most likely far too conservative in their estimates of permafrost thaw impacts. It therefore remains uncertain how climate warming and permafrost thaw will affect (i) the intensity of erosion and mass wasting processes and (ii) essential ecosystem functions, landscape characteristics, and infrastructure. It also remains unclear (iii) whether any erosion-induced landscape changes further accelerate permafrost thaw. In order to answer these critical questions, land surface models (LSMs) require a new level of realism in order to adequately project permafrost thaw dynamics. Within the PermaRisk project, the permafrost model CryoGrid3 will be extended with an erosion scheme that allows to represent lateral processes within the limited framework of one dimensional LSMs. The new concept will be applied and validated at three Arctic key sites in Alaska (Deadhorse/Prudhoe Bay), Canada (Arviat), and Siberia (Lena-River-Delta). Furthermore, 21st century climate impact projections for the key sites are scheduled as a basis for thorough risk analyses concerning potential damages to critical ecosystem functions and infrastructure for the three key sites. These risk analyses will focus on near-term impacts for the coming decades as well as on long-term consequences for end of the century.
Seasonal dynamics of virus communities in subarctic permafrost thaw ponds
Langlois, Valérie (1,2) (Presenter), A. Culley (1,2) and W. Vincent (1,2)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Québec QC, Canada
Arctic and Subarctic environments are subject to increasingly higher temperatures due to global warming. This has substantially altered the landscape in some regions, including an increase in the number and size of thermokarst lakes (also known as thaw ponds) in northern Québec. These small lakes formed by melting permafrost are known to be an important source of greenhouse gases, although the magnitude of gas production varies on a seasonal basis. Microbial communities, comprised of bacteria, protists, and archaea, are ultimately responsible for the production of methane and CO2. However, the forces that control microbial dynamics via biological loss processes (i.e. top-down control) in these ponds remains unclear. The two primary mechanisms of top-down control are viral lysis and grazing. As well as regulating host abundance directly through lysis, viruses catalyze evolution through the mediation of gene exchange and ultimately modify biogeochemical cycles of fundamental importance. In this study, we focused our research on the viral communities of subarctic thaw ponds in the region of Whapmagoostui-Kuujjuarapik, Nunavik. We used viromics to conduct a seasonal study of viral dynamics in a gas-emitting thaw pond. Our objectives were to characterize thaw pond viral diversity, investigate seasonal differences, elucidate possible overwintering adaptations and gain insight into the role of viruses in microbial metabolic activity. The results from this study suggest that there was a dramatic shift in community composition between winter and summer viral assemblages and that a large percentage of the sequences were divergent from known viruses. One of the primary objectives of this study was to identify and characterize viral genes (auxiliary metabolic genes or AMGs) involved in key microbial metabolic pathways. Several AMGs were identified, raising the possibility that viruses are, to a yet to be determined extent, directly involved in greenhouse gas production.
Upside down you turn me: Differential shift in the composition of bacterial communities from seasonal and perennial sea ice exposed to in-situ disturbance
Lanoil, Brian (1) (Presenter), I. Hatam (1), J. Beckers (1), B. Lange (1), A. Casey (1) and C. Haas (1)
(1) University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
Bacterial communities inhabiting Arctic sea ice regulate organic and energy flux in the Arctic Ocean. There are two major types of Arctic sea ice: seasonal (a.k.a. first year ice, FYI) and perennial (a.k.a. multi-year ice, MYI). Arctic sea ice, previously dominated by MYI, is undergoing a drastic and ongoing shift to dominance by FYI. According to recent studies from our group and others, the composition and membership of bacterial communities differ between Arctic MYI and FYI. Bacterial communities from MYI are also vertically distinct and cluster into three groups, corresponding to MYI specific features (i.e. melt-pond ice, older ice, and recently formed ice), whereas communities from FYI, which does not have these features, are vertically homogeneous. Moreover, there is greater spatial variability in the membership and composition of communities from FYI compared to those from MYI sites. We hypothesized that these differences in community structure lead to differential community level response to environmental disturbance. Therefore, in this study, we introduced a disturbance by vertically inverting ice cores from the two ice types (i.e. flipping the cores prior to their reinsertion). Pre- and post-inversion, uninverted control, and inverted cores were collected from FYI and MYI ice floes near Alert, Nunavut, Canada. Following the 8-day duration of the experiment, the vertical temperature and salinity gradients were inverted in the ice, but were otherwise similar at the beginning and end of the experiment. We analyzed the community composition of the ice at multiple depths at the beginning and the end of the inversion period by high throughput sequencing of the V3 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Similar to previous studies, our results indicate that communities from uninverted controI MYI cores, both at the beginning and the end of the experiment, grouped into three sections corresponding to the occurrence of melt pond ice, old ice, and recently formed ice, while FYI communities in the control cores had no detectable specific vertical distribution. On the other hand, the composition of the bacterial communities of the inverted MYI changed in response to the disturbance, with those in the ice originally from the melt pond section resembling those from the old ice communities of the control MYI cores. However, the communities in the other two MYI sections (originally old ice and recently formed ice) did not change detectably compared to either the control uninverted core or the start of the experiment. Bacterial community composition in FYI inverted cores did not change and remained similar to that of the FYI community in the beginning of the inversion period. These findings may indicate that specific MYI bacterial sub-communities are more responsive to environmental change than others and FYI communities are less sensitive to disturbance than MYI communities. If these responses are similar across other disturbances, such as oil spills, our findings might indicate decreased responsiveness to environmental disturbance in rapidly changing Arctic sea ice environments.
Nunataryuk: Permafrost thaw and the changing Arctic coast - science for socio-economic adaptation
Lantuit, Hugues (1,2) (Presenter), P.P. Overduin (1), M. Fritz (1) and L.-K. Viitanen (1)
(1) Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Potsdam, Germany
(2) University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
Permafrost coasts in the Arctic make up 34% of the world's coasts (Lantuit et al., 2012) and represent a key interface for human-environmental interactions. These coasts provide essential ecosystem services, exhibit high biodiversity and productivity, and support indigenous lifestyles. At the same time, this coastal zone is a dynamic and vulnerable zone of expanding infrastructure investment and growing health concerns. Permafrost thaw, in combination with increasing sea level and changing sea-ice cover, expose the Arctic coastal and near shore areas to rapid changes (Fritz et al. 2017). The release of previously frozen organic carbon and its transformation into greenhouse gases may push the global climate warming above the 1.5 °C targeted in the COP21 Paris Agreement (Schuur et al., 2015). The pressing challenge is to quantify and project organic matter, sediment and contaminant fluxes from thawing coastal and subsea permafrost and to accurately assess the implications of permafrost thaw for the indigenous populations, the local communities and the local environment in the Arctic coastal areas. Nunataryuk is an EU Horizon 2020 funded collaborative project, with the main objective of determining the impacts of thawing land, coast and subsea permafrost on the global climate and on humans in the Arctic and of developing targeted and co-designed adaptation and mitigation strategies. Nunataryuk will address its objective in three inter-related and inter-disciplinary activities (Physical Sciences, Social Sciences and Integration Activities) by (1) developing a quantitative understanding of the fluxes and fates of organic matter released from thawing coastal and subsea permafrost; (2) assessing what risks are posed by thawing coastal permafrost and pollution, to infrastructure, indigenous and local communities and people’s health; and (3) using this understanding to estimate the long-term impacts of permafrost thaw on global climate and the economy.
Recent increases in white spruce density (1980 and 2016) across treeline in the Tuktoyaktuk Coastlands, NWT
Lantz, Trevor C. (1) (Presenter), N.D. Moffat, (1) and R.H. Fraser (2)
(1) University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
(2) Canada Centre for Mapping and Earth Observation, Ottawa ON, Canada
It is widely anticipated that global climate change will alter the structure and composition of vegetation at high latitudes. Shifts in the extent of the boreal forest during past warm intervals and correlations between climate and the contemporary treeline suggest that recent temperature increases will facilitate forest expansion into tundra ecosystems. In this study, we used high resolution repeat photography to explore the population dynamics of white spruce across the forest-tundra transition in the Northwest Territories, Canada. Our high resolution repeat photographs (1:2000 scale) were used to estimate stand density and tree height at 52 locations in 1980 and 2016. We also conducted field inventories at 10 sites to examine mapping accuracy, construct age distributions, and assess cone production and seed viability. Our analysis shows that stand density in the northern subarctic has increased significantly since 1980, but that the density of more northern stands at treeline has not changed. Age distributions constructed from field sampling also indicate that recent recruitment has occurred in the northern subarctic, but not at treeline. Differences in seed and cone production across the study area suggest that recent warming has facilitated recruitment in the northern subarctic, but that cold temperatures still limit recruitment at higher latitude tundra sites over the time period examined. Increased stand density in the northern subarctic has potential to impact wildlife habitat quality, ground temperatures, surface energy balance, and carbon sequestration. Additional research to determine the extent of changes in forest density across the northern subarctic should be conducted to assess the magnitude of these potential feedbacks.
The Labrador Institute Research Station: northern-based science laboratories and research station
Lapalme, Caitlin (1) (Presenter) and A. Cunsolo (1)
(1) Labrador Institute of Memorial University, Happy Valley-Goose Bay NL, Canada
The Labrador Institute of Memorial University is a leading centre of research, outreach and policy, by and for the North, located in Labrador. For 38 years, the Labrador Institute has been linking the needs, priorities, cultures, and local sciences of Labrador with the resources of Memorial University. The Labrador Institute is committed to Northern-led, Northern-focused and Northern-inspired research, and represents diverse expertise in archaeology, climate change, folklore, plant ecology, environmental monitoring, remediation, mining and resource development, Northern agriculture and soil sciences, marine sciences, participatory methodologies, and Northern and Indigenous health. The Labrador Institute has four remote locations throughout Labrador: offices and a library and archive in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, the Labrador Institute Research Station in North West River, an office in Labrador City in western Labrador, and a research hub in Forteau in southern Labrador. The Labrador Institute has a special obligation to the Indigenous peoples of the region as it is situated on the homelands of the Innu and Inuit, and works in partnership with NunatuKavut Community Council, Innu Nation and Nunatsiavut Government on research, outreach and education initiatives. The Labrador Institute Research Station is working to offer research and logistical support to those who are looking to expand, begin, or continue work for and in the Labrador region. Operating with a year-round permanent staff, The Labrador Institute Research Station in North West River was created to provide leading-edge science laboratories and a field station that supports research and science education in the remote regions of Labrador. The laboratories are maintained to high health and safety standards and offer analytical, sample preparation and archaeological facilities. Recently supported research projects include investigations in soil sciences, remediation, archaeology, ecology and water quality and its associated contaminants; additionally, the laboratories have the capacity to support diverse research projects in many other physical science fields. Larger pieces of laboratory equipment include a microwave plasma atomic emissions spectrometer (MP-AES) coupled with a nitrogen generator, an organic elemental analyzer (CHNS analyzer), a UV-visible spectrophotometer and tablet control module, a handheld X-Ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer, fume and laminar flow hoods, microscopes, freezers, ovens and incubators. The Labrador Institute Research Station also provides access to a shared research space and GIS lab, boardroom, field gear storage room and accommodations for researchers working in the region The Labrador Institute has made important contributions to science, education and outreach through initiatives that partner with local Indigenous councils, governments, nations and business groups and other local organizations. Going forward, the Labrador Institute Research Station hopes to assist in the Labrador Institute’s growth in the science and education communities by establishing new partnerships, facilitating research in the region, and creating new and needed initiatives in Labrador and for the North.
Vulnerability of Arctic fox reproductive dens to climate change in the Canadian High Arctic
Lapierre Poulin, Florence (1,2) (Presenter), D. Fortier (2,3) and D. Berteaux (1,2)
(1) Canada Research Chair on Northern Biodiversity, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(2) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
Climate change impacts wildlife species both directly through exposure to changing temperatures and indirectly through habitat changes. Indeed, warming and other changes in the climate system increase the risk of severe alterations to essential habitats, especially in the Arctic. One species potentially affected by these changes is the Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus), because its dens are dug in the permafrost, which is highly sensitive to warming. In fact, Arctic foxes use the same den year after year to raise their young, which is a crucial step of their life cycle. The increasing frequency of geohazards like mass movements, thaw settlement, and thermal erosion may be a serious threat for the stability of these dens. On Bylot Island (NU, Canada), we developed a simple vulnerability index to these hazards for Arctic fox dens. The index is based on both field observations and aerial photographs. Of the 102 dens studied, 17% were classified as highly vulnerable while the majority (66%) was only slightly vulnerable. Vulnerability was not significantly related to probability of use for reproduction. This study provides insights into the climate-related geohazards potentially affecting Arctic fox ecology. Our method could be replicated at other study sites located in permafrost regions, either in support of conservation or in the context of fundamental ecological research.
Developing an index of vulnerability to climate change for Arctic fox dens
Lapierre Poulin, Florence (1,2) (Presenter), D. Fortier (2,3) and D. Berteaux (1,2)
(1) Canada Research Chair on Northern Biodiversity, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(2) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
Vulnerability is commonly defined as the combination of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity of a system to one or more specified hazards (IPCC 2007). Knowing that climate change enhances the range and occurrence of many arctic geohazards affecting permafrost, we conducted an assessment of vulnerability to climate change for Arctic fox dens in our study area, Bylot Island (NU, Canada). Arctic foxes highly depend on a stable and perennial denning site for protection and breeding in the harsh arctic environment. Since Arctic foxes are very mobile organisms that can cope with slow alterations of their dens by digging out new or collapsed holes, we only considered moderately-fast to fast permafrost degradation processes (specifically thermo-erosion, mass movements and thaw settlement) as having a potential impact on dens and hence possibly increasing their vulnerability. We assessed den vulnerability using a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA), which combines information from several criteria to form a single index. The first step was to identify a set of indicators (criteria) as having the greatest impact on Arctic fox dens through climate-related hazard, namely slope, erosion, ground ice content, and surficial deposit. The second step was to compare these criteria with each other to decide on their relative weights. Finally, we evaluated our four criteria for each den (n = 102), using both field observations and aerial photographs. This approach allowed us to produce a map showing the distribution of den vulnerability in the study area.
Cultural safety within healing and treatment programs serving Inuit
Lauzière, Julie (1) (Presenter), C. Fletcher (2) and I. Gaboury (1)
(1) Université de Sherbrooke, Longueuil QC, Canada
(2) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
There are important health disparities worldwide between and among populations. This is particularly the case for indigenous peoples who generally experience a greater burden of disease, illness and social suffering than non-indigenous peoples in the same areas. Differential access to health systems arising from discrimination, linguistic and culture differences between clients and service providers are among the factors that may explain these health iniquities. A failure to take into account the role of culture in the delivery of health services is likely to limit access for marginalized populations; thus contributing to the iniquities inherent to health systems. In view of similar observations, Maori nurses first proposed the concept of “cultural safety” to draw attention to the importance of considering the influence of a broader sociohistorical, cultural and political context in the delivery of care and the production of health disparities. While the concept of cultural safety has been proposed and used to examine the care experiences of Indigenous peoples, little is known about how cultural safety is conceptualized and operationalized from an Inuit perspective. Exploring these issues is the goal of a research project on the role of cultural safety in healing and treatment programs for Inuit. The specific objectives are: 1) to understand from different points of view what makes a program culturally safe for Inuit, and 2) to identify the enabling factors and barriers to providing culturally safe programs for Inuit in different contexts of care. By exploring how culture can contribute to these programs, they can be made more responsive and effective for people they are intended to serve. A participatory-based multiple case study will take place in three treatment centres offering residential programs to Inuit for substance use disorders. The project will engage key people of one Inuit-specific centre, one Aboriginal-specific centre (First Nations, Inuit and Métis), and one centre that serves the general population, including Inuit. To take advantage of a greater diversity of experiences in different care settings, the project will also include the perspective of Inuit with a recent experience in any centre offering such residential programs. Information will be gathered over a 15-month period throughout a review of selected documents, participant observation, individual interviews and small group discussions with a variety of key informants, including using art with Inuit service users. In the end, the project will increase the understanding of cultural safety from an Inuit experience while also providing feedback to the participating centres on their efforts to serve Inuit in a culturally safe manner. This information will help inform decision makers, healthcare providers, and communities on the adaptations needed for improving programs and services for Inuit.
Photophysiological response of bottom-ice microalgal community during spring to summer transition in the Arctic
Lavaud, Johann (1) (Presenter), V. Galindo (2), A. Delaforge (2), D. Croteau (1), S. Rysgaard (2) and M. Babin (1)
(1) Takuvik Joint International Laboratory, Université Laval (Canada) - CNRS (France), Québec QC, Canada
(2) Center for Earth Observation Science (CEOS), University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
The diatom-dominated microalgal community which inhabits the bottom centimeters of first-year sea-ice supports a large fraction of the annual primary productivity in the Arctic Ocean. During the most productive early spring to summer transition, sea-ice diatoms have to cope with a changing light environment due to a complex combination of increasing day length and solar irradiance, coupled with snow cover and ice melting. During the last decades, this ancestral seasonal scheme has been disturbed by the impact of climate change. As light transmittance through ice increases, it is foreseen that the average irradiance to which sea-ice diatoms will be exposed will increase, and subsequently the future pan-Arctic Ocean primary productivity. Nevertheless, the Arctic diatom physiological and metabolic bases for such prediction remains unclear; this is mainly due to our poor assessment of their photophysiology. In order to fill this gap, we have monitored the photosynthetic activity of bottom-ice microalgal community over an unpreceded long period from early May to mid July during the Green Edge campaign 2016. We paralleled our monitoring with punctual light stress experiments during the ice microalgal bloom period. In addition, we performed similar experiments on Fragilariopsis cylindrus, a sea-ice diatom strain found to be dominant at our study site, and which genome has been recently annotated. Our results show that the bottom-ice microalgal community is able to cope with changing irradiance conditions including sudden light increase of relatively high irradiance. Its response appears well supported by a strong photoprotective regulation, including a combination of processes such as non-photochemical quenching-NPQ, xanthophyll pigment cycling and damaged-Photosystem II repair. Under alike experimental conditions, the response of F. cylindrus was generally similar to the one of the bottom-ice microalgal community, paving the path for further ecophysiological investigations at the finest molecular level under lab-controlled conditions.
How do thick-billed murres cope with the loss of its major pagophilic prey, the Arctic cod?
Lazarus, Thomas (1) (Presenter), G. Gilchrist (2), O. Love (3) and K. Elliott (1)
(1) McGill University, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Environment Canada, ON, Canada
(3) University of Windsor, Windsor ON, Canada
Thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia) are Arctic seabirds that historically, at the Low Arctic, fed mostly on a pelagic pagophilic prey, the Arctic cod (Arctogadus glacialis). With the recent changes in sea-ice coverage during murres’ breeding season, Arctic cod are less available for murres. As a result, murres changed their diet by feeding on smaller and/or less fatty prey such as capelin (Mallotus villosus, a pelagic prey) or benthic prey (Cottus sp., Gymnelus viridis, Anisarchus medius). Some individual murres are generalists while others specialize on a single prey type (pelagic or benthic), creating three different strategies for dealing with the loss of Arctic cod. To determine if murres diet preferences are associated with distinct foraging strategies and, if these foraging strategies are associated with individual characteristics of the birds, we deployed GPSs and time depth recorders on over 400 thick-billed murres alongside physiological measurements. All three strategies had similar energetic and physiological consequences, suggesting that they are equivalent responses to Arctic cod disappearance. Our study illustrates how a non-pagophilic Arctic seabird copes with the loss of a pagophilic prey in its breeding habitat.
Habitat selection along spring and fall migration routes of caribou in Northern-Quebec and Labrador
Le Corre, Mael (1) (Presenter), M. Leblond (2), C. Dussault (1,3) and S. Côté (1)
(1) Caribou Ungava, Département de Biologie and Centre d’études nordiques (CEN), Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Direction générale des sciences et de la technologie, Environnement et Changement climatique Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
(3) Direction de la faune terrestre et de l’avifaune, Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs du Québec, Québec QC, Canada
Migration, one of the most impressive broad-scale processes in ecology, allows animals to follow seasonal variations in resources abundance and decrease predation risk. Migratory caribou, Rangifer tarandus, leave their winter ranges in spring to reach more productive calving grounds and summer ranges in the tundra, and then return south to the boreal forest in fall. Caribou is a key species of northern ecosystems, but most herds are currently declining. Climate change is suspected to be one of the main causes of these declines because of their impacts on caribou habitat, notably during migration. Early snowmelt in spring or abundant snow precipitations in fall could deteriorate snow conditions, increasing the energetic costs of movements. In fall, the crossing of partially frozen lakes and rivers, due to a delayed freeze-up, could also increase mortality risk. Thus, major water surfaces may constitute barriers to migration. Changes in resource availability and abundance could also affect patterns of migration. In northern Quebec and Labrador, migratory caribou from the Rivière-George and Rivière-aux-Feuilles herds range over one million squared kilometres. Both herds have been declining steeply in the last decades and changes in their migration patterns were reported. A first step to link these variations to the changes occurring in caribou habitat is to assess paths selection by caribou during the spring and fall migrations. We used step selection functions on GPS location data from 188 females monitored since 2008 to determine the influence of topography, hydrography, vegetation, and snow cover on caribou migrations. Preliminary results indicate that caribou avoided lakes and rivers during fall and spring migrations, as well as rugged terrain in spring and fall, possibly to limit the costs of movements. In fall, individuals selected for habitat types dominated by shrubs and lichens. We intend to produce habitat suitability maps for each season and highlight potential corridors of migration. Conservation of mobile species such as migratory caribou is particularly challenging. The identification of migration routes and the understanding of how habitat components affect migratory movements are crucial to concentrate conservation efforts on key areas of the range.
Contrasted East-West sedimentary fluxes along the Lomonosov Ridge (Arctic Ocean) during the late Quaternary
Le Duc, Cynthia (1) (Presenter), A. de Vernal (1), C. Hillaire-Marcel (1), B. Ghaleb (1) and R. Stein (2)
(1) Geotop Research Centre, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Alfred-Wegener-Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
The Lomonosov Ridge ranges East to West, from the Laptev-East Siberian seas occupied presently by annually renewed sea ice cover to the Northern Greenland characterized by multi-year perennial sea ice. Another major feature of the Lomonosov Ridge is the presence of the very active TransPolar Drift (TPD) mostly over its eastern section. As a consequence, highly contrasted sedimentary regimes are observed from East to West. High resolution analysis of 6 box cores raised during the Polarstern expedition PS87 in 2014 were undertaken with the objective to characterize and quantify sediment composition and fluxes over the ridge during the late Quaternary. Centimetre-thick samples were collected at 1 cm intervals. Measurements included AMS-14C on biogenic carbonates wherever available, systematic 210Pb by alpha counting, grain size analyses, organic and inorganic carbon content and bulk X-ray mineralogy. Results highlight areas with very low sedimentary fluxes westward to relatively high sedimentation rate eastward. High detrital dolomite-rich carbonate contents from the Canadian Arctic and Beaufort characterize the westernmost section of the ridge. Whereas the excess lead 210 distribution downcore is controlled by bioturbation and diffusion down to layers dated of several tens of ka by 14C, 226Ra distribution is strongly influenced by its diffusion in the upper ~8 cm of cores. The decay sequence 226Ra-210Pb cannot therefore be used for the calculation of recent sedimentation rates. AMS 14C provide here the most reliable radiometric ages, allowing us to get first-order estimate of sedimentary rates ranging from ~100 mm.ka-1 in the easternmost sector to ~4 mm.ka-1 year westward, hence illustrating a 2 orders of magnitude difference in ice-rafting deposition rates along the ridge. The westernmost sector also depicts a sedimentary gap during the last glacial maximum, as generally observed in low sedimentation rate sites from the Central Arctic Ocean. Combining sedimentological and geochemical features, one may infer a major role of sea ice dynamics over the Ridge, with the eastern sector under TPD influence experiencing average sedimentation rates orders of magnitude higher than those of the western sector more frequently overlain by perennial sea-ice characterized by low detrital content.
Body composition and cold endurance in snow buntings, no need to be well built to endure the cold
Le Pogam, Audrey (1) (Presenter), O.P. Love (2) and F. Vézina (1)
(1) Université du Québec à Rimouski, Groupe de recherche sur les environnements nordiques BORÉAS, Centre d’études nordiques (CEN), Centre de la Science de la Biodiversité du Québec, Rimouski QC, Canada
(2) University of Windsor, Department of Biological Sciences, Chair in Integrative Ecology, Windsor ON, Canada
Northern resident birds species typically show a increase in flight muscles size during winter, which is associated with an improvement of shivering cold endurance. Long distance migration also typically involves larger flight muscles. While this is beneficial for flying, studies have confirmed a heat production benefit form this adjustment. For migratory species facing cold conditions on arrival on their Arctic breeding grounds, large muscles could therefore provide the double benefit of supporting flight and thermoregulation. The Snow bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis), is a migratory passerine that faces cold conditions most of the year, spending its winters on exposed snowy and windy plains of southern Canada and breeding form the Low to the High Arctic. We investigated changes in muscle phenotype and cold endurance in both outdoor captives and free living birds (Rimouski and CFS Alert, Nunavut) during the periods of wintering, migration and breeding in the Arctic to determine how these cold-specialists modulate their muscle physiology and thermogenic capacity to cope with the requirements of living and migrating in the cold. Captive and free living snow buntings upregulated their cold endurance in winter and maintained this endurance throughout migration and breeding. However, and contrary to our expectations, muscle size did not change significantly before the period of spring migration, were an increase was observed. Our results therefore suggest that these cold-specialists are (1) able to increase cold endurance without having to maintain large muscles (2) arrive on the breeding grounds well prepared to face a cold environment and (3) do not pay the cost of developing and maintaining large muscles unless they are needed for long distance migration.
Sea ice, body condition and reproduction in ringed seals in Canada’s Western Arctic: An update through 2016
Lea, Ellen V. (1) (Presenter), L.A. Harwood (2), T.G. Smith (3), J. Alikamik (4), H. Melling (5) and X. Zhu (6)
(1) Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Inuvik NT, Canada
(2) Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Yellowknife NT, Canada
(3) EMC Eco Marine Corporation, Garthby QC, Canada
(4) Olokhaktomiut Hunters and Trappers Committee, Ulukhaktok NT, Canada
(5) Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Institute of Ocean Sciences, Sidney BC, Canada
(6) Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg MB, Canada
The circumpolar Arctic Ringed seal (Pusa hispida) occupies its fast-ice breeding habitat for 4-5 months during the winter, and the pack ice or open water of adjacent areas for the rest of the year. We studied the annual ovulation rates of ringed seals, in relation to their body condition, from 1992 to 2016. Seals were sampled from the Inuvialuit subsistence harvest on the northwest shore of Prince Albert Sound, NT in the prime fast-ice breeding habitat of the Canadian western arctic. Studies in the 1970s linked reduced ovulation rates and poor body condition to lengthy winters with early freeze-up in fall and delayed clearance of sea ice in spring. Our data set also linked these in 2005, but did not show a similar association of severe sea ice with reduced ovulation in 2012. Instead, the 2012 failed ovulation event was seen at the end of six consecutive years of decreased body condition, and was not statistically linked to severity of winter fast-ice. Our 25 consecutive years of body condition and ovulation data did not show an obvious or linear relationship with duration of winter fast-ice. The emergent trend of declining winter fast-ice duration in this region may continue over time because of climate warming, and could have various implications to ringed seal populations. The reduction of large areas of fast-ice breeding habitat might be considered the main threat to ringed seal populations, but this does not appear to have occurred yet in this region. Our measurements of winter fast-ice duration, while obviously related to the breeding success of the ringed seal, do not provide a full explanation of the variation and trends we have observed in either body condition or ovulation rates. Effects of a warming climate may be having a positive influence by increasing marine productivity, concurrent with the more obvious negative impacts on breeding habitat. This complex mix of controlling factors will only be understood by future studies of Arctic marine productivity, in conjunction with ringed seal feeding ecology and more detailed sea ice measurements relevant to the ringed seal.
Can predation affect distribution? Arctic-breeding plovers with broader distribution range nest in safer habitat
Léandri-Breton, Don-Jean (1,2) (Presenter) and J. Bêty (1,2)
(1) Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(2) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Québec QC, Canada
The importance of biotic interactions for species distribution and range limits is still highly debated and their effects at broad spatial scale are often overwhelmed by abiotic factors like climate or difficult to assess because of the complexity of inter-specific interactions. In the Arctic tundra, characterized by relatively few vertebrate species, the Arctic Fox (Vulpes lagopus) is the key predator of birds’ nests and has a wide circumpolar distribution. We hypothesized that arctic-nesting birds which can persist over most of the Arctic Fox distribution range are less vulnerable to predation because they use safer nesting habitat (partial refuge against predation) compared to those having more restricted breeding distribution. During a four years study, we tested this hypothesis in the Canadian High-Arctic (Bylot Island, Nunavut) by quantifying nest survival rate of two shorebird species with contrasting distribution range, and by conducting field experiments with artificial nests to quantify predation risk in the main nesting habitat used by each species. As predicted, we found that the widely distributed Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) nesting along stony riverbanks showed much higher nest survival rate (with 87% hatching probability) than the Golden Plover (Pluvialis sp) nesting in mesic tundra (with 28% hatching probability). Using artificial nests, we confirmed that such differences in nest survival were at least partly driven by habitat type per se with 71% higher survival in riverbanks than in mesic tundra. Overall, our study provides evidence that some species with wider distribution are less vulnerable to predation because they use safer nesting habitat. This supports the idea that predation can be an important biotic factor affecting bird species distribution range.
Local and traditional knowledge in conjunction with geoscience data to understand permafrost conditions and guide research activities, Rankin Inlet area, Nunavut
LeBlanc, Anne-Marie (1) (Presenter), G.A. Oldenborger (1) and O. Bellehumeur-Génier (1)
(1) Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
Permafrost is an important factor in the development, planning and maintenance of infrastructure in Canada’s North. In the Kivalliq region, limited historical or contemporary permafrost information is available, and few permafrost maps and monitoring stations cover the study area. To initiate permafrost studies in this context, a community workshop which included a participatory mapping exercise, was organized for gathering local and traditional knowledge (LTK) on permafrost in the Rankin Inlet area and the Kivalliq region in general. The workshop was used as a scoping activity with the idea that the results would be useful to understand permafrost conditions and develop long term research activities. Participants were given a series of maps and asked to identify landscape features and areas of landscape change that might be related to permafrost and permafrost processes, including observations such as ground ice, change in drainage, and slope movement. Participants were also asked to consider how permafrost-related landscape changes might be important to them. Observations identified in the workshop were classified into categories related to water-level changes, ground movement and ground ice, slope movement, and vegetation. The workshop was followed by a preliminary field campaign to visit areas identified by the workshop participants in order to reconcile LTK observations and potential permafrost processes. In parallel, LTK observations were analysed in conjunction with geoscience data including surficial geology, climate data, ground movement based on DInSAR mapping, and historical dynamics of lake shorelines. For example, the most frequent LTK observations involved low water level in rivers, lakes, ponds and streams particularly noticed in recent years (since 2005 or 2010). Many hypotheses could explain this behavior such as falling relative sea level in the region, anthropogenic alteration of water levels or drainage patterns, changes in the precipitation regime, or active thermokarst processes. Based on an analysis of the historical dynamics of lake shorelines, the behaviour of some lakes identified by the LTK observations is consistent with lake evolution by thermokarst processes. Furthermore, analysis of the LTK observations in conjunction with geoscience data revealed that surficial geology of undifferentiated till and marine sediments is of particular interest for further permafrost characterization due to their recurring association with LTK observations, their wide distribution in the region, their association with thermokarst terrain, and with ground movement as measured by DInSAR. LTK observations supported the development of hypotheses on permafrost conditions and processes. The juxtaposition of LTK observations with field validation and geoscience data allowed testing of these hypotheses and some interpretation of permafrost conditions. However, not all LTK observations were as useful for interpreting permafrost conditions. Nevertheless, the approach has proven useful in initiating and guiding permafrost studies in the area of Rankin Inlet.
The North Water polynya: A true biological hotspot for polar cod Boreogadus saida recruitment?
LeBlanc, Mathieu (1) (Presenter) and L. Fortier (1)
(1) Québec-Océan, Department of Biology, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
In arctic marine ecosystems, arctic cod (Boreogadus saida), the main pelagic forage fish, and zooplankton play a key role by transferring energy from primary producers to top predators and, ultimately, to Inuit communities. In the eastern Canadian Arctic, the North Water (NOW) and Lancaster Sound polynyas are known as rich environments and oases for marine life. The effects of inter-annual variations in the timing of the polynyas formation on arctic cod and its zooplankton prey populations are, however, poorly documented. In this study, we test the hypothesis that an earlier opening of the polynyas and a consequent high primary production increase the density and biomass of zooplankton and juvenile arctic cod in late summer. The biomass of age-0 arctic cod in August-September estimated by hydroacoustics and validated by ichthyoplankton surveys over 9 years was negatively correlated to the opening week of the polynyas and positively correlated to zooplankton acoustic density. Zooplankton acoustic density in late summer was mainly influenced by the opening week of the polynyas as well. This study provides insights on how zooplankton and arctic cod populations may react to a modification of these important polynyas as a result of climate change.
Co-distribution of seabirds and their polar cod prey near the ice edge in southern Baffin Bay
LeBlanc, Mathieu (1) (Presenter), S. Gauthier (2), A. Mosbech (3) and L. Fortier (1)
(1) Québec-Océan, Department of Biology, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Institute of Ocean Sciences, Sidney BC, Canada
(3) Department of Bioscience - Arctic Environment, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
Polar cod (Boreogadus saida) is the main prey of several arctic predators including many seabird species. Ice edges are known as important feeding locations for seabirds. How polar cod density affects arctic seabird distribution around offshore ice edges is still unclear. We tested the hypothesis that, at a large spatial scale, thick-billed murre (Uria lomvia), black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) and glaucous gull (Larus hyperboreus) select habitats where polar cod abundance is high. At a medium and small scale, we hypothesized that seabird abundance is positively influenced by polar cod abundance and negatively by ice concentration. A survey was conducted in June-July 2016 in southern Baffin Bay during which polar cod abundance was estimated by hydroacoustics and seabirds were counted and sampled. Polar cod was the main fish prey ingested by each seabird species, and age-1 polar cod found in bird stomachs were likely individuals associated to ice. At a large scale of hundreds of kilometers, seabirds and age-0 polar cod were more abundant in ice-covered habitats (30 to 100% ice concentration). At medium and small scale of 12.5 and 1 km respectively, spatial relationships between seabirds and age-0 polar cod were weak or nonexistent and varied among seabird species. We suggest that these weak spatial relationships are explained by the relatively uniform distribution of age-0 polar cod and by seabirds possibly targeting less abundant sympagic age-1 fish. The ongoing climate warming and the decrease in sea-ice extent may lead to the confinement of sympagic age-1 polar cod in northernmost regions of the Arctic and force seabirds to travel farther to reach more productive ice edges.
Slope processes and their impact on human infrastructures since AD 1000 in Northeast Iceland
Lebrun, Julien (1) (Presenter), N. Bhiry (1), J. Woollett (2), A. Decaulne (3) and Þ. Sæmundsson (4)
(1) Department of Geography & Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Department of historical sciences & Centre d'études nordiques, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Laboratoire Géolittomer, UMR-6554 CNRS-LETG, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France
(4) Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
Despite moderate elevations, the mountainous areas of Iceland present extensive slope activity. This is due in part to the barren landscape, highly variable meteorological conditions, and significant sediment availability. In this study, we investigated the evolution and dynamics of slope processes on Flautafell Mountain, in Northeast Iceland (66° 09 ‘N, -15°46’ W). Our study focused on identifying and characterizing slope deposits and landforms and documenting periods of activity. The slopes of Flautafell Mountain extend down a highly-jointed basaltic 30 m rockwall. The frost-shattering of the rockwall creates debris at the top of the slope that is remobilized by snow avalanches and debris flows. Stratigraphical analysis and tephrochronological dating of colluvial deposits revealed increased snow avalanche and debris flow activity during the Little Ice Age. This period of activity was preceded by a period of stability beginning ca. 3000 cal yr. BP. We also observed a decrease in the extent of debris transport by modern processes. Despite limited human occupation at the foot of the slope, avalanche and debris flows most likely played a role in farm abandonment. We were able to link avalanche events in the archives with geomorphological evidence in the field. This data could be used in further archeological investigations and it increases our knowledge of subarctic slope dynamics in an area that had not been previously studied. Further dating of slope activity combined with existing paleoclimatic data could also provide insights into the role of climate change on slope evolution.
Large-scale ecological drivers of arctic predator biodiversity
Lecomte, Nicolas (1) (Presenter), M. Manuel (1), I.C. Barrio (2), J.D. Speed (3), E.M. Soininen (4), M.A. Giroux (5), G. Gauthier (6), D. Berteaux (7), J. Bêty (7) and J.F. Therrien (1,8)
(1) Canada Research Chair in Polar and Boreal Ecology and Centre d’Études Nordiques, Department of Biology, Université de Moncton, Moncton NB, Canada
(2) Institute of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Sturlugata 7 IS-101 Reykjavik, Iceland
(3) NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim NO-7491, Norway
(4) Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT – The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø NO-9037, Norway
(5) K.-C.-Irving Research Chair in Environmental Sciences and Sustainable Development, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Université de Moncton, Moncton NB, Canada
(6)Department of Biology and Centre d’Études Nordiques, Université Laval, Quebec QC, Canada
(7)Canada Research Chair in Northern Biodiversity and Centre d’Études Nordiques, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(8)Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Kempton PA, United States
The distribution of biodiversity can be controlled by the environmental stability and/or energy stability. How does this translate for the biodiversity of Arctic predators, facing the fastest warming trends in an ecosystem characterized by extreme resources fluctuations? Potential impacts to the richness of Arctic terrestrial predators can be profound since such species play a key role in the structure and functioning of Arctic ecosystem dynamics. Here we aim to delineate the relative impacts of large-scale ecological drivers (climate, resource) on their biodiversity distribution. To map the richness patterns, we aggregated available data on terrestrial vertebrate predator distribution across the Arctic biome at a 100-km2 resolution. To examine patterns of species richness, we explored how the following metrics of environmental stability and/or energy stability could drive predator biodiversity: local productivity (i.e. the normalized difference vegetation index and presence of herbivores), sea-based resource access (i.e. distance to the coastline), climatic constraints (e.g. change in air temperature) together with human density. Overall, such an approach has the potential to decipher the intriguing patterns of latitudinal gradients expressed by interaction strengths between predators and their prey. This model may help determine the effect of rapid environmental changes on the strength of key ecological processes such as predation.
We don’t adapt in a vacuum: the role of multiple stressors in adaptation to climate change in Paulatuk, NT
Lede, Eric (1) (Presenter), T. Pearce (1,2) and C. Furgal (3)
(1) Sustainability Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC, Queensland, Australia
(2) Department of Geography, University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada
(3) Department of Indigenous Studies, Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
Existing research on climate change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation has predominately focused on climatic stressors with less attention on non-climatic stressors, which influence how people experience and respond to change. This is cause for concern as adaptations are unlikely to be undertaken for climate change alone but are more likely to be a response to other stressors that already exist in the community. These stressors often represent strategic policy entry points to support adaptation. This research examined the role that multiple stressors play in how Inuvialuit respond to changing environmental conditions in the Arctic. Elements of these relationships were examined in Paulatuk, NT, Canada to document the stressors that interact with Inuvialuit livelihoods and subsequent responses with a specific focus on understanding the factors that aid and constrain adaptation. Data were collected over a 9-week period between January and March 2016 using semi-structured interviews (n=28), participant observation, and analysis of secondary sources. Results show that the key stressors affecting livelihoods in Paulatuk are changing environmental conditions, which affect land-based activities, and socio-economic stressors, including, housing shortages, access to financial resources, changes in the generation and transmission of TEK, and addictions. How people prioritise and respond to stressors differs among respondents, which in some instances, depletes resources needed to respond to other stressors. For example, engaging in the wage-based economy in lieu of land-based activities has implications for the generation and transmission of TEK. However, prioritising land-based activities in lieu of the wage-based economy has implications for obtaining the financial resources needed to support land-based activities. Climate change compounds existing stressors already affecting Inuvialuit livelihoods and challenges the viability of land-based activities for some Inuvialuit. The research findings are intended to contribute to the development of adaptation strategies that go beyond an exclusive focus on climate and better reflect the realities of the Arctic.
Wavelet decomposition of sea ice trends in the Beaufort Sea and Eastern Canadian Arctic or why is the polar ice disappearing?
LeDrew, Ellsworth (1) (Presenter) and L. Renfang (1)
(1) University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON, Canada
Arctic Sea ice has exhibited considerable interannual variability superimposed upon a general downward temporal trend. This is evident in passive microwave imagery collected over the past four decades, and confirmed through operational airborne survey. Only recently evident in this record is the ongoing loss of multi-year ice which may have tremendous consequences for global climate through the impact on the thermohaline circulation. Of tremendous interest in understanding the atmosphere cryosphere feedback processes that may drive this are the variances from this general trend that may be related to extreme synoptic events. In this study we examine the NSIDC NASA team record of sea ice in the Eastern Canadian Arctic and the Beaufort Sea using wavelet decomposition of the major spatial patterns. Such decomposition signals may provide clear demarcation of the anomalous events. When this analysis is coupled with study of atmospheric typing patterns, we may gain insight into processes accounting for interannual variability in the long term trends, and how they vary by region.
Nutrient dynamics in the Hudson Bay
Lee, Janghan (1,2) (Presenter), J.-É. Tremblay (1,2), G. Deslongchamps (1) and M. Starr (1,3)
(1) Québec-Océan, Université Laval, Québec QC Canada
(2) Takuvik Joint International Laboratory, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Québec QC, Canada
Hudson Bay is the largest riverine-influenced inland sea in the world. This subarctic bay is particularly vulnerable to climate change due to the drastic transition from a temperate to a polar climate that occurs across its latitudinal extent. The Bay is also affected by human activity through the regulation of rivers for hydroelectric power generation. The present project is part of the CRD network BaySys that aims to assess the combined effects of climate change and river flow regulation on the marine ecosystem of Hudson Bay. Specific objectives are to characterize the main nutrient sources entering and exiting the Bay, to establish a contemporary nutrient budget and assess possible changes over time. The concentrations and elemental stoichiometry of dissolved pools of nitrogen, phosphorus and silicon in marine waters, estuaries and selected rivers were obtained from prior studies and new sampling. New samples were collected in Hudson Bay during fall 2016 and in the Churchill and Nelson estuarine zones during winter 2017. These data were included in a new database comprising historical data from ArcticNet and other projects going back several decades. For rivers, data from CAMP (Coordinated Aquatic Monitoring Program, Manitoba Hydro) for the period 2008 - 2013 were used. The winter re-supply of nutrients to the surface in marine waters off Churchill was modest owing to persistent vertical stratification. Because these nutrients are promptly used, the surface of the Bay generally remains nutrient-depleted until fall, except for silicate which is elevated in the coastal domain. In the fall, nutrient concentrations in the Nelson, Winisk and Severn rivers are generally low and exhibit different ratios than those observed near the rivers of eastern Hudson Bay. With the exception of silicate, river nutrients are rapidly consumed by organisms before propagating into the marine portion of the Bay. By contrast, during winter, the Churchill, Nelson and Hayes rivers contained high nitrate and silicate concentrations, setting the stage for a sizable spring bloom. CAMP data for the Churchill and Nelson rivers showed that nutrient levels vary seasonally in these north-temperate freshwater ecosystems, most notably between the open-water and ice-covered periods with respect to changes in physical conditions (e.g., water temperature, ice presence or variability in tributaries or total river flow) and biological conditions (e.g., algal abundance) throughout the year. Comparisons were also made between the ‘on-system’, which is regulated, and the unaffected ‘off-system’ where flows depend mostly on the level of snowfall and rain in the drainage basin.
Contrasting successional trajectory of microbial community convergence between two glacier forelands of the High Arctic
Lee, Yoo Kyung (1) (Presenter), H.-R. Gyeong (1), M. Kim (1), B.M. Tripathi (1) and J.Y. Jung (1)
(1) Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI), Incheon, Republic of Korea
Glacier forelands are ideal places to study patterns and processes of ecological succession but microbial succession is relatively poorly understood compared to plant succession. We investigated the successional changes in microbial communities along the chronosequences in forelands of two different glaciers (Austre Lovénbreen: AL and Blomstrandbreen: BS) in Svalbard. Both prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbial communities were analyzed using MiSeq sequencing of group-specific marker genes (e.g. 16S/18S rRNA gene, and ITS region). Ordination analysis revealed that all microbial communities shifted from early to later successional stage following deglaciation in both glacier forelands, suggesting that microbial community compositions were changed in a predictable way along chronosequences. Overall differences in bacterial communities were explained primarily by edaphic factors such as soil pH, whereas fungal communities differed more by vegetation type and coverage. Interestingly, there was a contrasting convergence pattern in microbial communities in both glacier forelands. Microbial communities were converged toward later successional stage in AL, while the opposite trend of community convergence was observed in BS. This result shows that successional age since glacier retreat is not always a single driver of community convergence at later stage of succession, but alternate factors such as geochemistry and geomorphology could also lead to distinct convergence pattern of microbial communities.
Evaluating size, energetic requirements, and prey consumption of the Eastern Canadian Arctic killer whales (Orcinus orca)
Lefort, Kyle John (1,2) (Presenter), C.J.D. Matthews (2), C.J. Garroway (1) and S.H. Ferguson (1,2)
(1) University of Manitoba Department of Biological Sciences, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Department of Fisheries and Oceans Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Killer whales (Orcinus orca) have been observed in the Eastern Canadian Arctic (ECA) during the ice-free season. Their presence in Arctic regions is thought to be limited by sea ice during the winter months, and an increase in killer whale sightings has been documented with decreasing sea ice conditions and a longer open water season. ECA killer whales have been observed to prey on a variety on marine mammals including bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus), beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas), narwhals (Monodon monoceros), and several species of seals: ringed seals (Pusa hispida), bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus), and harp seals (Pagophilus groenlandicus). Climate change has led to decreases in the extent and duration of seasonal sea ice in the ECA. Consequently, killer whales may undergo a range expansion, occupying more northerly latitudes for longer periods of time, which may result in increased predation on Arctic marine mammals. Accounting for the impacts of killer whale predation on prey populations of subsistence and economic value to Inuit is necessary for effective stock management. However, our limited understanding of ECA killer whale population size and prey consumption make it difficult to quantify the impact that these whales have on the ECA ecosystem. The objectives of this research are to evaluate the size, energetic requirements, and prey consumption of the Eastern Canadian Arctic killer whales. Photographs collected by researchers, as well as by non-scientific personnel (i.e. locals, tourists and/or photographers) and submitted to the Orcas of the Canadian Arctic sightings database between 2009 and 2017 will be analyzed using a Bayesian photographic mark-recapture approach to estimate abundance. The resulting population estimate will be used, in combination with published information on killer whale energetic requirements and observations of regional and seasonal prey preferences to estimate prey consumption in the ECA.
ArcticWEB, a pan-Arctic network to monitor and model Arctic trophic interactions
Legagneux, Pierre (1) (Presenter), M.-A. Giroux (2), P. Archambault (3), F. Barraquand (4), D. Berteaux (5), J. Bêty (5), G. Gauthier (3), O. Gilg (6), D. Ehrich (7), T. Hoye (8), R. Ims (7), N. Lecomte (2), M.-J. Naud (5), T. Roslin (9), N.M. Schmidt (8), P.A. Smith (10), A.A. Sokolov (11), N.G. Yoccoz (6) and D. Gravel (12)
(1) CNRS – CEBC La Rochelle, Villiers-en-Bois, France
(2) Université de Moncton, Moncton NB, Canada
(3) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(4) Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
(5) Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(6)Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France
(7)UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
(8)Aarhus University, Aarhus C, DenmarkUn
(9)Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala, Sweden
(10)Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canada
(11)Russian Academy of Science, Moskva, Russia
(12)Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke QC, Canada
The Arctic is facing the highest rate of global warming on Earth along with new industrial development opportunities, increasing the pressure on Arctic ecosystems. Direct impacts of abiotic environmental transformations such as permafrost thawing or changes in sea ice condition on biodiversity are well documented in the Arctic. However, how interconnected species will respond to global changes and multiple stressors is still poorly understood despite the relative simplicity of Arctic food webs. This lack of understanding is primarily due to the numerous ways in which species interactions can be disrupted. Species can respond to environmental perturbations through various mechanisms including physiological plasticity, change in phenology or migration routes, range shifts, new species interactions, (including trophic and pathogens-host interactions), and finally through evolutionary adaptations. Furthermore, Arctic ecosystems are not isolated in space; molecules, genes, individuals and populations move within and among regions, including large migrations of wildlife into and out of the Arctic. For example, although the Arctic tundra is a low productivity ecosystem it is linked to the Arctic Ocean and more productive terrestrial ecosystems to the South, with many possible transfers of energy, nutrients or contaminants between those ecosystems. The representation of ecosystems as interlinked networks of fluxes allows the integration of macrophysiology, biogeography, community and evolutionary ecology into a common framework. Investigating the consequences of those fluxes can only be addressed through the integration of Arctic science beyond individual monitoring programs implemented at single sites. Here we present ArcticWEB, an international initiative to link Arctic researchers with an ecosystem-based approach implemented at multiple sites. One of our working hypothesis is that change in fluxes of subsidies (from marine ecosystems or southern terrestrial ecosystems) is currently a greater driving force behind biodiversity changes in the Arctic tundra than is climate change. To examine the relative impact of subsidies and climate change on biodiversity, the ArcticWEB initiative will combine empirical analyses of long-term datasets collected through ecosystem-wide monitoring approaches at multiple sites with theoretical modelling. Such combination will add value to ongoing monitoring programs by identifying the mechanisms behind the observed ecosystem changes. This mechanistic understanding will improve our ability to predict the future responses of ecosystems and biodiversity to both climate change and human-induced perturbations.
Long-term changes in atmospheric mercury as recorded in tree-rings in the Yukon and Northwest Territories
Lehnherr, Igor (1) (Presenter), S. Clackett (1), T. Porter (1), H. Majeed (1) and A. Ghotra (1)
(1) Dept. of Geography, University of Toronto-Mississauga, Mississauga ON, Canada
Atmospherically mobile Hg(0) can be converted, post-deposition, to toxic methylmercury in terrestrial and aquatic environments posing significant risks to human and ecosystem health in regions far from emission sources. Accurate projections of future Hg exposure and impacts will partly depend on our ability to understand changes in the atmospheric Hg pool, but long-term knowledge of atmospheric Hg variability is limited to ~2 decades of instrumental monitoring. Natural Hg archives such as ice cores, tree-rings and lake sediments have the potential to fill this knowledge gap. Tree-rings are ideal since they are annually resolved, span multiple centuries, and cover large areas of Earth’s surface. Few studies concerning a small number of species have shown the potential of tree-rings to record local Hg emissions. We present annually resolved tree-ring Hg record from a stand of white spruce adjacent to the Bear Creek Gold Room site, Klondike Goldfields, where the gold-Hg amalgam method was used to recover fine gold from placer ore. Hg concentrations in tree rings are consistent with the history of local mining activity, peaking in the 1930s and showing a rapid decline after cessation of Bear Creek operations in 1966. This result suggests the principle Hg intake pathway is likely air-leaf assimilation rather than root uptake from contaminated soil, as there is no delayed decline in tree-ring Hg after the cessation of Bear Creek operations, despite a legacy of elevated soil Hg concentrations to this day. This work also demonstrates that white spruce as a species is a reliable recorder of local atmospheric Hg concentrations, and offers promise for longer-term reconstructions at broader spatial scales. Therefore, we have begun investigating tree-ring Hg at additional locations in the Yukon Territory (Scree Hill along the Dempster Highway, and Old Crow Flats) as well as in the Mackenzie Delta (Northwest Territories) to analyze long-term trends in atmospheric Hg in the context of changing environmental conditions and global anthropogenic emissions.
Contact between wildlife, domestic animals, and people in Arctic communities: Implications for disease transmission
Leighton, Patrick (1) (Presenter), M.-C. Frenette (1,2), E. Avard (3), D. Bélanger (1), D. Berteaux (4), H. Déry (1), B. Ford (3), E. Jenkins (5), A. Massé (6), A. Simon (1) and N. Lecomte (2)
(1) Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe QC, Canada
(2) Canada Research Chair in Polar and Boreal Ecology, Department of biology, Campus of Moncton, Université de Moncton, Moncton NB, Canada
(3) Nunavik Research Centre, Makivik Corporation, Kuujjuaq QC, Canada
(4) Department of biology, chemistry and geography, Campus of Rimouski, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(5) Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK, Canada
(6) Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs, Gouvernement du Québec, Québec QC, Canada
In the Arctic, wildlife may enter communities in order to access resources, resulting in interactions between wildlife, domestic animals and humans that increase the risk of transmission for zoonotic diseases such as rabies. The objectives of this project are to characterize distribution of foxes in northern communities to assess the spatio-temporal risks for fox-dog contacts and to identify the factors influencing the distribution of foxes and dogs around communities. We set a network of trail cameras on a spatial grid surrounding Kuujjuaq (close to the treeline) and Inukjuak (>100km away from the treeline) to detect the presence of both carnivores. From March to August, we accumulated a total of 3,092 and 443 camera-nights (CN) in Kuujjuaq (2016-2017) and Inukjuak (2017), respectively. All foxes observed in Kuujjuaq were red foxes and 56% were Arctic foxes in Inukjuak. The mean coefficient of daily activity overlapping between dogs and foxes was 0.51(±0.22) while seasonal activity was highest at the end of April for foxes (0.025 obs/CN) and at the beginning of June for dogs (0.058 obs/CN). In both communities, foxes can be observed <1km from human settlements and 15% of camera station in Kuujjuaq had presence of dogs and foxes at the same station compare to 4% in Inukjuak. These results suggest that contacts between foxes and dogs may be higher at the end of winter, and contacts could occur very close to town, increasing disease risk for humans. This study provides the first documentation of fox activity and their interactions with dogs and humans in Arctic communities.
Indirect consequences of shrubification in subarctic regions on summer food resources of caribou: Influence of increased snow cover and light attenuation
Lemay, Evelyne (1,2) (Presenter), J.-P. Tremblay (1,2) and S.D. Côté (1,2)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Québec QC, Canada
A striking consequence of climate change is the densification of the shrub layer in the subarctic. These shrubs could be seen as an increased amount of available forage for arctic ungulates such as caribou (Rangifer tarandus L.), but of varying quality. By acting as a snow barrier, erected shrubs can increase snow cover during winter, which insulates the soil upper layer, and thus increase soil nutrients availability by promoting microbial activity. These conditions could improve shrub growth. However, in the snow-free period, the shrubs could limit the amount of light reaching the ground. This could reduce ground temperature and increase soil moisture, thus affecting both shrubs and surrounding plants. The effects of these changes on plant biomass and nutrients are expected to vary across species, complexifying the prediction of their effects on food resources for caribou. Our objective is to determine the effects of increased snow cover and light attenuation by shrubs on the availability of forage for caribou in summer. To test these complex interactions, we implemented an experimental design simulating conditions induced by increased shrub cover using snow barriers and shading tarp at Deception Bay, Nunavik, within the summer range of the Rivière-aux-Feuilles caribou herd. To evaluate the effects of treatments on summer forage quantity, we measure plant biomass using the point intercept and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). We are also harvesting foliar tissues from different plant groups to conduct analyses of their chemical composition (nitrogen, carbon, fibres, phenols) to evaluate forage quality. By combining forage quantity and quality, we can estimate available forage for caribou. We hypothesized that increased shrub cover is increasing caribou forage quantity by having a positive retro-action effect on shrub growth. On the counterpart, surrounding plants should thus have a higher fibre content resulting in reduced forage quality. Our results will help understanding indirect effects of climate change on caribou habitat and improve management and conservation actions.
Built infrastructure in the Baffin Bay/Davis Strait (BBDS) region
Lemay, Mickaël (1) (Presenter) and T. Ingeman-Nielsen (2)
(1) ArcticNet and Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) The Arctic Technology Centre, Department of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
This thematic chapter of the BBDS report focuses on built infrastructure (facilities with permanent foundations) and its relevance for safety and well-being of communities and for the sustainable development of the BBDS region and society. Transportation infrastructure in particular plays a central role in community services and resupply by ensuring connections within and among isolated Arctic communities and with the global economy, it provides access to fundamental needs such as drinking water and sewage services, and represents a crucial pillar in support of any kind of Arctic development. As a major component of the Arctic infrastructure, special emphasis is given here to the road network and airstrips. Because these are linear and broadly distributed structures, they encompass a wide range of environments and consequently are likely to be impacted by permafrost warming (or thawing). The housing shortage and renovation deficit is a universal challenge in the BBDS region, and an important limitation on social and economic development. The Nunavut side of the BBDS region and the coastal region of West Greenland present important distinctive elements as well as similarities in terms of the geology and climate that determine permafrost conditions, and in terms of governance and socio-economic environments. Natural and societal distinctions within the region lead to a variety of implications related to built infrastructure, that may sometimes require different sets of actions or adaptation options. On the other hand, similarities may serve as basis for sharing experiences and knowledge on infrastructure related issues encountered on both sides of the BBDS region. We put an emphasis on these regional similarities and differences and on the identification of gaps in terms of scientific knowledge, engineering solutions, social capacity and decision- or policy-making processes and structures to address the current built infrastructure issues. Based on existing knowledge, we provide a broad perspective and status of the current situation of the built infrastructure in the BBDS region and assess the future needs in terms of construction/expansion projects and in terms of adaptations of current construction practices to suit future conditions. Finally, we identify knowledge gaps that should be filled in order to properly address the maintenance and development of current and future infrastructure in the region, respecting Inuit traditions and cultures and with environmental protection in mind.
Exposure to food chain contaminants in Nunavik : evaluating spatial and time trends among pregnant women & implementing effective health communication for healthy pregnancies and children
Lemire, Mélanie (1) (Presenter), C. Furgal (2), C. Pirkle (3), A. Boyd (4), G. Muckle (1,5), E. Avard (6), M. Kwan (6), S. Ricard (7), M.J. Gauthier (7), C. Beaulne (7) and P. Ayotte (1,8)
(1) Nasivvik Research Chair, Axe santé des populations et pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec – Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Indigenous Environmental Studies & Sciences Program, Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
(3) Health Policy and Management, Office of Public Health Studies, University of Hawai’i at Manoa, Honolulu HI, United State
(4) Washington State University, Pullman,WA, United States
(5) École de psychologie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
6.Nunavik Research Centre, Makivik Corporation, Kuujjuaq QC, Canada
7.Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, Kuujjuaq QC, Canada
8.Institut national de santé publique, Québec QC, Canada
Inuit are exposed to a wide range of environmental contaminants through their traditional food diet. During the past 20 years, our team has monitored the exposure of Nunavimmiut to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and metals. A decreasing trend was confirmed in environmental concentrations and circumpolar Inuit exposure levels for most legacy POPs. However, mercury (Hg) exposure remains a critical issue, particularly among pregnant women in Nunavik. As well, new chemicals are introduced on the market each year. These “New POPs and Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs)” reach the Arctic food chain and very little is known about their concentrations, temporal and regional trends, and Inuit exposure to them. Since 2011, we have worked on multiple related projects to assess local traditional food sources of Hg and nutrients in Nunavik, to understand the effects of Hg exposure, dietary nutrients and food security during pregnancy on child development. Together with the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, and based on data provided by the Nunavik Research Center, we developed dietary recommendations aimed at mitigating Hg exposure while enhancing nutritional and food security status for women of childbearing-age. Recent data from medical follow-up of pregnant women continue to show high blood Hg and reveal that health and dietary recommendations that were provided to assist healthcare providers were not very efficient in reducing Hg exposure in these women. This three-year project aims at contributing to on-going international biomonitoring efforts on long-range environmental contaminant exposure among pregnant women in Nunavik and evaluating the comprehension and effectiveness of health and dietary recommendations and advice given to pregnant women, other women of childbearing age, caregivers and members of the general population. During Year 1 (2016-17), a total of 97 pregnant women from 13 communities in Nunavik were recruited for biomonitoring activities. Up to 23% of participants had blood Hg levels above the Health Canada guideline (= 8 µg/L), and among these, 3 participants presented very high blood Hg (= 20 µg/L). Sequential hair Hg analyses show important monthly variations in Hg exposure, from 0.1 to 23.1 µg/L, with higher exposure between June and October. Temporal profiles were more comparable among participants from specific communities, possibly where traditional food access and consumption is more similar. A few participants had blood lead (Pb) above the most recent level of concern (= 5 µg/L). Up to 60% of participants presented iron deficiency and 39% had anemia, among which almost all (30% over 39%) were classified with iron deficiency anemia. Results for legacy POPs, new POPs and CECs are expected in the coming months. Traditional foods are of exceptional quality and important for healthy pregnancies and children. For this reason, it is critical to better characterize contaminant exposure, and develop prevention strategies and tools to minimize their exposure while promoting traditional foods in Nunavik. Using this interdisciplinary and intersectoral approach, this project will help support healthy pregnancies and children at the community, Nunavik regional and international scales.
Adaptation in the Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort region
Lemmen, D. (2) (Presenter), Sarah Trainor (1), L. Abruitina (3), F.S. Chaplin III (1), V. Chaschin (4), A. Cunsolo (5), D. Driscoll (6), J. Ford (7), S. Harper (8), L. Hartig (9), N. Kettle (1), A, Klepikov (10), G. Kofinas (1), P. Loring (11), M. Muir (12), E. Nikitina (13), T. Pearce (14), A. Perrin (15), N. Poussenkova (13), N. Pozhilova (16), B. Preston (17), S. Tangen (1) and V. Valeeva (18)
(1) University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks AK, United States
(2) Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
(3) Russian Association of Indigenous People's of the North (RAIPON), Moscow, Russia
(4) I.I. Mechnikov North-West State Medical University, St. Petersburg, Russia
(5) Labrador Institute of Memorial University, Happy Valley-Goose Bay NL, Canada
(6) University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage AK, United States
(7) McGill University, Montréal QC, Canada
(8) University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada
(9) State of Alaska, Department of Environmental Conservation, Anchorage AK, United States
(10) Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia
(11) University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK, Canada
(12) University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
(13) Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
(14) University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
(15) Yukon College, Whitehorse YK, Canada
(16) Kutafin Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
(17) RAND Corporation, Santa Monica CA, United States
(18) Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies, Potsdam, Germany
While autonomous adaptation is an essential element of Arctic livelihoods, and reflected in the resilience of Indigenous peoples, planned adaptation to changing environmental conditions has become an increasing priority within governments, Indigenous organizations, communities and industry across the circumpolar North. The Adaptation chapter of the AACA Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort (BCB) regional assessment provides an overview of adaptation actions and options throughout the region, discusses principles that lead to successful adaptation and barriers that hinder adaptation, and provides guidance for adaptation planning and implementation. Primary concerns relate to the impact of climate change and other stressors on ecosystems, infrastructure and communities, particularly regarding food security, human health, and safety. While there are many examples of adaptation actions taking place from the local to national scale, the rate and extent of change lends urgency to understanding and overcoming barriers to adaptation, including resource constraints, ineffective institutional arrangements and knowledge gaps. Analysis highlights that there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution to adaptation, and that effective adaptation planning needs to take into account the interconnected environmental, social, cultural and economic conditions that vary significantly within the BCB region.
Sedimentological, physical and magnetic properties of sediments from the Canadian Arctic: Sedimentary processes since the last millennium
Letaïef, Sarah (1) (Presenter), G. St-Onge (1) and J.-C. Montero-Serrano (1)
(1) Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski (ISMER), Chaire de recherche du Canada en géologie marine, Université du Québec à Rimouski et GEOTOP, Rimouski QC, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFSeveral box cores (50) distributed over a large area covering the Makenzie Shelf/Slope, the Amundsen Gulf, the M'Clure Strait, the Banks Island shelf, the Barrow and Victoria straits were recovered in 2016 and 2017 on board of the GCCS Amundsen as part of the ArcticNet program in order to compare the sedimentological, magnetic and physical properties of sediments during the Little Ice Age (~1550 et 1850 AD), the Medieval Warm period (~900 et 1300 AD) and the recent period. This will allow the reconstruction and comparison of sediment provenance changes, but also the sediment dynamics changes during these climatic periods. This information will be a point of comparison to better document Arctic climate variability. Five cores were selected for 210Pb measurements at GEOTOP and eight others will be measured later at ISMER. The sedimentation rates vary between 0.17 cm/yr in the Barrow strait and 0.14 cm/yr in the Coronation Gulf, and below 0.10 cm/yr in the M’Clure Strait, Victoria Strait and the Amundsen Gulf. Preliminary results of the magnetic (volumetric and frequency dependent magnetic susceptibility, hysteresis measurements), physical (Multi Sensor Core Logger, XRF) and sedimentological (grain-size) properties of the surface samples reveal a West-East trend described by all of the parameters. Firstly, the grain size seems to be dominated by silts and clays and influenced by fluvial sediment plumes (e.g., Mackenzie and Coppermine rivers), glacial meltwater, and ice (sea ice and icebergs). The surface magnetic susceptibility ranges from 0.2 in the Coronation Gulf to 43.2 (x 10-5 SI) in the eastern part of the Barrow Strait and seems to be better correlated with mean grain size than with the concentration of ferrimagnetic minerals. Likewise, magnetic susceptibility measurements derived from hysteresis loops (Mrs/Ms and Hcr/Hc) ratios show similar distribution patterns and suggest that the magnetic susceptibility changes are most likely driven by magnetic grain-size variations. The magnetic susceptibility was also measured at low (0.465kHz) and high (4.65kHz) frequency and demonstrates the absence superparamagnetic grains. Finally, principal component analysis derived from XRF core scanner data indicates that the western Canadian Arctic is characterized by elements (Mn-Fe-Zn-Sr-Rb) mainly found in the fine-grained aluminosilicate and Fe-Mn oxide fractions probably provided by the Mackenzie River discharge, whereas the eastern Canadian Arctic seems to be characterized by the presence of detrital carbonate (Ca-Sr-Rb-Zr) and redox-sensitive (Mo-Ni-Cu) elements derived from coastal erosion and authigenic enrichment associated to an enhanced Fe-Mn oxyhydroxides settling. These preliminary results will be complemented by down-core analyses for a better understanding of the sedimentary dynamics during the last millennium.
Phenology studies of Arctic sea ice algal and phytoplankton blooms in two model fjord ecosystems: A key to a mechanistic understanding of major environmental drivers?
Leu, Eva (1) (Presenter), A.C. Kvernvik (2,3), C.J.M. Hoppe (4), F. Cottier (5,3), T. Gabrielsen (2), J. Wiktor (6), K. Wolf (4), Z. Smola (6,7), P. Ghaffari (1), A. Staalstrøm (8), T. Brown (5), M. Nicolaus (4), D. Notz (9), M. Reigstad (3), B. Rost (4) and J. Berge (3)
(1) Akvaplan-niva, AS, CIENS, Gaustadalleen 21, 0349 Oslo, Norway
(2) The University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), P.O. Box 156, 9171 Longyearbyen, Norway
(3) UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Faculty for Bioscience, Fisheries and Economy, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
(4) Alfred Wegener Institute – Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570, Germany
(5) Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, Scotland
(6) Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstancow Warszawy 55, 81-712 Sopot, Poland
(7) Center for Polar Studies KNOW (Leading National Research Centre), Faculty of Earth Science, University of Silesia, ul. Bedzinska 60, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland
(8) NIVA – Norwegian Institute for Water Research, CIENS, Gaustadalleen 21, 0349 Oslo, Norway
(9) Max-Planck-Institute for Meteorology, Bundesstr. 53, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
The Arctic environment is changing very rapidly, and in multiple ways, which makes it challenging to predict the overall consequences of the observed alterations for the productivity and structure of marine ecosystems in the future. Algae are key organisms in deciphering mechanistic aspects of environmental-biological coupling, as they are tightly linked to their surroundings through their need for light and nutrient availability – and represent the basis of the food web as photoautotrophic primary producers. In the research project FAABulous: Future Arctic Algae Blooms – and their role in the context of climate change, we are studying bloom phenology of sea ice algae and phytoplankton in two fjords with contrasting characteristics in Svalbard (Norway). Whereas we find both sea ice algae and phytoplankton blooms in Van Mijenfjorden that is still seasonally ice-covered for several months each year, a predominantly pelagic primary production regime is found in Kongsfjorden (79°N) that has been largely ice-free year-round for the past decade. The two fjords differ in the extent of Atlantic water advection, with far-reaching implications not only for the temperature regime, but also for nutrient loading and transport of species into the systems. By combining high-resolution sampling campaigns with automatic monitoring systems, we followed the algal development in both fjords in 2016-2017. In combination with field and laboratory experiments, as well as modelling approaches we aim at explaining the underlying reasons for the observed differences between the two fjords, and for the considerable interannual variability.
Sedimentary changes in Baffin Bay since the last glaciation: the case of the Home Bay trough mouth fan
Lévesque, Yan (1) (Presenter), G. St-Onge (1) and P. Lajeunesse (2)
(1) Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski (ISMER), Canada Research Chair in Marine Geology, Université du Québec à Rimouski and GEOTOP, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Département de géographie and Centre d’études nordiques (CEN), Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Baffin Bay is an oceanic basin located between the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and Greenland. It is about 1400 km long and 550 km wide with a depth of up to 2300 m. It is located at the margin of the former Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS), which covered a vast area of North America during the last glaciation. Baffin Bay has a narrow margin along Baffin Island, as well as a number of channels with underwater deltas (deep-sea fans and trough mouth fans -TMF) spread out on their slopes. Baffin Bay is therefore of great interest to better understand the sedimentary sequences and processes linked to the dynamics of the last glaciation and deglaciation, as well as postglacial evolution. In this study, we measure the physical, magnetic and sedimentological properties of tree cores collected at 1220 m, 1076 m and 1153 m in Baffin Bay on board of the CCGS Amundsen and Hudson in order to determine the stratigraphy and sedimentary processes in Baffin Bay (core HU2013-029-077) with a special emphasis on the Home Bay TMF (cores AMD16-LGM-09 and AMD0217-01). Core HU2013-029-077, recovered at a more distal location with fewer rapidly deposited layers than the Home Bay cores, will be used to constrain the chronostratigraphy. Subbottom profiles (3.5 kHz) allowed establishing the seismo-statigraphy at key locations, while the sedimentary facies of these Baffin Bay cores are composed of four lithofacies. One of the lithofacies represents a glacial environment and is composed of a massive, matrix-supported diamict facies originating most likely from glacigenic debris flows and turbidity currents. The three other facies represent a postglacial environment and are composed of bioturbated mud (hemipelagic sedimentation) with occasional scattered clasts, a laminated pebbly mud (hemipelagic sedimentation with IRDs) and a laminated mud (hemipelagic sedimentation with no IRDs). Preliminary paleomagnetic results from u-channel samples and hysteresis data reveal that the sediments from Home Bay are composed of a strong, well-defined (maximum angular deviation <5°), single component magnetization characterized by median destructive fields varying between 20-30 mT, pseudo-single domain grains and hysteresis loops typical of magnetite, indicating that the magnetization is carried by low coercivity minerals such as magnetite. In addition, the inclination records calculated from principal component analysis are oscillating around the expected value (geocentric axial dipole) for the latitude of the site and indicate that paleomagnetic secular variation (inclination, declination) and relative paleointensity can be reconstructed for the different cores. These paleomagnetic changes will be used to establish, in conjunction with radiocarbon dating, the chronostratigraphy of the sedimentary sequences and thus the timing of glacial advances and retreats, as well as postglacial environmental changes. Preliminary radiocarbon dating indicates that core HU2013-029-077 may span the last 41 ka cal BP, providing the initial chronostratigraphic framework for the analysis of the Home Bay TMF cores.
Diatoms in the ice: key actor in the Si cycle ?
Leynaert, Aude (1) (Presenter), B. Moriceau (1), J. Legras (1), B. Quéguiner (2), K. Leblanc (2) and V. Cornet (2)
(1) Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer (IUEM), LEMAR, Brest, France
(2) Institut Océanologique Méditerranéen (MIO), Marseille, France
Silicifiers are among the most important organisms on planet Earth. Among them, diatoms play a key role in the trophic networks of the most productive coastal and open-ocean ecosystems, as well as in the biology-mediated transfer of CO2 from the surface to the ocean interior. However, many gaps remain regarding their quantification at global scale and their variations in response to environmental change. For instance, silica budgets established by now for the world ocean (Tréguer et al 2013) do not take into account ice diatoms. Yet, in polar region, primary production is largely dominated by these siliceous organisms. They strongly rely on nutrient concentrations and particularly on silicic acid. Any change in nutrient dynamics linked to climate-driven changes and melting forecast in these area, has the potential to deeply alter the ecosystem structure and the food web interactions. We measured for the first time, silicic acid uptake rate by sea ice diatoms under different nutrients concentrations to determine dominant factors that control their growth. Results were confronted to silica production in the water column during the productive period in Baffin Bay and integrated in the global silicon cycle.
Diatom in the ice : Key actor in the Si cycle ?
Leynaert, Aude (1) (Presenter), B. Moriceau (1), M. Gallinari (1), J. Legras (1) B. Quéguiner (2), K. Leblanc (2) and V. Cornet (2)
(1) Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer (IUEM), LEMAR, Brest, France
(2) Institut Océanologique Méditerranéen (MIO), Marseille, France
Silicifiers are among the most important organisms on planet Earth. Among them, diatoms play a key role in the trophic networks of the most productive coastal and open-ocean ecosystems, as well as in the biology-mediated transfer of CO2 from the surface to the ocean interior. However, many gaps remain regarding their quantification at global scale and their variations in response to environmental change. For instance, silica budgets established by now for the world ocean (Tréguer et al 2013) do not take into account ice diatoms. Yet, in polar region, primary production is largely dominated by these siliceous organisms. They strongly rely on nutrient concentrations and particularly on silicic acid. Any change in nutrient dynamics linked to climate-driven changes and melting forecast in these area, has the potential to deeply alter the ecosystem structure and the food web interactions. We measured for the first time, silicic acid uptake rate by sea ice diatoms under different nutrients concentrations to determine dominant factors that control their growth. Results were confronted to silica production in the water column during the productive period in Baffin Bay and integrated in the global silicon cycle.
Critical loads of acidity for lakes and ponds in the Canadian Arctic : Potential impacts of ship-source emissions
Liang, Tanner (1) (Presenter) and J. Aherne (1)
(1) Environmental and Life Sciences, Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFIncreased accessibility of the northwest passage owning to climate change is expected to increase resource development and ship transportation within the Canadian Arctic. Increased ship-source emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO2) may have potential acidification effects on Arctic lakes and ponds, especially those located on acid-sensitive geology, i.e., Baffin Island. The critical loads approach provides an estimate of the maximum amount of acidic deposition that will not pose a significant harmful effect on a specified indicator organism, e.g., Arctic Char (Salvelinus alpinus). The objective of this study was to assess the hydrochemical characteristics of lakes and ponds in the Canadian Arctic, and to determine their critical loads of acidity. Hydrochemical data for >1000 lakes and ponds from across the Canadian Arctic were gathered from the literature and compiled into a unified database. Furthermore, during summer 2015 and 2016 lakes and ponds (n = 80) were sampled on Southern Baffin owing to its acid-sensitive geology (Precambrian Shield) and proximity to major shipping routes (Hudson Strait and the Northwest Passage). In addition, lakes and ponds from eastern Northwest Territories (n= 9), Prince Charles Island (n=4), Coats Island (n=10) were also sampled to fill data gaps. Critical loads were estimated with the steady-state water chemistry model using observed water chemistry and a critical chemical limit for Arctic Char and Brown Trout. Modelled sulphur deposition scenarios with and without marine-source emissions were used to calculated exceedance (i.e., where acidic deposition is in excess of the critical load) and the risk of negative impacts.
Hydrologic sensitivity of the Lower Nelson River Basin to lakes, wetlands and frozen ground
Lilhare, Rajtantra (1) (Presenter), S.J. Déry (1,2), T.A. Stadnyk (3) and K. Koenig (4)
(1) Natural Resources and Environmental Studies (NRES), University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George BC, Canada
(2) Environmental Science and Engineering Program, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George BC, Canada
(3) Department of Civil Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(4) Manitoba Hydro, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Lakes, wetlands, and frozen ground are prevalent in the Lower Nelson River Basin (LNRB), Manitoba, Canada and play a vital role in the regional water cycle. However, estimating their impacts on regional-scale hydrology using a numerical modelling approach remains challenging. In this study, the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model incorporating physically-based lakes, wetlands, and frozen soil algorithms is applied to the LNRB to assess their individual or combined effects on grid cell and watershed-scale water balances. The VIC model is applied at 0.10° spatial resolution over the LNRB and forced by an observation-based gridded climate dataset of the 1979-2009 daily precipitation, maximum and minimum air temperature from 14 Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) meteorological stations. To investigate the individual effect of lakes, wetlands and permafrost on the simulated water balance components of the LNRB, the Grass, Odei, and Limestone River Basins are selected, respectively. The model is calibrated against the 1980-1989 monthly observed discharge data from the Water Survey of Canada and shows satisfactory results, achieving Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) scores of 0.50 to 0.60. For the evaluation period (1990-2009), the NSE scores range from 0.27 to 0.65. Results indicate that water balance fluxes are substantially affected when lake, wetland, and frozen ground modules are included in the VIC model simulations. Domain-averaged mean annual evapotranspiration (ET) and soil moisture for the Limestone River shows increases of 11.5% and 1.5%, respectively, with the inclusion of frozen ground processes, while mean annual runoff decreases by 52%. The inclusion of lakes and wetlands increases annual average ET and soil moisture by 9% and 7%-8% over the Odei and Grass River watersheds, respectively, whereas mean annual runoff decreases by 33.5%-51%. In support of previous research, this effort suggests that presence of frozen ground and the role of lakes and wetlands may be essential for regional water balance estimation. The present setup of the VIC model including frozen ground, lakes and wetlands will also provide the necessary support and useful insights into climate change impacts on the surface water hydrology of the LNRB.
Towards Arctic coastal and community resilience to permafrost cliff erosion: UK-Canada collaborations
Lim, Mike (1) (Pesenter), D. Whalen (2), S. Hayes (1), P. Fraser (1), R. MacLeod (1), V. Kostylev (1), S. Dallimore (3), A. Gordon (4) and P. Mann (1)
(1)Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
(2)Natural Resources Canada, Geological Survey of Canada–Atlantic, Dartmouth NS, Canada
(3)Natural Resources Canada, Geological Survey of Canada–Pacific, Sidney BC, Canada
(4)Aurora Research Institute, Inuvik NT, Canada
Western Canadian Arctic coastal retreat has accelerated over the past 2 decades and, accompanied by higher frequencies and magnitudes of collapse, threatens coastal communities, terrestrial and nearshore ecosystems and critical infrastructure. The NERC (Natural Environment Research Council) UK-Canada bursary program has enabled the addition of UK expertise in detailed process-based monitoring and thermomechanical analyses of failure mechanisms to enhance and complement a wider comprehensive assessment of the state of the Beaufort Sea coast, currently being undertaken Natural Resources Canada. These new collaborations have allowed a different suite of techniques and approaches to be targeted at key sites identified by expansive surveys conducted by Natural Resources Canada. The bursary support has facilitated an extremely productive field campaign and enabled the development of new ideas that combine the in depth local knowledge and long term datasets acquired by Natural Resources Canada with novel approaches to detail the thermodynamic behaviour and model development of key sites, approaches developed in the rock coast environments of Svalbard. Drone based photogrammetric surveys have been complemented with helicopter, boat and ground based data collections, in situ instrumentation and a suite of geotechnical and geochemical sampling approaches to add new dimensions to understanding of permafrost cliff erosion processes and their impact within the coastal zone. Of particular concern is Tuktoyaktuk Island, which forms a natural barrier in front of Tuktoyaktuk harbour, protecting essential waterways, infrastructure and the community of Tuktoyaktuk. A new multi-scale three-dimensional survey and surface temperature characterisation has been undertaken at Tuktoyaktuk Island (and other key sites). The installation of in situ thermal profile loggers, tension meters and time lapse cameras combined with the oblique thermal imaging, and updated UAV based photogrammetry and 3D digital mosaics provides new information that is critical to better our understanding of thermal dynamic processes in the region. These data have been collected and maintained by both Northumbria University (UK) and Natural Resources Canada (Canada) and will be used to parameterise combined discrete-finite numerical models (the basis of UK doctoral research, supported by INTERACT) to explore the response of failure mechanisms to changes in environmental forcing. This continued collaboration ensures the long-term legacy of the bursary. This talk will illustrate how project goals were met and exceeded by the strength of the collaborations formed, united under a common goal in working towards Arctic community resilience to permafrost cliff erosion. It will also detail both UK and Canadian perspectives on what the bursary delivered and highlight how these collaborations have been further enhanced through dissemination and public outreach.
Changes in diatom productivity and sea-surface conditions in the North Water polynya during the past ca. 3750 years
Limoges, Audrey (1) (Presenter), S. Ribeiro (2), K. Weckström (3), X. Crosta (4), J. Giraudeau (4) and G. Massé (5)
(1) University of New Brunswick, Fredericton NB, Canada
(2) Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Copenhagen, Denmark
(3) University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
(4) Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
(5) TAKUVIK-Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
In order to make reliable predictions about the magnitude and consequences of the Arctic warming on the productive capacity of the North Water (NOW) polynya , a thorough understanding of the response of this system to past climate fluctuations is required. Here, we present changes in diatom assemblages over the last ~3750 years, using a sediment core (AMD15-Casq1) collected in the central region of the present-day NOW polynya. Temporal variations in the total diatom abundance and species composition indicate important changes in the regional oceanic conditions, with a stepwise decline in the diatom productivity beginning from ca. 2600 years BP towards present. Coeval increase of the seasonal sea-ice biomarker IP25 and a substantial reduction in the overall diatom production after ca. 2100 years BP further suggests a strong relationship between the changes in the regional sea ice dynamics and the diatom productivity. Interestingly, this transition from higher to lower diatom productivity levels is associated with a shift from assemblages dominated by taxa typically associated with sea-ice (e.g. Fragilariopsis sp.) to assemblages dominated by the cold-water taxon Thalassiosira antarctica var. borealis resting spores. Overall, our data suggest that the NOW polynya has been subject to pronounced temporal changes in the amplitude and/or duration of diatom blooms, likely resulting from changes in the interplay between different physical parameters (e.g. respective contribution of different water masses, formation of the Smith Sound ice arch, etc.). A detailed investigation into the environmental significance of these first results will be done using quantitative tools and through comparison with other proxies of primary production (e.g., dinoflagellate cysts).
Closing the gaps: GSAR and incident report management in Nunavik
Lingard, Craig (1) (Presenter) and B. Plante (1) (Presenter)
(1) Kativik Regional Government, Civil Security Section, Kuujjuaq QC, Canada
This paper provides an examination of the current gaps and the lack of standardization in SAR information gathering, reporting, governance and management within the Nunavik region of Northern Quebec. It proposes ways and means to address the deficiencies in the existing data management system and to the challenge of collecting and aggregating information on past incidents and rescues. The paper recommends an approach that will allow data to be captured and analyzed in a way that is useful and instructive for decision-makers at all levels in their efforts to secure appropriate funding, training, and resources for the northern regions of Canada. Successful implementation of this data-management approach will likewise encourage greater inter-operability and information-sharing between responders and regions and enhance the national database of statistics on SAR incidents. Data management and analysis also require context. Given the complex nature of SAR in this remote region of the country and with new and emerging SAR challenges related to climate change, resource and infrastructure development (“Plan Nord”) and the increase in tourism and shipping in the area, it is essential to clarify the governance, policy and operational framework within which this data management system will operate. The paper therefore emphasizes the need for a comprehensive assessment of existing ground search and rescue, its history, protocols and practices, and calls for this much-needed research to be undertaken as a means to complement and contextualize the statistical information to be gathered. Together, the research and data management initiatives identified by this study will provide SAR partners and decision-makers at all levels of government with the tools to better plan, resource and accommodate existing and emerging SAR challenges.
Selenium, selenoneine, and methylmercury in marine mammal country foods and Inuit adults: Novel results from Nunavik
Little, Matthew (1) (Presenter), P. Ayotte (1,2), P. Dumas (2), A. Achouba (1), N. Ouellet (1,2) and M. Lemire (1)
(1) Nasivvik Research Chair, Axe santé des populations et pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec – Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Québec QC, Canada
Selenium (Se) is an essential element highly present in marine foods consumed by Inuit populations; indeed, Inuit populations in Nunavik have some of the highest blood Se levels in the world. There is increasing evidence that Se may play a role in reducing the adverse neurodevelopmental and cardiovascular effects of methylmercury (MeHg) exposure. In addition to plasma Se and selenoprotein concentrations, which are the most common biomarkers of Se status, other biomarkers have been recently identified. These include selenoneine, which has been shown to decrease accumulation and increase excretion and demethylation of MeHg in animal studies. To evaluate the impacts of marine mammal consumption on human health, we determined circulating concentrations of total Se, selenoneine, selenoproteins, MeHg, inorganic mercury, and polyunsaturated fatty acids in Qanuippitaa (Inuit Health Survey) 2004 participants (n=885). Selenoneine concentrations were measured using a newly developed anion exchange liquid chromatography-ICP-MS method in archived red blood cell (RBC) samples. In addition, several traditional marine country foods were analyzed for selenoneine concentrations. Results indicate that selenoneine accumulates in RBC of Inuit and accounts for a large proportion of whole blood Se. Concentrations of selenoneine were closely associated with MeHg and polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations in RBC (p<0.001). Beluga mataaq (blubber and skin) contains one of the highest recorded concentrations of selenoneine in the world. After adjusting for age and sex, intake of beluga mataaq was a strong predictor of RBC selenoneine content and selenoneine:Se ratio (p<0.001). Selenoneine is likely an important Se species in populations with high intakes of sea mammal skin and may contribute to antioxidant defense. Further analysis will examine the protective potential of selenoneine against MeHg-induced adverse effects on blood pressure, lipid profiles and other cardiovascular risk factors, including biomarkers of type 2 diabetes among Inuit adults. Country foods are central to Inuit culture and a key source of essential nutrients. A better understanding of how MeHg and Se interact is crucial for improving public health messaging and programming in Nunavik.
Infrared emission measurements of clouds and trace gases in the high Arctic
Liu, Lei (1) (Presenter) and K. Strong (1)
(1) University of Toronto, Toronto ON, Canada
Infrared emission measurements of clouds and trace gases in the high Arctic Lei, Liu (Presenter), and K. Strong University of Toronto, Toronto ON, Canada The objective of this research is to investigate the atmospheric radiative budget, cloud microphysics, and trace gases in the high Arctic using a new interferometer. The Canadian Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Change has equipped the Polar Atmospheric Environment Research Laboratory (PEARL) at Eureka, Nunavut (80ºN, 86ºW) with Extended-range Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (E-AERI). The E-AERI measures the infrared (IR) thermal emission of the atmosphere in the 400-3000 cm-1(3.3-25 µm) spectral region. Microphysical properties have been shown to be a critical component in cloud modeling. The ability of AERIs to evaluate cloud properties by remote sensing can be utilized to retrieve cloud optical depth, mixed phase fraction, cloud particle size, optical thickness with the mixed-phase cloud retrieval algorithm and existing radiosonde measurements at Eureka. The impact of clouds and ice crystals on the radiative budget were investigated as well. This work presents the 8-year E-AERI measurements of the cloud microphysics and surface cooling-to-space windows (at 10 and 20 µm) in the high (> 75o N) Arctic. Spectra recorded by the E-AERI were also used to retrieve total column concentrations of O3, CO, CH4, and N2O year-round to fill a gap in the PEARL data series, providing the 8-year continuous ground-based trace gas measurements throughout polar night at Eureka. This work involved the implementation of the SFIT4 retrieval algorithm modified for emission spectra.
The Arctic hydrosphere-cryosphere complex: A dynamic nexus of biogenic dimethylsulfide production during summer
Lizotte, Martine (1) (Presenter), M. Levasseur (1), G. Massé (1,2), M. Gourdal (1), M. Galí (1), R. Bénard (1) and J. St-Onge (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) CNRS, Paris, France
Sea-ice dynamics exert a strong influence on arctic microbial communities and their production and emission of the climate-active gas dimethylsulfide (DMS) in the Arctic. High-frequency measurements made in the summers of 2014 to 2017 using a novel automated instrument (ACT-MIMS) during 6-week oceanographic campaigns in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago corroborate the hypothesis suggesting that the Arctic Ocean is a nexus of biogenic DMS production associated, in part, with diversified niches linked with dynamic sea-ice during the productive season. Results reveal that microbial communities thriving in marginal ice zones contribute significantly to reservoirs of DMS. Furthermore, waters underlying sea-ice are as rich in DMS as their ice-free counterparts suggesting potentially important pulsed effluxes of DMS during ice break-up and the establishment of leads and cracks. Brackish melt ponds harbor DMS-producing communities and thus represent an additional source of DMS in direct contact with the atmosphere. The anticipated proliferation of arctic melt ponds may play a relevant role in spring-summer dynamics of DMS in the future and warmer Arctic. An unexpected outcome of the campaigns was the detection of high DMS under decaying ice floes, a difficult medium to sample from traditional ice camps in view of their high instability. Preliminary results suggest that strong haline stratification under melting floes may result in the entrapment of microbial communities within highly irradiated under-ice waters and a resulting up-regulation of photo-protective mechanisms including DMS production. Large variability in DMS and strong near-surface DMS gradients were detected across hydrographic fronts and transitional areas between open water and oceanic inlets and fjords. Near-terrestrial sources of DMS had never been surveyed at such fine scale thus far in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and the high concentrations measured (up to 30 nmol L-1) warrant further investigation and monitoring of these regions as significant emitters of DMS during summer.
Inuit knowledge of caribou on and near King William Island, Nunavut: An island overlooked no more
Ljubicic, Gita (1) (Presenter), S. Okpakok (2), S. Robertson (3) and R. Mearns (1,4)
(1) Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) Gjoa Haven NU, Canada
(3) Faculty of Native Studies, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
(4) Department of Major Projects, Qikiqtani Inuit Association, Kimmirut NU, Canada
Caribou are the lifeline of the land in most Inuit communities, and have been central to the seasonal hunting, survival, and culture of Inuit families for generations. This is certainly the case in Gjoa Haven, a Hamlet located on King William Island (KWI), Nunavut. Caribou emerged as an important local research priority during planning workshops in Gjoa Haven in 2010, and we have been working together since then to better understand Inuit-caribou relationships in the context of changing northern lifestyles. KWI has been essentially overlooked in caribou research, both in terms of biological and Inuit knowledge studies. Therefore, this paper serves to address community priorities of sharing their knowledge of caribou with researchers and wildlife managers, as well as to begin 'filling in the blank' that is currently KWI on most caribou range maps. Results shared here reflect what we have learned from Inuit knowledge regarding long-term cycles of caribou presence and absence on KWI from the early 1900s to present. We also present the seasonal migrations on and off the island as described by Inuit Elders and hunters. Through a complement of interviews, participatory mapping, and verification workshops, results highlight that KWI may be a point of convergence for different herds and identify some key crossing points previously undocumented in the literature. We have much to learn from Inuit knowledge of caribou, and we hope that this work contributes to ongoing efforts to improve the representation of Inuit knowledge in co-management decision-making.
Arctic Observatory FRAM
Loebl, Martina (1) (Presenter), A. Boetius (1), T. Kanzow (1), W.-J. von Appen (1), M. Bergmann (1), A. Bracher (1), T. Dieter (1), L. Hehemann (1), N. Hildebrandt (1), M. Hoppmann (1), M. Iversen (1), T. Jung (1), T. Krumpen (1), N. Lochthofen (1), A. Macario (1), K. Metfies (1), M. Nicolaus (1), B. Niehoff (1), I. van Opzeeland (1), B. Rabe (1), I. Salter (1), I. Schewe (1), D. Scholz (1), V. Schourup-Kristensen (1), K. Thomisch (1), S. Tippenhauer (1), F. Wenzhöfer (1), T. Wulff (1) and C. Wekerle (1)
(1) Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz Zentrum für Polar-und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany
The Arctic Observatory FRAM (FRontiers in Arctic Marine Monitoring) targets a modern vision of integrated underwater infrastructure in the polar environment. Since 2014 this modular observatory is being build up in Fram-Strait and the Central Arctic by the Alfred Wegner Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) to become a major research infrastructure of the Earth and Environment research field of the Helmholtz Association. FRAM enhances sustainable knowledge of the remote and harsh Arctic environment for science, society and maritime economy as it enables truly year round multidisciplinary observations from sea ice to the deep sea. Cutting edge mobile and fixed sensor platforms and technologies, under water robotics, and moorings are being (further) developed and used in combination with ship based instruments to record various essential ocean variables to improve our understanding of the Arctic Ocean, it’s essential processes, and how they are being impacted by continued warming and decreasing sea ice extend. Satellite observations are used to cross validate field data. FRAM data products improve Arctic model simulations. FRAM data will be made freely available to the public via the AWI data portal.
Formal and “Traditional Rules” to manage cruise ship tourism in the Canadian Arctic, Sirmilik National Park and Bylot Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary
Lopez, Fabiola (1) (Presenter) and B. Parlee (1)
(1) University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFTourism presents many opportunities for the sustainable development of communities in Nunavut, and has been characterized as less impactful than other kinds of development including mining. However, there are also many challenges to ensuring positive social, economic benefits and limiting adverse environmental impacts, particularly for cruise ship tourism. A key debate about cruise ship tourism in the area of Sirmilik National Park and the Bylot Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary in Nunavut is how to preserve these protected areas while at the same time contributing to the economic development and well-being of Inuit in nearby communities such as Pond Inlet. Previous research has suggested that some communities in Nunavut including Pond Inlet, have a negative attitude about cruise ship tourism but there has been little research about why this negative attitude has developed and how it might be addressed in ways that will meaningfully address the concerns of local residents. Guided by the Mittimatalik Hunters and Trappers Organization of Pond Inlet, the research was carried out in 2016-17 and addressed two objectives: (1): We aimed to document the traditional knowledge (Inuit Quajimajituganqit) held by Pond Inlet elders and land users about the impacts of Cruise Ship Tourism on the community and the local marine ecosystems, including Sirmilik National Park and Bylot Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary. (2) We also documented the “traditional rules” considered important by Pond Inlet residents for protecting these marine environments and Inuit livelihoods and compared these results to existing formal laws, regulations, and guidelines of the federal and territorial governments. Semi-structured interviews with 15 participants were carried out with the support of the Mittimatalik Hunters and Trappers Organization and included elders, land users and government representatives. The narratives were thematically analyzed to identify “traditional rules” or principles by which residents felt that the parks, surrounding marine ecosystems and their communities could and should be better respected; formal laws were identified by a secondary literature review and through interviews with previous and current federal and territorial government employees. The research outcomes contribute to our understanding of why previous research characterized Pond Inlet residents as having a negative attitude about cruise ship tourism. It is clear that the community does not have a “bad attitude”; rather they have significant observations and experiences, which point to adverse impacts on local ecosystems and the community’s way of life. Addressing these negative socio-economic and environmental issues requires challenging the conventional and outdated regulatory arrangements for managing this growing industry. We suggest that by drawing on Traditional Knowledge (Inuit Quajimajituganqit) including “traditional rules” these regulatory gaps can be addressed. A comparative analysis of conventional formal laws, regulations, and guidelines (e.g., territorial and federal) with those documented in Pond Inlet indicates that there are unique ways that Inuit from Pond Inlet could contribute to the management and monitoring of Sirmilik National Park and the Bylot Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary.
Dolly Varden co-management in the Gwich’in Settlement Area and Inuvialuit Settlement Region: Community-led decision-making for sustainable management of vulnerable fisheries
Lord, Sarah (1) (Presenter), K. Hynes (2) (Presenter), E. Lea (3) (Presenter) and C. Gallagher (4)
(1) Gwich'in Renewable Resources Board, Inuvik NT, Canada
(2) Fisheries Joint Management Committee, Inuvik NT, Canada
(3) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Inuvik NT, Canada
(4) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg MB, Canada
In May 2017, the Northern form of Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma malma) was listed under Canada’s Species at Risk Act (SARA) as a ‘Species of Special Concern’. Northern Dolly Varden are found in the Firth, Babbage, Big Fish, and Rat rivers, which are all located west of the Mackenzie River Delta in the Gwich’in Settlement Area (GSA) and Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR) in the Northwest Territories and Yukon North Slope. For the last 25 years, northern Dolly Varden stocks in the GSA and ISR have been co-managed by the Rat River Working Group (RRWG) and West Side Working Group (WSWG). These two groups include Gwich’in & Inuvialuit harvesters, and representatives from federal, territorial, regional, and community organizations. Information from harvest monitoring programs, research, and community knowledge & observations are discussed at annual working group meetings. Using this information, representatives make sustainable management recommendations for Dolly Varden stocks on a consensus basis. These recommendations include voluntary annual recommended harvest levels, which are shared among multiple communities and user groups. The existing Integrated Fisheries Management Plan for Dolly Varden is being updated to reflect the SARA listing, but the existing co-management based process will be the foundation for development and implementation of the required SARA plan. While the population sizes and trends are highly varied among systems, stock status indicators suggest that the major Dolly Varden stocks are relatively stable and/or increasing in recent years, and community support for management recommendations from our co-management groups is high. The RRWG and WSWG are examples of successful co-management in the Western Canadian Arctic, and demonstrate the value of community-led decision-making for sustainable management of vulnerable fisheries.
Trends Concerning Mercury and Stable Isotopes in 3 Decapod Species of the Beaufort Sea (2012-2014)
Loria, Ainsleigh (1) (Presenter), A. Burt (1), P. Archambault (2) and G. Stern (1)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Mercury (Hg) is a global pollutant that raises serious concerns in Arctic marine ecosystems especially in its more toxic form: monomethylmercury (MMHg). Hg enters the Arctic via atmospheric deposition, riverine transport and inflowing ocean currents, which are influenced by climate variability, sea-ice cover and ice thickness. The amount of inorganic Hg available for methylation and thus Hg inputs from industrial regions, via river exports or atmospheric Hg undergoing long-range atmospheric transport, is also a key driver of the Hg cycle in remote regions such as the Arctic. Both physical and biological processes affect the degree of methylation/demethylation and, therefore, the fraction of THg (total mercury) in the form of MMHg. Arctic decapods, in particular shrimp, are known to be a key prey species of top trophic level feeders such as beluga, but little information is known about their feeding ecology and mercury levels. Accordingly, this study focuses on determining baseline levels of THg and MMHg accompanied by d13C and d15N stable isotope (SI) measurements in three major shrimp species found in the Beaufort Sea: Eualus gaimardii, Sclerocrangon ferox, and Sclerocrangon boreas. The samples were collected using trawling nets on board the FV Frosty during the Beaufort Region Environmental Assessment (BREA) expeditions in 2012 and 2013, as well as on board the CCGS Amundsen during Leg 2 of ArcticNet expedition in 2014. Direct mercury analysis (DMA) was the method used to quantitfy THg, while an alkaline digestion followed by oxidation, purge and trap, and cold vapour atomic fluorescence spectrometry (CVAFS) was used for the MMHg determination. Both d13C and d15N SI data was analyzed using an elemental analyzer coupled to an isotope ratio mass spectrometer. The results of this study showed that mean THg levels ranged from 0.5±0.3 µg/g in E. gaimardii to 1.4±0.6 µg/g in S. ferox. Percent MMHg ranged from 60 to 100% in E. gaimardii and S. ferox, respectively. Moreover, d13C was most enriched in S. ferox (- 19.4±0.6 ‰) and most depleted in S. boreas (-25±5 ‰), indicating that S. ferox may have a marine-based diet, whereas S. boreas may feed more pelagically. d15N values were greatest among S. boreas (16±1 ‰), followed by S. ferox (15.5±0.3 ‰) and E. gaimardii (14±1 ‰), which reflects their relative trophic levels. Linear regression and principal component analysis showed positive correlations between THg, d13C, and d15N, as well as the depth at which the samples were collected. These results help to better understand the structure of the food web in relation to bioaccumulation and biomagnification of mercury in the Beaufort Sea.
The role of scenarios in Arctic adaptation
Lovecraft, Amy Lauren (1) (Presenter)
(1) University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks AK, United States
The Arctic Council’s Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program recently completed major components of the Adaptations to a Changing Arctic project (AACA). The Arctic is facing a suite of interconnected transformations. Different locations will experience tipping points, social-ecological changes that cannot be reversed and require adaptation strategies, at different times. In order to respond effectively to such rapid non-linear changes governance has to enhance the capacity of stakeholders, in particular arctic residents, to engage the decision-making arena. In the Bering-Beaufort-Chukchi AACA report scenarios were explained and explored at length as a tool for promoting a process whereby different scales that must adapt can bring together knowledge holders to ask “what if?” This presentation demonstrates the power of scenarios for arctic adaptation where the future is uncertain across multiple social sectors and the environment. Scenarios enable risk management by pooling science from traditional sources of research, modeling, and peer review as well as Indigenous and local knowledge in a process of deliberation about the future. Scenarios enable communities to manage risk by anticipating changes, bringing experts together so no single group is doing it alone, and by figuring out where organizations are succeeding or changes are needed. Because scenarios are scalable they can be used at different levels in the same geographic space to demonstrate disconnects, or agreement, across managers, communities, and governments in adaptation strategy. Through examples of scenario projects across the Bering-Beaufort-Chukchi it becomes clear that scenarios can play a major role in proactive adaptation that enables communities to actively plan rather than passively react to the future.
Quantification of cumulative changes related to infrastructure and climate within areas of development in Arctic Alaska
Loya, W.M. (1) (Presenter), P.B. Leonard (1), R.R. Wilson (1), T.J. Fullman (2) and M.E. Miller (3)
(1) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage AK, United States
(2) The Wilderness Society, Anchorage AK, United States
(3) Bureau of Land Management, Anchorage AK, United States
For nearly four decades, oil and gas development has been occurring in Alaska’s Arctic. This development, expanding from an epicenter at Prudhoe Bay, has resulted in a web of roads, pipelines, drilling pads and other infrastructure that dominate the landscape in the central Alaskan Arctic. As oil and gas development proceeds to the east, west and offshore, and as the Arctic Ocean becomes increasingly ice-free, we can expect roads, pipelines and ports to increase. The Arctic Landscape Conservation Cooperative is working with member organizations and other partners to develop quantitative, spatially-explicit models to evaluate current and future habitat for key Arctic species and how various development scenarios might alter habitat availability and connectivity. Understanding changes in wildlife distribution in response to landscape change and anthropogenic activities can be used to quantify the impacts to subsistence hunters. The results of this work are intended to help mangers provide stakeholders, including industry, communities and conservationists with landscape-level impact assessments and support science-based decision-making.
Alaska data integration working group open metadata toolkit
Loya, Wendy (1,2) (Presenter), J. Bradley (1,2,3) and S. Smith (1,3)
(1) Arctic Landscape Conservation Cooperative, Fairbanks AK, United States
(2) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fairbanks AK, United States
(3) Alaska Data Integration working group, Anchorage AK, United States
The Alaska Data Integration working group(ADIwg) Metadata Toolkit is an open source suite of applications for authoring and editing metadata for both spatial and non-spatial projects and datasets. The main goal of the toolkit is to promote the creation and use of metadata by lowering the level of technical expertise required to produce archival quality metadata. mdJSON is the metadata format that ties the suite of tools together. Based on JavaScript Object Notation(JSON), mdJSON is capable of capturing 90% of ISO 19115-1 and FGDC CSDGM. Schemas are available for validation and documentation of mdJSON metadata records. mdJSON is an excellent lightweight alternative to current XML-based metadata formats. The mdTranslator application supports translation between multiple metadata formats. Currently the mdTranslator reads mdJSON, FGDC CSDGM, and sbJSON(the native format for the United States Geological Survey ScienceBase catalog) and outputs metadata in multiple standards, including ISO 19115-2, 19110, HTML, mdJSON, and sbJSON. Output of FGDC CSDGM (October 2017) and ISO 19115-1(December 2017) will be supported soon. The mdEditor is an open source web application design to allow users to manage metadata for projects and data products. The mdEditor may be used to create mdJSON and interface with the mdTranslator to produce metadata in any of the supported output formats. The mdEditor is designed to be used by anyone needing to create metadata and requires no prior knowledge of any of the supported metadata formats.
Inuit and Facebook: Bridging the gap between communities and research
Lyonnais, Marie-Claude (1) (Presenter), C. Fletcher (1) and P. Archambault (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
With over one and a half billion users, Facebook has become an essential communication platform worldwide. Social media allows anyone to have a voice and be heard, and has a strong role to play as identity vectors. It's also increasingly being used for health-related topics, to empower people about their health and educate them. Inuit from Nunavik are also following the social media trend; in 2014, 75 % of Nunavimmiut (people from Nunavik) were using Facebook (National, 2014). Facebook is user-friendly and has a low-bandwidth consumption. Mixed with the proliferation of small electronic devices, that partially explains why Facebook is so popular among Inuit communities. Because of this widespread popularity, several studies have suggested that Facebook could be an effective way to improve communication within a community-based participatory health research project. However, few researches have focused on the use of social media by Inuit and none have studied the relations between Facebook, Inuit health and research. The goal of this project is to better understand the use of social media by Inuit, and analyze its usefulness in a participatory research. This research is an exploratory qualitative study that took place in three communities of Nunavik, where thirty semi-structured interviews were conducted with community leaders, health care providers and community members chosen randomly. The content of eight Facebook pages was also analysed. The analysis showed that Facebook is a virtual mirror of Inuit culture, where a newcomer can learn a lot. It has become the primary communication tool between community members, but also between Inuit and the world. Nunavimmiut use mostly this tool to communicate with friends and family living in town or abroad, and be aware of what is going on in the community. It has become a virtual village, the place where everybody get informed, ask services and sell goods. Inuit also show pride in their culture and promote their lifestyle through Facebook. The implications of Facebook for health purposes are numerous; it's being used to promote healthy activities, post positive messages, seek and give social support and share or sell food. Health care providers use it to have a better connexion with the population, empower Inuit and reach some patients that do not respond to other methods. Facebook is also a double-edge sword, a platform for gossiping, bullying and drama, but it seems to be mostly used in a positive and constructive way. Researchers should take this unique opportunity to connect and engage the population in the research process. It needs however to be done carefully and properly, in regard of the Inuit culture and values. This phenomenon needs to be better understood by researchers and stakeholders, but they should not forget that Nunavimmiut are ahead of the science and technology is moving fast.
Primary productivity and mobile invertebrates in shallow rocky arctic environments: Understudied interactions
MacGregor, Kathleen (1) (Presenter), T.S. Suskiewicz (1), C.A. Narvaez (1,2) and L.E. Johnson (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Villanova University, Philadelphia PA, United States
Shallow subtidal rocky reefs are areas of large potential productivity and diversity worldwide. In temperate waters, they are often dominated by habitat-forming macroalgae such as kelp. Sea urchins are widely known for their destructive grazing of kelp and the associated impacts on invertebrate and fish assemblages, often creating barren zones of low productivity and biodiversity. This shift between productive kelp beds and barren zones has been extensively studied in the northwest Atlantic. Our literature review of studies of the ecology of rocky reefs reveals that the majority of this research, however, has been conducted within a few research programs concentrated on limited geographic areas. Labrador and the Canadian Arctic are clearly underrepresented in this literature, and there are very few studies of shallow subtidal rocky habitats within these regions. We conducted field surveys of the abundance of urchins, mobile invertebrates and kelp from mid-Baffin Island to the northern Gulf of Saint Lawrence (GSL). Our results reveal significant differences compared to the established relationships published in the literature for more southern regions such as Nova Scotia and the Gulf of Maine. Most sites had extremely high urchin biomass (> 850 g.m-2) at 10-meter depths, surpassing estimates of the threshold biomass (300 g.m-2) necessary to create urchin barrens elsewhere. Despite this high urchin biomass, several sites had substantial kelp biomass at 5-meter depths. This observation suggests that the trophic relationship between urchins and algae in these regions is different than the better-studied regions further south. Additionally, size-frequencies of these populations indicate that there are very few small urchins in more northern areas, suggesting episodic recruitment or high juvenile mortality. Other invertebrates showed striking differences between arctic/subarctic and more southern waters. In Labrador, Hyas crabs outnumbered Cancer crabs, while in the GSL the ratio was close to 1:1. Further south in the Gulf of Maine, 100% of crabs observed are Cancer crabs. A similar pattern of latitudinal variation in species dominance was observed in sea stars, and these patterns concord with the thermobiogeographic break proposed by Adey and Hayek (2011). Since the majority of studies examining crab and sea star trophic relationships, most notably predation on urchins, have been in areas south of Labrador, it is impossible to know if the same relationships occur in northern areas. Moreover, the overlooked importance of nearshore primary productivity through the export of algal material and the role of these habitats as both nursery grounds and critical foraging habitat for many commercially exploited species makes understanding these areas critical. Our literature review highlights the lack of studies and our field surveys suggest that there may be important differences in ecosystem functioning of rocky subtidal reefs in these northern areas.
Representing climate change in the Arctic: Theoretical approaches in film and media studies to big data visualization and science modeling
MacKenzie, Scott (2) (Presenter) and A.W. Stenport (1) (Presenter)
(1) Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta GA, USA
(2) Queen's University, Kingston ON, Canada
Anthropogenic climate change is most visible in the Arctic region. Documentary filmmakers have presented melting Arctic glaciers or thinning sea ice as evidence of this crisis, with the environmental and social impact of foregrounded in works such as Inuit Knowledge and Climate Change (Zacharias Kunuk and Ian Mauro, Canada, 2010), Chasing Ice (Jeff Orlowski, USA, 2012), IMAX To the Arctic (Greg MacGillivray, USA, 2013), and Angry Inuk (Alethea Arnaquq-Baril, Canada, 2016). In this paper, we argue that moving images are the most significant conduit for communicating the impact of climate change to large, diverse, and dispersed publics. While documentary provides one approach to telling those stories, so does visualization of climate science’s big data. We propose to discuss the relationship between various forms of visual evidence, their uses in recent documentaries, and the computational approaches of scientists who process massive amounts of meteorological and glaciological data to convey -- through moving images -- environmental impact scenarios of the climate crisis. Such visualization processes are usually not considered as a constituent part of documentary studies, nor the study of visual culture more broadly. Similarly, climate change data modeled and visualized as moving image scenarios do not usually acknowledge mediatization as constitutive of the process. The research question that drives this brief paper focuses on why data visualization needs to be examined as visual evidence with particular aesthetic, theoretical, historical, and cultural assumptions, and how doing so may help data visualizers tell their stories with greater impact. Media historians have long asserted the inherent relation between documentation of data and manipulation of that data as visual evidence, as media historians Birgit Schneider and Thomas Nocke emphasize: “most phenomena studied in climate science are invisible. [...] We need media to learn about climate change” (Schneider and Nocke 2014: 12). The effects of the climate crisis in the North is not empirically visible to most people, unless communicated through moving images. Documentary practice that acknowledges its modes of production provides a model for impactful storytelling and visualization that still elude most data visualizers. This presentation will analyze and discuss some of these relationships. BIBLIOGRAPHY Chun, Wendy Hui Kyong. 2015. “On Hypo-Real Models or Global Climate Change: A Challenge for the Humanities.” Critical Inquiry.” 41.3. 675-703. Edwards, Paul N. 2010. A Vast Machine: Computer Models, Climate Data, and the Politics of Global Warming. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Gitelman, Lisa. 2016. “‘Raw Data’ Is an Oxymoron.” In New Media, Old Media: A History and Theory Reader. Second ed. Eds. Wendy Hui Kyong Chun and Anna Watkins Fisher. London: Routledge. 167-176. Nichols, Bill. 2016. Speaking Truths With Film: Evidence, Ethics, Politics in Documentary. Berkeley: University of California Press. Schneider, Birgit and Thomas Nocke. 2014. “Image Politics of Climate Change: Introduction.” In Image Politics of Climate Change: Visualizations, Imaginations, Documentations, eds Schneider and Nocke. Berlin: Transcript-Verlag. 9-25.
Not so rare after all: Rare earth elements in freshwater, marine, and terrestrial ecosystems in the eastern Canadian Arctic
MacMillan, Gwyneth Anne (1) (Presenter), J. Chételat (2), J.P. Heath (3), R. Mickpegak (4) and M. Amyot (1)
(1) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Department of Biological Sciences, University of Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa ON, Canada
(3) The Arctic Eider Society, St. John's NL, Canada
(4) Sakkuq Landholding Corporation, Kuujjuaraapik QC, Canada
Few ecotoxicological studies exist for rare earth elements (REEs), particularly field-based studies on their bioaccumulation and food web dynamics. REE mining has led to significant environmental impacts in several countries (China, Brazil, U.S.), yet little is known about the fate and transport of these contaminants of emerging concern. Northern ecosystems are potentially vulnerable to REE enrichment from prospective mining projects at high latitudes. Rare earth elements (REEs) are a chemically-similar group of contaminants of emerging concern, which includes the 15 trivalent lanthanide metals, as well as scandium (Sc) and yttrium (Y). Not particularly rare, REEs are increasingly exploited for critical uses in high-tech industries, including electronics, medicine, clean energy, and agriculture. Knowledge of the fate of REEs and their impact on natural ecosystems is needed as emissions to the environment increase. To understand how REEs behave in remote northern food webs, we measured REE concentrations and carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios (?15N, ?13C) in biota from marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems of the eastern Canadian Arctic (N = 339). Wildlife harvesting and tissue sampling was partly conducted by local hunters through a community-based monitoring project. Results show that REEs generally follow a coherent bioaccumulation pattern for sample tissues, with some anomalies for redox-sensitive elements (Ce, Eu). Highest REE concentrations were found at low trophic levels, especially in vegetation and aquatic invertebrates. Terrestrial herbivores, ringed seal, and fish had low total REE levels in muscle tissue (?REE for 15 elements <0.1 nmol g-1), yet accumulation was an order of magnitude higher in liver tissues. Age- and length-dependent REE accumulation also suggest that REE uptake is faster than elimination for some species. Overall, REE bioaccumulation patterns appear to be species- and tissue-specific, with limited potential for biomagnification. This study provides novel data on the behaviour of REEs in ecosystems and will be useful for environmental impact assessment of REE enrichment in vulnerable northern regions.
Beluga Whale Body Condition Indicators: Application for use in marine protected areas
MacMillan, Kathleen (1) (Presenter), C. Hoover (1,2), J. Peyton (1) and L. Loseto (1,2)
(1) Department of Environment & Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada Central and Arctic, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Indicators are a management tool that can be used to monitor ecosystems. In recent years, indicators have been recommended for monitoring marine protected areas (MPAs) because a selection of discrete indicators can represent the complex marine ecosystem. The Tarium Niryutait MPA (TN MPA) was established in 2010 as Canada’s first Arctic MPA. The conservation objective of the TN MPA is to conserve and protect the habitats and supporting ecosystem of beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) and other marine species in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR) of the Beaufort Sea. Although 82 indicators have been proposed for monitoring the TN MPA, a final suite of indicators has not been determined. The challenge has been to understand the trends captured by proposed indicators and how that information can advise management decisions. This research evaluates one of the proposed indicators: beluga whale body condition, which is used to monitor beluga whale health. Our three research objectives are: 1) Assess beluga body condition metrics girth and blubber thickness, and identify trends over space and time; 2) Evaluate the strength of correlation between body condition trends and environmental drivers; and 3) Develop criteria for use of body condition indicators by managing agencies and local communities. The two body condition metrics, girth and blubber thickness, have been collected from 2000-2016 at community harvesting camps both inside and outside the TN MPA. Girth and blubber thickness were assessed for variability within the TN MPA and annual/decadal trends. Preliminary results suggest that blubber thickness of landed whales varies greater between camp locations compared to girth. Blubber thickness also has greater variability between total length of belugas compared to girth. These preliminary results suggest that girth may perform better as the overall body condition indicator for the TN MPA. Condition metrics are being tested against spatial and temporal environmental data from the TN MPA ecosystem. Environmental drivers being tested include ice breakup/formation, sea surface temperature, Arctic Oscillation Index, and Mackenzie River flow. These findings will be shared with managing agencies and local communities to support beluga monitoring and to understand if the TN MPA conservation goals are being met.
Arctic Coastal Ecosystem Studies (ACES): Community-based monitoring of coastal fishes at Shingle Point, Yukon
MacPhee, Shannon (1) (Presenter), J. Iacozza (1,2), D. Neumann (1), J. Brewster (3), D. Arey (4), J. McLeod (4), T. Loewen (1), C. Gallagher (1) and L. Loseto (1)
(1) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(3) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Inuvik NT, Canada
(4) Aklavik Hunters and Trappers Committee, Aklavik NT, Canada
Canada’s first Arctic Marine Protected Area, the Tarium Niryutait MPA (TN MPA), was officially designated in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR). With a conservation goal to “Conserve and protect beluga whales and other marine species, their habitats, and their supporting ecosystem”, the MPA monitoring plan includes a broad suite of ecological indicators scheduled for periodic assessment. Coastal fishes are key indicators, not only as potential prey for beluga, but because they incorporate environmental information across habitat space and are readily sampled through community-based monitoring of subsistence harvests. Arctic Coastal Ecosystem Studies (ACES) have taken place at Shingle Point, Yukon, since 2010, with sampling of by-catch from Dolly Varden harvests supplemented with targeted netting and collection of basic habitat information (oceanography, weather). Catch data collected through ACES support the study of basic fish biology, and tissue collections support studies on fish health, foodweb structure and contaminants. Here, we present basic biological information (condition, life history traits, population demographics) for coastal marine fishes. We evaluate habitat association using scientific data enhanced with local and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK). Further, we discuss integration of TEK into program design, data collection and interpretation, and propose ACES as a model community-based monitoring program that could be adapted to inform coastal monitoring at harvest locations throughout the ISR.
Glacier velocity variations and controls on glacier surging in the St. Elias Mountains, Yukon
Main, Brittany (1) (Presenter), L. Copland (1), W. Van Wychen (2) and C. Dow (3)
(1) Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) Defence Research and Development Canada, Department of National Defence, Ottawa ON, Canada
(3) Department of Geography and Environmental Management, University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON, Canada
Glacier velocities and their variations over time offer important insights into dynamic change processes, which provide us with better understanding of how glaciers will evolve in the future under a changing climate. This is of key importance for initializing glacier flow models, which are used to refine future projections of sea level rise. These processes are particularly complicated for surge-type glaciers, as the principal influences on motion are inadequately understood. These glaciers experience alternating periods of short ‘active’ phases of fast flow (normally lasting from months to years) and long ‘quiescent’ phases of little to no flow (lasting from decades to centuries). The largest cluster of surge-type glaciers in Canada occurs in the St. Elias Mountains, Yukon; the main objective of this research is to understand the mechanisms that control the surging of these glaciers, and quantify changes in ice motion across this region over time. Glacier velocity maps for the St. Elias Mountains were created from speckle-tracking of ALOS PALSAR imagery for the winters of 2007-08 and 2009-10, and speckle tracking of Radarsat-2 imagery for winters since then. A possible dynamic connection formed by an icefall between the Lowell and Dusty Glaciers is explored, which appears to have implications for the surge behaviours of both glaciers. New information concerning the development and progression of the 2009-10 surge of Lowell Glacier is also presented, and placed in regional context of other recent surges. Future work will include in-situ monitoring of Lowell Glacier through a complete surge event with a centreline network of dGPS receivers, from a quiescent period through the active surge stage. This provides new insights into the controls on ice motion in this region.
Comparison of two snow distribution models for proper simulation of blowing snow events in a complex terrain
Majumder, Barun (1) (Presenter), A. Toure (1), P. Marsh (1) and C. Derksen (2)
(1) Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON, Canada
(2) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canada
A model based on physical arguments (SnowModel) with subroutines of blowing snow, sublimation during blowing snow, and snow accumulation can be used to fairly reproduce the snow distribution across complex Arctic tundra terrain. Typically, the model can successfully simulate the spatial pattern of snow distribution, snow depth and snow water equivalent in flat terrain. However, for vegetation patches and steep slopes that accumulate snow in deep snowdrifts, the model predictions are not sufficiently accurate and do not compare well with observations both in terms of the total snow stored in these drifts and the location of the deepest snow along the drift. Here we will test and compare SnowModel to another well studied distributed model. In this case, the combined Prairie Blowing Snow Model and MS3DJH/3R windflow model reported by Essery et. al. (1999). We mainly focus on evaluating these models for a tundra dominated watershed (Trail Valley Creek) in the western Canadian Arctic. We will focus on key aspects of each model including: winter sublimation, and snow depth and snow water equivalent in each landscape type (tundra, shrubs, and slope drifts). This comparison will help us consider the physical arguments used in subroutines of both models, and to consider future advances.
The extreme erosion of Pelly Island, Northwest Territories: Using UAV’s and modelling techniques to evaluate the fate of sediments
Malenfant, Francois (1,2) (Presenter), G.K. Manson (2), D. Whalen (2) and D. van Proosdij (1)
(1) Saint Mary's University, Halifax NS, Canada
(2) Natural Resources Canada, Geological Survey of Canada–Atlantic, Dartmouth NS, Canada
The proposed research, which will be conducted in collaboration with Natural Resource Canada (NRCan), plans to investigate the origin, suspension, transport, deposition, and resuspension of sediments in the nearshore region of Pelly Island. Pelly Island, located just 20 km offshore of the Mackenzie Delta front is still well within the Mackenzie Estuary. However, a 20 m high ice-rich cliff on the NW side of the island is currently experiencing both thermal and mechanical erosion processes and is changing at an unprecedented rate. The island has been eroding at an average rate of 16.5 m/yr since 2000, which is almost double the 1950-2000 average of 8.2 m/yr. Since 2014, over 100 m of coastal retreat occurred releasing large amounts of sediment into the nearshore environment. Sediment deposition in the Mackenzie Estuary is dominated by the sediment discharge from the Mackenzie River; however, in some areas (Pelly Island) new sediment from accelerated and extreme coastal erosion may actually be depositing more sediment in the estuary than previously thought. Sediment transport in the region is primarily dominated by fluvial forces from the Mackenzie River extending NE through Kugmallit Bay and NW off of the western delta front and Shallow Bay. Some of the major discharge areas (including Kugmallit Bay) are somewhat sheltered and isolated from prevailing winds that can cause significant resuspension. The exposure of Pelly Island to all prevailing winds and waves are expected to dominate the different processes of sediment transport, deposition, suspension and resuspension. These differences indicate the importance of studying Pelly Island to understand the fate of sediments from a rapidly eroding exposed source of sediment. In order to better understand how the rapid changes occurring on Pelly Island are affecting the nearshore region, we propose a volumetric analysis of sediment coming from cliff erosion annually and seasonally using digital elevation models (DEMs) created from aerial photogrammetry (UAVs). There are unknown concentrations of ground and massive ice within the cliffs, therefore, an estimate will be needed in this volumetric analysis of sediment. Software that uses the structure from motion (SfM) processing technique will be used to create 3D models of the coastline from 2D aerial photos. Hydrodynamic and sediment transport models, for bed load and suspended load, will be then be used to model waves, currents and sediment transport (both as bed load and suspended load) in the nearshore region of Pelly Island. Field work planned for the summer of 2018, will allow for the deployment of instrumented seabed landers which will collect data such as waves, currents, and water depths and time-lapse cameras onshore will record daily observations of erosion which will contribute to validating the models. The model developed in this research will be integrated with other models being developed within the Mackenzie Estuary as part of coastal research within NRCan’s Climate Change Geoscience Program. The integration of nearshore and onshore field measurements with modelling is expected to provide information on the fate of sediments in this vulnerable Arctic ecosystem.
Dissolved organic matter in Subarctic environments: Revealing molecular changes along the Churchill River and surrounding watershed
Mangal, Vaughn (1) (Presenter), Y.X. Shi (1) and C. Guéguen (2,3)
(1) Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate program, Trent University ON, Canada
(2) Chemistry Department and Trent School of the Environment, Trent University ON, Canada
(3) Trent Water Quality Center, Trent University ON, Canada
The spring floods season in Northern aquatic systems is characterized by rapid changes in the water flow leading to fluxes of organic and inorganic species, yet despite the importance of spring floods to biogeochemical cycles, remains vastly undersampled. In this study, we examine the molecular characteristics and transformations of dissolved organic matter (DOM) during the Arctic spring season at three locations in the lower Churchill River watershed. Characteristics including dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations, optical properties (i.e. absorbance and, excitation-emission matrix fluorescence coupled with parallel factor analysis, EEM-PARAFAC) and molecular characterization using high resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS) were assessed. As spring floods progressed, a significant reduction in DOM spectral slope (S275-295) and an increase in absorbance (a270) were observed suggesting an increase in DOM molecular weight and concentrations at all sampled locations. A maximum in HR-MS lignin-class compounds coincided with peak flow at all sampled locations, further validated with an increase in PARAFAC humic-like components and a minimum in S275-295. Principal component analyses (PCA) revealed that both protein and aromatic humic-like material measured by HR-MS and EEM-PARAFAC, respectively, were significantly correlated (ANOVA, p < 0.05), demonstrating similarities in both techniques. Based on network analysis of HR-MS assigned formula, the highest peak flow day was characterized by a maximum in homologous DOM of C2H2O and C2H4 additions suggesting structural similarities in newly deposited lignin and humic material. Overall, the progression of the spring freshet shifted the lower Churchill River watershed from an environment rich in proteins and lipids to an aquatic system more abundant in lignin, aromatic and humic DOM that may impact subsequent microbial communities that follow annual spring floods.
Cryptosporidium and Giardia in clams in Iqaluit, Nunavut
Manore, Anna (1) (Presenter), K. Shapiro (2), J. Sargeant (1,3), J.S. Weese (3), J. Shirley (4), E. Sudlovenick (5), A. Cunsolo (6), A. Bunce (1), and S.L. Harper (1)
(1) Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada
(2) Department of Pathobiology, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of California, Davis, Davis CA, United States
(3) Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses, University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada
(4) Nunavut Research Institute, Iqaluit NU, Canada
(5) Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada
(6) Labrador Institute of Memorial University, Happy Valley-Goose Bay NL, Canada
The highest incidence of self-reported enteric illness in the global literature is in the Canadian North, and recent work has revealed high rates of Cryptosporidium and Giardia (protozoan parasites) in enteric illness patients in the Qikiqtaaluk region of Nunavut. Molecular analyses suggest a potential foodborne, waterborne, or animal source of these parasites. In response, the People, Animals, Water, and Sustenance (PAWS) project is investigating country food, drinking water, and dogs as potential sources of parasites causing enteric illness in Iqaluit. Clams are a commonly consumed country food in Iqaluit, and may concentrate Cryptosporidium and Giardia from surrounding waters. The goal of this work is to investigate clams as a potential source of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in Iqaluit, Nunavut. The objectives are to estimate the prevalence, identify risk factors, and genetically characterize these parasites in clams from the Iqaluit area to explore source attribution. An EcoHealth approach guided the research process, incorporating principles of community participation, transdisciplinarity, systems thinking, social equity, sustainability, and knowledge-to-action. Clams (n=398) were collected from Iqaluit harvesters over a peak harvesting weekend in September 2016, and the size, weight, and harvest time and location were recorded for each clam. These data will be used to identify risk factors for parasite contamination in clams. Both hemolymph (circulatory fluid) and digestive gland were sampled from each clam. Initial screening for Cryptosporidium and Giardia used PCR methods to detect parasite DNA. Sequence analysis was further used to confirm suspected positive PCR results. To date, there have been 5 and 29 clams that yielded DNA products consistent in size with Cryptosporidium and Giardia, respectively; and 2 hemolymph samples have been confirmed as Giardia by sequence analyses. Initial genotyping results indicate the Giardia found in clams is consistent with assemblage B, which can cause illness in humans as well as animals. Thus, contamination of clams likely originated from pollution of coastal waters with feces from humans and/or animals, such as dogs. Results from this study are intended to inform public health messaging in Iqaluit, Nunavut, and other Indigenous communities in Northern Canada. The knowledge generated from this study aims to inform tangible and sustainable interventions, while enhancing our ability to understand, identify, and respond to potential factors increasing the risk of foodborne disease.
Spatial repartition and heterogeneity of lipid synthesis by primary producers and consumers along a 3000-km transect spanning the Canadian Arctic and subarctic marine areas
Marmillot, Vincent (1) (Presenter), J.-É. Tremblay (1), G. Deslongchamps (1), J. Gagnon (1), J. Mackinnon (2) and C. Parrish (2)
(1) Laval University / Québec-Ocean, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Memorial University of Newfoundland Labrador, St. John's NL, Canada
The biodiversity, sustainability and resilience of marine ecosystems depends on energy transfers throughout the food web. In this regard, lipids represent the densest form of energy that is passed to higher trophic levels from micro-algae. In addition to their energetic value, algal lipids include essential fatty acids (e.g., omega-3) that animals cannot synthesize and must acquire from their diet. These polyunsatured fatty acids are essential for the healthy growth and development of organisms. The growth and productivity of phytoplankton are affected by numerous environmental factors (e.g., temperature, light, salinity, pH and nutrients) which are in turn impacted by ongoing climate change. These changing environmental conditions may impact lipid synthesis directly by altering the algal physiology, or indirectly by promoting shifts in species composition. Based on results from previous studies using experimental laboratory cultures, we hypothesized that spatial gradients in physico-chemical conditions would affect overall lipid synthesis and the proportion of different lipid classes by phytoplankton, and that these differences would be reflected in the lipid composition of primary consumers (i.e., copepods). Here we present the preliminary results of 3000-km long transect spanning the subarctic (55°N) and high Arctic (80°N) domains of northern Canada, with emphasis on the lipid profiles of phytoplankton, their spatial variability and relationship with physical variables.
Isolation and characterization of two novel cyanophages from a subarctic Canadian lake
Marois, Catherine (1) (Presenter), A. Lévesque (1), A. Vincent (1), S. Labrie (1), S. Moineau (1), W. Vincent (1) and A. Culley (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Cyanobacteria are key components of arctic aquatic ecosystems, as both essential primary producers, and as significant contributors to the biogeochemical cycling of essential nutrients such as carbon and nitrogen. The two primary mechanisms of top-down control of cyanobacterial populations are grazing and viral lysis. Viruses are the most diverse and abundant biological entities on Earth with estimates of 1031 viral particles globally and 104 virotypes per mL of water. It is now widely recognized that viruses are important drivers of host evolution and influence nutrients cycles and microbial dynamics through viral lysis. Cyanophages, viruses that infect cyanobacteria, infect keystone primary producers in marine and freshwater environments, and have been shown to harbour host-like genes that are involved in essential host metabolic processes. In order to better understand cyanophages dynamics, genomics and ecology, we focused our research on the isolation and characterization of cyanophages that infect polar cyanobacteria. Water from a Canadian subarctic lake located in the vicinity of Whapmagoostui-Kuujjuarapik (Nunavik, Canada) was sampled in August 2015 and was filtered through 0.45µm and 0.22µm pore size filters to remove large particles (cells, clay, etc.). The filtrate containing viruses was used to inoculate different cyanobacterial cultures for viral amplification. Cultures presenting signs of lysis relative to an untreated control were serially diluted to isolate a single virus. Clonal isolates were subsequently sequenced on a NGS sequencing platform (MiSeq, Illumina). We succeeded in isolating two novel cyanophages (B3 and B23). Electron micrographs revealed that both isolates possessed icosahedral capsid and a long contractile tail, typical features of viruses in the order Caudovirales, family Myoviridae. B3 and B23 genome lengths were 244,930 bp and 243,633 bp respectively. Genomic analysis and ORFs annotation indicated the presence of two host-related metabolic genes (hli and phoH) in both genomes. However, the function of only 25% of the putative ORFs was identified using RAST based on homology with sequences in the SEED database. Phylogenetic analysis based on alignments of the B3 and B23 primase gene and those from phages from a representative number of taxa showed that both viruses clustered with other cyanophages. These results suggest that B3 and B23 are highly divergent from previously described cyanophages and that this study will result in new insight into the world of arctic cyanophages, of which little is known.
The Arctic Snow Cover: Integrating high resolution field observations and modelling in order to improve our understanding of past and future changes
Marsh, Philip (1) (Presenter), C. Derksen (2), T. Ensom (1), G. Gosselin (1,2), M. Hurkuck (1,2), A. Jitnikoviktch (1), B. Majumder (1), P. Mann (1), O. Sonnentag (2), A. Toure (1), M. Tusi (1), E. Wilcox (1) and B. Walker (1)
(1) Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON, Canada
(2) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Downsview ON, Canada
(3) Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
The arctic climate is changing at an unprecedented rate, transforming all aspects of the arctic environment, including vegetation, snow and active layer. Understanding the integrated impacts of these changes on lake levels and streamflow is essential to understanding the future implications of a changing climate on the arctic environment and arctic communities, and is the focus of our Arctic Net project. Here we will describe a series of integrated field observations at the Trail Valley Creek research watershed south of Tuktoyaktuk, NWT, in the western Canadian Arctic. This paper will focus on the snowcover portion of this integrated study and we will analyze existing data sets to demonstrate changes in snowfall and snow cover, and will describe novel observation methods to better characterize the arctic snow cover. A few of these include unmanned aerial systems to document snowcover conditions; cosmic ray sensors to measure snow cover and soil moisture; networks of subsurface temperature arrays in stream channels and eddy covariance systems to measure water and energy for different snow covered landscapes. And we will apply a blowing snow model to consider the spatial and temporal variability of snowcover across the landscape. These observational and modelling data sets will be used to consider past changes in snowcover, and provide the knowledge needed to consider future changes.
Exploring the use of automated long-term dissolved oxygen records to estimate pelagic primary production in the Arctic
Marshall, Lucianne M. (1) (Presenter), D.E. Varela, (1,2) and A. Sastri (1,3)
(1) Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
(2) School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
(3) Ocean Networks Canada, University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
Polar regions remain a challenging frontier for oceanographic research and therefore most historical plankton studies have been limited to the summer months, when ice coverage is reduced. This has restricted our understanding of environmental and biological dynamics over long-term time scales at a critical time of climatic change in the Arctic. Advances in technology and the recent growth of global investment in Arctic research have enabled Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) to install a fixed-point cabled observatory in Cambridge Bay (Nunavut) in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. The ONC underwater observatory collects high resolution data year-round (at ~7 m depth) and has been in operation since 2012. Real-time sensor data from ONC is open access and includes underwater sensors measuring ice thickness, water temperature, salinity, fluorescence, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and in recent years PAR, pH and pCO2. It also includes a meteorological station measuring standard weather parameters. This high-resolution time-series can be used to monitor the seasonal and yearly variability of sea-ice thickness, fluorescence (as a proxy for chlorophyll a) and oxygen concentrations, among others. This presentation focuses on the changes in dissolved oxygen relative to solubility-predicted values (‘delta O2’). Data show a shift from net community respiration to production, which corresponds to a pCO2 draw-down, every year prior to sea-ice melt. Here we link delta O2 changes to surface primary production (i.e. C utilization rate) measured by means of enrichment experiments with Carbon-13 during the summer of 2016. Primary production was calculated from samples collected and incubated in situ spanning from a period of ice cover (mid-June) to open waters conditions (early-August) within 10 m distance from the ONC observatory. We show a strong correlation between calculated delta O2 estimates and our measured C utilizations rates. This relationship is then applied retrospectively to ONC’s oxygen records to estimate past primary production rates and to discern any interannual changes over the course of the entire time series. This study is an initial effort to estimate rates of pelagic primary production using cabled observations by comparison with experimentally measured rates in the Arctic, critical for testing the validity of automated long-term data collection in a marine setting.
Meltwater percoation and retention in the Greenland Ice Sheet
Marshall, Shawn (1) (Presenter) and S. Samimi (1)
(1) University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
High rates of glacier and ice sheet melt in recent decades are contributing to sea level rise, but models of glacier runoff are still relatively simple and uncertain. This limits the confidence in estimates of future sea level rise and the associated societal impacts. Glacier meltwater follows an indirect path to the oceans, travelling through surface, englacial, and subglacial drainage systems before discharging to the land or sea. Much of the meltwater in the accumulation area of the Greenland Ice Sheet and the smaller Arctic ice caps does not exit the system, but percolates and refreezes in the seasonal snow and firn. This 'firn buffer' for meltwater runoff is important in reducing the impact of accelerated glacier melt on global sea level. However, it has been hypothesized that ice layers that have formed in recent heavy melt years are impermeable barriers to meltwater percolation, and that the available pore space in firn may be filling up, which may compromise the role of meltwater refreezing and storage as a buffer for sea level rise. To study this process, we instrumented two sites in the near-surface firn (to 5 m depth) at the Dye2 site in the Greenland percolation zone. Thermistors and TDR probes are tracking the meltwater percolation and refreezing, and these data are being used to develop and calibrate a coupled model of firn hydrology and thermodynamics as part of a larger ice sheet modelling initiative for Arctic Canada and Greenland. Shallow ice cores (to 20 m depth) provide additional insight into ice layer content in the firn and its temporal trends at this site. We will present initial observations and modelling results for meltwater percolation and refreezing in summer 2016. This was a moderate melt year at Dye2, but our instrumentation successfully traced the meltwater and thermal front to a depth of about 2.2 m, successfully penetrating several thick ice layers. However, there is no evidence that liquid meltwater penetrated below this depth in summer 2016; 100% of the meltwater was retained in the upper 2 m of the snow and firn, and the firn below this remained below the melting point. We present and discuss aspects of these observations that can be modelled exceptionally well, and others that pose an intriguing challenge to ice-sheet scale modelling.
Impact of permafrost melting in subarctic region on the Hg cycling in thermokarst pond
Martin Pilote (1), J. Canário (2) (Presenter) and C. Gagnon (1)
(1) Environnement Canada et Changement Climatique Canada, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Centro de Química Estrutural - Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisboa, Portugal
Mercury naturally occurs as elemental mercury (Hg°) and organic and inorganic species as well. Microorganism can transform inorganic Hg to methylmercury (MeHg), and thus easily bioaccumulated in biota and biomagnified in the food web. Melting permafrost has the potential to release a large proportion of previously stored Hg and organic carbon that could alter the Hg cycling in permafrost zone and subarctic region. The aim of this study is to characterize Hg levels and carbon contents in thermokarst ponds during the cold and the growing season, to assess the contribution of allochtonous input of Hg and to evaluate their potential transport towards the aquatic system. Thaw ponds are formed by the collapse of peat mounds in discontinuous permafrost, eastern Canadian subarctic region. Preliminary results show that Hg in thermokarst ponds, 3.41 ± 0.86 ng l-1, were higher than concentrations measured in downstream streams, 2.17 ± 0.59 ng l-1, and the nearby Sasapimakwananisikw river, 2.46 ± 0.13 ng l-1, during winter where thermokarst ponds were anoxic under the ice cover. Moreover, MeHg accounted for 14.6 % (0.50 ± 0.24 ng l-1) in thermokarst ponds, followed by 6.5 % (0.14 ± 0.00 ng l-1) in downstream streams and 2.6 % (0.06 ± 0.03 ng l-1) in the nearby river. The concentration of MeHg in water were strongly related to the apparent water color (r² = 0.94, p < 0.001), the concentrations of ammonia (r² = 0.84, p < 0.01), DOC (r² = 0.83, p < 0.01), and in less proportion of sulfate (r² = 0.52, p < 0.05). No significant correlation was found between the Hg concentration in water and sediments. But concentration of Hg in sediments was positively correlated to the organic nitrogen levels (r² = 0.92, p < 0.05). These results suggest a strong link between MeHg production, nutrient status and the importance of anaerobic methylation. These winter results will then be compared to summer measurements (analysis in progress) in order to assess the biogeochemical cycle of Hg in warmer months and to evaluate the potential Hg transport towards the aquatic system. Quantifying the Hg source originating from melting permafrost and soil leaching in subarctic and Arctic region in a changing climate is crucial of interest to assess the Hg dynamic in the aquatic ecosystem and the food chain.
The importance of traditional knowledge for maintaining fishing livelihoods during times of change in the Sahtú Region - tracking change panel
Martin, Chelsea (1) (Presenter), M. Bayha (1,2) and B. Parlee (2)
(1) University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
(2) Red Deer College, Red Deer AB, Canada
(3) University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
In recent years, the effects of climate change have become increasingly visible in northern Canada; its impact on northern Indigenous peoples has become a particularly important area of research and policy. A significant number of traditional knowledge studies have helped understand the impacts of climate change in northern Canada, particularly in the Inuit and Inuvialuit regions of northern Canada and in Greenland. However, few studies have focused on the climate related knowledge and experiences of First Nations of the Mackenzie River Basin. This project will help address this gap while at the same time investigating how the livelihoods of Sahtu Got’ine fishers are impacted or adapting to climate related changes. Déline, NWT, is located directly on Great Bear Lake and is just one prime example of a sub-arctic society that is gradually being affected by abnormal environmental variation. Fishing is an important livelihood activity for the Sahtú Got’ine of Déline because it not only contributes necessary food resources but also reinforces healthy respectful relationships between people and cultural landscapes within and surrounding Great Bear Lake. Over many generations, the Sahtú Got’ine have developed valuable knowledge, practices and institutions that are deeply integrated with their spiritual worldview. The traditional knowledge about local ecosystems including ecosystem dynamics is important to the continued sustainability of fishing livelihoods in this region and in many other northern communities. However, as the stresses of climate change and resource development grow, this knowledge will become even more important to the community and others concerned with the sustainability of the arctic environment. Interviews suggest that the Sahtú Got’ine are presently impacted by such problems as rising temperatures, erratic weather events and changing precipitation patterns, which consequently has implications for food security and overall well- being. This research project will focus on three objectives. Objective. 1 will focus on learning about environmental variability and change in the Great Bear Lake area, based on local and traditional knowledge. Objective. 2 aims to determine how these changes affect peoples’ fishing livelihoods. And finally, Objective 3 targets the mechanisms or means by which knowledge is shared, interpreted and/or transformed between generations. In addition to these objective, the four main questions guiding the research are: 1) What are the changes? 2) Where are the changes; 3) How do these changes affect you? and most importantly 4) How are people coping? Through these objectives, I hope to contribute to the academic literature in the following ways: advance theory on Indigenous approaches of adapting to climate and ecological changes in the Sahtú; and address gaps in the literature on Indigenous knowledge/assessment of climate change.
Assessing reasons for changes in the condition of Deception Bay Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus)
Martyniuk, Mackenzie (1) (Presenter), P. Couture (2), L. Tran (3) M. Oreiller (4) L. Beaupré (4) and M. Power (1)
(1) University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON, Canada
(2) Institut national de la recherche scientifique - Centre Eau Terre Environnement, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Nunavik Research Centre - Makivik Corporation, Kuujjuaq QC, Canada
(4) Direction de la gestion de la faune du Nord-du-Québec - Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs - Chibougamau QC, Canada
The Raglan Mine, a large copper and nickel mining complex situated in the Nunavik region of Québec, has collected biological data on Deception Bay Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) through an employee sport fishing program, which since 2004 has documented a decline in fish condition. Concerns expressed by the local Hunting, Fishing, and Trapping Coordinating Committee (HFTCC) have triggered additional scientific study. As a result, tissue and water samples collected from Deception Bay, Deception River headwater lakes, Duquet and Françoys-Malherbe, as well as a reference site near Aupaluk, Québec will be used for a series of within and between site assessments of condition to correlate observed changes with seasonal and/or environmental factors. A comparative statistical analysis of available Arctic charr biological data from the Nunavik region will also be performed to determine if a similar region wide pattern of declining condition exists. This project will address possible reasons for the declines in the average somatic condition of Deception River Arctic charr, which are of critical importance to local communities.
Terrestrial laser scanning for quantifying small-scale vertical movements of the ground surface in Arctic permafrost regions
Marx, Sabrina (1) (Presenter), K. Anders (1), S. Antonova (2), I. Beck (1), J. Boike (2), P. Marsh (3), M. Langer (2) and B. Höfle (1,4)
(1) GIScience, Institute of Geography, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
(2) Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Potsdam, Germany
(3) Cold Regions Research Centre, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON, Canada
(4) Heidelberg Center for the Environment (HCE), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
Three-dimensional data acquired by terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) provides an accurate representation of the Earth’s surface, which is commonly used to detect and quantify topographic changes on a small scale. However, in Arctic permafrost regions TLS-based monitoring of thaw subsidence is challenging due to vegetation and the micro-topographic characteristics (e.g. dense moss-lichen layer, hummocks etc.). In this presentation, we focus, firstly, on the evaluation of raster- and point-based TLS methods for quantifying small-scale thaw subsidence within the continuous permafrost zone. Secondly, a new filter strategy is presented that reduces spatial sampling effects caused by various factors such as vegetation, micro-topography and scan-setup. Our study site is located at the Trail Valley Creek research watershed, 50 km north-east of Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada. Three field campaigns took place in 2015 and 2016. Besides capturing TLS data, at-point real-time kinematic (RTK) Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) measurements and manual subsidence measurements were gathered. To achieve a highly accurate registration (on mm-scale) of the three TLS campaigns, co-registration of the georeferenced point clouds is performed based on the stable fix points in the otherwise highly dynamic permafrost environment. Then, different methods to quantify vertical ground movements are applied and evaluated. The result reveals limitations of standard raster-based DEM differencing, but also of point-based distance calculation for detecting spatial patterns of small-scale thaw subsidence. In the Arctic tundra ecosystem, TLS-based deformation analysis is strongly affected by occlusion and spatial sampling effects, even if data acquisition is repeated from similar scan positions. We show that the mentioned errors can be reduced by capturing the ground surface from more than one TLS scan position. Our filter strategy allows to identify TLS points which are suitable for multi-temporal deformation analyses, and results in an average seasonal subsidence rate (2015/06-2015/08) of about -2.0 cm at our study site. The derived subsidence maps deliver highly accurate ground-truth data, which is needed to improve area-wide subsidence monitoring methods such as SAR interferometry. This leads to a deeper understanding of permafrost-related subsidence processes.
The influence of winter and summer atmospheric circulation on the variability of temperature and sea ice around Greenland
Masayo, Ogi (1) (Presenter), S. Rysgaard (1,2,3) and D.G. Barber (1)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
(3) Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland
Most peripheral seas of the Arctic Ocean have seen a pronounced rise in sea surface temperatures in the past century, and this signature of Arctic amplification in proximity to the land suggests that the observed marine and terrestrial changes might be connected to each other. Using in situ observations of temperature from 9 coastal meteorological stations around Greenland (GrSTs) and remotely sensed fields of sea ice extent (SIE), we examine the interannual variations of surface air temperature (T2m) and sea level pressure (SLP) anomalies associated with the GrSTs and SIEs surrounding Greenland, specifically within Baffin Bay, the Greenland Sea and Kara-Barents Seas. During winter, the interannual variation in T2m and SLP of the west and south coasts of GrSTs and the Baffin Bay SIE are different from that of the east coast of GrSTs and the SIEs in the Greenland Sea and Kara-Barents Seas. The GrSTs on the west and south coasts of Greenland and the Baffin Bay SIE are associated with the T2m anomalies over Baffin Bay and Davis Strait. The winter SLP patterns associated with these GrSTs and SIEs show positive anomalies over the Arctic and negative anomalies over the North Atlantic with a large scale atmospheric circulation such as the winter NAO. On the other hand, the east coast of GrSTs and the SIEs in the Greenland Sea and Kara-Barents Seas are correlated with the T2m anomalies over the Greenland Sea and Barents Sea. The surface wind pattern associated with the SIEs in the Greenland Sea and Kara-Barents Seas has a cyclonic circulation in the Greenland Sea and Barents Sea. At the local scale the cyclonic circulation could induce negative SIE anomalies and contribute to increasing open water in the Greenland Sea and Barents Sea. The effect of the loss of sea ice and the heat from the open ocean warming to the atmosphere may influence the GrSTs in the east coast of Greenland. As a result, the T2m pattern associated with the GrSTs in the east coast of Greenland is similar to the pattern of the SIEs in the Greenland Sea and Kara-Barents Seas. During summer, the T2m anomalies associated with all GrSTs and SIEs have positive anomalies over mid-latitudes. The two times series of all GrSTs and SIEs fluctuate quickly and display large trends towards warming temperatures and decreasing SIE. The summer SLP associated with all GrSTs and SIEs are characterized by a seesaw pattern between positive anomalies over the Arctic and negative anomalies over mid-latitudes. The summer SLP anomalies are similar to the summer AO pattern, and it is noteworthy that the summer anticyclonic circulation over the Arctic and Greenland has contributed to the variability and trends in both summer GrSTs and SIEs.
Surface water quality in Northern Canada: Examining waterborne Giardia and Cryptosporidium in Iqaluit, Nunavut
Masina, Stephanie (1) (Presenter), J. Shirley (2), J. Allen (2,3), J.M. Sargeant (1,4), J.S. Weese (5), R.A. Guy (6), P.M. Wallis (7), A. Cunsolo (8), A. Bunce (1) and S.L. Harper (1)
(1) Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada
(2) Nunavut Research Institute, Iqaluit NU, Canada
(3) Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, Iqaluit NU, Canada
(4) Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses, Guelph ON, Canada
(5) Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada
(6) Public Health Agency of Canada, Guelph ON, Canada
(7) Hyperion Research Ltd., Medicine Hat AB, Canada
(8) Labrador Institute, Memorial University, Happy Valley-Goose Bay NL, Canada
Background: Waterborne disease is a global public health priority. Enteric illness transmitted by contaminated water contributes to considerable morbidity, mortality, and economic costs in Canada. One of the highest incidences of self-reported enteric illness reported in the global literature is in Iqaluit, Nunavut. To understand potential waterborne disease transmission in Iqaluit, this project estimated the prevalence and identified risk factors of Giardia and Cryptosporidium parasites in untreated surface water that community members collect for drinking. Methods: Water quality data were collected weekly from June to September, 2016, from two streams commonly used as sources of untreated drinking water. Water samples (n=55) were processed in Iqaluit using the IDEXX Filta-Max® system as per the EPA Method 1623. All samples were tested by Hyperion Research Ltd. (Medicine Hat, Alberta) for the presence of Giardia and Cryptosporidium using microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Univariable exact logistic regression models were used to examine associations between positive samples, weather conditions, and water quality parameters. Results: Using microscopy, 20.0% of samples tested positive for Giardia and 1.8% of samples tested positive for Cryptosporidium (n=55). Among positive results, the average concentration of Giardia was 1.3 cysts/100L (n=11), and the average concentration of Cryptosporidium was 0.9 oocysts/100L (n=1). Giardia and Cryptosporidium were not detected in any of the water samples using PCR. Statistical analyses identified low water and air temperatures to be significantly associated with the increased odds of parasite presence (i.e. Giardia and/or Cryptosporidium) (OR [low water temperature] = 4.07, p = 0.047; OR [low air temperature] = 4.43, p = 0.041). Discussion: These results suggest that compared to raw drinking water sources in other regions of Canada, the prevalence of Giardia is similar while the prevalence of Cryptosporidium is lower in surface water in Iqaluit. However, differences between the use and treatment of drinking water sources between Northern and Southern Canadian communities should be considered. The research team will work with Northern partners to develop a culturally effective knowledge translation strategy to share our results and exchange knowledge with the community.
Toward a new method to estimate underwater light regime under spatially heterogeneous surface environments in the Arctic
Massicotte, Philippe (1) (Presenter), G. Bécu (1) , S. Lambert-Girard (1), J. Laliberté (1) and M. Babin (1)
(1) Takuvik Joint International Laboratory, Laval University (Canada) - CNRS (France), UMI3376, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
An adequate description of underwater light regime is mandatory to understand energy fluxes in aquatic ecosystems. However, measuring vertical light profiles under ice cover present considerable challenges in comparison to open water. For instance, due to the local horizontal heterogeneity of the environment (melt ponds, leads, ice/snow thickness), downwelling irradiance (Ed) does not follow the expected monotonically exponential decrease with depth. Rather, light transmission can increase to reach a subsurface maximum between 5 and 10 meters. As a consequence, estimating vertical diffuse attenuation coefficients (KEd, an important metric used by biologists and to parameterise models) represent a considerable challenge. Furthermore, measured light properties are only valid locally and cannot be generalized to the surrounding environment. One promising way to overcome the above-mentioned issues is to use upwelling radiance (Lu) that is far less influenced by the surface spatial heterogeneity. More specifically, we propose to use upwelling radiance attenuation coefficient (KLu) as a proxy to reconstruct the “true” downwelling irradiance light profiles under a spatially heterogeneous snow/ice environment. Then, derived KEd estimated from Lu profiles are compared with those estimated from inherent optical properties (absorption and backscattering), not influenced by the surface heterogeneity. En extensive dataset of light measurements (C-OPS, ACS) done under the landfast ice during the Green Edge project (2015-2016) will be used for those calculations.
I have a question for you, being the scientist that you are - A case study of insider/outsider relations in disaster risk reduction in Utqiagvik, Alaska
Maton, Anuszka (1) (Presenter)
(1) University College London, London, United Kingdom
Poster: Link to the PDFThe way that outside assistance operates in disaster response and recovery has been widely studied in the humanitarian field, yet less so in disaster risk reduction (DRR). Using the case of Utqiagvik, Alaska, this project identifies where there are current tensions between insiders and outsiders in DRR, and how these may manifest given past-faced social and environmental changes in the region. Five focus groups with community groups, seven interviews with expert outsiders and two interviews with those who straddled the insider/outsider boundary were conducted. Once present insider/outsider tensions were identified, risk perception, respective DRR roles of insiders and outsiders, and perspectives on relocation were compared between insiders and outsiders to identify where these aligned, and where there were divergences. Results show that there is a preconception that outsiders lead to tension, colouring outside DRR before it commences. Although divergences were identified in risk perception, outsiders emphasised the importance of identifying community priorities and concerns prior to commencing any project, suggesting that this alleviates tension. Tensions surrounding decision-making, particularly in terms of land use zoning, emerged, posing challenges for long-term vulnerability reduction. This, combined with extensive critical infrastructure was found to have ramifications for the way that relocation was considered. Varied responses by insiders and outsiders regarding relocation suggest that no outside assistance would be available if local people wanted to relocate. Therefore, only those with the means to migrate can do so, leaving the most vulnerable the most exposed. Alternatively, mass post-disaster relocation was found to be a possibility which, if reactive and unplanned, could create a plethora of issues that increase vulnerability to future events. Finally, despite there being clear divergences between insiders and outsiders, there were also divergences within the community groups, serving as a reminder of the power structures that operate within communities, and how these are considered by outsiders.
Arctic-COLORS - Land-ocean interactions in the Arctic: An integrative field campaign to assess the impacts of natural- and anthropogenic changes to coastal ocean biology, biogeochemistry and biodiversity
Matrai, Patricia (4) (Presenter), A. Mannino (1), M. Friedrichs (2), P. Hernes (3), J. Salisbury (5), M. Tzortziou (6) and C. Del Castillo (1)
(1) NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt MD, United States
(2) Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Gloucester Point VA, United States
(3) University of California-Davis, Davis CA, United States
(4) Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, East Boothbay ME, United States
(5) University of New Hampshire, Durham NH, United States
(6) City College of New York, New York NY, United States
Arctic-COLORS is a proposed field campaign under consideration by NASA's Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry Program that aims to quantify the response of the Arctic coastal environment to global change and anthropogenic disturbances – an imperative for developing mitigation and adaptation strategies for the region. The Arctic-COLORS field campaign is unprecedented, as it represents the first attempt to study the nearshore coastal Arctic (from riverine deltas and estuaries out to the coastal sea) as an integrated land-ocean-atmosphere-biosphere system. The overarching objective of Arctic-COLORS is to quantify the coupled biogeochemical/ecological response of the Arctic nearshore system to rapidly changing terrestrial fluxes and ice conditions. This focus on land-ocean interactions in the nearshore coastal zone is a unique contribution of Arctic-COLORS compared to other NASA field campaigns in polar regions. The science of our field campaign will focus on three key science themes and several overarching science questions per theme: (1) Effect of land on nearshore Arctic biogeochemistry. (2) Effect of ice on nearshore Arctic biogeochemistry. (3) Effects of future change (warming land and melting ice) on nearshore Arctic biogeochemistry. This field campaign will be composed of a first phase of retrospective data analysis and simulations, followed by an integrative measurement approach utilizing a broad range of proven sampling approaches from a multitude of platforms, including autonomous systems, to achieve sufficient seasonal and spatial coverage to resolve the science questions proposed by the Arctic-COLORS team as well as remote sensing and development of coupled physical-biogeochemical models.
Recent trend in flux of dissolved organic carbon observed in the Mackenzie River mouth
Matsuoka, Atsushi (1,2) (Presenter) and M. Babin (1,2)
(1) Takuvik Joint International Laboratory, Département de Biologie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Takuvik Joint International Laboratory, CNRS, Québec QC, Canada
Global warming is affecting a broad spectrum of terrestrial and marine environments in high northern latitudes. River discharge has increased in North American side of the Arctic region particularly since late 20th century. Significant amount of organic carbon originating from permafrost thaw is anticipated to be delivered by river discharge into the Arctic Ocean. We estimated, for the first time, the flux of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the Mackenzie River mouth from 2003 to 2013 using satellite ocean color data with known uncertainty. Our results show that there was no trend in DOC flux. This is mainly attributed to no trend in river discharge. However, the active layer of soil increased significantly. Doxaran et al. (2015) showed that the flux of particulate organic carbon (POC) has a positive trend in the same period. Given the age of POC observed in our study area is old (thousands of years from the present; Guo et al., 2007), these findings suggest that organic carbon originating from permafrost thaw is already being observed in the Mackenzie River mouth. Rapid microbial consumption of the labile DOC (Mann et al., 2015; Spencer et al., 2015) during its transport or in the river mouth is a possible explanation. Future scenario regarding atmospheric CO2 budget will be discussed.
Characterization of the under-ice light field and availability of photosynthetically active radiation during a sea ice spring melt progression
Matthes, Lisa (1) (Presenter), C.J. Mundy (1), S. Lambert-Girard (2), N. Pogorzelec (1), M. Babin (2) and J. Ehn (1)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
The availability of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) is a key factor for under-ice phytoplankton growth in a seasonal sea ice-covered water body. The increase towards sufficient light levels for positive net photosynthesis occurs concurrently with the melt progression in late spring. At this time, the large increase in light transmission through the ice layer is primarily caused by a shift in ice surface conditions from a highly reflective snow cover to a less reflective mosaic of bare ice and melt ponds. However, with the increase in under-ice light levels, differences in the downwelling attenuation coefficient and the angular distribution, described by the average cosine, of the under-ice light field become more apparent due to a significant higher transmission of radiation through melt ponds compared to that of bare ice. This horizontal variability has an effect on the measured PAR obtained with different radiometer types and needs to be taken into account for the estimation of phytoplankton production. To investigate the differences between planar, scalar and total under-ice PAR readings, spectral measurements of transmitted downwelling and upwelling radiation were performed coincidently along vertical profiles during the Green Edge ice camp campaigns in May/June 2015 and June/July 2016 under snow-covered, melt pond-covered and bare land-fast sea ice near Broughton Island, southern Baffin Bay. Our data show changes in the average cosine and downwelling attenuation coefficient of the upper water column with increasing depth and over the course of melt season. These variations have to be taken into account for the conversion of downwelling planar PAR measurements into scalar PAR data, which include variations in the angular light distribution and are, therefore, more accurate for under-ice primary production estimations.
Ice mass balance buoy (IMBB): Autonomous Arctic marine monitoring system
Maxwell, Dale (1), R. Galley (1) (Presenter) and D. Babb (1)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
The CEOS Ice Mass Balance Buoy (IMBB) is an autonomous Arctic marine monitoring system that provides accurate and precise meteorological and physical measurements through the ocean-sea ice-atmosphere interface. Two-way communication of data and programming instruction, instrument modularity, site-specific adaptability, and cost are our areas of focused improvement over existing solutions. Efficient instrument selection and sampling frequencies are designed for landfast retrievable deployments, and for irretrievable deployments through mobile first-year or multi-year sea ice with planned power consumption for up to two years with inexpensive data transmission costs. The CEOS IMBBs simple, sound design provides adequate protection and reliable operation while deployed in extreme conditions. A galvanized steel tripod suitable for a wide range of surfaces is used to mount component instruments, which use waterproof hardware to connect with the controlling electronics. The IMBB instrumentation currently includes air temperature, relative humidity, atmospheric pressure, ice thickness (using sonar range finders above the surface and below the sea ice), GPS location, and creates a linear temperature profile using up to 48 digital temperature sensors (DTS) over a user-specified length up to 5 meters. The Arduino MEGA 2560 provides reliable, cost effective, and easily adjusted component communication and control. Data are stored in internal memory and are telemetered in near-real time to the end-user via Iridium Short-burst Data protocol. Satellite communication allows users to reprogram daily system measurement frequency ranging from 0.5-24 hours, as well as the linear temperature profile length from 1-48 DTS readings to ensure efficient use of on-board power over multi-year deployments. Custom flexible printed circuit boards (PCB) are designed and built at CEOS to mount controlling hardware and DTSs. The temperature sensors may be spaced at 2.5, 5, or 10 cm distances to suit different deployment scenarios and length requirements up to 5 meters. CEOS has successfully deployed nine IMBBs in the past 8 years; the most recently improved iteration was successful in Hudson Bay in winter 2017.
Spatiotemporal variabilities of phytoplankton activity in the Greenland Sea
Mayot, Nicolas (1) (Presenter), P. Matrai (1), M. Steele (2), D. Swift (2), S. Riser (2) and K. Johnson (3)
(1) Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, East Boothbay ME, United States
(2) University of Washington, Seattle WA, United States
(3) MBARI, Monterey CA, United States
Our main objective is to determine and understand the spatiotemporal variabilities of phytoplankton production in the Greenland Sea throughout the annual cycle. In Arctic seas, most of the spatiotemporal variabilities in phytoplankton production are a function of sea ice cover. However, due to the scarcity of biogeochemical observations under and at the edge of the ice, many uncertainties still exist in the estimates of phytoplankton production in this region. To fill those gaps, our approach is to use in situ data from three Biogeochemical-Argo floats (i.e. BGC-Argo floats – with CTD, oxygen, fluorescence, backscatter, and nitrate sensors) that operated in the Greenland Sea between 2011 and 2016. Most importantly, these BGC-Argo floats had an ice avoidance algorithm which allowed them to perform physical and biogeochemical profiles under the ice. In total, in situ observations for five consecutive annual cycles with a weekly temporal frequency are available. Three open-water spring phytoplankton blooms and two under-ice / ice-edge blooms were detected. This allows a comparison of the phytoplankton activity between ice-covered and open-water environments across multiple seasons. Time series of biophysical observations and derived estimates of primary production will be presented. The influence of lateral advection on primary production availability will also be discussed.
The impact of DOM photodegradation on CO2 production in thaw ponds of eastern Canada
Mazoyer, Flora (1,2) (Presenter), I. Laurion (1,2) and M. Rautio (3,2)
(1) Centre Eau Terre Environnement, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Département des sciences fondamentales, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi QC, Canada
In Arctic regions, permafrost thaw leads to the formation of numerous ponds and to a mobilization of large quantities of terrestrial organic carbon, that enter the ponds as dissolved organic matter (DOM). Part of this matter is transformed into greenhouse gases (GHG) in the ponds, and transferred to the atmosphere. As the DOM comes from relatively unaltered carbon pools that have been stored in frozen soils for a long time, determining its potential to act as a positive feedback on climate warming is of fundamental importance. Factors contributing to DOM degradation processes and the formation of GHGs are complex and their interactions are not well known. This PhD project focuses on the description and quantification of sunlight effects on DOM degradation in thaw ponds, and on resulting CO2 emissions. DOM can be mineralized into CO2 directly by sunlight but also indirectly, through the stimulation of a bacterial mineralization of DOM photoproducts. There are many uncertainties concerning the current contribution of these photodegradation pathways to the global CO2 production, especially for Arctic freshwater ecosystems. Some recent studies have shown the importance of photodegradation in Arctic systems, although others have underlined the insignificance of the direct CO2 production by solar radiation on permafrost carbon. Considering that permafrost thaw is estimated to intensify and that sunlight exposure of soil and water increases due to shortening winters, it seems appropriate to further investigate these questions. This poster presents results of DOM photodegradation in incubation experiments which took place: 1- in laboratory conditions with natural sunlight stimulation (university roof top), and 2- under in situ conditions in ponds of the subarctic (Nunavik) and Arctic (Nunavut) regions of Eastern Canada. The water from different thaw ponds was incubated under sunlight or in the dark, and with presence or absence of bacteria, using a full factorial design with triplicates. Changes in optic properties of chromophoric DOM (absorption and fluorescence), dissolved organic carbon, dissolved inorganic carbon (as a proxy for CO2), and heterotrophic bacterial abundance and activity were monitored over a period of two weeks. Natural irradiance attenuation rates (8 wavelengths in the visible and UV range) were also measured for each pond. Results demonstrate the dominance of photomineralization over bacterial mineralization for the studied systems.
Movements of snowy owls (Bubo scandiacus) from the eastern and central US
McCabe, Rebecca A. (1) (Presenter), K.H. Elliott (1), J.F. Therrien (2) and K.L. Wiebe (3)
(1) Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue QC, Canada
(2) Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Acopian Center for Conservation Learning, Orwigsburg PA, USA
(3) Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK, Canada
Effective management and conservation of wildlife requires an understanding of an animal’s entire annual cycle. Snowy owls (Bubo scandiacus) are top avian predators in arctic ecosystems, and are known for their irruptive, nomadic behavior and use of various habitats and landscapes, making them difficult to study during the non-breeding season. Our goal was to assess the movement patterns of irruptive snowy owls that were tagged during winter from 2013- 2017 using GPS/GSM telemetry. We gathered data from 24 adults (16 females and 8 males) and 24 juveniles (10 females and 14 males) tagged in 11 states in eastern and central United States. Data has been collected over at least two winters from ten individuals, with one individual being followed for four years. The majority of owls were tagged east of the Great Lakes and those adults who were tracked from their winter to summer areas moved north along the coasts of the Hudson Bay whereas one juvenile flew across the bay. We describe and compare the routes, distances travelled, dates and habitat use among ages and between sexes of irruptive snowy owls. Owls tagged west of the Great Lakes typically spend the summer west of Hudson Bay while those tagged east of the Great Lakes typically spend the summer east of Hudson Bay. These results will be useful for defining habitat requirements and potential threats facing snowy owls throughout their range in Arctic and sub-Arctic North America.
Using technology to monitor polar bear (Ursus maritimus) behaviour, track movements, mitigate conflict, and support public outreach efforts in a changing Arctic
McCall, Alysa (1) (Presenter), G. York (1) and B.J. Kirschhoffer (1)
(1) Polar Bears International
Climate warming in the Arctic has led to changes in sea ice, which have affected marine mammals through habitat loss, changes in movement patterns, declining health or body condition, altered prey availability and foraging behaviour, and subsequent increases in human activity. Effectively monitoring marine animals during this time of profound change is more important than ever. However, studying wildlife that live in cold and remote environments can be both challenging and dangerous. As their sea ice habitat continues to decline, polar bears (Ursus maritimus) have experienced declines in reproductive success, overall body condition, and shifts in movement and distribution and now face an increased probability of human-bear interactions. Technology can be used to monitor such changes, support informed management decisions, and serve as a platform for education and communication. Polar Bears International partners with multiple NGOs, governments, and universities to advance our understanding of polar bears using technology across three countries. Since 2008, we have studied the post den emergence behavior of polar bear family groups in northern Alaska using remote camera systems. This project has recently expanded to observe polar bear maternal dens in Svalbard, Norway. In addition, we are supporting the use of GPS ear tags to track male and subadult polar bears in Hudson Bay; such data will help us better understand the needs of these age and sex groups. Additionally, we recently launched a pilot project in Churchill, MB, using the Compact Surveillance Radar to remotely detect polar bears up to a kilometer outside of town and alert management teams before a bear comes too close to people. Finally, we operate live streaming polar bear viewing cameras near Churchill, MB. These cams, in operation for over a decade, receive over a million views a year from around the globe, and serve as a platform to talk about polar bear biology, changes in the Hudson Bay region, and fluctuations in the regional polar bear population. Technology can help us better understand, mitigate, and communicate the consequences of a warming world on the Arctic.
Exploring the potential for knowledge co-production in the Arctic: Lessons from three case studies in Nunavut, Canada
McCarney, Paul (1) (Presenter), G.W. Thiemann (1), C. Furgal (2), S. Ferguson (3) and A.T. Fisk (4)
(1) Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University, Toronto ON, Canada
(2) Department of Indigenous Studies/Department of Environmental & Resource Studies/Sciences, Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
(3) Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(4) Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor ON, Canada
Environmental concerns related to climate change and human activities and the impacts of these issues on the well-being and health of human communities in the Arctic are growing concerns. The complexities of issues facing Arctic environments, including the different perspectives and priorities among academic and non-academic communities, have presented challenges for knowledge producers and decision-makers. There is a recognized need to consider multiple perspectives in Arctic research and decision-making, underscored by emerging bodies of thought on research ethics and practices and the establishment of policies and institutions designed to promote and protect Inuit interests in northern research and wildlife co-management. However, research approaches defined by traditional disciplinary boundaries are often challenged in generating knowledge that fully represents the complexity Arctic environments. To effectively integrate multiple perspectives in research, there is value in the exploration and elaboration of research approaches that meaningfully engage Inuit communities and scientists together in the co-production of knowledge about Arctic wildlife. With an emphasis on both process and results, the field of knowledge co-production has been positioned as a potential response to the needs of Arctic research. Knowledge co-production is specifically oriented towards addressing problems that have both social and scientific significance, involving societal actors who are directly affected by the research problems, including multiple perspectives in the definition and analysis of problems, and collaboratively determining the application of research knowledge. We explored aspects of knowledge co-production and the particular the context of Arctic wildlife research to consider the potential for knowledge co-production to enhance knowledge generation and relationships among actors in this area of study. We examined three case studies involving social and natural scientists and Inuit community members. Through multiple methods, we examined the priorities among various actors related to Arctic wildlife and the factors and conditions that influence the success of knowledge co-production to better understand contexts in which it may be an appropriate research approach. Case studies took place in Iqaluit, Kugaaruk and Pangnirtung, NU and involved research focused on ringed seals (Pusa hispida), polar bears (Ursus maritimus), and Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides), respectively. Results suggest that there is potential for knowledge co-production to be well suited as an effective approach to Arctic research if particular social, political, and institutional conditions are carefully considered. In particular, the cases showed evidence that knowledge co-production can help facilitate communication between and among scientific and community actors, strengthen linkages between scientific and local community priorities related to research problems to ensure that research results have both academic and non-academic benefits and applications, and offer insights into challenges in using a knowledge co-production approach related to the particular geographical and sociopolitical nature of Arctic research. Using a knowledge co-production approach can offer distinct advantages to both natural and social scientists, particularly in a research climate increasingly characterized by cross-disciplinary collaborations, allowing researchers to maintain the strengths of their own disciplines while also benefitting from the those of collaborators. Knowledge co-production also has the potential to facilitate meaningful exchange of knowledges between local community participants and researchers.
Freshwater-marine coupling in greater Hudson Bay system
McCullough, Greg (1) (Presenter), Z. Kuzyk (1), J. Ehn (1), R. Macdonald (2), K. Koenig (3), K. Sydor (3), and D. Barber (1)
(1) Centre for Earth Observation Science (CEOS), University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Institute of Ocean Sciences, Fisheries & Oceans Canada, Sidney BC, Canada
(3) Manitoba Hydro, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Hudson Bay, James Bay, Foxe Basin and Hudson Strait are interconnected water bodies occupying (collectively, the Hudson Bay system, or HBS) an area of about 1,300,000 km2, in the centre of Canada. Taken as a whole, the HBS represents one of the largest inland seas in the world. At 3.8 million km2, its drainage basin is the largest ocean watershed in Canada, draining all or parts of five Canadian provinces and two territories. From this large catchment area, 900 km3/year of freshwater drains into the HBS annually. Saucier and Straneo (2008) have estimated that 3X this amount, about 2700 km3/y of freshwater, is carried with marine currents (and to a lesser extent, as drifting ice) through through Fury and Hecla Strait, and Hudson Strait; this freshwater derives mainly from other Canadian Arctic and Siberian watersheds. Net precipitation-minus-evaporation supplies another 1 km3/y. Although the largest single freshwater pathway into the HBS is via Hudson Strait (mainly along the north shore), the net flow through the strait is in fact outwards (along the southern side). The HBS exports about 1200 km3/y of freshwater into the Labrador Sea. Seasonal ice formation plays an important seasonal role by releasing about 1200 km3 of freshwater at the surface each spring and by brine rejection through the winter. Regional and seasonal differences in river discharge, rates of sea ice formation, and inputs of sea ice melt to surface waters result in complex spatial distribution of the freshwater components in the water column. Ice melt is particularly significant to total seasonal freshwater supply in Foxe Basin where the contribution of runoff from the watershed is least, and where the coldest temperatures in the HBS create the thickest ice cover. On the other hand, combined runoff and seasonal ice melt supply more fresh water in the south. James Bay and southern and eastern Hudson Bay receive most of the freshwater supply from the watershed, over 600 km3/y, and thus resemble large estuaries. Moreover, although more ice may be produced in northern Hudson Bay, particularly along the northwest coast where a persistent polynya provides open water supporting fast ice formation throughout the winter, much of this ice melts in interior and southern Hudson Bay, pushed south and east by the dominant cyclonic circulation (causing maximum ridging in the southeast) or drifting in the same direction as it melts first along the south coast and in James Bay. River runoff influences most physical and biological oceanographic processes in these areas including stratification, the ice formation-melt cycle, light penetration into the water column and associated heating, replenishment of nutrients from deep waters into the surface layer, and distribution and amounts of primary production. During recent decades, regulation and diversion as well as climate change have modified the timing and distribution of runoff into the HBS. This submission reviews and updates information concerning the importance of freshwater in the various parts of the system; the contributors to the freshwater budget, the total loading of freshwater to the system; and the distribution of freshwater components in marine and coastal environments.
Improving the lives of children with hearing loss in Nunavut by focusing on better hearing at school
McCurdy, Lynne (1) (Presenter) and the BHENY team (1)
(1) Wellington Hearing Care, Guelph ON, Canada
The goal of BHENY (Better Hearing in Education for Northern Youth) is to improve the lives of children with hearing loss in Nunavut, focusing on better hearing at school. Addressing hearing issues at school has brought awareness to the public, to education and health administrators, and to government decision makers, about the scarcity of hearing services in the Canadian Arctic. Since receiving the 2015 Arctic Inspiration Prize, BHENY has: installed 144 sound field systems in 10 schools - in Pond Inlet, Pangnirtung, Igloolik, Iqaluit (Nakasuk and Joamie Schools), Hall Beach, Grise Fjord, Resolute and, Clyde River and Apex; trained 158 teachers, principals and vice principals, 56 Student Support Assistants, 11 Student Support Teachers and 3 School Community Counsellors and 2 Student Support Consultants; presented Hearing Fairs for approximately 1,925 children to learn about hearing and hearing care, with many parents, and community members such as DEA members, politicians, health unit and Department of Education staff and Nunavut Arctic College students also in attendance; and engaged in a variety of knowledge mobilization activities and new project initiatives related to professional development and hearing screening. The next phase of BHENY includes plans for launches at two schools in the fall of 2017 (Arctic Bay and Kimmirut) with the remaining schools in Sanikiluaq, Qikiqtarjuaq and Cape Dorset in the spring of 2018. Since its inception, with invaluable recognition and support from the Arctic Inspiration Prize, Hear the World, QSO (Qikiqtani School Operations), the GN Department of Education, and the Rotary Club of Guelph, Ontario, BHENY has developed and implemented a successful process of soundfield technology installation, professional development and training of school staff. It has improved community awareness through Hearing Fairs, established cooperative alliances between experts and supporters from North and South, and connected with decision makers at all levels of government. These are important steps in improving the hearing of youth in Nunavut and the team is looking to the future where improved opportunities exist for children with hearing loss living in Nunavut.
Assessing fine-scale land thaw subsidence and subsurface hydraulic changes in the High Arctic
McFadden, Sarah I. (1) (Presenter), S.F. Lamoureux (1), J. Warburton (2), G. Bevan (1) and A.C.A. Rudy (3)
(1) Queen’s University, Kingston ON, Canada
(2) Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
(3) Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON, Canada
Recent climate warming has caused the permafrost landscape in the Canadian High Arctic to undergo substantial change and degradation. Many of the landscape changes are a result of variations in active layer development and permafrost degradation which are associated with thaw consolidation and changes in subsurface water flow pathways. Knowledge regarding these processes is limited, and integrated research aimed at building linkages between climate, permafrost, hydrologic and geomorphic processes has not been previously undertaken. There is a compelling need to improve our ability to predict where land subsidence is occurring and the associated hydrological changes to predict landscape changes, changes in water quality, and the potential hazards associated with permafrost change in the High Arctic. We present initial results of a study undertaken at Cape Bounty, Melville Island, Nunavut, Canada (74°54'N, 109°35'W). Initial measurements of land subsidence based on satellite approaches (Differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) indicate localized areas of cm-scale seasonal subsidence in recent years which is hypothesized to be associated with localized ice content in the active layer and subsurface drainage conditions. To measure subsidence at a finer scale, we installed permanent ground control monuments into bedrock and large boulders in two study areas (Goose and the Plateau) within the study site. Differential global positioning system (DGPS) and total station surveying techniques were employed to determine precise locational information of the monuments in relation to one another. This stable ground control will be used in conjunction with fine-scale photogrammetry that was acquired using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Initial flight campaigns were undertaken in 2017 and will be continued in 2018 to identify fine-scale subsidence. Additional hydrometric measurement networks (i.e. piezometers, pore water pressure sensors and active layer measurements) will be investigated to determine the hydrological processes associated with the measured subsidence. Results from this research will provide important new insights into the relationship between permafrost degradation, hydrology and slope hazards in the High Arctic, and will contribute to our efforts to improve the predictive capacity of hazards and impacts to permafrost degradation to northern stakeholders.
Towards quantitative estimation of killer whale diets using blubber fatty acid signatures
McKinney, Melissa (1) (Presenter), R. Dietz (2), C. Sonne (2), J. Bourque (1), S. Pedro (1), S.J. Iverson (3), J. St. Leger (4), M. Hansen (2) and A. Rosing-Asvid (5)
(1) University of Connecticut, Storrs CT, United States
(2) Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
(3) Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, Canada
(4) Sea World, San Diego CA, United States
(5) Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland
Killer whales (Orcinus orca) are considered to be apex predators throughout the world’s oceans, though they have historically avoided heavily ice-covered Arctic seas. More recently, as sea ice has declined, these predators have been observed with increasing frequency in eastern Canadian Arctic, sub-Arctic, and Greenlandic waters. Within these regions, incidents of killer whales feeding on Arctic and/or sub-Arctic marine mammals have been reported. In addition, killer whales have recently been hunted in Greenland with consequences for killer whale populations, as well as high contaminant exposures for Inuit and their sledge dogs. Consequently, it is imperative to evaluate the trophic ecology of killer whales, and implications for Arctic ecosystems, as they redistribute poleward due to climate change. Quantitative fatty acid (FA) signature analysis (QFASA) is a biochemical tracer technique that has successfully been applied to estimate the diets of various marine predators. Instead of capturing single predation events, this method allows for integration of dietary information over longer periods of time and, if developed for killer whales, may thus provide accurate, high-resolution estimates of their feeding. Here, we determined FA signatures in sectioned layers of full-depth blubber from archived samples of 4 managed-care individuals and whole fish samples representative of their constant long-term diet, as well as FA signatures from sectioned layers of full-depth blubber from 19 free-ranging individuals sampled in Greenland from 2012-2014 and whole fish and blubber samples of marine mammals representing potential prey in the region. Specific FA used as markers of marine mammal feeding ecology in other populations were significantly higher in the Greenland killer whales than in the managed-care individuals, suggesting that marine mammals represent an integral component of their diets in this newly-exploited habitat. In further contrast to the managed-care whales, FA signatures were highly variable among Greenland individuals, suggesting either dietary generalism or intra-population specialism. All managed-care and wild killer whale samples showed FA stratification through the blubber layers. To apply QFASA to killer whale diets, we first generated overall and blubber depth-specific calibration coefficients using the managed-care individuals and their diet items (FAx(killer whale):FAx(diet)), which accounts for predator FA metabolism. Considering 31 diet-derived FA, 3 showed calibration coefficients differing by < 10% between innermost and outermost blubber layers, 4 by < 20%, and 12 by < 50%, suggesting the possibility that a reduced set of FA could be used for quantitative modeling regardless of blubber sampling approach (e.g., biopsy or full-depth). The QFASA model will be further evaluated by generating diet estimates for the Greenland killer whales based on overall and depth-specific calibration coefficients for multiple subsets of dietary FAs. Results will provide a new tool to study the top-down impacts of this northward-redistributing global megacarnivore as the Arctic thaws.
Baseline characterization & longterm monitoring of physical, chemical and biological water properties at Lhù’àn Man (Kluane Lake, Yukon)
McKnight, Ellorie (1) (Presenter), D. Hik (1), Kluane First Nation (2), Dän Keyi Renewable Resources Council (3)
(1) University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
(2) Kluane First Nation, Burwash Landing YT, Canada
(3) Dän Keyi Renewable Resources Council, Burwash Landing YT, Canada
Northern Canada holds vast quantities of freshwater, much of which is found in large lakes. These waters provide habitat and travel corridors for many species, regulate hydrological processes and local climate, and have significant cultural value. However, as climate change continues to amplify in northern regions, the integrity and services provided by these large lake systems will be affected. Given the potential consequences of these changes for biodiversity & communities relying on these lakes, an analysis of current and changing lake properties and dynamics is needed to determine ecosystem resilience. Because of its size, latitude, importance to local communities, tourism, fishing, as well as the rapid rates of warming being observed in the Yukon, Lhù’àn Man (Kluane Lake) is an excellent study system for examining the effects of climate change on large northern lakes. Furthermore, in 2016 the primary inflow to Lhù’àn Man, the Ä’äy Chù (Slims River) experienced an abrupt rerouting down an adjacent watershed due to glacial retreat. To address the existing knowledge gap of water property data for Lhù’àn Man, a comprehensive baseline study was designed and conducted with Kluane First Nation (KFN) and the Dan Ke'yi Renewable Resources Council (DKRRC) in 2015. Physical, chemical, and biological water property data (ex: water temperature, conductivity, oxygen, chlorophyll a) was collected throughout the lake and water column during all four seasons of 2015. This data was used to characterize basic water properties and lake dynamics, as well as identify key areas of interest for long term monitoring. In 2016, a long term plan was developed with KFN and DKRRC, unexpectedly coinciding with the Ä’äy Chù piracy event. Four moorings equipped with temperature and conductivity loggers were successfully deployed in 2017 in each of the lake's identified ecozones and are collecting continuous data throughout the water column. Baseline data from 2015, as well as preliminary mooring data from 2017, is presented here. The 2015 baseline captures the state of the lake prior to the Ä’äy Chù piracy event and thus provides a very unique and comprehensive reference for future research at Kluane as well as an excellent platform for studying a rare natural experiment. The mooring data and a baseline replication could also be used to conduct a comparison of lake states and provide an indication of how large lake systems may react as glacial influence decreases and eventually disappears due to climate change.
The Canadian Arctic Observing and Prediction System (CAOPS) – A northern knowledge system to understand and forecast biodiversity change in Canada’s North
McLennan, Donald (1) (Presenter) and J. Wagner (1)
(1) Polar Knowledge Canada - Canadian High Arctic Research Station, Cambridge Bay NU, Canada
It is well acknowledged that climate is warming much more rapidly in the Arctic and Subarctic than in southern latitudes – warming that is driving important changes in the interacting abiotic factors that in large part determine the abundance and health of many northern species. In Arctic coastal-marine systems a decreased sea ice season and warmer seawater are directly impacting sea ice dependent biota. Sea level rise and increased rates of coastal erosion will impact vulnerable coastal wetlands that provide critical staging and nesting habitats for many migratory shorebird and waterfowl species. The degradation of permafrost on exposed lakeshores and riverbanks, and the deepening of soil active layers are impacting biota in freshwater systems, and are changing the quality and quality of river discharge to coastal marine ecosystems - a key determinant of physical processes that directly affect coastal marine species. In terrestrial ecosystems warming air and soil temperatures, degrading permafrost, and reduced snow season are causing infilling and changes in the relative dominance of shrubs, with unknown habitat effects. In some areas historical lemming cycling is reduced or has crashed, with potentially cascading effects on the many species that prey on them. Northern caribou populations are at historic lows, and disease-driven muskoxen diebacks are occurring in the western Arctic – trends at this time that are largely unexplained. Other factors such as ocean acidification, contaminants, invasion by southern species, and increased tourism, military activity and industrial development all have the potential to significantly impact northern biota. Taken together, these ongoing changes interact in complex ways across scales to create high levels of uncertainty for government and regional agencies with biodiversity conservation mandates, for communities dependent on country food, and for industrial proponents and operators charged with minimizing and mitigating potential impacts of ongoing and proposed developments. The Canadian Arctic Observing and Prediction System (CAOPS) is a proposal to begin to measure, understand and predict biodiversity change in the Arctic and Subarctic landscapes of Canada. The approach is to use CAOPS to initiate a national dialogue among all northern actors towards the development of a strategic northern knowledge system that coordinates ongoing initiatives to optimize and coordinate present investments, proposes new investments as needed, and mobilizes the intellectual capital present in northern communities. Key elements of CAOPS include 1) long-term investment to sustain northern research infrastructure creating a network of ecologically-representative observatories maintaining coordinated, long term monitoring experiments, and developing and refining regional predictive models; 2) long-term investment in northern communities to mobilize and empower Indigenous Knowledge, build local capacity, and to establish a community-based network of northern knowledge observatories; and 3) coordination of these new initiatives with ongoing surveillance monitoring by agencies, universities, communities and industry to report the state of Arctic and Subarctic biodiversity, and to make predictions on near- and long-term future change.
Linking organic carbon sources and cycling with microbenthic abundance and diversity across the coastal shelf of the Mackenzie Delta
McMahon, Rachel (1) (Presenter), P. Neubert (2), F. Wiese (2) and H.R. Harvey (1)
(1) Dept. of Ocean, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk VA, United States
(2) Stantec Consulting Services Inc., Anchorage AK, United States
During the Arctic spring freshet, the Mackenzie River releases large amounts of dissolved and particulate terrestrial organic carbon into the Canadian Beaufort Shelf Sea. The accompanying pulse of nutrients fuels phytoplankton blooms in late spring and summer, and together with under ice production, contributes a pulse of marine-derived carbon to both the water column and the sediment. Regional carbon budgets suggest both may contribute to benthic production. This component of the Marine Arctic Ecosystem Study (MARES) examined a transect collected across the western Mackenzie coastal shelf in fall 2016 to determine the relative contribution of marine and terrestrial carbon to marine sediments and its relationship with meiobenthic diversity and abundance. Organic biomarker analysis via tandem mass spectrometry of specific lipid proxies were used to constrain the amount and type of organic sources together with total hydrolysable amino acids (THAA) employed as markers of organic matter lability and cycling. Organic carbon sources (lipids and amino acids) were then compared to meiofaunal abundance and diversity across the same upper 5 cm of surface sediments. Across the shelf transect, both organic proxies and meiofauna abundance showed enrichment at mid-shelf stations compared with abundances of meiofauna greatest in the upper 3 cm of sediment and greatest diversity with dominant taxa seen as Foraminifera, Polychaeta, Crustacea, and Nematoda. Sediment texture was likely a limiting factor in the shallow station, while insufficient organic carbon input possibly limited benthic production in the deepest location. Results of lipid biomarker analysis show significant amounts of algal-derived carbon remained even in late fall with major contributions by both diatom and dinoflagellates to bottom sediments as seen as diagnostic sterols and highly unsaturated fatty acids. Total hydrolysable amino acids show increased breadth of structures and contributions to organic carbon in sediments, and were elevated at the mid-shelf stations in parallel with benthic abundance. Diatom frustules were also abundant at the two mid-shelf locations but absent or low in abundance and diversity in the shallowest and deep stations. Overall results suggest that mid-shelf waters receive relatively higher contributions of labile marine carbon than shallow or deep waters along the eastern Beaufort Sea shelf and over time these inputs are reflected by increased meiofauna diversity and abundance. Despite the large input of terrestrial organic material exiting the delta, higher meiofaunal abundance appear the result of localized amounts of marine primary production rather than terrestrial carbon carried through the Mackenzie outflow.
Life history variation across latitudes: Observations between capelin (Mallotus villosus) from Newfoundland and the eastern Canadian Arctic
McNicholl, Darcy (1) (Presenter), G. Davoren (2) and J. Reist (1)
(1) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Life history trait variation within a species promotes regional-specific strategies that optimize fitness in a particular environment. Capelin (Mallotus villosus) is an important forage fish species with a circumpolar, temperate distribution, but has increased in relative abundance in Arctic regions recently. To examine for region-specific life history strategies, we compared life history characteristics (length, body condition, age of sexual maturity and growth) of spawning male capelin collected from the eastern Canadian Arctic, in Pangnirtung Fjord, Nunavut; 66°N (July 2014 and June-July 2015) with a sub-Arctic location on the northeast coast of Newfoundland; 49°N (July 2014 and 2015). First year growth was higher for sub-Arctic relative to Arctic capelin. In contrast, body condition (regression of total length versus mass) was lower for capelin in the Arctic to the sub-Arctic population. The age structure of spawning males suggested that Newfoundland capelin reached sexual maturity earlier, as the youngest spawners in Newfoundland were age 2+ (median age: 3+ ) relative to Pangnirtung where the median spawning age was 4+ (maxium age 5+). Overall, Arctic capelin were generally characterized by lower growth, especially in the first year, later age of reproduction and lower body condition, relative to the sub-Arctic population. These differences may be the result of limited gene flow on the northern margins of this species' geographical distribution and supports previously reported genetic distinction among the sub-Arctic and Arctic clades in the North Atlantic.
Moving from results to action on food security in Nunatasiavut
McTavish, Kristeen (1,2) (Presenter) and C. Furgal (2)
(1) Nunatsiavut Government, Department of Health and Social Development, Nain, Nunatsiavut NL, Canada
(2) Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
In the spring of 2017, the Nunatsiavut Government in cooperation with Trent University released the results of a series of community specific food security surveys that had been conducted between 2012 and 2014 in the region. Data had been gathered at the community specific scale to respond to the need for this information to support the identification and implementation of informed response strategies recognizing the unique nature of each community and the experiences of food insecurity in those locations. The results indicated very different realities in terms of the levels of food insecurity in the different communities and potentially the key determinants of the issue. The release of these results marked an important step in the process of moving from research to action on this issue. A significant number of important issues have required consideration since the inception of the project to effectively move from research to action on this topic. These have included, but not been limited to: the selection of the appropriate research tool to yield the desired data, the ethics and conduct of the survey among members of a population challenged with food access, the interpretation and meaning of results obtained using the chosen survey tool, the translation and appropriate communication of results to participants and the wider regional public, the communication of and use of results in discussions with actors outside of the region, and the identification of appropriate and effective response strategies that are supported by the results obtained and other information available. It is an ongoing and iterative process of moving from research to action on this issue in the region, but the explicit consideration for key steps and aspects of the process have been critical in the progress achieved thus far. The identification of these issues helps to inform aspects of future research, communication and decision support efforts on this topic. Using the ongoing Nunatsiavut experience, this presentation will illustrate the importance of these topics to the research to action process on food security faced by many regions in the Canadian North and elsewhere.
Inuit food security in Nunatsiavut: The community-specific nature of a widespread public health issue
McTavish, Kristeen (1,2) (Presenter), C. Furgal (1), R. Martin (1) and IHACC Team (3)
(1) Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
(2) Nunatsiavut Government, Nain NL, Canada
(3) University of Guelph, McGill University, Inuit Community Government of Rigolet and the My Word Digitial Storytelling and Media Lab, Rigolet, Nunatsiavut NL, Canada
Introduction/Background Food insecurity is a persistent problem in Canada. From 2008 to 2012, the proportion of households that reported experiences of food insecurity increased from 11.3% to 12.7%. The 2007-2008 Inuit Health Survey drew particular attention to the seriousness of this issue in Inuit regions in Canada, where levels ranged from 44.2% in Nunatsiavut to 70.2% in Nunavut. Communities in these regions face unique challenges in addressing food insecurity and the factors influencing food access can vary significantly from one community to the next in the same region. In response to this for local data, the Nunatsiavut Government partnered with Trent, Guelph and McGill University to conduct a large household survey in the 5 Nunatsiavut communities with the goal of producing community specific household food security prevalence levels. Methods Local surveyors were recruited and trained by researchers from Trent University in Nain, Hopedale, Makkovik and Postville throughout 2014. The Universities of Guelph and McGill led data collection in Rigolet in 2013 with local researchers affiliated with the “My Word”: Digital Storytelling and Media Lab. Household food insecurity was assessed using the USDA 18 item Household Food Security Survey Module administered among a representative number of randomized cross section of households in 4 communities. In Rigolet a near census of all households was completed. A total of 537 households (out of a possible 722 households in all communities) responded to the Food Security questions of the survey. Results The poster presents select regionally aggregated and community-specific results from the Nunatsiavut Household Food Security Survey to highlight similarities and differences in food security prevalence levels among and between Nunatsiavut coastal communities. Discussion Results illustrate the importance of community level data in creating a more accurate understanding of food security in a northern region. While some similarities exist between communities in terms of factors influencing food access, the importance or nature of other factors are unique to the community level. This understanding of scale is critical to recognize when planning and resourcing response strategies. Results have been shared with all participating communities and are informing the creation of a Nunatsiavut Food Security Strategy.
Long term advance of a high arctic glacier: Good Friday Glacier, Axel Heiberg Island
Medrzycka, Dorota (1) (Presenter), L. Copland (1), W. Van Wychen (2) and D. Burgess (3)
(1) University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) Defence Research and Development Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
(3) Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
Good Friday Glacier (78º33’N, 91º30’W), an outlet glacier of the Steacie Ice Cap in southwestern Axel Heiberg Island (Canadian Arctic), was first reported as actively surging in the 1950/60s, and again in the 1990s. Recent observations suggest that the glacier was still surging in the 2000-2015 period. While the terminus advanced ~10 km since 1952, the length and characteristics of the advance remain poorly constrained due to the lack of observations between studies, and lack of detailed knowledge of ice velocities. In this study we reconstruct the evolution of the long term advance of Good Friday Glacier from previous reports and a >50 year long record of remotely sensed data. Terminus position is determined using air photos from 1959 and optical satellite imagery (Landsat/ASTER) covering the period 1972-2017. Ice motion is derived from speckle tracking of synthetic aperture radar imagery (Radarsat 1/2) for the period 2006-2017. Together, these data provide information on the dynamics of Good Friday Glacier since its last documented surge in the 1950/60s, and help determine whether the present-day advance is the continuation of a surge, or whether the observed changes can be explained by another mechanism.
The Canadian Arctic Weather Science Project
Melo, Stella (1), Z. Mariani (1) (Presenter), G. Gascon (2), A. Dehghan (1), M. Harwood (1), S. Bélair (1) and D. Hudak (1)
(1) Meteorological Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Government of Canada, Canada
(2) Meteorological Service of Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Government of Canada, Canada
One of the biggest challenges in the provision of reliable weather forecast services in the North is the lack of meteorological observations. Several past campaigns have provided important insights on relevant atmospheric and surface processes. However, field campaigns tend to be short in time and occur at specific locations and time of the year. Aside from process studies, year-round observations in the North are required to support model initialization and verification. The Canadian Arctic Weather Science Project was put together by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) to advance the knowledge necessary to enhance the performance of the Canadian weather prediction system over the Canadian Arctic region. The first phase of the Project focusses on characterization of atmospheric processes within the boundary layer. Two supersites are being commissioned with instruments such as Doppler weather radars and lidars, water vapour and aerosol lidars, radiation flux sensors, and different fog and precipitation measurement devices. The two supersites, one at Iqaluit (64oN, 69oW) and another at Whitehorse (61oN, 135oW), enable process studies, the testing of new technologies, evaluation of their applicability to support the numerical weather prediction system, and validation of satellite measurements. They will also provide significant contribution to the World Meteorological Organization’s Year of Polar Prediction (YOPP). This presentation will present the two supersites and discuss the current research activities being undertaken. In particular, we will discuss the use of lidar-based technology and a Ka-band radar to characterize the Arctic boundary layer, support numerical weather forecast model verification activities, and perform satellite calibration/validation studies.
The proposed Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area in Lancaster Sound, Eastern Canadian Arctic. How did we get there and what does it mean for the future?
Mercier, Francine (1) (Presenter)
(1) Parks Canada, Gatineau QC, Canada
Announced in August 2017, Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area is Canada's largest protected area, terrestrial or marine. The presentation broadly describes the Tallurutiup Imanga (Lancaster Sound) ecosystem, the studies which informed the feasibility assessment, how indigenous knowledge (IQ) was instrumental in boundary determination, and considers what type of information will be needed to manage/monitor this site as it becomes operational.
Sites of Uncertainty: Exploring imagined futures of Baker Lake, Nunavut
Metuzals, Jessica (1) (Presenter)
(1) Queen's University, Kingston ON, Canada
After almost eight years of formal environmental review processes, in July of 2016, the federal government rejected the French multinational AREVA’s proposal to construct a uranium mine 80 kilometers west of Baker Lake, a small inland and mainly Inuit hamlet in the Kivalliq region of Nunavut. AREVA’s project aimed to extract and process approximately 44,000 tonnes of uranium, consume 1.4 billion tonnes of water per annum of operations, and produce a total of 11.5 million tonnes of tailings solids (AREVA, 2008; NIRB, 2015). All of which would have occurred in a permafrost environment with extremely high winds and in close proximity to sensitive caribou habitats and the Thelon River, which flows directly into the community’s drinking water source. Furthermore, AREVA, because of the depressed uranium market, was not able to provide a start date for development of the mine. In the lead up to the government’s rejection in July 2016, AREVA’s proposal was highly contentious, uncertain, and faced significant community opposition. The concept of sites of uncertainty provides the theoretical framework for this poster. A site of uncertainty is a space—physical, temporal, emotional, material, discursive and so on—that is occupied by a state of not knowing. These sites are expressed and valued in different ways by various actors; they can also be characterized by different and sometimes competing ways of knowing and conceptualizations of the future. Based on fieldwork conducted in Baker Lake during November and December of 2016, this poster identifies key sites of uncertainty that constitute the uranium mining controversy. It will argue that as these sites interact and are expressed by various actors, they produce conflicting perceptions of both the issue at hand and imagined futures for Baker Lake, which ultimately led to the rejection of AREVA’s proposal.
Potential for toxic algal blooms in the Canadian Beaufort Sea: Insights from the Beaufort Regional and Marine Ecosystem assessment programs
Michel, Christine (1,2) (Presenter), A. Niemi (1), G. Meisterhans (1), J. Eert (3), S. Lessard (4), M. Dempsey (3), A. Majewski (1), B. Williams (3) and J.D. Reist (1)
(1) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(3) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Institute of Ocean Sciences, Sidney BC, Canada
(4) S. Lessard Enr., QC, Canada
Climate variability and trends, including changes in sea ice cover, freshwater budget, water mass circulation and coastal processes, influence the physical, chemical and biological properties fundamental to the structure of Arctic marine food webs. Light, stratification, nutrient inventories, and temperature impact the magnitude and type of primary producers, with cascading impacts on harvest species. There are emerging concerns, throughout the Arctic, regarding the occurrence of toxin-producing algal blooms. Domoic-acid algal producers, causing amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP) harmful to both wildlife and humans, are found in Arctic seas but the intensity and frequency of blooms is unknown. Here, we present results from a multi-annual survey of oceanographic conditions during summer in the Canadian Beaufort Sea, as part of the Beaufort Regional Ecosystem Assessment Program (BREA; 2012-2014) and the Canadian Beaufort Sea – Marine Ecosystem Assessment (CBS-MEA; 2017). Our results show early nutrients drawdown in surface waters and comparable nutrient inventories during sampling years, yet large interannual variability in the magnitude and location of phytoplankton biomass accumulation (depth of maximum chlorophyll a concentration). The presence of domoic-acid producers Pseudo-nitzschia delicatissima and P. seriata was observed at coastal stations, possibly linked to accumulation of the toxin in food web constituents. These results highlight the intricate responses of primary producers to climate-associated change and variability in the Canadian Arctic, and the need to evaluate and consider changes in phytoplankton community composition to support ecosystem and risk assessment models towards adaptation strategies for sustainable harvest in the climatically-impacted Arctic.
NiKigijavut Nunatsiavutinni-Working to improve food security
Michelin, Crystle (1,2) (Presenter), J. Flowers (1,3) (Presenter), M. Flowers (3) and C. Palliser (1,2)
(1) NiKijijavut Nunatsiavutinni, St. John's NL, Canada
(2) Rigolet Inuit Community Government, Rigolet NL, Canada
(3) Hopedale Inuit Community Government, Hopedale NL, Canada
NiKigijavut Nunatsiavutinni: Community-led action to improve food security in Hopedale and Rigolet, Nunatsiavut Presenters: Crystle Michelin, Rigolet Food Security Coordinator, Food First NL; Carlene Palliser, CFO, Rigolet Inuit Community Government; Juliana Flowers, Hopedale Food Security Coordinator; Marjorie Flowers, AngajukKâk, Hopedale Inuit Community Government. Inuit families across Canada continue to face significant challenges accessing adequate, nutritious, and culturally-appropriate foods. Currently, there are a variety of food related programs designed to address barriers to accessing healthy and adequate food in northern Inuit communities. For the isolated communities of Rigolet and Hopedale, Nunatsiavut, there are Government subsidies on food transport and sale through Nutrition North Canada, as well as local initiatives supported through the Nunatsiavut Government, Inuit Community Governments and other partners to improve traditional and contemporary food skills and knowledge, as well as increase access to safe, healthy and nutritious wild, retail, and locally-produced foods. In light of the food-related challenges and increased action on food security, several communities in Nunatsiavut completed comprehensive Community-led Food Assessments (CLFAs) through the NiKigijavut Nunatsiavutinni Project, led by the provincial non-profit organization, Food First NL, and in partnership with the regional government and local stakeholders. The Project took a community-driven approach to CLFAs, program implementation, and monitoring and evaluation with the aim of ensuring that the Project is meaningful and relevant to the community, and that the most impactful programs are sustained locally. Through this Project, and with funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada, CLFAs were used by communities to inform strategies aimed to improve access to adequate, nutritious, and culturally-appropriate food. In Rigolet, to address challenges accessing healthy and fresh vegetables and meats, the Food Security Committee implemented a Good Food Box Program that operates monthly as a bulk-buying club and offers community members subsidies on shipping, and works with local wholesalers and farmers in Labrador to provide a variety of healthy meats and produce; and a mentorship-based Backyard Gardening program to improve gardening skills and access to fresh produce in the community. The NiKigijavut Hopedalimi Committee worked to expand the Community Freezer program to ensure it meets the needs of the community, create a Community Gardening Program that has since expanded to two locations and into the backyards of residents, and partner on a local cooking program. Under continued support and guidance from Food First NL, this community-based food security action has since been embedded within the Inuit Community Governments in both Hopedale and Rigolet. This presentation will feature the story of community-based action to improve food security in Hopedale and Rigolet, Nunatsiavut from the perspective of Nunatsiavummiut Food Security Coordinators and community leaders. This will include an overview of the innovation CLFA process, the programs and their impact locally. The Hopedale and Rigolet Food Security Coordinators will then share two stories from the work in their communities through the Nunatsiavut Stories audio website (foodfirstnl.ca/stories) that showcase the strength of communities, the importance of participatory approaches to improving access to healthy, culturally-appropriate food, and the impact of this work in their communities.
How do changes in weather, season, and climate impact Inuit mental health in Nunatsiavut?
Middleton, Jacqueline (1) (Presenter), A. Cunsolo (2), A. Jones-Bitton (1), M. Wood (3), N. Pollock (2), I. Shiwak (4), C. Flowers (1,5) and S.L. Harper (1)
(1) University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada
(2) Labrador Institute of Memorial University, Happy Valley-Goose Bay NL, Canada
(3) Nunatsiavut Government, Happy Valley-Goose Bay NL, Canada
(4) Rigolet Inuit Community Government, Rigolet, Nunatsiavut NL, Canada
(5) Rigolet, Nunatsiavut NL, Canada
Inuit rely on the environment to support their livelihoods, culture, relationships and wellbeing. Changes in the physical environment can limit the ability of Inuit to engage in land-based practices such as hunting, trapping, and harvesting. As such, climatic changes have been linked to mental health and social problems including family stress, substance use, suicidal ideation, and concurrent reports of increased use of mental health services. Ongoing community-driven research in the Inuit Land Claim Area of Nunatsiavut, Labrador, Canada has identified mental wellness among several climate-sensitive health priorities. Therefore, the current study seeks to investigate how weather, season, and climate exposures impact Inuit mental health and the use of health services in Nunatsiavut. The present findings are from the qualitative phase of an exploratory sequential mixed methods design, which looked at in-depth interviews conducted in 2012-2013 with community members and local health professionals (n=116) from across the Nunatsiavut region. Participants were asked about: (1) land activities; (2) local and individual meanings of health and wellbeing; (3) observed changes in the community and environment; and (4) mental and emotional responses to those changes. Thematic analysis of transcripts was done in combination with an iterative, constant-comparative approach to generate data-driven codes and themes specifically looking at Inuit relations between mental health, weather, and climate. Participants described place-based relationships with weather and climate that impacted health, and wellbeing by mediating opportunities for self-determination, and by both challenging and strengthening place-based identities. Trends in weather and climate were linked to individual and collective emotional wellbeing. Importantly, experiences and emotions on these meteorological timescales influenced participants’ priorities and beliefs concerning adaptive learning and evolving practices to cope with transient weather and climatic shifts. These findings highlight the importance of current, and changing Inuit relationships with weather and climate, and the need for analyses and initiatives that incorporate place-specific determinants of health. Locally-identified factors from this study will inform the subsequent quantitative research phase to investigate associations between meteorological variables and the use of mental health services in the region. Integrative methodological approaches from this project will provide contextualized evidence for communities, healthcare providers, and decision-makers, and will support public health initiatives that promote Inuit mental health in a time of rapid environmental changes.
ISAAFFIK - The Arctic Gateway: Facilitating Arctic scientific collaboration
Mikkelsen, Peter Schmidt (1,2,3,4)
(1) Arctic Research Centre/Aarhus University (ARC/AU), Aarhus, Denmark
(2) Greenland Institute of Natural Resources (GINR), Nuuk, Greenland
(3) Centre for Earth Observation Science (CEOS), Winnipeg MB, Canada
(4) Arctic Science Partnership (ASP), Winnipeg MB, Canada
ISAAFFIK is the Greenlandic word for gateway. ISAAFFIK is also the name of an independent and public website (www.isaaffik.org). ISAAFFIK is a facility, a network, but not an authority. The content of the website is maintained decentrally by a large number of ISAAFFIK partners and contributors. The purpose of ISAAFFIK is give overview of Arctic research infrastructure, fieldwork projects, and more. It is also the purpose to inspire and facilitate cooperation, synergies and creativity among universities and knowledge centers in areas of arctic research, education, consultancy and logistics. Involvement and participation of users – researchers, coordinators and more – is key to the growing success of ISAAFFIK. Everyone engaged with arctic research, education, consultancy, logistics and infrastructure is eligible to become a member and hold an ISAAFFIK account. As registered user with a personal profile at ISAAFFIK members can announce fieldwork projects, transport opportunities, events, courses, job opportunities, participate in informal discussions, and more. This website is a valuable tool for sharing fieldwork transport, coordinating fieldwork, and sharing resources. This presentation will describe the functionality and benefits of this web portal to current and future users. The ISAAFFIK Secretariat, hosted at Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Aarhus University, is responsible for on-going operations, updates and future development of ISAAFFIK. ARC is a founding partner of the Arctic Science Partnership (ASP) asp-net.org. whose mandate is to bring together the world’s leading Arctic scientists in collaborative and joint research initiatives.
The surface ocean-lower atmosphere study in cold, icy waters : The new SOLAS 10-year science plan and polar oceans
Miller, Lisa A. (1) (presenter), J. Abbatt (2) and M. Levasseur (3)
(1) Institute of Ocean Sciences, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Sidney BC, Canada
(2) Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto ON, Canada
(3) Département de Biologie (Québec-Océan), Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
The Surface Ocean – Lower Atmosphere Study (SOLAS) is an international science coordination and capacity-building body formally established in 2004 “to achieve quantitative understanding of the key biogeochemical-physical interactions and feedbacks between the ocean and the atmosphere, and of how this coupled system affects and is affected by climate and environmental change.” The new SOLAS science plan, which carries the organization through 2025, places particular emphasis on questions of air-sea exchange in the polar oceans, including the roles played by sea ice and fresh water. Specific activities sponsored by SOLAS in polar waters include the Biogeochemical Exchange Processes at Sea-Ice Interfaces (BEPSII) and Cryosphere and Atmospheric Chemistry (CATCH) research communities, as well as numerous workshops and working groups. These polar initiatives integrate research on all five core SOLAS themes: 1) Greenhouse gases and the oceans; 2) Air-sea interface and fluxes of mass and energy; 3) Atmospheric deposition and ocean biogeochemistry; 4) Interconnections between aerosols, clouds, and marine ecosystems; and 5) Ocean biogeochemical control on atmospheric chemistry. The SOLAS Science & Society implementation task team also explores topics such as the impacts of increasing ship-plume emissions on Arctic Ocean biogeochemistry, blue carbon, open-ocean stewardship, and implications of proposed geoengineering strategies. As a grass-roots science organization, SOLAS encourages the involvement of new people with new ideas for studying air-sea exchange processes and their implications for the global system.
Two ways of seabed mapping: Habitat maps from science and traditional knowledge in Frobisher Bay, NU
Misiuk, Benjamin (1) (Presenter), T. Bell (1), T. Tufts (2), M. Kendall (2), J. Kennedy (2), E. Edinger (1), A. Aitken (3)
(1) Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's NL, Canada
(2) Government of Nunavut, Department of Environment, Fisheries and Sealing Division, Iqaluit NU, Canada
(3) University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK, Canada
The Nunavut Coastal Resource Inventory (NCRI) is an ongoing project operated by the Government of Nunavut’s Division of Fisheries and Sealing. Through community interviews with local experts, this project is focused on the gathering and mapping of natural resources and their use. An NCRI has been completed for Iqaluit, NU, and contains an abundance of information on the distribution of marine species provided by community elders and active hunters. Through harvesting and traveling on the water, hunters have an intimate knowledge of the location of certain marine species. This information has the potential to contribute to ongoing research on marine habitats as part of the project “Integrated Marine Geoscience to Guide Environmental Impact Assessment and Sustainable Development in Frobisher Bay, Nunavut”. It is a complementary source of data to that acquired by scientific sampling of the seabed. Bottom dwelling (benthic) species typically have discrete habitat requirements (e.g. seafloor type), therefore it may be possible to broadly infer benthic habitat conditions based on the presence of certain animals or plants. We used the Iqaluit NCRI to create such a map of local benthic knowledge for Frobisher Bay. In addition to informing on the distribution of species, the benthic knowledge map may be useful for identifying local research priorities and areas of importance for the city of Iqaluit. This information will be important for marine spatial planning, which must consider the distribution of seabed ecology in a local context, coupled with values such as importance and use. When compared alongside a benthic habitat map produced by scientific sampling, the local knowledge map provides a holistic representation of seabed ecology and how local resource users interact with it. Because they are produced using information from different sources, comparison between these maps can strengthen confidence in our understanding of the distribution of benthic habitats. Exchange of scientific results and local knowledge has been effective in the past at building trust between scientists and local knowledge experts, which can form the basis for effective co-management of marine resources. The goal in generating both types of seabed maps is to create more effective management tools for marine spatial planning in Frobisher Bay with readily available information, recognising the value of both scientific and traditional knowledge contributions.
Understanding attitudes toward early pregnancy among women in Nunavik : a qualitative study
Moisan, Caroline (1,2) (Presenter), G. Muckle (1,2) and R. Bélanger E (1,2)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) CHU de Québec Research Center, Québec QC, Canada
Background: Between 2003 and 2007, 30% of pregnancies in Nunavik were experienced by young women aged between 14 and 19 years old, compared to only 8% and 3% respectively for the Quebec province and Canada. Along, a recent study among Inuit adolescents aged between 16 and 20 years old in Nunavik reported that one-third of female participants have ever been pregnant. Early pregnancy is depicted to lead to numerous social and health consequences for the mother (Azevedo, Diniz, Fonseca, Azevedo, & Evangelista, 2015) and the child (Jeha, Usta, Ghulmiyyah, & Nassar, 2015). Several factors for adolescent pregnancies have been depicted from non-aboriginal populations, yet social and cultural factors such as the valorization of the child and of motherhood, may influence attitudes that young women have toward pregnancies. Attitudes toward pregnancy is a major predictor of adolescent pregnancy known in diverse western societies but have yet not been assessed among Inuit. The Nunavik Early Pregnancy Project aims to examine social and cultural factors influencing attitudes toward pregnancy among young Inuit women. Method: Young Nunavik Inuit women will be invited to participate to the Nunavik Early Pregnancy Project during the fall of 2017. Eligibility criteria are being pregnant during the preceding year and being aged between 16 and 20 years old. A recorded, face-to-face interview of about 30 minutes will be conducted with the participants, which aims to assess their opinions and feelings toward their pregnancy as well as the perceived opinions and feelings of their surroundings (e.g. partner, family members and friends), the positive and negative sides of an early pregnancy and their experience with birth control. A general inductive approach (Thomas, 2003) will be used to conduct qualitative data analysis. The first coding will allow identifying main categories of results and the second will confirm the categories and explore the relationships between them. Double coding, analysis and interpretation will be conducted by two young Inuit women to enhance cultural validity. This project is nested in Qanuilirpitaa?, which is a health survey conducted in the 14 communities of Nunavik on board the icebreaker Amundsen, and is supported by the Nunavik Nutrition and Health Committee (NNHC), and funded by CIHR (fellowship to CM). Expected results: From the 41 estimated eligible women, 24 (60%) are expected to participate. We hypothesize that several social and cultural factors specific to the Inuit culture will influence attitudes toward pregnancy of young Inuit women. The research protocol and the research procedures of this study involving Inuit research assistants in each research step will be presented.
Inland water quality and community monitoring by means of optical remote sensing data. Application in an Arctic river basin (George River, Nunavik, Canada)
Monfette, Mathieu (1) (Presenter), J.-P. Dedieu (2,3), J. Franssen (1,4), T.M. Herrmann (1), J.-A. Rowell (5), G. MacMillan (6), J. Gérin-Lajoie (3), E. Hébert-Houle (3), H. Snowball (7) and E. Lévesque (3)
(1) Département de géographie, Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Institut des Géosciences de l’Environnement, Université Grenoble-Alpes, Grenoble, France
(3) Centre d’études nordiques (CEN), Département de chimie-biologie, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières QC, Canada
(4) Groupe de recherche interuniversitaire en limnologie et en environnement aquatique (GRIL), Département de sciences biologiques, Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(5) Département de chimie, Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(6) Centre d’études nordiques, Département de sciences biologiques, Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(7) The Northern Village of Kangiqsualujjuaq, P.O. Box 120, Kangiqsualujjuaq QC, Canada
Arctic rivers, such as the George River, are among the least understood and studied hydrological systems. Northern rivers drain vast regions where hydrological data are sparse and scientific understanding is limited. Here we present the preliminary results of a research program that seeks to integrate scientific approaches and traditional knowledge to advance our understanding of environment and climate change in arctic freshwater ecosystems. Our study focuses on the George River watershed (565 km length, 41 700 km²), located in Nunavik, the sub-arctic region of Northern Québec (Canada). The George River basin is home to the Inuit of Kangisuallujuaq who value the river and its watershed as the basis of their livelihood, culture and well-being. Adjusting to climate change and the significant pressure to exploit natural resources (i.e., rare earth elements (REE) mining project) within the river basin has become a major concern for the community and for researchers. To address this concern, a Science Land Camp program involving Youth, Elders and local experts was co-initiated by the community of Kangiqsualujjuaq and University researchers, to undertake a long-term biomonitoring program of the George River watershed, before the start of a Rare Earth Elements mining project. Field campaign to obtain water quality measurements were conducted during the summers 2016 and 2017, and simultaneously drived with data acquisition from space-borne remote sensing systems. Developments in optical remote sensing now make it possible to visualize processes dynamics and anthropogenic impacts over large areas. Our sampling efforts seek to establish the predictive relationships between in-situ measurements and data obtained through remote sensing, that will subsequently allow us to gain insight into changes in water quality at the watershed scale. Measurements taken along a 50 km stretch of the river included: (i) aquatic productivity (chlorophyll-A), alkalinity,…; (ii) turbidity, suspended sediment concentration (SSC), and water color, and (iii) water depth. Our preliminary results characterize the George River as having clear and soft water with neutral pH and low nutrients. These data are compared to the relatively fine scale (10 to 30 m spatial resolution) remote sensing multispectral information obtained from two distinct optical imaging satellites (i.e., Sentinel-2A’s Multispectral Instrument, and Landsat-8 Operational Land Imager). The insights gained through field measurements and remote sensing will be integrated with Kangiqsualujjuamiut knowledge to help identify the complex interactions between social-ecological change, economical development, and climate change.
Free meals for Arctic-nesting shorebirds : can increased productivity lead to positive effects on Arctic-nesting shorebirds?
Montagano, Laurent (1) (Presenter), S. Leroux (2), M.-A. Giroux (1) and N. Lecomte (1)
(1) Université de Moncton, Moncton NB, Canada
(2) Memorial University, St-John’s NL, Canada
Arctic ecosystems are facing intensifying impacts of climate change, notably an increase in air temperature. Such a rise can both advance and boost the food supplies accessible to arctic breeding birds. Yet whether such a resource surge can be used and benefit these breeders during laying and incubation is unclear. In the context of growing conservation concerns for arctic shorebirds, we examined whether increased productivity driven by climate change could directly benefit shorebirds during a critical period of their life history. Here we experimentally determined the effect of increased prey abundance on the body condition, nesting patterns, and nesting success of the white-rumped sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis), an Arctic-nesting shorebird that has not yet shown signs of population decline. We supplied mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) to incubating white-rumped sandpiper females on the island of Igloolik (Nunavut) located in the Canadian Arctic. We captured the females at the beginning and at the end of their incubation period to assess body condition and we installed small temperature probes inside their nests to obtain a detailed schedule of their incubation recess patterns. We regularly monitored 14-15 experimental and 14-15 control nests to estimate nest survival per year during two consecutive summers (2016-2017) that contrasted strongly in lemming abundance. Tracking climate change impacts on consumers can be challenging as the time scales on which they act, among various other confounding factors, can greatly vary. Through a relatively simple manipulation, our study will help to elucidate the mechanisms through which climate change impacts on individual consumers can transform into population-level changes in abundance.
Learning together : Comparison of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and scientific evidence yields insights into Arctic char biology in the Kitikmeot region of Nunavut
Moore, Jean-Sébastien (1) (Presenter), R. Ekpakohak (2) (Presenter), M. Ekpakohak (2), N. Thorpe (3) and L.N. Harris (4)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Ekaluktutiak Hunters and Trappers Organization, Cambridge Bay NU, Canada
(3) Trailmark Systems, Victoria BC, Canada
(4) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Great insights can come from listening and learning from one another while comparing knowledge that was acquired from multiple ways of knowing. In cases where perspectives overlap, our confidence in our conclusions is strengthened. In cases where perspectives diverge, it can point to an anomaly, a different way of understanding one’s observations or can help generate novel ways of thinking or hypotheses that can reconcile apparently contrary information. A community-driven initiative in the community of Cambridge Bay was initiated by the Ekaluktutiak Hunters & Trappers Organization (EHTO) to document Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ) related to Arctic char. This project involved both semi-directive interviews with local knowledge holders and an elder-youth camp designed to facilitate sharing and hands-on application of IQ related to iqalukpiit/Arctic Char. We selected some key insights from these interviews and compared them with the results of past and ongoing scientific projects taking place in the region and using diverse methods from fish abundance surveys, acoustic telemetry and genomics. Some of these comparisons showed concordance, others did not. For instance, an observation by elders of declining fish stocks was not observed in relative abundance surveys conducted by DFO. On the other hand, phenotypic differences noted between fish from different stocks by an elder was concordant with genomic results suggesting genetic differences and even local adaptation among stocks. In other cases, results of the interviews were used to help guide scientific work, resulting in improved science and simplified logistics. For example, the locations of spawning sites, as indicated by the presence of adults in spawning coloration, shared by elders led to successful sampling and tagging of spawning individuals in two field seasons. Insights regarding Arctic char movements in the marine habitat also helped to design an effective and highly successful acoustic telemetry study. It is important to understand that this approach necessarily removes IQ from a broader context, one that infuses spiritual understandings and insights grounded in multi-generational teachings. The intention here is not to disrespect the socio-cultural foundations of IQ, but to offer that specific understandings within this way of knowing can lead directly to enhancing scientific understandings: indeed, science can further “validate” what “has always been known.” Here, such an approach helped scientists to frame hypotheses that can lead to new understandings. Reciprocally, the scientific data gathered in response to IQ observations can help enrich existing knowledge through the use of technology not previously available to resource users and support community members in being stronger in two ways of knowing.
High resolution monitoring of cryospheric change with unmanned aerial systems
Moorman, Brian (1) (Presenter), A. Gunther(2) and K. Whitehead (3)
(1) University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
(2) Solas Energy Consulting, Calgary AB, Canada
(3) SAIT, Calgary AB, Canada
One of the most ubiquitous aspects of permafrost terrain is the lack of stable ground. As a result of frost heave, ground ice deformation, differential settlement or subsurface ground shearing, it is very difficult to get an absolute measure of surface motion because all of the nearby ground is also moving, but not necessarily in the same direction or at the same speed. Attempts to get a stable datum included anchoring instruments or benchmarks in the permafrost, however, this has frequently proven unreliable. Another method is to find an outcrop of bedrock and assume it is stationary. Unfortunately, bedrock is often not exposed at the surface where the study areas are located and sometimes bedrock has been shown to heave as well. A more recent solution to this problem is the use of high-precision GPS. This is helpful, however there are limitations especially in high latitude regions where there is often poor satellite configuration. As well, GPS only provides point source positional data thus measuring motion fields across a large area is difficult and time consuming. Repeated traverses across the same area to make successive measurements can also result in the modification of the ground surface and impact the exact processes being measured. Recent advancements in high-precision photogrammetry and LIDAR from Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) holds great promise of providing imagery, very accurate Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) and ground surface motion maps. Advantages of UASs include; high precision, low cost, repeat periods as frequent as you want, and no terrain disturbance in making the measurements. For the last five years we have been testing different systems to measure the glacier and permafrost motion on Bylot Island. The resulting products are; georeferenced imagery with centimetre resolution, DEMs with decimetre resolution and surface motion maps where local velocity variations can be identified and accurately measured.
Quantifying glacier dry calving with InSAR
Moorman, Brian (1) (Presenter), K. Whitewhead (2) and A. Gunther (3)
(1) University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
(2) SAIT, Calgary AB, Canada
(3) Solas Energy Consulting, Calgary AB, Canada
The glaciers of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago are currently undergoing rapid retreat. There is considerable interest in the mechanisms leading to ice loss in this region, as these glaciers have been identified as being a significant contributor to rising sea levels. Unlike surface melting or direct calving into the ocean, little is known about the contribution of meltwater from dry calving. This is where ice breaks off steep glacier edges and melts in place at a greatly increased rate. This results in accelerated water contributions to the ocean for which there are no reliable estimates available. A measure of the location and discharge rate of dry calving is required to better model glacial contributions to sea level rise. For this project we developed a methodology for estimating calving potential, using estimates of glacier velocity at the main calving faces, derived from SAR interferometry. This study uses Fountain Glacier on Bylot Island as a case study because of the extensive baseline data in the region. Specifically, the SAR data enabled the identification of calving faces and their activity level, the speed and direction of glacier motion and along with ancillary data discharge estimates of the glacier from the calving front. It is believed that this is a practical approach, which will allow for the estimation of mass loss through dry calving for specific glaciers and the identification of calving potential at a regional level.
Impact of changing environmental conditions on benthic communities during the Arctic spring
Morata, Nathalie (1,2) (Presenter), E. Courtecuisse (2), B. Oleszczuk (3), E. Michaud (2), M. Kedra (3) and P.E. Renaud (1)
(1) Akvaplan-niva, Tromsø, Norway
(2) LEMAR CNRS UMR 6539, Plouzané, France
(3) Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, Poland
Arctic marine ecosystems are characterized by strong seasonality which includes changes in sea ice cover range and thickness, light, and food availability. Enhanced climate change in the Arctic is expected to have repercussions for ecosystems functioning. Decreasing sea ice cover will likely cause changes in bloom timing, productivity regime, and thus in the quantity and quality of organic matter (OM) reaching seafloor communities. It is still unclear how benthic organisms will respond to variations in food supply (OM quantity, quality and source) and environmental conditions, in particular during the spring time. The aim of this study was to examine the link between environmental conditions (sea-ice cover, depth, productivity regimes) and benthic activities. Material was collected in contrasting areas, during spring cruises in the north of Svalbard (TRANSSIZ project in May-June 2015), in Svalbard’s fjords and Barents Sea (ARCEx project in May 2016) and in the Baffin Bay (Greenedge project in June-July 2016). At a total of 30 stations, sediment was collected for characterization of the available OM reaching the seafloor (pigments, organic carbon, nitrogen, C/N, centric and pennate diatoms as indicator of pelagic vs ice algae respectively). Benthic activities were measured as benthic respiration (sediment oxygen demand, SOD) and bioturbation. OM on the Greenland shelf and Baffin Bay was of higher quality (higher pigments contents and higher density of diatoms) than in the Svalbard area and Barents Sea at similar depths. Surprisingly, deep stations were characterized by high percentages of OM and high diatom density, but SOD remained low. SOD was positively correlated with the pigments contents and negatively with the percentage of pennate diatoms in the sediment. Benthic abundance, biomass, diversity and thus intensity of bioturbation were related to fresh OM inputs to the sea floor at shallower stations and decreased northwards north of Svalbard. This study showed that environmental and biological parameters influence the quality and quantity of the OM available for benthic organisms, and thus have impacts on benthic activities and on benthic carbon cycle.
Strengths and challenges of the recent Adaptation Actions for a Changing Arctic (AACA) assessments
Mosbech, Anders (1) (Moderator), K. Falk (2), N. Hass Brandtberg (3), D. Lemmen (4), E. Nikitina (5), L. Hinzman (6), L. Klengenberg (7)
(1) Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Denmark
(2) Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Denmark
(3) Ministry of Nature and Environment, Naalakkersuisut - the government of Greenland, Greenland
(4) Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
(5) National Research Institute for world economy & international relations, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moskva, Russia
(6) University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks AK, USA
(7) Ulukhaktok NWT, Canada
This panel discussion will explore how scientific and traditional knowledge get mobilized and translated so this combined knowledge can better inform decision making and ultimately generate adaptation actions at the regional scale. The goals of this panel discussion are to discuss the strengths and challenges of this new kind of assessment (i.e. AACA enterprise). More particularly, to share ideas on how we can improve consultation and stimulate dialogues between stakeholders and scientists at all steps of production and to discuss the possible ways forward of AACA and assess what need to be done to maximize the use of such reports in order to promote adaptation and sustainable development in the Arctic.
Early successes in the management of wildlife in three Arctic coastal aboriginal co-management boards
Moshenko, Robert (1) (Presenter), K. Breton-Honeyman (1) and M. Basterfield (1)
(1) Nunavik Marine Region Wildlife Board, Inukjuak QC, Canada
Based on first-hand experiences with three wildlife co-management boards over the past 2 decades we will discuss successes, challenges, and recommendations for wildlife co-management. In making these recommendations we draw from case studies for Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma, Gwich'in Renewable Resources Board), bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus, Nunavut Wildlife Management Board), and beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas, Nunavik Marine Region Wildlife Board). These early successes in wildlife management can largely be attributed to the ever changing and evolving culture of wildlife management in the Canadian Arctic over the last three decades. Specific aspects of these changes include the finalization and implementation of comprehensive land claim agreements, and decentralization and delegation of wildlife management decisions to co-management boards. The land claims have helped to foster a commitment to sincere consultation with wildlife users, and the recognition of Traditional Knowledge (TK) and necessity of integrating TK with Western Science for wildlife management decisions. Resources generated from implementation of the land claims has resulted in enhanced scientific research, as well as the training and increased participation of hunters and other community members in co-operative planning and implementation of wildlife assessment and harvest monitoring programs.
Sea ice drift from Sentinel-1 SAR imagery
Muckenhuber, Stefan (1) (Presenter) and S. Sandven (1)
(1) Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center, Bergen, Norway
Sea ice drift has a strong impact on sea ice distribution on different temporal and spatial scales. The motion of sea ice due to wind and ocean currents causes convergence and divergence zones, resulting in the formation of ridges and open- ing/closing of leads. On large scales, ice export from the Arctic and Antarctic into lower latitudes, where the ice eventually melts away, contributes to a strong seasonality of total sea ice coverage. An open-source sea ice drift algorithm for Sentinel-1 SAR imagery is introduced based on the combination of feature tracking and pattern matching. Feature tracking produces an initial drift estimate and limits the search area for the consecutive pattern matching, which provides small- to medium-scale drift adjustments and normalised cross-correlation values. The algorithm is designed to combine the two approaches in order to benefit from the respective advantages. The considered feature-tracking method allows for an efficient computation of the drift field and the resulting vectors show a high degree of independence in terms of position, length, direction and rotation. The considered pattern-matching method, on the other hand, allows better control over vector positioning and resolution.
Levels and trends of chemicals of emerging Arctic concern in Marine Biota
Mueller, Brittany (1) (Presenter), D. Muir (2), K. Vorkamp (3), R. Letcher (4), S. Wilson (5) and J. Balmer (1,5)
(1) The Citadel, Department of Biology, Charleston SC, United States
(2) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Center for Inland Waters, Toronto ON, Canada
(3) Aarhu University, Department of Environmental Science, Roskilde, Denmark
(4) Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Center, Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
(5) Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme, Oslo, Norway
Despite the remote nature of polar regions, Arctic biota are particularly vulnerable to accumulating high levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) transported to the Arctic from lower latitudes and biomagnified in complex food webs. While many POPs are currently declining in the Arctic and elsewhere due to global and national regulations restricting their use, the continual discovery of chemicals in the region prompts the need to regularly assess Arctic biota for new exposures. Recently published environmental concentrations of ‘chemicals of emerging Arctic concern’ (CEAC) were reviewed as part of a forthcoming assessment by the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP). Using the concentration data extracted from this assessment, as well as additional data published since its completion, we conduct a comparative analysis of levels and trends of 14 groups of CEACs, including polyfluorinated substances (PFAS), brominated, chlorinated and organophosphorus-based flame retardants (BFRs, CFRs, PFRs), phthalates, short chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs), siloxanes, polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs), hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD), current-use pesticides (CUPs), pentachlorophenol (PCP), pentachloroanisol (PCA), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and organotins measured in over 60 Arctic marine species, including fish, seabirds, and marine mammals. This comprehensive data set will be mined to make comparisons of CEAC concentrations both within and across species. Spatial trends in biota exposures and comparisons to legacy POP levels may be also be investigated as the availability of data allows. Such broad-scale, exploratory analyses of CEAC concentrations in the region’s biota can provide initial insight into the relative significance of specific chemicals to Arctic wildlife and the potential need for further study and/or regulation.
The effects of climate change on polar regions
Mühl, Michaela (1) (Presenter)
(1) University of Innsbruck, Austria
Climate change in public discourse remains stigmatized by a campaign of obfuscation through main stream media and politics. Reliable data for accurate climate change models to inform with clearly understood focus is urgency needed for democratic decision making bodies. Focus in particular by the scientific community is needed to research the most affected areas of the world namely the high latitude Polar Regions where climate change is accelerating with drastic consequences. Expansion of sea water and melting of glaciers are the two most important contributing variables to sea level rise in the 20th and 21st century. This abstract proposes an investigation to reconstruct ice melting rates in the global climate history in the last 3 decades and measuring with precision the environmental changes. The decreasing rate of snow condensing into ice over the firn layer is needed to be measured over time and compared with the amount of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, which are trapped in air bubbles within. The history of the composition of the atmosphere in earth’s critical period can thus be reconstructed revealing the rate of anthropogenic induced changes. Ice is sensitive to rapid system changes as evidenced by the recent breakdown of Larsen C Ice Shelf in Antarctica - this was a serious wake-up call for humanity that we have been slowly digging our own graves. More questions have recently arisen about climate destabilization, irrevocable system changes and carbon cycle feedbacks the science community must urgently address in the next few years.
Influence of Permafrost Disturbances and Increased Turbidity on Trends of Mercury and other elements in Arctic char in East and West Lake, Melville Island, Nunavut
Muir, D.C.G. (1,2) (Presenter), X. Wang (2), A. Cabrerizo (2), J. Kirk (2), D. Iqaluk (3), K. Roberts (4), M. Pope (4), S.F. Lamoureux (4) and M.J. Lafrenière (4)
(1) School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada
(2) Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment & Climate Change Canada, Burlington ON, Canada
(3) Resolute Bay NU, Canada
(4) Department of Geography and Planning, Queen’s University, Kingston ON, Canada
The Cape Bounty Arctic Watershed Observatory (CBAWO) includes two adjacent, geologically similar watersheds, West and East, which are currently undergoing climate-driven changes. Climate over the period 2007-12 was unusually warm during summer months and resulted in changing hydrology and permafrost degradation across the area. In addition, West Lake experienced subaqueous slumps over this period, which may also be related to permafrost thawing along the shoreline. The East Lake catchment has experienced only minor permafrost disturbances, and no change in turbidity. These alterations to water chemistry in the lakes and inflowing streams are also driving changes in biogeochemical cycling. We are investigating whether these changes are also seen in bioaccumulation of mercury (Hg) and other elements, as well as persistent organic pollutants, in arctic char and the food webs of West and East Lakes. We hypothesize that increased catchment inputs of organic carbon and increased turbidity in West Lake will result in increasing Hg concentrations in landlocked arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) and other bioaccumulative elements such as cesium (Cs) and rubidium (Rb). To investigate this arctic char have been collected annually at the end of July, from 2008 to 2017 (except for 2010), and analysed for a suite of 34 elements using ICP-MS, and Hg using USEPA Method 7473 (thermal decomposition/amalgamation and AA detection). Carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stable isotope analysis showed that char have significantly more depleted d13C in adult char (>200 g) in East vs West Lake (mean ± SD; -27.27±0.81 ‰ (N=98) vs -24.73±1.17 ‰ (N=97)) indicative of greater terrestrial and benthic carbon inputs to West Lake. Also d15N is significantly lower in West Lake char (10.1±0.98 ‰ vs 11.2±0.50‰) suggesting differences in food sources. The combined results from 2008 to 2016 collections show that the West Lake adult char have significantly higher concentrations of Hg, Cs and Rb in muscle (geomeans 152, 3.6 and 1760 ng/g wet weight, respectively) compared to East Lake (87.0, 2.1 and 890 ng/g) and this difference is even greater if results are adjusted for d15N or length using analysis of covariance. Condition factors (g*100/cm3) for adult char in West Lake have declined since 2008 and over the period 2011-2017 have been significantly lower (0.62±0.12) than those in East Lake (0.66±0.09) indicating they are thinner than fish of the same length in East Lake. This may be due to difficulty feeding in West Lake’s turbid waters. Hg concentrations have declined in East Lake char over the period 2008 to 2016 (averaging -5.3%/yr) while increasing (4.6%/yr) in West Lake from 2009-2016. Cs and Rb in char muscle have also increased significantly in West Lake since 2009 while showing no change in East Lake. The higher concentrations and increasing Hg, Cs and Rb, in West Lake char are consistent with higher inputs into West Lake resulting from extensive permafrost disturbance in the watershed as well as from higher concentrations in lake waters and suspended particulate due to the turbidity.
The new AMAP Assessment report on Chemicals of Emerging Arctic Concern: Implications for global chemical management
Muir, Derek (3) (Presenter), C.A. de Wit, (1), J. Balmer (2), K. Vorkamp (4) and S. Wilson (5)
(1) Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
(2) The Citadel, Department of Biology, Charleston SC, United States
(3) Canada Centre for Inland Waters, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington ON, Canada
(4) Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
(5) Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme, Oslo, Norway
The Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) has produced three detailed assessments of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the arctic environment beginning in 1997. These assessments have reviewed the state of knowledge on POPs in arctic air, and in terrrestrial, freshwater and marine environments. Because contamination of the arctic by POPs is mainly from long range atmospheric and ocean transport, these assessments have been particularly important contributions to the data supporting the listing of chemicals under the United Nations Stockholm Convention (SC). The assessments have been assembled by the AMAP POPs expert group mainly from results in scientific publications and national monitoring programs which has members from all circumpolar countries. A new fourth update assessment is now about to be published which addresses ‘chemicals of emerging Arctic concern’ (CEACs). Included are chemicals with POP-like characteristics and some chemicals and substances that may not meet the classical definition of POPs (ie chemicals that meet criteria under Annex D of the SC for persistence, bioaccumulation, adverse effects, and long range transport). The new assessment compiles Arctic data for per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), brominated, chlorinated and organophosphorus-based flame retardants and plasticisers (BFRs, CFRs, PFRs), phthalates, short chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs), siloxanes, pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs), hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD), current use pesticides (CUPs), pentachlorophenol/pentachloroanisole, non-Aroclor and byproduct PCBs, halogenated natural products (HNPs), mono- and dibutyltins, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and microplastics. Results from air monitoring at Arctic sites confirm that many CEACs undergo long-range atmospheric transport from source regions to the Arctic, e.g. PFAS, BFRs, CFRs, PFRs, SCCPs, phthalates, siloxanes, PCNs, HCBD, several CUPs, and PAHs. Compared to atmospheric measurements, only limited data is available for most CEACs in terrestrial environments. In Arctic freshwater/marine environments, several CEACs (long chain PFASs, several new BFRs, dechloranes, PFRs, phthalates, SCCPs, siloxanes, some PPCPs, PCNs, HCBD, several CUPs, organotins, some HNPs) were found in fish, seabirds and marine mammals, indicating bioaccumulation and biomagnification potential. Some temporal trends were available in air and biota, indicating stable or increasing concentrations of some CEACs, but more data are needed for most CEACs. Some CEACs, particularly those used in consumer products (siloxanes and PPCPs), were found in higher concentrations near Arctic settlements and urban sites. These were found in receiving waters impacted by (often untreated) sewage effluents from Arctic communities. Their persistence is enhanced due to cold conditions and periods of no light, which slow microbial- and photo-degradation. Results of screening exercises of chemicals in commerce based on physical-chemical properties and long range transport potential indicate that there are many more chemicals with possible POP-like characteristics that may be reaching the Arctic but that have not been searched for yet. The assessment results point to the need for all countries to consider the potential for global contamination when approving uses of new or existing chemicals in consumer products.
Influence of permafrost disturbances and climate change on temporal series of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides and perfluoroalkyl substances in Arctic Char
Muir, Derek C.G. (1) (Presenter), A. Cabrerizo (1), A. De Silva (1), D. Iqaluk (2), X. Wang (1), S.F. Lamoureux (3) and M.J. Lafrenière (3)
(1) Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment & Climate Change Canada, Burlington ON, Canada
(2) Resolute Bay NU, Canada
(3) Department of Geography and Planning, Queen’s University, Kingston ON, Canada
Temporal trends and climate related parameters affecting the fate of legacy persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs; HCHs, DDTs and HCB) and emerging pollutants such as perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) were examined in landlocked Arctic char from two paired lakes on Melville Island (West and East Lakes). Research performed over the past 10 years in the study area has revealed ongoing permafrost disturbances, which are of significant magnitude and importance in the West Lake watershed. Adult char were collected in late July from almost every year from 2008 to 2016, by gill netting at a rate of 7 to 25 adult fish per lake and year. All fish were dissected in situ and subsamples of muscle+skin, liver, otoliths and GI tract were kept frozen for transport and storage in an ultra clean freezer (-30ºC). In total, more than 300 samples from muscle+skin arctic char were collected and analyzed by GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS with the aim of i) examining the trends of legacy and emerging pollutants in two remote high Arctic Lakes ii) To determine the impact of major perturbation on the occurrence and bioaccumulation of pollutants in char from West Lake versus East Lake and iii) investigating whether or not lake´s physico-chemical properties and/or climatic parameters may affect the temporal trends of legacy and emerging POPs in Arctic char. Overall, temporal trends of legacy POPs such as PCBs and OCPs showed significant decreasing trends in char from East Lake, which can attributed to the past national and regional bans and restriction on uses and emissions of legacy PCBs and chlorinated pesticides in circumpolar and neighboring countries. This is in agreement with other temporal trends of legacy POPs in char from other High Arctic Lakes (Cabrerizo et al, 2017, in preparation). However, this contrast with increasing temporal trends of PCBs (2.1 %/year) and DDTs (1.3 %/year) observed in char collected in West Lake. The higher concentration and increasing of legacy POPs in West Lake char is consistent with higher inputs and mobilization of POPs bound to organic carbon (dissolve and particle) from the extensive permafrost disturbance in the watershed and lake. On the other hand, temporal trends of emerging perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) showed declining temporal trends, even in West Lake, which suggest that terrestrial carbon inputs from permafrost disturbances is not affecting the concentration of PFAS in char, probably as they are not as hydrophobic as those legacy POPs.
On the role of tides and ice algal intracellular nutrients on bloom dynamics near Resolute Bay, Nunavut
Mundy, C.J. (1) (Presenter), J.-É. Tremblay (2) and M. Gosselin (3)
(1) CEOS, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) ISMER, Université du Québec, Rimouski QC, Canada
Nutrient availability is a main factor influencing maximum production, taxonomic composition, and termination of the spring ice algae bloom in ice-covered seas. However, measuring nutrients available to ice algae is not a straightforward task and a lack of a standard method for sea ice researchers has plagued the field. In particular, there has been a common assumption that as ice core samples melt, nutrients remain conservative and therefore, their concentrations in ice melt would be a function of salinity. However, positive relationships between nutrient concentrations and algal biomass in ice melt samples led studies dating back to the early 90s to hypothesize that algae maintain an intracellular nutrient pool that is released upon melting an ice core due to osmotic stress. As part of a process-based landfast ice study near Resolute Bay, Nunavut called the Arctic - Ice Covered Ecosystem (Arctic-ICE) project, we collected a bottom-ice dataset during the 2010 and 2012 spring ice algal blooms to test this hypothesis. The main objectives of this work were to (1) compare the methods of bulk ice melt versus intracellular measurements of nutrients from an ice-scrape sample (i.e., little osmotic stress) using chlorophyll a concentration (chl) to standardize data; (2) examine the impact of tidal-driven under-ice currents on ice algal intracellular nutrient dynamics during a bloom; and (3) examine the impact of nutrient addition bioassays on ice algal intracellular nutrient composition. With a focus on nitrogen as the main limiting factor, intracellular concentrations of nitrate+nitrite ranged between 5.5 and 38.1 µmol mg chl-1 and varied as a function of snow depth (light access) and bloom period (bloom versus post bloom). Surprisingly, when standardized to bottom-ice chlorophyll a concentration, intracellular measurements fell along a 1:1 line with that of bulk ice melt measurements. During the bloom, intracellular nutrient concentrations were modulated by tidal driven currents over numerous fortnightly cycles. However, the nutrient addition bioassay did not show a significantly different response in intracellular concentrations, although there was a significant response in algal biomass. These results demonstrate that ice algae exhibit luxury uptake of nutrients when available in their environment, but that ocean-ice nutrient fluxes associated with tidal pumping may be more critical than greater nutrient concentrations in the environment to elicit a response.
The Churchill Marine Observatory Research Vessel: A new research vessel operating in the Hudson Bay complex
Mundy, C.J. (1), A. Schimnowski (2), H. Stark (1) (Presenter) and D.G. Barber (1)
(1) Centre for Earth Observation Science (CEOS), University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Arctic Research Foundation, Winnipeg MB, Canada
The University of Manitoba and Arctic Research Foundation have established an agreement under the auspices of the CFI-funded Churchill Marine Observatory (CMO) to retrofit a 65 foot fishing trawler for Arctic science operations within Hudson Bay, Foxe Basin, and Hudson Strait. The maiden voyage of the vessel will take place summer 2018. The CMO research vessel will overwinter within Hudson Bay, maximizing an operations season to at least July 1 to October 31, annually. The vessel is able to accommodate 6 crew and 14 science berths. She has: a rear A-Frame with 9 tonne capacity, a side crane with 7 tonne capacity, a heavy winch with 5.8 tonne capacity, two electric science winches with 1000 m cable length, a 25 foot Zodiac tender, 428 square feet of laboratory space, 1768 square feet of outside deck space, and a 196 square foot swim deck. Scientific equipment available for use on the vessel includes: an underway system, 12-bottle rosette, box core, WP2 nets, box trawl, -80 C freezer, chest freezer and fridge storage, and fume hood. In this poster, we describe the vessel, its equipment, and its availability.
Emerging physical and biological properties in a new Arctic ice regime
Mundy, C.J. (2) (Presenter), P. Assmy (1), M. Fernández-Méndez (1), L.M. Olsen (1), H.M. Kauko (1), P. Duarte (1), P. Itkin (1), A. Meyer (1), S.R. Laney (3), A. Fransson (1), H. Hop (1,4), I. Merkouriadi (1), A. Rösel (1), A. Randelhoff (1,4), A.K. Pavlov (1), A. Wold (1), J.M. Wiktor (5), G. Johnsen (6), S. Gerland (1), B. Sorrell (7), A. Sundfjord (1), H. Steen (1) and M.A. Granskog (1)
(1) Norwegian Polar Institute, Norway
(2) Centre for Earth Observation Science (CEOS), University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(3) Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole MA, United States
(4) UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
(5) Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland
(6) Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
(7) Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
One of the most prominent manifestations of climate change is the drastic decrease in Arctic sea-ice thickness and summer sea-ice extent. These fundamental changes in the physical properties of the ice pack will have unforeseen consequences for the entire Arctic marine food web. During the Norwegian young sea ICE (N-ICE2015) drift expedition from January to June 2015, we studied ice-algal and phytoplankton blooms under the new ice regime in the Arctic Ocean north of Svalbard, consisting of young ice, first- and second year ice. The most pertinent emerging physical properties observed during N-ICE2015 were the thinner and more dynamic ice pack, relatively thick snow cover, and the frequent formation of leads and ridges due to a more dynamic thin ice pack. This regime shift was reflected in the fact that light penetration through the open leads allowed for a phytoplankton bloom to develop in late May despite the snow-covered sea ice. On the other hand, ice-algal assemblages that developed in the high-light young ice environment of a refrozen lead were characterized by elevated levels of UV-protecting compounds, indicative of light stress by the shade-acclimated ice algae. The ice algal bloom of the young lead ice was apparently facilitated by recruitment of ice algae from adjacent older ice, highlighting the importance of the older ice for seeding of the ice algal bloom. Empirical and model results suggest that maximum growth rates of ice algae will increase whilst vertically integrated NPP and biomass will decrease under the thinner ice regime, as a result of the predictable increase in the area covered by refrozen leads in the Arctic Ocean. Furthermore, we have identified pressure ridges as biological hotspots which merit further investigation as the probability of their formation is expected to increase under the new, more dynamic Arctic sea ice regime. The heavy snow load on the sea ice caused negative ice-freeboard throughout the drift. In early June this led to infiltration of seawater through cracks in the ice and growth of phytoplankton at the snow-ice interface. These snow-infiltration communities have rarely been reported from the Arctic and could be another harbinger of a new Arctic sea ice regime. The observed changes in ice algal and phytoplankton bloom dynamics will potentially have cascading effects on the entire Arctic food web and may alter the uptake and release of climate-relevant gases from ocean and sea ice.
High gas-phase mixing ratios of formic and acetic acid in the High Arctic
Mungall, Emma (1) (Presenter), G.R. Wentworth (1,2), J.J.B Wentzell (3), J. Liggio (3), S. Sharma (3), D. Tarasick (3), E. Gute (1), J.G. Murphy (1) and J.P.D. Abbatt (1)
(1) University of Toronto, Toronto ON, Canada
(2) Alberta Environment and Parks, Edmonton AB, Canada
(3) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto ON, Canada
Formic and acetic acid are ubiquitous and abundant in the Earth's atmosphere and are important contributors to cloudwater acidity, especially in remote regions. Their global sources are not well understood, as evidenced by the inability of models to reproduce the magnitude of measured mixing ratios, particularly at high Northern latitudes. Understanding is also hindered by the scarcity of measurements at those latitudes. We present here ground-based gas-phase measurements of formic acid (FA) and acetic acid (AA) in the Canadian Arctic boundary layer, collected at 0.5 Hz with a high resolution chemical ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer using the iodide reagent ion (Iodide HR-ToF-CIMS, Aerodyne). This study was conducted at Alert, Nunavut, in early summer. FA and AA mixing ratios displayed high temporal variability and occasional excursions to very high values. High levels of FA and AA were observed both under dark, cold conditions in a moist environment in which the physical equilibrium partitioning should not favour their emission and during warm and sunny periods, where they also displayed diurnal cycles in keeping with a photochemical source near the ground. These observations highlight the complexity of the sources of FA and AA, and suggest that current implementations of Arctic emissions in chemical transport models may not be large enough.
Nutrient amended biodegradation of hydrocarbon contamination along Canada’s Labrador coast
Murphy, Sean (1) (Presenter) and C.R.J. Hubert (1)
(1) University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFNewfoundland and Labrador’s offshore region is the focus of ongoing northern oil exploration via high-resolution seismic surveys along the Labrador coast. In late 2017, bids will be accepted for 10 offshore land parcels along southern Labrador, pushing oil exploration and drilling further north along the coast. Future oil production in the area, combined with growing shipping traffic into Canada’s Arctic through Hudson Strait, increase the risk of an oil or fuel spill in this region. Additionally, sea ice and iceberg floes that are regular features in this region increase the importance for oil spill preparedness. Previous studies have revealed the effectiveness of nutrient amendment for stimulating the bioremediation of spilled oil near shorelines by increasing the concentration of limiting nutrients (e.g. nitrogen and phosphorous) required for microbial metabolism of hydrocarbons. Whether indigenous microbial communities in this vulnerable marine corridor can effectively biodegrade spilled hydrocarbons, naturally without intervention or via nutrient stimulation, remains poorly understood. To demonstrate the microbial response to hydrocarbon contamination along the Labrador Shelf, microcosms were created using marine sediment as the inoculum for artificial seawater medium that varied in concentrations of limiting nutrients and concentrations of diesel fuel (0.1 or 1% v/v). Biodegradation of diesel was observed by monitoring O2 and CO2 concentrations in the microcosm headspace using gas chromatography. Amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA genes using the Illumina MiSeq platform determined baseline community composition within environmental samples, and was used to monitor microcosms over time for community changes associated with biodegradation. Labrador Shelf sediments amended with diesel (0.1% v/v) and incubated at 4°C experienced greater O2 consumption and CO2 production relative to unamended controls. Treatments with elevated concentrations of nutrients (N:4.7mM, P:1.5mM) exhibited enhanced O2 depletion and CO2 production compared to those with ambient nutrient levels equivalent to Arctic Ocean bottom water (N:15µM, P:2µM). Microcosms amended with diesel at 1% v/v and high nutrients experienced the fastest response with CO2 concentrations reaching a maximum of 0.73mmol (with complete removal of headspace O2), compared to 0.2mmol CO2 for both the 1% v/v diesel at low nutrient and the unamended controls. This demonstrates the ability of the microbial community within the sediment to respond to heavy contamination. Triplicate microcosms for a given experimental condition exhibited similar shifts in community structure when amended with diesel after 29 days. Oleispira and Thalassolituus within the Gammaproteobacteria increased in relative abundance in samples treated with high nutrients and the higher diesel concentration. The lower diesel concentration combined with high nutrients exhibited a different response with members of the Gammaproteobacteria (i.e. Perlucidibaca) and Alphaproteobacteria (i.e. Rhodobacteraceae) increasing in relative abundance. Both treatments contain known marine hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria that have been detected in other oil degradation studies. These results indicate the potential for natural attenuation catalyzed by indigenous microbial communities in the event of a spill associated with shipping or oil production along the Labrador coast. Furthermore, nutrient amendment as a strategy for enhanced bioremediation is likely to be effective in expediting near-shore clean up should a spill occur.
Attribution of ecological change to warming across the tundra biome – a summary of recent data syntheses
Myers-Smith, Isla H. (1) (Presenter), A.D. Bjorkman (2), S.C. Elmendorf (3) and S. Normand (2)
(1) University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Scotland, United Kingdom
(2) Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
(3) University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder CO, United States
The tundra is experiencing some of the most rapid warming on the planet, and this warming is leading to rapid vegetation change at sites around the tundra biome. Over the past decade, a number of data synthesis efforts have explored the evidence for vegetation change and the attribution of this vegetation change to climate warming. The 2014 IPCC reports suggest that tundra ecosystems are one of the best examples of detecting an ecological change that can be attributed to anthropogenic climate warming. Here, we summarise the evidence for the detection and attribution of tundra vegetation change to climate change and outline key areas for future research. Vegetation change – Recent syntheses have found evidence of increasing tundra shrub cover at the majority of nearly 100 studied sites. Plot-based vegetation monitoring has additionally identified an increase in grasses and sedges and a decrease in mosses, lichens and bare ground over the past three decades. Species with warmer thermal niches have increased during this time, while those with colder thermal niches have decreased. In addition, multi-decadal growth-ring data at dozens of Arctic and alpine sites indicate that shrub growth is sensitive to growing season temperature at sites that are wet or have longer growing seasons. Phenology change - Plant phenology trends over time have been variable, with evidence of advance, delay and no change at nearly 20 sites across the tundra. Despite these variable temporal trends, interannual variation in leaf-out and flowering was often positively related to temperature. In addition, greater temperature sensitivity of leaf emergence and flowering has been found at colder versus warmer sites, suggesting the possibility of convergence in flowering times across tundra regions. Plant trait change - Plant traits such as plant height, specific leaf area and leaf nitrogen are strongly related to spatial gradients in temperature and soil moisture across the tundra biome. Despite these strong temperature-trait relationships over space, only community height has increased over three decades across over 100 sites, with the increase being attributable to site-level warming trends. Taken together, these data syntheses provide compelling evidence for the detection and attribution of tundra vegetation change to climate warming, but the evidence also points to variability in plant responses and the importance of other controlling factors such as soil moisture, herbivory and permafrost thaw. Areas requiring future research include quantifying below-ground vegetation change, understanding the role of local adaptation and dispersal limitation in influencing plant range expansion and linking vegetation change to trophic interactions and ecosystem functions such as carbon storage or surface reflectance.
Quantifying the drivers of rapid tundra vegetation change – increased productivity and permafrost thaw
Myers-Smith, Isla H. (1) (Presenter), A.M. Cunliffe (1), J.T. Kerby (2), T.C. Lantz (3), R.H. Fraser (4), J. van der Sluijs (5) and E. Cheyne (6)
(1) University of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
(2) Dartmouth College, Hanover NH, United States
(3) University of Victoria BC, Canada
(4) Canada Centre for Mapping and Earth Observation, Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
(5) NWT Centre for Geomatics – Informatics, Government of Northwest Territories, Yellowknife NT, Canada
(6) Aurora College, Yellowknife NT, Canada
Rapid climate warming in the Arctic is altering tundra ecosystems. Vegetation change has been detected at sites around the tundra biome and has been attributed to increases in temperatures, altered disturbance regimes and hydrology. Thaw is increasing at sites with ice-rich permafrost in the circumpolar Arctic, which could lead to increased plant productivity. Widespread permafrost thaw and vegetation change are likely to cause broad-scale climate feedbacks, through carbon and albedo effects. However, vegetation productivity patterns and environmental covariates have yet to be quantified at the landscape scale. Supported by the UK-Canada Arctic Partnership 2017 Bursaries Programme, we have formed a new collaboration of scientists from the UK and Canada working in the Western Canadian Arctic. Over the 2017 growing season, we used common protocols to collect drone imagery and in situ vegetation measurements in six 30 x 30 m plots representing different vegetation structures across four different regions on Qikiqtaruk-Herschel Island, Yukon, near Inuvik, on the Tuktoyaktuk Peninsula and on Banks Island, NWT. We used multispectral sensors to monitor spectral reflectance as a proxy for tundra plant phytomass, and RGB cameras and photogrammetry to create orthomosaic images and point clouds of vegetation structure. Our collaboration will test the correspondence between tundra vegetation structure, microtopography and disturbance across Arctic tundra vegetation from treeline to the maximum latitudinal extent of tall shrubs. Our results will inform both our understanding of how drones can be used to monitor tundra vegetation change and how landscape-level factors including topography, hydrology and disturbance influence tundra plant productivity. Findings from this collaboration will help develop novel ecological monitoring methods in tundra ecosystems, facilitating international scientific collaboration between researchers in the UK and Canada and beyond through the High Latitude Tundra Ecology Network (https://droneecology.wordpress.com/).
NEMO Modelling in and around the Hudson Bay Complex
Myers, Paul (1) (Presenter), J. Lukovich (2), N. Ridenour (1), S. JafariKhasragh (2) and D.G. Barber (2)
(1) Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Canada, Edmonton AB, Canada
(2) Centre for Earth Observation Science (CEOS), University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
The numerical modelling framework of the Nucleus for the European Modelling of the Ocean (NEMO) is now widely used throughout Canada. Here we examine plans to use NEMO to examine historical and future trends in the Hudson Bay Complex (HBC) as part of the Hudson Bay System Study (BaySys) project. Bias corrected atmospheric forcing derived from CMIP5 scenarios chosen to bracket potential changes in temperature and precipitation over the HBC will be used to force the model for historical scenarios (1979-2010) and the future (2010-2070). The same bias corrected atmospheric forcing will be used to drive hydrological models (run by Team 2 in BaySys) that will provide appropriate river runoff scenarios (including the potential effect of regulation) for the HBC and the Arctic. A preliminary evaluation of NEMO in the HBC will be presented as well as sensitivity studies showing impacts on summer circulation.
Modelling Greenland icebergs: Pathways and freshwater contribution
Myers, Paul (1) (Presenter), J.M. Marson (1) and X. Hu (1)
(1) Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
Since icebergs are an important freshwater source to the ocean and a threat to navigation, understanding the distribution of Greenland icebergs has become essential. These paths, however, are scarcely documented and observations using remote sensing is limited by sea ice cover and the size of icebergs. Our study aims to evaluate the trajectories of icebergs that calve from Greenland – and their potential contribution to the Labrador Sea as a source of freshwater – using the Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean (NEMO v3.4) coupled with two versions of an iceberg module. The baseline version, used in all previous studies concerning Greenland icebergs, uses only the surface state of the ocean produced by the ocean model to move and melt icebergs. The second version, an improvement only applied to the Southern Ocean until now, allow the icebergs to interact with the three-dimensional ocean fields. When comparing the icebergs’ distribution obtained by two simulations – each one using one version of the iceberg module, but otherwise identical – we observed that icebergs tend to move offshore when vertically-integrated ocean fields are taken into consideration. By dividing the Greenland coast into five sectors of origin, we also found out that while Baffin Bay is preferentially occupied by icebergs calved from western Greenland, most icebergs that reach the interior of Labrador Sea calved from the southeast sector. If, therefore, calving rates were to accelerate along the southeastern Greenland coast, our results suggest that this could have important implications for the deep convection known to occur in the Labrador Sea.
NEMO Modelling of ocean and sea-ice in the Canadian Arctic archipelago and Baffin Bay
Myers, Paul (1) (Presenter), X. Hu (1), N. Grivault (1), L. Castro de la Guardia (1), L.C. Gillard (1), S.K. Howard (1), J. Sun (1) and T. Chan (1)
(1) Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
The numerical modelling framework of the Nucleus for the European Modelling of the Ocean (NEMO) is now widely used throughout Canada. Here we examine the ability of NEMO to model sea ice and ocean conditions throughout the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA) and Baffin Bay, focussing on recent years. General features of the model sea-ice will be presented, leading to a comparison of the simulated ice thickness compares well with weekly Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) New Icethickness Program data. Model transports will be compared with those from mooring arrays in Barrow Strait, Nares Strait and Davis Strait. Circulation in Baffin Bay will be considered with respect to the penetration of warm Atlantic water towards tide-water glaciers of the CAA. Freshwater pathways will also be considered through the use of passive tracers.
Impact of early sea ice retreat on phytoplankton export in the Beaufort Sea
Nadaï, Gabrielle (1) (Presenter), C. Lalande (1), M. Parenteau (1) and L. Fortier (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFRecent satellite-derived observations suggest that the current reduction in sea ice cover extent and thickness resulted in increased primary production during spring and/or fall on several Arctic continental shelves. However, satellites are unable to detect primary production under ice, clouds or deeper than 10 m in the water column. Ship-based observations in the Arctic Ocean are also incomplete, as they are usually limited to a restricted area and to the period of minimum ice extent. As part of ArcticNet’s Long-Term Oceanic Observatories (LTOO) project, moored sediment traps were re-deployed over several years in the Beaufort Sea. Sediment traps provide continuous and sequential biological samples at a high temporal resolution over an annual cycle, tracking spatial, seasonal and interannual variations in the pelagic ecosystem. In this study, phytoplankton cells collected in sediment traps were quantified and identified to investigate changes in abundance and composition associated with variations in the sea ice regime and water temperature. Preliminary results from a sediment trap deployed at the Beaufort Sea shelf break from September 2014 to September 2016 showed that an earlier ice melt in 2016 than in 2015 resulted in earlier and higher export of diatoms, but in lower fluxes of the ice alga Nitzschia frigida. Analyses are ongoing to further investigate trends between ice regime, water temperature and phytoplankton export at other sites and for additional years.
Comparison of paleotemperature reconstructions based on the assemblage composition and oxygen isotope ratios of sedimentary diatoms
Narancic, Biljana (1) (Presenter), É. Saulnier-Talbot (1), H. Meyer (2), B. Chapligin (2), G. St-Onge (3) and R. Pienitz (1)
(1) Laboratoire de Paléoécologie Aquatique, Centre d'études nordiques (CEN) & Département de géographie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Research Unit Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
(3) Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski (ISMER), Canada Research Chair in Marine Geology, Université du Québec à Rimouski & GEOTOP, Rimouski QC,Canada
Sedimentary diatoms have been used to quantitatively reconstruct diverse limnological variables, including temperature. Even though the temperature is often less of a key driver of diatom ecology than other environmental parameters, inference models based on diatom assemblage composition have been shown to be reliable proxies for water temperature. Oxygen isotope ratios preserved in the biogenic silica of sedimentary diatoms have also been shown to reliably reflect water temperature at the time of formation. This paper aims to compare the two approaches to explore if and how the results differ, and how their combination can contribute to more reliable paleotemperature inferences. We used as our case study a large Arctic lake (Nettilling, Baffin Island, Canada) from a region where paleoenvironmental reconstructions remain sparse. Early results reveal a good correlation (r = 0.4) between inferences from both approaches. To our knowledge, this is the first study to simultaneously present temperature inferences from sedimentary diatom assemblage composition and the isotopic signal extracted from their silica wall. This combination of both proxies has the potential to provide new and exciting insights for paleotemperature reconstructions and future studies of postglacial environmental change in well-mixed lakes.
Southern Inuit of NunatuKavut polar bear management in Labrador
Nash, Patricia (1) (Presenter) and M. Dowsley (2)
(1) NunatuKavut Community Council, Happy Valley-Goose Bay NL, Canada
(2) Lakehead University, Thunder Bay ON, Canada
Each winter, polar bears arrive in NunatuKavut via drifting pack ice originating from the Davis Strait. They then move past southern Inuit communities in an established pattern. This movement has brought southern Inuit into contact with polar bears, locally known as sea bears, for generations resulting in local non-lethal bear management traditions. Despite the lack of official recognition of this annual interaction between people and Davis Strait polar bears at the southern edge of their range, and the current status of the people of NunatuKavut as excluded from polar bear hunting, local management strategies have developed over generations and provide important lessons for other regions similarly visited by polar bears. These include communicating with other communities regarding bear sightings, observing the characteristics of a visiting bear and its travel route, and taking actions to reduce interactions with bears. Identified bear guards slowly guide bears away from the community or accompany them within the community to maintain a buffer between the animal and people. In Newfoundland and Labrador, the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is listed as vulnerable under the Endangered Species Act, and designated as a species of Special Concern under the Canadian Species at Risk Act (SARA). A recent project initiated by the NunatuKavut Community Council and funded by Environment and Climate Change Canada, worked to document and share indigenous knowledge about polar bears in their territory. The results will be used to inform new Provincial and Federal Polar Bear Management Plans. Safety workshops were held and an educational poster and guidelines developed to improve awareness and encourage discussion on how to improve safety for bears and people.
“One Voice” to Monitor Northern Canada’s Freshwater Aquatic Environment: A method using Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and Western Science in Conjunction
Nesbitt, Richard (1) (Presenter), N. Hutchinson (2), H. Klein (3) and L. Manzo (4)
(1) Hutchinson Environmental Sciences Ltd., Kitchener ON, Canada
(2) Hutchinson Environmental Sciences Ltd., Bracebridge ON, Canada
(3) Sanammanga Solutions Inc., Vancouver BC, Canada
(4) Kivalliq Inuit Association, Rankin Inlet NU, Canada
Methods to assess environmental changes in the Arctic through scientific analysis are well established. However, vast, inaccessible expanses with a harsh climate present logistic and financial challenges few other places in Canada experience. Community based monitoring represents a potential to improve our ability to track changes in Canada’s north, yet there is no established methodology to reconcile observations made by Inuit while on the land with scientific indicators such as water chemistry. Proponents have historically collected traditional knowledge as part of the Nunavut’s environmental assessment (EA) process and use it to further justify establishing the freshwater environment as a “valued ecosystem component”. To date however, no way to quantitatively use Inuit observations of the aquatic environment to track changes have been established resulting in a reliance on patchwork scientific monitoring limited in both scope and scale. Qualitative observations are occasionally incorporated into EA documents, but there is a lack of consistency in both how that information is collected and how it is applied. We have developed a methodology to monitor the northern aquatic environment using Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ) in conjunction with scientific observations together as “One Voice”. Development of the methodology is focused through trying to answer two core questions of community concern: “Is the water safe to drink?” and “Are the fish good to eat?”. We have worked throughout 2015-2017 to develop this methodology to bridge the two knowledge systems by conducting a series of interviews with IQ holders led by “curious scientists”, and coupled this with the analysis of water samples collected concurrently. This approach has allowed, for the first time, targeted follow up to historically surficial questions that overlooked key variables directly linking western science with IQ, and a subsequent in depth analysis of results generated by both knowledge systems at the same sites. The “One Voice” project has developed a set of common indicators between the two knowledge systems to characterize the aquatic environment focusing on water quality and fish health, begun to establish microconstituent profiles that correlate with the taste of high quality drinking water sources and clarify thresholds indicating when water is no longer desirable for consumption. The defined common indicators are intended to facilitate a mutual understanding between knowledge holders from each knowledge system to improve the collective understanding of the aquatic environment and how it is influenced by varied stressors. The direct application of this methodology is the basis for a community based aquatic environment monitoring program. Observations and measurements of the common indicators collected through both western science and IQ will allow baseline environmental conditions and project impacts to be equally monitored through both knowledge systems. This will provide a more fulsome assessment of the environment, and improve confidence by both western scientists and IQ knowledge holders in the results generated by the other knowledge system. Incorporating the One Voice methodology will improve the use of IQ in EAs and other regulatory processes, thereby strengthening monitoring based decision making at multiple jurisdictional levels.
Microbial community dynamics of permafrost in response to thermokarst pond formation
Neuberger, Patrick (1) (Presenter), A. Saidi-Mehrabad (1), D. Froese (1) and B. Lanoil (1)
(1) University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFAs northern Canada warms, permafrost thaw can lead to dramatic ecosystem changes, including the formation of thermokarst ponds. The potential for microbial degradation of organic carbon increases with thermokarst development, resulting in increased flux of the greenhouse gases CO2 and CH4. In laboratory experiments, the composition and gene expression of the permafrost microbial communities underlying this degradation shift rapidly upon thaw; however, there have been few studies examining thaw under field conditions. Furthermore, lab-based studies have not differentiated between nucleic acids derived from living and dead cells; an issue as permafrost can preserve ancient DNA for tens of thousands of years. To examine the effect of anthropogenically-induced permafrost thaw on living microbial communities, we examined a site where thaw was induced by stripping of the area’s vegetation and one meter of surface soil in preparation for goldmining at a site near Dominion Creek, Yukon, Canada. We examined three cores to a depth of 100cm across a permafrost thaw gradient. Three subsamples were taken within active layer cores (when applicable) at depths of 15cm, 30cm, and 45cm as well as two permafrost subsamples at depths of 75cm and 90cm. An additional eight surface soil samples were collected across the same gradient from undisturbed forest active layer to disturbed soils composed of newly thawed permafrost to newly formed thermokarst pond sediments. We characterized the soil chemical composition including nitrate, ammonia, elemental composition, SOM, gravimetric water content and pH. Hierarchical clustering and PCA ordination show that (1) the edaphic parameters of thermokarst sediments resemble deep, undisturbed permafrost, while (2) the edaphic parameters of undisturbed surface soils resemble undisturbed frozen active layer soils, with water content, pH, and soil organic matter driving these groupings. These findings indicate that the soil edaphic parameters do not change rapidly under field conditions following permafrost thaw. Extracted DNA concentrations show a decrease in microbial biomass with thaw progression and with increasing core depth. We PCR amplified the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene from extracted DNA derived from both live cells and the total microbial assemblage. Removal of free DNA and DNA from dead cells was performed by integrating the photoreactive DNA-binding dye propidium monoazide (PMA) into DNA extractions. 16S rRNA gene PCR amplicons of live and total assemblage from permafrost, active layer, and disturbed surface soils have been submitted for Illumina sequencing to determine microbial community composition. Microbial communities of disturbed surface soils will be compared to undisturbed permafrost cores to directly test the effect of permafrost thaw. We predict that the total microbial assemblage in disturbed thermokarst soils will not resemble either undisturbed active layer or intact permafrost. However, with PMA treatment the microbial community composition of disturbed thermokarst soils and deep permafrost will resemble each other. This study will elucidate to what extent the microbial community responds to rapid permafrost thaw under field conditions, with potential implications for nutrient cycling in thermokarst pond sediments in northern Canada.
Coastal oceanography project for the eastern James Bay (northern Quebec, Canada)
Neumeier, Urs (1) (Presenter), M. Gosselin (1), V. Galindo (1), G. St-Onge (1), H. Xie (1), S. Bélanger (2), Z. Kuzyk (3), J. Ehn (3), A. Rochon (1), J.-C. Montero-Serrano (1), S. Senneville (1) and R. Costanzo (1,2)
(1) Institut des sciences de la mer, Rimouski QC, Canada
(2) Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(3) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Coastal oceanography of the eastern James Bay is complex due to the presence of numerous islands, its poorly documented bathymetry, and important fresh water discharges from several major rivers. Eelgrass beds (Zostera marina), known as important marine ecosystems providing both habitat and food for birds and fishes, have decreased drastically along this coast in the late 1990’s and have only partially recovered since. The reasons for these fluctuations are not understood so far, though the eelgrass health depends generally upon water and seabed properties, the bathymetry and the intra- and inter-annual variations of these parameters. Therefore, this new project aims to better understand the coastal oceanography of the eastern James Bay and to investigate stressors influencing eelgrass beds. The objectives are to: (1) determine seasonal and annual changes in coastal water characteristics and the dynamic of the river discharge plumes, (2) determine the sediment composition and sediment dynamics in key areas with and without eelgrass, and (3) determine environment evolution during the last century from sediment cores. Several field campaigns will be carried out from fall 2017 to summer 2019 to follow the seasonal evolution of water properties in and around eelgrass beds and to characterize the spatial sediment distribution. Water column profiles will record salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and photosynthetically available radiation. In addition, water samples will be collected to analyze nutrients, colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), DIC, DOC, POC, 13C and 15N on organic particulate matter, suspended particulate matter (SPM), photosynthetic pigments and 18O on water samples. Several moorings will be installed during the ice-free season 2018 to measure continuously (1) salinity, temperature, water levels, and turbidity in order to record the temporal river plume variations and to calibrate the numerical circulation model and (2) currents and waves to understand the water circulation and sediment dynamics. The bathymetry of eelgrass beds and nearby areas will be surveyed yearly to observe seabed morphology, characterize the eelgrass habitat and determine stability of bedforms and sediments. Surface sediment samples will be analyzed for grain size, organic geochemistry, and bulk mineralogy. Sediment cores will be taken to document the sedimentation rates, changes in sediment composition, variations in palynology content, and consequently past environmental conditions during the last century. Multispectral satellite data (sensors MERIS and OLCI) and Landsat imagery will be used to establish maps of CDOM, SPM, and chlorophyll a for the whole James Bay. Key coastal sectors will be processed at higher spatial resolution for SPM and CDOM to map the extent of river plumes. The water circulation of the James Bay will be modeled using the Regional Oceanographic Model developed for the Hudson Bay (ROM-HB), which is coupled to a sea ice simulator. The general grid will be refined to study water circulation and salinity distribution for the Eastern James Bay. This research project is financed by Niskamoon Corporation, a Cree organization, and it is carried out in collaboration with the local Cree communities.
Towards a better understanding of the trophic ecology of northern deep-water soft corals (Cnidaria: family Nephtheidae)
Neves, Bárbara de Moura (1) (Presenter), V. Wareham Hayes (1), K. Gilkinson (1) and E. Edinger (2)
(1) Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, St. John's NL, Canada
(2) Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's NL, Canada
Soft corals in the family Nephtheidae are a conspicuous faunal element of Arctic and subarctic benthic environments. They are found living attached to hard substrate or soft sediments in both shallow and deep-water settings. Despite their overall presence, focal studies on their biology are still scarce. As part of a project aiming to investigate the functional role of soft corals in Newfoundland, Labrador, and Eastern Arctic regions, here we explore the trophic ecology of four species (Duva florida, Drifa glomerata, Gersemia rubiformis, and Gersemia fruticosa) through stable isotope analysis (SI, d13C and d15N). Soft coral samples have been collected by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) between 2004 and 2015 as part of fish stock assessment trawl surveys taking place in the Newfoundland, Labrador, Hudson Bay, and Baffin Bay regions. Additional samples were collected aboard the Arctic Fishery Alliance (AFA) MV Kiviuq I in 2014 and 2016 in Jones Sound. Samples were also collected aboard the CCGS Amundsen in Hudson Bay and Baffin Bay in 2017 using an Agassiz trawl, box-cores, and the Amundsen’s remotely operated vehicle (ROV). For samples collected aboard the Amundsen in 2017 we have also collected surface sediment, zooplankton (mesh size 200 µm), and bottom water (particulate organic matter – POM) for SI analysis. After collection, soft corals, sediment, zooplankton, and filtered POM were frozen at -20 °C and then processed for SI analysis using standard protocols. Samples analysed for d13C were HCl treated to degrade the CaCO3 present in the coral skeleton. Samples for C and N were therefore analysed separately. Initial analysis of a small number of samples indicates that different parts of a colony have different SI composition (e.g. polyps vs. stem), and therefore should be considered separately. Our preliminary results indicate that carbon and nitrogen %, as well as d13C and d15N vary among species; although latitude, season, and depth have not yet been considered as potential co-variables. Average d15N values were higher in Duva florida (N = 63, 11.4 ‰) and Drifa glomerata colonies (N = 70, 11.2 ‰) in comparison to Gersemia rubiformis (N = 47, 10.1 ‰). Average d13C values (not yet corrected for lipids) were higher in Duva florida (N = 63, -20.71 ‰) than in Gersemia rubiformis (N = 47, -19.97 ‰). Analyses of d13C in Drifa glomerata and both d13C and d15N in Gersemia fruticosa are still ongoing. Based on comparison with data from the literature, these corals seem to be mainly feeding on POM, but with variations among species. Further SI analysis of sediment, POM, and zooplankton from the specific sites where corals have been collected, as well as lipids and fatty acids analysis from additional colonies will help to shed a better light into their feeding preferences. Obtaining this information is an important step towards better understanding potential species-specific dynamics in these corals, which are frequently treated at the functional group level. Considering their common presence and relatively high abundance, these soft corals may play a significant functional role in their environments.
Implementing the National Inuit Strategy on research
Nickels, Scot (1) (Presenter), Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami Board of Directors (1) and Inuit Qaujisarvingat National Committee (1)
(1) Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Ottawa ON, Canada
Inuit have expressed many hopes through the years about how research can better serve our communities, our families, and our people. Inuit have participated in many Canadian research programs and projects and have been involved at various governance levels in Arctic-related science initiatives and federal science programs. Through these endeavours, we have pointed out how research should result in positive impacts for us. As part of our efforts to strengthen Inuit self-determination in research and science, Inuit acknowledged the development of a national Inuit strategy for research as part of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami’s 2016-2019 Strategy and Action Plan. This presentation will outline the implementation plan of the National Inuit Strategy on Research. The development of the Strategy was led by the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami Board of Directors and advised by its subcommittee the Inuit Qaujisarvingat National Committee. The Strategy strengthens Inuit unity around research, and seeks to inform research-related legislation, policies and practices from the community to international levels. There are five priority areas of the Strategy that show a way forward for greater Inuit self-determination in research, governance and policy. Essentially, Inuit are calling for a paradigm shift to occur so that the fundamental rights that Inuit hold in research are recognized and upheld to meet the needs and expectations of improving the well-being of Inuit in Canada. By implementing the Strategy, we strive to achieve self-determination in research, policy, and governance for Inuit in Canada, and foster respectful and beneficial research that contribute to creating social and economic equity of Inuit and Inuit Nunangat.
Ice canoe for research on coastal and marginal ice processes
Nicot, Paul (1) (Presenter), D. Dumont (1), S. Dugas (1), P. Sutherland (2) and J. Baudry (1)
(1) Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(2) Ifremer, Plouzané, France
Studying coastal and marginal ice processes, such as wave-ice and ice-bed interactions, frazil formation and aggregation and ice floe drift, requires that many complex variables be sampled simultaneously when a certain set of conditions are present. For example, studying how waves propagate in the ice and how they affect it minimally requires knowledge about the incident wave spectrum and how it evolves throughout its propagation, ice thickness and its variability, floe size and ice type distribution, as well as knowledge about the background advection. Understanding the partition of wave energy require even more detailed information about ice mechanical processes, turbulence and/or the directional wave spectrum. While this can be very costly, if not impracticable, with a scientific icebreaker, where logistical constraints and the long-term unpredictability of met-ocean conditions impede proper planning of such endeavours, a smaller scale experimental set-up in a coastal ice-covered environment proves to be much more adapted and cost-effective. Here we report on scientific achievements realized with canoe-based research in the Bic National Park, in the ice-covered St. Lawrence Estuary, over the past three years, including the validation of a theory relating wave radiative stress and ice thickness in the marginal ice zone, the observation of the flexural response and fracture of an ice floe in natural waters and validation of remote sensing data. The observational knowledge gained is used to improve and test numerical models and parameterizations of ice and wave-related phenomena. These achievements highlight the potential of canoe-based research for scientific discoveries, but also for the training of highly qualified personnel, thus invigorating the ice canoe as a Quebec intangible cultural heritage.
Arctic Change: Impacts and consequences for Northern communities and society
Nikitina, Elena (1), V. Bashkirova, J. Bengston, M. Brubaker, E. Cameron, V. Chashin, M. Fomenko, C. George, L. Khudyakova, A. Klepikov, S. Lamoureux, T. Lohman, P. Mundy, J. Odland , P. Outridge (Presenter), I. Pipko, N. Poussenkova, N. Pozhilova, L. Robbins, S. Trainor, L. Thorsteinson and V. Valeeva
(1) National Reserch Institute for world economy & international relations, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moskva, Russia
Climate, environmental, socio-economic and institutional changes underway in the Arctic and globally are affecting the northern local communities and society. Combination of these transformations results in strong synergy and cascading effect which have important consequences for their sustainable development. Climate change, in particular, has a variety of direct and indirect impacts not only on ecosystems, but also on northern societies resulting in current and future risks and opportunities to individuals, families, communities and economic systems. This chapter of the AACA Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort (BCB) regional assessment overviews the state of knowledge about some of the observed and projected consequences of the Arctic changes for the northern residents in Canada, USA and Russia, and compares their responses to live with risk, or to benefit from major transformations. Arctic communities are already experiencing and will all experience a variety of impacts in their everyday lives, associated with a complex of issues such as food and water security, adequate housing, public services and infrastructure, transportation, economic development, human health and safety. Changing weather patterns, coastal erosion and flooding, permafrost thaw, wildfires, changes in sea ice and snow, sea levels, ocean acidification, precipitation, hydrology and ecology amplify the diverse consequences that require essential human responses. Some changes in the BCB are clear and their future impacts are predictable, but others are more subtle, complex and will play out in unforeseen ways for generations to come. They challenge the vulnerability and adaptive capacity of northern societies.
Nunavut Inuit Marine Monitoring Program
Nirlungayuk, Gabriel (1) (Presenter)
Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., Iqaluit NU, Canada
Inuit hold common concerns regarding increasing vessel traffic, including risks to wildlife and the environment, interference with traditional activities and disruptions in communities. However, Arctic communities have limited, if any, access to reliable information on shipping activities and risks. In response to the need for better information, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., the land claim organization for Nunavut, has initiated a pilot project, the Inuit Marine Monitoring Project, on vessel monitoring. The pilot project takes an innovation approach to vessel monitoring in Nunavut by pairing installation of terrestrial Automatic Indetification System (AIS) transmitters with Inuit monitors in areas of interest to communities. This enables NTI to capture more information that is provided by AIS, including presence and behaviour of smaller vessels, presence of ice or wildlife, and other environmental conditions. This pilot offers an example of new ways that Inuit are pairing technology with traditional skills and knowledge to create new information. The information gleaned from monitoring will be reported back to communities and used to inform policy and decision-making relating to shipping activities in Nunavut.
Ethnobotany in Nunatsiavut: Understanding berry picking through biological and cultural perspectives
Norton, Christian H. (1) (Presenter), A. Cuerrier (1) and L. Hermanutz (2)
(1) Institut de recherche en biologie végétal, Jardin botanique de Montréal, Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Memorial University, St. John's NL, Canada
There have been numerous ethnobotanical surveys of Inuit communities in the western and central Arctic; however, fewer studies have documented such knowledge in the eastern Arctic and Subarctic. There are five communities within Nunatsiavut: Nain, Makkovik, Rigolet, Hopedale, and Postville. We will compare the ethnobotany among the latter three communities. Hopedale is the most northern of the three communities considered here, Postville is between Hopedale and Rigolet, and Rigolet is the most southerly. Although Postville is closer to Hopedale than Rigolet, Postville and Rigolet are most similar ecologically due to their more inland location on the shores of bays. In addition to ecological differences, Hopedale was the only community of the three that has a significant Inuktitut-speaking population. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and responses were compared among communities, as well as to the other two communities in Nunatsiavut, and to paleoethnobotanical surveys done in Labrador. This research is important to (a) protect and transmit traditional knowledge and (b) identify plant species for monitoring and conservation, and (c) understand how plant usage has changed over time. Communities were compared with respect to (i) number of taxa reported, (ii) uses, (iii) frequency of reporting, and (iv) growth form. Responses were also compared based on whether or not the informant expressed knowledge of Inuktitut words for plants. There were 17 informants in Hopedale (15 interviews; 6 males and 11 females), 8 informants in Postville (8 interviews; 1 male and 7 females), and 9 informants in Rigolet (8 interviews; 4 males and 5 females). For food, berry species were important to all three communities; including red berry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea), blackberry (Empetrum nigrum), and cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus). Paleoethnobotanical studies also noted the prevalence of berry seeds and phytolyths in archeological sites, particularly blackberry seeds. However, informants in Postville and Rigolet mentioned berry species that informants in Hopedale did not, such as marsh berry (Vaccinium oxycoccus L.), squashberry (Viburnum edule), and creeping snowberry (Gaultheria hispidula). Concerning medicinal plants, Labrador tea and the resin from spruce (Picea spp.) and fir (Abies balsamae) were used for treating colds and cuts, respectively. Kelp (Laminaria spp.), roseroot (Rhodiola rosea), and willow buds (Salix spp.) were reported as food and only by informants that expressed a comprehension of Inuktitut. Results suggest that (1) there are differences in plant knowledge between communities due to local environment (2) plant knowledge is retained across time, and (3) Inuktitut is an important medium for transmitting and conserving local plant knowledge.
Our eyes and ears on the Northwest Passage: DFO's monitoring and real-time observatory in Barrow Strait
Nudds, Shannon (1) (Presenter), C. Richards (1), J. Hamilton (1) and M. Pittman (1)
(1) Fisheries and Ocean Canada, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth NS, Canada
Regular monitoring by DFO in Barrow Strait, from 1998 to 2011, provided time-series measurements of ocean and ice properties. The measurements quantify the magnitude and inter-annual variability of heat and freshwater flux through this important gateway from the Arctic to the Atlantic. Icycler, an under-ice profiling system, recorded water properties in the upper 40 m where traditional instruments risk being damaged or lost due to ice. Additionally, a Real-Time Observatory, first deployed in 2011, returns measurements of currents and water properties every two hours throughout the year. The long time series of under-ice measurements of temperature and salinity have led to regression models for the prediction of freeze-up and break-up, a valuable tool in the Northwest Passage, particularly as increased shipping becomes a concern. This year marks the re-deployment of the monitoring array and the real-time observatory with a wider suite of instruments including real-time ice draft and passive acoustic data. In this talk we give an overview of the past, present and future of this monitoring program, with a focus on: trends in ice and water column properties, recent predictions of sea-ice freeze-up, and the timing of ice break-up and the spring bloom.
Key factors influencing food security status of vulnerable groups in Inuit communities
Nuesslein, Shirin (1) (Presenter), C. Furgal (1) and K. McTavish (2)
(1) Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
(2) Nunatsiavut Government Department of Health and Social Services, Nain NL, Canada
High food insecurity levels documented among Indigenous peoples in Canada relative to national levels are the cause of significant public health concern. This is particularly important for Canada’s Northern Indigenous communities who have been identified to experience the highest levels of food insecurity in the country. These levels are associated with considerable health and social disparities between the Indigenous and general Canadian population. While significant research has taken place focusing on many of the factors influencing food insecurity status and the associated health outcomes such as nutritional deficiencies, obesity, chronic disease, neurological disorders, anxiety and family stress, the social determinants of food insecurity in Canadian households have only been peripherally explored to date. Even less is known about Indigenous-specific social determinants of household food insecurity and the identification of vulnerable sub-groups within Indigenous populations. The purpose of this study is to enhance our understanding of social determinants of Indigenous health by examining the relationship between social determinants and household food security status among at-risk groups within the Inuit population of Northern Canada. In partnership with the Nunatsiavut Government, this study will follow an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design directed by the central question “What are the key social determinants influencing Inuit household food security status (HHFS) for a key at-risk or vulnerable group in Nunatsiavut?”. Analysis of data from the literature will inform the identification of key social determinants to be considered in the statistical analysis of an existing community representative database on the household food security status in Nunatsiavut. Results from the quantitative analysis will then be further explained through key-informant interviews with local health and community representatives. Results will provide a more detailed understanding of the vulnerabilities to food insecurity experienced within the Inuit population and the social conditions supporting food security and health for all residents, including the most at-risk groups within an already vulnerable population. Results will also contribute to the regional, national and international discourse on social determinants influencing food security and health status of Indigenous peoples.
Evaluating contaminants learning-year 2: The Nunavut Arctic College Environmental Technology Program’s wildlife, contaminants and health workshop
Nuesslein, Shirin (1) (Presenter), C. Furgal (1), M. Gamberg (2), J. Shirley (3), J. Carpenter (4) and J.F. Provencher (5)
(1) Nasivvik Centre for Inuit Health and Changing Environments, Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
(2) Gamberg Consulting, Whitehorse YT, Canada
(3) Nunavut Research Institute, Nunavut Arctic College, Iqaluit NU, Canada
(4) Environmental Technology Program, Nunavut Arctic College, Iqaluit NU, Canada
(5) Acadia University, Wolfville NS, Canada
Students in Nunavut Arctic College’s (NAC) Environmental Technology Program (ETP), are being trained to help identify, understand, and address many environmental challenges confronting the North. They are often tasked with being knowledge translators working between communities of scientists, resource users, industry and government. It is therefore critical that they have the appropriate skills and tools to engage with these issues, and to understand and communicate about them with a variety of northern audiences. To date, online courses, workshops, in-class presentations and on the land science camps have been conducted in Arctic communities to build local capacity to understand and take action on critical environmental issues such as the presence of environmental contaminants in the Arctic food chain. However, few of these training efforts have been documented and shared for others to learn from and even fewer have been evaluated to assess their impact on participant or student learning. For the past 10 years, a group of educators, scientists, hunters, community representatives and decision makers have come together annually to deliver the environmental contaminants training workshop to students of the ETP at NAC in Iqaluit, NU. This one-week workshop combines lectures, interactive labs, and group discussions to teach ETP students about contaminant sources and pathways, wildlife tissue sampling, contaminants monitoring programs, as well as techniques to assess, manage and communicate to a variety of audiences about contaminants research and the potential risks posed by environmental contaminants in country foods. The training modules also engage scientists to introduce students to the lab environment and local experts to teach students traditional knowledge and skills pertaining to these topics. In 2015 and 2016, a systematic assessment was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the workshop at meeting its workshop objectives and contributing to student learning outcomes. The assessment framework focused on 6 recognized learning outcomes (depth and breadth of knowledge, knowledge of methodologies, application of knowledge, communication skills, limits of knowledge and understanding, and professional capacity and autonomy). Results presented here are from the evaluation of the 2016 workshop. Integrated analysis of instructor interviews, review of curriculum materials, classroom observation and surveys and interviews with new and returning students indicated differences in learning between the two student groups. For new students, 4 out of 8 workshop objectives were fully and 4 partially achieved. For returning students, 3 were fully and 5 were partially achieved. The workshop enhanced students’ awareness of key contaminants and contaminant research issues and fostered the development of dissection skills. The workshop proved less successful in enhancing students’ ability to communicate about contaminants, understand how health risks are assessed and how to integrate LEK and science on this topic. Evaluation results are being carefully considered in the design and adaptation of the 2017 workshop. This two-year assessment project represents the first systematic effort to evaluate the effectiveness of an Arctic environmental training initiative, and is showing the practical value of front line trainer evaluation in regards to improving program delivery and assessing short and long-term success of such capacity building efforts.
Climate change, disasters and community resilience in light of uncertain responsibility coordination – the case of Svalbard avalanches
Nyman, Elizabeth (1) (Presenter), R. Tiller (2), and A. Ross (1)
(1) Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston TX, United States
(2) SINTEF Ocean, Trondheim, Norway
While much of the attention on climate change focuses on coordinated agreements made by the international community, natural hazards related to global warming present complex disasters issues that states must manage. This is particularly acute in the Arctic, where climate-related hazards test the coordinated response of emergency management in remote areas. We consider the case of Svalbard, an archipelago that is not considered Norwegian territory but is assigned by treaty as the administrative responsibility of an appointed governor. Longyearbyen, the largest settlement of Svalbard, is a former 'company town', where a single organization, Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani, was responsible for all employment, housing, supplies and services, organizing both the social and working lives of the inhabitants. This started changing in the mid-70s, when the coal company was nationalized and a normalization process started. In 2002, this process was finalized with a new local democracy (Longyearbyen Lokalstyre) taking over the functions previously held by the Company. In addition, though, the town also has a Governor, that represents the interests and responsibilities of the national government. The weak coordination between actors on multiple levels of government is endemic to Norway; however, the negative ramifications of poor coordination are exacerbated in this case by the lack of community capital for resilience with the town's high turnover in residents, at 25% per year, which hinders the development of collective memory that aids disaster preparedness and response. This has led to the community recently suffering from preparedness failures, with avalanches that have had resultant fatalities. We examine resident questionnaires and in-depth interviews to explore how community capacity and disaster governance intersect to affect resilience in this complex context. The findings will highlight where improvements in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery can be made in Svalbard. The findings also have implications for the coordination action needed, by government and society, to address the hazards presented by a rapidly changing climate.
Foundations for student success and persistence in Inuit Nunangat
O'Gorman, Melanie (1), K. Snow (2), S. Tulloch (1) and D. Boase (3)
(1) University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Cape Breton University, Sydney NS, Canada
(3) Memorial University, Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's NL, Canada
In January 2016 the Amaujaq National Centre for Inuit Education along with the ArcticNet Centre of Excellence issued a directed call for proposals for research to identify factors that are supporting or hindering Inuit students from staying or excelling in school. Our research team responded to the call through the development of a multi-faceted research project that aimed to gather data around two interrelated research questions: (a) What is contributing to Inuit students’ persistence in or withdrawal from school, particularly at grade transitions? (b) How are students progressing in Inuit schools, what are they achieving and how is this achievement being assessed (including mainstream and Inuit-specific indicators)? One facet of this ongoing research involved case studies in Inuit-majority K-12 schools identified by regional stakeholders as having high rates of student persistence and success. Three in-depth cases studies have been conducted in Hopedale, NL, Aklavik, NWT, and Taloyoak, NU. Through interviews with teachers, students, parents and elders, we have identified themes related to promising practices in schools that support persistence in schools. A short synopsis of the context, limitations and promising practices from each case will be shared.
MOSIDEO/CIRFA Experiments on Behavior and Detection of Oil in Ice
O'Sadnick, M. (1,2) (Presenter), C. Petrich (1), N.P. Dang (1), C. Brekke (2), M. Myrnes (2), S. Maus (3), M.L. Salomon (3), S. Woelk (3), T. Grydeland (4), R.O.R. Jenssen (2,4), H. Eicken (5), M. Oggier (5), L. Ferro-Famil (2,6), L. Harkati (6), I. Keskküla (7) and P. Hinse (8)
(1) Northern Research Institute Narvik (Norut Narvik), Narvik, Norway
(2) UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
(3) NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
(4) Norut – Northern Research Institute, Tromsø, Norway
(5) University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks AK, United States
(6) Université de Rennes 1, Rennes, France
(7) Ocean Visuals, Ålesund, Norway
(8) Hamburgische Schiffbau-Versuchsanstalt (HSVA), Hamburg, Germany
Arctic operations in the presence of sea ice present a challenge to sustainable operations. In order to optimize planning and minimize impact of inadvertent oil spills, oil-in-ice experiments were performed at the HSVA Arctic Environmental Test Basin (AETB) from 14 March to 4 April 2017 by participants from eight institutes. Following an under-ice spill and simulated springtime warming, investigations were performed on the microscopic movement and distribution of oil in the sea ice pore space and the detectability of oil as it approaches the surface. The experiments present a unique opportunity to link the signals of a range of surface detection techniques, including electromagnetic (radar, tomographic SAR) and optical (fluorescent, hyperspectral, thermal), to the microscopic distribution of oil in sea ice investigated by X-ray computed tomography (CT). Predicting the behavior of oil in ice based on environmental conditions will help optimize the use of methods for spill detection and response.
Examination of sea ice cover in Norwegian fjords
O'Sadnick, Megan (1,2) (Presenter), C. Petrich (1), C. Brekke (2) and J. Skardhamar (3)
(1) Northern Research Institute (Norut) Narvik, Narvik, Norway
(2) Department of Physics and Technology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
(3) Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway
In this study we examine trends in sea ice cover in Norwegian fjords since 2000. Working with Google Earth Engine, images primarily from MODIS but supported by Sentinel 1 and Sentinel 2 were analyzed to determine where and when ice formed along the Norwegian coastline. Next, variations through the ice season and between years were quantified. From these findings, we defined three fjords of varying location and ice extent which had good coverage from all datasets. For each fjord, available data on bathymetry, freshwater flux, climatic conditions, tides, and currents were collected from several sources including the Norwegian Mapping Authority, Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate, and Norwegian Meteorological Institute to better understand the causes of the variations observed. In addition, we began to compare our findings of ice extent to model output of currents, hydrography and ice cover from a numerical ocean model covering the Norwegian coast (NorKyst800). In future research, we aim to explore this comparison further to improve our understanding of where and why differences may exist between remotely detected and modeled values. The results presented here provide a summary of how bathymetric, atmospheric, and oceanographic variables may contribute to changing ice conditions along the coast of Norway. Furthermore, we discuss the possible implications for Norway and other regions of a similar environment. Findings will be used in subsequent research and a related field work campaign focused on the formation of ice in Norwegian fjords.
The importance of local research in community ecology: A case study of vegetation succession in the High Arctic
O’Kane, Katriina (1) (Presenter) and G. Henry (1)
(1) University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC, Canada
Working in areas where data are scarce and difficult to acquire, there is often a drive to extrapolate our understanding of community change in the Arctic from more southern environments. However, community ecology continues to be hindered by complex contingencies that play out at its mesoscale. Here I present my work on High Arctic vegetation succession, and describe how observations at different scales change our interpretation of pathways and processes. My research investigates the vegetation development on three glacial forelands on the eastern coast of Ellesmere Island. While all patterns remain directional, there are significant differences in species composition and timing of species arrival. These differences relate to topography and isolation, however they also relate to survey methods. Through this case study of vegetation succession, I hope to demonstrate the importance of both local scale research and well-designed reproducible methods in understanding and predicting Arctic biodiversity.
The Influence of Topographic Heterogeneity on Vegetation Succession in the High Arctic
O’Kane, Katriina (1) (Presenter) and G. Henry (1)
(1) University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFA fundamental concept in ecology, succession explores how ecosystems develop and recover from disturbances. However as with all concepts in community ecology, it remains highly influenced by local conditions. Here we investigate the patterns and processes of succession across a topographically heterogeneous glacial foreland on Ellesmere Island. We first model environmental conditions across the foreland, and then relate these to our vegetation survey. We explore the relationships between topography and time since deglaciation, versus local temperature, soil attributes, and vegetation. The results are interpreted with the help of a series of descriptive maps.
Analysis of remotely sensed, aerosol-cloud interaction over the Arctic
O’Neill, N. T. (1) (Presenter), L. Ivanescu (1), J. P. Blanchet (2), P. Hayes (3), R. Chang (4), Y. Aboel Fetouh (1), K. Ranjbar (1) and A. Aslemand (1)
(1) Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke QC, Canada
(2) Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(3) Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(4) Dalhousie Uinversity, Halifax NS, Canada
Early results involving the analysis of remotely sensed (RS) aerosol-cloud (AC) interactions over the Arctic will be reported. This will be in the context of two thematic foci; AC interactions in the upper troposphere / lower stratosphere during the polar winter and AC interactions in the mid to lower troposphere during the polar spring when certain types of aerosols (dust, smoke, pollution, and sea salt) tend to achieve a maximum or at least an important influence in the Arctic. This analysis is being carried out using active and passive (lidar / radar and optical imagery) satellite-based RS instruments supported by active and passive ground-based RS measurements, ground-based microphysical and chemistry measurements or aerosol properties and simulations of a chemical transport model. The key satellite RS activity employs two primary RS instruments and will incorporate two secondary RS instruments (respectively, the CloudSat CPR and the CALIOP lidar along with the ESA ALADIN Doppler (wind velocity) lidar and the ESA TROPOMI imager of the Sentinel 5 Percursor satellite). The ground-based data comes and will come primarily from our Eureka, Nunavut, PEARL (Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory) high-Arctic observatory. The analytical methodology consists of analyzing the AC, extensive (quantity dependent) and intensive (per particle) dynamics and the inter-data coherence of the satellite data, the ground-based data and the simulations at the event and seasonal level (at the process and statistical level).
The national strategy on Inuit education: National parent engagement initiative 2013 Arctic Inspiration Prize Laureate Presentation
Ochalski, Heather (1) (Presenter) and S. Smiler (2) (Presenter)
(1) Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) Kativik Schoolboard, Nunavik QC, Canada
In December of 2013 Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) received $325,000 for their knowledge to action plan with the key message: “Getting children to school every day, all day, well rested and ready to learn”. Through media support, regional round-tables and conferences, community-targeted initiatives, profiling of success stories, and the creation of parent tool-kits with tips on how parents can support their children’s education, the National Parent Engagement Initiative is focused on encouraging Inuit students to attend school regularly and succeed. This included: 1.Establishing strategic partnerships in each of the 4 Inuit regions to undertake community-based parent engagement initiatives. 2.Communicating key messages through public information and promotion campaigns with regional partners. 3.Facilitate the sharing of ideas and best practices between regions on parent engagement initiatives. 4.Seek appropriate venues to champion the initiative and increase opportunities for private and government funding and support. 5.Continue to gather information and data on school attendance in all regions. ITK will present on the implementation of their knowledge to action and including a presentation on the Inuit Rites of Passage Parent/Teacher Tool Kit that was developed and now being implemented in the community of Inukjuak, Nunavik.
Methane-induced ocean acidification in the Northern Barents Sea
Ofstad, Siri (1) (Presenter), K. Zamelczyk (1), M. Chierici (2), A. Fransson (3), P. Serov (1) and T.L. Rasmussen (1)
(1) CAGE – Centre for Arctic Gas Hydrate, Environment and Climate, Department of Geosciences, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
(2) Institute of Marine Research, Tromsø, Norway
(3) Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø, Norway
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, which is emitted from naturally-occurring gas hydrates in marine sediments on upper continental slopes worldwide. Following the release of methane from the seafloor, processes in the water column can change methane and seawater carbonate chemistry. Methane in the water column is aerobically oxidized (MOx) by methanotrophic bacteria. MOx is the only water column sink for methane, and produces carbon dioxide as a by-product. Carbon dioxide induces fundamental changes to the seawater chemistry, reducing pH, the availability of carbonate ions, and the saturation state of the biologically important calcium carbonate minerals calcite and aragonite. Ocean Acidification (OA) is a phenomenon referring to the gradual decrease in the world’s ocean pH. Model studies have shown that, methane seepage is a likely source of OA due to MOx, and has the potential to accelerate OA by nearly doubling the rate of pH decrease in some parts of the Arctic region. Here, we investigated the water chemistry and marine calcifiers (planktic foraminifera and pteropods) at a shallow site (~340 m) characterized by giant crater-mound systems, and high levels of methane emission from the seafloor. Our results show elevated bottom water dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) (up to 2282 µmol/kg), which in some cases correlated with presence of methane flares. Total alkalinity (TA) remained constant, reflecting the biogenic origin of the methane, and preventing the buffering effects, which would alleviate methane-induced OA. Our data also indicates an enhancement of primary production in the surface waters directly above the methane seeps.
Diet and isotopic niche overlap between two Arctic phocids in Cumberland Sound, Nunavut
Ogloff, Wesley (1,2) (Presenter), D. Yurkowski (1), G. Davoren (1) and S. Ferguson (2)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg MB, Canada
With continued ocean warming, northward range expansions of subarctic species and increasing abundance of temperate species in Arctic regions are predicted. In Cumberland Sound, reports by locals have suggested an increase in subarctic forage fish, namely capelin, since 2000. Concurrently, increases in harp seal summer distribution have been observed in recent years, and Inuit knowledge suggests a decline in resident ringed seal populations. We hypothesize that, when sympatric, harp seals occupy a similar ecological niche to that of ringed seals and that this may be a factor in distributional shifts. To address this, stomach contents and muscle and liver stable isotope signatures of ringed and harp seals were examined. Inuit hunters sampled tissues from seals hunted during the open-water period from 2008-2016. Harp seal (n=28) isotopic niche overlapped ringed seal (n=180) isotopic niche by 43% when using muscle tissue (long-term). For liver tissue (short-term), harp seal (n=36) isotopic niche overlapped ringed seal (n=175) isotopic niche by 56%. This suggests that ringed and harp seal diet may converge during the summer months when harp seals are present in Cumberland Sound. Findings from stomach contents were similar, suggesting that both seal species utilize common invertebrate prey (mysids, euphausiids, and amphipods), as well as forage fish (capelin and polar cod), though fish were more frequently observed in harp seal stomachs (n=22; 85%) than in ringed seal stomachs (n=63; 47%). Although niche overlap appears to be high, stomach contents suggest that these seals may be utilizing resources differently, indicating some degree of niche partitioning. Further analysis will examine these relationships among different age classes of seals to elucidate any age-related trends in diet. A greater understanding of the impacts of population re-distribution and expansions to higher latitudes on ecosystem structure and function can better inform management of subsistence and commercially harvested species. This will be increasingly important in the face of continued climate change, which may alter and exacerbate the pressures acting upon these species.
Consequences of increasing shipping in the Barents region on local adaptive capacity
Olsen, Julia (1) (Presenter), G.K. Hovelsrud (1) and M. Nenasheva (2)
(1) Nord University, Bodø, Norway
(2) Northern (Arctic) Federal University named after M.V. Lomonosov, Arkhangelsk, Russia
This paper presents the preliminary findings of an explorative qualitative research study on the impacts of Arctic shipping on the local adaptive capacity of two island communities in its Barents part: the Norwegian community of Longyearbyen, on Svalbard, and the Russian community of Solovetsky. Historically, shipping has been an important part of these communities’ developments. Since the beginning of the 21st century, both communities have experienced changes in the types of vessels that navigate the Arctic, as well as an extension of the navigable season. This major growth in navigation traffic can be attributed to cruise tourism activities. The total number of calls of foreign cruise boats has increased during the last two decades. Additionally, sea ice retreat and an increase in biomass of boreal fishes in the Northern part of the Barents Sea have resulted in the development of commercial cod and haddock fishing. However, the existing infrastructure, communication services and search-and-rescue facilities are yet insufficient for the increasing shipping activities. These new parameters and practices, coupled with destinations development, have engaged both local and regional stakeholders seeking to find balance between securing an important source of income and limiting possible negative impacts on environment and local community well-being. Currently, an existing top-down approach of shipping governance (global, regional and local) has a lack of local engagement. A number of studies indicate that local communities do not respond to the impact of climate changes in isolation from other changes in socio-economic, environmental and political conditions. Moreover, the capacity to adapt varies between communities and depends on subjective and objective dimensions. Systematic analysis of adaptive capacity determinants is useful for aiding and comparing how the case study communities adapt to changes posed by multiple stressors. By applying an analytical approach of adaptation and adaptive capacity, I will test the scholarly assumption that the existent infrastructure, availability of economic resources and (shipping) governance in the Arctic both enable and hinder local adaptive capacity. The preliminary findings of this study indicate the importance of a flexible governance system for shipping activities that may also serve as a source of adaptive capacity. These include Polar shipping governance mechanisms presented by a set of frameworks (e.g. IMO Polar Code, Heavy Fuel Oil ban around Svalbard), institutions (e.g. Arctic Council Search and Rescue agreement), and guidelines (e.g. AECO guidelines for cruise operators in the Arctic).
Frost mounds of Belyy island in coastal marine settings of the Kara Sea
Orekhov, P.T. (1) (Presenter), K.A. Popov (1), E.A. Slagoda (1,2,3,) A.N. Kurchatova (1,3), Y.V. Tikhonravova (1), O.L. Opokina (1,3), G.V. Simonova (4) and V.N. Melkov (4)
(1) Earth Cryosphere Institute, SB RAS, Tyumen, Russia
(2) Tyumen State University, Tyumen, Russia
(3) Industrial University of Tyumen, Tyumen, Russia
(4) Institute of Monitoring of Climatic and Ecological Systems, SB RAS, Tomsk, Russia
During field work ot2015-2016 year was the pioneering study of morphology and structure of frost mounds on Bely Island in the Kara Sea. Age of peat, carbon isotopic composition of peat and gas inclusions in ice, ice crystalline structure, and granulometric composition of sediments have been determined. By their shape, the identi?ed frost mounds have been grouped into conical, toroidal, thaw-weakened (without ice core) frost mounds crosscut by polygonal network, and ice-cored ?at-topped perennial palsas. Modern palsas are distributed in the areas of laida which are regularly ?ooded by sea water. Conical and toroidal frost mounds represent relict permafrost landforms developed in the late Holocene. Relict frost mounds of Western Yamal and Arctic islands can be indicators of coastal-marine settings of their growth on low elevations in the late Holocene.Frost mounds bear the evidence of cryogenic exogenous processes whose impacts appear hazardous for engineering facilities and economic infrastructure in the permafrost zone. In the last century, most researchers in geocryology believed that the permafrost zone in the northern Western Siberia equally as the present-day conditions was lacking favorable environments for the formation of perennial frost mounds in the Holocene. Largely accounted for by severe climate, this fact was linked to the high rate of freezing, low thickness of the active layer, and too little moisture, to form a core of ice. Perennial frost mounds designate the southern boundary of the permafrost zone and are widely distributed on Yamal, Gydan and Taimyr peninsulas [Yevseev, 1975; Vasil’chuk et al., 1983; Vasil’chuk et al., 2008; Vasil’chuk et al., 2013?. Given that data on the occurrence frost heaved mounds on islands in the Arctic tundra zone are available from very few publications , they have scarcely been studied on Bely Island .The distribution of contemporary small-sized perennial migration-heaving ice- cored mounds have been studied within the flooded laida of Bely Island. The formation of the ice core is interpreted to be coincident with the slow freezing of palustrine waters enriched with methane and carbon dioxide, as is evidenced by the crystalline structure and isotopic composition of ice. Thawed relict cone- and toroid-shaped landforms are common on the beach and on the Bely island terrace outlier inundated by the sea in the Late Holocene, in place of the migrating tidal channels.They are characterized by peat subsidence, sandy ferruginized core, and by deformed stratification of sediments.The remnants of frost mounds prominent in the terrain and sections of permafrost in the Kara region, can serve as an indicator of the developing cryogenic heaving in the coastal-marine setting in the Holocene, with laida and khasyreys on low-lying terraces subjected to flooding by saline waters. The work was carried out under RSF grant (No. 14-17-00131), RSBR –YANAO (Project No.16-45-890257).
Baffin Island Barren-Ground Caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus): A case study in Inuit co-management under the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, Canada
Orman, Lynda (1) (Presenter)
Department of Environment, Nunavut Wildlife Management Division/Wildlife Research, Igloolik NU, Canada
In Nunavut, “The Land” to Inuit in arctic Canada, wildlife co-management is enacted according to the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement (NLCA) (1999). Article 5 of this Agreement outlines how wildlife is co-managed among Inuit communities’ Hunters and Trappers Associations, Regional Wildlife Organizations, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, the Government of Nunavut, and the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, with the latter being the main instrument of wildlife co-management in Nunavut. According to Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ), Baffin Island Barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) fluctuate widely in abundance, naturally cycling high followed by low population trends over a 50 – 75 year period. There is currently a “time of scarcity” or extreme low abundance of caribou on Baffin Island, with a 2014 scientific population estimate of 4,652 (95% CI 3,462 – 6,250) caribou. Using IQ and science together, this compares with cyclical highs experienced in the early 1990’s in excess of 100,000 caribou. Following a complex consultation process among co-management partners and ten affected communities during 2013 – 2014, a decision of the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board culminated in an interim order by the Minister of Environment to impose a moratorium on all harvest of caribou on Baffin Island (January 2015), followed by the establishment of a Total Allowable Harvest by September, 2015 through to the present day. A co-management process for developing a Baffin Island Caribou Management Plan ensued to guide herd recovery to sustainable, vital populations. We examine the implementation of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement and its co-management process as applied to the conservation, management, research and population assessment of Baffin Island Barren-ground caribou.
“That’s how we know they’re healthy”: The inclusion of Indigenous knowledge in beluga health monitoring in the Inuvialuit settlement region.
Ostertag, Sonja (1) (Presenter), D. Ruben (2), V. Pokiak (3), M. Wolki (4), K. Snow (5), V. Gillman (6), K. Hynes (6), J. Lam (7) and L. Loseto (1,8)
(1) Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada Central and Arctic, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Paulatuk Hunters and Trappers Committee, Paulatuk NT, Canada
(3) Tuktoyaktuk NT, Canada
(4) Paulatuk NT, Canada
(5) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Inuvik NT, Canada
(6) Fisheries Joint Management Committee, Inuvik NT, Canada
(7) Inuvialuit Game Council, Inuvik NT, Canada
(8) Department of Environment & Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Beluga from the Eastern Beaufort Sea stock are harvested annually in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR) during their seasonal migration past coastal communities and harvest camps. Samples and measurements are collected from harvested whales and provide critical information about beluga health and changes in this stock. This project was developed to provide a mechanism for Inuvialuit knowledge and observations to be included in a program that traditionally recorded Indigenous Knowledge (IK) informally and inconsistently. Through the co-production of knowledge, we document how the communities of Inuvik, Paulatuk and Tuktoyaktuk characterize beluga health and to develop a set of local health indicators based on Inuvialuit knowledge and observations. A holistic understanding of beluga health was described by participants through semi-structured questionnaires with harvesters (n = 94), focus groups (n = 27) and interviews (n = 49). Specific characteristics of beluga related to health were identified and included: behavioural traits; shape of the back; blubber thickness as it relates to animal size, age and season; spots on internal organs; unusual odour from the abdominal cavity; muktuk “falling apart”; and, infected wounds. Local indicators were recommended based on consensus by research participants, the potential to consistently record the observation, and the feasibility of recording the observation. Including local indicators of beluga health in the ongoing monitoring program supports the consistent documentation of IK about harvested belugas in the ISR.
Co-production of knowledge in beluga monitoring and research in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region
Ostertag, Sonja (1) (Presenter), K. Snow (2), V. Gillman (3), G. Inglangasuk (3), J. Noksana (3), L. Kikoak (4), V. Pokiak (4), E. Couture (5) and L. Loseto (1,6)
(1) Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada Central and Arctic, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Inuvik NT, Canada
(3) Fisheries Joint Management Committee, Inuvik NT, Canada
(4) Tuktoyaktuk NT, Canada
(5) Faculté de médecine vétérinaire de l'Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe QC, Canada
(6) Department of Environment & Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
There is a need for a paradigm shift to ensure that the knowledge of Indigenous peoples is fully included in decision-making. This shift towards a model of full inclusion in all aspects of research and decision-making is taking place in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR) in northwestern Canada. Beluga whale monitoring and research has taken place in the Northwest Territories since the 1960s, with increasing studies taking place in the 1970s until the present. Beluga whale research in the ISR is conducted under the co-management structure established under the Inuvialuit Final Agreement. The Hunters and Trappers Committees co-manage the fisheries and beluga populations together with the federal government. This program reflects changes in research dynamics in the north, in which relationships have developed over decades between community members, resource management boards, academic and government researchers. We highlight how the beluga monitoring and research program supports the co-production of knowledge between resource users, managers and the research community to improve understanding of beluga health and habitat use. Recommendations for community-based monitoring and research programs are provided to support the inclusion of Indigenous knowledge and perspectives.
Is environmental change affecting Brucella seroprevalence in beluga whales from the western Canadian Arctic?
Ostertag, Sonja (1) (Presenter), O. Nielsen (1), C. Hoover (2), K. MacMillan (1,2), L. Loseto (1,2) and O. Surujballi (3)
(1) Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada Central and Arctic, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Department of Environment & Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(3) Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Ottawa ON, Canada
Brucella spp. are zoonotic pathogens of circumpolar concern that are potentially sensitive to climate change. Brucella is a genus of bacteria long known to cause serious disease known as brucellosis in livestock. Marine mammal brucellosis has also been reported world-wide where it can manifest as a reproductive disease, neurobrucellosis, or blubber abscessation. No human cases of human brucellosis have been reported in Canada as a result of contact with marine mammals. Questions remain about the significance of Brucella infection for beluga whales. Anti-Brucella antibodies were detected infrequently in beluga from the Canadian Arctic sampled from 1984-97. This study adds to the historical data with findings on seroprevalence of Brucella in hunter-harvested belugas (n = 595) from the Inuvialuit Settlement Region between 2000 and 2014. Seroprevalence was similar between sexes and no temporal trend was evident. Age was the only predictor of positive seroprevalence in this population. Monitoring Brucella exposure as part of the on-going comprehensive health assessment of hunted belugas in this population remains a cheap and effective tool should climate change induced stress make infection and resulting disease more severe.
Near-shore permafrost in the Siberia: estimating the rate of subsea permafrost degradation
Overduin, Pier Paul (1) (Presenter), M. Angelopoulos (1), B. Juhls (2), F. Kneier (1), T. Ryberg (3), C. Haberland (3) and M.N. Grigoriev (4)
(1) Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Potsdam, Germany
(2) Institute for Space Science, Free University, Berlin, Germany
(3) Helmholltz Centre Potsdam GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
(4) Mel’nikov Permafrost Institute, Siberian Branch - Russian Academy of Sciences, Yakutsk, Russia
Ice-rich permafrost coasts in the Arctic are susceptible to a variety of changing environmental factors, all of which currently point to increasing coastal erosion rates and mass fluxes of sediment and carbon to the shallow arctic shelf seas. Coastal erosion and flooding inundate terrestrial permafrost with seawater and create submarine permafrost. Permafrost begins to warm under marine conditions, which can destabilize the sea floor and may release greenhouse gases. The rate and spatial distribution of subsea permafrost degradation in the Laptev, East Siberian and Chukchi seas, which together comprise more than half of the Arctic Ocean continental shelf, remain poorly explored. We report on the transition of terrestrial to subsea permafrost at four coastal sites in the Laptev Sea: Cape Mamontov Klyk in the western Laptev Sea, and Buor Khaya Peninsula, Muostakh Island and the Bykovsky Peninsula in the central Laptev Sea. We use coastal erosion rates from about the last 70 years to estimate the period of inundation at these sites. Combined with direct (drilling and temperature) and indirect (geophysical) observations of thaw depths of ice-bonded permafrost, we estimate recent degradation rates of permafrost over the past centuries. Based on these observations, the unfrozen sediment layer overlying ice-bonded permafrost increased from less than a meter at the shoreline to over 30 m below seabed with increasing distance from the shoreline at our study sites, with high spatial variability between and within sites. Observed temperatures of the sediment ranged from -5 °C to positive temperatures. In coastal sediments, it is difficult to establish an age-depth model, making corroboration of estimated degradation rates a challenge. Nonetheless, as the thickness of the unfrozen sediment layer increases over time, the vertical thermal and salt concentration gradients decrease, slowing the downward heat and mass fluxes responsible for degradation. High sedimentation rates and ice contents probably stabilize subsea permafrost. We suggest that permafrost degradation relevant to gas flow is likely to have occurred where permafrost warmed prior to inundation.
Role for Atlantic inflows and sea ice loss on shifting phytoplankton blooms in the Barents Sea
Oziel, Laurent (1,2) (Presenter), G. Neukermans (2,3), M. Ardyna (3), C. Lancelot (4) , J-L. Tison (5), P. Wassmann (6), J. Sirven (1), D. Ruiz-Pino (1) , and J.-C. Gascard (1)
(1) Sorbonne Universités (UPMC, Univ Paris 06)-CNRS-IRD-MNHN, LOCEAN Laboratory, IPSL, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France
(2) Takuvik Joint International Laboratory, Laval University (Canada) – CNRS (France), UMI3376, Departement de biologie et Quebec-Ocean, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, INSU-CNRS, Laboratoire d’Oceanographie de Villefranche, Villefranche-sur-mer, France
(4) Laboratoire d’Ecologie des Systèmes Aquatiques, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
(5) Laboratoire de Glaciologie, DGES, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
(6) Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economy, Institute of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT – The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
Phytoplankton blooms in the Barents Sea are highly sensitive to seasonal and interannual changes in sea ice extent, water mass distribution, and oceanic fronts. With the ongoing increase of Atlantic Water inflows, we expect an impact on these blooms. Here, we use a state-of-the-art collection of in situ hydrogeochemical data for the period 1998–2014, which includes ocean color satellite-derived proxies for the biomass of calcifying and noncalcifying phytoplankton. Over the last 17 years, sea ice extent anomalies were evidenced having direct consequences for the spatial extent of spring blooms in the Barents Sea. In years of minimal sea ice extent, two spatially distinct blooms were clearly observed: one along the ice edge and another in ice-free water. These blooms are thought to be triggered by different stratification mecha- nisms: heating of the surface layers in ice-free waters and melting of the sea ice along the ice edge. In years of maximal sea ice extent, no such spatial delimitation was observed. The spring bloom generally ended in June when nutrients in the surface layer were depleted. This was followed by a stratified and oligotrophic summer period. A coccolithophore bloom generally developed in August, but was confined only to Atlantic Waters. In these same waters, a late summer bloom of noncalcifying algae was observed in September, triggered by enhanced mixing, which replenishes surface waters with nutrients. Altogether, the 17 year time-series revealed a northward and eastward shift of the spring and summer phytoplankton blooms.
Satellite chlorophyll-a concentration and primary production in the Arctic Ocean from the late 70’s to present: Impact of receding sea ice
Oziel, Laurent (1) (Presenter), M. Ardyna (2), E. Devred (3) and M. Babin (1,2)
(1) Takuvik Joint International Laboratory, CNRS and Université Laval QC, Canada
(2) Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université de Paris 06, CNRS, Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche (LOV), Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
(3) Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth NS, Canada
The drastic reduction in sea-ice cover over the last decades is transforming the environmental conditions and affects phytoplankton dynamics. Remote sensing offers continuous long-term synoptic observations to monitor phytoplankton biomass and production at spatio-temporal scales unattainable by traditional ship-based sampling. Ocean Color data collected by SeaWiFs, MODIS and VIIRS offer a 20-year time series (1997- 2017) of phytoplankton dynamic. While many efforts are carried out to inter-calibrate these sensors in order to provide homogeneous time-series (e.g.: CCI, GlobColour), we produced consistently the longest ocean colour time series in the Arctic by merging data from the CZCS sensor (1979-1984). Here, we present preliminary results on the quality of the time series, and first trend estimates on the response of phytoplankton dynamics and production to change in sea-ice cover for the last 37-years.
Effect of primary production on the degradation dynamic of permafrost organic matter in Arctic ponds
Pacoureau, Thomas (1,2) (Presenter), I. Laurion (1,2) and M. Rautio (2,3)
(1) Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Centre d’études nordiques (CEN), Québec QC, Canada
(3) Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi QC, Canada
Ponds forming on ice-rich permafrost play a key role in the biogeochemistry of Arctic regions. As permafrost thaws, old carbon is transferred to freshwaters in the form of dissolved organic matter (DOM), where it is processed to some extent by aquatic microbes. At the same time, climate change is lengthening the growing season and increasing the terrestrial inputs of nutrients to ponds. This is likely to have positive effects on aquatic primary producers, potentially causing an increasing share of fresh organic materials (i.e., recently-fixed) to become available for microbial degradation. Although freshly produced and old DOM coexist in ponds and display a wide variety of composition and quality, little is known on the degradation dynamics of these two pools. If fresh organic matter is to accelerate the microbial transfer of old carbon from permafrost to the atmosphere, it will affect the retroactive role of Arctic freshwaters on climate. To investigate this question, a series of ponds displaying various states of permafrost erosion and colonization by macrophytes were sampled in 2016 and 2017 in the Qarlikturvik Valley of Bylot Island (Nunavut, Canada) in the continuous permafrost region. This generated a gradient of dominance by the old and fresh carbon pools, along which other limnological conditions were characterized. Absorbance spectra and emission-excitation fluorescence matrices analyzed by parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) modelling is used to discriminate DOM composition. Microcosm laboratory-based incubations are conducted to estimate the biodegradability of different DOM mixtures naturally occurring using oxygen (short term) and DOM (longer term) consumption rates. Another series of incubations is also performed to measure changes in bacterial activity after the addition of fresh labile sources of carbon (glucose, algal lysates and macrophyte leachates) to further stimulate the microbial utilization of the old carbon pool through what is called the priming effect. Preliminary results show that small additions of algal-derived DOM increased significantly the total amount of DOM taken up by bacteria, while highly labile but simple carbon substrates such as glucose had a minor effect. Results to come will help to elucidate the role of nutrients in DOM degradation, and identify which carbon pool is most likely to be processed by bacteria in the studied systems. This will be done through experiments on permafrost leachates using stable isotopes and 14C dating. Together, these results will provide key information to better understand factors controlling the turnover of permafrost-derived organic matter by microbial communities in the numerous thaw ponds of the Arctic.
High Arctic phenology: Climate change impacts and responses
Panchen, Zoe (1) (Presenter)
(1) Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, Canada
Arctic temperatures are rising at double the rate of the global average. Flowering and fruiting times (phenology) are often sensitive to temperature and, as the climate warms, phenologies are expected to advance. Uneven shifts in reproductive phenology among species have implications for reproductive success and plant community structure. There have been few studies on Nunavut Arctic plant phenology and the implications of climate change. My objectives were to study (i) the phenology of Arctic plants (ii) the impact of climate change on Nunavut Arctic plant phenology and (iii) Nunavut Arctic plant responses to climate change. As a first step, I established a southerly site at Iqaluit, Baffin Island and a northerly site at Lake Hazen, Quttinirpaaq National Park, Ellesmere Island to compare the flowering times of 20 species common to the two locations. Species at the colder, more northerly site flowered significantly earlier than conspecifics at the southerly site. I suggest that species at the northerly site are adapted to the colder, shorter growing season. I observed vastly different flower abundance in contrasting climatic years at Lake Hazen and suggest this could impact reproductive success under increased inter-annual temperature variations of climate change. Combined with weather station temperatures, I used three different sources of phenological data (i) 20 years of phenological monitoring of purple saxifrage and mountain avens at Tanquary Fiord, Quttinirpaaq National Park; (ii) herbarium specimens of 23 plant species collected from across Nunavut over the past 120 years and; (iii) flowering and fruiting times of seven species along an elevation gradient at Lake Hazen. Broadly speaking, I employed different spatial and temporal scales and data sources to assess the impact and implications of climate change on Nunavut Arctic plants. Most Nunavut Arctic plants’ in my studies are responding to the rising temperatures of climate change and I suggest this is through phenotypic plasticity in the short term and evolutionary adaptation in the long term. Later-growing-season reproductive phenological events are advancing more than earlier-growing-season reproductive phenological events and this is reflective of the pattern of later-growing-season temperatures rising more than earlier-growing-season temperatures in Nunavut. There were interspecific and inter-regional differences in the flowering and fruiting time sensitivity to temperature and I suggest this could lead to altered ecological community structure. My findings were consistent at different spatial scales, from the microclimates at Lake Hazen and Iqaluit to across the 2.1 million km2 area of Nunavut; at different temporal scales from the 20 year long-term monitoring study at Tanquary Fiord to the 120 year study of herbarium specimens; and consistent using the three different phenological data sources.
Measuring Arctic plant phenological responses to climate change by substituting an elevation gradient as a proxy for rising temperatures
Panchen, Zoe (1) (Presenter)
(1) Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, Canada
Long-term phenological monitoring to study the impacts of climate change is problematic in the Arctic because of the remote and inaccessible nature of the region. An alternative approach to predicting the phenological responses of Arctic plants to climate change could be to utilise an elevation gradient, with its associated temperature gradient, as a proxy for climate change. The timing of flowering and fruiting (phenology) is often related to cumulative temperature above a threshold, referred to as growing degree days and, as a consequence of the climate warming, many plant species are flowering and fruiting earlier. I recorded the flowering and seed dispersal times of seven common Arctic plant species at sites along an elevation gradient by Lake Hazen, Quttinirpaaq National Park, Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada. I recorded the hourly temperatures at plant height and calculated daily and monthly mean temperatures at each site. I used June mean temperature at each site to determine the flowering time sensitivity to temperature of each species and July mean temperature to determine species’ seed dispersal time sensitivity to temperature. Using daily mean temperatures, I calculated the growing degree days required to reach peak flowering for each species at each site. Six of the seven species showed flowering time sensitivity to temperature by flowering earlier with warmer temperatures but only one of three species studied showed seed dispersal time sensitivity to temperature by dispersing seed earlier with warmer temperatures. Mountain avens (Dryas integrifolia) had the greatest flowering time and seed dispersal time sensitivity to temperature, indicating greater ability to respond to climate change and suggesting that this species has the potential to remain a dominant species in the Arctic landscape as the climate warms. Species required fewer growing degree days to flower at the coldest, highest site than at warmer sites, suggesting that plants at the coldest site initiate flowering with less heat input than plants at warmer sites and hence, I hypothesise that Arctic plants are evolutionarily adapted to a colder, shorter growing season at higher elevations. As might be expected, later-flowering species required more growing degree days to flower then earlier-flowering species. In the short Arctic growing season, late-flowering species are less likely to flower or flower too late to produce viable seed than early-flowering species. Thus, as the climate warms, later-flowering species may become more successful at flowering and seed production, suggesting altered Arctic ecological community competition and pollinator interactions and, ultimately, altered Arctic ecological community composition as the climate warms.
“Litigation is our last resort”: The role of legal pluralism in movements for indigenous sovereignty, environmental justice, and the rights of nature
Panikkar, Bindu (1) (Presenter)
(1) University of Vermont, Burlington VT, United States
Large project permitting and the discourses surrounding the construction of resource materialities are contentious, and differences are often settled in the court of law. This research investigates the importance of considering legal pluralism in the permitting process of large-scale mines in Alaska. Legal pluralism explores non-state legal orders, informal socio-legal practices, and an understanding of law as a multi-centered field that deals with the convergence of norms, localities, states, global sites, and practices. We examine the early permitting debates of Pebble Mine, a proposed industrial-scale mine in Brsitol Bay, Alaska to understand the contemporary politics of legality, legitimacy and representation within permitting. We emphasize the importance of considering multiple legal representations and alternative models of law during the permitting of industrial-scale developmental initiatives, and how this pluralistic legal system is used to address complex issues of indigenous sovereignty, environmental justice, and the rights of nature. This research is based on in-depth interviews with members of industrial, state, federal, civil, legal, and scientific communities and interpretive analysis of administrative, scientific, regulatory, media and public documents. We underscore the ways in which various identities and traditions have decentralized state law and offered non-state legal orders or have settled long-standing debates about the concept of law. This process of decentralizing of legal regimes can shed important light on improving regulatory science and democratic policy making.
Identifying and implementing adaptation measures for river erosion in Kugluk Territorial Park, Nunavut
Papatsie, L. (1), J. Petrasek MacDonald (2), M.A. Ducharme (3), M. Allard (3) and D. Havioyak (4) (Presenter)
(1) Nunavut Parks and Special Places, Department of Environment, Government of Nunavut, Iqaluit NU, Canada
(2) Climate Change Secretariat, Department of Environment, Government of Nunavut, Iqaluit NU, Canada
(3) Centre d’études nordiques (CEN), Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(4) Community Joint Parks Management Committee for Kugluk Territorial Park, Kugluktuk NU, Canada
This presentation will present ongoing community based research to assess rates and impacts of intensified slope erosion under the changing climate in Kugluk Territorial Park in western Nunavut. The aim of the project is to design adaptation measures to overcome the challenges caused by erosion, principally along the main ATV trail in the park. The trail is the main route through the park; it provides access to key sites in the protected area such as hunting grounds, archeological sites and the Bloody Falls historic site. The trail runs along a cliff-top and experiences significant damage due to riverbank erosion along the Coppermine River. This is a major concern for the community of Kugluktuk. Most years, alterations are made to the trail to make it usable, but this year the Community Joint Parks Management Committee for Kugluk Territorial Park identified the need to find a suitable long-term route for the trail as a top priority in their Park’s Management Plan. In response to this priority, the Nunavut Parks and Special Places Division and Climate Change Secretariat at the Government of Nunavut’s Department of Environment (GN DOE) are working with the community of Kugluktuk and Centre d’Études Nordiques (CEN) from Laval University to support this priority. In July 2017, territorial stakeholders and university researchers joined Nunavut Parks staff based in Kugluktuk along with local youth and an Elder to establish permafrost mapping and monitoring in Kugluk Territorial Park as the first phase in this two-year project. The methodology involves mapping erosion landforms, measurements of cliff retreat rates as well as assessment of terrain subsidence rates and surface drainage changes related to permafrost thaw. The acquired knowledge and the analysis of data will be used to make recommendations about locations for alternate ATV routes. This project is an exciting example of adaptation action initiated by a community that brings together local knowledge holders from various levels and backgrounds to address one of the impacts of climate change affecting the Kugluktummiut.
Landforms and snowbank hydrology in the High Arctic: Snow redistribution shapes polar desert landscapes
Paquette, Michel (1,2) (Presenter), D. Fortier (1,2), M. Lafrenière (3) and W.F. Vincent (2,4)
(1) Département de Géographie, Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Centre d’études nordiques (CEN), Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Department of Geography and Planning, Queen’s University, Kingston ON, Canada
(4) Département de Biologie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Polar landscapes mainly evolve under the influence of cryospheric features such as glaciers, ground ice and snowbanks, in turn conditioned by the energy and water required to generate hydrological processes. We investigated a nivation slope in the Canadian High Arctic, in order to elaborate a conceptual model presenting the landform assemblage, as well as the general slope evolution processes. The model builds on existing literature and field data from Ward Hunt Island (83.08° N, 74.14°W), a polar desert at the northern tip of Ellesmere Island, Nunavut. Ward Hunt Island escaped the reach of continental glaciers during the last glacial maximum, and most of its surface deposits pre-date this period. This condition has allowed the slope to achieve a mature state under the influence of periglacial and nival processes. The nival slope had a general concave shape, and efficiently drained discrete portions of the landscape where snowbanks were present. The drainage system was largely below ground, and water was transferred by throughflow in the relatively high permeability gravel channels of patterned ground. This discrete drainage system limited return flow of the solute rich soil water toward the channels during snowmelt. The localized input of water from large snowbanks therefore created a drainage system that was constantly losing water toward drier areas. Surface water at seepage sites located at breaks of slope also rapidly infiltrated the ground, where flow was again channelled through patterned ground. The rapid flow of water through gravel conduits also eroded weathered fine particles, enough so that suspended sediment transport was supply-limited. In this general landscape model, surface flow did not increase soil erosion at seepage sites, but rather increased fine particle accumulation on wash slopes. This local enrichment in fine particle and the wetting of the soil then permitted the growth of vegetation and microbial biofilms. It also produced frost-susceptible conditions, enhancing solifluction and patterned ground formation that provided micro-topographic resistance to snow redistribution. Elements of this model have been observed on other polar desert slopes, notably near Resolute Bay (Cornwallis Island, Nunavut), where seeping areas have been described as snowbank wetlands and ground-water wetlands. As rainfall increases in the Arctic, landscapes that have initially developed with very limited inputs of water will have to adjust to sudden rainstorms. While drainage networks downstream of snowdrifts might possess the capacity to handle such events, the evolution from strict snow-based towards rainfall-influenced hydrological regimes might create dynamic conditions in xeric to mesic areas where surface runoff have never occurred. These areas, largely ignored from research because of their barren, static conditions, could be expected to change rapidly through the next centuries, as new flow paths are created.
Frozen-ground cartoons: Comics, outreach and science for everyone!
Paquette, Michel (1,2) (Presenter), F. Bouchard (2,3), B. Deshpande (2,4), M. Fritz (5), J. Malenfant-Lepage (2,6), A. Nieuwendam (7), A.C.A. Rudy (8), M. Siewert (9), Y. Sjöberg (10), A. Veillette (1,2), S. Weege (5), J. Harbor (11) and J. Otto Habeck (12)
(1) Department of Geography, University of Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Centre for Northern Studies (CEN), Laval University, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Centre Eau Terre Environnement (INRS-ETE), Quebec QC, Canada
(4) Department of Biology, Laval University, Quebec QC, Canada
(5) Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Potsdam, Germany
(6) Department of Civil and Water Engineering, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(7) Centro de Estudos Geográficos/IGOT, Univ. de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
(8) Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON, Canada
(9) Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Umeå VBT, Sweden
(10) Department of Physical Geography, Stockholm University, Stockholm STL, Sweden
(11) Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN, USA
(12) Institut für Ethnologie, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
The “Frozen-Ground Cartoons” IPA Action Group has teamed up with artists Noémie Ross and Heta Nääs to come up with a series of entertaining comics aimed mainly at youth, but relevant to the general public. The comics focus on permafrost, permafrost research and the effects of climate change on northern communities and wildlife. The topics surrounding permafrost research have recently been evolving, garnering an interest to frozen-ground sensitivity and behaviour that extends beyond scientific researchers and organizations. The expression “permafrost is melting” (sic) now pops up frequently in the news, with such phenomena as “methane explosions” and “permafrost landslides” elevated to the honorable rank of click-baits on social media newsfeeds. While “permafrost” is a word now recognized by many, it is still a challenge to demystify the Arctic environment and the work that is done by researchers on this topic. The “Frozen-Ground Cartoons” address this gap between scientists and the public and are available as printed booklets (free giveaways at the poster!) and free public downloads of the comics on the website frozengroundcartoon.com. Available in English, the comics are to be translated in many languages in the near future, including northern native languages. This project was initiated exclusively from early career researchers who built on the networking opportunities of large projects such as ADAPT and PAGE21, as well as from the Arctic early career researcher groups APECS and PYRN. It is of great interest to every researcher, as outreach is now an important part of the work of scientists. The framework could also be applied to other disciplines, and we strongly hope this project can serve as an inspiration to budding outreach specialists across the ArcticNet community.
Sharing knowledge with health professionals in Nunavik: Building a clinically-oriented ‘Top 10’ of research on Inuit health
Paquin, Vincent (1) (Presenter), G. Sandy (1), G. Fortin (2), M. Cauchon (3), C. Fletcher (1,4), J. Ouellet (3), M. Lemire (1)
(1) Axe santé des populations et pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec – Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Inuulitsivik Health Center, Inukjuak QC, Canada
(3) Département de médecine familiale et de médecine d’urgence, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(4) Département de médecine sociale et preventive, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Introduction Health issues in Nunavik are influenced by local determinants, such as historical trauma, epidemics, environmental contaminants, and poverty. Resources for health care in Nunavik are limited. In that context, it appears essential to actively share knowledge between primary care, public health and research. Also, research conducted in collaboration with communities is more likely to produce knowledge that is relevant for them and culturally safe. This project consists in building a selection of recent research papers on Inuit health, with a focus on applicability to clinical practice in Nunavik and on collaborative research designs. Methods and results A team of experts including researchers in Inuit health and culture, and in critical appraisal as well as health professionals working in northern remote communities collaborated on developing this project’s methods. The Nunavik Nutrition and Health Committee (NNHC) was consulted throughout the process and the project was presented to health care providers in Inukjuak, Nunavik, in its early steps. First, a review of scientific papers was conducted in Ovid MEDLINE and PsycInfo., targeting manuscripts on indigenous health across the Arctic, involving Inuit, Yupik, Inupiat, and Alupiat people, and published between 2012 and 2017. First, starting from 2,896 identified papers, a screening was done using basic eligibility criteria and criteria drawn from principles of information mastery (ie relevance, currentness and applicability). Second, a 9-point score was elaborated with the collaborators to sort the remaining 226 papers. This score evaluated the following aspects: relevance, methods, applicability to Nunavik, and significance for clinicians. Two independent evaluators scored the 226 papers, with an average difference of 1.4 points between their scores. Their respective 9-point scores were summed and sorted, and 19 papers emerged with the highest scores. In collaboration with the Kativik School Board (KBS), we are planning a 2-day workshop at Université Laval next February to initiate Inuit students to read, summarize and discuss research papers. This workshop will be meant to encourage them to pursue a career in health and research, while creating bonds between Inuit students and non-Inuit researchers and students. A document which summarizes the 19 papers, with a critical appraisal of their scientific validity and cultural safety, will be produced and distributed to clinicians and public health practitioners working in Nunavik. Discussion and conclusion The selection process succeeded in identifying a limited number of relevant papers, across a large number of publications. However, the selection does not necessarily include all relevant papers of the last five years. It reflects the perspective of two non-expert students. A reiteration of the project in the next years should include a greater participation of the public health sector. For now, the summary document that will result is hoped to foster better knowledge translation to health practitioners in Nunavik. Surprisingly, most of the topics covered by the final selection papers are related to physical health, while few are related to mental health and wellbeing. Comparing these topics to research conducted elsewhere, for example in Alaska or Greenland, highlights geographical differences in research agendas.
Succession of phytoplankton species in northern Baffin Bay
Parenteau, Marie (1) (Presenter), C. Lalande (1) and L. Fortier (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
The northern region of Baffin Bay has been sampled nearly every year since 2005 as part of the annual ArcticNet expeditions on board the CCGS Amundsen. Apart from 2014 when sampling took place at the end of July, sampling at the northern Baffin Bay transect usually occurred in August, September, and more frequently in October, several weeks after most of the phytoplankton production has occurred. One approach to palliate this want of information on pelagic production over an annual cycle is to record the export flux of particles with sediment traps. As part of the ArcticNet’s Long-Term Oceanic Observatories project, two sequential sediment traps were moored in northern Baffin Bay from August 2005 to August 2006. Taxonomic analyses were conducted on these sediment trap samples to quantify phytoplankton fluxes and determine the succession of species, particularly at the onset of the productive season. In this study, we present seasonal variations in key diatom species (Nitzschia frigida and Melosira arctica) and in less abundant groups (small flagellates, dinoflagellates, and ciliates) to monitor the succession of species in relation to snow and ice melt in the region. This monitoring of algal cell fluxes provides a better comprehension of the spatial and temporal variation in primary production in northern Baffin Bay.
Implementation of a Pan-Arctic Polar Regional Climate Centre
Parker, J. (1), B. Denis (2) and K. Wilson (1) (Presenter)
(1) Canadian Ice Service, Meteorological Service of Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) Canadian Centre for Meteorological and Environmental Prediction, Meteorological Service of Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Dorval QC, Canada
The sensitivity of the Polar Regions in terms of climate variability and change is increasingly recognized as an issue of global significance. With increased variability in weather and ice conditions (i.e., storms, flooding, sea-ice melt), and economic activity expanding in the Arctic, there is a growing demand for year-round monitoring, predictions and projections of Polar Climate. Polar Regional Climate Centers (PRCCs) are a legacy concept from the World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) involvement in International Polar Year (2007-2008). The WMO is moving into the implementation phase to apply the concept of Regional Climate Centres (RCCs) to the Polar Regions. RCCs are centres of excellence that operationally generate climate products in support of regional, national and international policy and decision-making for activities such as transportation, responsible resource and infrastructure development. PRCC forums are being planned where climate experts will interact with climate-sensitive users, scientists and decision-makers to discuss priority products at the seasonal and sub-seasonal scale. This presentation will further discuss the circumpolar collaborations and contributions for the implementation of an Arctic PRCC and plans for its first forum.
No 'commons' problem here: The tragedy of 'open access' in the Bathurst and beverly caribou ranges of the Northwest Territories and Yukon
Parlee, Brenda (1) (Presenter), J. Sandals (2) and D. Natcher (3)
(1) University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
(2) Memorial University, St. John's NL, Canada
(3) University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK, Canada
Sustaining arctic and sub-arctic ecosystems and the livelihoods of northern Indigenous peoples is a major challenge amidst increasing resource development. The paper describes a ‘tragedy of open access’ occurring in Canada’s north as governments open up new areas of sensitive barren-ground caribou habitat to mineral resource development. Once numbering in the millions, barren-ground caribou populations (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus / Rangifer tarandus granti) are reported to have declined over 70% in northern Canada over the last two decades in a cycle well understood by northern Indigenous peoples and scientists. However, as some herds reach critically low population levels, the impacts of human disturbance have become a major focus of debate. A growing body of science and Traditional Knowledge research points to the adverse impacts of resource development. However, wildlife management efforts have almost exclusively been focused on controlling the subsistence harvest of northern Indigenous peoples. Such efforts to control Indigenous harvesting parallel management practices during previous periods of caribou population decline (e.g., 1950s) during which time governments also lacked evidence and appeared motivated by other values and interests in northern lands and resources. As mineral resource development advances in northern Canada and elsewhere, addressing this ‘science-policy gap’ problem is critical to the sustainability of both caribou and people. Harvest data and case study research are presented to discuss the viability of the theory that Indigenous harvesting presents a threat to caribou. A literature review of scientific and Traditional Knowledge on anthropogenic drivers of change in caribou habitat and population is also presented. Whereas little data exists to warrant the millions of dollars and years of effort behind harvest management planning, there is more than sufficient evidence surrounding the problem of habitat disturbance from resource development. With few exceptions, previous Traditional Knowledge studies are clear that mining presents a real threat to caribou, particularly in the Bathurst range. Many scientists for their part, have been flummoxed that the scientific evidence 'has neither effectively influenced policies nor galvanized public opinion sufficiently to push governments into effective action'. Legal actions by Indigenous governments against the territorial governments have also failed to alter the course of such development. Given the steadfast political will to advance mining coupled with the free-entry system of mining regulation, we argue that the biggest problem for caribou is not the stereotypical ‘tragedy of the commons’ (i.e 'over harvesting') but a 'tragedy of open-access'. The science-policy gap characterized, has many implications. Indigenous communities participated in harvest management planning processes with government in good faith and with the aim of doing their part to “take care of the caribou”. Territorial government efforts to side-step co-management board processes and impose harvest restrictions, while at the same time advancing further development in sensitive caribou habitat, may have substantially damaged legitimacy and trust in co-management arrangement while undermining the sustainability of barren ground caribou and Indigenous livelihoods.
Telling our own story - Lessons from 20 years of community-based monitoring in Lutsel K'e Dene first nation, Northwest Territories
Parlee, Brenda (1) (Presenter), Lutsel K'e Dene First Nation - Wildlife Lands and Environment Committee (2)
(1) University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
(2) Lutsel K'e Dene First Nation, Lutsel K'e NT, Canada
Community-Bused Monitoring has become an important area of practice and inquiry in recent years as communities across northern Canada become more engaged in generating and sharing knowledge about changes being experienced in local environments and within their communities. There are numerous kinds of political, ecological and social dimensions to these programs including stewardship, public education, scientific data collection, the documentation of Traditional Knowledge and social learning. A community-based monitoring program developed in Lutsel K'e Dene First Nation in 1996, based on local and Traditional Knowledge indicators, became the basis of a long term community initiative to track the impacts of diamond mining on the community's well-being (Dene way of life). Over 100 adult participants from this community of 300 were involved in sharing their experience of change through a social survey every 5 year (average) Twenty years later, a variety of lessons learned from the collaboration have developed which may be instructive to other communities experiencing boom-bust resource development and seeking to develop greater voice in the narratives created about resource development and its costs and benefits to northern communities. By documenting changes during the early phases of the development of the Ekati Diamond Mine in the Northwest Territories through to present day planning for closure and reclamation, we were able to identify cradle-crave impacts of such development. What are best practices for developing local and traditional knowledge indicators? How are community-based approaches to monitoring well-being unique from top-down kinds of health surveillance? What are some pitfalls in collecting, archiving and sharing data to be avoided? How can community-based monitoring meaningfully contribute to social learning? Who benefits the most?
Identification, characterization and prioritization of degraded fish habitat in the Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut
Parsons, Brent (1) (Presenter), N. Hutchinson (1), R. Nesbitt (1), G. Clark (2), L. Torretti (2), H. Swanson (3), A. Graham (3) and G. Ljubicic (4)
(1) Hutchinson Environmental Sciences Limited, Bracebridge ON, Canada
(2) Kitikmeot Inuit Association, Kugluktuk NU, Canada
(3) University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON, Canada
(4) Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
Industrial development is proceeding at a rapid pace in Canada’s northern territories, and both contemporary and legacy resource development projects have the potential to affect fish and fish habitat. Nunavummiut rely on the land for a variety of traditional uses (such as subsistence fishing for Arctic Char, Lake Trout, and Whitefish, and cultural fulfillment), as well as for commercial fishing. However, no system is in place to identify, characterize or prioritize sites for restoration in a way that considers both Traditional Knowledge (TK) and western science. Hutchinson Environmental Sciences Ltd., in partnership with the Kitikmeot Inuit Association, University of Waterloo and Carleton University, discussed degraded fish habitat with various TK holders in Kugluktuk, Cambridge Bay and Gjoa Haven, visited and characterized habitat at candidate sites and developed a prioritized list of recommendations to strengthen the Kitikmeot Inuit Association’s capacity as land managers and help better direct industry habitat compensation initiatives. Three TK workshops and 8 individual interviews were completed in Kugluktuk, Cambridge Bay and Gjoa Haven in September 2016 to identify popular fishing destinations, characterize fisheries concerns, and pinpoint areas of interest with a focus on degraded habitat. Areas of interest were visited and habitat was characterized in terms of TK with local guides and western science focused parameters such as water depths, migration obstacles and substrate. Areas of interest greater than approximately 60 kilometres from a community were not visited to ensure that the maximum number of users would benefit from any future restoration. TK holders noted very little degraded habitat but a candidate site was located which restricts the migration of Arctic Char. TK holders commonly identified other obstacles to Arctic Char migration associated with isostatic rebound but these sites were often remote and outside the physical scope of the study. Other less typical ideas for habitat compensation were discussed, such as funding for elder/youth workshops which don’t result in physical habitat improvements but do help ensure that fishing, processing and storing skills are passed along to younger generations, and appear to align with local management objectives. A recent workshop held on Ferguson Lake, north of Cambridge Bay, was cited as an example of how such events can successfully promote a transfer of skills and knowledge. It is evident that the typical approach to habitat compensation used in other parts of Canada is not easily applied in the Kitikmeot Region. Through a combination of western science and TK consultation, we found that degraded habitat is sparse and largely does not appear to limit productivity or recreation due to an abundance of productive fishing locations. A list of typical habitat compensation sites and atypical compensation ideas will be produced based on local management objectives and field investigations and utilized by the Kitikmeot Inuit Association to help direct community and industry-led fish habitat compensation efforts in the future.
Winter salinity and temperature variations at James Bay eelgrass beds in relation to an under-ice river plume
Peck, Chris (1) (Presenter), J. Ehn (1), J. Heath (2), J. Lameboy (3), F. Short (4), M. Warbanski (2) and Z. Kuzyk (1)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Arctic Eider Society, St. John's NL, Canada
(3) Cree Nation of Chisasibi, Chisasibi QC, Canada
(4) University of New Hampshire, Durham NH, United States
Eelgrass beds are globally recognized as important habitats for juvenile fish and birds and provide important ecosystem services including nutrient recycling, sediment trapping, and carbon sequestration. During the 1990s, the eelgrass beds in eastern James Bay underwent a massive decline, particularly along the coastline north of the La Grande River. A possible contributor to the decline is the freshwater plume of the La Grande River. Hydroelectric developments of the La Grande River have reportedly more than doubled the average annual discharge and shifted peak discharge from spring (June) to winter. In association with the Cree Nation of Chisasibi and the Arctic Eider Society, a series of moorings were deployed during winters of 2016 and 2017 equipped with sensors measuring conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD), current velocity, and turbidity. CTD profiles of the water column were collected at various locations along the east coast of James Bay, extending northwards from the mouth of the La Grande River and including both offshore and nearshore sites, with particular focus on two Bays that historically contained eelgrass beds. The more northerly site (Bay of Many Islands) still contains relatively healthy eelgrass beds and the other site (Paul Bay) contains very little eelgrass at the present time. CTD data were collected in both the winter and summer of 2016 and 2017 in order to compare the seasonal variation in the properties of the plume. Offshore from Paul Bay, the winter water column is generally strongly stratified; a relatively thick (5m), low salinity (0psu) surface layer overlies salty water (25psu). In summer, the water column in this area is more weakly stratified and surface salinities are higher (12psu). Both greater river discharge in winter and reduced wind mixing under the landfast ice likely contribute to these differences. Storm events in winter were associated with increases in the salinity of the surface layer and decreases in the salinity of the deeper layer implying enhanced vertical mixing. At the nearshore eelgrass bed sites, surface salinity is consistently lower and temperatures are higher in Paul Bay compared to Bay of Many Islands. For example, in January 2016 and 2017 temperatures in the Bay of Many Islands were below 0°C and salinities were between 8 and 12.5psu. By contrast, in Paul Bay, the winter water temperatures were between 0°C and 3°C and salinities ranged from 0 to 2psu. Preliminary interpretation suggests that whereas very fresh surface waters from the offshore river plume circulate freely into Paul Bay, brackish waters produced by vertical mixing of fresh surface waters and saline deep waters circulate into Bay of Many Islands. The widely used approach to studying plumes wherein surface salinity is predicted as a function of distance from the river mouth is inappropriate in this case. Salinity and temperature variations at each site reflect the spring-neap tidal cycle and temporal variability in the properties of the plume. Based on these preliminary results, we propose these two sites for detailed studies of water properties (particularly salinity and temperature) and their oceanographic controls in relation to eelgrass health.
Assessing the sensitivity of pteropods to under-saturated carbonate regimes within the Canadian Arctic
Peck, Victoria (1) (Presenter) and C. Manno (1)
(1) British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, UK
Shelled pteropods, otherwise known as sea butterflies, are frequently referred to as the “canary in the coal mine” when anticipating the potential ecological impact of ocean acidification. Dissolution of their fragile aragonitic shells is commonly predicted to occur as soon as the waters within which they live approach aragonite saturation. With areas within the Canadian Arctic Archipelago already being undersaturated with respect to aragonite the sensitivity of polar species Limacina helicina to ocean acidification can be tested in the natural environment. Despite this opportunity to assess the real life impact of undersaturated waters on this sentinel species, as yet there are no comprehensive studies linking the distribution, abundance and shell condition of L. helicina to carbonate chemistry regime in the Canadian Arctic. On Amundsen Expedition 2017 Leg 2B L. helicina were recovered at all sample stations within Baffin Bay and the Canadian Archipelago. We present preliminary results of the distribution and relative abundance of veliger, juvenile and adult stages and report on the incidence of dissolution damage to shells. Our findings will establish a base line from which future monitoring may determine how vulnerable this species is to ocean acidification or, alternatively, observe the capacity of L. helicina to adapt and thrive in the changing Arctic environment.
Changes in forage fish communities in the eastern Canadian Arctic have a limited impact on nutritional quality of the prey base in terms of essential fatty acids, selenium, and selenium:methylmercury ratios
Pedro, Sara (1) (Presenter), A.T. Fisk (2), S.H. Ferguson (3), N.E. Hussey (4), S.T. Kessel (2) and M.A. McKinney (1)
(1) Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation Center, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment and Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs CT, United States
(2) Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor ON, Canada
(3) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Central and Arctic Region, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(4) Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor ON, Canada
Sub-Arctic capelin (Mallotus villosus) and sand lance (Ammodytes spp.) are redistributing northward and becoming more abundant in regions of the low and mid-Canadian Arctic, concurrent with a decline in the importance of Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) as the keystone species in these regions. We measured and compared concentrations of essential fatty acids eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid (EPA+DHA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (SPUFA), and omega-3 fatty acids (Somega-3), as well as the micronutrient selenium and selenium:methylmercury ratios in a broad sampling of the forage fish community, including Arctic cod and its ‘replacements’, in low, mid, and high latitude regions of the eastern Canadian Arctic. Arctic cod, capelin, and sand lance showed similar levels of EPA+DHA, SPUFA, and Somega-3 to one another, but higher levels relative to most other species, including sculpin (Cottidae) and Greenland cod (Gadus ogac). Selenium levels were higher in sand lance (1.15 ± 0.16 µg/g) compared to all other species (ranging from 0.30-0.69 µg/g). Ratios of selenium:methylmercury were above 1 for all species, and were highest in sand lance and capelin (107-140) followed by Arctic cod (ranging from 36-45). Variation in EPA+DHA among species was positively associated with lipid content and negatively associated with trophic position (based on nitrogen stable isotopes), but not associated with foraging habitat (based on carbon stable isotopes) or fish length. Selenium did not appear to be related to lipid content, trophic position, or fish length, and only weakly associated with foraging habitat, suggesting homeostatic regulation of selenium in these fishes. Ratios of selenium:methylmercury were only significantly explained by fish length, similar to methylmercury alone. This along with limited variation in selenium concentrations, suggested that variation in selenium:methylmercury ratios were largely driven by methylmercury concentrations. Similar or higher levels EPA+DHA, SPUFA, Somega-3, selenium as well as selenium:methylmercury ratios in capelin and sand lance relative to Arctic cod suggests that, at least in terms of essential fatty acids requirements and methylmercury toxicity, changing forage fish communities may not substantially impact nutritional quality of the prey base for Arctic piscivores.
Household overcrowding and psychological distress among Nunavik Inuit adolescents: a longitudinal study
Pepin, Camille (1) (Presenter), G. Muckle (1,2), C. Moisan (1), N. Forget-Dubois (1,2) and M. Riva (3)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) CHU de Québec Research Center, Québec QC, Canada
(3) McGill University, Montréal QC, Canada
At the 2006 Canadian Census, 49% of the population of Nunavik reported living in overcrowded households compared to 3% of the Canadian general population. Living in overcrowded households is associated with a greater risk of suffering from mental health problems for Canadian adolescents. Inuit adolescents are more at risk of suffering from psychological distress than their Canadian peers. The present work is the first empirical and longitudinal study to examine prospectively the hypothesized relationship between household overcrowding in childhood and psychological distress during adolescence among Nunavik Inuit, and whether this relationship varies with sex. Recruited as part of the Nunavik Child Development Study, 220 participants were met at 11 years old in average (T1, 2005-2010) and then when they were 16-20 years old (T2, 2013-2016). At T1, household overcrowding was assessed using the number of people per room, with a ratio above 1 indicating overcrowding. Psychological distress symptoms were operationalized at T2 using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Rating Scale and a dichotomous question documenting serious suicidal thoughts during the last 12 months. Results show that household overcrowding, depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts affected a large proportion of participants. Yet, the results did not show that living in an overcrowded household in childhood had a long-term effect on psychological distress. However, household overcrowding is related to depressive symptoms when both are assessed during adolescence. The association between household overcrowding and psychological distress is not different between men and women. Although we did not observe a longitudinal effect of household overcrowding on psychological distress, living in an overcrowded house could be experienced as a difficulty for adolescents which may influence other health-related outcomes. It is also possible that the direct effect of household overcrowding on psychological distress is mediated by other factors related to the house environment, or that the psychological distress experienced by Inuit adolescents is influenced by factors that have not been included in the present study. Further research is needed to better understand the causes of the high psychological distress rates.
Cultivating the North: ‘Mile 1019’ and the Forgotten History of Agricultural Megaprojects in the North
Peric, Sabrina (1) (Presenter)
(1) University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
At the end of the 19th century, John Carling, the Canadian Minister of Agriculture, successfully lobbied for the passing of the “Act Respecting Experimental Stations,” and ensured that the practice of scientific research would be enshrined at the centre of Canada’s agriculture practices. Research was understood to be the driving motor behind crop improvement and economic expansion; this ideology was embodied by the establishment of experimental farms all across the country that would test crops, breed new crops, adjust techniques for climatic conditions, research livestock, farm infrastructure, soil fertility, and the use of fertilizer. The expansion of experimental farms was in line with nineteenth century ideas about scientific management, the usage of technical knowledge to solve social problems and the proliferation of applied laboratories in ‘natural settings.’ While today, agriculture is often associated with southern Canada, northern regions were not exempt from this megaprojects of the agro-food industry and Canadian government. This paper centres on an understudied yet critical program: Agriculture Canada’s Northern Experimental Farms project. More specifically, I will discuss Agriculture Canada’s former facility in Haines Junction, Yukon Territory – or the Mile 1019 Experimental Station, as it was officially named because of its situation along the Alaska Highway. Though operational for less than 20 years, this experimental research farm had an important impact in this region: the memory of the farm and its operation still lingers amongst residents today, and the physical infrastructure of the farm occupies a central space in the village of Haines Junction. While gardening and subsistence hunting practices were very common in the Yukon, Mile 1019 presented food cultivation not as a method to satisfy local food networks and local nutritional needs. Rather, Mile 1019 was understood as critical to the development of exporting monocrop economies in the North. In particular, Mile 1019, and the northern experimental farm program more broadly, highlights how important the cultivation of wheat became as a focal point for the building of not only the Canadian economy but also state identity in the 20th century. This project examines, through Mile 1019, 1) how agriculture was conceived of as a scientific tool to incorporate all northern residents—specifically First Nations, immigrant newcomers and settler Canadians—into state projects by Canadian bureaucrats; 2.) how agriculture defined the North more broadly as a colonial laboratory, ‘tamed’ through the incessant practice of agricultural experimentation and 3.) why food - and the methods of its production and procurement - remains such a contentious, racialized issue in the Canadian North today.
Qualitative study on Nunavik youths vision of mental health and an overlook of the local organizations responses to their needs
Perrault Sullivan, Gentiane (1) (Presenter) and G. Vrakas (2)
(1) Université Laval, Québec Qc, Canada
(2) Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières campus de Québec, Québec Qc, Canada
Following significant cultural and social mutations occurring in their once isolated world, the Inuit of Nunavik are now challenged by relevant mental health issues. This reality is particularly true for the youth that represent more the 50% of the Nunavik population. This research seeks to evaluate the youth’s perspective on mental health issues and to establish the strength and suitability of the responses provided by local organizations and institutions alike. Five Inuit girls natives from Kuujjuaq, ranging from 18 to 25 years old were selected. Their understanding and perception of mental health were portrayed through the Photovoice method. Photovoice is a research strategy that uses photography as a tool for social change. It is a process that gives people the opportunity to record, reflect and critique personal and community issues in a creative way. Using the pictures they took the youth had to answered three questions: what is mental wellness for you, what are the mental wellness problems youth face in your village and what needs to change/ what can be done in order to fix these problems ? Also, nine semi-structured interviews were conducted with local organizations’s key workers. Upon completion of both phases, the youth’s vision and each institutions programs were scrutinized and depicted through a thematic analysis based on Maslow and Bronfenbrenner theories. An outline of the Inuit’s mental health conception was revealed. For the institutional response to be as culturally appropriate as possible, it must revolve and articulate itself around the understanding and perception of the Inuit on mental health. It will then be possible to establish an authentic partnership with the communities and agree on the appropriate actions to be undertaken for a better future. According to the youth, to provide better mental health services in the North the holistic approach, the family and the community implication and the local initiative need to be central. The limits of this study are the small number of participants and the absence of boys in our sample despite all our efforts. We wish that future research can fulfill those gaps.
Development of a spectroscopic reflectance probe to measure sea ice inherent optical properties
Perron, C. (1,4) (Presenter), S. Lambert-Girard (1), E. Bélanger (4,5), P. Després (2,3), D. Côté (3,4,5), P. Marquet (4,5) and M. Babin (1)
(1) Takuvik Joint International Laboratory, Université Laval, CNRS, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Department of Radiation Oncology and Research Centre of CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Department of Physics, Engineering Physics and Optics and Cancer Research Center, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(4) Institut Universitaire en santé mentale de Québec, Québec QC, Canada
(5) Centre d’optique, photonique et laser (COPL), Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Expanded, more detailed and in situ spatiotemporal characterization of sea ice inherent optical properties (IOPs) is important to better predict sea ice energy budget and under ice primary production. This project aims at developing an active probe measuring non-invasively IOPs of a small volume of ice at fast acquisition and processing speeds. The probe is based on the diffuse reflectance technique used to measure IOPs of human tissues. Conceptually, the instrument emits polychromatic light guided through ice by an optical fiber. Backscattered light is measured at different distances from the source and compared to Monte-Carlo modeled spectral reflectances. An inverse algorithm allows inferring the absorption coefficient, the scattering coefficient and the phase function parameter of the scanned volume. Different source-detectors distances will be tested to analyze photons collected following single (one transport mean free path) to multiple diffusion regimes. This presentation summarizes the method and includes preliminary Monte-Carlo results that will help to 1) validate the concept, 2) develop an inversion algorithm and 3) design the geometry of the probe.
The Year of Polar Prediction: Environment and Climate Change Canada's objectives and planned activities
Pestieau, P. (1), G. Smith (2), G. Brunet (2) and H. Ritchie (3) (Presenter)
(1) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Meteorological Service of Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Science and Technology Branch, Dorval QC, Canada
(3) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Science and Technology Branch, Dartmouth NS, Canada
The Year of Polar Prediction (YOPP) is running from mid-2017 to mid-2019 as the core phase of the ten year (2013-2022) Polar Prediction Project (PPP), an initiative of the WMO‘s World Weather Research Programme (WWRP). The evidence of rapid changes in the Arctic following the International Polar Year (IPY) have motivated the WWRP-PPP to look beyond weather and focus on wider environmental factors such as the ocean, sea ice and the climate. YOPP’s goal is to enable a significant improvement in environmental prediction capabilities for the Polar Regions and beyond, by coordinating a period of intensive observation, modelling, verification, user-engagement and educational activities. To this end Special Observing Periods (SOPs) have been scheduled at both Poles during YOPP when the international monitoring and environmental modeling communities will concentrate their efforts to evaluate the impact of enhanced observations on environmental forecasts at the poles as well as globally, and to engage users to explore how this information can be of greater value. This is particularly timely for Canada with close to a third of its land mass north of the Arctic Circle. The fast warming of the region allowing for a viable exploitation of natural resources, the recent opening of new shipping routes, an extended shipping season and an increase in eco-tourism, are all pointing to a potentially widespread economic and population growth in the Arctic region. At the same time the fast changes in climate are creating new challenges for Indigenous people as their traditional environmental references are also changing. YOPP presents an opportunity for Canada to leverage its assets in the Arctic with the international community to accelerate the development of a reliable and relevant environmental monitoring and prediction systems to better serve the needs of the North and reduce the gaps in service as compared to forecast capabilities available in the South. This presentation will describe the current activities, plans and expected outcomes of YOPP and PPP as well as how ECCC is contributing along with its national and international partners as a world leader in Data Assimilation and Coupled Sea-Ice-Atmosphere Numerical Modeling. This includes work by ECCC’s Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC) to identify, address and close performance gaps in environmental prediction capacities and services in the North.
Unpacking coastal social-ecological systems in the Arctic: The case of Teriberka, Russia
Petrov, Andrey N. (1) and J. Graybill (1) (Presenter)
(1) University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls IA, United States
This paper presents the overview of evolving approaches to understanding coupled human-environmental systems on the Arctic coast through the prism of general trends in the Arctic sustainability research. To illustrate the key points, we analyze the stricture and dynamics within a coastal social-ecological system (SES) around the village of Teriberka, Russia. Teriberka is a community of 700 on the Barents Sea coast that recently emerged as a microcosm of rapid social and environmental change associated with industrial construction and mass tourism. The paper uses the example of Teriberka and the results of the Arctic-COAST resilience workshop held in the area, to unpack the notion of coastal SES and map its linkages and dynamics.
Internal tidal waves under the landfast sea ice in the Southeast Hudson Bay
Petrusevich, Vladislav (1) (Presenter), I.A. Dmitrenko (1), S.A. Kirillov (1), I.E. Kozlov (2), Z. Kuzyk (1), J. Heath (3), A.S. Komarov (4), R. Eastwood (1), D.G. Barber (1) and J.K. Ehn (1)
(1) Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Satellite Oceanography Laboratory (SOLab), Russian State Hydrometeorological University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
(3) Arctic Eider Society, St. John's NL, Canada
(4) Meteorological Research Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
Internal waves in the Arctic regions have been of recent scientific interest due to their role in vertical mixing, and their consequent influence on the heat budget of the upper ocean and ice cover. Until now there were no internal tidal waves observation in Hudson Bay. As evidenced by SAR remote sensing imagery, the Belcher Islands archipelago is on of the most active region for internal tidal wave generation in Hudson Bay due to its unique shoreline, bottom topography and proximity to an amphidromical point. Here we present and examine the first ever collected for the studied region temperature, salinity and current velocity data from the ice tethered mooring deployed in an ice covered narrow channel between Broomfield and O’Leary islands located in the south-east tip of Belcher islands group in Hudson Bay and discuss a possible impact of internal tidal waves on water mass characteristics.
Arctic security: A shifting paradigm
Pic, Pauline (1) (Presenter) and F. Lasserre (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
This paper tackles the role of risk analysis in security studies, in line with recent work putting forward a henceforth common research agenda. This work demonstrates that there is currently a paradigm shift in the definition of security in the Arctic region, and it analyses how this paradigm shift is being translated into policies. Beginning with a literature review of the definition of security issues in the Arctic, outlining many tendencies in the definition of the concept, the article shows how the region was once a peripheral one which came to be a strategic hotspot during the Cold War and is now increasingly integrated into global networks. Security thus has been considered from different perspectives, both in scientific literature and national and regional policies. Drawing from a case study, this work then puts forward how climate change requires an in-depth shift in security policies from a threat-based definition of security to a risk-based definition of (in)security in the region. In the beginning of June 2017, the first leg of the Amundsen scientific expedition in the Arctic had to be cancelled. Some pluriannual ice was obstructing the entry of the North-West Passage around Newfound land. These ice conditions were exceptional: scientist onboard determined it was multi-year ice, not typical of the northeast coast of North America and most likely from the High Arctic. As it is an unseen – and unforeseen – phenomenon, many boats came to be stuck in the ice, and the Amundsen had to resume to its original function and engage into search and rescue activities. This raises essential questions about climate change and its consequences in terms of safety and security policies in the region, thus underlining a shifting paradigm in Arctic security.
Fluorescent sensor for on-site monitoring of food quality in Northern environment
Picard-Lafond, Audrey (1) (Presenter) and D. Boudreau (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Bioaccumulation of pollutants is a wide-reaching process leading to high risks of poisoning through food consumption. Thus, probing of contaminants such as mercury and lead is essential to ensure food quality. Currently, the conventional approaches to quantify heavy metals in natural specimens require laborious sample preparation and complex instrumentation. In remote regions such as Nunavik, there is a high interest in achieving on-site studies on fish to correlate its possible contamination with lake characteristics as well as age and fish size. Yet, the current analytical methods do not allow for rapid and detailed monitoring near fishing sites. Thus, Nunavik would benefit from an integrated and portable platform that carries out every step from sample preparation up to instrument calibration and data logging on the same compact device. As part of the Sentinel North initiative at Université Laval, the overall objective of this project is to develop a portable and easy to use analytical platform to achieve on-site investigations of heavy metal concentrations in fish. The project draws upon transdisciplinary expertise in analytical chemistry, photonic materials, engineering and instrument design, microfluidics, toxicology, psychology and public health to empower the community’s capacity for analysis and information regarding the quality of traditional foods. In the anticipated apparatus, high-performance optical detection of heavy metals is achieved by designing a chemoselective fluorescent probe. The use of metal-sensitive fluorophores, such as rhodamine derivatives, is a promising avenue to achieve rapid and responsive quantification of given species. When these molecular sensors are put in contact with specific heavy metals, they undergo a change giving rise to luminescent properties and color shifts, hence leading to fast and efficient optical detection. This presentation will outline the design parameters and preliminary analytical performance for the rhodamine-based probe, including the possibility to adapt it to the detection of contaminants such as lead and mercury as well as essential elements such as selenium and iron.
On the way to developing Northern greenhouses adapted to population and climate: Energy issues
Piché, Paul (1) (Presenter), D. Haillot (1,2), S. Gibout (1), C. Arrabie (1), A. Lamalice (3,4), D. Rousse (2) and X. Py (5)
(1) Univ Pau & Pays Adour, LaTEP, EA1932, ENSGTI, France
(2) École de Technologie Supérieure, Mech. Eng. Dept., Montréal QC, Canada
(3) Département de géographie, Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(4) CEFE-CNRS, Montpellier, France
(5) Univ. Perpignan Via Domitia, Perpignan, France ; PROMES CNRS UPR 8521, Rambla de la thermodynamique Tecnosud, 66000 Perpignan and 7 rue du four solaire, 66120 Font Romeu, France
Due to the difficult access to their territories, Northern Canada’s Inuits have faced major adaptation challenges in recent decades, notably in terms of food and energy. Traditional food from hunting, fishing and gathering activities is increasingly difficult to obtain, while European and Canadian foods brought by air or by sea are increasingly expensive. This leads to growing food supply insecurity. Today, 62% of Inuit households suffer from a certain level of food insecurity. In terms of energy, isolated communities are off-grid and therefore extremely when not entirely dependent upon petroleum products for their electrical and thermal production from diesel generators. This research focuses on the potential of greenhouses in the circumpolar territories in order to meet the challenges of local supply and adaptation of the food system. The territories targeted for this research are located in the Canadian Arctic, primarily in Nunavik, which is the northern Inuit territory located in the province of Quebec. The issues are multiple and complex, involving the integration of social, economic, environmental and technical aspects. The study presented here focuses on the technical aspects especially linked with energy issues. The main objective is to evaluate the behavior of greenhouses in real climatic conditions, in order to propose improvements for future construction. The Kuujjuaq cooperative greenhouse is a modified arch greenhouse built in 2012, made of polycarbonate, with a ground area of 140 m2 (1500 ft2). It is passive, meaning that it is neither heated nor cooled. However, there is an automatic ventilation system which is triggered when a predetermined temperature is exceeded, in order to prevent extreme heat inside the greenhouse. This greenhouse has been instrumented in June 2016 to collect data on temperature and relative humidity throughout the growing season. In addition to that positioned outside, a dozen of probes have been placed at different heights and positions in order to know the thermal gradients within the system. Two pyranometers complete the instrumentation for the measurement of the solar fluxes incident upon the walls and the related absorption coefficient. The collection of data allowed to highlight several design problems. For instance, low thermal inertia giving rise to very high temperature difference between day and night within the greenhouse. A few solutions have then been proposed to enhance the inertia, based on a literature review and numerical simulations. Long-term objectives of this research is to propose a numerical tool to design northern greenhouses in order to extend the season (the period of operations) – presently less than four months in Kuujjuaq – with the lowest fossil fuel consumption.
The role of biogenic structures on ecosystem functioning in the Eastern Canadian Arctic
Pierrejean, Marie (1) (Presenter), P. Archambault (1), B. de Moura Neves (2), E. Edinger (3) and C. Nozais (4)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, St. John's NL, Canada
(3) Memorial University, St.John's NL, Canada
(4) Université de Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
Ecosystem functioning is defined by species abundance and richness, but also by underlying processes such as benthic fluxes and sediment oxygen demand. In the deep-sea environment, benthic organisms are influenced by the availability of resources and by habitat complexity. Biogenic structures such as cold-water corals and sponges create complex habitats by modifying the environment either directly or indirectly. For instance, these biogenic structures modify hydrodynamics thus affecting vertical and horizontal fluxes and changing resource availability for the associated species. These structures are also associated with a high abundance of organisms compared to bare sediments. However, the functions of these biodiversity hotspots in ecosystem functioning are still poorly known. In this study, we addressed three main questions: 1) do benthic fluxes vary according to their position within patches and bare sediment? 2) are infaunal communities similar in biogenic structure and bare sediment patches? and finally, 3) which variables explain benthic fluxes in these patches? Infaunal communities and benthic fluxes were examined in the Eastern Canadian Arctic in regions presenting two types of biogenic structures: bamboo corals (Keratoisis sp.) and arborescent sponges. To compare the ecosystem functioning between sites with biogenic structures versus bare sediment patches, sediment cores were collected from both environments at each site with a distance of 100m between the type of patches. Sediments cores had allowed to quantify benthic fluxes (nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, phosphate and silicate) and the diversity, abundance and composition of infauna. Polychaeta and Nematoda were abundant both in patches and bare sediments but Bivalvia were significantly more abundant within patches with 202 ind/m2. Multivariate analyses, run on bamboo corals site so far, suggested that biogenic structure and bare sediment patches exhibited different infaunal assemblages. Indeed 34 species were counted in bamboo corals patches whereas 18 species in bare sediment patches. A spatial pattern was noted for the benthic fluxes which seemed to be explained by the total abundance. These first results suggest that the biogenic structures have a clear influence on ecosystem functioning.
Standing strong: How standards help reduce the vulnerability of Arctic infrastructure and support climate resilient community planning
Pisco, Nelson (1) (Presenter) and C. Moore (2)
(1) Government of Nunavut, Iqaluit NU, Canada
(2) Standards Council of Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
Rapid environmental and economic changes are having a profound impact on the physical and built environments of the Arctic. As a consequence, new policies and mechanisms are needed to help Northern communities adapt and reduce the vulnerability of their infrastructure to the impacts of climate change. This session aims to explore how standards and accompanying educational, training and capacity building efforts have been successful in promoting the development and maintenance of climate resilient community infrastructure, supporting sustainable community planning in a changing Arctic and how, through engaging northern infrastructure experts and policymakers, Canada has become a global leader in Arctic-focused infrastructure standardization. Historically, few national or international standards have been developed responding to the unique climatic conditions in the Arctic. The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) recognized an emerging need and responded with the creation of the Northern Infrastructure Standardization Initiative (NISI). Since 2011, five (5) standards have been developed and incorporated into regulatory policies and guidelines across the North in critical areas, including managing changing snowload risks for northern community infrastructure, community drainage planning and erosion mitigation measures in permafrost zones. To support the application of the NISI standards, the NISI Education Program was developed to support organizations and community leaders better understand and apply the NISI standards in their community. Over the next five (5) years, an additional seven (7) standards will be developed to support northern policymakers, developers and owners plan and adapt their community infrastructure for a new climate reality. Key to the success of NISI is the Northern Advisory Committee (NAC). The NAC, a group of northern infrastructure experts and policymakers, provide strategic advice and guidance to ensure that the standards are accessible and applicable in a northern context and that they are developed in the best interest of northerners. NISI is a program guided and delivered by northerners to create resilient and safe northern communities.
From avoidance of human disturbance to cumulative habitat loss for migratory caribou
Plante, Sabrina (1,2) (Presenter), C. Dussault (1,3) and S.D. Côté (1,2)
(1) Caribou Ungava, Département de Biologie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs, Direction de l'expertise sur la faune terrestre, l'herpétofaune et l'avifaune, Québec QC, Canada
As human development intensifies in northern ecosystems, people are concerned by potential negative impacts on wildlife. Human disturbances have been suggested as a potential cause for the decline of many caribou and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) populations, and disturbance effects on caribou have often been investigated. Few studies, however, have quantified the area avoided by wildlife around human disturbances or evaluated the cumulative habitat loss resulting from the avoidance of disturbances. Here, we evaluated the effects of human disturbances on two migratory caribou herds in northern Québec and Labrador. We first quantified the zones of influence (ZOI) of human disturbances. We also evaluated the effects of roads on caribou movement and accessibility to seasonal ranges. We finally estimated cumulative habitat loss caused by the avoidance behavior. Between 2009 and 2015, we equipped 510 caribou with GPS collars and evaluated habitat selection in areas surrounding roads, mines, mining exploration sites, human settlements and power lines. We isolated disturbance effects from environmental effects on habitat use by comparing predicted use based on environmental characteristics only to observed use near disturbances. We found that caribou avoided human disturbances, either by using seasonal areas that excluded disturbances, or by reducing their use within a ZOI of a few kilometers to 21 km from disturbances. Caribou also doubled their movement rate when crossing a road. Avoidance of disturbances translated into cumulative habitat loss reaching as much as 20% of seasonal ranges and 20% of caribou preferred habitats. We demonstrated that human disturbances have broad negative effects on caribou behavior, but their influence on population dynamics remains to be investigated.
The relations between mining development, migratory caribou and indigenous economies in northern Quebec
Plante, Sabrina (1) (Presenter), T. Rodon (1) (Presenter) and I. Lemus Lauzon (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
In this project, biologists and social scientists teamed up to investigate the relations between mining development, migratory caribou and northern economies. Migratory caribou (Rangifer tarandus) of Rivière-aux-Feuilles herd and Rivière-George herd play a central ecological role in northern Quebec and northern Labrador ecosystems. Similarly to the other herds of the circumpolar arctic, the migratory caribou herds of northern Quebec are declining. The main potential causes for this decline are associated to global climate change and anthropogenic disturbance. Northern Quebec also encompasses the traditional territories of several indigenous peoples, who rely on the caribou for their cultural well-being and their food security. Thus, the Inuit of Nunavik, the Cree of Eeyou Istchee James-Bay, the Inuit of the Nitassinan and the Naskapi of Kawawachikamach all possess a rich oral history related to the migratory caribou. The specie is central to their harvesting practices and local economies. Mining activities are ongoing in Quebec’s North. If they can bring benefits to the local populations, they also cause several social and environmental impacts. Yet, the Plan Nord - Quebec’s government northern development plan - will certainly accelerate the rate of development of the natural resource extraction sector north of the 49th parallel in the next decade. In this context, it is crucial to examine more closely the impacts of mining, and in particular mining infrastructures, on the migratory caribou in northern Quebec. In this communication, we will present the results obtained by Caribou Ungava regarding the network of mining infrastructures (exploration sites, mines, roads) within caribou distribution range and the specie’s behaviour when encountering these sites. Furthermore, considering the importance of caribou in the harvesting practices of northern indigenous peoples, we will discuss the impact of mining on subsistence and mixed economy in the region of Nunavik, drawing on a series of interviews conducted in the communities of Salluit and Kangiqsujuaq by the Northern sustainable development chair. To bring forward the interdisciplinary and collaborative focus of this project, we will present the results using an interactive story map that was created through a partnership between our two research groups.
Autecological investigation of biomass composition by FTIR analysis of bottom-ice diatoms along a tidal strait in the lower Northwest Passage of the Canadian Arctic
Pogorzelec, Nicole (1) (Presenter), C.J. Mundy (1), S.Y. Ha (3), K. Kim (4) and K.M Gough (2)
(1) Centre for Earth Observation Science (CEOS), Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Department of Chemistry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(3) Division of Polar Ocean Science Research, Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI), Incheon, Republic of Korea
(4) Department of Oceanography, Pusan National University, Geumjeong-gu, Republic of Korea
Arctic ice algae begin their annual spring bloom within the bottom-most layer of sea ice. During this period, they serve as the main source of marine primary production since they produce essential fats (saturated and unsaturated) that nourish and sustain the marine food-web. Although ice algae play a critical role in the Arctic marine ecosystem, their autecological response to environmental stressors remains relatively unknown, limiting our ability to establish accurate ecosystem predictions with respect to climate change. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrochemical analysis is an effective technique for measuring the autecological responses of individual diatoms (dominant taxa of ice algae), in particular, their cellular fat and protein compositional changes with light and nutrient availability. Diatom samples were collected during the spring 2017 ICE-CAMPS (Ice Covered Ecosystem-Cambridge Bay Process Study) field campaign from first-year landfast sea ice across a tidal strait located in the Dease Strait near Cambridge Bay, NU, CA. Tidal straits (shallow and narrow waterway) have been observed to exhibit strong surface currents that influence production and accumulation of the bottom ice algae. In this on-going study, we are examining the bottom fine structure (0-2, 2-5, 5-10 cm) and bottom bulk (0-10 cm) sea ice to determine biomolecular changes in individual cells of different diatom taxa (Nitzschia frigida, Attheya septentrionalis, Navicula kariana and Navicula transitans) and the overall community response to variations in light and nutrient availability within a tidal strait.
Physical properties of snow guide the movements of lemmings under the snowpack
Poirier, Mathilde (1,2) (Presenter), G. Gauthier (1,2), F. Domine (1,3,4) and B. Mathieu (1,3,4,5)
(1) Centre d’études nordiques (CEN), Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Département de biologie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Département de chimie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(4) Takuvik, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(5) Département de géographie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Lemmings are key species of the arctic terrestrial food web and fluctuations in their populations can have dramatic effects on many predators that depend upon them for their survival. During the long Arctic winter, lemmings live under the snowpack, which provides insulation against the cold air temperature, and they build nests in which they can reproduce. To access food, they move across a network of burrows in the snowpack where they can reach plants to eat. Presence of depth hoar, a friable type of snow that can develop in the Arctic, is thought to help lemming digging through the snow and reduce its energy expenditure. Depth hoar results from water vapor exchange among snow particles in response to a thermal gradient between the ground and the air. Minimizing energy expenditure is important for lemmings because it could increase the chances of reproducing in winter. However, the influence of snow conditions on lemmings movement in the snowpack is poorly documented due to the difficulty of studying them during winter in the High Arctic. The aim of this study is to improve our understanding of the impact of snow physical properties on lemming’s behavior. We expected to find most lemming burrows in the basal layer of the snowpack, where access to food and insulation are the highest and where snow is generally softer due to the formation of the depth hoar. Our data were collected in spring 2017 on Bylot Island, Nunavut, before snowmelt. We dug 11 snow pits where we observed attacks on lemmings though the snowpack by arctic foxes. We were able to find and characterize lemming tunnels and to measured snow properties (i.e. density and thermal conductivity) in several recognizable snow layers, including those where tunnels were dug. A strong positive relationship (R2=0.70, n= 35) was found between the height of burrows and the height of the depth hoar, showing that lemmings had a strong preference to dig through the depth hoar. Contrary to our predictions, the burrows were not always dug in the basal layer, but often higher in the snowpack. This was apparently due to the presence of a hard basal snow layer as we found that the snow density selected by lemmings to dig burrows was significantly lower than the density of the basal ground layer at those sites. Presence of a hard basal snow layer was probably a consequence of melt-freeze events that occurred early during winter 2016-17. This supports the idea that lemmings choose to dig in low density snow layers when moving, even if it is not at the ground level where food is most accessible. Our results suggest that snow physical properties play a key role on lemming movements under the snowpack. Understanding how lemmings interact with their winter habitat is important to anticipate their response to climate change in the Arctic.
Meteorological forcing standardization for multi-model uncertainty assessment of the Lower Nelson River Basin
Pokorny, Scott (1) (Presenter), T. Stadnyk (1), G. Ali (1), S.J. Déry (2) and K. Koenig (3)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George BC, Canada
(3) Manitoba Hydro, Winnipeg MB, Canada
The goal of the BaySys project is to separate the relative impacts of climate change and regulation on the freshwater inputs, and marine environment of Hudson Bay. Natural and regulated projections are being generated using meteorological, hydrological, environmental, and oceanic models. Uncertainty in predicted and projected freshwater fluxes is generated through model choice (structure), model calibration, model forcing (input data), and model interaction. Forcing data standardization reduces overall uncertainty by selecting a uniform base for model calibration and focuses the uncertainty analysis instead on model interaction, structure, and parameterization. In the Hudson Bay Complex (HBC), the Nelson River is the second largest contributor of freshwater inflow. The Nelson River’s water regime is influenced by regulation within the lower Nelson River basin (LNRB) and at upstream reservoirs. Uncertainty analysis using multiple hydrological models of the LNRB is being performed to aid in the definition of changes to freshwater fluxes into the HBC for the BaySys project. Hydrological models used include HEC-HMS, Watflood, and VIC, which offer a diverse group of model structures; with each of the models forced by the HYPE model at lateral boundaries and forced meteorologically by 19 climate scenarios from global climate models. The current research will explore the performance of precipitation and temperature from five different datasets for the purpose of standardizing model forcing during calibration. Datasets evaluated include ANUSPLIN, ERA-Intrim, inverse distance weighted Environment and Climate Change Canada observational stations, North American Regional Re-analysis (NARR), and Watch-ERA-Intrim. Results will examine event timing, volumetric accuracy for precipitation, and minimum, maximum, and mean daily temperature accuracy for the purposes of selecting a common model forcing for the remainder of the uncertainty assessment.
Exposure to mercury in Nunavik: Geographical and temporal trends among pregnant women
Pontual, Mariana (1) (Presenter), P. Ayotte (1,2), C. Furgal (3), C. Pirkle (4), A. Boyd (5), G. Muckle (1,6), E. Avard (7), M. Kwan (7), S. Ricard (8), M.J.Gauthier (8), C. Beaulne (8) and M. Lemire (1)
(1) Chaire Nasivvik, Axe santé des populations et pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec – Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Indigenous Environmental Studies & Sciences Program, Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
(4) Health Policy and Management, Office of Public Health Studies, University of Hawai’i at Manoa, Honolulu HI, United States
(5) Washington State University, Pullman WA, United States
(6) École de psychologie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(7) Nunavik Research Centre, Makivik Corporation, Kuujjuaq QC, Canada
(8) Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, Kuujjuaq QC, Canada
Mercury (Hg) is widespread environmental contaminant, which is known to travel to the poles and accumulate as methylmercury (MeHg) in the aquatic food chain. In the Arctic, indigenous populations living off marine mammals and fish consumption may be exposed to high concentrations of MeHg. Exposure to MeHg may vary according to the ecosystems where the Inuit villages are established and to the animal species available and consumed locally. Furthermore, since their availability varies over months, there is every reason to believe that exposure to MeHg also varies from month to month. There are still significant knowledge gaps with respect to geographic and temporal variations in MeHg exposure and about local traditional foods responsible for MeHg exposure, particularly for pregnant women in Nunavik. Indeed, several findings from the Nunavik Child Development Study highlight that fetal life is a critical moment to prevent MeHg exposure in order to avoid neurodevelopmental outcomes later in childhood. The objectives of this master's project are: (i) to characterize the geographic and temporal variations in MeHg exposure among Inuit women during pregnancy; and (ii) to better identify traditional foods responsible for these variations. Based on these results, the third objective will aim at developing tools to better identify pregnant women at risk elevated exposure to MeHg according to their eating habits. The data were collected as part of the project Nutaratsaliit qanuingisiarningit niqituinnanut - Pregnancy wellness with country foods from October 2016 to March 2017. In total, 97 pregnant women from the 13 Nunavik communities participated in this cross-sectional study. Blood and hair samples were collected. An interview-administered questionnaire was used to gather information on traditional food consumption and other relevant information. Blood total Hg was measured using Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Hair total Hg was measured by centimeter as a surrogate for monthly exposure using Cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CV-AAS). Up to 23% of participants had blood Hg levels above the Health Canada guideline (= 8 µg/L), and among these, 3 participants presented very high blood Hg (= 20 µg/L). Sequential hair Hg analyses show important monthly variations in Hg exposure, from 0.1 to 23.1 µg/g. Preliminary analysis show that overall, higher hair Hg concentrations were observed between June and October while lower Hg levels were found between January and February. As previously reported, hair Hg levels in June-October were significantly higher in the Hudson Strait region, where most of beluga hunting take place in Nunavik. In some villages, temporal trends in Hg exposure were very similar between participants (with one or two peaks in Hg exposure at the same time), whereas in other villages, Hg exposure profiles were dissimilar. Further analysis will be conducted to characterize these variations and identify local foods responsible for them. Except MeHg found in some traditional foods, these are of exceptional quality and important for healthy pregnancies and children. For this reason, it is critical to better characterize MeHg exposure, and develop prevention strategies and tools to minimize exposure to MeHg while promoting local foods in Nunavik.
A first glimpse at the pelagic microbial diversity in the Kitikmeot (Cambridge Bay) region, Nunavut
Potvin, Marianne (1) (Presenter), M. Rautio (2), J. Wagner (3) and C. Lovejoy (1)
(1) Université Laval, Département de biologie, Québec-Océan, Takuvik, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi QC, Canada
(3) Polar Knowledge Canada, Science & Technology, Cambridge Bay NU, Canada
This study is the first molecular microbial arctic survey in Cambridge Bay region. The aim of the study was to obtain background information on microbial community (prokaryotes and eukaryotes) of seawater and freshwater ecosystems around Cambridge Bay to have a better understanding of these ecosystems, to compare the microbial diversity of these ecosystems, and to potentially highlight key species that could have important effects on environment, fisheries or human health. Seawater samples were from offshore Cambridge Bay from 2014, 2015 and 2016, and freshwater samples were collected between 2015 and 2017 from Greiner Lake, Ferguson Lake and four smaller lakes. Water samples were filtered and nucleic acid were extracted from the filters. Hypervariable 4 region of the 16S and 18S rRNA genes (serve as microbial barcodes) were amplified and sequenced using high throughput sequencing to reveal present and active microbial community. Resulting data were analysed with bioinformatic tools. The marine and freshwater ecosystems had very different microbial communities and OTUs specific to different environments were identified
Monitoring sea ice in the vicinity of marine infrastructures in Nunavik, in a climate change context
Poulin, Jimmy (1,2) (Presenter), Y. Gauthier (1,2), M. Bernier (1,2), C. Gignac (1,2), A. Guimond (3), G. Paiement-Paradis (3), V. Gilbert (4) and M. Barrett (4)
(1) INRS Centre Eau Terre Environnement, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Québec QC, Canada
(3) Ministère des transports, de la mobilité durable et de l'électrification des transports (MTMDET), Rouyn-Noranda QC, Canada
(4) Kativik Regional Government, Kuujjuaq QC, Canada
Since 2009, Transport Quebec (MTMDET) has been leading research projects to better understand how Climate Change could impact on the maintenance and integrity of Nunavik’s marine infrastructures. As part of this initiative, INRS has been documenting the ice behavior in the vicinity of the infrastructures in 6 Nunavik communities in collaboration with the Kativik Regional Government. Three levels of information have been used: satellite imagery at the regional level, time-lapse camera at the local level, and local knowledge. More than 10 000 ice maps have been produced from MODIS and Landsat-8 images to calculate ice concentration over a 250m and 25m grid respectively And more than 300 000 photos have been acquired at ground level, vertically repositioned and classified for ice/no ice to determine the timing of the ice freeze-up and breakup, the ice concentration, as well as ice events that could pose a threat for the marine infrastructures. For three communities (Kuujjuaq, Quaqtaq and, Umiujaq), the camera system has been in place for 7 years. For the other three (Aupaluk, Ivujivik and Kuujjuarapik), the cameras have been installed in 2015. The analysis of the maps and photos showed a great regional and seasonal variability in the timing and duration of the ice cover. While the infrastructure is protected by the ice for most of the year, the end of the breakup period seems to be the most problematic, as large quantities of mobile ice are pushed towards the coast by tides, winds or currents. The ice concentrations extracted from the satellite images and from the photos are being used to validate a numerical coastal ice formation model developed by ISMER for the Hudson Bay and Hudson Strait. The camera network will continue to operate until at least 2020. It is being extended to include two sites as part of another MTMDET/ISMER study on wave propagation along the Nunavik coast. A public website is being developed to give access to the photos, ice maps and results of the project to the communities. The information gathered through this project increases our knowledge of ice conditions that may represent a risk to coastal works, navigation and safe access to the territory. It also helps to enact new standards for the construction or maintenance of the Nunavik marine infrastructures.
Impacts of the implementation of the diapause trait on the dynamics of plankton communities in a numeric pelagic Arctic ecosystem
Pourchez, Arnaud (1,2,3) (Presenter), C. Dufresne (1,2) and F. Maps (1,2)
(1) Joint International Laboratory Takuvik, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Québec-Océan, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) ArcticNet, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Many Arctic mesozooplankton species graze intensely on the short vernal pulse of primary production to accumulate lipids in preparation for the diapause, an extended period during which individuals do not feed and reduce their metabolic activity. The diapause, especially in the species of the dominant copepod genera Calanus., is a key adaption to life in the highly seasonal Arctic marine ecosystem that enables individuals to survive the harsh winter environmental conditions in the cover of the depths (several hundreds of meters), before migrating again to more favorable surface conditions in spring. Such seasonal vertical migration is crucial to many aspects of the biogeochemical (carbon fluxes) and trophic (transfer of organic matter) dynamics of the Arctic Ocean. However, the diapause trait remains poorly represented (if represented at all) in the biogeochemical models used to understand the biogeochemistry and ecology of marine ecosystems. In order to improve our understanding of the effects of diapause on Arctic pelagic ecosystems, we implemented it as a functional trait of mesozooplankton numerical functional groups in the DARWIN model. DARWIN simulates emerging planktonic communities in response to environmental forcing. A plausible way of diapause control involves the metabolism of lipids in the zooplankton communities. We used the elemental C to N ratio (C:N) as a proxy of the lipid content of numerical mesozooplankton functional groups. Since lipids do not contain nitrogen, the more lipids zooplankton accumulates, the higher the C:N ratio is. Initiation and termination of diapause in the model depend on a threshold indicating that the individuals have accumulated enough lipids to survive the autumn and winter seasons without feeding. In order to have realistic variations of the C:N ratios, we explicitly took into account the metabolism of carbon respiration and nitrogen excretion. Our results show the direct consequences of the diapause trait on the phenology of both zooplankton and phytoplankton functional groups. By grazing on the microzooplankton during the short interval when they are active, the mesozooplankton numerical functional groups induce a trophic cascade that changes the shape of the bloom (from a unimodal to a bimodal shape).
Uneven development: infrastructure, population change, and modernization along the Northern Sea Route
Povoroznyuk, Olga (1,2) (Presenter), M. Bennett (1,3) and P. Schweitzer (1) (Presenter)
(1) University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
(2) Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
(3) University of California, Los Angeles CA, United States
The Northern Sea Route (NSR) is a network of seaports and settlements along the Russian Arctic coast and the backbone of the complex transportation system that includes both existing and projected river ports, roads and railroads. The establishment of the NSR Administration, Glavsevmorput’, in 1932 was a milestone event that facilitated the imagining of diverse coastal communities and shipping lanes as a single entity. The administration controlled a territory of over 2 million km2, coordinated resource extraction, shipbuilding and transportation. It also managed indigenous populations in the region and inmates of GULAG labour camps. The latter became the main human resource for arctic industrialization and urbanization in the 1930s and 1950s. The subsequent launch of the NSR for year-round transportation made it crucial for the domestic supply of goods, foods and materials to coastal communities through the 1980s. Currently, development along the NSR is centred on the construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility in the centrally located Yamal Peninsula. Since the 1960s, the region’s rich oil and gas resources have been developed for global export. In recent years, the Russian government has intensified development by attracting investments in a modernized transportation network, including the deep water port of Seyakha and airport and railroad reconstruction. Changes in the Yamal Peninsula exemplify the re-imagining and re-articulation of the NSR away from being a domestic supply route and into a global transportation corridor for resource export and trans-Arctic shipping. At the same time, geopolitical and logistical shifts in the late 20th and early 21st centuries have resulted in the repositioning and peripheralization of smaller NSR ports such as Dikson, Tiksi, and Provideniya. Established as outposts of Soviet Arctic exploration, military bases and marine hubs, they now consist primarily of abandoned buildings and malfunctioning ports. Their decline illustrates how the development of the NSR is not occurring uniformly from the Kara Sea to the Bering Strait, but rather in a manner that concentrates investments in specific locations at the expense of others. This paper focuses on the temporality and materiality of marine transportation and settlement infrastructures of the NSR as a modernization project and sociotechnical phenomenon. Drawing on the concepts of uneven development and modernization “enclaves” produced by transnational economic interests in resource extraction and transportation, we challenge the wide-spread image of the NSR as a temporally and spatially integrated entity. Our paper, based on review of mass-media, policy documents, and academic publications, explores two cases of regional development along the NSR. The application of multitemporal satellite imagery, particularly night-lights (DMSP-OLS and VIIRS) and medium spatial resolution multispectral imagery (Landsat 8) from 1992 to the present, allows us to quantify growth and decline in transportation and coastal community infrastructure. Combining this data with population and economic statistics provides new insights into shifts in uneven development in the coastal Russian Arctic while challenging narratives of a single, uniform NSR.
High variability in GHG emissions from Arctic ponds, explained by erosional activity and pond morphology
Preskienis, Vilmantas (1,2) (Presenter), I. Laurion (1,2), D. Fortier (2,3) and F. Bouchard (1,2)
(1) Centre Eau Terre Environnement of the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS-ETE), Québec QC, Canada
(2) Centre for northern studies (CEN), Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
The observed climate change over the high Arctic regions acts through increased winter precipitation and summer length, both these factors being important to the formation / expansion of Arctic ponds and their emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG). Intensified thermokarst and thermo-erosional processes mobilise large quantities of soil organic carbon previously stored in permafrost into these shallow aquatic systems. These overlooked ecosystems, sometimes with an area of only a few square meters, are very active microbially and are the most abundant water bodies in Arctic lowlands. A decade-long monitoring of summer CO2 and CH4 emissions from Arctic ponds on Bylot Island (Nunavut) shows a high spatial and temporal variability. Here we investigate to what extent the pond morphology and biogeochemical characteristics of eroding soil and pond water explain the observed variability in GHG emissions. High-precision GNSS mapping of pond shorelines reveals a strong correlation between erosional activity and GHG ebullition rates measured over three summers (2014-2016). While surface GHG concentrations were not as clearly related to the erosional activity, they were to limnological properties such as phosphorus concentrations and SUVA index of dissolved organic matter. Turbulent mixing in the water column, dictated by meteorology and pond morphology, is likely to control the seasonal patterns in GHG concentrations and storage at depth, contributing to the observed patterns, while ebullition would better reflect the impact of erosional activity. Mass movements due to thermo-erosional processes need to be accounted for in modelling of GHG emissions from Arctic freshwaters.
Genomic Insights into Ovibos Moschatus (Muskox)
Prewer, Erin (1) (Presenter), C. Kyle (1), S. Kutz (2) and L.-M. Leclerc (3)
(1) Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
(2) University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Calgary AB, Canada
(3) Department of Environment of the Government of Nunavut, NU, Canada
Understanding the maintenance and dispersal of genetic variation in and among populations is a central theme in wildlife conservation as higher genetic variation is associated with the evolutionary potential of a species to withstand changing selective pressures. This is becoming progressively more important due to anthropogenic factors, like climate change, which are significantly increasing how quickly environmental changes are occurring. Northern climes are one of the environments most affected, placing inhabitants under increasing stress from changes such as shifting food availability, environmental warming and increased pathogen exposure. As such, the Arctic ecosystem is one of the most threatened, and therefore understanding whether vulnerable species have the ability to adapt becomes important in order to predict their long term survival. Muskoxen (Ovibos Moshcatus) are a keystone Arctic species that have undergone multiple population bottlenecks post-Pleistocene and more recently in the 1900s, as, reflected in low genetic diversity found in both neutral and functional genetic markers. Despite this low genetic variation, muskox populations continued to grow until 2009 when massive die off events, potentially associated with disease range expansion, led to a decline as high as 70% in two of the largest muskox populations on Banks and Victoria Island. Therefore we aim to learn what the contemporary genetic consequences of a recent, rapid selective pressure are on an already genetically depauperate species. First, to assess how this rapid decrease in census population size impacts genetic diversity in a key muskox population, we are using 12 microsatellite loci to genotype fecal samples collected from Victoria lsland populations from 2007-2016. We are using population bottleneck tests to identify both historical bottlenecks and contemporary losses in effective population sizes both before and after recent disease outbreaks as well as to predict future losses in genetic diversity. However in order to fully understand the muskox’s health and the impact of changing climates, a greater understanding of the muskox’s underlying genetics and Arctic adaptations is required. We assembled the muskox genome using illumina high throughput sequencing technology. A genome assembly provides information beyond the neutral and candidate genes that have previously been investigated and offers a more thorough representation of genetic variation and adaptive potential. This research will provide new insights into the adaptive mechanisms of species to harsh environmental conditions as well as to help begin understanding what effect a changing Arctic environment will have on muskox health and sustainability.
The Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna: Actions for Arctic biodiversity, implementing the recommendations of the Arctic Biodiversity Assessment
Price, C. (1) (Presenter) and T. Barry (1)
(1) Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna International Secretariat, Akureyri, Iceland
In 2013 the Arctic Council Ministers agreed to implement the 17 recommendations articulated in the Arctic Biodiversity Assessment (ABA), Report for Policy Makers. To help the Arctic Council in the implementation process, the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF), the biodiversity working group of the Arctic Council and the organization behind the ABA, developed an implementation plan, the Actions for Biodiversity 2013-2021: implementing the recommendations of the Arctic Biodiversity Assessment. Implementing the ABA recommendations requires a combination of building on existing efforts and embarking in new directions and developing specific projects to fill gaps. The ABA and resulting implementation plan provides specific directions for focusing and enhancing work through an existing framework of programs and activities, as well as remedying gaps and deficiencies in knowledge and biodiversity conservation. This presentation will discuss how CAFF developed policy relevant recommendations for a major international assessment, and then responded to them by implementing and collating projects and reporting mechanisms to better integrate scientific integrity into core activities. The presentation will trace several CAFF activities and projects back to the ABA process to help understand the interactions between science and policy after the release of a major Arctic Council report. In particular, the presentation will highlight the work of CAFF’s Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program and the upcoming Arctic Biodiversity Congress 2018 as key elements to deliver on ABA recommendations and implementation activities.
Introduction to CAFF's Arctic Migratory Birds Initiative
Price, Courtney (1) (Presenter), J. Provencher (1), T. Barry (1) and E. Syroechkovskiy (2)
(1) Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna, International Secretariat, Akureyri, Iceland
(2) All-Russian Institute for Nature Conservation, Moscow, Russian
An overview and contextualization of the Arctic Migratory Bird Initiative (AMBI) under the Arctic Council's Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) will be given. Arctic-breeding migratory birds are a significant component of both northern cultures and ecosystem health. The recent Arctic Biodiversity Assessment, delivered to the Arctic Council by CAFF highlighted that Arctic-breeding migratory birds were in significant declines in several regions, and due to the flyway-level movement of migratory species, a large flyway-level conservation approach would be needed in order to improve their population status. AMBI was started by CAFF in 2015 and aims to improve the conservation status of Arctic-breeding migratory birds through flyway-level cooperation with Arctic and non-Arctic countries and partners. In 2015 AMBI was initiated under leadership from Canada, Norway, Russia and the US. Since this time, AMBI has helped initiate cooperation and project on Arctic-breeding migratory bird conservation in each of the four defined AMBI flyways (Americas, Circumpolar, African-Eurasian and the East-Asian Australasian). Actions include the promotion of site protection status through local community engagement, integrating traditional knowledge and science for management planning, assessing illegal killing of birds in some regions and working with fisherman to estimate seabird bycatch rates. This session will bring together presentations from AMBI related projects across the four flyways, and work towards integrating lessons in conservation successes to be applied across the flyways.
Vertical distribution of pelagic fish and zooplankton under the European Arctic pack ice
Priou, Pierre (1) (Presenter), E. Kunisch (2), C. Katlein (3), J. Berge (2,4), R. Gradinger (2), H. Flores (3) and M. Geoffroy (1)
(1) Center for Fisheries Ecosystems Research, Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John's NL, Canada
(2) Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
(3) Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Alfred Wegener Institute, Bremerhaven, Germany
(4) University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Norway
Fish composition and distribution are thought to change in the Arctic Ocean following climate change and sea ice melting. Boreal species are extending their northern range, and sea ice reduction could modify the life cycle and distribution of the key forage fish Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida). The potential migrations and occurrence of Arctic cod under the ice remains poorly documented in the European Arctic Ocean. Using a combination of ice-tethered and ship-based echosounders, video cameras mounted on an ROV and zooplankton net samples, we document the vertical distribution of pelagic fish and zooplankton in June 2017, at 82°N, north of Svalbard. Pelagic fish formed a dense scattering layer in the Atlantic water mass, between 300 and 500 m depth. They occasionally formed schools higher in the water column (180 m), but were not observed in the first meters below the ice pack. Preliminary results suggest that the sympagic community was formed solely of zooplankton, mainly copepods. Future analyses will aim at identifying the species and size of pelagic fish at depth.
The Parc national des Pingualuit: A look over the first Nunavik National Park and its impact on the Kangiqsujuaq community
Proulx, Guillaume (1) (Presenter), G. Cloutier (1) and J. Dubé (1)
(1) École supérieure d'aménagement du territoire et de développement régional, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
More than a decade after its inauguration, the Parc national des Pingualuit is now a part of Kangiqsujuaq’s landscape and community. Previous studies showed high expectations concerning its implementation, especially about the economic impact of such a park on the community. However, as it is usually the case, equivalent studies are rarely investigate after the project is in operation. The evaluation of the impact a priori usually help to justify a project, while no a posteriori investigation is made. This essay attempts to draw the actual impact of the implementation of the National Park on the community and to assess whether the anticipated impact have been materialize. Contextualizing the distinct environment in which the protected area has been planned, the research focuses on how the local population benefits from the park and from its institutional implementation. How does the Parc national des Pingualuit offer a grounded response to the need for amenities and sociocultural infrastructures in Nunavik? To answer this question, we propose to analyze the responses of semi-structured interviews conducted within summer 2017. If the economic impact of the development of the park is hard to investigate, the analysis suggests that the Parc national des Pingualuit has definitely a positive impact on the community. The National Park has contributed to structure the local cultural practices and traditional activities as well as enhance the inland territory access. Moreover, the study shows that the park has become a key player in the regional land organization, facing the expansion of the mining industry and the future tourism development. The analysis should positively contribute to a better understanding of parks development, establishing a followed up on its impacts through the time.
Learning about ringed seal health from contaminants science and Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit
Provencher, Jennifer (1) (Presenter), M. Houde (2), M. Appaqaq (3), A. Black (2), R. Filipkowski (4), K. Xu (4), M. Janssen (2), Resolute Bay Hunters and Trappers Association, D. Muir (2), S. Ferguson (5) and D. Henri (2)
(1) Acadia University, Wolfville NS, Canada
(2) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Montréal QC, Ottawa ON and Burlington ON, Canada
(3) Nunavut Arctic College, Iqaluit NU, Canada
(4) Qarmartalik School Resolute Bay, Resolute Bay NU, Canada
(5) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Contaminants have been monitored in ringed seals (Phoca hispida) across the Canadian Arctic under the Northern Contaminants Program for more than two decades. This project addresses a shared interest among northerners and scientific researchers in enhancing communications and community capacity building related to contaminants research on ringed seals. This initiative engages youth, elders, community members and scientific researchers in learning about ringed seals from both Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and western science perspectives. A first workshop was held in Resolute Bay, Nunavut in October 2016. The main goal of the workshop was to allow researchers working on contaminants in ringed seals to share information about their work, and provide an opportunity for Inuit elders to share their knowledge with students and researchers in seal ecology including traditional methods for butchering seals, preparing seal skin and identifying abnormalities in harvested game. Lectures, games and discussions were also held with kids of all ages as well as teachers from the local school. An Inuktitut language session on seals was held by the language teacher in collaboration with the researchers. Based on the success of this experience, another workshop in the winter of 2018 is planned in Sachs Harbour, NWT where core monitoring of ringed seals also takes place with the help of the community. This year, in addition to the described activities, a student-developed hunter survey will be created during the Wildlife Contaminants Workshop at the Nunavut Arctic College (Nov. 2017) and presented in the Sachs Harbour community. This component aims to develop tools that can be used collect traditional knowledge that may be associated with contaminants, and can be administered by local students to help increase their involvement in local research.
Plastics as a vector of contaminants into Arctic food webs
Provencher, Jennifer (1) (Presenter), M. Mallory (1) and B. Braune (2)
(1) Acadia University, Wolfville NS, Canada
(2) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
Plastic debris is commonly ingested by seabirds, even in high Arctic waters, but only recently has attention turned to what the impacts may be of this ingested pollution. Since 2003 the Arctic seabird team has worked to identify which northern marine bird species are vulnerable to ingesting marine plastic pollution. Importantly, there is increasing evidence that once marine plastic pollution is in the gut of seabirds, contaminants adsorbed to plastics are released, which may have negative effects on exposed wildlife. We assess whether chemical contaminants are associated with ingested plastics, and as a consequence may be transferred to Arctic marine birds (northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) and black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla)). This includes examining bird tissues and eggs for the transfer of plastic-associated contaminants such as PCBs and phthalates in relation to their ingested plastics burdens.
CAFF's Arctic Migratory Bird Initiative
Provencher, Jennifer (1) (Presenter), V. Johnston (2) and A. Black (3)
(1) Acadia University, Wolfville NS, Canada
(2) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Yellowknife NWT, Canada
(3) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
An overview of the Arctic Migratory Bird Initiative (AMBI) under the Arctic Council's Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) will be given. Arctic-breeding migratory birds are a significant component of both northern culture and ecosystem health. The recent Arctic Biodiversity Assessment, delivered to the Arctic Council by the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna working group (CAFF), highlighted that Arctic breeding migratory birds were in significant declines in several regions, and due to the flyway-level movement of migratory birds, a large flyway-level conservation approach would be needed in order to improve their population status. The Arctic Migratory Bird Initiative (AMBI) was started by CAFF in 2015, and aims to improve the conservation status of Arctic- breeding migratory birds through flyway-level cooperation with Arctic and non-Arctic countries and partners. In 2015 AMBI was initiated under leadership from Canada, Norway, Russia and the US. Since this time the AMBI has helped to initiate projects on Arctic breeding migratory bird conservation in each of the four defined AMBI flyways (Americas, Circumpolar, African-Eurasian and East Asian-Australasian). Actions include the promotion of site protection status through local community engagement, integrating traditional knowledge and science for management planning, assessing illegal killing of birds in some regions and working with fisherman to estimate seabird bycatch rates. This session will bring together presentations from AMBI related projects across the four flyways, and work towards integrating lessons in conservation successes to be applied across the flyways.
Socioecological change, access to fish, and individual well-being in Gwich' in communities
Proverbs, Tracey (1) (Presenter), T.C. Lantz (1), A. Amos (2) and S. Lord (2)
(1) University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
(2) Gwich\'in Renewable Resources Board, Inuvik NT, Canada
Communities across the circumpolar Arctic are experiencing rapid socioecological changes. In the Gwich’in Settlement Area (GSA), environmental change is affecting regional ecosystems by thawing permafrost, altering hydrology, and driving shifts in vegetation. These changes are coupled with social, cultural, and economic shifts including development pressures, changes in harvesting traditions, and community demographics. Gwich’in harvesters seasonally hunt, fish, trap, and gather food and medicines throughout their territories, and these changes have the potential to affect Gwich’in livelihoods. This project explores the impacts of socioecological change on fishing livelihoods in the Gwich’in Settlement Area, and is a partnership among the Gwich’in Renewable Resources Board, the Gwich’in Tribal Council, and the University of Victoria. It is one of eleven projects in the “Tracking Change” Project focusing on fishing livelihoods and watershed governance. In the summer of 2017, we conducted 26 semi-structured community and land-based interviews with Gwich’in community members in Aklavik, Fort McPherson, Inuvik, and Tsiigehtchic, Northwest Territories. These interviews were conducted with participants who fish regularly as well as participants who do not fish regularly. Interviews focused on local and traditional knowledge about interrelationships between fishing livelihoods, access to fish and fishing, and socioecological changes that participants have observed. Interviews are being transcribed, coded, and analyzed using a well-being framework from the Assembly of First Nations’ Wholistic Policy and Planning Model. Preliminary analysis of interviews shows that access to fish and fishing practices has changed throughout some participants’ lifetimes, and that fishing contributes immensely to individual well-being in Gwich’in communities. Despite some changes, access to fish and fishing in these communities remains strong. Ongoing analysis seeks to illuminate the ways in which feedbacks between socioecological change and access to fish will impact well-being. The perspectives and knowledge shared in this research will inform natural and cultural resource management, watershed governance strategies, and adaptive capacities. Importantly, these understandings will help to include priorities of Indigenous peoples as a focal point in decision making processes and planning in their territories.
Enhancing polar research and decision making: Advances in international data sharing through active collaboration
Pulsifer, Peter L. (1) (Presenter), A. Van de Putte (2), P. Bricher (3), C. Strawhacker (1), M. Murray (4), D. Arthurs (5), T. Barnes (6), O. Bermúdez Molina (7), T. de Bruin (8), K. Buckland (6), J. Collins (1), R. Duerr (9), J. Friddell (10), Ø. Godøy (11), T. Hamre (12), H. Jóhannsson (13), U. Jonsell (14), S.J.S. Khalsa (1), E. Kruemmel (15), J. Larsen (16), C. Leone (17), S. Longo (17), M. Maloley (18 ), R. Nitu (19), A. Olivieri (17), M. Parsons (20), J. Parrott (21), H. Savela (22), S. Schumacher (23), S. Scory (2), D. Scott (1), M. Tacoma (8), S. Tronstad (24), A. Vitikka (25), S. Vossepoel (4) and H.H. Yi (2)
(1) University of Colorado, Boulder CO, United States
(2) Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium
(3) Southern Ocean Observing System, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
(4) University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
(5) Polar View, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
(6) British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, United Kingdom
(7) IGME, Madrid, Spain
(8) Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Texel, Netherlands
(9) Ronin Institute for Independent Scholarship
(10) Canadian Cryospheric Information Network/Polar Data Catalogue, University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON, Canada
(11) The Norwegian Meteorological Institute, Oslo, Norway
(12) Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center, Bergen, Norway
(13) Arctic Portal, Akureyri, Iceland
(14) Swedish Polar Research Secretariat, Stockholm, Sweden
(15) Inuit Circumpolar Council, Ottawa ON, Canada
(16) Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks, Oslo, Norway
(17) Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Rome, Italy
(18) Arctic Spatial Data Infrastructure, Ottawa ON, Canada
(19) World Meteorological Institute, Geneva, Switzerland
(20) Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY, United States
(21) Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Inuvik NWT, Canada
(22) University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
(23) Alfred Wegener Institute, Bremerhaven, Germany
(24) Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø, Norway
(25) University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland
A number of recent conferences, workshops and meetings have confirmed that there are many national, regional and local projects and programs that are active in polar data management and stewardship and also have a mandate or desire to contribute to regional or international coordination of effort and activities. Many of those initiatives have resources available and are making progress towards an envisioned connected, interoperable polar data system. The international polar data community is eager to improve cooperation and coordination of their efforts. In the spring of 2018, representatives from a wide range of different active programs and projects will come together to focus on work planning and coordination of effort. This meeting will complement past workshops and fora (e.g. IPY, Polar Data Forums etc.) that have been effective in defining important community challenges and technical issues. The focus of the planned meeting will be to generate detailed plans on how best to mobilise existing and soon-to-be initiated funded activities to develop a particular international data sharing case study. At the annual meetings of the Arctic Data Committee and the Standing Committee on Antarctic Data Management held in Montreal in September 2017, a focus on the sharing of meteorological observations and linking to existing terrestrial data networks was discussed as one possibility. Discussions on the precise nature of the case study will continue, a decision will be taken during the fall of 2017 and it will be reported in this paper. The meeting will be co-led and co-organized by key polar data projects and programs. As of writing, organizers include: IASC/SAON Arctic data Committee; SCAR Standing Committee on Antarctic Data Management; Southern Ocean Observing System; Global Cryosphere Watch and related WMO activities; Polar View; Arctic Spatial Data Infrastructure; EU Arctic Cluster including 8 current EU funded projects; GEO Cold Regions Initiative; Canadian Polar Data Workshop Network; Canadian Consortium on Arctic Data Interoperability; representatives from the Arctic Social Science Community; Research Data Alliance. One International Indigenous organization was part of the initial conceptualization of project in June of 2017 and more input is needed and is actively being sought from Indigenous organizations. In this presentation we report details of the planning process, the established case study, possible interoperability mechanisms and a discussion of the collaborative process involved in bringing together data stewards from around the Arctic, Antarctica and beyond.
The German Arctic Office - Knowledge transfer and information exchange for future-oriented and sustainable Arctic decision making in an Arctic Council observer country
Rachold, Volker (1) (Presenter)
(1) German Arctic Office, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Potsdam, Germany
Though not an Arctic nation, Germany operates one of the world’s largest Arctic research programs, mainly through the national polar institute, the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), but also through various other national institutes and authorities as well as through a number of universities. Germany´s strategic approach to Arctic research “Rapid Climate Change in the Arctic - Polar Research as a Global Responsibility” was published by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research in 2015. Germany is an observer in the Arctic Council and has been actively involved in a number of Arctic Council activities. In 2013, the Federal Foreign Office, representing Germany in the Council, published the “Guidelines of the German Arctic Policy”, which place great importance on science and environment in Germany´s approach to engaging with Arctic nations. Other federal ministries, including the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, the Federal Ministry for Transport and Digital Infrastructure, the Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture and the Federal Ministry for Defense, are attentively monitoring the developments in the Arctic. In light of the growing political interest in the Arctic and referring to its mission “…to perform knowledge-based consulting services for the political, economic and social arena…”, in 2017 the AWI established the German Arctic Office as an information and cooperation platform for German stakeholders invested in Arctic science, politics and industry. The office provides a central point of contact for political and scientific bodies, NGO‘s and German industry. It advises the federal government on Arctic issues and supports the Federal Foreign Office in Arctic Council matters by selecting scientific experts for the various Arctic Council groups and coordinating their involvement and reporting. This presentation will introduce the activities of the German Arctic Office and - one year after its establishment - analyze the benefits for a non-Arctic country of having such an office.
Distribution of living benthic foraminifera in the Baffin Bay and Nares Strait
Racine, Calypso (1) (Presenter), J. Bonnin (1), J. Giraudeau (1) and G. Massé (2)
(1) Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
(2) Takuvik, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Benthic foraminifera are protists found in a wide range of marine environments and are often used as bio-indicators of past environmental conditions as they classically reflect surface productivity. Yet little is known concerning the distribution and ecology of this faunal group in the Arctic ocean. Their response to recent climate warming in a context of rapidly changing sea-ice cover and therefore primary productivity is yet not well understood. Living benthic foraminifera were therefore investigated in surface sediments collected in 9 stations in Baffin Bay and Nares Strait during ARCTICNET/GREENEDGE oceanographic campaigns on board the NGCC Amundsen in summer 2014 and 2015 in ice-free conditions, at water depth ranging from 217 m to 1448 m. Living benthic foraminifera were analysed in the size fraction 63-125 µm and >125 µm. Total standing stocks (TSS) are relatively high in most stations but show highest values in Nares Strait especially at the shallowest station, suggesting a substantial input of relatively fresh organic matter at the sea bed in this area which is often packed with sea-ice until late July (Kwok et al., 2010; Münchow, 2015). The relative contribution of calcareous benthic foraminifera decreases drastically from the shallow station within Nares Strait towards the deeper stations in Baffin Bay. Agglutinated species such as Adercotryma glomerata, Lagenammina arenulata for the fraction >125 µm and Textularia spp. for the fraction 63-125 µm are dominant within Nares Strait while Recurvoïdes contorta, Lagenammina arenulata, Reophax scorpiurus for the fraction >125 µm and Trochammina inflata and Lagenammina difflugiformis are the major contributors to the benthic foraminiferal populations within Baffin Bay. A shallow position of the carbonate compensation depth in Baffin Bay (around 600/900 meter depth) might explain the dominance of agglutinated species at deep stations. At 1000 m water depth on the eastern part of the Bay, living Melonis barleeanus with heavily dissolved shell were observed and support the presence of corrosive bottom water. However, lower marine productivity could also be accounted for to explain the higher contribution of agglutinated species in Baffin Bay.
Dynamics of inorganic and inorganic nutrients during spring bloom in the Canadian Arctic: Impacts on primary production
Raimbault, Patrick (1) (Presenter), N. Garcia N., J.-E. Tremblay (2), G. Filteau (2), P. Coupel (1), J. Ferland (3), F. Bruyant (3) and M. Babin (3)
(1) Aix-Marseille Univ., Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, M I O, Marseille, France
(2) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3)Takuvik Joint International Laboratory (UMI 3376), Université Laval (Canada) & Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (France), Québec QC, Canada
As in most parts of the World Ocean, the phytoplankton spring bloom (PSB) in the Arctic Ocean provides a large fraction (>50%) of the annual primary production. The magnitude of the PSB, which mainly develops at the ice-edge accounts, depends on previous fall/winter nutrient replenishment in the upper water column, which is controlled by vertical stratification, sea-ice freeze-up, and forcing events. But the vertical mixing of the upper water column and its impact on nutrient availability is a poorly understood process. More, the dynamic of the arctic PSB is extremely complex due to the presence of sea ice and an extreme light cycle at high latitudes. The Greenedge project aims to fill this gap by studying the exact sequence of events that control onset, maintenance and end of the PSB around the ice edge, under the ice-pack and in adjacent open waters. Based on both seawater and ice core data collected from an extensive sampling in the Canadian Arctic/Baffin Bay (67.48N - 63.79W), from May to July 2015 and 2016, we propose 1) to describe the seasonal dynamic of inorganic and organic nutrients, and 2) to quantify the primary production and nitrogen assimilation rates using the dual –labelling 13C/15N procedure.
Channelized freshwater drainage beneath Milne Ice Shelf, Ellesmere Island, Nunavut
Rajewicz, Jill (1) (Presenter)
(1) Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
Basal channels formed by subglacial outflow or melt-driven cavity circulation are thought to reduce the structural integrity of Antarctic and Greenlandic ice shelves. In the Canadian Arctic, ice shelves found along the northern coast of Ellesmere Island have rapidly disintegrated as a result of massive fracturing and calving events in short succession. Warm freshwater outflow beneath these ice shelves from ice shelf-dammed fiord lakes (‘epishelf lakes’) has been posited as a mechanism contributing to channel formation and break-up events but, prior to this study, the presence of basal drainage channels on ice shelves in the Canadian Arctic had not been confirmed. A depression running across the outer Milne Ice Shelf, located in Milne Fiord, was hypothesized to overlie a basal channel incised by outflow from the Milne Fiord epishelf lake. Ice-penetrating radar was used to map ice thickness and characterize the basal morphology of the ice shelf along ~11 km of the suspected channel. Cross-sectional ice thickness profiles revealed there was an inverted ‘v’-shaped basal channel with sloping sidewalls beneath the surface depression, consistent with incision of the ice shelf by warm water. The channel had incision heights of 39 to 45 m (70-80% of mean ice shelf thickness), basal widths of 57-86 m, and mean sidewall slopes of ~40° to ~60° upward from horizontal. Ice thicknesses at the crest of the channel were as little as 6 m in some locations. Conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) profiles and current velocity profiles were also collected in the channel, through drilled holes and natural rifts through the ice shelf. These profiles showed there was a fast-flowing jet of warm, relatively fresh epishelf lake water in the channel, with peak velocities of 40 - 60 cm/s. These velocities are an order of magnitude higher than velocities recorded outside of the channel, indicating outflow was concentrated in the channel. Our observations confirm the presence of a basal channel beneath Milne Ice Shelf, incised by warm freshwater outflow from the Milne Fiord epishelf lake. Thin ice overlying the basal melt channel represents a significant structural weakness in the Milne Ice Shelf, and future breakup of the Milne Ice Shelf is therefore likely to occur along the channel. Results from this study contribute to our understanding of what is driving ice shelf breakup and loss in the Canadian Arctic, and may provide insight into deglaciation in Greenland and Antarctica, as Milne Fiord could represent a ‘future state’ of ice shelf systems for Greenland and Antarctica.
Carbon distribution in Thermo-erosional Valleys: A case study on Herschel Island, Canada
Ramage, Justine (1,2) (Presenter), H. Lantuit (1,2), D. Fortier (3), H. Hugelius (4) and A. Morgenstern (1)
(1) Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Department of Periglacial Research, Potsdam, Germany
(2) University of Potsdam, Institute of Earth and Environmental Science, Potsdam, Germany
(3) Montréal University, Department of Geography, Montréal QC, Canada
(4) Stockholm University, Department of Physical Geography, Stockholm, Sweden
Thermo-erosional valleys (TEVs) and gullies are important but poorly studied components of the western Canadian and American Arctic. Through combined mechanical and thermal processes, TEVs incise the landscapes and modify the carbon stocks through their impact on soils, deeper permafrost layers, and water drainage. To better understand the impact of TEVs on the biogeochemical cycling of lowland permafrost terrains, we investigated the distribution of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) in three TEVs located on Herschel Island, Yukon Territory (Canada). The objective of this study is to describe the state of carbon stocks in the active layer and permafrost along toposequences of the TEVs. We 1) describe the geomorphology of the three TEVs and 2) assess the distribution and spatial variability of SOC and TN in the TEVs. The estimated SOC and TN stock in the upper meter of soils of 43 pits located along and across the 3 TEVs was 26.3 ± 8.8 kg/m3 and 2.1± 0.6 kg/m3 per site, respectively. There was a large variability among sites, SOC stocks varied between 9.9 and 46.7 kg/m3 and TN stocks between 0.9 and 3.7 kg/m3. Along the TEVs, SOC and TN stocks were higher in sites located upstream of the TEVs compared to downstream sites. Across the TEVs, stocks of SOC and TN were highest at the sites located at the bottom of the TEVs and lowest on the convex portion of their slopes. The C/N and d13C mean values showed significantly less degraded organic-matter at less disturbed sites in the upper level of the TEVs. This study highlights the importance of thermo-erosional valleys on SOC distribution in Arctic landscapes.
A participatory multicriteria decision analysis to mitigate the entangled complex dog-related human health issues in Nunavik
Ravel, André (1) (Presenter), C. Aenishaenslin (1), G.-G. Gouin (1), S. Bastian (2) and A. Simon (1)
(1) Groupe de recherche en épidémiologie des zoonoses et santé publique vétérinaire, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe QC, Canada
(2) Oniris, Nantes, France
The project addresses concerns expressed by people in Inuit villages, public health services, and governments with regard to dog-related issues by informing decision-making on mitigating measures. In close cooperation with local collaborators and other stakeholders on the dog-related issues and benefits, the project primarily aims at reducing the incidence of attacks, bites, rabies post-exposure prevention, related uses of medical services, and dog-related deaths in humans. Such issues are embedded in a context of dog free reproduction, recurrent dog overpopulation, lack of veterinary services, dog feed shortage, historical cull of Inuit dogs in the 60s, and different perspective on dog owners’ duties and responsibility between Inuit and Westerners living in the same village. Such entanglement of issues related to dogs definitely requires an approach to mitigate both human and dog health concerns in a synergic and successful way. Under an overarching Ecosystem Approaches to Health (Ecohealth) framework combined with the ‘two-eyed seeing’ model, the project mapped out the various issues at the human-dog interface in Kuujjuaq, Nunavik. Then a multi-criteria decision analysis was performed to inform the best mitigating measures to implement in the village. The project went through the following steps. 1. A list of potential interesting measures of any kind was drawn and finalized after consultation with dog owners, non dog owners, mushers and representatives of the Northern Village of Kuujjuaq, of the Nunavik public health board, of the Makivik Corporation’s Nunavik Research Centre, and of the Kuujjuaq Mushers Association. Thirty-five measures were finally kept as potentially interesting. 2. The research team proposed criteria useful for the comparison and prioritization of the selected measures. The same representatives discussed and assessed each criterium. Ultimately 24 criteria were selected covering human health, dog health, Inuit culture, social impact, economic impact, and 3. The same representatives provided a weight to each criterium. 4. The research team assessed the performance of each of the 35 measures for each criterium. 5. Using the PROMTEHE approach and the visual Promethee software, each individual measure was compared to each other measure according to the 24 criteria and their relative weight, generating the ranking of the 35 measures. The presentation will deliver the results of this analysis along with its interpretation to inform the future community-driven Kuujjuaq Dog Program.
Complexity of rabies and other health issues at the human-dog-wildlife interface in Nunavik: A great challenge for the One Health concept!
Ravel, André (1) (Presenter), C. Aenishaenslin (1), J. Saint-Charles (2), F. Lévesque (3), G.-G. Gouin (1) and A. Simon (1)
(1) Groupe de recherche en épidémiologie des zoonoses et santé publique vétérinaire, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe QC, Canada
(2) Département de communication sociale et publique, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(3) École d\'études autochtones, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Temiscamingue, Val d’Or QC, Canada
Rabies is a fatal disease affecting mammals (including humans) without treatment once clinical signs show up. The Arctic rabies virus circulates in wildlife in Nunavik with spill over to the dogs. People living in Nunavik are at higher risk of rabies than those living in the South with regular confirmation of rabies exposure by contact with rabid wild animal or dogs. In addition to rabies, bites, resulting wounds and psychological trauma are other human health issues associated with dogs, as well as the transmission of parasites to humans. Dogs in Nunavik are commonly kept outdoors, and are not always tied up. This greatly increases the chances for human-dog-wildlife interactions. In addition, dog overpopulation, due to an uncontrolled dog reproduction, directly contributes to and exacerbates the frequency of dog-human interactions and, consequently, dog-related health risks. To control these risks, various measures have been implemented over the past decades, with limited success, and have sometimes generated tensions between various groups within communities (Inuit, Westerners; dog owners; non-owners; public health; local police; humane societies; local and territorial governments). Socio-cultural differences with regard to dog roles and husbandry, social trauma resulting from historical dog culling by Western authorities, and the lack of permanent veterinary services may also explain the lack of success of the previous mitigating measures. One the other hand, dogs have positive impacts to humans, having been an integral part of the Inuit social and cultural environment for generations. While dogs and Inuit now engage in relationships that differ from those of the past, dogs continue to play an important role in lifestyles, culture, and wellbeing. Positive impact of dogs for humans also exist for Westerners living in Nunavik. We believe that both human and animal health at the human-dog-wildlife interface are deeply interwoven in the Inuit communities: any attempt to protect human life there needs to recognize and fully understand the complexity of the situation prior to propose any mitigating measures for rabies and other health issues without impacting the positive roles of dogs for humans. Several researchers from the field of natural or social sciences team up with local and regional collaborators in Nunavik to comprehensively assess this complexity as a first and necessary step to address the human and animal health issues under the One Health / ecohealth perspective. The presentation will summarize the journey that this team has followed in its discovery and analysis of the existing complexity at the human-dog-fauna interface with respect to the health issues in Nunavik. It will illustrate the strength of a pluridisciplinary and participatory research in identifying the biological, medical, social, and anthropological components of this complexity and their relationships.
Reducing dog-related human health issues in Nunavik by combining One Health and EcoHealth approaches
Ravel, André (1) (Presenter), J. Saint-Charles (2), F. Lévesque (3), S. Bastian (4), P. Leighton (1), A. Simon (1), D. Bélanger (1) and C. Aenishaenslin (1)
(1) Groupe de recherche en épidémiologie des zoonoses et santé publique vétérinaire, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe QC, Canada
(2) Département de communication sociale et publique, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal QC, Canada
(3) École d\'études autochtones, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Temiscamingue, Val d’Or QC, Canada
(4) Oniris, Nantes, France
In Nunavik, rabid dogs are reported each year and dog bites occur frequently, especially in children. Such dog-related threats to human health are exacerbated by the presence of free-roaming dogs, canine overpopulation and the general lack of veterinary services in the 14 remote Inuit villages of Nunavik. In this region, massive dog slaughter policies in the 50s’ have had a profound and enduring social and emotional impact on community residents, making interventions on dogs a sensitive and complex issue. Clearly human health and dog health at the human-dog interface are interwoven and embedded in a peculiar socio-cultural context. Since 2008, we have set up an action-research project driven by the One Health and EcoHealth approaches with Nunavik communities and the multiple stakeholders involved in the management of rabies and other dog-related health risks or concerned by dog health issues. By combining Inuit knowledge and a western scientific approach, several disciplines (veterinary medicine, human medicine and socio-anthropology) and using participatory methods, we aim to 1. better understand the links between dogs, the environment and the welfare and health of community members, and 2. jointly generate, implement and evaluate a set of interventions to reduce health risks at the human-dog-environment interface, while promoting human welfare and dog health. Progress, success, impacts and challenges in implementing the project combining One Health and EcoHealth will be presented and discussed.
Ship shape: managing cruise tourism to Parks Canada sites in Nunavut
Ravindra, Munju Monique (1) (Presenter)
(1) Parks Canada Agency, Iqaluit NU, Canada
Parks Canada has a mission to conserve the ecological and commemorative integrity of selected sites throughout Canada that are representative of the ecological and cultural stories of the nation. One of the key strategies for conservation is the fostering of memorable visitor experiences in those same Parks Canada places. Logistical challenges, distance, expense, limited infrastructure and a lack of qualified operators near Parks Canada sites in Nunavut combine to make any significant increase in independent land-based visitation unlikely. On the other hand, marine-based visitation has been steadily (if slowly) growing as worldwide demand for ‘new’ destinations increases, and Arctic regions are opened up (or perceived to be opened up) due to changing climates. While the increase in marine tourism represents new opportunities for Parks Canada to attract visitors (and future conservationists) to places like the Wrecks of the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror National Historic Site, as well as to Qausuittuq, Auyuittuq, and Sirmilik National Parks; the Agency is challenged by the lack of comprehensive guidelines to manage marine tourism in the Canadian Arctic. Parks Canada Nunavut has recently launched a partnership with the expedition cruise company Adventure Canada in order to assess existing visitation protocols and strategies for mitigating visitor impacts in a practical context. Parks Canada is working to identify specific locations within Nunavut's National Parks, as well as at the Franklin site, where marine visitors can have the kind of high quality, informative visitor experience that will help to transform them from passive ‘tourist’ into active ‘conservationist.’ At the same time, Parks Canada is working to develop concrete guidelines that ensure that natural and cultural heritage are preserved, but that are still operationally feasible from an industry perspective. In the September 2017 pilot cruise with Adventure Canada through the Northwest Passage (Cambridge Bay, Nunavut to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland), Parks Canada test drove existing guidelines at Qausuittuq, Auyuittuq and Sirmilik National Parks. Because Parks Canada staff cannot be present on every cruise or marine visit to the Parks Canada sites in the Arctic, collaborative efforts such as these are essential to ensuring that site guidelines are developed that are realistic and doable in a voluntary management context.
It belongs in a museum! Genome sequence of a Nostoc commune from the British Arctic Expedition in 1875 to attain the North Pole
Raymond, Frédéric (1,2) (Presenter), A.D. Jungblut (3), V. Mohit (4), S. Rogia Kpanou (5), M. Dion (5), A. Culley (5), S. Moineau (5), C. Lovejoy (4), J. Corbeil (1,2,6) and W.F. Vincent (4)
(1) Centre de recherche en infectiologie, CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Centre de recherche en données massives de l’Université Laval, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Life Sciences Department, The Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
(4) Centre d’études nordiques (CEN) et Département de biologie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(5) Département de biochimie, de microbiologie et de bio-informatique, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(6) Département de médecine moléculaire, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
In 1875, the British Arctic Expedition to the North Pole, led by Sir George Strong Nares, explored and mapped for the first time the northern coastline of Canada. The surgeon and naturalist on board made many collections of plants and other biological materials, including algae and cyanobacteria. One of the biological specimens deposited by the Nares expedition in the herbarium of the Natural History Museum of London (NHM) was of Nostoc commune Vaucher. This foliose cyanobacterial species is widely distributed throughout the world, and is one of the dominant cyanobacteria in Arctic and Antarctic lakes, ponds, streams and moist soils. We removed a small section of dried thallus from the NHM herbarium and sequenced its genomic DNA. For comparison, we also sequenced the genome of one Nostoc sp. sampled at Ward Hunt Island, Canadian High Arctic in 2015 and also a Nostocales sample from a New Zealand temperate lake. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene gene showed that the Nares specimen is more similar to the New Zealand isolate (98.2% identity) than to the one isolated at Ward Hunt in 2015 (97.2% identity). The 16S rRNA gene of New Zealand isolate and 2015 Ward Hunt isolate share only 97.9% identity. Similarly, comparison of k-mer (k=31) composition between the genomes shows a 6.3% similarity of the Nares isolate with the New Zealand Nostoc isolate compared to 4.4% with the 2015 Ward Hunt isolate. The gene content of the three Noctoc genomes was compared to 26 previously sequenced Nostocaceae genomes, with its closest relative being N. punctiforme. Clusters of orthologous genes (COG) were created using CD-HIT with an identity threshold of 70%. The three Nostoc genomes and N. punctiforme shared 39% of their COGs (2644 COGs) and each of them possessed a potential accessory genome of 3402 to 4491 COGs, which correspond to approximately 56 to 63 % of their genomes. Of interest, the region harboring the CRISPR-Cas operon was similar among the four cyanobacteria, which shared four genes, namely cas6, cas4, cas1 and cas2, in that order on the chromosome. However, regions flanking these genes seem divergent between the four genomes. These genomes also contain several CRISPR arrays. Secondary metabolites biosynthetic gene clusters (BGC) were identified in the genomes using the PRISM software. Although BGC from most Nostocaceae potentially encode the same type of secondary metabolites, they do not share many biosynthetic gene clusters that have more than 70% coding sequence identity. Indeed, only two BGC were shared (based on gene synteny and > 70% identity) between the Nares isolate, the 2015 Ward Hunt isolate and N. punctiforme. Overall, our work highlights the high diversity within the Nostocaceae and, specifically, of N. commune. This work is of particular relevance to herbarium collections such as those at the NHM, showing that cyanobacteria archived in a desiccated state for prolonged periods are a resource for full genomic analyses and ongoing further biological and historical insights.
Bio-optical observations from the Marginal Ice Zone in Baffin Bay using autonomous platforms
Rehm, Eric (1) (Presenter), G. Bécu (1) and M. Babin (1)
(1) Takuvik / Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Project Green Edge seeks to fully understand the dynamics of the phytoplankton spring bloom (PSB) in the Arctic, from its onset under the ice pack to its conclusion in open waters. Containing a diverse spectrum of marine resources, Baffin Bay offers the perfect setting to understand the impact of changing marine productivity on Northern communities and serves as a proxy for a future seasonally ice-free Arctic Ocean. Recurring ice edge blooms in June and July that regularly follow the seasonal retreat of sea ice from the east toward the west of Baffin Bay have been observed using ocean color remote sensing (Perrette et al., 2011), but seldom with in situ observations. During the 2016 ice edge retreat, Takuvik carried out a 3-D survey of physical and chemical properties, and living stocks at different space and time scales using autonomous platforms (floats, gliders, drifting buoys) and ship board surveys (CTD, optics package, water sampling). The control of PSB by 1-D processes (light, stratification, vertical mixing, settling) are demonstrated from bio-optical observations including light, chlorophyll and CDOM fluorescence, backscattering, oxygen, and nitrate/nitrite. In particular, we show the first-ever bio-optical data from glider-based transects from open water briefly into and under the marginal ice zone and back, demonstrating the important biogeochemical fluxes in this region. Intercomparisons of float and glider data show that data from multiple platforms can be integrated to create a more complete understanding from Eulerian and Lagrangian observational perspectives.
Comparing fluorescent and differential absorption LiDAR techniques for detecting macroalgal biomass with applications to Arctic substrates
Rehm, Eric (1) (Presenter), F. Dalgleish (2), M. Huot (1), J. Lagunas-Morales (1), S. Lambert-Girard (1), S. Matteoli (3), P. Archambault (1) and M. Piché (1)
(1) Takuvik / Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce FL, United States
(3) National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Electronics, Computers and Telecommunication Engineering, Pisa, Italy
The physical and biological properties of Arctic ice and coastal benthos remain poorly understood due to the difficulty of accessing these substrates in ice-covered waters. A Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) system deployed on an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) can interrogate these surfaces in three dimensions for physical and biological properties simultaneously. Using the absorption, inelastic scattering (fluorescence), and elastic scattering properties of photosynthetic micro- and macro-algae excited by lasers, our objectives are to quantify the physical features of the substrate (ice, benthic assemblages, geology) as well as algal biomass from an AUV. Our challenge is to design a LiDAR that meets the volume, power, and navigational constraints of an AUV. The fluorosensor approach uses the well-known property of chlorophyll-a fluorescence as a proxy for algal biomass. This approach uses only one laser and multiple detectors, but suffers from water column attenuation of red photons (685 nm) emitted by chlorophyll-a fluorescence; more than 99% of the red fluorescent photons are absorbed by water molecules before they reach the LiDAR detector 10 meters away (the minimum safe distance for AUV navigation from the ice cover or seafloor). Distance, laser power, and “pump and probe” techniques are evaluated to increase the number of red fluorescent photons arriving at the detector. The differential absorption approach takes advantage of the relative difference in absorption by chlorophyll-a at blue versus green wavelengths, a technique used by ocean color satellite sensors. It depends only on detecting the elastic (non-fluorescent) returns reflected from and scattered by the target. However, two lasers are required, increasing system complexity and power requirements. Here we present results of initial in situ tank tests using a two-wavelength (473 nm, 532 nm) prototype to evaluate both fluorosensor and differential absorption (DIAL) approaches using fluorescence reflectance standards as targets and selected macroalgae. Tank test measurements of both approaches are compared with simulations that employ a “return signal model” for estimating both the elastic and inelastic (fluorescent) returns from simple underwater targets, taking into account in-water inherent optical properties, the measured fluorescence efficiency of the targets, and LiDAR system and acquisition parameters (e.g., pulse energy, detector focal length and size, acquisition geometry, etc.). Simulation results are used to evaluate the two approaches (LiDAR fluorosensor and DIAL) and design future tests. The practical tradeoffs of the two approaches are also presented.
Computational Phenology: Assessing Arctic phytoplankton bloom states from space over two decades
Rehm, Eric (2) (Presenter), Mathieu Ardyna (1), M. Benoît-Gagné (2), E. Devred (3), M.-H. Forget (2), P. Massicotte (2) and M. Babin (2)
(1) Sorbonne Universités, Laboratoire d\'Océanographie de Villefranche (LOV), Villefranche-sur-mer, France
(2) Takuvik / Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth NS, Canada
The Arctic marine environment is currently experiencing rapid warming and freshening, as well as longer summer periods of open water with little or no ice cover. Such drastic physical changes might significantly alter the timing and magnitude of Arctic phytoplankton blooms. Using over two decades of remotely-sensed observations of phytoplankton concentrations in Arctic waters from space, we present here a novel approach for deriving phytoplankton bloom phenologies to better assess the impacts of the observed decline of ice cover on the seasonal patterns of primary production. Rigorous criteria have been established to assure that the estimates of phytoplankton (chl-a) concentrations that make up the phenologies are free from contamination by adjacent ice, represent an adequate sampling in time, and occur during periods with adequate hours of sunlight. A finite-state automaton is assigned to each documented pixel from remotely-sensed ocean colour images: the state of the phytoplankton spring bloom (pre-bloom, bloom, post-bloom, post-bloom with subsurface chlorophyll maximum, winter) is defined by a previously developed empirical model (Ardyna et al., 2013) and state transitions are governed by the new temporal information introduced by each daily pixel: chl-a concentration, photoperiod, and date. Then we use signal-based analysis (e.g., peak finding) to identify and re-categorize secondary (fall) blooms that are sentinels of changing Arctic primary production and distinctly different biogeochemical conditions. In this way, the phenology of close to one million pixels cans be traced for 20 years. Examples of these computed phenologies and pan-Arctic summaries are presented as well as details of the processing chain that exploits independence on temporal and spatial axes to achieve efficiency via parallel computation.
Synthesizing existing knowledge of ringed seal demography to highlight knowledge gaps and prioritize future research
Reimer, Jody (1) (Presenter), H. Caswell (2), A. Derocher (1) and M. Lewis (1)
(1) University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
(2) University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam NH, Netherlands
Ringed seals (Pusa hispida) are the most abundant Arctic pinniped and an integral resource for both northern communities and polar bears (Ursus maritimus). They are a cryptic species, making estimates of population trends difficult to obtain using traditional methods such as mark-recapture studies. Monitoring in the western Canadian Arctic has mainly been conducted through collaboration with Inuvialuit hunters. Monitoring has resulted in information on ringed seal body condition, reproductive success, and population structure spanning decades. We combine results from these existing studies into an age-structured population model. Our goals are threefold: (1) to examine any inconsistencies or gaps in existing knowledge of ringed seal life history rates, (2) to formalize hypotheses relating environmental states to demographic rates and then project the population forward based on existing environmental models, and (3) evaluate the ability of current monitoring practices to detect projected changes in the population. We find that existing historical estimates of demographic rates suggest a population in severe decline, which is inconsistent with the known persistence of ringed seals in the western Canadian Arctic. This inconsistency implies critical knowledge gaps in the parameters necessary for estimating ringed seal population trends. Power analysis based on existing sample sizes suggests moderate detection times (~30 years) for changes in population structure as projected over the coming decades. We suggest future areas of research and small changes to the current monitoring program which would result in greater detectability of climate change driven population trends in the coming decades.
Spatial and temporal approaches for monitoring the effect of changes in climate and flooding on hydro-limnological conditions across a northern freshwater delta
Remmer, Casey R. (1) (Presenter), W.H. Klemt (1), B.B. Wolfe (2) and R.I. Hall (1)
(1) Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON, Canada
(2) Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON, Canada
Documented climate-driven decline in freshwater supplied by rivers draining the hydrographic apex of western North America has ramifications for downstream ecosystems and society. For the Peace-Athabasca Delta (PAD) in northern Alberta, floods from the Peace and Athabasca rivers are critical for sustaining abundant shallow water habitat, but their frequency has been in decline for decades over much of its area. Here, we assess current hydrological and limnological status in the PAD by integrating spatial and temporal perspectives. Based on analysis of water isotope compositions and water chemistry measured at numerous lakes across the delta, we show that hydrological and limnological effects of the large-scale ice-jam flood event of 2014 failed to persist into 2015. Multi-centennial isotope-inferred paleohydrological records from five hydrologically-representative lakes in the PAD indicate that periodic desiccation during the early Little Ice Age occurred at the most elevated basin in response to locally arid climatic conditions, yet other lower elevation sites were influenced by high water level on Lake Athabasca owing to increased snowmelt- and glacier-derived river discharge. In contrast, water isotope monitoring data during the past 15 years at all five lakes consistently document the strong role of evaporation, a trend which began in the early to mid-20th century according to the sediment core records. Our evidence suggests the PAD has entered a new hydrological regime – one characterized by widespread evaporative influence unprecedented during the past 400 years. Integration of hydrological and limnological approaches over space and time is crucial to inform assessment of contemporary lake conditions in large, complex floodplain landscapes.
Challenges and initiatives in Artic food security: Country food processing and connection to land-based traditions
Reneecker, Lyle (1) (Presenter), J. MacLean (2), J. Raska (3) and M. Cook (4)
(1) Palace Hillside Farm Group, Stratford ON, Canada
(2) Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Inuvik NT, Canada
(3) Inuvik NT, Canada
(4) Mike Cook Management and Consulting Services, Hebbs Cross NS, Canada
Abstract: The population density of people in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories of Canada ranges between 0.01-0.03 person/km2 and >50% of the population is indigenous. There has been a timeless bond between indigenous peoples in the far north and the land. Indigenous peoples in Arctic Canada have an important and sacred relationship with land and sea that is cultural, fundamental and personal. Maintenance of a strong relationship with native plants and animals and the utilization and consumption of these traditional country foods is the basis of a healthy community and strong personal well-being and is the base of the pyramid of life for indigenous northern peoples. However, food insecurity in northern aboriginal communities is a reality and a large percentage of preschool children live in food insecure homes. It has been identified that in northern Canadian communities there is a lack of necessary training and food processing facilities to produce country foods for trade, communal sales, and food security. Natural food resources are an important cultural and nutritional aspect of life for northern aboriginal communities where a need exists for fresh and frozen country food products. While northern peoples utilize traditional methods of country food preservation there is also standard processing techniques that are additionally available and comply with hygienic processing standards. At the same time, residents do not have the skill sets – both hard and soft - to operate such facilities in northern settings to meet food safety requirements. Initiatives have been implemented in the Arctic north to assist Indigenous peoples to become more food secure using nutrient dense and traditional country foods. This project gives trainees the skill sets and tools to process their resources, value-add, and brand products in a hygienic forum. At the same time, greater food security with traditional, nutritious items would be provided for community residents of northern communities through the wide variety of both fresh and shelf-stable country food products made within their community in Arctic Canada. A pilot project was initiated by the Inuvialuit in Inuvik, NT, followed by a program in Fort Good Hope, and now a program planned for development in Qikitarjuaq, NU. Mobile food processing facilities are teamed with a classroom environment to deliver training in primary and value-added food processing techniques concomitantly with food safety protocols. Persons are trained in food safety, microbiology, HACCP, meat quality, processing techniques for meat and fish, thermal and boiling water processing, country fruit dehydration, and use of relevant equipment with an primary emphasis on country foods. The poster will show the general program outline and discuss outcome of the program, possible future goals, and perception in regional communities.
Effects of humidity on the settling rate of icelandic dust
Richards-Thomas, Tamar (1) (Presenter) and C. McKenna-Neuman (1)
(1) Trent Environmental Wind Tunnel Laboratory, Peterborough ON, Canada
Located just south of the Arctic Circle, selected areas within Iceland are affected by extremely active dust transport that is interlinked with particles supplied from glacio-fluvial outwash systems and the resuspension of volcanic tephra. Apart from recent collaborative efforts to measure and model Icelandic dust transport and deposition, a number of underlying physical mechanisms that are unique to cold, humid climates and the geology of Iceland are not well understood. This study specifically aims to measure the dependency of the deposition rate of Icelandic dust upon i) particle morphology, and ii) relative humidity. The settling velocity of Icelandic particles containing more than 80% of silt-size particles (less than or equal to 50 microns) was measured using a 2D Dantec Laser Doppler Anemometer (LDA) in still air within a fall column under varied relative humidities. The particle size distribution of each sample studied was measured using a Horiba Partica LA-950 V2 PSA, and the specific surface area using a Micrometrics BET surface area analyzer. Direct observations and measurements of the particle morphology (i.e. fracture planes, pores/cavities, and particle shape) were derived from scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images. The gravimetric moisture content (GWC) was also determined at varied relative humidities, as it is anticipated to vary with porosity and to affect the settling rate. Although the silt particles collected from various locations in Iceland are similarly irregular in shape, their BET surface areas were discovered to be vastly different. Particle density was found to decrease with increasing diameter, supporting the suggestion that Icelandic particles are highly porous. The amount of water adsorbed on these particles (measured as the GWC) also appears to increase with relative humidity (RH), especially when RH>70%. An increase in particle weight through moisture retention in the relatively large volume of void space contained within the particles would appear to be a plausible explanation for direct measurements of the settling velocity which appear to increase with rising humidity.
Mercury and dissolved organic carbon in eastern Canadian lakes along a 30 degree latitudinal gradient: A cross-ecosystem comparison
Richardson, Murray (1) (Presenter), J. Chételat (2), G. MacMillan (3) and M. Amyot (3)
(1) Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
(3) Centre d’études nordiques (CEN), Département de sciences biologiques, Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
The transport and bioaccumulation of mercury (Hg) in aquatic environments are strongly influenced by climate and ecosystem-related factors, particularly the production and cycling of organic matter. We examined Hg and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations in surface water of lakes from southern Boreal, sub-Arctic taiga, Arctic tundra and polar desert landscapes of eastern Canada. The study sites span a 30o latitudinal gradient with corresponding differences in climate, terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem productivity and atmospheric mercury deposition rates. Within each of the four study sites, lakes were selected to obtain a range of simple morphometrics such as lake area, depth, volume, catchment area and the lake volume to catchment area (LVCA) ratio. This sampling design was used in combination with the general linear modelling approach to identify and describe 1st and 2nd order drivers of total Hg (THg) and monomethylmercury (MMHg) concentrations in lakes. Water concentrations of THg and MMHg correlated positively but weakly with DOC concentrations, with lowest concentrations of THg and MMHg observed in low DOC Arctic lakes. This broad-scale, 1st order trend was modified by local (2nd order) effects, namely the LVCA, a proxy for lake residence time. Lower ratios of THg:DOC and MMHg:DOC in lakes with longer residence times suggest a net-negative effect of in-lake processing on THg and MMHg concentrations, consistent with inorganic Hg and MMHg loss mechanisms such as sedimentation, photo-reduction and photo-demethylation. These results imply that broad-scale latitudinal trends in THg and MMHg associated with atmospheric Hg deposition and DOC productivity gradients are strongly augmented by watershed and lake morphometry. In a parallel investigation, we found that water MMHg:DOC ratio was a highly significant explanatory variable for MMHg bioaccumulation in aquatic food webs from the same study sites and lakes. The strong association between LVCA and MMHg:DOC suggests that smaller lakes with shorter residence times are more susceptible to MMHg exposure.
Open graded crushed rock material and light weight aggregates thermal responses investigastion at Røros experimental test site, Central Norway.
Rieksts, Karlis (1) (Presenter), B. Loranger (1), E. Kuznetsova (1), I. Hoff (1) and G. Doré (2)
(1) Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Sør-Trøndelag, Norway
(2) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
The use of crushed rock granular materials (CRGM) for the construction of transport infrastructure in Norway has become the norm. The scarcity of natural aggregate sources, the rock resources abundance and the ecological considerations are the main reasons for this major change of direction that occurs nearly 40 years ago. The variable magnitude of frost penetration of these aggregates has resulted in many problems of uplift and premature wear of pavements and railways, especially during the long and cold winters of 2009-2010 and 2010-2011. A study site in Røros, Sør-Trondelag, Central Norway, was completed in November 2016. This site, consisting of 6 sections of roads and 4 sections of railway, is instrumented to measure the frost penetration, frost heave, water content, heat flux, outdoor temperature and solar radiation. In the road sections, different gradations of frost protection layer (between sub-base and sub-grade) and different lightweight aggregates (insulation) are tested. Two different sub-ballast gradations and mineralogy are tested on the railway sections. Data are recorded for more than one full year now. CRGM can find application into roads and airstrips construction in the arctic environment. It is possible to use this material in order to improve heat extraction from transport infrastructure build on permafrost, as in air convection embankment (ACE). Thermal considerations need also to be considered in the unfrozen terrain within the discontinuous permafrost zone, where the issues are mainly related to seasonal frost. Knowledge about grading and mineralogy characteristic of CRGM is of a primary importance in order to optimize roads frost design.
Spatial & temporal patterns of methane fluxes at an Arctic wet sedge fen
Riley, Emma (1) (Presenter) and E.R. Humphreys (1)
(1) Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFGlobally, natural wetlands account for approximately 30% of sources of methane (CH4) to the atmosphere, with emissions ranging from 142-208 Tg CH4 yr-1 for the past decade (Kirschke et al., 2013). Wet sedge ecosystems are a dominant source of CH4 within Arctic and subarctic landscapes, with mean methane fluxes of 100 mg CH4 m-2 d-1 (Vourlitis & Oechel, 1997). CH4 is a potent greenhouse gas and emissions are expected to change in the Arctic with warming and wetting/drying of these wetland ecosystems containing large amounts of soil carbon. It is thus important to know how processes driving methanogenesis respond to changes in environmental conditions. This study investigates the relative importance of several biotic and abiotic variables on temporal and spatial variations in CH4 fluxes at an Arctic wet sedge fen. The fen is located at the Daring Lake Tundra Ecosystem Research Station (TERS), 300 km northeast of Yellowknife, NT. Closed chamber and eddy covariance methods were used to measure CH4 fluxes during the growing season of 2017. Several variables were measured alongside chamber measurements, including soil moisture, temperature, and pH as well as thaw and water table depths. The 2017 field season contributed to a 10-year dataset of chamber measurements and 3 years of eddy covariance fluxes. The microtopography of the wetland exerted a strong control on soil moisture and pH, thaw depth and CH4 fluxes, explaining the large variability in CH4 fluxes over space. At the ecosystem scale, the factors influencing diel, seasonal and interannual variability in CH4 fluxes will be identified. These results will be used to evaluate the most important factors needed to predict CH4 emissions from Arctic wetlands.
Impacts of thermal erosion gullying on carbon, nutrients and sediment fluxes, Bylot Island, Nunavut
Rioux, Karine (1,2) (Presenter), D. Fortier (1,2) and M. Lafrenière (3)
(1) Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Québec QC, Canada
(3) Queen's University, Kingston ON, Canada
Permafrost of Arctic environments is well-known for its important role in the long-term storage of organic carbon. Perturbation of this vulnerable reservoir may have major consequences on the global carbon cycle. Thermal-erosion gullying is one of the most rapid permafrost degradation processes. This is initiated by concentrated infiltration of runoff water into sinkholes, which evolve into tunnels expanding into the permafrost, especially into ice-wedge networks. The gullies are created by the collapse of the roof of these tunnels and induce major changes in landscape morphology. A substantial quantity of material is exported as a gully forms and expands, leading to a significant reorganization of the hydrological network. Nutrients accumulated and stored in permafrost for centuries are suddenly released and their mobilization has a direct influence on the water chemistry of the gully stream. The objective of this study is to quantify the spatial and temporal variation in organic carbon, nutrients and suspended sediment fluxes along a thermal erosion gully of an Arctic ice wedges polygon field of Bylot Island, NU. To investigate those variations, daily water sampling, associated with water temperature, electrical conductivity (EC) and velocity measurements, were conducted from June 15th 2017 to July 30th 2017, at 13 sites along an active thermal-erosion gully. Water samples were also collected three times a day at the gully outlet during this same period to explore the temporal dynamics of daily matter exports. Subsequent laboratory analyses include dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) concentrations, ion concentrations (including inorganic N), isotopes, and DOM fluorescence. These analyses will provide a specific and precise characterization of the stream chemistry throughout the flow season. As is the case for typical permafrost hydrologic environments, it is hypothesized? that a first pulse of carbon (especially DOC) associated with the snowmelt flow will be observed. However, subsequent lower DOC fluxes are expected as the gully head retreats and as the active layer of unstabilized gully margins thaws and collapses into the channel. A delay between the flow peak and the suspended sediment peak was observed as a result of the limited availability of sediments, induced by the presence of persistent ice and snow in several sections of the channel bed. By a rigorous daily analysis of carbon, nutrients and sediment fluxes, this study will expand our knowledge of the concrete impacts of permafrost degradation by thermal-erosion gullying and will quantify carbon exports through this degradation process.
The Petroleum EnvironmenTal Research Laboratory: State-of-the-Art Technology for Ground-Breaking Science
Ritchie, Jake (1) (Presenter), A. Gaden (1), Z.Z. Kuzyk (1) and G. Stern (1)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
The Petroleum EnvironmenTal Research Laboratory (PETRL) at the Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba, was created to conduct state-of-the-art mass spectrometric chemical characterization and quantification of petroleum hydrocarbons and non-hydrocarbon (heteroatom class) compounds. PETRL will play a vital role in fulfilling research at the Churchill Marine Observatory (CMO), a state-of-the-art facility designed to advance global knowledge of oil spill detection, impacts, and mitigation measures in Arctic marine environments. As simulated oil spills are tested in CMO’s Oil in Sea Ice Mesocosm (OSIM) experiments, the mass spectrometers housed in PETRL will be used to help determine how various types of oil interact in different sea-ice conditions using real sea water from the Hudson Bay Estuary. As oil and its by-products contain thousands of compounds, each analyte requires different specifications for accurate characterization and quantification. PETRL instrumentation can separate and analyse extremely complex matrices to ultra-low concentrations from vastly different origins. The facility is equipped with four mass spectrometers ranging from nominal resolution (100 ppm) to ultra-high resolution (<1 ppm) to meet the needs of diverse scientific objectives. The Agilent 5977 GC/MSD screens samples to optimize instrument selection for supplemental analyses. The Agilent 7010B GC/MS QQQ with headspace injection has an instrument detection limit of less than 1 fg (1e-15 g) of octafluoronaphthalene (a commonly used calibrant) with multi reaction monitoring. The LECO Pegasus GCxGC-TOF-HRMS uses comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography to increase the peak resolving power. The Waters Synapt G2-Si high resolution quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer is equipped with two-dimensional liquid chromatography, atmospheric pressure photoionization, atmospheric pressure chemical ionization and atmospheric pressure gas chromatography with headspace injection. Ion mobility is used to separate stereo and positional isomers based on their collision cross-sections. In addition to petroleum compounds, these instruments provide us with the capacity to analyse a wide range of compounds classes such as lignin phenols, fatty acids, pesticides, industrial chemicals, natural products and many more. The first major project to utilize CMO and PETRL is GENICE: Microbial Genomics for Oil Preparedness in Canada’s Arctic Marine Environment, a Genome Canada Large-Scale Applied Research Project co-led by Dr. Casey Hubert (University of Calgary) and Dr. Gary Stern (University of Manitoba). PETRL will provide insight into the degree of microbial bioremediation in the OSIM experiments. Targeted analytes include aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons, petroleum biomarkers, and petroleum metabolites. All together, the project aims at identifying key microbial cultures and their bioremediation capacity in the Canadian Arctic. Ongoing work of PETRL includes baseline studies of petroleum hydrocarbons and natural biomarker compounds in Arctic parks, protected areas, and near interested communities and preliminary oil spill microcosms work done at the Sea-ice Environmental Research Facility (SERF) at the University of Manitoba.
Moving to a new house in Nunavik and Nunavut: Assessing the impacts on changes in housing conditions, health, and well-being
Riva, Mylene (1) (Presenter), K. Perreault (2) (Presenter), C. Fletcher (3) and P. Dufresne (1)
(1) McGill University, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(3) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Partners: Kativik Municipal Housing Bureau; Kativik Regional Government; Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services; Société d’Habitation du Québec; Government of Nunavut Department of Health; Nunavut Housing Corporation; Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Housing conditions in Inuit Nunangat are an important determinant of individual and community health and well-being. In 2014-2015, over 400 social housing units were constructed in selected communities in Nunavik and Nunavut. Construction included a mix of one-, two-, and four-bedroom houses and apartments, accommodating single-person, small and large family households. The impending shift in housing of a relatively large number of people presented an opportunity to explore the effects of moving to a new housing unit in a population health intervention research framework. In collaboration with Inuit organizations in both regions, we designed a before-and-after study to assess the impacts of moving to a new house on health and well-being. This presentation will describe the overall project and present results of the impacts of moving to a new house on changes in housing conditions and health status. Baseline data was collected in the Fall 2014 in Nunavik and in the Spring 2015 in Nunavut, one to six months before moving. In selected communities receiving new housing units, households ranked at the top of the waitlist for social housing were recruited by local housing officers. Households were oversampled by 25% given that not everyone met at baseline would get to move. From the 357 eligible households, 241 households were recruited. Within households, all adults aged 18 years and older were invited to participate. A total of 289 adults were recruited at baseline. Of these participants, 179 moved to a new house. Of the participants eligible at the follow-up period 15-18 months after the move, 102 completed the study. Face-to-face questionnaires were administered at baseline and follow-up. The conceptual framework used in the project delineates and measures housing conditions along three dimensions, structural/material, psychosocial and spatial. Each dimension is hypothesized to influence health either directly or indirectly. The structural/material dimension of housing refers to the physical structure of the dwelling and to the socioeconomic status of tenants, including measures such as household composition and overcrowding; housing quality and repairs needed; and household socioeconomic conditions. The psychosocial dimension of housing makes the distinction between the functional necessity of being housed and the affective sense of having a home. Control, privacy, safety, identity, and satisfaction were assessed as psychosocial factors associated with housing and contributing to the sense of home. The spatial dimension situates housing in a wider context, referring to how communities are lived and experienced by residents. Perceived safety and social cohesion of the community were measured. Dimensions of housing conditions were examined for their impacts on a range of self-reported health measures, including self-rated general and mental health; psychological distress; stress; and respiratory symptoms. Results from this project have the potential to inform and support housing and public health policies across Inuit Nunangat and contribute to the sustainable development of the region.
Integrating Inuit community perspectives in the ‘Community Component’ of the Qanuilirpitaa? 2017 Nunavik Health Survey
Riva, Mylene (1) (Presenter), M. Lynch (1) (Presenter), C. Fletcher (2) (Presenter)
(1) McGill University, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
As part of Qanuilirpitaa? 2017 Nunavik health survey (hereafter Q2017) a ‘community component’ was developed to describe community conditions that are relevant for the health of Nunavimmiut from a lived Inuit perspective so that community-level strengths and challenges may be addressed effectively and people may live well together now and in the future. This presentation will address the data collection process of the community component, mostly realized between August and October 2017, when the Amundsen icebreaker was sailing to all communities in the region for data collection of Q2017. It also presents ways in which results will be returned to communities and to the region. In September 2016, 1.5-day workshops were conducted in two of the 14 communities in Nunavik, with the objective to conceptualize community conditions important for the health and well-being of Nunavimmiut and to develop relevant indicators of social and community conditions to be included in the survey. From the analysis of the workshop discussions, 10 main themes, or dimensions of community conditions, emerged: family, community relationships, healing, land, identity, food, local and regional development, education and skills, socioeconomic conditions, and safety and security. Together with the concepts of inuqatigitsiarniq (the ties that bind people together), piusiq (way of life or ‘core of things’, referring to both the strengths and values of the community), and other health and wellness concepts, these themes delineate the conceptual framework of the Community Component of Q2017. The measurement and description of the 10 dimensions of community conditions is realized by combining four different sources of data: individual responses collected from questionnaires answered by Q2017 participants; in-depth interviews with 3 to 6 key informants in each community to better understand locally relevant dimensions of community conditions; community-level socioeconomic and health data retrieved from administrative databases; and a mapping of locally available resources addressing the 10 themes. Data from interviews, mapping of community resources, and quantitative information characterizing communities, as well as historical and archival materials, will be analyzed, interpreted and integrated to create community portraits for each of the 14 communities. This will be undertaken in collaboration with the communities so that recommendations best reflect their concerns and experiences. The ultimate outcome of the Community Component is to identify ways that local factors that contribute to community health can be recognized and enhanced while also identifying areas where new programing and policy can be directed. The analysis and synthesis of the multiple sources of data will be undertaken with this pragmatic outcome in mind.
Food insecurity in Naujaat, Nunavut: The Impact of a greenhouse on the social, education and economy on Naujaat , Nunavut
Robertson, Julie (1) (Presenter), M. Koc (1) and B. Ceh (1)
(1) Ryerson University, Toronto ON, Canada
Food insecurity as defined by WHO is the lack of adequate access at all times to sufficient, safe, nutritious and culturally appropriate foods. Food insecurity in Nunavut effects 68% of the population while the Canadian average is 8%. Growing North, a non-profit organization in Toronto, affiliated with Ryerson University built a geodesic dome greenhouse in Naujaat, Nunavut in 2016 . This greenhouse has the potential to supply a minimum of 70% of the produce needed to feed the population of 1008 people. State-of-art vertical hydroponics in use are capable of producing 4-5 times more produce per square foot than traditional methods without the use of soil. This research will undertake to examine the impact of a supply of fresh produce, grown locally on the social, economic and health of the community through a series of interviews and interaction at the farmers market held weekly during peak growing seasons. A comparative analysis of food costs from local retailers and the farmers market will be used to assess the impact of the family economics.
Power-less or power-full ? Indigenous land claims agreement and resource development in the Canadian Arctic
Rodon, Thierry (1) (Presenter)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
There is an ongoing academic debate around the so-called “resource curse”: one camp argues that resource development corrupts economies and institutions, while the other camp considers that institutions can mediate the impact of resource development. In this paper, using the case of the Canadian Arctic land claims agreements, we explore whether the land claims agreements have helped the Indigenous peoples from the Canadian Arctic improve resource development outcomes for their communities. Through four case studies, namely that of the Cree of Eeyou Istchee, the Inuit of Nunavik, the Inuit of Nunavut and the Inuit of Nunatsiavut, we analyze the institutional framework created by the different LCAs in relation to the capacity of Indigenous communities to control resource development and to benefit from it. We conclude that at least in the case of the Cree of Eeyou Istchee, their institutional capacity allows them to better control resource development.
Socio-economic trends for the Baffin Bay and Davis Strait region (Nunavut and Greenland)
Rodon, Thierry (1) (Presenter), R. Becker (2) and C. Tesar (3)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Aalborg University Research Centre, Aalborg East, Denmark
(3) WWF Canada, Montréal QC, Canada
In this presentation, we analyze the ongoing and future trends – within economy, demography, governance, education, and culture – that may potentially drive development in the Baffin Bay/Davis Strait region and How do these trends interact? For example new international governance gaps continue to emerge in the Baffin Bay/Davis Strait (BBDS) region. Among the scenarios for future climate change and oil and gas exploration, the more extreme ones will make those gaps more problematic. Governance will exert a very strong influence on the outcome of most change processes in the region. The region shows a very clear trend of more localized governance. Regional governments are increasingly becoming key players for domestic development and are increasingly empowered to enact policies aimed at offsetting negative trends affecting the region’s population. Dependence on outside workers in various sectors, including service and public administration, is still a strong pattern, with slightly different trends in Nunavut and Greenland. If the region’s population is to take an increasingly active part in governing and in benefiting from the changes to come, adequate access to relevant education and training will be required. This need will become particularly acute with industrial development and increasing devolution of governance. Development of the formal economy is seen by many decision-makers as an important driver for societal development as well as independence in the region. A significant trend is the continued economic, social, and cultural importance of the subsistence (“land-based”) economy. Fishing, hunting, and gathering activities are a key part of the region’s mixed economy, with the subsistence economy and the cash economy supporting each other. However, this interdependence is sensitive to changes in policy and climate. Although elements of a formal economy are required to underpin the subsistence economy, it is likely that tension between the two economies will increase as nonrenewable resource exploitation and associated activities affect local environments. Because of the social and cultural values embedded in the subsistence economy, changes to this economic system will have substantial impacts on Indigenous peoples in the region. The strength of the Inuit language shows different trends within the region. Kalaallisut remains strong in Greenland. Inuktitut is widely used on the Nunavut side of the BBDS region but shows signs of erosion, especially in younger generations. Language is closely linked to issues of identity, well-being, governance, and education. The BBDS region is still quite isolated (more so in Nunavut than in Greenland), but both areas show trends of increasing connectivity within and outside the region. Physical infrastructure improvements are a key driver of connectivity of various sorts, with implications for security, health, education, and various economic sectors.
The challenge of education in the Baffin Bay and Davis Strait region (Greenland and Nunavut)
Rodon, Thierry (3) (Presenter), M. Ackrén (1), M. Watt Boolsen (2) and F. Walton (4)
(1) Ilisimatusarfik/University of Greenland, Nuuk, Greenland
(2) Institut for Statskundskab, Copenhagen, Denmark
(3) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(4) UPEI, PEI, Canada
In this paper we analyze and compare the educational challenges in Qiqiqtaluk and Greenland. Many challenges are similar, in both areas, the largest problem is how to achieve a higher level of graduation in the various educational programs since the high level of non-completion and dropout remains a significant problem. In order to undertake these challenges, the cultural and social values among Inuit peoples should be respected and considered when developing educational programs. Language programs also require strengthening in both areas. It is not enough to have an educational system with only one language or a system in which students are taught in their second or third language, which might be the case in some areas. In Greenland, there is a wide range of Greenlandic and Danish language skills. In Nunavut, English is gaining ground despite a focus on Inuktitut. Finally, we discuss the opportunities to improve the education outcomes in both regions.
Biodiversity and climate change: The future of northern terrestrial ecosystems
Ropars, Pascale (1,2) (Presenter), G. Gauthier (2), D. Gravel (3), N. Lecomte (4), J. Bêty (1), A. Franke (5), G. Gilchrist (6) and D. Berteaux (1)
(1) Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(2) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke QC, Canada
(4) University of Moncton, Moncton NB, Canada
(5) University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
(6) Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
The Arctic Biodiversity Assessment recently provided a much-needed synthesis of status and trends in support of decision-making and future assessments of Arctic biodiversity. It also highlighted numerous knowledge gaps on biodiversity, at a time when many stressors are emerging from climate change and socioeconomic development in the Arctic. Yet very few sites in the Arctic are devoted to long term research and monitoring, and our observing capacity of Arctic ecosystems thus remains very low. Modeling of Arctic ecosystem, another critical ingredient of scientific understanding, suffers from a lack of biological and ecological data. Despite these knowledge gaps, there is an urgent need to build scenarios of change for Arctic biodiversity and ecosystems, in part because many indigenous communities still rely on traditional food. Taking northern Quebec (Nunavik, Canada) as a first case study, we present our modeling approach that aims at quantifying the vulnerability of tundra ecosystems in the face of climate change. Specifically, we aimed (1) to map recent (1981-2010) and potential future (2071-2100) species distribution in a grid consisting of 100 km2-cells overlaid on northen Quebec’s tundra biome, (2) to derive, based on experts’ knowledge, the trophic links (predator-prey) connecting these species for both periods and (3) to quantify potential changes in foodwebs structure and functional traits distribution. Overall, we modelled the distribution of 194 species (43 mammal species and 151 bird species) for the reference period (1981-2010) and projected their distribution in the 2071-2100 period using a species distribution modelling approach. Potential changes in foodwebs structure are spatially heterogeneous, the central part of the studied region recording the larger potential changes in terms of connectance, vulnerability (number of predators per prey) and generality (number of preys per predator). Differential rates of distribution expansion/retraction between predators and their preys are expected across the studied regions, and we are currently working on an effective way to translate these potential mismatches into a vulnerability index that could be useful for policy makers.
Changing ecosystems, wildlife management, and Indigenous knowledge and values: The case of tuktuvak (moose) and Inuit knowledge in Nunatsiavut
Rosa, Katie (1) (Presenter), C. Furgal (1) and J. Snook (2)
(1) Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
(2) Torngat Wildlife, Plants & Fisheries Secretariat, Happy Valley-Goose Bay NL, Canada
As global ecosystems are altered in relation to climate change, wildlife populations are adapting their behaviour and movement to these new conditions. At the same time, conventional approaches to wildlife management are challenged in facilitating multiple ecosystem uses and enabling healthy ecological function. Adaptive management, a process designed to respond to complex and changing systems, is thought to be a valuable tool for wildlife (co-)management due to its merging of multiple knowledge systems and social perspectives. Indigenous knowledge and values, such as those held by Inuit, are often under-recognized and under-utilized systems of understanding wildlife ecology; thus, they can provide insight into adaptive (co-)management planning and have the potential to improve the resiliency of managed ecosystems in the face of change. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory study is to investigate the potential role for Indigenous knowledge and values in wildlife management in changing ecosystems, using the case of tuktuvak (moose) populations in Nunatsiavut. In partnership with the Torngat Wildlife and Plants Co-Management Board, we are gathering information on this topic using a systematic literature review and semi-structured interviews and participatory mapping with harvesters, Elders and wildlife managers. The systematic literature review is employing the basic criteria for a PRISMA review and is intended to identify all published peer-reviewed literature on the role of Indigenous knowledge and values in resource management. Online sources were searched in four databases (EBSCOHost, Wiley Online Library, JSTOR and Google Scholar) using three sets of keywords and synonyms. Identified sources were then reviewed and a removal of duplicates and exclusion of sources whose titles and abstracts did not meet the inclusion criteria was conducted. Remaining eligible articles were analyzed and categorized according to resource type (e.g., wildlife) and the database was analyzed for patterns in emphasis in presentations over time and space, across cultural groups and across styles of governance. We are conducting this systematic review in parallel to semi-directed interviews and participatory mapping activities with representatives of the Nunatsiavut coastal communities and wildlife management structures in the region. Together these sources are expected to enhance our understanding of how Indigenous knowledge and values can inform management decisions in all Canadian jurisdictions, and ultimately resource sustainability in a changing ecosystem context as is the case in the Canadian Arctic.
Collaboration in action: Lessons learned from working as a network of students and young researchers
Rosa, Katie (1) (Presenter), P. McCarney (2), A. Sawatzky (3), D. Clark (4), D. Anderson (4), N. Baird (5) and E. Worden (5)
(1) Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
(2) York University, Toronto ON, Canada
(3) University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada
(4) McGill University, Montréal QC, Canada
(5) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
In 2016, a network of students and young researchers (SYR) was formed among current and past graduate students working with principle investigators affiliated with the multi-year IK-ADAPT project. The intention of the network is to foster physical connections and collaboration among young researchers who work in diverse regions of the Arctic on various topics related to Inuit Knowledge and climate change. There is wide recognition that collaboration leads to positive outcomes related to the quality of knowledge generated and professional benefits; however, the sharing of knowledge and resources can introduce many challenges. Collaboration, defined as 'working with others towards a common goal,' requires personal connections, shared goals, follow-through, and the ability to take risks. Its benefits within this context include improving an individual's ability to address complex research problems, developing contacts for future opportunities, and increasing the recognition of one's work. In this poster, we aim to critically self-reflect on experiences of collaboration in the IK-ADAPT SYR network, with examples from specific collaborative projects including written outputs and in-person gatherings to exchange knowledge. We analyze both the successes of our collaborative activities and the roadblocks that we faced, highlighting themes related to physical logistics, differences in disciplinary perspectives, and conflicting timelines. We share 'lessons learned' with the intention of benefitting other early-career researchers and networks embarking on collaborative projects. Our roles as students and early-career researchers allow us to share a unique perspective that can benefit others, including both students and faculty who encourage their students to collaborate with others.
From baby names to door frames: The surprising outcomes of posing science questions to Indigenous knowledge holders
Rosales, Jon (1) (Presenter)
(1) St. Lawrence University, Canton NY, USA
The Alaskans Sharing Indigenous Knowledge (AKSIK) community-based research project focuses exclusively on climate change impacts in Savoonga and Shaktoolik, Alaska, two native villages on the frontlines of climate change. Since 2009, AKSIK researchers have built on these multiple interactions with the communities in the research design of successive projects. Such an approach not only combines scientific and traditional ecological knowledge, but also generates a fuller understanding of climate change as it occurs in this infrequently studied region of Alaska, while generating new forms of knowledge and novel approaches that could not have been anticipated discovered a traditional literature review. The latest AKSIK research projects will be highlighted in this regard. First, AKSIK’s storm project focuses on reducing the uncertainty of storm intensity in the Bering Strait Region of Alaska. While it is likely that storm intensity has increased in this region and scientists expect storm intensity to continue to increase with additional warming, there is little evidence to support these claims. AKSIK’s storm project aims to generate evidence of storm intensity in the region by combining natural science and traditional Siberian Yupik naming traditions. Driftwood deposits laid to rest at the extent of the storm surge are used as indicators of a given storm’s intensity. The date of when the driftwood was deposited, however, cannot be determined precisely by dendrochronology techniques. Traditional ecological knowledge of storm events stored in the names of indigenous peoples in Savoonga and Gambell, Alaska may reveal the dates of large storms that left the driftwood on their beaches. These two Siberian Yupik villages name babies after significant events, like large storms, to retain knowledge of those events; their birthdates may identify with great precision the date of past storms. The latest findings from this project will be presented. Second, another element of climate change in the Arctic with little evidence is its effect on wind direction. Hunters in both villages maintain that the predominant wind direction has changed in the region since ~1990. In Shaktoolik they say winds consistently came from the North; now winds are predominantly out of the W-SW. In Savoonga, they say, winds used to be predominantly out of the NW; now they are SW. Hunters from Savoonga note the direction tundra grasses lay down as indicators of predominant wind direction. This knowledge becomes important should one become lost on the tundra and in need of orientation to return to safety. This project uses grass lay direction as a proxy for wind direction and as an indicator of wind direction change. A key challenge with this project has been how to establish a baseline from which wind direction change can be measured. This problem was posed to the Tribal Council and key TEK holders in Savoonga during the summer of 2017 and some novel methodologies of how they would measure predominant wind direction from last century were suggested. One approach – the direction doorways on old cabins face – will be highlight in this presentation.
Unconstrained foreign direct investment: An emerging challenge to Arctic security
Rosen, Mark (1) and C. Thuringer (2) (Presenter)
(1) CNA, Washington DC, USA
(2) CNA, Washington DC, USA
Exploitation of Arctic resources carries the risk of oil spills, ship casualties, chemical runoff from mining and smelting activities, and more. The Arctic littoral states are not equal in terms of their ability to appreciate these risks and mitigate them. It is in the interests of all of the Arctic states, indeed the world as a whole, to develop regional cooperative mechanisms to ensure that development takes place using state of the art technology, with suitable infrastructure in place, and substantially enhanced disaster response capabilities. The opportunities of rapid development also carry socio-economic risks to countries that are less economically resilient, such as Greenland, Iceland, Russia and, perhaps tribal regions. Special care needs to be taken to ensure that development takes place in a responsible manner and ensures that the states or regions that are the recipients of foreign direct investment (FDI) are capable of monitoring it, regulating the underlying activity, and enacting safeguards if a project goes bankrupt and the foreign owners cannot be held financially responsible. Care must also be taken to safeguard the rights of indigenous populations to ensure that there are not displaced from their lands because of resource degradation or social conditions. The report takes stock of the current FDI patterns — at the transactional level — with a particular focus on Chinese activity as a case study. This case study explores China’s natural resource strategy and its past FDI activities in South America and Africa. This study also makes detailed comparisons of the FDI laws of the six main states that border the Arctic Ocean. This study is limited to the littoral states of the Arctic Ocean because those six states would, under the current legal system, have to bear the brunt of any type of industrial accident. Based on the findings of the transactional and legal review of FDI in the Arctic, the authors suggest three approaches that could be pursued independently or in tandem, to monitor and indirectly regulate inbound FDI. Those approaches include establishing a set of multilateral Arctic FDI review criteria administered by each nation; an Arctic Development Code (ADC); and the formation and funding of an Arctic Development Bank. The Arctic Development Bank would provide private developers with access to local capital (vs. Beijing sourced) to finance infrastructure and resource extraction projects. These three approaches seek to eliminate the potential that one state could, by enacting low standards, stimulate a race to the bottom in terms of environmental or labor standards associated with resource extraction. Unregulated FDI is a significant, multifaceted security issue. It must be addressed before the influx of unregulated investments, and the soft power politics that come from those investments, makes it impossible for the U.S. and other states to adopt complementary policies that favor responsible Arctic development.
High-resolution ice response to wind forcing in the continental margin of the Canadian Beaufort Sea
Ross, Ed (1) (Presenter), D. Fissel (1), A. Slonimer (1) and H. Melling (2)
(1) ASL Environmental Sciences Inc., Victoria BC, Canada
(2) Institute of Ocean Sciences, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Sidney BC, Canada
An array of 9-10 subsurface moorings equipped with upward-looking sonar (ULS) instruments continuously measured ice velocity and ice draft from September 2009 through September 2011 in the continental margin of the Canadian Beaufort Sea. The water depths at the measurement locations varied from 70 to 1010 m and were located between the mid-shelf and the middle of the continental slope. The array covers 4500 square kilometres with neighbouring measurement locations separated by 4 to 62 km. Ice velocity measurements were obtained using Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCP) with an accuracy of ±0.015 m/s at intervals of 900 to 2400 seconds. Ice Profiling Sonars (IPS) co-located on the same moorings continuously measured sea ice draft with an accuracy of ±0.1 m at intervals of 1 to 3 seconds. Two-dimensional profiles of the ice undersurface were derived from these measurement time-series with 1500 to 3000 km of ice transiting overhead at each location. Our previous presented work investigated the spatial variability in the sea ice drift across the mooring array over timescales ranging from synoptic to annual. The annual mean ice velocities demonstrated high spatial coherence with generally larger speeds at the offshore sites than the shallower inner slope and outer shelf region. Large differences in ice velocity were observed between neighbouring locations at synoptic timescales. The ice response to wind forcing during an episode in March 2010 was found to be complex when examined at fine spatial and temporal resolutions. This case study demonstrated important aspects of ice drift in the eastern Beaufort Sea: significant modulation of ice drift due to ice-ice interaction and thus the importance of ice concentration in assessing ice response to wind forcing; the prevalence of slow- or no-motion ice drift through episodes of significant wind forcing which can be associated with increased internal ice stress; and, differential response under convergent (onshore) versus divergent (offshore) wind forcing. In this continuation of our analysis, we examine a broader set of individual episodes of wind forcing and the observed sea ice drift response. The MSC Beaufort Wind and Wave Reanalysis Climatology hindcast dataset are used to obtain the wind velocity at the mid-point of the mooring array. Using this time-series, we identify episodes of persistent wind forcing of both convergent and divergent types with over 50 examples of each. The analysis results from this large observational dataset will be presented.
Barriers to integrating renewables in Northern communities
Ross. Michael (1) (Presenter), J. Zrum (1), T. Bos-Jabba (1), S. Bulut (1), G. Favreau (1), T. Rahman (1), J. Ross (1), S. Sumanik (1), R. Tutton (1) and S. Thompson (1)
(1) Yukon College, Whitehorse YT, Canada
Northern communities across the territories have stressed the importance of using energy resources in a way that is consistent with their values of protecting human health, the atmosphere, and the natural environment. There is a growing need and interest in reducing diesel consumption in the north, specifically through the integration of renewable generation. However these installations must ensure that the electric power utilities are still able to meet their mandate of providing safe and reliable power to the community. The Northern Energy Innovation (NEI) research program at Yukon College is studying how to identify and solve technical barriers that prevent the integration of a high amount of sustainable energy into remote northern sites. The Barriers of Integrating Renewables project has streamlined the grid impact study that a remote community must perform on their existing power system to ensure the system remains stable before a large amount of renewable energy is integrated. This project has developed a grid impact study tool to assess the specific bottlenecks of implementing renewable generation on a specific site, as well as identifying the sensitivities to the identified limit and bottlenecks. The tool will be automated so that this project can be replicated throughout northern Canadian communities that are intending to integrate renewable energy to their existing power systems. The required data and parameters are identified for each site to ensure that the results are specific to the community, yet the tool is designed to be sufficiently generic to be applicable on all remote electric power systems. The complex challenges of energy and sustainable development are seen in Old Crow, a fly-in settlement of 300 located above the Arctic Circle in northern Yukon. The community is not connected to the Yukon electrical grid and currently relies wholly on diesel fuel for power. As the Old Crow power system grows, the community can be strengthened through sustainable energy alternatives as a means to reduce their import and consumption of diesel fuel. With their reliance on diesel but their dedication to the environment, the Old Crow community has been working for years to implement renewables in their community. The partnership with the local First Nations (Vuntut Gwitchin Government) and continuing support from the local electric power utility (ATCO Electric Yukon) have allowed this project to be designed to provide results that will best meet the future power needs of the Old Crow community. This project has many collaborators, allowing data and knowledge sharing to occur between all parties. This is vital to modelling a diesel system with integrated renewables that will react realistically. With this collaborative approach, Northern Energy Innovation has been able to support the integration of renewable energy and reduction of diesel emissions through the partnership with the utilities and the Vuntut Gwitchin Government. It is these shared goals among the project partners that has contributed to making this project a success.
Tidal mixing and advection in Dease Strait, the connection between Coronation Gulf and Queen Maud Gulf in the Kitikmeot Sea
Rotermund, Lina M. (1) (Presenter), B. Williams (2), S. Danielson (3), K. Brown (2), B. Bluhm (4) and E. Carmack (2)
(1) University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
(2) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Institute of Ocean Sciences, Sidney BC, Canada
(3) University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks AK, United States
(4) UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromso, Norway
The Kitikmeot Sea is the heart of the Northwest Passage in the southern Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Its oceanography is atypical, as it receives large amounts of freshwater from mainland watersheds, and in addition restricts inflow of salty nutrient-rich water via the shallow-silled straits that connect the region to the greater Arctic Ocean. In the Kitikmeot Sea, stratification between the surface freshwater and bottom salty water suppresses the upward mixing of dissolved nutrients and limits primary production. Yet, fast tidal flows in narrow straits can enhance vertical mixing, so we look to the narrow channels in the Kitikmeot Sea as possible biological hotspots. Early spring ice melt in many of these straits is evidence of vertical mixing due to intensified tidal currents over a sill bringing subsurface heat to the surface. This mixing should also result in higher nutrient input and elevated biological productivity near the straits. A team of oceanographers aboard the Arctic Research Foundation’s RV Martin Bergmann explored the Kitikmeot Sea in the summers of 2015, 2016 and 2017 to determine the ecological importance of the region’s narrow straits. Here we report on the straits among the Finlayson Islands, which form the primary constriction in Dease Strait near Cambridge Bay. Dease Strait is the connection between two major gulfs, Coronation Gulf and Queen Maud Gulf, in the Kitikmeot Sea. We assess water column structure and mixing using Underway CTD and shipboard Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) transects over a tidal cycle; and show seasonal variation using recently recovered, moored instruments, which were in-situ for a year from 2016 to 2017.
Freeze and Thaw Monitoring of Lake Ice with SAR time series for the winter season 2002/03 (ENVISAT ASAR) and 2015/16 (S1A) in Northern Finland
Roth, Achim (2) (Presenter), E. Gleisberg (1) and B. Wessel (2)
(1) University of Augsburg, Institute for Geography, Alter Postweg 118, Augsburg, Germany
(2) German Remote Sensing Data Center (DFD), German Aerospace Center (DLR), Wessling, Germany
A significant portion of the Earth’s inland water bodies are located in the Arctic and sub-Arctic. The temporal variability of the ice cover of lakes in high latitudes is a good indicator for changes related to global warming. By changing the surface albedo and by acting as an isolation layer for heat and moisture fluxes, the ice cover of those northern water bodies has a large impact on regional weather and climate. Therefore, the monitoring of ice phenology, i.e. its timing of growth and decay, is key in evaluating the effects on the energy and water budget and its impact on hydroelectricity production, transportation modes and wildlife habitats. Objective of this work is to assess the applicability of SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) data, in particular Sentinel-1A (S1A) and Envisat ASAR data, for monitoring the timing of freeze-up and break-up and to detect shifts in the phenology of the ice cover as a consequence of changing climate. Sentinel-1 is a mission of the European Space Agency (esa) and an excellent instrument for global monitoring. It provides a good ratio of coverage vs. spatial resolution. Every 12 days the a location on ground is observed with the same geometric conditions. The two satellites S1A and S1B reduce that period even down to 6 days. The swath width is approximately 250 km so that the revisit-time is mostly just a day. In this case different imaging geometries need to be considered. Envisat-ASAR is a 'historic' data source. It was also launched by esa in 2002 and was in operation until 2012. The swath width was 100 km and the repeat cycle 35 days. Due to this mission layout the revisit is much lower than the one of Sentinel. Nevertheless an excellent and extensive archive is available that can be utilized for the purpose of this study. At first a Kennaugh decomposition was applied to all SAR data. Then the resulting Kennaugh elements k0 and k1 were ortho-rectificatied and radiometrically calibrated. To improve the subsequent classification a water mask was generated. All S1A and ASAR scenes were classified by kMeans classification based on this mask. The classes were systematically assigned into ice classes according to their mean backscatter intensity. The data availability for the study site was excellent for Sentinel-1 but unfortunately limited for Envisat-ASAR. Nevertheless the classification method could be successfully applied to both time series. Freezíng and break-up conditions could be identified. However due to the limited observation rate of Envisat a comparison of the ice phenology between 2002/03 and 2015/16 does not lead to reliable results. It implies a slight shift as the freeze-up, as well as break-up dates of 2002/03 are found to be earlier than in 2015/16. Finally, the results of both time series are crossvalidated with temperature records from a weather station in Rovaniemi.
Development of a forecasting system to support hydroelectric production in Yukon: Challenges and opportunities associated with implementation of a physically-based distributed hydrological model
Rousseau, Alain N. (1) (Presenter), S. Savary (1) , J. Samuel (2), B. Horton (2), C. Doumbia (1), J. Augas (1) and L. Caillouet (1)
(1) Eau Terre Environnement Research Centre, l’Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Yukon Research Centre, Yukon College, Whitehorse YK, Canada
This three-year collaborative research project involving the Northern Climate ExChange (NCE, Yukon College), l’Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS, Centre Eau Terre Environnement) and Yukon Energy Corporation (YEC) focuses on the development of a tool to accurately forecast reservoir inflows (14 day-lead time) using HYDROTEL as the core hydrological model. However, the path to the implementation of a physically-based distributed model to support hydroelectric production in a remote northern environment is laden with significant challenges associated with input data. While topographic and land cover data are readily available and of good quality in Yukon, the same cannot be said for the digitized river and lake networks with respect to connectivity and flow direction, and for soil texture and hydro-meteorological data with respect to spatial resolution. The latter set of data is of prime interest given their use for model calibration. Indeed, meteorological data are required to simulate flows while observed stream flows and reconstructed reservoir inflows are needed to assess model performance. To compensate for the lack of high-resolution data, the upper and lower bounds of physically-meaningful model parameter values have been widened for model calibration. On the other hand, the presence of permafrost and glaciers in some of the study watersheds has provided great opportunities to adapt HYDROTEL to a Nordic climate. Nevertheless, our preliminary results are quite promising and encouraging. The goal of this presentation is to share our experience in implementing HYDROTEL in northwestern Canada where limited hydro-meteorological data and evolving climate conditions provide continuous challenges for YEC to operate hydroelectric facilities.
Origin of massive ground ice in the Eureka Sound Lowlands, Nunavut
Roy, Cameron (1) (Presenter), W.H. Pollard (1) and D. Lacelle (2)
(1) McGill University, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, Canada
Massive ground ice and ice-rich sediments are found extensively within marine sediments in the Eureka Sound Lowlands (ESL) of the Canadian High Arctic. Previous landscape models suggested thick segregated ice lenses forming as permafrost aggraded in marine sediments during isostatic uplift and marine regression phase starting 7500 yrs. BP. Understanding the nature, origin and age of ground ice in the ESL is an important part of both paleoenvironmental reconstruction and future landscape change. We present geochemical results from cores from 3 distinct massive ice bodies collected in the summer of 2017 as part of a re-evaluation of ground ice origin in the ESL. Cores were cut into 2 cm sub-samples, allowing for high-resolution profiles of ice content (gravimetric and volumetric), stable isotopes (dD, d18O), major cations (Na+, Mg2+, K+, Ca2+) and anions (NO3-, SO42- , Cl-) with age constrained by 14CDOC. Our data reveals that there is high variability of d18O in massive ice (-25‰ to -35‰) throughout the ESL. Regression slope values between dD and d18O range from 5.4 to 8.4, indicating the genesis of massive ice varies depending on proximity to the Holocene marine limit, relative elevation and age. The absence of a relation between deuterium excess (d) and dD in some massive ice bodies strongly suggest a meteoric source. An improved understanding of massive ground ice processes based on geochemical characterization across the ESL has implications on interpreting the region’s Quaternary landscape evolution and the processes associated with ground ice formation in raised marine sediments for this area.
Local adaptation without reproductive isolation in Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides): A circumpolar commercial fish species with a reset button
Roy, Denis (1) (Presenter), N.E. Hussey (2), A. Carvajal-Rodríguez (3), M.A. Treble (4), D.E. Ruzzante (5), D.C. Hardie (6), K.J. Hedges (4), A. Majewski (4), J.D. Reist (4), D.D. Heath (2) and A.T. Fisk (2)
(1) Department of Natural Resources and the Environment / Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs CT, United States
(2) Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor ON, Canada
(3) Departamento de Bioquímica, Genética e Inmunología, Universidad de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
(4) Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(5) Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, Canada
(6) Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth NS, Canada
Most of the world’s commercial fisheries have either collapsed or are currently over exploited. As a consequence, harvest demands on other exploitable species, whose population status may be less precarious or less well-known have increased. In addition, many currently viable fisheries occur in northern regions, where climate patterns are changing more dramatically than at lower latitudes. Such climate-forced changes are likely affecting marine ecosystem dynamics, largely responsible for maintaining the balance between gene flow and reproductive isolation among key marine fish populations. Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) is among the most important commercially harvested marine species in the Arctic and North Atlantic oceans. An understanding of the life-history, ecology, population structure and dynamics of this species, however, is just developing. This information is nevertheless critical toward effectively managing this resource, especially in light of its anticipated increased harvesting in progressively ice-free Arctic and sub-Arctic marine waters. Here, we investigate the genomic variation of Greenland halibut across its circumpolar distribution to clarify the ecological factors shaping its stock structure and its morphological and eco-physiological variability. Using nearly 4000 reliable single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) genotyped in 350 individuals, we find virtually no population structure at neutral SNPs using highly sensitive, and non-model based individual assignment tests. SNPs showing signs of natural selection, meanwhile, separate sampled individuals into 2 distinct locally adapted types (LAT) with most individuals assigned to either type by > 80 %. Probability of assignment to either LAT is significantly related to geographic position, individual length and to resident versus transient behaviours in isolated inlets. Moreover, the sequences of many selected SNPs separating the two LATs, align with high certainty to gene orthologues related to immune responses, and to neuronal and neuro-muscular signal transduction pathways annotated in proximal fish/vertebrate genomes. Thus, although strong environmentally-related divergence at likely functional genes is clear among circumpolar Greenland halibut, this divergence does not translate to substantial population structure deduced from large sets of neutral markers. These results suggest regional phenotypic differences in this species emanate from local adaptation, and indicate a general lack of reproductive isolation between the two LATs or among regions within and outside the Northwest Atlantic. Results are also consistent with previous work suggesting extensive selective filtering of a common gene pool, cyclically reset by massive spawning aggregations from which eggs and larvae are advectively dispersed along predominant currents. More importantly, findings suggest that the maintenance of high gene flow among Greenland halibut is reliant on the continued use of key spawning areas, whose current status and integrity should be a management priority in light of anticipated environmental fluxes and development.
Mapping permafrost vulnerability in Vuntut Gwitchin traditional territory
Roy, Louis-Philippe (1) (Presenter), K. Grandmont (1) and F. Calmels (1)
(1) Northern Climate ExChange / Yukon Research Centre (Yukon College), Whitehorse YT, Canada
Northern communities are concerned with permafrost thaw and its potential effects on hunting and gathering areas, habitat, trails and traveling routes, river shorelines and water quality. Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation (VGFN) has been traveling, hunting, trapping, fishing, gathering and living on the Old Crow Flats for generations. The Old Crow Flats are already showing evidence of changing landscape conditions including lake drainage events and shrub vegetation proliferation. Community members are concerned that landscape change will impact their ability to access traditional foods and to trap for furs. Access to the land and traditional activities have economic, health and cultural benefits for VGFN members, and as the only fly-in Yukon community, traditional foods are essential to Old Crow residents. In order to adapt, the community needs the best western science to use alongside Traditional Knowledge and teachings of the Elders. VGFN has been pro-active in working with researchers in their traditional territory and documenting their Traditional Knowledge. They still have questions about permafrost and are interested in enhancing their knowledge of the dynamic nature of the Old Crow Flats, including how the landscape will change in the future and how that will impact their land-based activities. Over the years, many landscape vulnerability classification studies have emerged as useful tools in the assessment of landscape-scale vulnerability to climate change. They are being employed with increasing frequency as vulnerability assessment and climate change adaptation planning tools. They integrate science into decision-making by amalgamating and classifying geoscience data to create an easily-interpretable ranked representation of vulnerability to potential future change. Such approaches have been used successfully in Nunavik, Nunavut, and Yukon for community hazard mapping, and Jean Marie River, NWT for traditional land vulnerability mapping. These projects produced important tools for informing adaptation planning and increasing resilience in northern communities. Our ongoing work will provide information about the sensitivity of key areas within the traditional territory of VGFN to permafrost thaw, i.e. where the landscape is more prone to change due to permafrost thaw, and therefore negatively impact wildlife habitat and the activities of community members. This project relies on an interdisciplinary approach bridging various methods of physical environmental science including permafrost and environmental assessment involving core sampling and permafrost temperature monitoring. It integrates and builds on work by various researchers, as well as incorporating VGFN’s Indigenous Knowledge. This presentation will present geophysical data (Electrical Resistivity Tomography), borehole logs and temperature data collected on VGFN traditional land.
Landscape sensitivity to thermokarst in Western Canada
Rudy, Ashley C.A. (1) (Presenter), T.C. Lantz (2), S.V. Kokelj (3) and S.F. Lamoureux (4)
(1) Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON, Canada
(2) University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
(3) Government of Northwest Territories, Yellowknife NT, Canada
(4) Queen`s University, Kingston ON, Canada
Permafrost landscapes are in a period of rapid transition, and increasing temperatures and changing precipitation regimes are intensifying disturbances associated with active layer thaw and melting ground ice. The magnitude of these changes suggests that a suite of geomorphic processes are poised to undergo readjustment to a new set of environmental conditions. Retrogressive thaw slumping (RTS) is an intensive form of slope thermokarst that can transport large volumes of sediment downslope, alter drainage networks and effect downstream riparian ecosystems. The abrupt increase in the extent and rate of RTSs in the past decade poses a substantial risk to northern infrastructure and has the potential to broadly alter ecological systems, both terrestrial and aquatic. The aim of this research is to examine the broad-scale geophysical controls of landscape sensitivity to RTSs. Using random forest modelling, the spatial patterns of RTSs were investigated in relation to geophysical variables (i.e., distance to glacial limit/Laurentide Ice Sheet, slope, permafrost characteristics, surficial geology, etc.). Broad-scale (15 x 15 km grid cell) mapping of terrain affected by RTSs has been completed for a large area (1,274,625 km2) of the Northwest Territories and adjacent Yukon and Nunavut using moderate resolution (SPOT5) imagery. The resulting gridded RTS inventory was used to calibrate and validate the model with 70% of disturbed and undisturbed grid cells used to build the model and 30% reserved for an independent model validation. The random forest model calibrated and validated well with correct classification of 90% for the model and 83% for independent validation. Model results highlight the impact of glacial legacy and ground ice preservation on the large-scale pattern of RTS susceptibility. Other important variables relevant for RTS initiation were, slope (standard deviation), surficial geology, ground temperature and lake density. Modelled probabilities were then classified into susceptibility classes producing a broad scale map of RTS susceptibility. This research will enhance our understanding of broad-scale geomorphic and climatic processes associated with thermokarst development and is necessary to anticipate the consequences of climate change on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. As climate continues to warm, knowledge of the physical factors driving thermokarst landscape change and the regional distribution of sensitive terrain is essential for assessing hazards and informing the management of northern infrastructure, water resources and heritage assets.
A systems network approach for climate change vulnerability assessment
S. Debortoli, Nathan (1) (Presenter), J. Sayles (1), D.G. Clark (1) J.D. Ford (2)
(1) McGill University, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
Evaluating a community’s vulnerability to climate Change (CC) is frequently done through qualitative assessments that draw upon local and regional dynamics. However, decision makers frequently require quantitative assessments, particularly those that include ranked indices, which can measure and map vulnerability in its three overlapping dimensions (exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity) and to larger scales. Though vulnerability science has advanced rapidly during the last decades, there are only few available methodologies that can help detect and measure the weight of variables and indicators used in quantitative approaches. Aiming to contribute to this field, we launch a novel approach providing a systematic understanding of literature review findings into a multiplex network analysis determining which variables poses a higher degree of connectivity and importance in CC vulnerability. The aim of this multiplex network is to help the parameterization and calibration of CC indices models through the correct selection of variables-indicators and their weights in any given region. Thus, to implement this, we chose the Canadian Arctic, where there have been numerous qualitative community-based studies of vulnerability concerning the Inuit. We considered vulnerability within four sub-sectors of Inuit life as well as their aggregate. The four sub-sectors are 1) infrastructure and transportation, 2) business and economy, 3) health and wellbeing and 4) culture-education & subsistence-harvesting. The multiplex network analysis identified n = 58 paramount variables aggregated into n = 13 categories cross-cutting the three vulnerability dimensions. Vulnerability results depict a high degree of exposure caused by extreme weather events such as floods, temperature changes, storm surge and coastal erosion. Sensitivity is mostly driven by cost of living and relative poverty, while adaptive capacity decreases the latter through natural resources and risk management, future planning and wage income. The multiplex results also revealed that some network nodes are more multiplex meaning that there may be multiple pathways to reduce the effects of any given variable on vulnerability; i.e., we can target relationships of sensitivity or exposure or both for a given variable. Furthermore, the results helped visualizing which variables play a major role and have a higher weight in the four analyzed categories. This will foster the correct selection of indicators to implement quantitative vulnerability indices for the entire Inuit Nunangat
Oil behavior in sea ice: Changes in chemical composition and resultant effect on sea ice permittivity
S. Desmond, Durell (1) (Presenter), D. Chirkova (1), T.D. Neusitzer (1,2), N. Firoozy (1), M. Lemes (1), D.G. Barber (1) and G.A. Stern (1)
(1) Centre for Earth Observation Science (CEOS), University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
There has been increasing urgency to develop methods for detecting oil in sea ice owing to the effects of climate change in the northern Arctic. For this reason, a multidisciplinary study of crude oil behavior in a sea ice environment was conducted at the University of Manitoba (UofM) Sea-ice Environmental Research Facility (SERF) from January 15 to March 1, 2016, to observe changes made to the oils composition and the resultant effect it had on the physical properties of the ice, and more specifically on sea ice permittivity, an important parameter utilized in the remote sensing of sea ice. A light crude oil was injected underneath young sea ice and was sampled over a three-week time span with consequent analysis using multidimensional gas chromatography high resolution time of flight mass spectrometry (GCxGC-HR-TOF-MS) providing a spatial and temporal mapping of the oil composition and respective concentrations within the snow, sea ice, and water column below. Additionally, Resonance Perturbation was used to measure oil permittivities for oil-contaminated sea ice and the Quasi Two-Phase Tinga-Voss-Blossey Mixture Model for contaminated sea ice as a four-phase mixture (TVB-4) allowed for the calculation of sea ice permittivity. Overall, 2.5% of the identified hydrocarbons (HCs) and heterocyclic compounds were found to be dissolved in the water column, 19% were lost due to evaporation, 8.5% adhered to the snowfall above, and 70% remained in the ice. Changes in oil composition, due to weathering (i.e., evaporation, dissolution, and photo-oxidation) led to both the decrease and increase of oil permittivity over time. Furthermore, the bulk presence of oil-in-ice was observed to increase the temperature and lower the salinity of the sea ice, both of which are dependent variables of sea ice permittivity. Overall, these changes resulted in the lowering of sea ice permittivity, when taken as a whole system (i.e., ice, brine, air, and oil), detectable by remote sensing systems.
Realizing the potential of Arctic botanical specimens at the Canadian Museum of Nature: Liberating biodiversity data from cabinets, and (finally) putting it to work
Saarela, Jeffery M. (1) (Presenter), J.C. Doubt (1), L.C. Gualtieri (1), C.M. Robillard (1), L.A. Sharp (1) and P.C. Sokoloff (1)
(1) Centre for Arctic Knowledge and Exploration, and National Herbarium of Canada, Botany Section, Research and Collections, Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa ON, Canada
Core to the polar research information spectrum are the millions of biological and geological specimens in natural history collections. These specimens represent biodiversity data documenting the distribution of species in time and space; they serve as vouchers for the datasets that underpin scientific conclusions, allowing future workers to confirm or revise identifications; and they are sources of new data (morphology, anatomy, toxicology, genetic information, biogeography, ecology, conservation and more). Many natural history museums face the massive challenge of databasing and imaging their collections, allowing them to be widely discovered, shared, used and reused in these ways. Many also possess backlog material: specimens collected and stored, sometimes many decades ago, that have never been accessioned or prepared for long-term use, and that are consequently not discoverable or available for study. The Canadian Museum of Nature houses over 300K Arctic specimens – the largest Arctic natural history collection in Canada – but data for only a subset are currently accessible beyond the cabinets in which they are housed. To correct this, the National Herbarium of Canada is engaged in a project to digitize, georeference and image its Arctic plant, moss and lichen specimens, according to global standards that facilitate collection data sharing and integration. We are also processing important Arctic backlog material, including 3025 Canadian Arctic specimens collected by S. Edlund from the 1970s to the 1990s. These specimens were collected at great expense, and donated to the Museum, but never mounted or formally acquired. In this review of two projects now freeing data from our cabinets, we discuss the central role of botanical specimens and their data in our own research on Arctic plant biodiversity, and that of other investigators worldwide. We provide examples of new insights “discovered” in our own collection backlog that have already advanced Arctic knowledge, emphasizing the importance of publicly-available natural history collections data for research and education.
Vascular plant biodiversity and floristics of the Canadian Arctic
Saarela, Jeffery M. (1) (Presenter), L.J. Gillespie (1), P.C. Sokoloff (1) and R.D. Bull (1)
(1) Centre for Arctic Knowledge and Exploration, and National Herbarium of Canada, Botany Section, Research and Collections, Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa ON, Canada
Despite nearly 200 years of exploration, substantial gaps remain in our understanding of the diversity and distribution of the vascular plant flora of the Canadian Arctic, which comprises over one third of the global Arctic ecozone. Detailed information on the diversity and distribution of Arctic plants is urgently needed to understand the potential impacts of climate change on the region’s flora. Since 2008 we have been conducting detailed floristic surveys in botanically-understudied regions of the Canadian Arctic. The comprehensive baseline data of our >8000 new collections, all housed in the National Herbarium of Canada and other herbaria in Canada and internationally, adds important knowledge to our understanding of Arctic plant biodiversity. Many of our collections represent first records for specific areas, others represent the second or third collections of poorly-known species at the edge of their ranges in the Canadian Arctic, and many fill in gaps in the known distributions of Arctic species. We will summarize our floristic work to date in the context of current understanding of the Canadian Arctic flora, with a focus on our many particularly noteworthy discoveries.
TRaits And Processes in the Arctic (TRAPA): An integrative functional approach of C sequestration by high Arctic terrestrial ecosystems
Saccone, P. (1), A. Bernardová (1) (Presenter), M. Bryndová (1,2), F. de Bello (1,3), M. Devetter (1,2), T. Hájek (1), L. Hánel (2), V. Jílková (2), P. Kotas (1), J. Macková (2), P. Polická (1), J. Starý (2) and P. Macek (1)
(1) Centre for Polar Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Na Zlaté stoce 3, 370 05 Ceské Budejovice, Czech Republic
(2) Institute of Soil Biology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Sádkách 7, 370 05 Ceské Budejovice, Czech Republic
(3) Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Dukelská 135, 379 82 Trebon, Czech Republic
Ongoing global changes challenge the carbon (C) sink status of Arctic soils and loops of positive feedback are seriously feared. A switch from C sink to source would cascade from the response of Arctic terrestrial ecosystems to global changes and warming in particular. To assess the sustainability and sensitivity of Arctic soils C sequestration service, we need deeper understanding of ecosystem mechanisms leading to C accumulation in the soil. We need to investigate the links among the compartments of the ecosystem and to stress how these relationships support ecosystem C sequestration service. Functional approach in ecology was developed in order to deal with the links among organisms, processes and ecosystem functions and services. With a major focus on plant communities and more recent interest in soil biota, the last decades accumulated strong evidence of the ability of trait-based studies to capture organism functions in the ecosystem. This knowledge underpins the development of an integrative functional approach at the ecosystem level where the links among the compartments of the ecosystem are explicitly considered to assess the robustness of ecosystem functions and services. Here we present the TRAPA project that aims at exploring the links among plants, soil invertebrate and microbial communities, and the C biogeochemical cycle in high Arctic terrestrial habitats. The project combines samplings along environmental gradients to investigate the variability of functional relationships, field and lab experiments testing the contribution of the communities to soil organic matter (SOM) transformation, and a modelling approach to outline the multitrophic web of interactions underlying Arctic soil sequestration. In the field, the project illustrates the breakthrough in functional ecology where a multidisciplinary approach truly integrates the holistic aspect of the ecosystem. The correlations among functional divergences and variations of the communities associated to a change in the C cycle characterize the complexity of the network and the strength of the functional relationships. Manipulative experiments investigate threshold dynamics and keystone structure of the ecosystem. Eventually, the modeling approach translates the conceptual framework of multidiversity to quantitative assessment of the ecosystem functional structure.
Climate change and marine species: a looming challenge for wildlife management boards
Sahanatien, Vicki (1) (Presenter)
(1) Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, Iqaluit NU Canada
Climate change is affecting marine wildlife species and their habitats across the Arctic. It is time for wildlife co-management boards to consider how to account for climate change effects in their decision making. Marine climate change has affected species in multitude of ways: range shifts, abundance, growth and body condition, behaviour, phenology, and community or regime shifts. However, it can be difficult to quantify the impacts of climate change on marine species because of they are often highly mobile, often moving 1000s of kilometres each year. Marine species, mammals, birds, fish, and invertebrates, are essential to Indigenous peoples’ diet, economy, and cultural traditions. Many harvested marine species are managed under total allowable harvest or catch, quotas, and non-quota limitations (e.g., season, equipment) that are issued by wildlife management boards on the basis of available scientific information and Indigenous knowledge, and using the precautionary approach. To improve wildlife management boards’ access to information for decision making, we propose a forward-looking model of Pan-Arctic collation and meta-analyses of the Indigenous knowledge about marine species and climate change. The focus is on Indigenous knowledge because generally scientific information is more accessible.
Microbial community structure and soil edaphic parameters are distinct across the Holocene-Pleistocene boundary in ancient Beringian permafrost
Saidi-Mehrabad, Alireza (1) (Presenter), A. Hammad (1), P. Neuberger (1), D. Froese (1) and B. Lanoil (1)
(1) University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFRapid climate change at the transition between the Pleistocene and Holocene epochs ~13,000 years ago triggered ecosystem reorganizations, including mass extinctions of ancient large mega fauna. Signatures of these shifts are archived in ancient permafrost in the form of genomic material and fossils. In the Beringia region, these shifts involved the replacement of steppe grass with coniferous tundra ecosystems. However, the effect of ecosystem reorganization on soil microorganisms still remains unclear. We hypothesize that edaphic parameters (i.e. local soil physicochemical conditions) are the first-order drivers of soil microbial community structure; therefore, microbial communities will have minimal responses to changing climatic conditions unless those conditions lead to a significant shift in the edaphic parameters. The resulting shift in the microbial community will be abrupt and “step” like, shifting suddenly from one steady state to another. To test this hypothesis, we examined the microbial communities in Holocene- and Pleistocene-aged permafrost from two sites in eastern Beringia, the Lucky Lady gold mine and a site near the Dempster Highway (Yukon, Canada). For both sites, Holocene-aged samples grouped separately from Pleistocene-aged samples based on edaphic parameters. Holocene samples had significantly higher total nitrogen, total organic carbon, and water content and significantly lower pH and micronutrients than Pleistocene-aged samples. The Dempster Highway site showed further separate groups within Pleistocene-aged samples (P), P ~15,000 cal BP. The microbiology of the Lucky Lady site did not show any clear grouping and only the ice content was the sole edaphic property that significantly correlated with microbial community composition in the total microbial assemblage, which we interpret as a signal of differential hydrolysis of ancient DNA derived from dead cells. When the same samples were treated with a DNA intercalating agent, propidium monoazide (PMA), which prevents subsequent PCR amplification of DNA from dead cells, the resulting signal from viable bacterial communities were more similar within an epoch than between epochs. These samples did not cluster based on age, but pH, total nitrogen, and total carbon were significantly correlated with the viable microbial community structures across the Pleistocene-Holocene boundary. We are currently obtaining 16S rRNA gene sequences from DNA extracted from the Dempster Highway site. Based on our data, we predict that, in a changing modern climate, we are unlikely to see shifts in the microbial community structure unless there is a climate driven shift in the soil edaphic parameters. Such a shift could result in changes in the cryosphere, leading to local and global ecosystem change.
Trophic network modelling reveals contrasted pelagic ecosystems on both sides of Baffin Bay
Saint-Béat, Blanche (1) (Presenter), V. Galindo (2), F. Joux (3), C. Lalande (1), M. LeBlanc (1), P. Raimbault (4), L. Fortier (1), M. Babin (1) and F. Maps (1)
(1) Takuvik Joint International Laboratory, CNRS-Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Centre for Earth Observation Science (CEOS), Faculty of Environment, Earth and Resources, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(3) Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Laboratoire d'Océanographie Microbienne (LOMIC), Banyuls-sur-mer, France
(4) Aix-Marseille University, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), Marseille, France
Baffin Bay is located at the Arctic Ocean’s doorstep and acts as a large transition zone with the Atlantic Ocean in the South. It is an heterogeneous environment where a mix of Atlantic and east Greenland seawaters forms an eastern current that flows northward, in opposite direction of a cold Artic current along the west coast of Baffin Bay. This circulation affects the physical environment on both sides of the bay. It has, in particular, a direct impact on the dynamic of the sea ice: the warmer waters cause an earlier melting of sea ice in the eastern Baffin Bay, while the cold Arctic waters in the west lengthen the period of ice cover. This study aims at determining whether such contrasted environments lead to contrasted pelagic ecosystem structures and functioning. Both properties emerge from the distribution of carbon flows through the food web. Ecological indices (ENA) calculated from food web flow values, reveal ecosystem properties that are not accessible with direct in situ observations. From new data gathered at different levels of organization during the GreenEdge ice camp and sea campaign, we built a planktonic food web model of each part of Baffin Bay. These models integrate several living compartments from bacteria to arctic cod larvae through primary producers and several groups of zooplankton. We also considered two non-living compartments, particulate and dissolved organic carbon. Missing flow values were estimated by linear inverse modeling (LIM), a method that allows obtaining a set of possible food webs. From each of them, ENA indices were calculated. The emergent properties of each Baffin Bay part are presented and discussed from the statistical distributions of ENA indices in order to determine and explain potential difference in each ecosystem functioning.
Temporal changes of zooplankton feeding under the first-year ice in the Baffin Bay
Sampei, Makoto (1) (Presenter), T. Hirawake (1), C. Lalande (2) and L. Fortier (2)
(1) Hokkaido University, Hakodate Hokkaido, Japan
(2) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Zooplankton feeding could be important to control primary production (so-called ‘top-down control’) under the sea ice in the Arctic waters. However, our knowledge of the zooplankton feeding over entire spring and under-ice bloom period is still limited. Our objective is to quantify temporal change of zooplankton feeding during the under-ice bloom period. Vertical net towing and zooplankton incubation were conducted on the first-year sea ice in the water near the Baffin Island. We collected fecal pellets from filtered seawater solution of the incubation for microscopic observation and measured gut chlorophyll a contents of dominant copepods species. Fecal pellets production rates by width size were estimated based on the fecal pellet volume and gut chlorophyll a contents at the end of May 2016 (term I), the middle of June (term II), and the end of June-begging of July (term III). Our estimation clearly showed a variability of fecal pellet production rates among those three terms. The fecal pellets production rate increased ~10 times between the term I and II, decreased to half between the term II and III. These results indicate the ‘mismatch scenario’, highest feeding activity of zooplankton might occur before the blooming period and decreased in the blooming period.
Evaluation of hydrologic data assimilation and real-time meteorological data to improve flow forecasts
Samuel, Jos (1) (Presenter), A.N. Rousseau (2) and S. Savary (2)
(1) Yukon Research Centre, Yukon College, Whitehorse YK, Canada
(2) Centre Eau Terre Environnement, Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Québec QC, Canada
This three-year collaborative research project involving the Northern Climate ExChange (NCE, Yukon College), l’Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS, Centre Eau Terre Environnement) and Yukon Energy Corporation (YEC) focuses on the development of a tool to accurately forecast reservoir inflows (14 day-lead time) to support hydroelectric production in northwestern Canada. The modelling scheme involves: (i) enforcing forecasted real-time meteorological data (obtained from the North American Ensemble Forecast System, NAEFS) into a physically-based distributed hydrological model (namely HYDROTEL) and then (ii) assimilating flow observations with HYDROTEL using Ensemble Kalman Filtering of Data Assimilation (EnKF). The EnKF scheme, used widely in the last few years in hydrological forecasting, is applied in this study to correct the effects of model errors, update model states and, thus, to improve the forecasting capacity. The goals of this presentation are to: (i) examine the benefits of using EnKF for improving flow accuracy and (ii) evaluate the NAEFS product for inflow forecasting. This modelling scheme is applied to the Aishihik River basin, the second largest hydroelectric facility operated by YEC. Using hind-cast meteorological data (i.e., without using NAEFS data), our validation shows that coupling HYDROTEL and DA models provides more accurate forecasts than using HYDROTEL alone. When the raw (without any correction) NAEFS data are used, the flow estimates are inaccurate. This is due to the coarse grid resolution of forecasted meteorological data when compared to the scale of the basin. NAEFS estimates greater precipitation, and lower minimum and maximum air temperature than observations. After correcting the NAEFS data with the observation using the delta method, we improved flow accuracy. This evaluation is useful before we apply this model to other YEC hydroelectric facilities, with different Data Assimilation approaches, and/or use other data correction methods.
The impacts of amplified warming and reduced sea-ice on shoreline variance: A case study from Paulatuk, Canada
Sankar, Ravi Darwin (1) (Presenter), M.S. Murray (1,2), P. Wells (1) and M. Ayre (1)
(1) Arctic Institute of North America, University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
(2) Department of Anthropology, University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
Dynamic changes in shoreline position in response to natural coastal processes and the effects of climate variability increase the susceptibility of Arctic communities that reside along the coastal zone. The application of innovative geospatial approaches is critical to providing updated measurements of coastal change, necessary for sustainable coastal management strategies. This research is an integration of geographic data demarcating shoreline position and its analysis to detect change using an updated modeling algorithm that defines the geometry of transects–Analyzing Moving Boundaries Using R (AMBUR). Rates-of-change were evaluated over three time periods: long-term (1984-2016); and two short-term eras (1995-2005; 2006-2016). The short-term periods were specifically chosen to assess the influence of changing sea-ice regimes, increased storm intensity, and elevated air and sea-surface temperatures. Results indicate a significant alongshore increase in the rates of erosion and the spatial extent of land loss across both areas, over the short-term periods. Mean annual erosion rates increased over the most recent period (2006-2006) along the eastern segment (-0.82 m/yr), while the western shoreline retreated at a rate of -0.63 m/yr over the same interval. This is the period of greatest erosional change over the studied times. The results confirm a definitive empirical link between the loss of sea-ice and an upsurge in open water temperatures in this region during the last decade. As air and ocean temperature increases continue to facilitate the loss of sea ice and permafrost thawing, erosion will be exacerbated along both segments of the Paulatuk coastline.
Inuit belief: Hunting and fishing practises in a context of climate change
Sansoulet, J. (1), J. Desriac (2), G. Pouxviel (3), G. Weissenberger (3), D. Christiansen-Stowe (1) (Presenter)
(1) UMI Takuvik (CNRS and Université Laval), Québec QC, Canada
(2) Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France
(3) AgroParisTech, Paris, France
The culture, health and economic capacity of northern communities are closely linked to marine resources supported by the phytoplankton spring bloom (PSB). Furthermore, timing, duration and magnitude of the PSB are strongly related to ice cover conditions. The warming climate has induced changes to the sea ice cover in recent decades, including decreases in ice extent and thickness, and an earlier melt. This social project aims to improve our understanding of the processes that control the Arctic PSB as it expands northward and to determine its fate in the foodweb. We established a solid connection with the Inuit communities of western Baffin Island with the aim of co-documenting the links between climate change, fluctuations in PSB, and the variability in marine resource density and diversity. We worked with people in the communities of Qikiqtarjuaq, Kangiqtugaapik (Clyde River) and Pangniqtuuq (Pangnirtung). The locations of these communities in conjunction with the hunting, fishing and harvest activities suggests that local knowledge of the timing of ice melt and the inter-annual variability in plankton, fish and marine mammal abundance as the ecosystem matures over spring and summer is extensive. With the collaboration of HTO – Hunters and Trappers Organization, we (i) led bilateral discussion with communities using a semi-directed interview process between scientists and 8 Inuit hunters/fishers per community (total of 24 interviews), (ii) participated to a multigenerational - 4-days – nomadic hunting camp on the ice. A 13-min documentary is presented in the framework of this study to illustrate local observations and interpretations about environmental impact: climate change, marine resources (actual and invasive species) but also some keys of food security issue in Arctic communities.
Green Edge project: A large-scale public outreach and educational initiative
Sansoulet, Julie (1), J.-J. Pangrazi (2), N. Sardet (3), G. Fayad (4), P. Bourgain (5), J. Ferland (1) (Presenter) and M. Babin (1)
(1) UMI Takuvik (CNRS and Université Laval), Québec QC, Canada
(2) Éclats de Lumière, Nice, France
(3) Parafilms, Montréal QC, Canada
(4) KNGFU, Montréal QC, Canada
(5) 3BIS SCOP, Grenoble, France
A collaborative approach to large-scale public outreach and education is essential for an international and multidisciplinary scientific project. The Green Edge research project studies the impact of climate change on the dynamics of phytoplankton spring blooms and their role in the Arctic Ocean of tomorrow, including for human populations. In order to diffuse knowledge and information about the expeditions and project results, we implemented a bilingual platform to showcase the major initiatives (english and french). We chose to: i) establish a communication plan with realistic goals, ii) involve scientists not as applicants but as actors associated with communication and iii) involve the target audience (peers, general public, funders, decision makers) as much as possible to ensure that the communication strategy is in harmony with their needs. The consortium is composed of a multidisciplinary team: videographers, multimedia developers, designers, photographers, scientists and educators. First, we developed several different websites. The Green Edge project website presents the scientific and academic aspects of the project while the blogs offer insight into day-to-day life during both the 2015 and 2016 expeditions (more than 100000 visits). Second, we developed an educational multimedia platform, called “AOA Arctic Ocean Arctique”, for 12-15-year-old students. The platform contains 12 capsules (web documentaries) of 3-5 minutes in length, each of which is associated with educational modules (quizzes, interactive activities, pedagogical files). Third, we produced a 52-minute documentary, “Arctic Bloom”, which aims to communicate the goals, the methods and the impacts of the project to the general public and will be diffused on Explora channel in Canada and others international channels. Forth, infographics, created as part of the outreach program, are being used by scientists in both peer reviewed papers and presentations to explain how individual experiments fit within the context of the ice-breaker and ice-camp expeditions. Fifth, “In the Wake of an Icebreaker in the Arctic”, an interactive educational project that we launched, enabled primary school-aged students to ask questions directly to scientists working on the research icebreaker CCGS Amundsen. Twenty videos of question/answer sessions were produced and are accessible via YouTube. Sixth, our social media sites (facebook, Instagram, Vimeo, Twitter) continue to reach a large diversity of people and finally, we organized more than 50 activities in schools, museums, public organizations, and international conferences, in both France and Canada, to present aspects of our outreach and educational program. Consequently, choosing different intersecting techniques to promote a better understanding of the science involved in Green Edge contributed to the success of the communications and outreach outputs of the 3-year project.
Phenotypic plasticity and evolutionary potential of phenology in Mandt's Black Guillemot
Sauve, Drew (1) (Presenter), G. Divoky (2) and V. Friesen (1)
(1) Queen's University, Kingston ON, Canada
(2) Friends of Cooper Island, Seattle WA, United States
The ability of populations to adjust reproductive timing (phenology) is predicted to be an important response to adapting to climate change. Phenotypic plasticity and micro-evolutionary change could be drivers of phenology change in response to global warming. Few studies of phenotypic plasticity and micro-evolution investigate these processes in Arctic environments where climate change associated warming is the most rapid. In an Arctic population of Mandt’s Black Guillemots (Cepphus grylle mandtii), I evaluated the contribution of phenotypic plasticity and micro-evolution to temporal changes in egg-laying date (clutch initiation). I assessed the influence of snow-melt date and female age on the plasticity of clutch initiation. I used a multivariate animal model to estimate the additive genetic, permanent environment, and residual variance in and co-variance between annual fitness and clutch initiation. Finally, I regressed the posterior distribution of breeding values for clutch initiation on time to determine if micro-evolutionary change contributed to the observed shift in clutch initiation. Mean clutch initiation advanced 7 days over the 40-year study period. Earlier clutch initiation was associated with older mothers, earlier snow melts, and increased annual fitness. Snow-melt advanced about 20 days and the average female breeding experience increased by about 5.6 days during the study. Individuals advanced clutch initiation at different rates as they aged, but responded similarly to variation in snow-melt. My models did not have the power to determine if individual variation in clutch initiation by age had a genetic basis. Individuals that laid earlier when they were young and later when they were old tended to have an increased annual reproductive success. Heritability of laying date was low (h2 = 0.08[0.03-0.12]) and there was no evidence of micro-evolutionary change contributing to the observed change in clutch initiation. Negative co-variance between annual fitness and clutch initiation was observed for the environmental component of these traits, but not the genetic. Environmental co-variation between avian breeding time and fitness could be the result of co-variation of a non-heritable with fitness and clutch initiation. Preliminary results suggest that phenological change in Black Guillemots is driven by phenotypic plasticity and that individuals adjust their laying dates in response to snow-melt and over their lives. I provide evidence that natural selection is not driving evolutionary change in laying date, but rather that co-variance between laying date and fitness is the result of an environmental factor that influences both fitness and laying date through separate pathways.
Integrated environment and health surveillance in the Circumpolar North: A systematic realist review of the literature
Sawatzky, Alexandra (1) (Presenter), A. Cunsolo (2), A. Jones-Bitton (1), J. Middleton (1) and S.L. Harper (1)
(1) University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada
(2) Labrador Institute of Memorial University, Happy Valley-Goose Bay NL, Canada
As the frequency and intensity of environmental changes in the Circumpolar North continue to grow, so does the importance of monitoring and responding to how these changes impact human health. Increasing attention has been directed towards the development of integrated surveillance strategies that link considerations for both environment and human health. To understand the ways in which these surveillance strategies have been developed and implemented in the North, a systematic review was conducted to examine the extent, range, and nature of peer-reviewed literature published on integrated environment and health surveillance in Arctic and Subarctic regions of the Circumpolar North. Systematic realist review methods were employed to identify peer-reviewed literature on integrated environment and health surveillance strategies in Circumpolar Arctic and Subarctic regions. MEDLINE® and Web of Science™ aggregator databases were searched for relevant articles published between 2005-2016. References retrieved from these databases were screened by two independent reviewers using a set of pre-determined inclusion criteria. A two-stage screening process was used: first, titles and abstracts were screened, and relevant articles proceeded to the second stage; second, full-texts of all the included articles from the first screening stage were screened for relevance. Articles that met all the inclusion criteria were retained for final analysis, which involved descriptive quantitative analysis and thematic qualitative analysis using a realist lens. A total of 3,567 articles were retrieved from the database searches, and 85 articles met all of the inclusion criteria and were analysed. Most articles discussed surveillance systems in Arctic or Subarctic regions of Canada (41%), followed by Alaska (28%). Articles covered a variety of environment and health surveillance topics, including monitoring environmental contaminants; food and water security; wildlife management; and climate change adaptation. The articles offered several recommendations for ways to support integrated surveillance strategies in the Arctic and Subarctic. The most common recommendations included integrating both environmental and human health considerations into surveillance strategies (26%); generating baseline data or understandings about complex, interconnected environment and health phenomena (21%); and applying integrated surveillance data to inform public health policies, programming, and practice (15%). Thematic analyses examined ways in which the development and implementation of integrated surveillance strategies in the North were supported, and the supporting factors identified through these analyses were subsequently categorized into three main areas: structures, processes, and relationships. “Structures” included logistical, organizational, and operational components of integrated surveillance strategies; “processes” included the surveillance approaches, knowledge sources and systems, and methods of data collection; and “relationships” included the interpersonal elements of surveillance programs, such as collaboration, communication, and consultation that contributed to building and sustaining connections between one or more groups of stakeholders. The literature describes the characteristics, distribution, and best practices of integrated surveillance strategies in the Circumpolar North, and the ways in which these strategies function to monitor and respond to complex, interconnected environment and health issues and provide useful data for public health research, policy, and practice. Findings from this literature review can be used to inform future integrated surveillance development and implementation.
Towards a legal framework for the collection and sharing of Inuit knowledge
Scassa, Teresa (1) (Presenter), D.R.F. Taylor (2) and S. Nickels (3)
(1) University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
(3) Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Ottawa ON, Canada
The growing importance of the Arctic region combined with the evolution of contemporary digital technologies has led to the development of important collections of data about the polar region. A collaborative initiative by the Canadian Consortium for Arctic Data Interoperability to create an Arctic Data Research Infrastructure anticipates the inclusion of Inuit Knowledge (IK). It aims to do so in a manner that is responsive to the concerns expressed in the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami’s Submission to the Naylor Panel for Canada’s Fundamental Science Review. This is an important and uniquely challenging objective. Digital technologies allow great flexibility as to the form and content of recorded data, enabling novel means of recording and representing IK. However, legal frameworks governing data remain structured according to principles of Western intellectual property laws. These are not well-suited to IK, and in many cases may lead to problems of misappropriation, under-protection or improper exploitation. At the same time, the trend in government and academic circles towards open licensing and open data, while serving important public purposes, can create adverse impacts for Inuit knowledge holders. Such policies aim to maximize dissemination and reuse of IP-protected works by imposing the fewest possible restrictions on reuse. This can be problematic when dealing with IK, since open licensing may not take into account customary norms around sharing and reuse. This presentation will outline some of the legal and ethical challenges raised by the inclusion of IK in digital data repositories and will propose the elements of a legal and normative framework for digital data that is uniquely adapted to the ethical collection and use of IK.
Passive acoustic monitoring to identify drivers of beluga whale habitat use in the Mackenzie Estuary
Scharffenberg, Kevin (1,2) (Presenter), D. Whalen (3), S. MacPhee (2), J. Iacozza (2), G. Davoren (1) and L. Loseto (2)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(3) Natural Resources Canada, Dartmouth NS, Canada
Eastern Beaufort Sea beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) form large summering aggregations in the warm, fresh waters of the Mackenzie Estuary. The timing and location of beluga presence in the estuary is well documented; however, drivers for spatial and temporal patterns of occurrence are not fully understood. Previous research has identified ‘hotspots’ within the estuary where belugas are likely to congregate year after year, while additional research considered possible linkages between beluga habitat use and environmental variables such as: air temperature, tides, water temperature, wind speed, and wind direction. Together, these studies provided a foundation to closely examine patterns of beluga habitat use, and define environmental drivers of beluga distribution and movement in the Mackenzie Estuary. The objective of this study is to use vocalization data to track beluga presence/absence, while simultaneously measuring environmental and oceanographic data to assess abiotic drivers for beluga occurrence in Kugmallit Bay (within the Mackenzie Estuary). Passive acoustic monitoring has previously proven useful in determining localized presence/absence of belugas in the estuary. As such, five hydrophones were moored with oceanographic sensors (measuring water temperature, salinity, depth, waves, and turbidity) in Kugmallit Bay during the open water season in 2017. Mooring placement was based on beluga hotspots, unique oceanographic features, and traditional knowledge. A weather station was installed nearby to record and broadcast air temperature and wind climatology on a near real-time basis. Shore-based observations and unmanned aerial vehicle surveys were used to validate the effectiveness of the hydrophones to accurately represent beluga presence/absence. Analysis of vocalization data demonstrated differences in usage patterns between sites, and showed belugas in the estuary prefer warm, fresh, calm conditions, and leave the shallow waters when high-speed north winds bring in cold, salty ocean water. In the face of rapid climate change and anticipated shipping and human activities in a warming Arctic, a better understanding of beluga habitat use is needed. We hope this improved knowledge of abiotic drivers for habitat use will contribute to decision-making by local communities and policy-makers, and inform management plans for Eastern Beaufort Sea beluga whales. This research is part of ArcticNet Project “Knowledge Co-Production for the Identification and Selection of Ecological, Social, and Economic Indicators for the Beaufort Sea.”
Biodiversity, distribution and biomass of fish in Hudson Bay
Schembri, Sarah (1) (Presenter) and L. Fortier (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFHudson Bay is a large shallow inland sea where large freshwater inputs impact all marine processes. Fish and zooplankton assemblages are not well documented due to the remoteness of the area. As part of BaySys, this project’s principal aim is to improve our knowledge of the Hudson Bay marine ecosystem and of how external pressures such as climate change and changes in seasonal freshwater cycles are affecting it. Acoustic records and ichthyoplankton and zooplankton net data collected in various years onboard the CCGS Amundsen are being analysed. Preliminary results (that will be included in IRIS-3) show that the larval fish assemblage in Hudson Bay is changing from one with abundant arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) in the late 1980s to one consisting predominantly of capelin (Mallotus villosus) in the 2010s. The present distribution of the two species differs within the bay; capelin is very abundant in areas with high freshwater input in the west and south, while arctic cod is more abundant in the north of Hudson Bay and in the Hudson Strait. Stichaeidae and the recently introduced rainbow smelt have also become more abundant in recent years. Thus far, these observations corroborate the analysis of seabird’s diets in the region. The decrease in the relative abundance of Arctic cod is intriguing since recent findings show that, in the short term, warmer conditions might be leading to increased larval survival and recruitment of Arctic cod.
Do lichens faithfully record the 15N of precipitation in the High Arctic?
Schiff, Sherry L. (1) (Presenter), R. Troy McMullin (2), R.J. Elgood (1), V.L. St. Louis (3) and I. Lehnherr (4)
(1) Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON, Canada
(2) Canadian Museum of Nature, Natural Heritage Campus, Gatineau QC, Canada
(3) Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
(4) Department of Geography, University of Toronto-Mississauga, Mississauga ON, Canada
Atmospheric deposition of nitrogen (N) is extremely low in the High Arctic, yet N deposition to terrestrial systems and directly onto inland aquatic surfaces supports large mammals and fish. In coastal areas, N deposition to terrestrial systems can be supplemented from marine sources via nesting birds. In addition to atmospheric deposition, N can also be supplied by N2 fixation but N fixing higher plants are absent in the High Arctic. Human alteration of the global N cycle may be increasing N deposition in the high Arctic as suggested by analysis of ice cores. However, only a few sporadic event-based N concentrations in wet deposition data have been reported. No comprehensive year round measurement programs of High Arctic deposition chemistry exist. Similarly, the stable nitrogen isotopic value (15N ) of atmospheric N deposition is even more poorly known. A recent decrease in 15N in surficial lake sediments from difference localities worldwide including lakes of high latitude (78 °N) has been thought to be indicative of an increase in atmospheric N deposition corresponding to a decrease in 15N but supporting atmospheric N deposition data is lacking. Quantifying the 15N of atmospheric deposition is further compounded by extremely low precipitation in High Arctic that is dominated by snowfall. For example, published estimates at the Lake Hazen watershed cover a wide range, from 30 to 120 mm/yr. Most deposition occurs as snow which is hard to capture. Few year round monitoring sites for precipitation depth exist in the High Arctic. Lichens have been used as archives of atmospheric deposition as they derive nutrients solely from the atmosphere and also water that washes over them. Previous work on 15N in lichens indicates that lichens can be used to discriminate between agricultural and other atmospheric N sources. Here we ask whether lichens could be reliable indicators of 15N inputs at High Arctic sites with exceptionally low annual N atmospheric deposition. Samples of eleven lichen species, a mix of species with algal and possible N2 fixing cyanobacterial photobionts were collected a talus slope in the Lake Hazen Watershed in the High Arctic (81° N). and analyzed for C/N and 15N. Results from lichens will be compared to 15N of summer rain events and of the current year snowpack sampled on the surface of Lake Hazen and on the Gilman and Grant glaciers.
Are young fish (14C) “old” in the northern most Great Lake: Lake Hazen in the High Arctic?
Schiff, Sherry L.(1) (Presenter), D.C.G. Muir (2), P.J.K. Aukes (1), P. Dainard (1), R.J. Elgood (1), V.L. St. Louis (3) and I. Lehnherr (4).
(1) Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON, Canada
(2) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington ON, Canada
(3) Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
(4) Department of Geography, University of Toronto-Mississauga, Mississauga ON, Canada
Fish are an important source of food but are also integrators of terrestrial processes and contaminant movements. Lake Hazen is a large (538 km2; 265 maximum depth) inland lake in Quttinirpaaq National Park, Nunavutat at the northern end of Ellesmere Island with terrestrial inputs dominated by glacial fed rivers with a minor input from streams fed by active layer and permafrost thawing. The whole lake water residence time in the past was nominally 89 years. Recent work has shown that Lake Hazen and its watershed have undergone rapid and unprecedented change within the past decade, spurring a new intensive research effort on the lake and watershed. Lake Hazen is now consistently ice-free for part of the summer and both glacier ablation and lake sedimentation rates have increased dramatically. Further, the lake is no longer at steady state with respect to hydrologic or chemical inputs. Lake Hazen is an ultra-oligotrophic lake with rates of primary production that are difficult to measure by traditional methods. However, the lake hosts a population of non-anadromous Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) with fork lengths up to 70 cm and upper age limits approaching 35 years. Whether the food web supporting these char in Lake Hazen is primarily driven by organic carbon produced in the aquatic or terrestrial system is unknown and consequently potential effects of climate change on fish sustenance are uncertain. Terrestrial organic carbon in the form of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) entering the lake has a 14C age that is relatively “old”. In tandem, both the DOC and the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in Lake Hazen are 14C “old”. We present analysis of the 14C of fish collected in several years between 2003 and 2017. Given the recent observed increases in glacial runoff, do Arctic char record changes in the carbon cycle? Are the Arctic char becoming “older”? Are young fish “older” than old fish?
Interactive effects of nitrogen source and temperature on the growth, elemental composition and photosynthetic parameters of the cosmopolitan diatom Chaetoceros gelidus
Schiffrine, Nicolas (1) (Presenter), J.-É. Tremblay (1) and M. Babin (1)
(1) Joint International ULaval-CNRS Laboratory Takuvik, Québec-Océan, Département de Biologie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFClimate warming is especially severe in the Arctic where average temperature is increasing at the rate of 0.4° C per decade, which is two to three times faster than the global average. By augmenting the delivery of continental nutrients, river discharge may concurrently alter the relative importance of different nitrogen (N) sources (e.g., nitrate versus organic or reduced N) for phytoplankton nutrition. Predictions based on the literature assume that warming will enhance metabolic rates and thus the rate of primary production. However, there is a clear lack of data assessing the potential response of phytoplankton production and elemental composition (stoichiometry) to the availability of different N sources under contrasted temperature regimes. The stoichiometry of algal biomass synthesis is particularly important in marine ecosystems because the amount of carbon (C) fixed per unit nutrient (especially N, which generally limits primary production) modulates the biological CO2 pump, the amount of food available to higher trophic levels and the nutritive value of this food. In the present study, we examined the biochemical and physiological responses of a strain of Chaetoceros gelidus, a cosmopolitan diatom commonly associated with subsurface chlorophyll maxima (SCM) in Arctic waters, to the supply of ammonium (NH4+), nitrate (NO3-) or urea as sole N source. Cells were grown at saturating irradiance across a temperature range spanning 0° C to 10° C. Growth rates, chlorophyll a concentration (Chl a) and maximum PSII quantum efficiency (Fv/Fm) were measured along with particulate N, C, phosphorus (P) and biogenic silica (Si). Growth rates and the different cellular quotas generally increased with temperature as expected from the literature, except when urea was provided as sole N source. In exponential growth phase, elemental stoichiometry seemed to be more influenced by temperature than N source. Photosynthetic competency was high at low temperature but decreased with increasing temperature. These results provide new information on the sensitivity of the quality of organic matter to changing environmental conditions in the Arctic Ocean.
Change in particle export during ice algal and phytoplankton spring bloom during the 2016 GreenEdge ice camp
Schmidt, Sabine (1), F. Dufour (2), G. Massé (2) (Presenter), J. Sansoulet (2) and M. Babin (2)
(1) CNRS, OASU, UMR5805 EPOC, Université de Bordeaux, Pessac, France
(2) Biology Department, Québec-Océan/Takuvik, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
A central objective of the GreenEdge project is to better understand the factors controlling ice algal and phytoplankton blooms that develops under and at the ice-edge, their fate and the related carbon transfer through the marine ecosystem. We used changes in natural radionuclide (234Th/238U) abundances along the water column at the GreenEdge ice camp in spring 2016 to estimate the temporal variability of particle dynamics in surface waters in relation with the bloom developments. The scavenging of 234Th (t1/2= 24.1 days) by the particles present in the water column while its soluble parent, 238U, remains nearly constant, provides an appropriate tool for assessing rates of the removal of particles from surface waters (e.g. sinking rates) over short timescales. Between May, 19th and July, 8th, we obtained seven 234Th/238U profiles in surface waters (0-60 m). This period corresponds to the onset of the ice algal bloom (end of May/Early June), the decay and presence of ice algae in the water column (mid to end of June) and the onset of the phytoplankton spring bloom (early July). Our analyses revealed large contrasts in the 234Th profiles. In May, 234Th was nearly in equilibrium with 238U (its radioactive parent) along with low particulate activities, indicating an early bloom situation with low grazing fluxes. In contrast, in June, large deficits of 234Th vs 238U indicated an efficient export of particles from upper waters toward seafloor. Our results will be discussed and compared with other data collected at the camp in order to provide new insights into particle dynamics and the magnitude of particulate carbon export associated with these productive events.
Inuit businesses’ experiences with major mining projects in the Canadian Sub-arctic: How do expectations measure up?
Schott, Stephan (1) (Presenter), C. Nakoolak (2) (Presenter), A. Belayneh (1), J.-S. Boutet (3), F. Croce (2), T. Rodon (2)
(1) Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
Most of the data to assess the benefits from extractive industries is only understood at a very aggregate level (in terms of job creation, contribution to GDP, etc.) at the national, provincial or at best at the regional level. The impacts are, however, often very unequally distributed across communities. It is, therefore, crucially important that we understand the potential benefits and impacts at the community and regional level because communities and regional governments engage in the negotiation of agreements with mining companies, often directly bear the cost of mining and have certain expectations about the impacts of mining projects on local business development, job creation and human development. The latter are often not realized in the way they were anticipated. This paper analyzes the impacts of major extractive industries, particularly the Raglan Mine and the Voisey’s Bay Mine on business development in Nunavik and Nunatsiavut respectively. In this paper, we present the structure and content of a comprehensive business survey that we conducted with 96 Inuit businesses in Nunatsiavut and Nunavik. We present a comparative analysis of the results and link them to the discussion and findings in focus groups that informed the design of our business survey. Based on the survey we identify barriers to securing mining contracts for Inuit businesses, experiences and satisfaction levels with the impact benefit agreements, the use of business support programmes and additional training demands. We derive a number of recommendations for a more beneficial involvement of Inuit businesses in the mining industry and identify future research directions in this area.
Development project review processes in Nunavut: An analysis of the framing of social problems and solutions
Scobie, Willow (1) (Presenter) and K. Rodgers (1)
(1) University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, Canada
Using a neo-Foucauldian analysis of governmental technologies that give central authorities the capability to ‘steer’ the conversation (MacKinnon, 2000: 293), this paper argues that the Development Project Review Process consultations determine how ‘problems’ are presented, understood, and dealt with; that this process decides the framework for understanding social issues by enabling certain parties in the process (ie. the Proponent) to control the terms of the conversation. Empirically, the paper reports on fieldwork conducted in 2014 in one of the communities most directly affected by the Baffinland Iron Ore mine; an analysis of the hearing transcripts from a series of public meetings held by NIRB in Iqaluit, Igloolik, and Pond Inlet in 2012; on close reading of mainstream media reports; and of social media postings. The broader implications of this paper concern the language of ‘adaptive management’ of the ‘human environment’ and the negotiation of impact agreements, thus making private corporations important influencers both discursively and in their contribution to the re-constitution of the ‘mode of production’ (in its broadest sense) and the neoliberalization of the mode of life in Nunavut.
Combining remote sensing and community sea ice information to inform safe travel in the Kitikmeot region of Nunavut, Western Canadian Arctic
Segal, Rebecca (1) (Presenter), R. Scharien (1) and C. Tam (2)
(1) University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
(2) University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
Consultations with residents in Cambridge Bay and Kugluktuk in the western Canadian Arctic revealed that locals are interested in having access to remotely sensed image data, enhanced image products, and ancillary information to help plan travel and subsistence activities on sea ice. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is an active microwave remote sensing technology that provides high-resolution (metre-scale) images independently of sunlight and cloud cover, which makes it invaluable for monitoring and charting Arctic sea ice conditions. We are investigating the use of new and archived SAR image datasets to optimize the identification of sea ice features of community interest in Cambridge Bay and Kugluktuk and support safe sea ice use. We conducted interviews with community members in Cambridge Bay and Kugluktuk from May - June 2017 and November 2017 to document sea ice features and conditions of interest, and determine mapping requirements. A preliminary outcome includes the need for sea ice roughness maps, as roughness is a key feature impacting trafficability. Consequently, we are comparing data from SAR sensors at multiple frequencies (C-band 5.3GHz RADARSAT-2, L-band 5.3 GHz ALOS-2 PALSAR, and X-band 9.6 GHz COSMO-SkyMed) and polarizations (HH, HV, VH and VV) to optimize mapping roughness conditions. We are also using a 20-year archive of RADARSAT-1/2 SAR images provided by the Canadian Ice Service to document community-relevant sea ice feature norms and variations in time and space. Events like freeze-up and break-up are being redefined for community suitability and tracked across the 20-year archive. Ultimately, we are working to make image-based outcomes from this research available to sea ice users via the Google Earth Engine platform, and hard copy maps and products via northern partnerships (e.g., the local Hunters and Trappers Office, the Wildlife Office, the Library).
Projected changes in the wave and sea ice climate along the coastal Hudson Bay
Sévigny, Caroline (1) (Presenter), D. Dumont (1), S. Senneville (1), S. St-Onge-Drouin (1), P. Grenier (2) and F. Ardhuin (3)
(1) Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(2) Ouranos, Montréal QC, Canada
(3) Ifremer, Plouzané, France
In a perspective of a changing climate, the northern regions will face major perturbations of the near-shore oceanographic conditions. Not only the ice cover will very likely be reduced and thinned in the Arctic and sub-Arctic seas, surface gravity wave energy will increase accordingly, increasing the potential for wave-induced ice breakup. Wave-ice interactions favour a larger penetration of the wave energy in seasonally ice-infested seas. In order to assess the role of attenuation and ice floe fracture on the future wave and ice climate, simulations are conducted in the Hudson Bay with a modified version of the spectral wave model WAVEWATCH III. This version allows both attenuation of incident wave energy by sea ice through scattering and viscous dissipation at the sea ice interface, and ice fragmentation. Fragmentation proceeds with two break-up criteria that act preferentially on a distinct ice thickness range. The break-up probability is determined with the help of a joint floe size and thickness distribution, which circumvents the need of a predefined power law distribution. The wave climate is simulated on the basis of five basic wind scenarios, two using SRES-A2 greenhouse gases emission scenarios and three using RCP8.5 scenarios. The last three use post-processed winds that were generated with a combination of downscaling and bias-correction methods. In order to assess the impact of historical and future climate on wave and ice conditions, three periods are simulated : 1980-2004 (historical period), 2040-2064, and 2076-2100 (future periods). A coupled ice-ocean model of Hudson Bay is forced with the two SRES-A2 scenarios to provide sea ice conditions. Several climate indicators are estimated within the domain and at sites located along the eastern coasts of Hudson Bay, where expected changes can affect Inuit and Cree communities. Results obtained with these new indicators improve our understanding of the impact of the changing climate in sub-arctic seas. The shrinking of the ice cover associated with a more energetic wave climate affects the persistence of a consolidated ice pack along the coasts and, consequently, the significant wave height that reach these areas.
Connectivity between the Canadian Arctic and the west coast of Africa: The journey of the Long-tailed jaeger
Seyer, Yannick (1) (Presenter), G. Gauthier (1), J. Bêty (2) and N. Lecomte (3)
(1) Department of Biology and Centre d’études nordiques (CEN), Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Department of Biology and Centre d’Études Nordiques, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(3) Canada Research Chair in Polar and Boreal Ecology and Centre d’Études Nordiques, Department of Biology, Université de Moncton, Moncton NB, Canada
Throughout the year, migratory birds are facing a wide range of environmental and feeding conditions distributed across a large latitudinal range. Beyond the direct impact on survival and body condition, such conditions are likely to affect them afterwards. We call those delayed effects carry-over effects (COE). Assessing how COEs can affect arctic-nesting birds during the summer requires the knowledge of where migratory birds spend the winter, but this is poorly known for many seabirds. The Long-tailed jaeger (Stercorarius longicaudus), an important predator of the Arctic tundra during the summer, is a long-distance migrant but its movements during the non-breeding season are still largely unknown. This species has a unique lifestyle as it switches from being exclusively pelagic during the winter to an exclusively terrestrial life during the breeding season feeding primarily on lemmings. Unlocking the movements of this long-distance migrant will help decipher the impacts of COE in the tundra ecosystem. The main aim of this project is to determine the migratory paths and wintering areas of the Long-tailed jaeger breeding in the eastern Canadian Arctic. Our second objective was to evaluate whether the breeding success influences the phenology of the fall migration and, in turn whether conditions encountered during winter influence the spring migration phenology and subsequent reproduction through COE. To answer those questions, 60 light-leveled recording geolocators (GLS) were deployed on jaegers breeding on Bylot Island (73°08’N 80°00’W) between 2014 and 2016 and 5 on breeding birds on Igloolik Island (69°39’N 81°54’W) in 2016. Those 1-g devices record day length as well as sunrise and sunset time, which allows calculations of the latitude and longitude of the birds year round. Between 2015 and 2017, we recovered 27 GLS on Bylot and 2 on Igloolik. Data showed that successful breeders left their tundra breeding sites and returned to the sea in late August whereas failed breeders returned in early August or late July. They moved quickly through Baffin Bay to the eastern edge of the Great Banks of Newfoundland, stopping there briefly during fall before heading to their southern wintering areas. Almost 20% of the jaegers from both sites wintered offshore Cape Verde (7,000 km from breeding sites) and 50% from the Gulf of Guinea to South Africa (10,000-13,500 km). Another 13% wintered off Southeastern South Africa (15,000 km) and 10% off the coasts of Brazil (6,500-12,000 km). The southwestern coast of Africa is an area of high marine productivity as it encompasses the Benguela upwelling, a popular area for seabirds. On their way back, jaegers tended to move North along the western side of the Atlantic before reaching their breeding sites. The first birds reached their breeding ground as early as June 5 and started breeding 10-11 days later while the latest ones waited a shorter time before breeding. GLS can help delineate the connectivity between the breeding and wintering grounds created by birds’ migrations. Although these regions are far apart, events occurring in the austral Atlantic Ocean could affect Arctic ecosystem through migratory species.
Leveraging mesh networks to design systems that connect remote Northern communities
Seymour, P. Frazer (1,2) (Presenter), N. Durish (2), J. Deobald (1), O. Cook (2), A. Cunsolo (3), S. Harper (2), A. Sawatzky (2), I. Shiwak (4), C. Flowers (5), Rigolet Inuit Community Government (5), J. Ernst (1,2) and D. Gillis (2)
(1) RightMesh, Maple Ridge BC, Canada
(2) University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada
(3) Labrador Institute, Memorial University, Happy Valley-Goose Bay NL, Canada
(4) 'My Word: Storytelling and Digital Media Lab', Rigolet, Nunatsiavut NL, Canada
(5) Rigolet, Nunatsiavut NL, Canada
Remote communities in Canada often experience limited internet connection and a lack of cellular connectivity. The more remote a community, the more likely the internet connection is to be slower, more limited, less reliable, and more expensive than non-remote communities. These challenges create a communication barrier, and is counter to Canada’s recent decision to declare high speed broadband internet a fundamental right of its citizens. Without an efficient and universally accessible network, remote Canadian communities are effectively barred from equitable access to information sharing, decision making, and opportunities to contribute and compete in the Canadian economy. These challenges are particularly evident in the Inuit community of Rigolet, Nunatsiavut, where slow internet connectivity and the lack of a cellular system has often restricted the ability to share and access information, and inhibited technological advancements to support community wellness and sovereignty. For example, the community has been leading the development and implementation of the eNuk environment and health monitoring program to collect, analyze, and disseminate information related to changing environmental conditions and impacts on individuals and the community. The utility and efficacy of eNuk depends in part on 1) the ability of users to easily collect information while on the land, and 2) the ability of users to easily upload this information to the eNuk servers whenever they return to town, which is hindered by the lack of internet bandwidth, and absence of cellular service. Moreover, these issues place the onus of data synchronization and backup on the user instead of making the transfer of data from mobile device to server a more efficient and user-friendly experience. Motivated by the issues faced during the development and testing of the eNuk program, this work focuses on a novel approach to increasing connectivity and improving communication within remote communities. The novel approach, known as a Wireless Mesh Network (WMN), relies mainly on direct peer-to-peer wireless connections, bypassing the need for Internet connections or cellular service to relay data across close geographic distances. When layered over the limited existing Internet infrastructure, a WMN can make local data available outside of the community or increase access to external resources. Through the case study of the eNuk application in Rigolet, this work details how a system makes use of a WMN in practice, and how the different methods of connection can enable, simplify, and optimize the sharing and collection of data by and for community members. This work also seeks to showcase the components and techniques available when utilizing a WMN, with the aim of aiding the design of systems to connect communities in other remote locations.
Composition and mobilization of particulate organic carbon from retrogressive thaw slump impacted streams
Shakil, Sarah (1) (Presenter), S.E. Tank (1) and S.V. Kokelj (2)
(1) Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
(2) Northwest Territories Geological Survey, Government of the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife NT, Canada
The source and composition of organic matter can play an important role in its ability to contribute to microbial metabolism in aquatic systems. Although thermokarst processes are thought to mobilize significant quantities of particulate organic carbon (POC) to aquatic systems, we know little about the composition and fate of this carbon, despite the fact that permafrost-origin dissolved organic carbon (DOC) has been shown to be easily degraded to CO2. On the Peel Plateau of the western Canadian Arctic, warming and wetting has significantly intensified the activity of retrogressive thaw slumps (RTS), which thaw large volumes of glacigenic sediments and increase downstream sediment yields by several orders of magnitude. These features actively erode materials from the modern active layer, an organic-rich Holocene-aged permafrost layer, and deeper mineral-rich Pleistocene-aged deposits; the relative contribution of which depends on RTS depth. We examined changes in POC delivery and particulate organic matter (POM) composition upstream and downstream of eight thaw slumps across the Stony Creek and Vittrekwa watersheds of the Peel Plateau. At each site, discharge measurements and samples for POC and DOC flux were obtained to quantify changes in instantaneous organic carbon yields due to RTS activity. Stable isotopes (13C-POC, 15N-PN), C: N ratios, 14C age, and percent POC of total suspended sediments (POC: TSS) were additionally collected to determine changes in POM source as a result of slumping. C: N: P of POM and fluorescence signatures of base-extracted POM will also be used to determine changes in the quality and chemical composition of POM. We found that RTS activity dramatically increased the delivery of POC to streams and switched streams from systems where organic carbon occurs dominantly in the dissolved form to those where it is primarily particulate. POC flowing from active RTS features had a radiocarbon age up to 13,000 14C yrs older than POC in un-impacted streams, with the age of POC material clearly reflecting the depth of thaw and exposure of Pleistocene-origin, relative to Holocene-origin or modern active layer, deposits. This study is addressing a critical gap in our understanding of how permafrost thaw affects the delivery of POM to streams. By assessing changes in the quality of POM in streams and nutrient stoichiometry of particulate, relative to dissolved material, we will address potential ecological effects of RTS on downstream ecosystems as well as quantify the mobilization of organic carbon from thawing permafrost to fluvial systems.
Inuit knowledge of environmental change over the past 50 years in eastern Hudson Bay: Observations from Umiujaq and Kuujjuaraapik, Nunavik
Sheremata, Megan (1) (Presenter), A. Novalinga (2), P. Tookalook (2) (Presenter), P. Cookie (3), J. Heath (4), G. Ljubicic (5) and W. Gough (1)
(1) University of Toronto, Scarborough ON, Canada
(2) Northern Village of Umiujaq, Nunavik QC, Canada
(3) Northern Village of Kuujjuaraapik, Nunavik QC, Canada
(4) Arctic Eider Society, St John’s NL, Canada
(5) Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
The effects of large-scale environmental change have been observed since the 1970s in eastern Hudson Bay when the development of the James Bay hydroelectric project began. The development of hydroelectricity in the region has since continued in successive stages, with the most recent development, the Rupert Diversion, having been completed in 2009. As a result, the impacts on the marine waters of eastern Hudson Bay have intensified over time. In some instances these effects have been compounded by the effects of other drivers of environmental change. For example, climate change has impacted the region in recent years as the waters of Hudson Bay absorb increasing amounts of heat from the warming Arctic atmosphere. To understand the cumulative effects of environmental change in eastern Hudson Bay over the past 50 years, the communities of Kuujjuaraapik, Umiujaq and Inukjuak in Nunavik, and the community of Sanikiluaq on the Belcher Islands of Nunavut, have established a Community-Driven Research Network in collaboration with the Arctic Eider Society, monitoring sea ice, wildlife and oceanographic conditions based on local priorities and Inuit knowledge. Given a lack of baseline data from which to evaluate effective change over time, eastern Hudson Bay communities have proposed an integrative approach to document Inuit knowledge of indicators of environmental change in order to provide historical context and to facilitate the interpretation of results from community-driven research programs. This project arose from this expression of local priorities. Interviews with Inuit Elders and other experienced land-users have been conducted in the four partner communities, beginning in the spring of 2017. In this presentation, preliminary results from the interviews conducted in the communities of Umiujaq and Kuujjuaraapik are discussed. These include observations of changes in the salinity of coastal waters, sea ice structure, the seasonal freeze-up and break-up of sea ice, weather patterns, and the ability of Inuit to forecast weather conditions. Also discussed are changes in wildlife populations, and how Inuit land-use has changed in response to the cumulative effects of environmental change.
Fifty Years of Change: Inuit observations of environmental change in eastern Hudson Bay
Sheremata, Megan (1) (Presenter), L. Arragutainaq (2), P. Cookie (3), A. Novalinga (4), P. Tookalook (4) (Presenter), J. Heath (5), G. Ljubicic (6) and W. Gough (1)
(1) University of Toronto, Scarborough ON, Canada
(2) Hamlet of Sanikiluaq, NU, Canada
(3) Northern Village of Kuujjuaraapik, Nunavik QC, Canada
(4) Northern Village of Umiujaq, Nunavik QC, Canada
(5) Arctic Eider Society, St John’s NL, Canada
(6) Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
Observations of the cumulative effects of environmental change in eastern Hudson Bay date back to the 1970s, when construction of the James Bay hydroelectric project began. The development of hydroelectricity in the region has since occurred in successive stages until the most recent development in 2009, the impacts of which have progressively intensified. In some instances these effects are thought to have been compounded by other drivers of environmental change, such as climate change. To understand these cumulative effects, the Arctic Eider Society has been working with the communities of Kuujjuaraapik, Umiujaq and Inukjuak in Nunavik, and the community of Sanikiluaq on the Belcher Islands of Nunavut, to establish a Community-Driven Research Network, which monitors ice and oceanographic conditions in the region. After nearly a decade of monitoring, community organizations have called for complementary research to be done to learn from Inuit knowledge of the cumulative impacts of environmental change. This project has been developed with eastern Hudson Bay communities in response to these expressed priorities. Interviews with Inuit Elders and other experienced land users began in the spring of 2017. This poster provides an overview of preliminary results from 40 interviews across all four communities. These include observations of changes in the salinity of coastal waters, sea ice structure, the timing and character of seasonal freeze-up and break-up of sea ice, and the transport of sea ice. Also observed are changes in weather patterns, and in the ability of Inuit to forecast local weather conditions. Changes in wildlife populations have also been widely observed. These observations are discussed with specific interest in understanding how Inuit land use itself has responded to environmental change, and in terms of the implications for communities throughout eastern Hudson Bay.
Towards developing a near real-time volcanic ash and forest fire smoke tracking and alert system in Canada using a network of ceilometers
Sica, Robert (1) (Presenter), A. Haefele (2) and A. Abayakoon (1)
(1) Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Western Ontario, London ON, Canada
(2) Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss, Payerne, Switzerland
Ceilometers were originally designed for measuring cloud ceiling heights at airports. They have evolved into highly sophisticated lidar systems which are fully automated and capable of measuring calibrated attenuated backscatter coefficients and polarization. E-PROFILE is a European program which recognized the importance of these instruments for aviation safety in the wake of the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption in Iceland, which disrupted air travel in Europe for days and exposed the need to have a robust system in place to be able to track future events. The core of the network is the data hub for central processing, hosting sophisticated software for automatic calibration and near real-time distribution, which has been developed in tight collaboration with the scientific community. Currently, about a hundred instruments are part of the network and the target density is one unit per 100 km. We propose to develop a similar capability in strategic locations in Canada as part of E-PROFILE and want to complement our initial mid-latitude site with Arctic measurements in Eureka. An initial ceilometer has been installed on the Western campus, and is part of the E-PROFILE network. We plan on installing 2 additional ceilometers which are capable of measuring backscatter returns parallel and perpendicular to the transmitted wavelength, allowing liquid water and ice to be discriminated in clouds. In addition, the backscatter measurements are capable of detecting forest fire smoke, volcanic ash, and aerosols. Ceilometers are also particularly good at characterizing fog and the planetary boundary layer. We plan to install one of these new instruments in Eureka at the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory (PEARL) and one at Western. The existing Western instrument will be installed at the weather station in Eureka near sea level, tilted to look over the PEARL Ridge Laboratory at 600 m elevation, to determine whether the station is in or out of the boundary layer, to help in the interpretation of the lab's in situ aerosol measurements. This novel technique has has been successfully demonstrated by the MeteoSwiss group over the Jungfraujoch Spinx Observatory in the Swiss Alps. In our presentation we will give an overview of how the proposed Canadian Arctic measurements fit into the E-PROFILE framework, show examples of forest fire, pollution and cloud measurements with our ceilometer, and discuss how additional high latitude sites may be included.
Challenging Phaeocystis pouchetii against diatoms during the summer bloom of phytoplankton in Labrador fjords (Eastern Canada): Implications for the system productivity
Simo Matchim, Armelle Galine (1,2) (Presenter), M. Gosselin (2), M. Poulin (3), S. Lessard (2), M. Blais (2), Y. Gratton (4), J.-É. Tremblay (5) and M. Ardyna (6)
(1) CEOS, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Institut des sciences de la mer (ISMER), Rimouski QC, Canada
(3) Musée Canadien de la Nature, Ottawa ON, Canada
(4) INRS, Centre Eau, Terre et Environnement, Québec QC, Canada
(5) Québec-Océan et Takuvik, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(6) Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Villefranche-sur-mer, France
In fjords of Scandinavia, Greenland, and of the west coast of Canada, the dynamics of phytoplankton communities is strongly influenced by the water column stratification, light regime and nutrient availability, and the bloom is generally occurring in spring. Algae dynamics has been rarely investigated in subarctic fjords of the east coast of Canada. Hence, the central objective of this study was to determine the spatial and seasonal variability of phytoplankton communities in four Labrador fjords (Nachvak, Saglek, Okak and Anaktalak) during summer 2007, summer 2013, early fall 2010 and late fall 2009. During summer 2007, the community was dominated by a diatom bloom (1.8 million cells per l) and a mixed assemblage of flagellates. In summer 2013, flagellates clearly dominated the community and an important bloom of the prymnesiophyte Phaeocystis pouchetii (18 million cells per l) was observed. Our findings suggest that the huge dominance of P. pouchetii may have entailed possible inhibitory effects on the growth of other phytoplankton species and of bacteria, through the production of polyunsaturated aldehydes and acrylic acid, respectively. During fall, the community was dominated by unidentified flagellates, prymnesiophytes and diatoms, their respective abundances varying from early fall to late fall. By combining our results to those from the literature, we suggested the following annual succession in Labrador fjord protist community: (winter) dinoflagellates and other flagellates - (spring) Fragilariopsis spp., Chaetoceros spp., Thalassiosira spp. and Phaeocystis pouchetii - (summer) Chaetoceros spp., P. pouchetii and Chrysochromulina spp. - (fall) flagellates, Gymnodinium/Gyrodinium spp. and Chrysochromulina spp. We were also able to draw the very first list of planktonic protists in Labrador fjords. With more than 200 taxa reported, this list of protists is without contest the most complete of the literature on polar fjords. Primary production, chlorophyll a biomass and vertical export of particulate organic carbon showed a marked seasonal variability, the highest values being observed during summer 2013. Both summer communities were mainly dominated by nanophytoplankton (2-20 µm) while the fall communities presented higher abundances of picophytoplankton (?2 µm). The analysis of the relative contribution of small and large phytoplankton to total production suggests that primary production was preferentially retained in the euphotic zone rather than being exported to greater depths. The seasonal variations of phytoplankton production and biomass, as well as carbon export were mainly controlled by the strength of the vertical stratification and by the large differences in day length. Surprisingly, phytoplankton dynamics did not show any significant difference from one fjord to another. The study also revealed that the pelagic bloom occurs during summer in Labrador fjords and not in spring as usually observed in fjords of Scandinavia and Greenland. This is explained by the late sea-ice break-up in Labrador fjords which occurs in late June/mid-July.
Developing local research capacity for the monitoring of marine resources near Pond Inlet, Nunavut
Simonee, James (1,2) (Presenter), A. Jaworenko (2), I. Koonoo (2), E. Panipakochoo (2), H. Swanson (3), P.-Y. Daoust (4), D. Muir (5), C. Furgal (6) and V. L’Hérault (1)
(1) ARCTIConnexion, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Community of Pond Inlet, Pond Inlet NU, Canada
(3) Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON, Canada
(4) Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown PEI, Canada
(5) Environment Canada, Burlington ON, Canada
(6) Indigenous studies, Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
As a resident of Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet) all my life, I have been noticing changes in weather, sea ice, marine mammals, land wildlife and fishes. My experience at Nunavut Arctic College’s Environmental Technology Program made me question what I see out there (my observations) and it made me realize that there is some changes that we cannot tell just by our “naked” eye and that we, as Inuit, need to seek more to find out the unnoticeable things impacting our environment. As Inuit, country food is our main resource all year round and we especially need to know if the animals that we hunt or fish are being affected. There is a need to do more testing of our food in the North, the scientific way, in order to find out. I usually say that “there can’t be any science done in the North if you don’t have any indigenous knowledge”. I believe that there should be more young Inuit becoming researchers/scientists as we can speak the local language and because we know the land and where the best places are to go hunt and fish. I wanted to start my own research project on arctic char, seals, and narwhals, to find out if they are being affected not only by “climate changes” but also by human activities. There is especially more and more ships passing through in front of our community and going to the iron ore mine port in Milne Inlet which, on its own, is likely already affecting marine mammals and arctic chars. Through the oceans, the Arctic is also connected to all other regions of the world and can carry and bank contaminants that can be absorbed by wildlife and Inuit. In this presentation, I explain how I got started with my research project and provide some preliminary results of my work. Back in 2015/2016, I started, with the help of ARCTIConnexion for mentorship and other partners, a project on arctic char looking at body condition and mercury levels during winter when we do a lot of fishing in lakes. I compared fishes collected from two lakes close to Milne Inlet to fishes from two lakes located away from there. The samples that I collected were sent down to University of Waterloo for aging fishes and to measure mercury levels. Here I present the results from these analyses. In the spring of 2016, and in spring and fall of 2017, I started a similar project on ringed seals looking at body condition, metal and trace contaminants and Persistent Organic Pollutants, and also at infectious disease with the help of a veterinarian from UPEI. I have just submitted the samples to lab analysis and I’m still going to collect more samples this winter and meet with local hunters and elders to learn what they have to say about seals and chars, human activities, and contaminants. I am grateful to the people who helped me in my community and to my mentors.
Equipping northern communities with accessible, understandable, real-time weather and wave information
Simonee, Natasha (1) (Presenter) and J. Alooloo (1) (Presenter)
(1) Pond Inlet community member and hunter, NU, Canada
Over the years our environment has changed. As Inuit, we have become accustomed to the modern way of living in settlements. We use technology on a daily basis, we use new and modern tools when hunting, and travel by snowmobiles and aluminum boats. But this does not mean we are no longer hunting and traveling traditionally. We live the lives of modern Inuit - hunting for food, traveling on sea ice and the ocean for food and for leisure. Our elders have lost confidence in predicting weather because weather has been made unpredictable by climate change. Instead of sitting on a mountain top predicting the weather, as our ancestors did, we sit in our wooden homes at a computer screen checking the weather before we travel. When planning hunting trips, we use forecasting information from Environment Canada and Windtty (Windy.com), and discuss that information with other hunters and elders in the community before we go. We do not have adequate weather forecasting for places we are actually traveling to, and often find ourselves testing the forecasts rather than relying on them because actual sea conditions are not provided. There is only one weather station in each community, and it is located at the airport/airstrip. However, you will not find a single person at the airstrip hunting. Plus, the Environment Canada forecast is vague (e.g. winds light). We are not captains on ships so we do not speak in knots for wind speed. Not everyone understands that knots and kilometres differ, or can approximate the conversion. Many people can access, read, and look at the forecast information, but not truly understand it. When unilingual (Inuktitut speaking-only) hunters ask for weather updates on the local VHF marine radio, not everyone has the vocabulary to translate the forecast into Inuktitut. If people do not fully understand what they are reading, trying to translate weather information becomes even more challenging. Windyty is based on a radar image which is very choppy because of the slow internet connections we have. Therefore, we guess what is happening in between the images we see, and apply traditional knowledge of weather to interpret the weather/wind we see in the images. Lastly our elders are not as confident to speak out, share, and predict, weather, wave, tidal or current tendencies for traveling because of our rapidly changing climate, sea ice, and water conditions. At the same time, we have seen an increase in young hunters not following the advice of experienced hunters/elders, about where and when to travel. Young hunters make travel decisions based on conditions they see, rather than also using local knowledge about expected or known conditions along the way. Our young hunters are very brave, and because as modern Inuit who are employed, they are taking risks when they travel - sometimes getting stranded, seeking shelter, and needing help from the community. To prevent these incidents, we need to encourage experts/elders to share the knowledge they have, and encourage young hunters to ask and listen.
Quantifying mean surface elevation for small plots with microtopography and vegetation using structure from motion photogrammetry, terrestrial laser scanning and surveying
Singer, Malek (1) (Presenter), M. Richardson (1) and S. Gruber (1)
(1) Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
Quantifying subsurface ice-loss is important for monitoring permafrost change and for evaluating computer simulations. In many locations, subsurface ice-loss can be inferred from repeated measurements of surface elevation. High accuracy and an explicit spatial scale are prerequisites for robust and quantitative analysis of such data. Similarly, the evaluation of air- and space-borne remote sensing products with ground observations requires the accurate quantification of subsidence for small areas rather than for individual points, only. This contribution investigates the repeatability of elevation measurements on plots of 15 m x 15 m size as a proxy for the accuracy of deriving subsidence from diachronic comparison. Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) and structure form motion (SfM) photogrammetry, amongst other technologies, have improved our ability to collect high-density topographic data. Despite the proliferation of such state-of-the-art surveying technologies, quantifying ground subsidence in permafrost environments remains non-trivial. It is complicated by several sources of uncertainty that can propagate into the final estimate. Given that small amounts of subsidence (~cm) are of interest, the quantification and reduction of these uncertainties is important. In this research, we identify four sources of uncertainty: vegetation, surface undulation within plots, surface ambiguity, and unstable ground. Using TLS, SfM, and total station measurements, we evaluate how well the elevation in a heterogeneous area can be measured by comparing multiple results from repeated surveys obtained with near-identical survey settings, with differing observational techniques, and with identical techniques but differing filtering methods applied to points clouds derived from SfM and TLS. Field work was undertaken at a peat covered site and tussock site near Pontoon Lake, east of Yellowknife, NWT in the Summer of 2016.
Sedimentary processes and quaternary stratigraphy of the Old Harry area, Gulf of St. Lawrence
Sirdeys, Naïs (1) (Presenter), G. St-Onge(1), J.-C. Montero-Serrano (1), N. Sanchez (1,2) and P.-A. Desiage (1)
(1) Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski, Chaire de recherche du Canada en géologie marine, Université du Québec à Rimouski et GEOTOP, Rimouski QC, Canada
(2) Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco (UNPSJB), Puerto Madryn, Argentina
The Old Harry offshore oil and gas prospect is subject to numerous estimates of its volume, extractable quantities, and environmental hazards associated with its possible exploitation. This geological structure is located in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, in the Laurentian Channel at the border between the Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador provinces. Despite its geological and economic interests, the geology and marine environment of this region remains scarcely documented. The aim of this project is thus to provide the basic geological knowledge of this study area using an integrated analysis of sedimentary processes derived from the interpretation of geophysical data and stratigraphy from sediment cores covering the Holocene (last 10 ka cal BP) in order to: (1) improve the geological characterization of this area since the last glaciation, and (2) reconstruct the postglacial evolution of sedimentary environments and processes. Our methodology includes geophysical, mineralogical, geochronological (210Pb and 14C) and paleomagnetic analyses (inclination, declination and relative paleointensity) on a total of 13 box and piston cores retrieved in 2015 on board of the R/V Coriolis II. Visual description, Multi Sensor Core Logger measurements (density, XRF, spectrophotometry, P-wave velocity and magnetic susceptibility), grain size and geochemical analysis (carbon and nitrogen contents, 13C and 15N) are integrated with seismic data to establish the chronostratigraphic and lithological framework. As expected, the results indicate that the sedimentary sequences correspond to seismo-stratigraphic units typical of glaciomarine and postglacial environments. In addition, 230 km2 of multibeam coverage highlights the bathymetry, as well as the presence of more than 3000 pockmarks. Their statistical features (size, relative depth, diameter, shape and orientation) were determined, and will be related to other parameters such as the nature and composition of the seabed, water depth, bedrock geology and currents. Preliminary results reveal a northwest-southeast preferential orientation of most pockmarks. Moreover, the spatial distribution of pockmarks could be related to the shape of the bedrock, its underlying structures and/or the morphology and structures associated with glacial/postglacial episodes. Finally, a carbonate concretion recovered from a box core sampled in a pockmarck was characterized using a scanning electron microscope coupled with an X-ray spectrometer in order to identify the presence of authigenic minerals (such as, carbonate, iron oxides, and greigite). 13C measurements will be performed on this concretion in order to determine the potential sources of carbon and thus the origin of the gas.
Growing season carbon balance of a Mackenzie River Delta Peatland
Skeeter, Wesley (1) (Presenter), C. Andreas (2), G. Henry (1) and T. Lantz (3)
(1) University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC, Canada
(2) University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
(3) University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
Terrestrial Arctic landscapes are currently a net greenhouse gas sink, but climate warming and permafrost disturbances are anticipated to weaken or offset this sink. The issue is further complicated in Arctic wetlands where methane (CH4) emissions disproportionately offset carbon dioxide (CO2) uptake. Fluxes of CO2 and CH4 were measured using eddy covariance methods at a peatland site in the Mackenzie River delta, NWT, Canada in the summer of 2017. The site was characterized by low center polygonal terrain, with Sphagnum, Equisetum, and Carex in the polygon centers and Salix present along the polygon rims. Measurements spanned the growing season from June 22nd to September 13th. Mean CO2 flux was 1.62 ± 0.31 g CO2 m-2 d-1, peaking in early July with minimal uptake after late August. CO2 uptake was primarily controlled by photon flux density, while CO2 emissions were influenced by soil temperatures and water table depth. Mean CH4 flux was 51.7 ± 2.89 mg m-2 d-1, also peaking in July, displaying a more muted seasonal trend and high variability on short timescales. CH4 emissions were governed by non-linear interactions between multiple variables including soil temperature, water table depth, active layer depth, and friction velocity. Neural network models were used to gap fill the flux time series and identify the most influential controlling factors. Adjusting for the 100-year global warming potential of CH4, net carbon flux over the study is estimated to be -11.6 ± 25.4 g CO2 eq. m-2.
Impact of lemming grazing on Arctic willows under experimentally reduced predation
Slevan-Tremblay, Guillaume (1,3) (Presenter), G. Gauthier (1,3) and E. Lévesque (2,3)
(1) Department of Biology, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Département des sciences de l’environnement, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières QC, Canada
(3) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Large amplitude fluctuations in animal populations are well documented but their causes often remain unclear. In cyclic populations, predation (top-down) and food availability (bottom-up) are the most common hypotheses invoked to explain these cycles. In lemming populations, lack of food is suspected to drive population movements and cycles in Scandinavia and Alaska, whereas other northern populations seem to be controlled by predators. When herbivore populations reach very high densities, overgrazing could be an important factor controlling populations if the most important plant species become scarce. A recent study showed that Arctic willows (Salix arctica) was a substantial portion of the winter diet of brown lemmings (Lemmus trimucronatus) in the Canadian high-Arctic. The objective of our study was to investigate the effects of lemming grazing on the growth and abundance of Arctic willow. We hypothesized that if lemming can reach high enough densities to become food limited, the impact of grazing should be detectable and strong on this important food plant for lemmings. Our study site is located on Bylot Island, Nunavut, where we find both brown and collared lemmings (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus). In 2013, 24 lemming exclosures paired with a control plot exposed to grazing were distributed between an 8-ha fenced area where predation was reduced and a control site in mesic tundra. Live-trapping grids were set on those two sites to obtain precise estimates of lemming population densities with capture-mark-recapture in summer and nest densities in winter. We took several measurements on parts (i.e. stems, leaves, catkins) of individual Arctic willow plants from 2014 to 2016, three years of moderate to high lemming densities. We also estimated aboveground biomass in each plot using the commonly used point-intercept method, previously calibrated for the study site, to allow repeated sampling. Additionally, shorter after the snow melt, grazing signs (i.e. clipped stems) were also noted in plots accessible to lemmings to quantify lemming winter grazing intensity. Lemming densities were higher in the predator reduction area than the control during all three years. The length and summer growth of Arctic willow stems were significantly shorter in grazed plots than in exclosures, and these differences were both significantly higher when predation was reduced compared to the control. This shows that lemming grazing was strong enough to be detected on Arctic willow. Numerous observations of partially or completely clipped stems in the plots during the winter months also support these results. Although it was possible to detect an impact of lemmings on Arctic willows, it’s unlikely that food shortage can influence the population cycles because live aboveground biomass of willow did not differ between exclosures and grazed plots.
Integration of Inuvialuit traditional knowledge of polar bear into management and decision-making
Smith, Jennifer (1) (Presenter), L. Staples (1), L. Carpenter (2), and A. Thompson (2)
(1) Wildlife Management Advisory Council (North Slope), Whitehorse YT, Canada
(2) Wildlife Management Advisory Council (Northwest Territories)
While the number of traditional knowledge studies conducted in the Arctic has been increasing, including those being led by Inuit and land-claim organizations, meaningful integration of traditional knowledge into wildlife co-management and decision-making remains a challenge. The book Inuvialuit and Nanuq: A Polar Bear Traditional Knowledge Study, published in 2015, is the outcome of a multi-year collaborative effort by the Wildlife Management Advisory Councils (Northwest Territories and North Slope) to document traditional knowledge of polar bears in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region. An objective of work was for the information to be used, alongside other sources of polar bear research, in directing management actions related to polar bears at the local and national scale. Thus far, the traditional knowledge documented in Inuvialuit and Nanuq has been used in polar bear management in a variety of contexts, including co-management at the local level within the Inuvialuit Settlement Region; informing status reports and recovery documents under territorial and federal species at risk legislation; updating the Polar Bear Technical Committee’s annual status table; and has helped inform recommendations stemming from annual Inuvialuit-Inupiat user-to-user meetings. Despite the success of integrating this body of knowledge into a variety of management and decision-making processes at multiple scales, challenges remain; one example is the lack of uptake of this work by the IUCN’s Polar Bear Specialist Group. The success of Inuvialuit and Nanuq in meaningfully informing wildlife management processes in a variety of contexts demonstrates that traditional knowledge studies can inform management and likely could be replicated in many different forums from the regional to the international scale.
Estimating the end-of-winter snow accumulation from field measurements and modeling over four years at Iqaluit, Nunavut
Smith, Keegan (1) (Presenter), M. Richardson (1), J. Shirley (2), J. Carpenter (3), D. Martin (3) and ETP Classes of 2014-17 (3)
(1) Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) Nunavut Research Institute, Iqaluit NU, Canada
(3) Nunavut Arctic College - Environmental Technology Program, Iqaluit NU, Canada
Snowmelt is the largest input to Arctic hydrologic systems, so water balance studies require accurate estimates of a watershed’s spring snow water equivalent (SWE). Estimation is complicated by high winter wind speeds, which bias solid precipitation measurements and transport snow from exposed tundra to topographic drift traps. These drifts contain a disproportionate amount of SWE, and contribute meltwater long after most of the snowcover has ablated. Given these difficulties, baseline SWE records are lacking for the water supply watersheds of most Nunavut communities, including the territorial capital, Iqaluit. To support hydrologic research in Iqaluit’s supplementary water supply, the Niaqunguk (Apex) River Watershed (NRW), extensive field surveys were conducted each spring. During these surveys, students from Nunavut Arctic College’s Environmental Technology Program learn scientific techniques through lectures and field camp exercises. Students also assist with sampling, support field activities, and advise on local conditions. To improve and guide future surveys, field data was used to model the spring snow distribution in the NRW in 2014 and 2015. Two modeling approaches were used; (1) a discrete landscape-unit model, based on digital terrain analysis and calibrated with snow survey data, and (2) an established, physically-based blowing snow model (SnowModel, Liston, 2006), parameterized and run using topographic and meteorological data for the NRW. Preliminary, uncalibrated runs of SnowModel simulated a more complex, finer-scale SWE distribution compared to the landscape-unit approach. However, the simulated snow distribution was unrealistic in many locations, and total snow accumulation was overestimated in both years. For example, in 2016, the field-measured mean SWE was 24 ± 3 cm, whereas the landscape-unit and SnowModel predicted values were 23 ± 5 cm and 40 cm, respectively. Calibration might improve SnowModel’s performance, but its significant technical demands limit its potential for future planning and decision-making by the community. Comparatively, the strong performance of the simpler, landscape-unit approach provides a reasonable estimate of watershed SWE, and a viable framework to guide future monitoring.
Treeline to treeline: Latitudinal variability of black spruce growth dynamics in northwestern Canada
Sniderhan, Anastasia (1) (Presenter), S. Mamet (2) and J. Baltzer (1)
(1) Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON, Canada
(2) University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK, Canada
Black spruce (Picea mariana) is one of the most dominant and widespread boreal trees in Canada, with its southern range extending into the northeastern United States and its northern margins transitioning into the low-arctic tundra. Black spruce in the boreal forest in northwestern Canada and Alaska have experienced some of the most rapid rates of warming since the mid-20th century. In this study, we use dendrochronological techniques and stable carbon isotope analysis to investigate how black spruce has responded to these changes across its latitudinal extent in western Canada. We compare both the productivity and climatic drivers of black spruce growth from four sites across 15° of latitude in western Canada – effectively capturing growth dynamics from “treeline to treeline”. We predicted that productivity would follow an increasing gradient from north to south, wherein the northern sites would have lower productivity than southern site due to the shorter, colder growing seasons at higher latitudes. We also expected to see differences in the climatic drivers of growth across sites; we predicted that the northern sites would be more temperature-limited, while southern sites were likely to exhibit a greater sensitivity to precipitation in response to increasing evapotranspirative drought stress. Contrary to our predictions, our site at the timberline (northern extent of continuous forest) exhibited some of the largest annual growth increments of all locations that we studied, likely due to the more nutrient-rich mineral soils at this location relative to the predominantly organic soils at southern study sites. The timberline site, as well as our northern treeline and southern treeline sites have all demonstrated increasing growth trends over time. Results suggest that the growth trend at the two northernmost sites is driven by positive responses to climatic variables that influenced the length and temperature of the growing season. At the southern site, moisture balance in the system appeared to be the most important climatic influence on growth, and the stable carbon isotope record of the trees at this site revealed a trend that may be indicative of carbon fertilization. The only decreasing trend in productivity that we found was in a discontinuous permafrost peatland site that has experienced dramatic changes to the landscape as a result of permafrost thaw. We attribute the decreasing productivity at this site to permafrost-induced drought stress, which is supported by results of stable carbon isotope analysis. Understanding the variability in growth responses to climate change of widespread tree species such as black spruce is crucial to predicting boreal forest resilience in the northern regions of Canada.
A systematic realist review of the Canadian land claims co-management board literature
Snook, Jamie (1,5) (Presenter), A. Cunsolo (2), J. Ford (3), C. Furgal (4) and S. Harper (5)
(1) Torngat Wildlife, Plants and Fisheries Secretariat, Happy Valley-Goose Bay NL, Canada
(2) Labrador Institute of Memorial University, Happy Valley-Goose Bay NL, Canada
(3) University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
(4) Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
(5) University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada
For hundreds of years, Indigenous and Western systems of relating to wildlife have existed independently of each other. Over time, many of these systems eventually interacted and evolved into formal co-management regimes. Since 1973, the Government of Canada has signed 26 comprehensive land claim agreements with Indigenous people in British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador. These agreements outline processes, roles, and responsibilities for the co-management of wildlife in these settlement regions. A systematic realist literature review was conducted to identify primary research published in peer-reviewed journals and dissertations about Canadian Land Claim Boards. Three academic aggregator databases (ProQuest, Web of Science, and JStor) were searched for articles published from 1973-2016. Two independent reviewers completed a two-part screening process using a series of inclusion and exclusion questions in DistillerSR software: first, articles were screened by titles and abstracts for relevance. Second, included articles then went through a full-text screening. Articles that met the inclusion criteria were analyzed and synthesized based on geographic location, the disciplinary lens of the research, and then further analyzed to determine the preconditions, characteristics, and outcomes of the co-management processes to date. The search strategy returned 8,650 articles, 194 were selected for a full-text review, of which xx were relevant and analyzed. Preliminary results revealed several main themes: the land claims co-management network in Canada is robust and growing; co-management in land claim regions was often present prior to land claim settlements; quality relationships and social capital among all actors is essential; co-management is often about managing relationships rather than resources; there are gender disparities in co-management Boards; and Indigenous access to renewable resources such as whales, caribou, and polar bear is often challenged by these systems; finding ways to integrate multiple knowledge sources and ways of knowing has been a persistent challenge; and unequal power relationships between Indigenous and state governance structures are well documented. The analysis of the co-management literature 1) characterized the structures and actions of Indigenous co-management boards related to land claims in Canada; 2) analyzed the ways in which these co-management structures are impacting conservation, harvesting decisions, and Indigenous sovereignty; and 3) characterized the principles of co-management structures that are working well, in addition to their performance in times of stress. This analysis offers insights for existing co-management regimes to enhance their work, for Indigenous nations still negotiating land claims to consider what they hope the intended outcomes will be from their emerging systems and highlights research gaps and areas for future inquiry.
The Inuvialuit settlement region beluga summit: Setting an empowered stage for community traditional knowledge sharing
Snow, Kathleen (1) (Presenter), J. Lam (2), C. Pokiak (3), L. Loseto (1) and S.Ostertag (1)
(1) Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Longueuil QC, Canada
(2) Joint Secretariat - Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Canada
(3) Fisheries Joint Management Committee - Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Inuvik NT, Canada
The Beluga Summit was held in Inuvik, NT Canada in February 2016. This 4-day conference was partly a celebration of the more than 30 years of research, monitoring and co-management of belugas whales/qilalugaq under the Inuvialuit Final Agreement. The organizers of the Summit strove to create a more inclusive and empowered space for Inuvialuit to share their traditional knowledge of belugas with research and managers, as well as between communities. The Summit brought together key stakeholders that do not normally have the opportunity to share knowledge about the Eastern Beaufort Beluga whale and to provide input for future research and management priorities. The Summit strove to be a qualitatively different sort of conference by providing a space and platform for communities to drive the conversation around beluga research, management and knowledge around Inuvialuit community priorities and interests. In doing so, this conference was able to fundamentally shift the dialogue around wildlife research and management to one that better respected and reflected the Inuvialuit perspective. This presentation will provide an overview of the differences between past roles of Inuvialuit and the shift that was demonstrated at the Beluga Summit. We will review the steps taken from the community engagement at the planning stages to the delivery of the Summit and the post-Summit deliverables that helped facilitate a unique and powerful sharing of traditional knowledge in a conference setting. The presentation will conclude with some key highlights and messages from Inuvialuit traditional knowledge holders.
Divided alliances: A discussion of the factors impacting persistence decisions made by Inuit students transitioning to post secondary
Snow, Kathy (1), D. Obed (2) (Presenter), M. O'Gorman (3) and S. Tulloch (3)
(1) Cape Breton University, Sydney NS, Canada
(2) Saint Mary's University, Halifax NS, Canada
(3) University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Although there are a growing number of Inuit students graduating high school and entering post-secondary education, the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students’ university completion continues to grow (Parkin, 2015). Very little literature exists to describe the factors impacting post-secondary transition from a student perspective but is instead framed in institutional needs (retention and attrition). This research set out to directly respond the collaborative call from ArcticNet and Inuit Tapariit Kanatami’s (ITK) Amaujaq National Centre for Inuit Education who identified the need for more evidence to support understanding of grade transitions, as well as evaluating success of these transitions using Inuit-specific indicators. Our research questions, developed in collaboration with ITK set out to provide insight from narratives shared by recent graduates, current post-secondary candidates and leavers about the factors that impacted their decisions to persist in the pursuit of post-secondary education. In this presentation we will share the preliminary findings from the first round of face-to-face and skype semi-structured interviews undertaken from February- June 2017 (n=11). From participant responses six major themes have begun to emerge which can be separated into to categories or pre and post transition. In reflections pre-transition or the factors which impacted ability and motivation to persist in K-12 participants identified: personal accountability, socio-economic status and Inuit identity development as key issues impacting their ability to graduate from High school and to attempt post-secondary. However, during transition, reflections on the experience of post-secondary students identified a further three factors that impacted persistence: culture shock; external responsibilities and relevancy of programs and content. With specific examples from participant stories this presentation will share an analysis of the themes with potential implications for facilitating grade 12/post secondary transition for education stakeholders.
The Arctic Flora of Canada and Alaska project
Sokoloff, Paul C. (1) (Presenter), J.M. Saarela (1) and L.J. Gillespie (1)
(1) Centre for Arctic Knowledge and Exploration, and National Herbarium of Canada, Botany Section, Research and Collections, Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa ON, Canada
The Arctic Flora of Canada and Alaska project aims to produce a new flora treating all vascular plants (ca. 800 species) in the Arctic ecozone in Canada and northern Alaska. Our research team includes botanists from Canada, Norway, and the United States, and is being led by researchers at the Canadian Museum of Nature. We are using a web platform to move the Flora beyond traditional standards, and to produce a treatment that is digital and interactive, taking full advantage of current web and database technologies. The flora will include parallel taxon descriptions, dichotomous keys, detailed nomenclatural data, common names, information on traditional uses, taxonomic comments, and will be richly illustrated with photographs taken in the field and of herbarium specimens showing characters important for accurate identification. Tracking specimens examined will allow future verification of distributional and descriptive data, and will facilitate production of dynamic distribution maps. The Arctic Flora of Canada and Alaska website (http://arcticplants.myspecies.info) will be updated with content on an ongoing basis. The Flora will eventually serve as the key source of information for anybody who requires accurate and up-to-date information on the Arctic flora, including those involved in Arctic terrestrial monitoring, students in the north and elsewhere, and the international botanical community. It will also serve as an up-to-date source of baseline information on plant biodiversity in one of the worlds’ most climate-threatened ecosystems.
The flora of High Arctic research stations: new collections to monitor long-term change
Sokoloff, Paul C. (1) (Presenter), J.M. Saarela (1), L.J. Gillespie (1) and R.T. McMullin (1)
(1) Centre for Arctic Knowledge and Exploration, and National Herbarium of Canada, Botany Section, Research and Collections, Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa ON, Canada
Documenting floristic diversity is a continuous process; after a baseline is established future collections made at a location can confirm the persistence of species previously known, or can document the occurrence of previously unknown species in the studied area. In the Canadian High Arctic, one of the most rapidly changing ecosystems on Earth, baseline knowledge on local vascular plant biodiversity is based on collections made over the last two centuries and has been synthesized in reports, books, and peer-reviewed literature. Among the best collected areas in the High Arctic, and therefore the best-known botanically, are communities (such as Resolute) and scientific research stations. Annotated checklists of vascular plants, some published decades ago, are available for many of these locations. Such research stations are ideal locations for monitoring floristic change in the Arctic because they are generally easy to access and are usually occupied through the summer months by researchers who could be trained to monitor local plant communities. Additionally, anthropogenic disturbance around these stations, and consistent personnel travel to and from the south, provide potential habitat and pathways for species introduction at these sites. There is therefore a pressing need to periodically re-inventory plant diversity at these stations in an effort to monitor local ecosystem change, both for climate-change induced range shifts, and for the introduction of invasive plant species. In 2017, we conducted a lichen biodiversity survey of the Canadian High Arctic; these organisms are poorly known in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. In addition to over 500 lichen specimens we made 463 new vascular plant collections at four High Arctic research stations and logistics hubs: Resolute on Cornwallis Island, the McGill Arctic Research Station on Axel Heiberg Island, and Eureka and Lake Hazen on Ellesmere Island. These collections, and existing specimens from these sites found in herbaria across Canada, will be used to develop taxonomically-updated checklists of vascular plants specific to these locations for use in long-term monitoring, in addition to the first comprehensive baseline for High Arctic lichen diversity.
Bridging barriers to Inuit youth engagement in locally relevant science and research
Solomon, Eric (1) (Presenter), S. Elverum (2) (Presenter) and M. Otokiak (3)
(1) Ikaarvik/Ocean Wise, Vancouver BC, Canada
(2) Ikaarvik, Pond Inlet NU, Canada
(3) Ikaarvik, Cambridge Bay NU, Canada
Ikaarvik: Barriers to Bridges is a made-in-Nunavut program that works with northern youth to be the bridge between research and their communities. Youth explore the strengths of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ, Inuit Knowledge) and the strengths of science as two separate but compatible ways of knowing, describing and understanding the natural world. They discuss ways the two can be used together to address issues of local concern and identify issues their communities face that might be addressed through a combined IQ/scientific research project. These ideas and issues are shared with the community and a set of research priorities is identified. Ikaarvik then connects the community with researchers who have the capacity and interest to work as partners with the community’s youth to address one or more of their research priorities. Together, the researcher and the youth work with the community to develop and conduct a research project that meets the needs of the community. Youth are active participants throughout the process, playing an important role in development of the project, data collection and validation, interpretation of the results and communication about the project to the community. Ikaarvik gives Inuit youth the time and space to develop their skills, confidence and passion for creating meaningful partnerships with researchers, and for building a strong foundation for community-driven research. Ikaarvik began in Pond Inlet, NU, in 2010 as a way to get youth and the community more engaged in scientific research, and ensure the community’s needs were being met through research being conducted in the region. As winner of the 2013 Arctic Inspiration Prize, Ikaarvik expanded and has since worked with youth in Kugluktuk, Gjoa Haven and Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, in addition to continued work in Pond Inlet. Over the next 6 months, Ikaarvik will also be working with youth in Salluit, Nunavik, Nain, Nunatsiavut, Arctic Bay and Qikiqtarjuaq in Nunavut. The program has worked with communities on such issues as shipping impacts, invasive species, water quality and changing sea ice conditions, and facilitated community partnerships with researchers from DFO, University of Ottawa, Laval University and Memorial University. In this presentation, we will discuss the successes and challenges of the program, and discuss how the Ikaarvik model can be applied in other communities and with a variety of research projects.
Northern housing - energy efficient design vs 'as occupied' energy use
Soroczan, Cate (1) (Presenter)
(1) Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Ottawa ON, Canada
The provision of energy makes up a significant portion of operational costs for housing corporations across the Territories. Within the Public Housing portfolio the NWT Housing Corporation (NWTHC) provides the full cost of heating while tenants pay $0.09 kW/h electricity (NWTCH, 2012). NWTHC reported that operating expenditures for 2014-15 were $99.7 million of which 26% ($26.4 million) was directed to utility costs for their public housing stock. In Nunavut, the Nunavut Housing Corporation spent approximately $43 million on heat and electricity in 2012-2013. This has been identified as a “major burden to the Government of Nunavut” and that construction of new units will “put a strain on the Nunavut Housing Corporation and, in turn, the Government of Nunavut to provide operations and maintenance costs for those units.” CMHC has supported a number of studies examining the energy consumption rates of northern housing including the northern sustainable houses in Inuvik and Arviat as well as more recent analysis of energy efficient multi-unit buildings in Whitehorse. These studies document the design and construction of units designed to exceed current energy requirements; however, depending on the specific unit, actual energy consumption can range significantly - highlighting the importance of occupant behaviour on energy use and the need for ongoing education and support. This presentation will summarize recently completed work and speak to current and future initiatives.
Sustainability and population in the Canadian Northern coastal communities: The impacts of resource development
Southcott, Chris (1) (Presenter)
(1) Lakehead University, Thunder Bay ON Canada and Yukon College, Whitehorse YK, Canada
Which coastal communities in the Canadian North have proven to be the most sustainable and which have been the least sustainable? This presentation looks at population numbers as a crude indicator of sustainability. Using data from the Canadian Census from 1991 to 2016 we try and isolate which communities in the Canadian North have populations that are either stable or growing during this period and which communities have shown declines. Using regression and other types of analysis we try and isolate the main characteristics of communities that are not in decline. The impact of extractive resource development on population shifts will be discussed. Problems with using census population data will also be discussed.
Institutional dimensions of Northern adaptation to climate change: The Canadian case
Spence, Jennifer (1) (Presenter) and F. Abele (1)
(1) Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
Many northern communities have developed substantial capacity in research design, implementation and communication –despite the absence of a university in the territorial north and the consequent relative rarity of researchers eligible for granting council funding. We examine experience with an innovative federal program that directly funded community research on adaptation to the health implications of climate change. Our findings suggest that this program provides a helpful model for further research at the community level, although significant institutional development is required to ensure that maximum benefits are gained.
“Nothing is safe anymore” - risk perceptions of drinking water
Spicer, Neal (1) (Presenter) and B. Parlee (1)
(1) University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
Maintaining viable sources of clean drinking water is a challenge for many people across the planet including many First Nations communities in northern Canada. Despite seemingly abundant fresh water sources as well as inherent and Treaty rights of First Nations to reliable and viable drinking water resources, many First Nations within Canada live in a state of ‘water insecurity’. Such water insecurity is increasingly highlighted as a technical problem (i.e., lack of infrastructure). However, there has been limited conversation about the non-technical dimensions of the problem including the role of risk perception in drinking water choices including the purchase and consumption of bottled water. My research examines the factors that influence drinking water preferences and consumption patterns among households in two northern Canadian First Nation communities (K'atl'odeeche First Nation and Dene Tha’ First Nations). The research offers insights into the perceptions of both drinking water from the “land” as well as household drinking water sources. Key questions of the study included: what water sources – tap, bottled, or filtered water, or other - do people drink within the home and why? What water sources do community members utilize while out on the land hunting and fishing and why? What various concerns do they have surrounding their drinking water, both currently and in the future? Additional questions were asked about delivery and testing practices in an attempt to better understand the process and the basis for people’s concerns within the home. Based on 99 semi-structured interviews, with Dene Tha’ First Nations (DTFN) and K’atl’odeeche First Nation (KFN) during 2016 and 2017, the research outcomes suggest that bottled water consumption is higher in Dene Tha’ First Nations communities owing to perceptions that both the water from the land and household drinking water (delivered) is unsafe to drink. These perceptions are well rooted in the lived experience of the First Nation with extensive resource extraction and multiple water quality advisories in recent years. . The work contributes to the growing literature on the state of drinking water in Canada that focused on the perceptions, preferences and consumption patterns of Indigenous communities. As freshwater resources become increasingly scarce around the world, and the health inequities experienced by Indigenous communities persist, addressing the limited access of First Nations to clean drinking water becomes more urgent. More research is needed into providing meaningful solutions to address these inequities of access to clean drinking water in northern Canada and elsewhere.
Learning from the past to deal with future: Building community capitals through knowledge to ensure food security in the Tsá Tué Biosphere Reserve
Spring, Andrew (1) (Presenter), A. Blay-Palmer (1), D. Simmons (2) and W. Bayha (3)
(1) Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON Canada
(2) Sahtu Renewable Resources Board, Tulita NT, Canada
(3) Tsá Tué Biosphere Reserve, Deline NT Canada
The community of Deline, located in the UNESCO Tsá Tué Biosphere Reserve, is experiencing the impacts of climate change on the lands surrounding Great Bear Lake, in Canada’s Northwest Territories. These impacts are limiting the community’s ability to access the land to support their food system. This presentation details a participatory action research approach, driven by the community, to develop a community food security action plan to deal with the uncertainties of a changing climate on the food system. Using the Community Capitals Framework (CCF), which include natural, social, cultural, financial, built, human and political capitals, the complex nature of the community’s food system is described and discussed in terms of the availability or depletion of these capitals. The impacts of climate change on these capitals, and the needs identified by the community to aid in adaptation and foster a more resilient food system. For Deline, the theme of self-sufficiency emerged out of concerns that climate change is impacting reliable access to supplies from the south and that building and maintaining both social and cultural capital was key to achieving food security in an uncertain future. Learning from the past and sharing traditional knowledge was a key element of food security planning. However, other types of knowledge, such as research and monitoring the health of the land, and building capacity of the community through training, were also important aspects of adaptation planning in the community. This knowledge, in its many forms, may assist the community in determining its own direction for achieving food security, and offers a glimpse into food sovereignty in Canada’s North.
Exploration of dimethylsulfide dynamics in contrasted marine environments of the Canadian Artic Archipelago using a high-resolution continuous measurement method (ACT-MIMS)
St-Onge, Joanie (1) (Presenter), M. Lizotte (1), G. Massé (1), J-É. Tremblay (1) and M. Levasseur (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFResults from recent scientific research suggest that emissions of dimethylsulfide (DMS), a climate-active biogenic gas, could increase in the Arctic as a result of reductions in snow cover, sea ice extent and thickness, in addition to the increase in seasonal ice melt. Using a novel automated instrument (ACT-MIMS), DMS samples were collected at high frequency in the surface waters of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA) during summer 2017 aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Amundsen. The methodology developed allows the extraction and trapping of dissolved DMS from seawater via a semi-permeable membrane and a cryo-trapping unit, respectively, followed by subsequent analysis by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Preliminary results reveal that DMS concentrations ranged from ca. 1 to 20 nmol L-1 in the study area that covered roughly 10,000 km and crossed contrasting marine environments from coastal to open ocean ice-free waters, as well as under-ice waters. This range of values is comparable to previous studies conducted in the CAA during the summers of 2015 (1 to 18 nmol L-1) and 2016 (1.5 to 30 nmol L-1), using similar high-frequency measuring systems. Surface water DMS hotspots included those associated with high chl a concentrations in addition to the presence of ponded first year ice (FYI). Further exploration of the rich 2017 marine DMS dataset, in association with ancillary measurements including salinity, temperature, nutrients, net community production, chl a, light, ice concentration, and the precursor of DMS, dimethylsulfoniopropionate, will provide insight into the complex dynamics of DMS in the Arctic and will help ascertain the impacts of ongoing and future climate change on oceanic DMS distributions in the Arctic.
Measuring the evolution of Supraglacial Streams: Fountain Glacier, Bylot Island, Nunavut
St. Germain, Sarah (1) (Presenter) and B. Moorman (1)
(1) University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
Supraglacial streams are channels that exist on the surface of a glacier or ice sheet during the summer season. They are a significant part of the glacial hydrological system and important for understanding the connection between glacial hydrology and dynamics. As such, determining the processes influencing stream development is important. The aim of this research is to determine the evolution and processes influencing the formation of supraglacial streams and the unique canyons. A supraglacial stream channel incises when the streambed erosion is greater than the ablation rate of the surrounding glacier. Typically, supraglacial streams vary in size from a few centimeters to several meters in depth and width. On Fountain Glacier, Bylot Island, there are a number of supraglacial streams of varying sizes, including two large streams that have eroded canyons up to 25 m deep and 90 m wide. During the summers of 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, and 2017 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were used to collect imagery of Fountain Glacier. The position of ground control points (GCPs) was determined using a Trimble Real Time Kinematic (RTK) Global Positioning System (GPS) system. The combination of imagery and GCPs allowed for the generation of orthorectified images and a digital elevation models (DEMs). Using the orthophotos and DEMs seven supraglacial streams on Fountain Glacier were examined in detail and measurements of sinuosity, slope, valley width, and stream incision were determined over time. In addition, direct observations and hydrologic measurements, such as the presence of step-pools, location of snow tunnels, stream depth, width, and discharge were estimated. Results show that slope is strongly correlated with increased sinuosity and deeply incised channels. As slope increases, meander bends become unstable and create cut-offs, this increases stream valley width. Within the largest canyon, eight cutoffs occurred in a seven-year period. These cutoffs mainly resulted from intersecting meanders necks, snow avalanches diverting water, and crevasses influencing water direction. The largest canyon, which flows in a west to east direction, also shows significant influence from solar radiation. The north-facing canyon wall is vertical, while the south-facing wall has a 30 degree slope, indicating the role solar radiation plays in the enlargement of the canyon. It was also found that crevasses can cause small streams to divert from previous developed channels, rapidly forming narrow straight channels. In a small centrally located stream where this had just occurred, the sinuosity was measured at 1.02. One year later, the sinuosity in the same channel had increased to 1.1 as meanders had begun to reform and grow. There are several implications of these results. A feedback exists where, as the stream increases in size, the streambed incises faster, and the possibility of the stream forming an englacial tunnel increases. If a englacial/subglacial tunnel forms, the glacier bed may become lubricated, enhancing ice flow, transporting ice to warmer lower elevations faster, thus accelerating melt rates. Therefore, determining the evolution and processes influencing the formation of supraglacial streams is imperative for understanding the connection between glacial hydrology and dynamics.
Climate drives catchment-wide changes in mercury cycling in the High Arctic's largest lake (Lake Hazen, Nunavut, Canada)
St. Pierre, Kyra (1) (Presenter), V. St. Louis (1), I. Lehnherr (2), A. Gardner (3), J. Serbu (1), L. Szostek (1), D. Muir (4), and C. Talbot (4)
(1) University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
(2) University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga ON, Canada
(3) NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena CA, USA
(4) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington ON, Canada
Across the Arctic, glaciers are melting and permafrost is thawing at unprecedented rates, potentially releasing not only water to downstream aquatic systems but also contaminants, like methylmercury (MeHg) and total mercury (THg), archived in ice and soils over centuries. The Lake Hazen watershed, located in Quttinirpaaq National Park, on northern Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada (81.8°N, 71.8°W) has warmed considerably since the start of the century, but how this has impacted the cycling of both MeHg and THg through the entire arctic freshwater continuum is yet unknown. Combining quantitative surveys of snow, glacial meltwaters, permafrost thaw streams and lakes, conducted between 2014 and 2017, we calculate annual mass balances of MeHg and THg for Lake Hazen, the world’s largest high arctic lake by volume. We highlight the seasonality of the high arctic freshwater mercury cycle. Annually, glacial rivers were the most important source of mercury (0.25 ± 0.19 kg MeHg yr-1; 9.3 ± 8.3 kg THg yr-1) to Lake Hazen, accounting for more than 90% of the inputs to the lake; however, this mercury was largely particulate-bound and deposited to the depths of the lake, making the lake itself a MeHg and THg sink. Lake Hazen outputs to the Ruggles River were consequently very low (0.026 ± 0.014 kg MeHg yr-1; 2.0 ± 1.1 kg THg yr-1), but erosion and permafrost slumping downstream of the lake increased Ruggles River MeHg and THg concentrations before waters flowed into Chandler Fjord. Dramatic increases in melt since 2001 have increased MeHg and THg release to Lake Hazen from glacial archives by 0.01 kg yr-1 and 0.4 kg yr-1, respectively, negating the impact of recent reductions in global emissions.
Microbial activity in the sediments of the world's largest High Arctic lake
St.Louis, Vincent (1) (Presenter), K. St.Pierre (1), I. Lehnherr (2), A. Poulain (3) and C. Talbot (4)
(1) University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
(2) University of Toronto-Mississauga, Mississauga ON, Canada
(3) University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, Canada
(4) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington ON, Canada
High Arctic landscapes are rapidly warming due to human induced climate changes, with predicted summer near-surface air temperatures increasing up to 3 oC by 2100. Such warming will have important consequences for Arctic freshwater ecosystems. In fact, Lake Hazen, located in Quttinirpaaq National Park on northern Ellesmere Island, and by volume, the largest lake north of the Arctic Circle, has already succumbed to climate warming with only a ~1 oC relative increase in recent summer air temperatures. A large portion of the changes in the Lake Hazen watershed were driven by increasing glacial melt, which altered the lake’s hydrology and increased the delivery of sediment, organic carbon (OC) and nutrients by ten-fold relative to background levels. For example, OC accumulation rates in the sediments of this ultra-oligotrophic High Arctic lake are now similar to or exceed those found in boreal and northern temperate lakes. These enhanced inputs of OC and nutrients are likely enhancing rates of microbial activity and altering redox potential in Lake Hazen sediments. Between 2014-17, we collected intact sediment cores from Lake Hazen at numerous locations and depths in spring and summer seasons. At each location, we used an automated UNISENSE microprofiling system and microsensors to obtain detailed profiles of dissolve oxygen, redox and pH on one of the cores. Another core was sectioned at 5 mm intervals, after which sections were centrifuged to extract porewaters for analyses of dissolved NO3/NO2/NH3, SO4 and P concentrations. The water overlying sediments was also analysed for a suite of chemical parameters. We also used high throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons to assess the ecological linkages between sediment geochemistry and microbial community structure. First and foremost, we found that the sediments of this deep and cold High Arctic lake were very microbially active. At most sites and depths, heterotrophic activity resulted in complete oxygen depletion within 2-10 mm of the sediment water interface. This heterotrophic activity also drew down oxygen concentrations in the bottom 50 meters of the lake itself over the winter, while simultaneously increasing concentrations of CO2 there. Concentrations of NH3 typically increased with depth in the sediments, whereas concentrations of NO3/NO2 declined with depth. Depending on the site, SO4 concentrations increased, decreased or did not change with depth. Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Chloroflexi dominated the sediment microbial communities of Lake Hazen. Subsequent analyses including functional mapping, ordination and machine learning showed that both taxonomic and functional microbial diversity in the sediments were shaped by redox gradients. While different sites within Lake Hazen had phylogenetically distinct communities, their inferred functional potential demonstrated functional redundancy possibly affecting the recycling of C, N and S nutrients. These data establish a current 'baseline' for microbial activities in Lake Hazen sediments, from which future studies following further warming can be compared.
A changing freshwater regime in the Hudson Bay Drainage Basin
Stadnyk, Tricia (1) (Presenter), M. Macdonald (1), S. J. Déry (2) and K. Koenig (3)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George BC, Canada
(3) Manitoba Hydro, Winnipeg MB, Canada
The Hudson Bay Drainage Basin (HBDB) comprises over a third of Canada’s land mass and contains important hydroelectric infrastructure and agricultural land. Freshwater systems, particularly changes in freshwater runoff, could play an important role for the HBDB marine environment, and are therefore included in the HBDB Integrated Regional Impact Studies (IRIS). Analyses of historical runoff trends show increasing runoff in recent decades (1990-2010), with the most significant increases occurring to winter discharge. Discharge projections into Hudson Bay are also characterized from 2021-2070 relative to a 1981-2010 reference period using a regional implementation of the Arctic-HYPE hydrological model, with existing flow regulation practices held constant. Results contribute to the freshwater systems chapter of the Hudson Bay IRIS. Nineteen simulations from the CMIP5 climate modeling experiment and two representative concentration pathways (RCPs, 4.5 and 8.5) are used to force the hydrological model and derive various runoff scenarios for the HBDB. Annual runoff over the majority of the HBDB is projected to increase, with the greatest increases projected for Québec and on Baffin Island. Projected increases in discharge are greatest furthest north, into Foxe Basin, Ungava Bay and Hudson Strait, exceeding 10% above historical annual means as a result of increasing precipitation. Little change in annual runoff is projected to occur across the Canadian prairies, consistent with increasing precipitation and temperature that is offset by increasing evapotranspiration. These results have implications for future floods, water supply and changing hydroelectric generating capacity in Canada. Projections provided as part of the HBDB IRIS support increasing river discharge into pan-Arctic coastal oceans in general.
Regime shift: wildlife co-management and institutional reboot
Staples, Lindsay (1) (Presenter)
(1) Wildlife Management Advisory Council (North Slope), Whitehorse YT, Canada
Wildlife and environmental co-management organizations established under land claim agreements created more than simply a new layer of boards and committees with which federal and territorial governments and their agencies are to consult. They introduced a new suite of institutional arrangements founded on joint planning and management amongst Inuit and state governments that link arctic communities and peoples to national and international governance. The Inuvialuit, the Inuvialuit Final Agreement and the IFA’s co-management organizations played an important role and continue to do so in this historic institutional shift. The effects and legal consequences of the IFA are traced from territorial and federal wildlife legislation to CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), and from participation and impact and benefits agreements to the re-drafting of the 2012 Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. This progress is considered against the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and Canada’s removal of its objector status in May 2016.
Regional patterns of benthic-pelagic coupling and benthic food web structure in the Beaufort Sea and Amundsen Gulf: Combining stable isotopes and functional traits
Stasko, Ashley (1) (Presenter), B. Bluhm (2), P. Archambault (3), C. Michel (4), S. MacPhee (4), J. Eert (5), A. Majewski (4), J. Reist (4), H. Swanson (1) and M. Power (1)
(1) University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON, Canada
(2) UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromso, Troms, Norway
(3) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(4) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(5) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Institute for Ocean Sciences, Sidney BC, Canada
Loss of sea ice due to climate change is predicted to favour pelagic over benthic production in Arctic shelf ecosystems. Consequent reductions in the quality and quantity of organic matter reaching the seafloor will likely affect benthic-pelagic coupling and benthic food web function. We coupled stable isotope ratios (d15N and d13C) with trophic functional traits for 113 fish and invertebrates to examine how functional food web structure varied with water mass structure and indicators of benthic food supply across the Canadian Beaufort Sea and Amundsen Gulf. Isotopic niche metrics suggested that benthic-pelagic food web coupling weakened eastwards across three regions and was (1) strongest west of the Mackenzie River where sinking flux of pelagic particulate organic matter (POM) is known to be high, (2) intermediate on the Mackenzie Shelf where riverine inputs dominate the sediment, and (3) lowest in the Amundsen Gulf where strong pelagic grazing can limit POM sinking flux to the benthos. Within regions, benthic-pelagic trophic coupling was consistently weakest in slope habitats underlying the transition between Pacific- and Atlantic-origin waters near shelf-break (200-350 m). Benthic communities near the shelf edge had a relatively diverse set of trophic functional traits relative to inshore communities, presumably to exploit pulsed food inputs associated with dynamic shelf-break hydrography. Functional redundancy was low across much of the region, suggesting that benthic food web function will be sensitive to species loss. This work presents the first comprehensive study of offshore (> 200 m) benthic food web structure in the region, and highlights linkages between food web structure and environmental drivers.
Progress in modelling coupled sympagic-pelagic ecosystems in the Canadian Arctic
Steiner, Nadja (1,2) (Presenter), H. Hayashida (2), E. Mortenson (2), A. Monahan (2), and T. Sou (1)
(1) Institute of Ocean Sciences, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Sidney BC, Canada
(2) School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
The presentation summarizes recent progress in coupling sympagic (ice-associated) and pelagic ecosystems using 1-D and 3 D model approaches. The 1-D model studies highlight processes relevant to adequately represent magnitude and phenology of ice algal growth, as well as carbon and sulfur fluxes in the vicinity of sea ice during the seasonal progression. 3-D model studies highlight gaps and issues when transferring parameterisations from 1-D to 3-D as 3-D models often do not allow for the high complexity in parameterisations available in models. Particularly relevant is the parameterisation of light transmission through snow and ice, however growth and grazing parametrizations play an integral part in adequately representing the seasonal evolution of ice and ocean primary production and the development of a deep chlorophyll maximum in the Arctic. We will be presenting results from 1D modelling studies at Resolute Bay in the Canadian Arctic and 3 D modelling efforts from a regional model of the Arctic with focus on the western Canadian Arctic.
Climate change impacts on subsistence fisheries in the Western Canadian Arctic – a case study
Steiner, Nadja (1) (Presenter), W. Cheung (2), A.-C. Montemayor (2), H. Drost (3,1), C. Hoover (4,1), J. Lam (5), L. Loseto (1), L. Miller (1), R. Sumaila (2), P. Suprenand (6), T. Sou (1), T. Tai (2) and D. VanderZwaag (7)
(1) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Longueuil QC, Canada
(2) UBC Fisheries Center, Vancouver BC, Canada
(3) Sheluqun Environmental Consulting, Salt Spring Island BC, Canada
(4) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(5) Inuvialuit Game Council, Inuvik NT, Canada
(6) Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota FL, United States
(7) Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, Canada
This presentation will summarize a case study developed as part of the AMAP Arctic Ocean Acidification Assessment and the Ocean Canada Partnership. The study assesses the impacts of ocean acidification and other climate related stressors on the marine ecosystem and analyzes potential multi-stressor responses of key Arctic fish species relevant for subsistence fisheries. The study is an interactive and iterative process using a combination of modelling and analysis tools as follows: 1. Analyze past observed trends; 2. perform projection simulations with a regional Arctic climate model for 2006-2085, allowing trend estimates on 20-50 year timescales; 3. feed climate model output into species distribution/habitat suitability and higher trophic level Ecosim/ecopath models; 4. assess physiological responses and thresholds in marine species via literature research and focused lab experiments (e.g. cardio-respiratory) and include results into the models above; 5. assess socio-economic impacts via economic models, evaluation of current fishery-economic activities, and discussions with the communities/community representatives; and 6. assess policy/law implications. The first iteration of this process provides the base for the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP) Arctic Ocean Acidification Assessment Case Study #5, recognizing that refinements and uncertainty analyses are required for the individual components as well as the overall procedure. With respect to step 3, 4 and 5, the study includes a general summary of species as information is available, then highlights the key species Boreogadus Saida (Arctic cod). Other highlight species are to be determined based on input from the communities. In addition to climate change related stressors, the process allows to include impacts related to resource development, e.g. noise and increased ocean acidification due to methane and hydrocarbon release.
What is the intra-seasonal dynamic of rapid ice-rich permafrost degradation? High spatiotemporal resolution SAR remote sensing introduces new temporal scales in studies of riverbanks in the Lena Delta
Stettner, Samuel (1) (Presenter), A. Bartsch (2,3), B. Heim (1), A. Beamish (1), G. Grosse (1), A. Roth (4) and H. Lantuit (1)
(1) Alfred Wegener Institute, Potsdam, Germany
(2) b.geos, Korneuburg, Austria
(3) Austrian Polar Research Institute, Vienna, Austria
(4) German Aerospace Center, Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Arctic warming is leading to substantial changes of permafrost including erosion by the rapid degradation of ice- and organic-rich coasts and riverbanks. Existing remote sensing studies on Arctic riverbank erosion commonly show annual net rates of erosion due to limited data availability. Remote locations and frequent cloud cover impact systematic analyses of in-situ and optical remote sensing data. Consequently the intra seasonal dynamics of riverbank cliff top erosion as a form of rapid permafrost degradation remain poorly understood. We address this monitoring and research gap by combining high spatiotemporal resolution time-series of X-Band microwave satellite data from the TerraSAR-X (TSX) platform, which are cloud and illumination independent, with conventional optical remote sensing and in-situ measurements of erosion rates. We use these data in order to derive intra- and inter-annual cliff top erosion rates of an ice-rich Yedoma permafrost riverbank in the central Lena Delta from 2013 to 2015. The cliff was orientated perpendicular to the line of sight of the descending TerraSAR-X orbit used in this study. Because of foreshortening effects, bare ground conditions and high surface roughness of the cliff we could differentiate it from the stable, vegetated and planar tundra landscape using a backscatter threshold. The cliff top, which represents the boundary between both units, was automatically derived from TSX and a systematic analysis and filtering of cliff top retreat data was performed. Seasonal and annual TSX derived erosion dynamics were similar to in-situ and optical data though the variability of TSX data was higher and increased from 2013 to 2015. Consistent erosion was observed from June to September in all years with no significant seasonal trends across the thawing season. However, mean cliff top erosion rates derived from 22-day intervals (2 orbital passes of TSX) varied significantly between years from 1.7 to 2.1 to 2 m/22 days in 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. The net cliff top erosion varied significantly between 4.1, 6.9 and 5.1 m in 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. Though annual cliff top erosion increased, the median backscatter intensity on the cliff surface decreased from -4.7 to -6.1 to -6.7 dB from 2013 to 2015, respectively. This effect maybe be the result of partial terrain flattening and revegetation of previously active cliff sections and thus could indicate cliff stabilization. According to constructed linear mixed models precipitation had the greatest influence on erosion in 2013 and 2015, while in 2014 incoming shortwave radiation had the greatest influence. Our findings show that rapid degradation at ice-rich permafrost cliff tops occurs consistently and without strong seasonality throughout the entire thawing season and precipitation and incoming shortwave radiation have the greatest influence on erosional activity. Overall, we conclude that with appropriate filtering high temporal and spatial resolution TerraSAR-X backscatter time-series can successfully be used to complement optical and in-situ methods of permafrost cliff erosion monitoring by providing reliable information about intra-seasonal dynamics.
Wising Up: Sharing knowledge between North and South
Stoller, Mark (1) (Presenter), J. Luedee (1) and P. Johnston (2)
(1) University of British Columbia, Department of Geography, Vancouver BC, Canada
(2) University of British Columbia, School of Social Work, Vancouver BC, Canada
The Wising Up Arctic Education Program at the University of British Columbia (UBC) is a multi-year pilot project designed to evaluate the benefits of Arctic-based online education modules at the undergraduate level. Like other Canadian universities, UBC offers only a limited number of Arctic-based courses, and few devoted to the range of interdisciplinary research encompassed by Arctic scholarship. Through the production of online interactive modules, this program explores the merits of web-based educational tools to generate interest in and incorporate Arctic and Subarctic research into post-secondary curricula. Through the Wising Up modules, students are introduced to materials that cover contemporary issues and debates about the Arctic region. Stemming from collaboration with a range of scholars at the university specializing in Arctic issues, the project also provides instructors who are unfamiliar with Arctic issues with educational guides, readings and resources to draw these materials into their curricula and course designs. Modules are also being designed through collaboration with northerners to ensure they are relevant and current. Existing modules explore research relating to climatic and environmental change, biophysical scientific research, international relations, wildlife and environmental management, language and cultural change, and Indigenous governance. This presentation will reflect on the Wising Up Arctic Education Program, currently in its second year, and on the prospects for enhancing the availability of Arctic curricula through online learning. The project will be discussed as a model for sharing knowledge between North and South, for the potential to strengthen the impact of research and scholarship on post-secondary education, and as a means for bringing Arctic scholarship to wider audiences. The presentation will reflect insights based on recent student evaluations of the modules, as well as the potential for future engagement and collaboration with post-secondary institutions across Canada. The presentation will also reflect on past and ongoing collaboration with the Canadian Polar Commission, the Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund and numerous partner institutions at UBC.
Walleye length and the lake from where it was caught determine how beneficial and safe it is to consume
Strandberg, Ursula (1) (Presenter), S.P. Bhavsar (2), T.P. Parmar (1), I.F. Creed (3) and M.T. Arts (1)
(1) Ryerson University, Toronto ON, Canada
(2) Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change, Toronto ON, Canada
(3) Western University, London ON, Canada
Walleye (Sander vitreus) is an important fish for both the game and subsistence fisheries. Consuming Walleye may pose a significant health risk, due to elevated mercury levels, and thus consumption advisories are issued. However, excessive risk avoidance and reduced consumption of fish may also lead to reduced intake of omega-3 fatty acids, specifically EPA and DHA, which have significant health benefits for humans. We performed a risk-benefit assessment of consuming Walleye caught from different waterbodies across Ontario, to study if an adequate intake of EPA+DHA (set at 250 mg per day) is achieved when advisories are followed. It is well known that fish size and environmental factors, such lake and catchment characteristics affect mercury levels in Walleye. Much less is known about the relationship between EPA+DHA and size of Walleye and if the levels are affected by environmental factors. Thus, we further assessed how Walleye size and the lake from which it was caught affected EPA+DHA levels in relation to mercury content. Our results can be used by the public to evaluate what size of Walleye to consume in order to maximize the benefits and minimize the risk. We also provide information on how lake type affects Walleye mercury and EPA+DHA levels.
Key activities of Canada's auditor general re: Arctic affairs and sustainable development
Stuetz, George (1) (Presenter)
(1) Office of the Auditor General of Canada, Montréal QC, Canada
Supreme audit institutions (SAIs), like the Office of the Auditor General of Canada, play a major role in auditing government accounts and operations. They have different mandates but share a common responsibility to provide legislatures and their citizens with the information they need to hold governments accountable for prudent financial management, and to varying degrees for compliance with domestic laws and international agreements, policy implementation, and program performance. Created in 1995, the position of Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development (reporting to the Auditor General of Canada), has undertaken a number of activities relevant to Arctic research. Over the years, the Commissioner has addressed a number of arctic issues in their audits including: climate change, fisheries management, biodiversity, and transportation issues. Other parts of the Office have regularly addressed other issues such as education and health in the audits they have conducted. We have also reported on the development and implementation of Canada’s federal sustainable development strategy and on the environmental petitions process – a unique way for Canadians to express their concerns and ask questions on environmental issues. The process is an opportunity to directly request information and answers from federal ministers and they are required to provide answers to petitioner within a mandated time frame. Examples of petitions related to Arctic issues have included petitions on marine protected areas and environmental impact assessments. In the work we undertake, science lies at the heart of much of our work. The Commissioner’s team is made up of a core group of scientists; the Office relies on the work of scientists in supporting our audit work in terms of their research; the Office relies on the advice of scientists when we conduct our audit work; Scientists have taken advantage of our petitions process during the course of their research.
Depth profiles of geochemistry and organic carbon from permafrost and active layer soils in tundra landscapes near Lac de Gras, Northwest Territories, Canada
Subedi, Rupesh (1), S. Gruber (1) (Presenter) and S.V. Kokelj (2)
(1) Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) Northwest Territories Geological Survey, Yellowknife NT, Canada
The geochemistry of permafrost is relevant for understanding the impacts of thaw and for unravelling landscape dynamics. In this study, permafrost geochemistry and organic carbon were investigated in the Lac de Gras region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. The area represents a geomorphic and climatic setting that differs from other more intensively studied permafrost areas in northwestern Canada. Permafrost and active layer samples from 24 sites were collected in soil pits and in boreholes with depths up to 10 metres to examine the vertical and spatial distribution of water content, organic matter content and soluble cations. These varied between the active layer, near-surface permafrost and the permafrost at depth. Near-surface solute enrichment of permafrost was evident at some sites in each terrain type, but the majority of sites had lower cation contents in near-surface permafrost than in the active layer. Active layer organic materials from organic soil were often solute rich compared to till or esker mineral soils at similar depth. This difference was attributed to organic soils sequestering more solutes in the active layer, relative to underlying mineral soil permafrost. In the Lac de Gras area, the absolute concentration of soluble cations in the active layer and near-surface permafrost of mineral soils is about one order of magnitude lower than those compared to previous studies from northwestern Canada.
The geometry and statistics of tundra lakes observed in historical maps and satellite images
Sudakov, Ivan (1) (Presenter)
(1) University of Dayton, Dayton OH, United States
Greenhouse gas emissions from tundra lakes are a significant positive feedback to the atmosphere in a changing climate as a pronounced change of the numbers of tundra lakes has been observed in the Arctic region. Detailed knowledge of statistics of lake patterns in a changing arctic tundra landscape and their geometrical properties is therefore valuable in order to understand and accurately model the sources of greenhouse gas emissions from boreal permafrost. We have studied images of tundra lakes in historical topographical maps, and in satellite images. We developed an image-processing algorithm to segment these maps and images, measure the area and perimeter of each lake, and compute the fractal dimension of the lakes. Our results indicate that as lake size increases their fractal dimension bifurcates. Area-perimeter measurements indicate that lakes with a length scale greater than 70 square kilometers are power-law distributed. Also, we use obtained statistical distribution lake sizes to parametrize a conceptual model of methane emissions from tundra lakes. The model shows the conditions leading to abrupt methane emissions from tundra lakes. This is joint work with Luke Mander, Almabrok Essa, Ming Gong, and Sergey Vakulenko.
Herbivory from the Canadian arctic to the Gulf of St. Lawrence: Kelp consumption rates of the green sea urchin
Suskiewicz, Thew (1) (Presenter), K. MacGregor (1) and L. Johnson (1)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
The green sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis, is a commercially valuable herbivore found throughout cold waters in the northern hemisphere. In the north west Atlantic, local densities of this mobile herbivore frequently exceed critical thresholds, which results in ‘barren grounds.’ These barrens are largely devoid of fleshy macroalgae and are characterized by very low biodiversity and primary productivity. Despite its critical trophic role and commercial importance, little is known about the population dynamics or foraging rates of the arctic and subarctic populations. We surveyed over 30 arctic and sub-arctic sites in eastern Canada from Baffin Island to southern Labrador. Our goals were to assess the urchin population structure and measure herbivore consumption rates at each location. We compared these parameters with populations in the more southern regions of Newfoundland and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Overall, urchins were conspicuous throughout the arctic and subarctic, often exceeding densities seen in more southerly regions. Contrary to the metabolic theory of ecology (MTE), temperature did not appear to influence the rates at which urchins consumed algae. Curiously, urchins from Labrador consumed kelp faster than those from the Gulf of St Lawrence even when temperatures were similar, suggesting countercurrent variation between populations. Our experiments depict an ecosystem which is dominated by a single mobile invertebrate with an abnormally high consumption rate. This herbivore may be limiting local biodiversity and has likely ‘locked’ many rocky-bottom ecosystems throughout the arctic into a barren state.
Characteristics of anemia and iron status and their associations with blood manganese and lead among children aged from 3 to 19 years old from four northern First Nation communities in Quebec
Tahir, Emad (1,2) (Presenter), P. Ayotte (1,2,3), M. Little (1,2), R.E. Bélanger (1,4), M. Lucas (1,2), D. Mergler (5), Community of Winneway – Long Point First Nation, Community of Lac Simon, CSSS Tshukuminu Kanani of Nutashkuan, Community of Unamen Shipu, N.G. McHugh (6) and M. Lemire (1,2)
(1) Nasivvik Research Chair, Axe santé des populations et pratiques optimales en santé, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec – Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Québec QC, Canada
(4) Département de pédiatrie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada,
(5) CINBIOSE, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
(6) First Nation of Quebec and Labrador Health and Social Services Commission, Wendake QC, Canada
The prevalence of anemia is invariably higher among indigenous children in Canada, although few data is available in Quebec. Childhood anemia is associated with growth, developmental, cognitive and psychomotor impairments, reduced physical endurance, and susceptibility to infections. In First Nations communities, iron and other micronutrients deficiencies, chronic diseases, infections and lead (Pb) exposure are frequent, and possibly the main causes of anemia. Moreover, iron is a divalent metal that may interact with manganese (Mn), Pb, cobalt (Co), zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Ca). All share common absorptive pathways and iron deficiency (ID) is known to upregulate these metals, thereby increasing their absorption and concentration inside the body, and eventually, their toxicity. The 2015 First Nation Youth Health and Environment Pilot Study was conducted among children (3 to 19 y, n = 198) from four First Nations communities in Quebec. The objectives of the present study are to: (i) Characterize ID and anemia prevalence and their protective/risk factors; and (ii) Study associations between blood Mn, Pb and iron status biomarkers. Blood samples and anthropometric measures were collected, hemoglobin was measured on site using an Hemocue analyser. Protective/risk factors including education, food security, housing conditions and lifestyle and dietary habits were documented using interview-administered questionnaire to children’ parents. Serum ferritin and blood Pb, Mn, Co, Zn and Ca were measured by Modular P analyser and ICPMS. Descriptive and multiple regression statistical analyses adjusting for relevant co-variables were used. Results showed ID and anemia prevalence of 20.7% and 17.6% respectively, among which 8.8% presented iron deficiency anemia. Moreover, up to 11.9% had elevated blood Mn (median = 15.9 µg/L, range 7.1 to 31.9 µg/L) of which 27.5% presented ID. However, blood Pb was low (median = 5.4 µg/L, range 1.8 to 50.8 µg/L). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that crystal juice intake was associated with lower ID and anemia (OR (95%): 0.50 (0.30 - 0.82) and 0.47 (0.26 - 0.87) respectively) in girls. Likewise, the presence of hunter in the household was associated with lower anemia in girls (0.09 (0.02 - 0.53)). No factors were associated with ID in boys, and for anemia, lower serum ferritin and older age was associated with higher prevalence of anemia (1.08 (1.01 - 1.14) and 1.23 (1.02 - 1.48) respectively). In adjusted models, blood Mn was negatively associated with serum ferritin concentrations (ß = -0.05; p < 0.02) in girls and positively associated with blood Co (ß = 8.50; p < 0.01) in boys. The prevalence of ID, anemia and elevated blood Mn was very high among children from these First Nation communities. Overall, these findings support the fact that community and family activities increasing traditional foods consumption contribute to improve nutritional status and suggest that foods and beverages naturally rich in vitamin C - but lower in added sugar than crystal juice - would improve iron intake in girls, which would contribute to improve their iron status, decrease anemia and restore normal Mn blood levels. The association between blood Mn and Co in boys needs to be further investigated.
Furtive strands of climate change in everyday stories of the Kitikmeot
Tam, Chui-Ling (1) (Presenter)
(1) University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
Arctic-dwelling peoples, arguably living on the frontlines of rising temperatures and rising seas, enjoy an iconic status in the global discourse of climate change. However, in the Kitikmeot region of western Nunavut, invoking climate change inspired varied and contradictory responses in two communities. Field research involving observation, attendance at public meetings and interviews with diverse actors, determined that Inuit perceptions of “climate change” in these particular communities varied from worry to disinterest to confusion over the meaning of the term. By contrast, most respondents had plenty to say about the weather. Indeed, inhabitants of resource-dependent Inuit communities in the Canadian Arctic are not necessarily communicating deliberately about climate change. Rather, local perceptions of climate emerge through non-deliberative communication such as everyday stories and casual conversations, embedded in topics of more immediate concern such as caribou harvesting, the growing unpredictability of ice melt and impacts on seasonal food harvesting. Unearthing those stories requires a methodology of listening. Preliminary findings point to an unrecognized diversity of perceptions about climate change among the distinct Inuit communities across the vast and varied space of the Arctic Archipelago. To communicate effectively about climate change in the Arctic, the climate change discourse must be placed in the context of Arctic people's lived experience of resource dependence and food security, and also in the context of their past experience of outside intervention. These present and past realities form the stage upon which climate change is communicated as a global concern that is strategized and managed by global actors at a distance from Arctic lives.
Loosening the pipes on the global carbon cycle: is fire releasing old carbon into receiving waters?
Tanentzap, Andrew J. (1) (Presenter), D. Olefeldt (2) and S. Tank (3)
(1) Ecosystems and Global Change Group, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
(2) Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
(3) Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
Inland waters move vast amounts of organic matter across the Arctic from terrestrial to aquatic ecosystems, playing a central role in global carbon cycling. Little is known, however, as to how recent increases in fire frequency will alter these fluxes and interact with other rapid environmental changes. Carbon stored deep in Arctic peatlands for centuries may be released after fire, causing these widespread landscapes to switch to net carbon sources. Old carbon may also influence the productivity of aquatic organisms downstream of burned catchments, but this has never been explored. This talk provides an overview of a UK-Canada Arctic Partnership project that uses carbon-14 dating of pore- and stream-water to estimate the age distribution of fluvial carbon fluxes from burned and unburned catchments in the Northwest Territories. We have taken these measurements across thawed and permafrost sites to test for interactive effects between fire and climate warming. Finally, we have also traced the entry of aged material into modern food webs by combining carbon-14 dating with stable isotope measurements in keystone aquatic consumers, such as fish and benthic macro-invertebrates, and estimated the proportional contribution of different terrestrial and aquatic resources to these consumers. Our work may ultimately improve Earth system modelling, management of peatland carbon stocks, and protection of aquatic resources (e.g. fish stocks) for northern livelihoods.
Housing design for the Inuit Nunangat communities, a two tier approach: Fast paced (address the housing shortage crisis) and slow paced (research and develop sustainable housing solutions)
Tannoury, Sami (1) (Presenter)
(1) EVOQ architecture, Montréal QC, Canada
Numerous studies and reports have documented the housing shortage crisis in Inuit communities. With population growth well over the national average, and inadequate federal and provincial funding, Inuit communities are unable to keep up with their advancing needs. The effects of this crisis are wide-spread and promote overcrowded houses, deterioration of housing stock, family tensions, social tensions, education problems, as well as health and security issues. Without effective solutions and added funding the only foreseeable future is further decline. EVOQ architecture has been designing housing projects for the Inuit Nunangat communities for the past 20 years. Our team has developed over 15 different housing models and has overseen the construction of over 500 housing units in Nunavik, Nunavut and Nunatsiavut. We have helped our clients develop housing amid the ongoing housing crisis with the objective of building as much housing as possible. This faced pace approach is essential to counteract the housing shortage crisis. Through our sustained relationship, and thanks to the communities’ sharing and mentoring, over the years, we have developed a unique understanding of the constraints of building in these remote communities and we were also able to develop insight into the specific housing needs of these communities. The knowledge acquired through these ‘’in the trenches’’ experiences led, in time and as trust grew, to discussions about long term goals and possible improvements to ongoing projects. This slow paced approach is a true and sincere dialogue that has evolved through meetings, design charettes and public consultations. This dialogue process has led to the design and construction of two pilot projects in Nunavik and Nunatsaivut that are meant to serve as a benchmarks to future housing development. The lessons learned over the years have confirmed our belief that sustainable building design must strive to achieve more than efficient housing construction systems and energy efficiency targets. Protection of cultural diversity is as important, if not more so. This means that the ideal house for the Inuit Nunangat does not exists. A one shoe fits all approach is not sustainable even if it simplifies, in appearance, management of housing development. The multiple housing models developed attest to the variety of housing needs. These shared experiences, where local communities are heavily involved, speak loudly to the responsibility of Sustainable Building Design in Inuit communities to go one step further and to support cultural reappropriation and empowerment.
Permafrost coasts and its nearshore zone rapidly release greenhouse gases
Tanski, George (1,2) (Presenter), M. Fritz (1), D. Wagner (3), T. Sachs (4) and H. Lantuit (1,2)
(1) Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), Periglacial Research Unit, Potsdam, Germany
(2) Potsdam University, Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Potsdam, Germany
(3) GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, Section Geomicrobiology, Potsdam, Germany
(4) GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, Section Remote Sensing, Potsdam, Germany
Permafrost in the Northern hemisphere is subject to extensive thaw due to climate warming. When permafrost thaws, formerly freeze-locked organic carbon (OC) is microbially converted into greenhouse gases (GHGs) in form of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), supporting further warming. Recent projections in Earth system models focus on vertical emissions from land due to gradual deepening of the unfrozen active layer, but neglect abrupt permafrost degradation processes such as thermokarst and erosion that rapidly mobilize permafrost OC. As such, accelerating coastal erosion is currently releasing extensive amounts of OC, potentially susceptible for turnover into GHGs. However, little is known about the quantities and rates of these emissions during the sea-ice-free periods. To simulate this process, GHG emissions were quantified from permafrost incubated with sea water for four months, the typical open-water season length in the Arctic, under different temperature scenarios (4°C and 16°C). The results show that substantial amounts of aerobic CO2 are emitted during the open water season, with emissions being 61 to 88 % as efficient as on land and considerably higher with 41 to 110 % at warmer temperatures. With accelerating erosion, warmer water temperatures, and longer sea-ice-free periods, eroding permafrost coasts have the potential to become a key source of GHGs, impacting Earth's climate.
A spatially explicit individual-based model for analyzing the interplay between large-scale movement strategies of arctic foxes and rabies epidemiology under climate change
Tardy, Olivia (1) (Presenter), A. Allibert (1), A. Simon (1), E. Rees (1,2) and P.A. Leighton (1)
(1) Research Group on Epidemiology of Zoonoses and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal, Saint-Hyacinthe QC, Canada
(2) Public Health Agency of Canada, Saint-Hyacinthe QC, Canada
Arctic fox rabies is an ongoing threat to human populations and domestic animals in northern polar areas, where arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) are the main reservoir hosts. Climate change is shifting the distributions of arctic species, and this may affect the risk of rabies transmission and spread. Our understanding of the effects of climate change on space-use patterns of arctic foxes and their consequences on the dynamics of rabies epidemiology remains limited, in part, due to the difficulty of obtaining ecological data from such a remote and expansive region. Simulation models help study ecological complexity of host-pathogen systems. In this perspective, we apply a spatially explicit individual-based model to assess the interplay between large-scale movement strategies of arctic foxes and epidemiology of rabies in the context of climate change. The model is parameterized using a combination of field data collected on Bylot Island and published empirical studies from other arctic regions. Here, we will provide an overview of different ecological and epidemiological processes of the model and will describe the general framework for integrating large-scale movement strategies of arctic foxes. Ultimately, our study will provide new insights into the mechanisms of rabies transmission and spread among arctic foxes, and will help to develop more cost-effective prevention strategies for rabies in the Arctic.
International Arctic Engineering Collaboration Project: Safety of Industrial Development and Transportation Routes in the Arctic (SITRA)
Taylor, Rocky (1) (Presenter), E. Schulson (2), A. Marchenko (3) and N. Marchenko (3)
(1) Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s NL, Canada
(2) Dartmouth College, Hanover NH, United States
(3) The University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Norway
The Arctic is a region of tremendous global importance and one which brings many countries into close contact. The environment can be harsh and demanding, and yet quite fragile, presenting engineers with unique challenges in terms of developing robust, reliable technology needed to ensure safe industrial activity and support sustainable development. Young engineers and technical specialists working with companies operating in the Arctic must be trained to provide a sound knowledge of environmental conditions, as well as to provide an understanding of strategies for reducing risks to people, the environment and infrastructure. To this end, an international project entitled “Safety of Industrial Development and Transportation Routes in the Arctic (SITRA)” has been funded (2015-2018) by the Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Education (SIU). As part of the High North Program, this project is focused on organizing an international network of research and educational experts for teaching Arctic Engineering courses and carrying out joint research. This project, led by UNIS in Svalbard, builds on more than 20-years of successful Norwegian-Russian collaboration in Arctic Engineering and includes international experts in Ice Mechanics from Canada, Norway, Russia and the United States. Through international exchange and collaboration, the SITRA project aims to expand understanding and awareness of essential Arctic Engineering knowledge and methodology needed to support safe, sustainable development in this vitally important region of the planet.
Sea-ice phenology in a warmer Arctic
Tedesco, Letizia (1) (Presenter), M. Vichi (2) and E. Scoccimarro (3)
(1) Marine Research Centre, Finnish Environment Institute, Helsinki, Finland
(2) Department of Oceanography and Marine Research Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
(3) Fondazione Centro euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici - CMCC, Bologna, Italy
Future projections of Arctic sea-ice changes are alarming, but the response of the ice-associated biological community is still uncertain. Here we investigate future changes in timing and intensity of primary production in Arctic first-year ice using a combination of climate and sea-ice biogeochemistry models. Overall, model results suggest a general increase in sea-ice primary production at all latitudes during this century. However, the projected phenological changes are not as quasi-monotonic as the changes in physical drivers. Three latitudinal clusters are identified and distinctly explained by snow cover thinning at the lowest latitudes, biological time windows narrowing in the mid latitudes, and ice seasons advancing towards more favourable photoperiods at the highest latitudes. When considering the changes in ice extent, the increase in sea-ice production at the highest latitudes is boosted due to significant first-year ice expansion at the expense of multiyear ice. The projected changes in sea-ice primary production suggest potential far-reaching consequences for the whole Arctic marine food web.
Simulating effects of Nelson-Churchill River regulation controls on freshwater exports to Hudson Bay
Tefs, Andrew A.G. (1) (Presenter), M.K. MacDonald (1), T. Stadnyk (1), K. Koenig (2) and M. Hamilton (1)
(1) Civil Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Manitoba Hydro, Winnipeg MB, Canada
The inter-disciplinary BaySys group of projects aims to separate the relative impacts of climate change and regulation on Hudson’s Bay. Part of this work involves developing regulated freshwater scenarios for the western portion of the Hudson Bay drainage basin (HBDB), focusing on the Nelson-Churchill river basin (NCRB) complex, which is regulated for hydropower production. By coding new regulation modules into the HYPE hydrological model, the regulation modelling accuracy has been improved and the processes made more robust for the projected tests to come of changing climate and flow regimes. The current regulation rules available in HYPE (and most hydrological models) are simplistic built-in and parameterized sine curves. In predictable and stable climates, this can be an effective solution, but under changing climates or unstable flow regimes, these assumptions of stationarity in reservoir-behaviour tend to be unreliable and erroneous. Two new regulation schemes have been added to the HBDB-HYPE model to allow more in-depth modelling of reservoir behaviour. Historical flow regimes are evaluated from 1979 to 2010 at 13 nodes within the NCRB which have been modelled to show the merit of this new reservoir regulation tool. We show improved statistical performance over the entire system by the addition of system regulation to the HYPE model. The regulation models show improved performance across a variety of lakes that include hydroelectric reservoirs, cross-watershed diversions, recreational and irrigation reservoirs varying in storage capacity from 0.09 to 2.6 km3 and spanning a 1.8 million km2 over a variety of climate zones. This presentation will focus on the development and results of these new regulation modules and the merit of their incorporation into the HYPE model as a whole.
Characterization of organic carbon and trace elements fluxes within the land-ocean continuum : A 3 year monitoring of the Yenisei River
Teisserenc, Roman (1) (Presenter), T. Le Dantec (1) A. Myers-Pigg (2), P. Louchouarn (3), N. Tananaev (4), N. Pham Hong (1), L. Gandois (1), G. Le Roux (1), J. Sonke (5), L.E. Heimburger (6) and J.-L. Probst (1)
(1) EcoLab, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INPT, UPS, Toulouse, France
(2) Earth Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's NL, Canada
(3) Department of Marine Science, Texas A&M University Galveston Campus, Galveston TX, United States
(4) P.I. Melnikov Permafrost Institute, SB RAS, Merzlotnaya Str. 36, 677010 Yakutsk, Sakha Republic, Russia
(5) GET, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, IRD, UPS, Toulouse, France
(6) MIO, Université Aix-Marseille, CNRS, IRD, Marseille, France
Arctic soils represent about half of the world’s terrestrial organic carbon pool. The top 3 meters of Northern Circumpolar soils contain about 1024 Pg of organic carbon and on a larger scale, permafrost regions are estimated to account for an organic carbon pool of 1672 Pg, with 88% found in permanently frozen ground and deposits. Arctic regions experience faster and more intense Climate change than elsewhere in the world. Recent warming at high latitudes has accelerated rates of permafrost thaw. This thawing permafrost and the resulting microbial decomposition of previously frozen organic carbon is potentially one of the most significant carbon-climate feedbacks, because of the size of the carbon pools and the intensity of climate forcing at high latitudes. Several research studies indicate that permafrost thaw, apart from enhancing soil atmosphere gas exchange (CO2, CH4), is also driving changes to the lateral flux of C from soils to freshwater and marine ecosystems and associated trace metals elements. These changes will likely modify flux, composition and fate of these element within the terrestrial, riverine ocean continuum. Further release of organic carbon trapped in permafrost active layer are likely to change the speciation as well as the bioavailability of the chemical elements from these rivers into Arctic ocean. We studied the Yenisei river (largest arctic river) with an intensive strategy with 117 sampling days at the outlet during 3 consecutive years. A special attention has been given to capture the spring freshet as it is known to be crucial for export from terrestrial to aquatic and marine ecosystems. For each sampling day, more than 150 variables are measured such as molecular, isotopic and nuclear magnetic resonance analysis to infer potential sources and degradation state of DOC but also Hg and 25 trace metal elements. We present for the first time high temporal resolution fluxes estimate along with a multi DOC proxies approach of an arctic river. New insights about source, degradation state and dynamics of DOC is presented.
Using paleolimnology to establish baseline conditions and trends for contaminants and climate for a community-based aquatic ecosystem monitoring program, Marian Watershed, NWT
Telford, James (1) (Presenter), B. Wolfe (1), R. Hall (2) and J. Hum (3)
(1) Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON, Canada
(2) University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON, Canada
(3) Tli?cho Government, Behchoko` NT, Canada
In 2005, full surface and sub-surface land rights of 39,000 km2 in the central Northwest Territories (Tli?cho Lands) were granted to the Tli?cho people. Driven by the ethos that the preservation of the health of the land and water are a top priority in the face of potential industrial development and climate warming, the Tli?cho Government developed the Marian Watershed Stewardship Program (MWSP). The Marian Watershed covers a substantial portion (23,000 km2) within Tli?cho Lands and is a main region for fishing, hunting, and transportation. The primary objective of the MWSP is to establish baseline data through the sampling of water, sediment, and fish that can serve as reference points for detecting effects of ongoing climate change and potential mining, such as Fortune Minerals proposed NICO mine. In collaboration with the MWSP, this research aims to establish baselines of hydroecological conditions and lake sediment metal concentrations to better inform continued monitoring. Paleolimnological methods are being applied to sediment cores from nine lakes throughout the watershed. Sediment cores dated using 210Pb and 137Cs are being analysed for physical (loss-on-ignition, grain size), geochemical (organic carbon and nitrogen elemental and isotope composition, cellulose oxygen isotope composition), and biological (diatoms) parameters, and metal concentrations. Results from Nico Lake, located adjacent to the NICO deposit, shows a narrow range of concentrations for most metals during the past 900 years, with the exception of arsenic. When normalized to cobalt to account for changes in concentrations due to erosional intensity and supply from the catchment, arsenic is enriched between about ~1940-2000 relative to the pre-industrial As/Co ratio that existed during the Little Ice Age (~1580 and ~1940). Prior to ~1580, arsenic is also enriched, exceeding values apparent in the latter half of the 20th century. The stratigraphic record clearly shows evidence that natural processes can lead to arsenic enrichment at this location, and which may confound ability to detect anthropogenic sources. Ongoing studies of other lake sediment cores will be used to further understand mechanisms that drive stratigraphic variation in arsenic concentrations and other metals throughout the watershed.
APPLICATE: a project within the EU Arctic cluster for advanced prediction in Polar regions and beyond
Terrado, Marta (1) (Presenter), D. Bojovic (1), I. Christel (1), F.J. Doblas-Reyes (1,2), H. Jóhannsson (3), G. Fugmann (4,5), P. Bauer (6), L. Cristini (5) and T. Jung (5)
(1) Barcelona Supercomputing Center, Barcelona, Spain
(2) Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Barcelona, Spain
(3) Arctic Portal, Akureyri, Iceland
(4) Association of Polar Early Career Scientists, Potsdam, Germany
(5) Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
(6) European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, Reading, United Kingdom
The Arctic is warming at almost twice the global average rate. This has dramatic environmental, economic and societal implications, which are likely to extend beyond the high latitudes with global consequences and risks. Recognizing the need to address challenges in the Polar Regions and to elaborate appropriate policies, including those relating to climate change, sustainable development and innovation, the EU has invested in several projects focusing on the Arctic, the so-called EU Arctic cluster, with the aim to understand Arctic environmental changes and their global implications. The H2020 project APPLICATE (Advanced prediction in Polar regions and beyond) is a modelling and forecasting project within the EU Arctic cluster. The objective of APPLICATE is to develop enhanced predictive capacity for weather and climate in the Arctic and beyond, and to determine the influence of Arctic climate change on Northern hemisphere mid-latitudes, for the benefit of policy-makers, businesses and society. Enhanced predictions to advance our understanding of the Earth system will be delivered using the latest climate data from the World Climate Research Programme’s Coupled Model Intercomparison Project CMIP6-Interim as well as enhanced operational Numerical Weather Predictions (NWP), subseasonal to seasonal and interannual to decadal climate predictions. The linkages between the Arctic and mid-latitudes will be explored through a coordinated multi-model approach, the use of atmosphere-only and coupled models, and the repetition of experiments with enhanced climate models. In addition to providing advanced climate prediction in the Arctic, a key objective of APPLICATE is to foster knowledge exchange through a three-fold communication approach involving user engagement, dissemination and training. Information and user relevant activities are shaped around three stakeholder groups: the scientific community and international organisations, advanced data users that can indicate the gaps in scientific knowledge; the public and private sector, that can benefit from enhanced operational predictive capacity across time scales; and the society at large, including the general public and communities who possess local knowledge. Public and private sector stakeholders will be regularly consulted via a User Group, which will help shaping climate data into relevant information and services, and a blog, Polar Prediction Matters (PPM), which helps foster the dialogue between forecasters and climate data users. Training activities for early career scientists, such as a Polar Prediction School, will provide the next generation of scientists and end-users with quality training on weather and climate prediction in the Polar regions. The APPLICATE Consortium is also actively engaging in clustering and collaboration activities to exploit synergies with other projects and programs working in the Arctic. The project also has strong links with North American partners contributing to the Transatlantic Ocean Research Alliance (e.g., the Sea Ice Prediction Network, US CLIVAR Working Group on Arctic-Mid-latitude Linkages and Environment and Climate Change Canada), and several other international projects (e.g., the WMO’s Polar Prediction Project, MOSAiC and GEWEX GASS). Collaboration with these initiatives is maximized on both coordination (e.g., organization of joint events and activities) and scientific levels (e.g., joint experiments such as the Polar Amplification Model Intercomparison Project).
The heart of resilience: Constructing an adaptation plan for Baffin Bay and Davis Strait - part 2, chapter 12
Tesar, Clive (1) (Presenter), K. Falk (2) and J. Ford (3,4)
(1) Clive Tesar Consulting Services, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
(3) McGill University, Montreal QC, Canada
(4) Priestley International Centre for Climate, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
The Adaptation Actions for a Changing Arctic regional report on Baffin Bay and Davis Strait examines the part of the Arctic that is projected to change less, compared to the other two AACA regions. In the marine realm, sea ice thickness and duration of cover is declining, but will remain a factor affecting livelihoods and development opportunities. On land, massive ice caps and glaciers characterize much of the region. While they are melting at a rate not previously measured, they will likely continue to dominate the terrestrial area of the region for centuries to come. The influence of ice in the region, coupled with relatively minimal infrastructure and a small, dispersed population makes it a high-cost region for extractive and other industries, likely to set limits for the rate of development and its impacts. Lower impacts do not mean no impacts. No part of the Arctic is immune from the massive phase change underway in the Arctic Ocean, as ice dominated systems shift to pelagic systems for much of the year. High development costs have not scared off the development in Nunavut of one of the world’s largest and richest iron ore deposits, with its attendant shipping. The relatively light ice conditions on the Greenland side have allowed for an intensive expanding modern fisheries sector. The two “sides” of BBDS – West Greenland and Nunavut – differ significantly in the natural environment, infrastructure and political, social and socioeconomic aspects which, in combination, induce different development and adaptation challenges and opportunities. As the BBDS report introduction says, “The sooner that adaptation responses are planned and implemented, the better-equipped society will be to with the cumulative impacts of socio-economic and climate changes.” But all this planning across several different sectors is a mammoth task for governments in Nunavut and Greenland that are already dealing with capacity issues. To assist with this task, the authors of the final chapter of the BBDS report have integrated the recommendations from across the different sectors into a single table. Further, we indicate the levels of government that should be involved in any recommended action and the degree of difficulty of implementing the action, spread across variables such as technical, financial, governmental, structural and social licence. We do not ascribe priority to particular actions as those are decisions best left to local people. In this session, we will illustrate how the table of adaptation works, and discuss some of the main recommendations that emerge from the report as a whole. The authors hope this chapter will be seen as a worthy addition to the attempts already being made by national and regional governments to grapple with the coming changes faced by the region.
The effect of prey abundance and nestling demand on the foraging patterns of Arctic-breeding peregrine falcons (falco peregrinus tundrius)
Tetreault, Mathieu (1,3,4) (Presenter), A. Franke (3), K. Hawkshaw (2,3) and J. Bêty (1,4)
(1) Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(2) University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
(3) Arctic Raptor Project, Rankin Inlet NU, Canada
(4) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Québec QC, Canada
Predators breeding in arctic ecosystems are facing important spatiotemporal variations in prey density within their habitat. To prevent nestling mortality associated with food supply, breeding raptors must match prey deliveries with increasing demand from growing nestlings. Breeding raptors are central place foragers, and as a consequence, home range configuration should be, in part, determined by prey density within the surrounding landscape. We investigated the effect of prey density and nestling demand on home range size (95% biased random bridge) and mean daily travel distance of arctic-nesting Peregrine Falcons tracked with GPS accurate Platform Terminal Transmitters (n = 16) during the brood-rearing period. We used distance sampling to estimate density of insectivorous birds (primary prey species), and density surface modeling to map their distribution within falcon home ranges. We used daily brood mass as a proxy for nestling demand. Our results indicate that home range size and mean daily travel distance were directly related to nestling demand. Although prey density at the home range scale was similar among individuals, those nesting immediately within the vicinity of prey-dense locations had smaller home ranges and shorter mean daily travel distances. These findings suggest that Arctic breeding Peregrine Falcons adjust their foraging patterns (home range size and mean daily distance traveled) in order to accommodate increasing nestling demand and differences in prey density within their territory.
Managing marine tourism in the Canadian Arctic: Toward the development of guidelines
Têtu, Pierre-Louis (1) (Presenter)
(1) Chair of Canada in Environment, Society, Policy Group (ESPG), University of Ottawa ON, Canada
Since 2007, shipping in the Canadian Arctic increase of 75%, a result of the fast melting of sea ice in the region (Pizzolato et al. 2016). In this regard, Pleasure craft and Cruise Ships respectively quadrupled and doubled (Ibid.) to become both of the most important contributor to marine traffic. This presentation aim to draw, in a first step, an overview of legislation regarding both segments in the Canadian Arctic waters. Secondly, we will present a literature review of site guidelines initiatives implemented elsewhere in the Arctic. Methods and technology used in Svalbard and in Antarctica will be of a special use. Part of a postdoctoral project funded by the SSHRC, this presentation will then focus on our methodology to identify degraded shore locations; based on imagery provided by Environment Canada (National Air Surveillance Program) (2009-2017), field work on a cruise ship in September 2017, a literature review, spatial analysis and traditional knowledge acquired through interview with communities, we are able to identify priority shore locations to be protected or where shipping should be avoid.
Chinese mining activities in the Arctic: Beyond paradoxes and misperceptions
Têtu, Pierre-Louis (1) (Presenter)
(1) Chair of Canada in Environment, Society, Policy Group (ESPG), University of Ottawa ON, Canada
Since the end of the twentieth century, the pronounced summer melting of sea ice in the Arctic Ocean has triggered much speculations about the opening of much shorter sea routes linking Europe via the eastern coast of North America To Asia. This bodes well for China, where demand for raw materials has increased significantly over the past 30 years. To satisfy the country’s appetite for minerals and fuels, Chinese mining companies have financed a number of mining projects across the globe, including in new frontiers such as the Arctic and Greenland more specifically. China’s interest in the Arctic is not new and dates back in the early-1990s when Beijing launched its first 5-year scientific research program in the Arctic Ocean with German universities in Kiel and Bremen. However, this has not sopped western media outlets to portray Chinese mining companies as Trojan horses for states interests which have found their way into local media outlets. Some commentators have condemned China’s geopolitical strategy in Greenland and Canada outright and the Arctic more generally. Despite the limited presence of Chinese companies in the Arctic, there is a need to broaden understanding of the factors fueling Beijing’s investment in the region in comparison with the motives of Chinese Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the mining industry in other regions of the world. Few studies have focused specifically on the experiences of Chinese mining companies in the Arctic, and the factors driving their investments. Some analysts suggested that investment from Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs) is driven solely by Beijing’s need to gain access to strategic resources; on the other hand, private Chinese companies are motivated by the prospect of gaining access to new markets. Our results shows that the success of Chinese companies in the mining industry in Canada or Greenland is determined by a combination of political, economic and diplomatic factors. As it has been the case for Western Companies, Chinese mining firms will eventually benefit from diplomatic and financial support from Beijing, but we must isolated the influence of the nation on the firm’s ability to compete in specific industries (Porter, 1990: 3). Finally and in spite of misperceptions, the vast majority of Chinese companies in the extractive industries in the Arctic have minority shares in so-called “Western” junior companies, or, as in Greenland, participate in projects supervised by the European Union within the framework of the Eurare project; Chinese companies are no longer the sole and unique investor and they show better results according to this scheme. Despite the limited interest, however, Greenland and Canada could attract a significant number of Chinese investments in the coming years, but remains linked to the Government Policies regarding FDI. Although neither the Chinese Government nor most of China’s major players engaged in natural resources extraction are not prioritizing Greenland or Canada, there is still potential for projects to emerge. Many smaller (Chinese) mineral exploration and mining companies may be willing to pursue activities in the Arctic if they were more aware of the opportunities.
The Role of Policy in Arctic Food (In)security: An Exploratory Case Study in one Inuit region of the Canadian Arctic
Thackeray, Lindsay (1,3) (Presenter) and C. Furgal (1,2,3)
(1) Sustainability Studies Program, Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
(2) Indigenous Environmental Studies and Sciences Program, Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
(3) Health, Environment and Indigenous Communities Research Group, Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
Canada’s northern Indigenous communities experience a particularly high prevalence of food insecurity. In 2012, 13% of Canadians experienced some level of food insecurity while this was the reality for 52% of Inuit adults living in Arctic regions. While significantly more is known today than even 10 years ago with regards to the prevalence of and factors influencing food insecurity in Indigenous communities in the Canadian North, relatively little attention has been given to the role that policy plays in this situation. This project explores the relationship between policy and food insecurity in Arctic communities through an examination of the status of and relationship between federal, provincial and regional policies and food security status in Nunavik, Québec. It is often argued in the literature that the ‘Western’ political framework is incompatible with governing complex and cross-cutting issues in society, such as food. As a result, policy deficiencies in these fields may contribute to a variety of problems, including heightened levels of food insecurity. This qualitative exploratory project is being conducted using a policy document review and analysis as its primary method. Documents representing policy at the federal, provincial, and regional levels speaking to country foods, market foods or agro-foods (locally produced and commercially sold) were identified and gathered from publicly available online sources (government and organizational websites). Documents were then reviewed and coded for their association with a list of food security elements and sub-elements (including availability, accessibility, quality, utilization) to characterize the nature of the policy landscape at each level (federal, provincial, regional) and for each food type (country, market, agro). Document contents were then coded to identify ‘facilitators’ (something that eases or enhances access to food) or ‘barriers’ (something that diminishes or inhibits access to food) to food security. Patterns in the policy landscape at each level and for each food type were identified using quantitative representations of the coverage of the different food security elements (availability, accessibility, quality and utilization). Finally, an analysis of the association between the strengths and weaknesses in the policy landscape and the current understanding of the factors influencing food security status in Nunavik is being conducted. Preliminary results show that overall, 108 federal, 31 provincial and 16 regional documents were identified and deemed to contain relevant information pertaining to the various aspects of food security in Nunavik. It was found that food type was relatively evenly covered by federal documents, however, most provincial documents focused on issues pertaining to agro or country foods with little coverage of issues pertaining to market foods. Regional documents had a significant emphasis on country foods. While connections have been drawn generally between policy challenges and food insecurity in Canada, the topic has not been explored in detail in an Arctic or Indigenous context to date. It is expected that this research will ultimately help in identifying policy barriers and opportunities through which to help address the high levels of household food insecurity among Canada’s Inuit and other northern Indigenous communities in the future.
Fostering a bottom-up approach to climate change adaptation
Theriault, Yves (1) (Presenter) and B. Linaker (2) (Presenter)
(1) Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, Gatineau QC, Canada
(2) Health Canada, Yellowknife NT, Canada
Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) has worked with Indigenous and Northern communities through various programs to address climate change adaptation. The Climate Change Adaptation Program (CCAP) ran from 2008 to 2016, and funded climate change adaptation projects in Indigenous communities across Canada. In 2016 CCAP was separated into two programs focusing on northern and southern Canada independently. The Climate Change Preparedness in the North Program (CCPN) focuses on northern Canada, specifically Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Nunavik and Nunatsiavut. By addressing the North separately, INAC can better tailor support to regionally-specific adaptation needs. Canada has made a commitment to meaningfully engage Indigenous peoples in federal initiatives. Thus as the first step in developing CCPN’s program structure, INAC co-funded ten engagement sessions in the 2016-2017 fiscal year in communities across the North. These workshops were delivered in collaboration with Health Canada’s Climate Change and Health Adaptation Program (CCHAP). A strong partnership between the CCHAP and the CCPN program has developed with these workshops as a catalyst. The combined sessions brought together over 400 participants from various federal, territorial and regional governments, Indigenous organizations and northern communities. This presentation will provide an overview of the information collected from these engagement sessions. The discussion will include local perspectives on climate impacts and adaptation options, as well as what actions communities are prioritizing, and how we can better work collaboratively to build their resiliency to climate change. This presentation will also review the partnership formed between INAC and Health Canada to ease community access to these climate change adaptation programs, as well as the new mechanisms for delivering funding that have been shaped by the engagement sessions and lessons learned from the previous programs. Both CCHAP and CCPN have adopted more collaborative proposal processes which provide support for communities and transfer decision-making into the hands of Northerners. To facilitate effective support for communities, CCPN is funding a climate change community liaison in each of the 5 program regions who will work with communities to help build capacity and to access support. This can include connecting communities with various resources, facilitating collaboration with funding partners, enhancing networks between stakeholders, assisting with project planning, and generally reducing the burden on communities. In addition to the community liaison, a Regional Technical Committee, comprised of key regional stakeholders, has also been created in each region. This committee serves two main functions. First as an additional resource to communities to strengthen projects by providing comments and suggestions on proposals, and secondly as a reviewer and recommender to ensure projects considered for funding reflect the priorities of the region. The new program structure is designed to improve the efficacy of funding opportunities for northern communities, and maximize involvement of Northerners while addressing the impacts of climate change. By supporting strong partnerships among stakeholders, and transferring decision-making power to Northerners, this innovative program delivery mechanism contributes to better aligning funds for adaptation projects with region-specific priorities, and more effectively supporting a community’s efforts towards becoming more resilient to climate change.
Dissolved organic matter lability and optical properties in the surface waters of a High Arctic watershed
Thiel, Gillian (1) (Presenter), J. Fouché (2), M. Lafrenière (1) and S. Lamoureux (1)
(1) Queen's University, Kingston ON, Canada
(2) Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France
Climate change effects such as enhanced active layer thaw will result in altered surface water distribution in the High Arctic. Increased ponding in this environment could play a vital role in organic matter cycling and carbon fluxes to the atmosphere. The aim of this study was to better understand how dissolved organic matter (DOM) lability in surface water bodies at the Cape Bounty High Arctic Watershed Observatory on Melville Island, NU varies with geomorphological setting of the water bodies. Water samples were collected from six shallow ponds. Two ponds were in active layer detachment (ALD) scars, one formed at a break in slope, and two were at an undisturbed mesic tundra site. Each pond was sampled between July 12-24th (early-season) and again on August 8th (late-season). Triplicate samples were incubated over 28 days, with five time steps: 0, 2, 7, 14, and 28 days. At each time step, sample aliquots were removed and analyzed for dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), dissolved inorganic nitrogen species (DIN; NO3-, NO2-, and NH4+), and fluorescence-absorbance properties. Labile DOM was quantified as the concentration of DOC lost over the incubation period. Results of parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) suggest that the two ponds situated in ALD-disturbed areas exhibit different fluorescence signatures than the other ponds. The disturbance-related fluorescence signature includes a higher contribution from a high-molecular weight, terrestrial component. The contribution of this component to total fluorescence decreased over the incubation period, in all ponds, suggesting that high-molecular weight, terrestrial DOM is labile in this environment. Yet, the highest DOC concentrations and DOC loss (71 ± 18%) were observed in a late-season sample from the pond at a break in slope (P4-2016) not a disturbance pond. P4-2016 is also characterized by extremely high specific conductivity (2459 µS) and total dissolved nitrogen concentrations. Specific ultraviolet absorption at 254 nm (SUVA 254) data indicates that P4-2016 contained less aromatic DOM in the late season, likely derived from autochthonous sources. Overall, these results suggest a complicated definition of lability which cannot be identified by optical properties alone, but depends on a combination of DOM quality and nutrient availability. Results of this study will contribute to a better understanding of DOM lability in High Arctic ponds, thus allowing for better prediction of atmospheric carbon fluxes.
Foraminifera: A tool for elucidating past and recent climate change in marine Arctic Canada
Thiessen, Rabecca (1) (Presenter), A.J. Pienkowski (1), M.F.A. Furze (1), A.G. Cage (2), A. Caouette (1) and S. Coates (1)
(1) Department of Physical Sciences, MacEwan University, Edmonton AB, Canada
(2) School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, Keele University, Staffordshire, United Kingdom
Rabecca Thiessen1*, Anna J. Pienkowski1, Mark F.A. Furze1, Alix G. Cage2, Alexandre Caouette1, Sina Coates1 1 Department of Physical Sciences, MacEwan University, Edmonton, AB T5J 4S2, Canada 2 School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, United Kingdom * Corresponding author; e-mail: [email protected] Over the past decades, polar regions such as the Canadian Arctic Archipelago have experienced pronounced changes associated with recent climate warming, such as sea ice decline. Such relatively recent environmental shifts have motivated research regarding past climate variability to understanding how polar marine environments respond to changing conditions, such as glacial to interglacial transitions. This presentation will outline ongoing research that is part of a larger project funded by ArcticNet and NSERC focussed on the palaeoclimate, palaeoceanography and deglacial histories of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. In particular, the use of foraminifera (microfossils) is highlighted as a proxy for reconstructing past environmental conditions via assemblage and geochemical (d13C and d18O) analyses, including water temperatures, sea ice conditions, and ecosystem productivity, in the eastern (Lancaster Sound/Baffin Bay) and western (M’Clure Strait) entrances to the historical Northwest Passage. To allow for accurate interpretations of past environments, ongoing work also focusses on foraminiferal distribution in surface (modern) sediments in relation to measured oceanographic parameters (temperature, salinity, sea ice) as a baseline for paleo-interpretations. Preliminary results from microfossil surface sediment calibrations, along with the taxonomic issues associated with some important indicator taxa will be discussed.
Decomposition patterns across the tundra biome: Litter substrate explains more than environment
Thomas, Haydn J.D. (1) (Presenter), I.H. Myers-Smith (1), Tundra Tea Bag Experiment Team (2)
(1) University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
(2) 32 data collaborators from multiple institutions
The tundra biome is a globally important store of terrestrial carbon, yet as the tundra warms this carbon could be released to the atmosphere through decomposition. Understanding the drivers of decomposition in the tundra is therefore critical to predicting the future of the global carbon cycle. While many studies to date have focussed on the impact of temperature on decomposition rates, there is increasing evidence that other factors, notably litter quality and soil moisture, may be more important determinants of tundra decomposition rates. However, disentangling these factors is hampered by a lack of data from Arctic sites, methodological differences between experiments, and site-specific results. Here, we use tea bags as a common littler substrate, providing a comparable methodology across sites. We measure decomposition rates of approximately 4,000 teabags from over 300 sites across the tundra biome, spanning the circum-Arctic a range of global alpine locations. Using this unprecedented dataset, we quantify the influence of temperature and moisture on decomposition rate across the tundra. We further compare the importance of litter quality on decomposition rate to environmental drivers. We find that decomposition is better explained by litter quality (tea type) than by environment, despite large climatic variation across sites. This implies that the indirect impacts of climate change, in particular vegetation change, will have more profound effects on decomposition rates in the tundra than the direct impact of warming. We additionally find that soil moisture is at least as important as temperature in explaining site-level decomposition rates. Warmer and wetter sites are thus the most sensitive to climate change, aligning with areas that are experiencing the most rapid vegetation change. Our findings enhance our understanding of decomposition in the tundra and ability to predict how climate change will alter carbon and nutrient cycling in this highly sensitive biome.
Englacial temperature changes in a Canadian high-Arctic polythermal glacier: 1960-2017
Thomson, Laura (1) (Presenter), G. Flowers (1) and L. Copland (2)
(1) Simon Fraser University, Vancouver BC, Canada
(2) University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, Canada
An important question in assessing the response of arctic glaciers to a warming climate is whether their internal ice temperatures are warming (e.g., due to increased englacial water flow) or cooling (e.g., due to decreased thermal insulation). To date, only shallow measurements at the summit of Penny Ice Cap on Baffin Island, NU, have provided insight into changing internal glacier (englacial) temperatures in the Canadian north. These measurements suggest a 10°C warming of the top ~10 m of firn in the accumulation area since the mid-1990s, in large part due to the release of latent heat as a result of increased freeze-thaw cycling on the shoulder seasons of summer (Zdanowicz et al., 2012, J. Geophys. Res.). Warming of glacier ice has two consequences. The first is that warmer ice flows faster, providing a mechanism for the delivery of ice to lower, warmer elevations at an increased and unsustainable rate in the context of mass balance conditions. Second, warmer ice requires less energy for melt to begin, resulting in an earlier onset of the melt period in summer. This study extends our geographic understanding of changing englacial temperatures to higher latitudes, at White Glacier on Axel Heiberg Island, and broadens the temporal span of our knowledge through the comparison of 2017 measurements of englacial temperatures with historic observations dating back to the early 1960s. The observations span elevations from 200 to 1400 m above sea level, thereby providing interesting insight into the impact of atmospheric lapse rates on ice temperatures at varying elevations. We discuss the potential impact on glacier deformation rates and comment on the status of current ice velocities, velocity changes, and whether contemporary ice velocities are sustainable given increasingly negative mass balance conditions.
Identifying relationships among active layer properties and vegetation in Old Crow Flats, Yukon
Thorne, W. Brent (1) (Presenter) and K.W. Turner (1)
(1) Brock University, St. Catharines ON, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFGround-based measurements indicate widespread increasing ground temperatures across northern regions during recent decades. There have also been associated changes in land cover and hydrological conditions in lake-rich landscapes, however, additional studies are required to investigate relations among these integrated landscape components. For instance, it is unclear how warming ground conditions or shrub vegetation proliferation are affecting important northern lake-rich environments. Our research investigates these relationships in Old Crow Flats (OCF), Yukon, which is a lake-rich landscape widely regarded for its cultural and ecological integrity. Here, we use a combination of remote sensing, in-situ soil moisture and ALT probe measurements, and vegetation sampling to investigate ground-land cover characteristics among six plots spanning varying land cover types. Plots were initially grouped according to dominant land cover types including tundra/bog, shrub/spruce, and burned. Preliminary results from 2017 show high late thaw-season variability in ALT among tundra/bog (mean = 25.95 cm, standard deviation = 20.41), shrub/spruce (mean = 35.79 cm, standard deviation = 16.17), and burned (mean = 49.57 cm, standard deviation = 19.33) sites. Ongoing analysis will incorporate use of uav-acquired high-resolution aerial photography and additional remote sensing products (acquired as part of NASA’s Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment airborne campaign) to refine maps of lake and river catchments that have been monitored in collaboration with Parks Canada since 2007. Integrated approaches being developed here will enhance our knowledge of the complex relations affecting lake-rich permafrost landscapes as climate continues to change.
When research goals float downstream: Adaptive integrated community research at an Arctic Char Elder-Youth Camp
Thorpe, Natasha (1) (Presenter), M. Avalak (2) (Presenter), R. Ekpakohak (3) and J.S. Moore (4)
(1) Thorpe Consulting Services / Trailmark Systems, North Vancouver BC, Canada
(2) Ekaluktutiak Hunters and Trappers Organization, Cambridge Bay NU, Canada
(3) Community of Cambridge Bay, Cambridge Bay NU, Canada
(4) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Arctic Char / iqalukpiit are immensely important to Inuit in the Kitikmeot, supporting both subsistence and commercial fisheries. The health of char populations has long determined Inuit survival and identity, which makes sustaining this fishery a widely agreed upon regional priority. Today locals and researchers understand that both Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ) and scientific knowledge can contribute to the long-term sustainability of iqalukpiit. But while the existence of extensive IQ concerning Arctic Char in Iqaluktuuq on Victoria Island, Nunavut (a site used for 4,000 years), has been well documented, few formal efforts have recorded and integrated this knowledge with local fisheries management, or fostered collaboration between IQ-based perspectives and scientific fisheries research. As part of its work to document IQ relating to Arctic Char, and with a view to rounding out the picture provided by ongoing scientific research, the Ekaluktutiak Hunters & Trappers Organization (EHTO) initiated the Inuit Qajimajatuqangit of Iqaluktuuq Arctic Char Project. This initiative undertook a round of semi-directive interviews with local knowledge holders followed by an Elder-Youth camp designed to facilitate sharing and hands-on application of IQ related to Arctic Char. Results from the project were integrated into ongoing scientific research (Moore et al. 2016), presented in a video-documentary (https://vimeo.com/artlesscollective/iqaluktuuq), and documented in a report (Trailmark and EHTO 2017). The Elder-Youth camp held on the Ekalluk River in August 2016 was conceived as an opportunity for concerned members of the fishing community – Elders, young people, and biologists – to come together at an important fishing site and, through mixed methods, exchange and apply lessons drawn from memories, stories, interviews, biology and environmental science. However, what started as an initiative based around Arctic char quickly transformed into a community-driven story of healing and coming home. Key insights and knowledge shared during the interviews were demonstrated and applied in the field, where the environment and events prompted memories and instructive stories to be freely recalled and shared. Alongside this transference of IQ both Elders and youth were able to engage with fisheries scientists also on-hand and offering demonstrations and learning opportunities throughout the five-day camp. The effect was to empower multiple ways of knowing, and broaden all participants understanding of Arctic Char traits and behaviours. These lessons and exchanges took place within the greater context of community members returning to the land: Iqaluktuuq was about revisiting the past - coming home, re-living loss, and searching for healing – and at the same time expressing concerns of the future and worrying about the challenges that Inuit youth face today in a changing society. In the same way that Inuit have always adapted to changing environmental conditions, so too must researchers embarking on joint community-based research adapt: while a research agenda can be defined prior to going on the land, everybody must respond to what evolves as paramount to participants even when this may necessitate casting aside pre-determined research goals. In this thoughtful example, Elders and researchers share their experience of Adaptive Integrated Community Research.
Measurements of stratospheric ozone using differential absorption lidar in Eureka
Tikhomirov, Alexey (1) (Presenter), G. Farhani (2), E. McCullough (1), R. Sica (2), T. Leblanc (3) and J. Drummond (1)
(1) Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, Canada
(2) University of Western Ontario, London ON, Canada
(3) Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Wrightwood CA, United States
A decline of stratospheric ozone at polar latitudes remains one of the important part of the atmospheric ozone problem. Chemical and dynamical processes that control the distribution of ozone in the stratosphere and upper troposphere are studied based on the long and short term data records obtained from ground based and satellite platforms. The Stratospheric Ozone Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) located at the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory (PEARL) in Eureka, Nunavut (80 N, 86 W) has a long history of successful operation providing scientists with measurements of stratospheric ozone vertical profiles in Canadian High Arctic since 1993. The DIAL is a part of the international Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change and the Canadian Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Change. Recently the DIAL underwent an upgrade which included replacement of the laser, development and implementation of new data acquisition software as well as various control system modifications. In the spring of 2017 the instrument participated in the annual Canadian ACE/OSIRIS Arctic Validation Campaign. In this talk we will discuss the performance of the upgraded instrument, present the results of the ozone data retrieval obtained with conventional analysis techniques as well as compare the results with measurements from other ozone monitoring instruments operated during the campaign. PEARL research is supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
New insights into extremely stable boundary layers at Eureka from drone measurements
Tikhomirov, Alexey (Presenter), G. Lesins and J. Drummond
Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, Canada
High speed air temperature and pressure fluctuations occur nearly continuously during periods of extremely stable boundary conditions as measured by the 10 m NOAA flux tower at the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory (PEARL) in Eureka, Nunavut (80 N, 86 W). To help separate the temporal and spatial components of these fluctuations and better understand their origins an instrumented unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or drone was flown in the vicinity of the tower. The drone measured the air temperature and pressure along flight paths that tested the role of local topography in generating the fluctuations. Vertical sounding flights enabled us to sample the air column above 10 metres to extend the range of the tower. The results are important in understanding how regional influences can impact the vertical heat fluxes during the cold season.
Knowledge, sovereignty, and resource extraction in rural Alaska: A case study of the Donlin Gold public comment process
Tollefson, Jonathan (1) (Presenter) and B. Panikkar
(1) University of Vermont, Burlington VT, United States
The Donlin Mine is one of eight industrial-scale hard rock mines currently under the review of Alaska’s Large Mine Permitting program. The mine promises to deliver profit and employment to the underdeveloped Yukon-Kuskokwim region of east-central Alaska. Donlin would also produce an exceptional quantity of waste and will require almost-unprecedented infrastructure development, threatening the subsistence resources of Alaska Native people in the Yukon-Kuskokwim region. Donlin has thus been highly controversial, both in the Yukon-Kuskokwim delta and in state offices in Anchorage, AK. This research uses the Donlin Mine as a case study to examine how public participation processes are imagined, implemented, and integrated within the Large Mine Permitting program. We look to the public comment process as it was implemented in Donlin’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), with a particular focus on citizen science and the work of a number of environmental advocacy organizations that collaborated with local communities to produce scientific studies of wildlife populations and environmental data for public use. We address three major questions surrounding the Donlin DEIS public comment process: Whose voices are represented? What major environmental, social, and political concerns arose through the comment process? And, perhaps most importantly, how do EIS public comments fit within larger regimes of the construction of values, knowledge, and power in the northern resource frontier?
Freeze/Thaw mapping using SMAP dta over the Canadian Tundra
Touati, Chaima (1,2) (Presenter), B. Monique (1,2), L. Ralf (2,3), W. Lingxiao (3), P. Jimmy (1,2) and R. Tahiana (1)
(1) Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Québec, QC, Canada
(3) Université Ludwig Maximilians de Munich, Munich, Germany
The seasonal Freeze/Thaw (F/T) cycle is a major phenomenon in the climate system and plays an important role in ecosystem functioning by influencing the rate of photosynthesis and respiration of the vegetation, reducing evaporation, reducing the penetration of water into the soil and altering surface runoff. Boreal and arctic regions form a complex land cover mosaic where vegetation structure, condition and distribution are strongly regulated by environmental factors such as soil moisture and nutrient availability, permafrost, growing season length and disturbance. The frozen soil mapping can be improved by using the NASA SMAP instrument which has a Radiometer at L-band (1.20-1.41 GHz). In fact, SMAP is able to monitor the frozen soil because of its ability to sense the soil conditions through moderate land cover. The accuracy, resolution, and global coverage of the SMAP mission make possible a systematic updating of frozen ground maps and monitoring the seasonal F/T cycle. One of our research objectives is to test and validate the SMAP data (L1C_TB and TB from L2_SM_P) to monitor F/T state over the Tundra and the Boreal Forest in Canada. The validation site is located on the eastern shore of the Hudson Bay (QC) Canada in the Nunavik region. It is a zone of discontinuous permafrost located at the tree line. It is characterized by a complex landscape, including lakes and ponds, wetlands, marine, coastal and riparian ecosystem. The information is crucial to better understand small scale heterogeneities of F/T related landscape features. To validate the satellite products, many data loggers measuring the water content and soil surface temperature were installed by INRS researchers near the village of Umiujaq since 2012. The soil texture was analyzed and land cover was also identified for each probe location.
Quantifying Snow Accumulations Across an Arctic Shrub-tundra Landscape
Toure, Ally (1) (Presenter), P. Toose (2), P. Marsh (1), C. Derksen (2), G. Liston (3), P. Mann (1), B. Walker (1), E. Wilcox (1), B. Majumder (1) and H. Lu (4)
(1) Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON, Canada
(2) Environment and Climate Change, Canada
(3) Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, Colorado State University, Fort Collins CO, United States
(4) University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke QC, Canada
The Arctic tundra environment is characterized by highly heterogeneous distribution of snow due primarily to blowing snow redistribution. This wind redistribution of snow involves erosion from exposed areas, transport via blowing snow, and deposition on lee slopes, tall vegetation, or other flow obstructions. In this study, we evaluate the performance of a high resolution 10 m (horizontal) distributed snow model with wind-induced snow transport capability (SnowModel) by comparing the model estimates of snow accumulation and redistribution with manual in situ snow observations and snow depth estimates derived from airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) made over three subdomains within the Trail Valley Creek drainage basin located approximately 50 km north-northeast of Inuvik, NT, Canada. The subdomains used to evaluate the model have varying topographic complexity and vegetation cover. SnowModel was run from October 1, 2012 to May 31, 2013. Manual in situ snow surveys were conducted in December 2012, March and April 2013. Airborne LiDAR-derived snow depths were acquired in April 2013. The model was able to reproduce the local-scale patterns of wind-induced redistribution of the snow across the landscape. Significant coefficients of determination (r2) between manual in situ and model snow depths ranged from 0.37 to 0.59. The bias ranged from -6.62 to 0.84 cm and the RMSE ranged from 14.50 cm to 17.89 cm, which was close in magnitude to the standard deviation of the manual observations. There was also a strong similarity between the spatial patterns of snow distribution between the simulated model snow depths and the measured LiDAR snow depth observations. While the model was able to predict the average in situ snow depth and water storage in each terrain and vegetation unit, the simulations did not accurately locate and quantify water storage in deep snowdrifts.
Community-based monitoring of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) from the Nepihjee River system (Kuujjuaq, Nunavik)
Tran, Lilian (1) (Presenter), B. Ford (1) and S. Suppa (1)
(1) Nunavik Research Centre, Makivik Corporation, Kuujjuaq QC, Canada
Given the importance of Arctic charr to Inuit for cultural and subsistence purposes, as well as increasing demand from the community of Kuujjuaq (rapid growth of local population) and lack of a nearby source of Arctic charr, local Inuit-led management initiatives were put in place to introduce anadromous Arctic charr to the Nepihjee River watershed. A fishway was constructed at the mouth of the Nepihjee River in 1998 to allow anadromous Arctic charr to migrate past an impassable waterfall. Complimentary to the fishway, an Arctic charr hatchery was established to further support population development. Both initiatives were collaborative projects between the Nunavik Research Centre and the Nayumivik Landholding Corporation. The goal is to provide the community of Kuujjuaq with a sustainable Arctic charr fishery. Monitoring of the Nepihjee River Arctic charr population has since taken place every summer, with the objective of building up a long-term Nepihjee River Arctic charr dataset. Sampling includes identifying, counting, and measuring all fish species going through the fishway, as well as identifying previously tagged fish. This has produced one of only a few long-term data series on Arctic charr and the first from an Inuit initiated study. It provides an excellent opportunity to transfer valuable knowledge and skills in scientific fisheries sampling and population assessment techniques and has been hugely successful in terms of involving graduate students and local students as well as creating youth employment opportunities over the years. This project is an example of a long-standing Inuit-led conservation initiative that prioritizes community capacity-building, education, and northern cultural values. Furthermore, it reflects the mandates of both Makivik Corporation and Nayumivik Landholding Corporation in that it truly responds to the needs of Nunavik Inuit.
Eeyou Istchee eelgrass research project, James Bay east coast
Tremblay, A. (1) (Presenter), N. Saganash (1), W. Blackned (1), S. Bélanger (4), N. Cheezo (1), R. Courcelles (1), M. Dunn (1), P. del Giorgio (2), C. Durocher (1), J. Ehn (3), J.-P. Gilbert (1), M. Gosselin (4), Z. Kuzyk (3), S. Marcotte (1), U. Neumeier (4), F. Short (5), J. Rodrigue (6), R.Tapiatic (1), D. Torio (5), M. Whiskeychan (1) and H. Xie (4)
(1) Niskamoon Steering Committee on Coastal Habitat Research Program, Chisasibi QC, Canada
(2) UQAM, Montréal QC, Canada
(3) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(4) Institut des sciences de la mer (ISMER), Rimouski QC, Canada
(5) University of New Hampshire, Durham NH, United States
(6) Canadian Wildlife Service, Québec QC, Canada
Niskamoon Corporation and its partners have launched a three-year research program aiming at understanding the ecology of the coastal region of Eeyou Istchee. The research program will emphase research on eelgrass (Zostera marina) and its relationship with migrating waterfowl which are important hunting species for the Cree Nation. It will seek to integrate Cree traditional ecological knowledge into innovative, holistic scientific research. The overall goal of this program is to identify the factors influencing the growth of eelgrass along the east coast of James Bay from Boatswain Bay in the south to Cape Jones (Pointe Louis-XIV) in the north. The specific objectives are to: a) Map the current distribution and abundance of eelgrass beds; b) Determine the influences of potential environmental stressors (salinity, temperature, water color, turbidity, light availability, nutrients, wave exposure, etc.) on eelgrass growth; c) Characterize the physical, chemical, biological, and sedimentary properties and/or processes in the coastal region using observational, modeling, and/or remote-sensing techniques (salinity, temperature, light availability, turbidity, nutrients, bathymetry, speed and current direction, etc.); d) Characterize water composition and discharge of the major rivers entering the East coast of James Bay by quantifying the extent of their influence on water circulation along the East coast of James Bay and on eelgrass habitats; e) Contribute to better understand the link between eelgrass and its use by the Canada goose during migration using GSM-GPS collar and direct-count surveys; f) Characterize changes in the use of coastal resources by the Cree. Data will be collected using an integrated community-based research approach involving four Cree communities (Chisasibi, Wemindji, Eastmain and Waskaganish) and a coordinated strategy among researchers to sample common parameters.
Changing nutrient availability and marine biological productivity in the Baffin Bay/Labrador Sea complex
Tremblay, Jean-Éric (1) (Presenter), S. Bélanger (2), M. Blais (3), M. Gosselin (3), C. Marchese (2) and P. Coupel (1)
(1) Québec-Océan and Département de biologie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(3) Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
Horizontal nutrient deliveries into the Arctic Ocean, as well as the vertical processes that resupply nutrients from the deep reservoir to the sunlit layer where microalgae can photosynthesize, ultimately control biological productivity during the growth season. Using historical data and time-series of observations, we present trends in the nutrient load of waters flowing into the eastern Canadian Arctic through major oceanic gateways and discuss possible connections with remote biogeochemical processes occurring in remote source regions (i.e., rivers and the Atlantic and Pacific oceans) and changing contributions of these source regions to the Arctic outflow. Special emphasis will be placed on the North Water (NOW), an emblematic secular polynya known for its large aggregations of birds and marine mammals. A comprehensive investigation of the NOW during the International North Water Polynya Study underscored its very high biological productivity in 1998, which was supported by large inventories of nitrate prior to the spring bloom and augmented by the moderate stirring effect of episodic storms during May. Following the conclusion of that study, ArcticNet expeditions continued to survey the NOW and adjacent regions on a regular basis. This presentation will report on physical properties, nutrient distributions and the standing stock and productivity of phytoplankton during late summer and fall for the period 1998-2017, with spatial focus on a longitudinal section extending from Ellesmere Island to Greenland at 76.3N. The results show strong indications that the NOW recently experienced strong shifts in various indices of productivity, which can be related to a combination of local and remote processes and a possible “atlantification” of the Baffin Bay/Labrador Sea complex.
Federal Geospatial Platform – Collaborating in making Canadian Open Geospatial Data accessible on the Web
Trentin, Sonia (1) (Presenter)
(1) Natural Resources Canada - Federal Geospatial Platform, Canada
The Government of Canada has a wealth of location-based (known as “geospatial”) information and expertise. This is a huge asset in the digital age where data is the new global currency. Recognizing this, 21 federal departments collaborated to develop the Federal Geospatial Platform (Platform), an online environment where the government’s most relevant geospatial information can be found easily, and viewed on maps to support decision-making, foster innovation, and provide better service for Canadians. The Platform is fundamentally changing the way geospatial information is used, shared, and managed within the government, and play a key role in bringing together the government’s economic, social and environmental data on a range of complex issues, such as responsible resource development, environmental management, regulatory reviews, and safety and security. The Platform has an internal and an external website with different functionalities. Within the Government, employees are able to view and access geospatial data in one location through a user-friendly data web catalogue and map viewer. Using multiple federal and local data layers, users can create and share personalized maps and applications to enable analysis. Outside the government, there is access to similar tools on a section of the Open Government Portal branded as Open Maps. This presentation provides an overview of the FGP, how it was developed through grassroots collaboration and future opportunities.
The building blocks of informed decision-making: Scientific assessments, reports, and traditional and local knowledge in the work of the Arctic Council
Trites, Ian (1) (Presenter)
(1) Global Affairs Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
The Arctic Council is the leading intergovernmental forum for promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction among the 8 Arctic States, Arctic indigenous communities and other Arctic inhabitants. Established in 1996 through the Ottawa Declaration, the Council works to address common issues and challenges facing the region with a focus on sustainable development and environmental protection. With scientific contributions ranging the span of both natural and social sciences, and through the integration of traditional and local knowledge, the Arctic Council has evolved beyond just a forum for collaboration to an arena for policy making on a range of international arctic issues. The Council's six working groups, numerous expert groups, and specially mandated task forces require a large range and volume of scientific contributions to complete assessments and reports which help guide decision-makers in their objective of ensuring a healthy, vibrant, dynamic, and sustainable Arctic region. How are decisions taken on the type and focus of assessment and reports to be produced by the Arctic Council? How do working groups, task forces, and expert groups of the Arctic Council collect and use knowledge in developing assessments and reports? Is it a one-size-fits-all approach? How is this information shared with key decision makers and high-level representatives of Arctic states and others with influence in the region? How are recommendations of these important assessments and reports tracked and actioned? What lessons can be learned from the mechanisms and process in place within the work of the Council to assist in maintaining strong collaboration and informed decision-making? What other actions are the Council taking to ensure strong contributions to international Arctic science and policy? This presentation will provide a high-level overview of the work of the Arctic Council and its processes, and will discuss the important role contributions of western science and traditional and local knowledge play in effective evidence-based decision-making for the future of the Arctic region.
Geomorphology and stratigraphy of fjord-lake basins of the eastern Canadian Shield
Trottier, Annie-Pier (1) (Presenter), P. Lajeunesse (1), A. Gagnon-Poiré (2) and A. Normandeau (3)
(1) Laboratoire de géosciences marines (LGM), Centre d’études nordiques (CEN), Québec Océan & Département de géographie, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Institut national de recherche scientifique (INRS), Centre Eau Terre et Environnement, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Geological Survey of Canada – Atlantic, Dartmouth NS, Canada
Fjords are structurally controlled drowned valley forming deep depositional basins at the interface of oceans and continents. These deep and unique estuaries have been overdeepened by successive Quaternary glaciations in existing pre-glacial fluvial valley systems. Following forced-regression induced by glacio-isostatic rebound, these drowned valleys can be disconnected from the sea, forming fjord-lakes. Isolation of these fjords from the sea to form deep enclosed freshwater basins modifies the nature and pattern of sedimentary processes. Here we present and describe a wide dataset of high resolution swath bathymetry imagery and acoustic subbottom profiles collected from 2014 to 2016 in lacustrine-fjords of northeastern America (lakes Mekinac, Pasteur, Pentecôte, Walker & Grand) in order to examine their morpho-stratigraphy and sedimentology. The studied fjord-lakes are all located in the eastern Canadian Shield, from southern Québec to Labrador, and have different context such as deglacial chronology, elevation and relative position from the formerly retreating ice margin. The analysis of the database allows the identification of similarities in morphological patterns and stratigraphic architectures in these depositional systems. The studied fjord-lake are all characterized by 1) a morainic sill splitting the lakes in two basins with distinct sedimentary processes; 2) well developed deltas near a river input at the fjords head with crescentic shaped bedforms on their frontal slope; 3) a hummocky topography at the fjords exit; 4) the presence of mass-movements, mostly associated with the deglacial glaciomarine unit; and 5) circular depressions in their deeper basins. These results suggest a similar deglacial and postglacial morphological evolution of fjords of the eastern Canadian Shield after the forced-regression induced by the glacio-isostatic uplift.
Changes in the timing and intensity of spring snow melt in the western Canadian Arctic
Tsui, Matthew (1) (Presenter), P. Marsh (1) and B. Walker (1)
(1) Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON, Canada
There is a common consensus that ongoing climate warming is causing snowmelt to begin earlier in the spring. Though recent studies have suggested that, at least in some cases, the resulting snowmelt runoff is not occurring earlier. This raises questions about how the rate of melt has changed. Unknowns impacting melt rate include changes in incoming solar radiation, snow albedo, melt-freeze events during the melt period, wind speed, and of course the rate of snowmelt. However, to date, there are little information on the changes in these, and the resulting changes in the rate of snowmelt runoff. We will present 25 years of meteorological driving forces measured at the Trail Valley Creek (TVC) research watershed north of Inuvik, NWT. These will be supplemented by observations from Inuvik since 1960. This combined data set will illustrate the change in the start of snowmelt over the six decades of air temperature records. We will also consider using a range of snowmelt models, from simple temperature index models to full energy balance models to consider changes in the timing and rate of snowmelt. This analysis will lead to improved understanding of changes in snowmelt and the implications on changes in streamflow and other aspects of the environment.
Building Indigenous leaders in education through conscientization, resistance, and transformative action in Indigenous teacher education
Tulloch, Shelley (1) (Presenter), S. Moore (2) (Presenter), J. Lane (3) and C. Mitsuk (2)
(1) University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. Johns NL, Canada
(3) Nunatsiavut Government, Makkovik NL, Canada
Maori scholar Graham Smith argues that decolonization is achieved through mutually reinforcing processes of conscientization, resistance, and transformative action. Formal education for Indigenous peoples, introduced as a colonizing, assimilating, and disinheriting institution, is a prime site for efforts toward decolonization and Indigenous self-determination. As part of the preparation for Inuit governance of schools within the Nunatsiavut land claims region, and as part of ongoing efforts to indigenize education, the Nunatsiavut Government and Memorial University of Newfoundland partnered to develop and deliver a community-based, culturally-infused Inuit bachelor of education program. We argue that in addition to preparing competent and highly qualified future teachers, the program has drawn out leaders who will incite ongoing decolonization of Inuit schools. As the program created opportunities for awareness-building and critical reflection, and opened safe spaces to express and enact resistance, the pre-service teachers took on transformative, critical actions. Their stories illustrate how they have taken on a critical voice and enacted agency. As emerging educational leaders, they also express vision and confidence for building on strengths and spreading innovations as they move forward as professionals in Nunatsiavut's educational system.
Sharing the story of Nunatsiavut's Inuit bachelor of education program through documentary film
Tulloch, Shelley (1), Inuit Bachelor of Education Students (2), D. Boase (2) (Presenter), T. Doherty (2) (Presenter), S. Moore (2), M. Sandiford (3), A. McAuley (4) and J. Lane (4)
(1) University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. Johns NL, Canada
(3) Beachwalker Fims, Charlottetown PE, Canada
(4) University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown PE, Canada
(5) Nunatsiavut Government, Makkovik NL, Canada
The ArcticNet-funded Akuttujuuk project aimed to identify ways in which Inuit educators are empowered to generate, communicate, and apply knowledge about bilingual education. This research was grounded in the National Inuit Strategy on Education, which prioritized building capacity among Inuit educators and enhancing bilingual education. In this presentation, we tell the story of a collaboration between the first cohort of Inuit Bachelor of Education students in Nunatsiavut, university researchers, a documentary filmmaker, and the Nunatsiavut government to capture and amplify the Inuit pre-service teachers’ stories about what is working – or not – in building their capacity as future bilingual educators in Nunatsiavut. Excerpts from the resulting documentary film are shown to illustrate how the Inuit pre-service teachers, through conversational Inuktitut instruction and other course opportunities, evolved in their understandings of who they are as Inuit, as Inuktitut-speakers, and as future teachers who will create greater space for Inuktitut in Nunatsiavut classrooms.
(re)visioning Success in Inuit Education: A report of the 2017 Inuit Education Forum
Tulloch, Shelley (1), M. O’Gorman (1), K. Snow (2), J. Lane (3), Heather Ochalski and Nunatsiavut Government
(1) University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Cape Breton University, Sydney NS, Canada
(3) Nunatsiavut Government, Nain, Nunasiavut NL, Canada
Across Inuit Nunangat, innovative teachers, principals and administrators have developed and adapted materials, assessment tools and interventions to meet the needs of learners. This work and development has been based on years of high quality academic research on Inuit education which identifies critical factors for supporting student success such as leadership and staffing of schools (Walton & O’Leary, 2015), community partnership development (Tompkins, 1998) or developing culturally relevant support materials (McGregor, 2012). However, in the light of high workloads, rapid staff turnover and the challenges of communication in the North, grassroots school-level development runs the risk of remaining unknown, undocumented, underutilized and unevaluated (Wall-Cloutier, 2015). With the support of a SSHRC knowledge synthesis grant, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and ArcticNet funding our team set out to discuss and prioritize key reforms needed to ensure greater success in Inuit education. For three days in February 2017, 28 educators from across Inuit Nunangat gathered in Nain to discuss: (a) what is the current state of education in schools, (b) what are the challenges or barriers to achieving goals and priorities, (c) what are the potential solutions to these challenges? From these discussions, recommendations and renewed priorities identified by Forum participants were published in a report released by ITK in the Fall of 2017. The 3 key themes from this report - enhanced Inuit control of education, strengthening linguistic and culturally-relevant education, and greater resourcing of schools - will be shared in this presentation in the light of current literature on education and the lived experiences of teachers.
Observations of Arctic Change from Salluit, Nunavik
Tuniq, Juupi (1) (Presenter) and T. Usuituayuk (1)
(1) Northern village of Salluit, Nunavik QC, Canada
Juupi Tuniq, born in Kangiqsujuaq, has been living in Salluit (Nunavik) for over twenty years. In this presentation, he will share some local observations on a changing climate in the Arctic. In particular, he will relay information given on the radio by Thomas Usuituayuk, also living in Salluit. Back in the days, the ice on the bay would form straight within a day. Now, the ice forms over many days or weeks, and in that period it often melts or the wind blows it away. Winter these days doesn’t feel as cold as it used to be. Before, it would be really cold on most days during the winter, whereas now there are only a few days when it’s really cold. Thomas believes that a lot of things change within years and that the space is still not settled. Juupi will also draw from his experience as a land user and guide. He currently works as an educator at the boys rehabilitation center of Salluit. He has been involved in the Ice Monitoring research project in Salluit and Deception Bay, the Iqaluk Project in Deception Bay and the Cape Wolstenholme park project survey. He has also recently worked on marking the Salluit-Deception Bay trail and as a guide for the elder’s spring fishing activities in Deception Bay.
Hydrological responses of a drained thermokarst lake to a decade of intense catchment shrub proliferation in Old Crow Flats, Yukon, Canada
Turner, Kevin (1) (Presenter), B.B. Wolfe (2) and I. McDonald (3)
(1) Brock University, St. Catharines ON, Canada
(2) Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON, Canada
(3) Vuntut National Park, Parks Canada, Whitehorse YK, Canada
Lake-rich permafrost landscapes occupy vast northern regions and represent ecological hotspots that provide important resources for northern communities. Changing climate conditions have induced widespread, yet variable responses across many of these landscapes including drastically fluctuating lake water levels (e.g., increased lake drainage frequency), increasing shrub growth, shoreline slumping, and fire. While these changing landscape features have been fairly well documented, relations among these integrated landscape components remain unclear. We are investigating these relations in Old Crow Flats, Yukon where members of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation are concerned that climate and landscape changes will impact their traditional lifestyles. Here we present our use of remotely sensed data, seasonal water level data, and a decade of lake water isotope and chemistry monitoring to identify how the hydrology of a culturally important lake has responded since draining in 2007. Indices were calculated using all available cloud-free Landsat scenes to extract surface water area and vegetation growth since drainage. All thaw season Landsat data (n = 46) acquired since 2007 were used to identify changes in surface water while only scenes acquired during maximum phenology (n = 10) were used to assess vegetation growth. Water level data collected during 2009 are strongly correlated with seasonal surface water fluctuations during that year owing to the low slope of the reduced shoreline area of the drained lakebed. This was not the case in several other lakes that had steep shorelines. Water isotope results (d18O and d2H) show that Zelma Lake level reductions were in response to evaporation in addition to outflow from the drainage channel. However, the effects of evaporation have been slightly reduced since 2010 as shrub vegetation proliferated, which likely increased snowpack size and spring melt inflow. Water chemistry parameters show clear changes since pre-drainage conditions with increases in several nutrients and major ions. Results presented here document the hydrological response of a lake to changes in catchment land cover (i.e., shrub proliferation), which is expected to occur across vast lake-rich landscapes as northern climate continues to change.
Inuvialuit traditional knowledge of wildlife habitat on the Yukon North Slope
Tyson, Will (1), K. Heinemeyer (1), J. Selamio (2), M. Suitor (3), N. Flynn (3), J. Smith (4) and K. Milner (4) (Presenter)
(1) Round River Conservation Studies, Salt Lake City UT, United States
(2) Aklavik NWT, Canada
(3) Yukon Government YT, Canada
(4) WMAC(NS), Whitehorse YT, Canada
This project focused on Inuvialuit Traditional Knowledge (TK) of habitats and ecosystems of the Yukon North Slope(YNS). An Ecological Land Classification (ELC) recently developed by the Yukon Government was used to help bridge TK and science habitat interpretations. A workshop of more than 20 landusers and scientists discussed major ecosystem types across the YNS, grouping them into categories that were recognizable and understood by both parties. The goal of the TK-ELC workshop was to translate these ‘western science’ ecological classifications into habitat classes recognized by the Inuvialuit who use the YNS. The two main objectives of the workshop were to 1) describe the major habitat classes that are recognized by Inuvialuit land-users across the YNS, and 2) group the ELC ecosystem units into these TK-based habitat types. An important outcome of the workshop is the ability to bridge the TK and western science interpretations of ecosystem diversity on the YNS. This work facilitates the discussions between researchers and land-users by providing a shared understanding of YNS ecosystems and habitats, and allows the use of spatial mapping products of the ELC to be integrated with TK-based habitat information. TK interviews were then able to be conducted using the new bridged (cross-walked) habitat types. The TK interviews focused on key species and their use of habitats. The information gathered through this will inform and guide the Wildlife Management Advisory Council (North Slope)'s Wildlife Plan revisions including developing maps and models of key fish and wildlife seasonal distributions, movements and important habitats.
Permafrost dynamics and infrastructure impacts revealed by Unmanned Aircraft System-derived terrain information
Van der Sluijs, Jurjen (1) (Presenter), R.H. Fraser (2), S. Kokelj (3), J. Tunnicliffe (4) and I. Olthof (2)
(1) NWT Centre for Geomatics – Informatics, Government of Northwest Territories, Yellowknife NWT, Canada
(2) Canada Centre for Mapping and Earth Observation, Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
(3) Northwest Territories Geological Survey, Government of Northwest Territories, Yellowknife NWT, Canada
(4) School of Environment, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Climate change and anthropogenic disturbances are causing permafrost thaw that is altering northern landscapes and compromising the stability of infrastructure. Permafrost terrain and infrastructure investigations in Canada’s North are often based on detailed local-scale measurements through ground-work or coarser infrequent satellite remote sensing covering larger areas. Temporal and spatial measurement gaps exist, which are perhaps most acute with respect to the intensification of climate-driven thermokarst processes and thaw-related infrastructure problems. Rapidly increasing research and monitoring requirements necessitate cost-effective and flexible tools that accommodate timely acquisition of imagery and yield high-resolution terrain models at intermediate spatial scales (1 ha to 1 km2). Here we highlight the scientific and applied utility of Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) methods for studying permafrost dynamics and infrastructure impacts. We (1) assessed the volume of materials displaced by thaw slump development and quantified the dynamics of fluidized earth flows by means of pointclouds and thermal imaging to obtain new insights into modes of failure, geotechnical properties, and mechanisms of downslope transfer. UAS were also used to (2) monitor uplift or settlement associated with the development or degradation of injection ice along road corridors, which combined with soil probe data provided unique three-dimensional understandings of runoff and ice accumulation as well as signs of road vulnerability. Furthermore, (3) terrain models of anthropogenic disturbances such as borrow pits were developed to track thaw-related impacts, drainage pathways, sediment linkages, ice features and landform morphologies. These developments show a strong potential of UAS time-series analyses to assess and refine local thermal, vegetation, hydrologic and geomorphic feedbacks and dynamics and show how disturbed terrain may become re-equilibrated in a new thermal regime.
Methylmercury hotspots and cycling across a High Arctic freshwater sub-catchment
Varty, Stephanie (1) (Presenter), I. Lehnherr (1), J. Kirk (2), K. St. Pierre (3) and V. Wisniewski (1)
(1) University of Toronto Mississauga. Mississauga ON, Canada
(2) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Burlington ON, Canada
(3) University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
Mercury (Hg) is a pollutant of global concern vulnerable to the effects of Arctic change. Methylmercury (MeHg), is a toxin which bioaccumulates and biomagnifies through food webs; it is produced from inorganic Hg via a process called methylation. Concentrations of MeHg can be elevated in certain freshwater fish which is a potential health concern for the health of Northern Indigenous Peoples who consume these fish as part of a traditional diet. Furthermore, climate change is likely to alter the fate of MeHg in Arctic ecosystems, such that it is important to gain an understanding of the spatial and seasonal variations in the sources of MeHg, including production hotspots. This research is aimed at determining where production (methylation) and degradation (demethylation) of MeHg occurs in a High Arctic freshwater system. This research will aid in developing an understanding how MeHg cycling differs between ice-on and ice-off seasons in aforementioned system. To address these objectives a series of field based experiments to quantify Hg methylation and MeHg demethylation, as well as spatiotemporal surveys of MeHg and total Hg concentrations, were conducted in the Skeleton Lake sub-catchment of Lake Hazen, Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada. The study sub-catchment allows us to track MeHg concentrations and production along a continuum during downstream transport from the permafrost seep headwaters, through Skeleton Lake, a series of ponds, a wetland stream, a sedge meadow wetland and finally at the inflow of the creek into Lake Hazen. Thus, we are able to quantify how MeHg is transformed during downstream transport through various compartments of the catchment, particularly at the terrestrial-aquatic interface. Sampling and experiments were conducted during the summer ice-free growing season of 2016 and the ice-covered spring of 2017 just before melt onset. Hg methylation and MeHg demethylation were quantified using enriched stable isotope tracers in 1) Skeleton Lake water column; 2) Skeleton Lake sediments; 3) downstream pond sediments; 4) wetland soils (summer) and 5) snow (spring). A spatial survey was also conducted along the entire length of the wetland stream and meadow to quantify Hg and MeHg in wetland soils, a known MeHg production hotspot at temperate latitudes. Spring anoxia in the water under the ice covered Skeleton Lake could also provide ideal conditions to support the activity of anaerobic methylating bacteria. Preliminary data suggests that while MeHg is produced in the lake and pond sites along the continuum, wetland soils act as a sink for MeHg reducing its export into Lake Hazen, through both demethylation of MeHg and sorption onto soils. This has potential to decrease exposure to this contaminant in the Lake Hazen Arctic Char (Salvelinus alpinus) population. This research will provide a better understanding as to where MeHg is produced and decomposed on the Arctic landscape. Additionally, it will explore how changes in climate through seasonal changes in snow/ice cover, conditions in lake water and changes in wetland chemistry may alter biogeochemical processes relevant to contaminant cycling in the High Arctic, an issue of both environmental and human health concern.
Slope processes and associated risks to local residents and tourists in Tasiapik Valley, Umiujaq (Nunavik)
Veilleux, Samuel (1) (Presenter), N. Bhiry (1), A. Decaulne (2) and Þ. Sæmundsson (3)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Université de Nantes, Nantes, France
(3) University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
This project focused on scree slope development during the Holocene period on Hudson Bay cuestas in Nunavik. Located near the Inuit community of Umiujaq and at the edge of Tursujuq National Park, the study site includes hillsides in the Tasiapik Valley. The apical rock wall exposes volcano-sedimentary rocks and reaches as high as 300 meters above sea level. Several slope deposits are located at the bottom of the rock wall on the west side of the valley and at the “Umiujaq Butte” in the upper part of the valley. The slope deposits are concentrated near the rock wall, but many of them were carried a long distance downstream. Thus, many blocks have been deposited only a few meters from the road that connects Umiujaq to Lake Tasiujaq. The road is used by people in the community, tourists and park staff who access the lake, and by scientists. Heavy machinery also travels on this road due to the presence of a borrow pit in the valley. The evidence suggests that falling rocks may pose a significant risk to road users. The main objective of this study was to document the gravity processes that affect the slopes of the valley and to assess the risk of falling debris toward the road. The specific objectives were: 1) to characterize the topography of the scree slopes and to analyze the petrography of the sediments and the vegetation covering the sediments; and 2) to trace the extent and recurrence of these gravity processes after the regression of the post-glacial Tyrrell Sea during the Holocene. Analysis of various parameters such as the height of the rock wall, the lithology and size of the debris on the scree, and the topography and geological setting of the talus, provides a framework with which to identify the different types of slopes in the valley. Based on preliminary results and observations from previous fieldwork, two main processes were identified. First, smaller sedimentary rock debris fall and accumulate directly at the bottom of the rock wall, creating a large talus. In addition, large basalt blocks fall from the upper part of the rock wall near the cornice and travel to the base of the talus and further down. As part of the research project, we seek to link these processes to the evolution of the slopes in the valley. Therefore, we assessed the influence of climate change, local geology and paraglacial effects (e.g. glacio-isostasy) on geomorphic agents involved in the slope processes.
In situ investigation of hydrocarbon degradation in Arctic seawater and sea ice
Vergeynst, Leendert (1) (Presenter), J.H. Christensen (2), W. Boone (3), T. Dalsgaard (1), K.U. Kjeldsen (3), L. Malmquist (2), L. Meire (1) and S. Rysgaard (1,3)
(1) Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
(2) Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
(3) Center for Earth and Observation Science (CEOS), University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(4) Section for Microbiology & Center for Geomicrobiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
The Arctic gains attention due to growing economic interests in establishing shorter shipping routes and for offshore oil extraction. This will inevitably lead to oil spills in the Arctic marine environment, where the harsh conditions and remoteness complicate clean-up efforts. Natural degradation processes including photooxidation by solar radiation and biodegradation by hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria may therefore play a crucial role in the remediation of oil contamination. However, oil weathering processes such as photooxidation and the biodegradation capacity of cold-tolerant microbial communities in Arctic sea ice and seawater still remains largely unknown. During spring 2016, we conducted a 2.5-month field study in the Godthåbsfjord, Southwest Greenland, to study in situ oil weathering in ice-covered seawater and sea ice. For this study, we adopted a novel experimental system based on Fluortex mesh nets that can be coated with a 10-20 µm-thin oil film. We placed nets (4.5 × 9 cm) coated with marine diesel and untreated controls in sea ice and in seawater below the ice. After 31, 51, 63 and 74 days, nets were cored out and the surrounding sea ice was sampled. Over the course of the experiment, the development of a biofilm was observed on the oil-coated nets. To identify bacteria involved in biofilm formation and hydrocarbon degradation, DNA was extracted from the nets, from seawater and from sea ice samples and processed for 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing using Illumina technology. In parallel, the degree of oil degradation was determined by extracting and analyzing residual hydrocarbons from the nets for a broad selection of aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Multivariate statistics-based hydrocarbon fingerprinting (CHEMometric analysis of sections of Selected Ion Chromatograms, CHEMSIC) revealed typical photooxidation and biodegradation patterns. Photooxidation of phenanthrene, pyrene and chrysene PAHs was observed in both sea ice and seawater, with the strongest removal (e.g., up to 70% after 74 days for methylchrysenes) close to the ice surface. On the other hand, typical hydrocarbon biodegradation signatures were only observed for alkanes in seawater, with estimated half-life time of less than 7 days. The genomic analysis showed that typical cold-tolerant oil-degrading genera including the alkane degrading Oleispira sp., PAH degrading Shewanella sp. and short-chain hydrocarbon degrading Colwellia sp. were enriched. This study is among the first to report on in situ oil biodegradation and photooxidation in cold seawater and sea ice. It furthermore demonstrates the applicability of oil-coated mesh nets to study in situ oil weathering processes. The thin oil film on the nets mimics realistic dispersed oil droplets with a diameter of 60-120 µm and has a large area-to-volume ratio that was colonized by hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria. Strong alkane degradation and a typical associated hydrocarbon-degrading microbial community were observed in cold (-1.3 to +1.6°C) seawater. In contrast, although a microbial community with hydrocarbon-degradation potential was enriched in sea ice at temperatures down to -3°C, no biodegradation patterns were detected. Photooxidation showed to be a complementary degradation process to remove photosensitive PAHs, even through 50-cm thick sea ice.
The microbiomes of carnivorous sponges from the Canadian Arctic suggest differential involvement of bacterial associates
Verhoeven, Joost (1) (Presenter) and S.C. Dufour (1)
(1) Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's NL, Canada
Poster: Link to the PDFCarnivorous sponges (family: Cladorhizidae) feed on small mesoplanktonic prey that they trap on specialized structures. Previous studies postulated that cladorhizid carnivory involves host-associated bacteria that fulfill important roles in prey dissimilation. In this study, we used Illumina high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene to investigate the bacterial community structure (microbiome) of the carnivorous sponges Chondrocladia grandis (N=3) and Cladorhiza oxeata (N=2), ROV-collected in Scott Inlet and Davis Strait during the ArcticNet 2015 Amundsen expedition. Multiple sections of each specimen were sequenced separately to examine changes in bacterial communities among separate anatomical regions. We also performed stable isotope analysis, and compared Arctic sponges to C. grandis individuals collected within the Gulf of Maine (N=4) in 2013. C. grandis contained bacterial communities that were much more diverse than those of C. oxeata (Chao1: 403 vs 197). Phylum level composition was similar in both sponge species, with most bacteria classified as either Proteobacteria or Bacteroidetes. Compared to C. oxeata, the microbiome of C. grandis contained a more even distribution of bacterial families, dominated by the Flavobacteriaceae (23% relative abundance), followed by Rhodobacteraceae, Halieaceae, Colwelliaceae and Hyphomonadaceae. In contrast, the C. oxeata microbiome showed a greater dominance of Flavobacteriaceae (~62% relative abundance). Biomarker analysis indicated that the C. grandis microbiome was not homogeneous across the sponge body, and certain associations may represent functionally-important symbioses. For instance, species of Colwellia and Reichenbachiella have chitin hydrolyzing capabilities and were enriched in the prey trapping spheres of C. grandis, potentially indicating that bacteria are needed to degrade prey exoskeleton. The root-like sections of C. grandis had an affinity for Robiginitomaculum, known for degrading complex organic molecules; this sponge may be able to supplement its carnivorous diet by assimilating products of the bacterial degradation of environmental hydrocarbons. Significantly lighter d13C isotope ratios within C. grandis specimens sampled in areas with suspected hydrocarbon presence (Gulf of Maine) supports this hypothesis. An oligotype analysis of ubiquitous bacterial genera (Tenacibaculum, uncultured Nitrospinaceae, and uncultured Gammaproteobacteria) showed that each sponge species retained a specific oligotype of Nitrospinaceae and Gammaproteobacteria, independently of geographic region or host individual. Multiple Tenacibaculum oligotypes were detected, but the same dominant oligotype was found in all samples. Finally specific enriched bacteria showed a similar pattern, for example: although we did observe multiple oligotypes of Colwellia, the majority of Colwellia in the trapping spheres of all C. grandis samples belonged to two distinct oligotypes. Overall, we show that C. grandis and C. oxeata from similar environments have very divergent microbiomes, with each species showing a high degree of selectivity for particular bacteria. Multiple obligate symbioses seem likely in C. grandis, as key bacterial taxa and oligotypes are detected in specific anatomical regions across multiple specimens and geographical locations. The less diverse and more anatomically homogeneous microbiome of C. oxeata suggests a divergent carnivorous strategy, reliant on a less diverse bacterial symbiont assemblage.
Post-migration recovery in the high Arctic: shorebirds can digest but they need to make room for food
Vézina François (1) (Presenter), T. Piersma (2) and R.I.G. Morrison (3)
(1) Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
(2) NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Texel, University of Groningen, Netherlands
(3) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
In arctic breeding shorebirds, long distance migratory flights are associated with major physiological changes, including the regression of several internal organs, such as those involved in energy acquisition. These organs must be quickly reconstructed following arrival for the birds to recover and prepare for their short breeding season. However, whether the atrophy of digestive organs limits their digestive functions during this critical period is unknown. We examined digestive performance of red knots (Calidris canutus islandica) during the period of transition between their arrival and breeding at the extreme north of their breeding range, the Canadian Forces Station Alert, Ellesmere Island, Nunavut. We hypothesized that birds offered ad libitum food in controlled conditions would improve digestive efficiency (energy extracted per g of food consumed) and energy acquisition rate (energy intake per hour) in the 3 weeks following their arrival as they rebuild their digestive organs as rapidly as possible. Non invasive ultrasound measurements confirmed that birds increased the size of their digestive organs in the weeks following arrival as expected. However, digestive efficiency remained unchanged. Nevertheless, the rate of energy assimilation and the rate of body mass gain increased over time during the recovery period. This therefore suggest that arriving birds are not limited in their digestive capacity but nevertheless have to develop their digestive organs to increase the amount of food they can process per unit time during this critical period of recovery.
Multiscale remote sensing of Sub-Arctic thaw ponds in Eastern Hudson Bay
Vieira, Gonçalo (1,2) (Presenter), P. Freitas (1), S. Girst (1), C. Mora (1), J. Canário (2,3) and W.F. Vincent (2)
(1) CEG/IGOT, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
(2) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) CQE/IST, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
Thaw ponds (small thermokarst lakes) are frequent features in Arctic and Sub-Arctic wetlands associated with degrading ice-rich permafrost. They show strong biogeochemical dynamics and are important players in the carbon cycle. Arctic warming is accelerating thaw, affecting whole landscapes and influencing hydrology and soils, hence generating new conditions for ecosystems and for human activities. Significant changes have been affecting the tundra-forest boundary, with a marked increase in both tree and shrub formations. Identifying small ponds using remote sensing is an important challenge for quantifying the processes affecting polar wetlands and some studies evaluate the potential of using satellite imagery for assessing pond spectral characteristics. The launch of Sentinel 2-A in 2015 and Sentinel 2-B in 2017 (S2 - 10 m resolution), that followed Landsat 8 (L8 - 30 m resolution) in 2013, offering revisiting times of a few days, opened a new breadth of possibilities for monitoring and advancing the understanding of remote Arctic and Sub-Arctic regions. Two field surveying missions have been conducted in the summers of 2015 and 2017 in the Kuujjuarapik and Umiujaq areas at Eastern Hudson Bay (Nunavik) using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV): i. SAS thaw lakes (55°13’N, 77°42’W), part of a permafrost peatland at a mean altitude of 110 m a.s.l., ii. KWAK thaw lakes (55º 18’N, 77º30’ W) in a zone of isolated permafrost in the Kwakwatanikapistikw River valley, 110 m asl, and iii. BGR ponds (56°37'N, 76°13'W) in the Sheldrake River valley in the discontinuous permafrost zone. In 2015 the UAV flights were conducted using a RGB camera and a camera modified to NIRGB. In 2017, a multispectral Sequoia camera (G, R, RE, NIR, RGB) was used. The latter allows for calibration accounting for incoming solar radiation and for calculating ground reflectance. The UAV was a Sensefly eBee. Orthophoto mosaics, as well as digital surface models have been produced. The high spatial resolution (ci 15 cm) and spectral quality of the imagery provides ground truthing for the analysis of the quality of the imagery from S2 and L8 satellites. In this presentation, we focus on the preliminary analysis of UAV data from August-September 2017 and on the comparison with a Landsat-8 scene from 13 September 2017 and with a Sentinel-2 scene from 23 August 2017. A WorldView-2 scene from 2013 is also being analyzed as an intermediate step between UAV imagery and the medium resolution satellites. These results provide new information on land cover and landform changes in Sub-Arctic palsa and lithalsa areas.
Arctic dust clouds: An investigation of aerosols in the Western Canadian Arctic using satellite imagery
Vincent, Ron (1) (Presenter)
(1) Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston ON, Canada
Long range transport of anthropogenic and naturally occurring dust to the Arctic from southern latitudes is well-documented by researchers. There is also the presence of in situ dust, such as glacier flour, that is introduced locally into the polar atmosphere. Regardless of provenance, these aerosols enhance long wave radiation fluxes to the surface, resulting in heating that is comparable to greenhouse gases. Deposition of particulates from dust clouds can reduce the albedo of snow and ice surfaces, leading to accelerated melt rates. An annual occurrence of optically thin dust clouds has been observed with satellite imagery in the Canadian Western Arctic over the past decade. Using multi-channel thermal data from the Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) sensors, significant dust clouds have been identified during the summer months in the vicinity of Amundsen Gulf. Analysis of MODIS and AVHRR data suggest that particulates from dust clouds are periodically deposited on both the ice pack and the sea surface in the region. The cycle of atmospheric and deposited dust, which is difficult to capture on climate change models, may be a contributing factor in the rapid disappearance of ice in the Western Arctic Ocean in recent years.
Arctic Development and Adaptation to Permafrost in Transition: ADAPT perspectives on permafrost systems
Vincent, Warwick (1,2) (Presenter), M. Allard (1,3) and M. Lemay (1,4)
(1) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN), Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Département de biologie & Takuvik, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Département de géographie & Takuvik, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(4) ArcticNet, Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
Permafrost science and engineering are of vital importance for northern development and climate adaptation given that buildings, roads, and other infrastructure in many parts of the Arctic depend on permafrost stability. Permafrost also has wide-ranging effects on other features of the Arctic environment including geomorphology, biogeochemical fluxes, tundra plant and animal ecology, and the functioning of lake, river, and coastal marine ecosystems. Our aim in the NSERC Discovery Frontiers program ADAPT (Arctic Development and Adaptation to Permafrost in Transition) was to develop an Earth system perspective on permafrost landscapes as an approach towards integration across disciplines. This builds on previous system-level views of thermokarst and carbon mobilization, and it extends this approach by explicitly incorporating the human dimensions of engineered infrastructure and ecosystem services as well as biogeochemistry and land–water interactions. The approach is related to the “geosystems framework” adopted in certain engineering studies, and is a contribution to the “resilience framework” that recognizes the need to strengthen the local capacity of northern communities for environmental stewardship in the face of rapid and uncertain changes. The permafrost system approach begins with a three-layer conceptual model, with an upper buffer layer that contains vegetation/snow cover or infrastructure overlying the active layer and permafrost. Snow, liquid water and ground ice strongly affect the thermal properties and stability of these layers and their associated interfaces, resulting in critical times and places for accelerated degradation of permafrost and for exchanges of mass and heat with the hydrosphere and atmosphere. The effects of liquid water in transporting heat and kinetic energy mean that the one-dimensional depictions need to be viewed as simplified components of the larger, hydrologically connected, three-dimensional landscape. When permafrost starts to degrade, flowing water will exert major positive feedback effects such as channel erosion, gullying, and thermokarst lake drainage. These impacts of flowing water on transport, accelerated thaw, spatial patterning and geo-ecosystem services will require much greater attention in the future. Northern permafrost landscapes are now in rapid transition as a result of climate warming and socioeconomic development, which is affecting their ability to provide geosystem and ecosystem services. The Earth system approach provides a framework for identifying linkages, thresholds, and feedbacks among system components, including human systems, and for the development of management strategies to cope with permafrost change.
Environmental determinants of survival in migratory tundra caribou
Vuillaume, Barbara (1,2) (Presenter), M. Festa-Bianchet (2,3) and S.D. Côté (1,2)
(1) Caribou Ungava - Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Centre d'études nordiques (CEN) - Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(3) Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke QC, Canada
In may 2017 COSEWIC assessed migratory caribou in eastern Canada as endangered. It is essential to understand the causes of ongoing declines to efficiently conserve these populations. Reliable estimates of survival and reproduction are needed for conservation and for modelling population dynamics. In large mammals, changes in the survival of adult females have drastic consequences for population growth rates. We investigated adult survival in relation to environmental and demographic parameters for two declining migratory caribou herds: the Rivière-aux-Feuilles Herd (RAF) and the Rivière-George Herd (RG) of northern Québec and Labrador. We analyzed data from more than 800 adult caribou marked with satellite collars since 2001. We used known-fate models to quantify adult survival rate of males and females, considering multiple environmental variables to assess the possible impacts of climate, vegetation quality and availability, predation and hunting. We considered several seasonal and temporal scales and used individual-specific covariates for environmental determinants. Annual survival was highly variable for both sexes, ranging from 0.396 (RG, 2010) to 0.923, and fluctuated with multi-year population trajectories. From 2001 to 2016, male survival was on average 8% lower than female survival regardless of the temporal scale. Female survival rate was lowest in summer with a difference of 3%/month, probably because of lactation costs. Survival of both sexes was low in winter, perhaps because of the energetic costs of the autumn migration, increased energy expenditures during winter and lower resource availability. Severe winters led to lower survival the following summer for female. Since 2012, only subsistence hunting is allowed on the RG, while sport and subsistence hunting continues in the RAF. Preliminary analyses of hunting effects on survival rate revealed a high subsistence hunting pressure on females for the RG, contributing to the decline observed in recent years. In 2015-2016, subsistence hunting explained 13% of the decrease in adult female survival for the RG. In the RAF, during the same period, 6% of males were harvested compared to 1% in the RG. The higher proportion of males harvested in the RAF is consistent with the occurrence of sport hunting. Consequently, the overall effects of harvest on survival was lower for the RAF herd compared to the RG herd. Our results will serve as guidelines to improve the management of these populations and their habitat.
Establishing CHARS as an Arctic flagship research and monitoring site – Summary of work to date, science framework and 2018 implementation plans
Wagner, Johann (1) (Presenter), C. Arko (1), S. Coulombe (1), I. Hogg (1), J.F. Lamarre (1), D.S. McLennan (1) and O. Schimnowski (1)
(1) Polar Knowledge Canada, Canadian High Arctic Research Station, Cambridge Bay NU, Canada
Polar Knowledge Canada’s Canadian High Arctic Research Station (CHARS) in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, has a mission to develop the CHARS Experimental and Reference Area (CHARS ERA) as a Flagship Arctic monitoring and research site conducting and supporting world class environmental science by CHARS science staff, and by visiting Canadian and international scientists. Baseline inventories and studies, and piloted monitoring programs have been initiated since 2014 and will be accelerating now that the first CHARS science staff is located full time at the station in Cambridge Bay. Engagement of Kitikmeot communities and residents is another important component of proposed work in the CHARS ERA, and evolving plans for that engagement will be presented. To implement the CHARS monitoring program we are proposing for discussion the creation of ‘knowledge cooperatives’ around key subject areas, e.g., cryosphere, birds, small mammals, arthropods, soil processes, ungulates, C flux, vegetation, to engage interested science teams to cooperatively develop and demonstrate best practices in the CHARS ERA in the various fields. This presentation will summarize the work than has been completed to date on terrestrial, freshwater and coastal-marine ecosystems by CHARS staff and co-investigators, will outline the monitoring and research framework that is described in the CHARS Monitoring Plan, and will describe work to be conducted in the 2018 field season.
Coupling high-resolution remote sensing and field observations for snowmelt water balance of tundra headwater systems, NWT
Walker, Branden (1) (Presenter), P. Mann (1), P. Marsh (1) and G. Hould Gosselin (1,2)
(1) Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON, Canada
(2) Université de Montréal, Montreal QC, Canada
End of winter snow water equivalent (SWE), and its distribution across the landscape, are key factors controlling streamflow in Arctic nival watersheds. However, documenting the heterogeneous nature of snow distribution in tundra environments has proven difficult and prone to large errors as large amounts of snow water equivalent (SWE) are stored in snow drifts that accumulate blowing snow over the course of the winter months. Estimations of SWE across landscapes are further complicated by disagreements between the scales of traditional remote sensing and field observations techniques for measuring snow on the ground. With the onset of the spring snowmelt, and the initiation of the spring freshet, the heterogeneous snow distribution across tundra landscapes results in sporadic snowmelt patterns which further impacts the timing and magnitude of the spring freshet. This study utilizes Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Structure-from-motion photogrammetry techniques to quantify spatial and temporal variations of snow water equivalent and snow covered area to quantify catchment snow-water storage and snow covered area across the snowmelt to better understand the relative importance of various land classification units and how they influence the spring freshet. Eighteen UAS flights across the spring snowmelt provide a high-resolution documentation of the spatial distribution in SWE and snowmelt dates for four land cover types, and streamflow contributing areas. UAS observations of snow were coupled with stream discharge, evapotranspiration, and incoming precipitation across the snowmelt period to create a sub-daily spring water balance for the Siksik creek catchment. This study allows for the analysis of streamflow contributing areas during the spring freshet and for the quantification of the relative importance of various landcover units on controlling the runoff availability for streamflow.
Approaches to the understanding of Arctic salmonid stock resources on and near King William Island, Nunavut
Walker, Virginia K. (2) (Presenter), J. Qitsualik (1), G. Element (2), P. Li (2), R. Clemente-Carvalho (2), E. Hamilton (2), J. Chapman (3), K. Moniz (2), J. Casselman (2), C. Greer (4), J.D. Neufeld (5), D. Muir (6), D.S. Guttman (7), S. Schott (3), S. Lougheed (2) and P. van Coeverden de Groot (2)
(1) Gjoa Haven, NU, Canada
(2) Queen's University, Kingston ON, Canada
(3) Carleton University, Ottawa ON, Canada
(4) National Research Council, Montreal QC, Canada
(5) University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON, Canada
(6) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington ON, Canada
(7) University of Toronto, Toronto ON, Canada
The “Towards a Sustainable Fishery for Nunavummiut” Genome Canada Project is partnered with Nunavut communities located in the lower Northwest Passage, with the overall goal to increase our understanding of fisheries resources as these waters become more accessible due to climate change. Arctic char and whitefish are abundant in the lower Northwest Passage and both are important as country foods. Thus, guided by traditional ecological knowledge and skilled community fishers and youth, ~500 Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) and ~500 whitefish and cisco (Corregonus spp.) were sampled over a 15 month period. Life histories of these species from this region are not well understood, but sagittal otoliths are being used to document fish growth, ecology, recruitment factors, and mortality rates. Some of these Corregonus are at the northerly distribution of their range, lending importance to this analysis. Extracted DNA from 119 individual char from 8 locales was analyzed using restriction site associated DNA sequencing (RAD-Seq). Preliminary analysis of >5000 single-nucleotide polymorphisms suggests that the sampled char originate from two separate populations, one found on the north end of King William Island and another from the south end and extending south-west and south-east across Queen Maud Gulf. Microbial analysis of six sites and fish sampled from King William Island demonstrate an overlap of gut microbiota, suggestive of a persistent core microbiome. Char and whitefish have also been assessed for their health, with respect to contaminant load, at two socially and latitudinally distinct sites (north King William Island and a site just off Chantry Inlet). These results show low levels of mercury and other contaminants. Microplastic contaminant analysis was facilitated under the auspices of the Arctic Research Foundation and the Martin Bergmann research vessel. We anticipate that such contaminant information will be valuable for future marketing strategies if a commercial fishery is established. For communities to develop an appropriate fisheries conservation plan, it is important that it reflect traditional ecological knowledge, and that harvesters be valued for their contributions. This is being addressed with an ongoing harvest study that collects information on the cost and success of each trip in each season, estimates the value of country food, examines sharing of the harvest, and provides “smart” GPS devices for additional security information related to travel route conditions. In addition, an Atlas tool has been developed that integrates resource knowledge from elders and harvesters from several Nunavut communities, and the location of different species. In the future the Atlas will include other data including microbial community information, stock management tools, and genetic maps for Arctic char and whitefish, as well as a summary of the harvest study. Thus it will be an important tool to develop guidelines for a community-based fisheries plan. Local expertise and developed capacity, in partnership with southern science, are working together to develop a “made in Nunavut” fishing plan that can help mitigate the moderate to severe food insecurity of Nunavut households, increase wellbeing and facilitate new employment, youth training and community revenues.
The influence of Alnus viridis shrub patches on understory vegetation community composition in the low-Arctic of the Northwest Territories
Wallace, Cory A. (1) (Presenter) and J.L. Baltzer (2)
(1) Wilfrid Laurier University, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Waterloo ON, Canada
(2) Wilfrid Laurier University, Department of Biology, Waterloo ON, Canada
The snow-shrub hypothesis, first proposed by Sturm et al. 2001, suggests that increased snow capture by tundra shrubs could lead to warmer soils beneath shrub patches, potentially leading to a localized region of greater nutrient availability and productivity. Since its proposal many studies have added to our understanding of how tundra shrub patches may interact with their environment in such a way that the biotic and abiotic conditions of the patch are distinct from those of the surrounding open tundra. Shrubs have been shown to alter processes such as snow capture, soil moisture dynamics, active layer development, and patterns of nutrient cycling such as decomposition rates, organic matter accumulation, and plant nutrient availability. Such changes in growing conditions may have important implications on the understory vegetation community living in shrub patches and so the potential for distinct vegetation communities to exist in shrub patch and open tundra habitats is strong. Green alder (Alnus viridis) may have a particularly important role to play in altering biotic and abiotic conditions of the tundra due to both its stature relative to other tall shrubs and its capacity to form symbiotic relationships with nitrogen fixing Frankia bacteria. In this study we test whether: 1) alder patches support distinct vegetation communities 2) alder patches differ from surrounding tundra in key environmental variables such as soil moisture and nutrient availability and 3) whether these environmental variables can explain variation in vegetation community composition. To do this we established ten sites at Trail Valley Research Camp on the low-arctic tundra north of Inuvik, NT. At each site we ran transects through alder shrub patches and adjacent open tundra locations and quantified vegetation community composition as well as soil moisture, thaw depth, organic matter depth, relative decomposition rates, plant available nutrients, and snow depth. We found that the two habitats have a large degree of overlap in their understory vegetation composition. However, there were species found in the tundra that were rarely found in patch environments as well as those common in patches which were less abundant in the tundra. Environmental conditions did differ between habitats, particularly snow depth and soil moisture. Gradients of snow depth, soil moisture, and active layer depth were strongly associated with abundance of some groups of species as was a gradient of calcium and ammonium availability. We conclude that alder patches do offer a differentiated microenvironment for understory tundra species and that, while there is a large degree of overlap in community composition, this environment does appear to largely exclude a subset of tundra species and favour another. This raises the possibility that future expansion of alder patches in this region may lead to moderate shifts in community composition across the landscape.
Northern-based solutions to Arctic community concerns: Science and Clean Technology development at the Canadian High Arctic Research Station
Wallace, Matt (1) (Presenter), L. Keyte (2) and R. Cooke (3)
(1) Polar Knowledge Canada, Cambridge Bay NU, Canada
(2) Polar Knowledge Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
(3) Polar Knowledge Canada, Whitehorse YK, Canada
One cup of water, one bag of garbage, one breath of air. These may seem like trivial daily realities, but in the North’s fragile ecosystems threatened by climate change, landfill pollution and diesel dependence, these are vital considerations being addressed at the Canadian High Arctic Research Station (CHARS). Emissions from diesel combustion at the generating plant, open-air, mass burning of garbage at the Cambridge Bay dump, and potential infiltration of toxins from the dump into the local watershed, have been a growing source of alarm for Cambridge Bay residents. And they are not alone in this. In communities across the North, the confluence of these issues poses a serious threat to health and the local environment. With this in mind, scientists at CHARS are working on solutions tailored to the North for decreasing landfill volume, waste-to-energy gasification, reducing CO2 emissions and purifying/reusing water. This presentation will focus on initiatives Polar Knowledge Canada (POLAR) is testing, northernizing and developing at CHARS to tackle local priorities in clean energy implementation and waste management. This will include projects that enhance community autonomy in northern research, by co-development with communities based upon local needs and interests. The presentation will discuss the northern-focused clean technology projects currently being tested and developed at CHARS, and conclude with emerging technologies that CHARS hopes to advance, including opportunities for expert and northern input.
The Churchill Marine Observatory (CMO) and the Oil Spills in Ice-Covered Arctic waters (OSICA) Consortium
Wang, Feiyue (1) (Presenter) and D. Barber (1)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Two new Canadian programs dedicated to the study of spills of oil and other transportation related contaminants in Arctic waters will be introduced. The first is the Churchill Marine Observatory (CMO) that is under construction at Port of Churchill, Manitoba, adjacent to North America’s only Arctic deep-water port. The core CMO infrastructure is comprised of 1) an outdoor Oil-in-Sea-Ice-Mesocosm (OSIM) with two pools, which is designed to simultaneously accommodate contaminated and control experiments on various scenarios of oil and related contaminants in ice-covered waters; and 2) the Environmental Observatory (EO) system, which is a network of state-of-the-art sensors and equipment located in the Churchill Estuary and along the main shipping corridor across Hudson Bay to Baffin Bay. With a total infrastructure funding exceeding $44M from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), POLAR, the provinces of Manitoba, Alberta, and British Columbia, and numerous partners, CMO is scheduled to become operational in 2018. Taking advantage of the unprecedented controllability and scalability enabled by CMO, the second major program is the Oil Spills in Ice-Covered Arctic waters (OSICA) Consortium. Founded in March 2017, OSICA is a Canadian-led, multi-sectoral (academia, industry, government, communities) consortium with a mandate to improve policy and practices dealing with spills of oil and related contaminants in ice-covered Arctic waters by prioritization and communication of research and development activities. One of the first initiatives of the OSICA Consortium is to develop an OSICA Research Network to be funded by the Natural Sciences Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). A pre-application to NSERC has been successful and we are now in the process of developing the full proposal. In this presentation, we will discuss the status and progress of both programs, with an emphasis on new opportunities for collaboration and partnership.
The Sea-Ice Environmental Research Facility (SERF) and research highlights (2016-2017)
Wang, Feiyue (1) (Presenter), D. Barber (1), S. Rysgaard (1) and T. Papakyriakou (1)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
The Sea-ice Environmental Research Facility (SERF) is the first experimental sea-ice facility in Canada. Located in Winnipeg on the campus of the University of Manitoba, the main feature of SERF is an outdoor seawater pool with a movable roof, numerous in situ sensors and instruments, and an on site trailer laboratory. Sea ice can be created at the pool under various controlled conditions (e.g., seawater chemistry, snow cover, heating) with the additions of chemical, isotopic and/or microbiological tracers. During the first five years of operation (2011-2016), several types of sea ice including pancake ice and frost flowers were successfully created at the SERF pool. Real-time monitoring was carried out on surface and optical properties and on the evolution of temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, alkalinity, pCO2 and dissolved inorganic carbon, mercury, and oil in and across the sea ice environment. The results demonstrate that SERF could provide a unique research platform for hypothesis-driven, mesocosm-scale studies to examine geophysical and biogeochemical processes in the sea ice environment. Highlighted in this presentation are new studies carried out in 2016-2017, as well as the development of a new oil-in-sea-ice mesocosm (OSIM) as part of the recently funded Churchill Marine Observatory (CMO) project.
Mercury contamination in the Canadian Arctic marine ecosystems: How long will it take to recover?
Wang, Feiyue (1) (Presenter), R. Macdonald (1,2), G. Stern (1) and P. Outridge (1,3)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Institute of Ocean Sciences, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Sidney BC, Canada
(3) Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
The discovery of elevated mercury concentrations in the Arctic marine mammals has raised much concern over the health of these animals and of Indigenous peoples who rely on these animals as part of their traditional diet. Funded primarily by the Northern Contaminants Program and the ArcticNet, major efforts have been undertaken in the past decades to understand the sources and processes responsible for mercury contamination in the Canadian Arctic marine ecosystems and their response to a rapidly changing climate. Here we provide a synopsis of the mercury research in the Canadian Arctic marine ecosystems, highlighting major findings over the past decade. We show that mercury contamination in the Canadian Arctic marine ecosystems no longer follows the general trend in global or regional mercury emissions; instead, it is increasingly driven by climate change-induced changes in biogeochemical and ecological processes. This has major implications for how the marine ecosystems will recover now that anthropogenic mercury emissions are being controlled under the Minamata Convention on Mercury that recently entered into force. While mercury concentrations in the Canadian Arctic marine mammals are projected to decrease over the long term, the “processes-driven” bioaccumulation dictates that it will take much longer, in the order of several decades or more, to establish a new steady-state in biotic mercury. In the shorter term, however, mercury concentrations in many marine animals in the Canadian Arctic Ocean will likely continue to increase. Given the long and bumpy recovery road ahead, effective remediation and adaptation strategies are needed to assist the local communities that are facing mercury contamination in their ecosystems and food sources.
The morphology of active layer detachment slides and spatial variations in slope process regimes in the High Arctic
Warburton, Jeff (1) (Presenter) and S.F. Lamoureux (2)
(1) Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
(2) Queen’s University, Kingston ON, Canada
Detailed investigations of active layer detachment slides (ALDS) have greatly improved knowledge of the morphology, dynamics and processes activity of this important Arctic landform. However, the widespread occurrence of ALDS across permafrost environments, coupled with the local nature of previous studies, mean not all aspects of the landform have been fully described and the spatial variability in process and form have not been fully characterised. This paper provides a detailed description of four ALDS from Melville Island in the Canadian High Arctic. This area of permafrost differs from other areas of ALDS, which have previously been studied, by virtue of the limited ground ice context and shallow active layer depths, typically 0.5 – 1 m. This paper describes the morphology and internal structure of four ALDS from Cape Bounty, Melville Island, Nunavut, Canada (74°54'N, 109°35'W). The four main ALDs studied, vary in size from 0.3 to 6.7 ha and were all formed in the last 10 years. Detailed survey of the failures was undertaken using a novel combination of methods including dGPS to characterise surface morphology; ground penetrating radar (GPR) investigate spatial variations in thaw depth and the internal structure of the failed slopes; and direct probing of thaw depths to determine local variability in thaw and validate surface GPR measurements. This data enabled several distinct process-form regimes, common to many ALDS, to be defined. These typically consist of: upslope head flush; head slope depression disturbed by retrogressive/ tension failure; a main bare failure scar stripped of surface sediment cover; a runout zone of redeposited material consisting of a central block field buttressed by crudely formed lateral levees; and an arcuate toe bulge of crescentic pressures ridges characterised by a skin flow type movement. Along the margins of the lower part of the slide water escapes through lateral flushes. Results are used to examine: (i) likely mechanisms of slope failure using simple slope stability models; (ii) links between surface hydrology and morphology which govern the distribution of local slope process units; and (iii) differences between ALDS documented from different Arctic settings.
Defining the hyporheic zone in High Arctic river channels – observations and preliminary modelling
Warburton, Jeff (1) (Presenter), S.F. Lamoureux (2) and S.I. McFadden (2)
(1) Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
(2) Queen’s University, Kingston ON, Canada
River channels act as important vectors for water, sediment and chemical fluxes in catchments and provide connectivity between hillslopes and valley systems. It is increasingly recognised that surface and subsurface flows both play important roles in determining the water and contaminant delivery in catchments; acting both as conduits and storage zones. Of particular importance is the hyporheic zone of the stream bed. In Arctic permafrost regions the significance of this has not been fully evaluated. This is largely due to both the poor definition of the depth of thaw below Arctic water courses and the dynamic nature of the boundary between unfrozen and frozen ground, which is poorly constrained. This paper provides detailed observations of the depth of thaw below a High Arctic river channel on Cape Bounty, Melville Island, Nunavut, Canada (74°54'N, 109°35'W) at the end of the thaw season in 2017. A 420 m reach of the West River is examined using a combination of direct probing of thaw depths, surface mapping using dGPS and subsurface mapping using ground penetrating radar (GPR). The paper provides some of the first observations of detailed mapping of the spatial variability below Arctic river channels. Typically thaw depths vary up to a maximum of c. 1.1 m but are locally controlled by exposure of the river bed and variations in sediment characterises, soil moisture and surface vegetation. Results are used to explore two research questions: (1) there is a link between channel cross-section geometry and average thaw depth which relates to persistence of flow and geometry of surface exposure e.g. narrow confined versus wide and shallow; and (2) the dimensions of the hyporheic zone is ‘thaw-limited’ by the extent and geometry of the channel thaw bulb and how it couples with the hillslopes. Preliminary modelling using a simple ground thermal scheme is used to assess the importance of surface and subsurface conditions (e.g. thermal properties of river gravels (unfrozen/frozen), soils (unfrozen/frozen) in determining the depth of thaw. Results are evaluated against the field data collected in 2017 and archive data of ground temperatures and thaw depths in the experimental reach.
Winds and waves in the Arctic upper atmosphere
Ward, William (1) (Presenter), S. Kristoffersen(1) and D. Fraser (1)
(1) University of New Brunswick, Fredericton NB, Canada
The E-Region Wind Interferometer (ERWIN) currently takes the most precise Doppler wind measurements using airlow at the highest observation cadence in the world. The measurements are taken at the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory (PEARL), Eureka, Nunavut. It is one of a number of instruments which provide measurments of atmospheric parameters from the ground to ~100 km. Three airglow emissions are used: Oxygen green line, and molecular emissions in the hydroxyl Meinel bands and the O2 atmospheric band. These occur at nominal heights of 87, 92 and 96 km. Observations have been taken for 10 years during Polar winter and provide information on the global circulation and the waves which travel from the lower atmosphere into the ionosphere. In this paper, we review these observations. Most of the kinetic energy at these heights is associated with waves with periods between ~8 and 13 hours which occur in bursts of several days. The exact source of these waves is still being investigated.
Inuvialuit Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) of beluga whale (Delphinaterus leucas) in a changing climate in Tuktoyaktuk, NT
Waugh, Devin (1) (Presenter), T. Pearce (1,2), S. Ostertag (3) and B. Bradshaw (1)
(1) University of Guelph, Department of Geography, Guelph ON, Canada
(2) University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
(3) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, Central and Arctic Region, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Beluga Whales (Delphinapterus leucas) are an important food source for Inuvialuit, Indigenous peoples of the western Canadian Arctic. This region is already experiencing rapid climate change with implications for beluga and the Inuvialuit who hunt them. This paper documents TEK about the ecology and behaviour of the beluga whale, hunting techniques, food preparation and values, in the context of changing climatic conditions in Tuktoyaktuk, NT. Data were collected using semi-directed interviews with 17 Inuvialuit beluga harvesters and participant observation. The research found that Inuvialuit beluga harvesters possess detailed rational knowledge of beluga, particularly regarding hunting techniques and food preparation that is guided by a moral code about how to behave with respect to beluga. Knowledge of beluga ecology and behavior is limited to anecdotal reasoning drawing on generalized observations of beluga and the accounts of others. Inuvialuit are observing rapid changes in the environment, some with implications for beluga hunting and food preparation but are coping thus far.
Carbon composition of dissolved organic matter and zooplankton in circumpolar ponds
Wauthy, Maxime (Presenter) (1,2) and M. Rautio (1,2)
(1) Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi QC, Canada
(2) Centre d’études nordiques (CEN), Université Laval, Québec QC Canada
As high latitudes warm, vast stocks of terrestrial carbon stored in permafrost potentially become available to freshwater ecosystems. Here we tested the hypotheses that increasing exposure to terrestrial carbon would change lake optics and ecosystem metabolism. We evaluated the effects of thawing permafrost on the composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) for 253 ponds across the circumpolar North from Alaska to Russia. Further, using a dual isotope Bayesian mixing approach (d13C, d2H), we quantified the contribution of terrestrial matter to DOM pool and zooplankton biomass for a subset of 10 ponds in the vicinity of Kuujjuarapik, subarctic Quebec. The measurements showed a higher proportion of terrestrial carbon and a lower algal contribution in waters affected by permafrost thaw. DOM composition was largely dominated (mean of 93%) by terrestrial substances at sites influenced by thawing permafrost, while the terrestrial influence was much less in waterbodies located on bedrock (36%) or with tundra soils unaffected by thermokarstic processes (42%) in the catchment. Our results demonstrate the increasing importance of terrestrial carbon in high-latitude freshwater ecosystems with consequences on metabolic pathways and aquatic food webs.
Beluga management and monitoring in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region
Way-Nee, Emily (1) (Presenter), V. Gillman (1), B. Ayles (1), G. Inglangasuk (1), J. Noksana Jr. (1), B. Zytaruk (1), V. Cunningham (1), K. Hynes (1), C. Blakeston (2), J. Brewster (2) and S. MacPhee (2)
(1) Fisheries Joint Management Committee, Inuvik NT, Canada
(2) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Inuvik NT, Canada
This poster provides an overview of the beluga monitoring program in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR) which is co-managed by the Fisheries Joint Management Committee, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and various Inuit communities in the Western Canadian Arctic. Each summer, beluga harvesters and their families travel to traditional whaling camps or other sites along the Canadian Beaufort Sea coast. The majority of beluga harvesting in the ISR occurs in July when the whales aggregate in the shallow areas of the Mackenzie River estuary; however, beluga are also harvested near the communities of Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour and Ulukhaktok during the summer. The Beaufort Sea Beluga stock is managed through the FJMC Beaufort Sea Beluga Management Plan, which was established in 1991. The first formal beluga harvest-monitoring program for the region began in 1973, and every year since then, data has been collected from the harvesters on the size and timing of the whale harvest, and the number of whales that were struck, landed and lost. The program has been developed over many years, and it is now the longest and largest monitoring database of beluga whale harvest information in Canada. The main goal of the beluga harvest-monitoring program is to detect changes in the harvest and health of the beluga over time. To capture these changes, local monitors from the communities are hired each year to collect various measurements and tissue samples from the harvested whales, which are then sent for analysis of age, sex, genetics etc. In addition to the monitoring program, the harvester reward program encourages harvesters to measure and sample their own whale when a monitor is not available. While the Beaufort Sea beluga stock is considered to be very healthy, the recent DFO stock status report, the Beluga Summit in 2016, and a recent meeting between Inupiat and Inuvialuit focused on beluga, have called for an updated beluga census, as the last population estimate was conducted in 1992. It is proposed that the updated assessment include an aerial survey, on-the-ground visual observations, and possibly a beluga tagging program, in addition to being coordinated with a planned vessel-based ecosystem study. This would benefit the beluga monitoring program because the population stock assessment could be paired with the harvest data to provide an accurate estimate of the proportion of the stock being harvested each year. The FJMC beluga monitoring program is one example of co-management in the ISR that highlights how co-management efforts have built upon a harvest-monitoring program and expanded it into a more standardized and adaptive, ecosystem-based management system that involves multiple stakeholders.
Characteristics and evolution of coastal peatland permafrost in southeastern Labrador, Canada
Way, Robert G. (1,2) (Presenter), A.G. Lewkowicz (2) and Y. Zhang (3)
(1) Labrador Institute, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Happy Valley-Goose Bay NL, Canada
(2) University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, Canada
(3) Canada Centre for Mapping and Earth Observation, Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
Peatland permafrost features in southeastern Labrador and on the Québec lower north shore are amongst the southernmost occurrences of lowland permafrost in Canada. These palsas and peat plateaus are present within the coastal barrens of southeastern Labrador despite high regional snowfall totals and a relatively warm climate, including areas exceeding 1°C mean annual air temperature. The characteristics of these landforms across the region were investigated at six field sites spanning a latitudinal transect from north of Cartwright, NL (~54°N) to Blanc Sablon, QC (~51.4°N). Permafrost at these sites was examined using geophysics (DC electrical resistivity tomography), ground temperature monitoring, active layer probing and UAV aerial photography. Mean ground temperatures recorded at the top of permafrost varied from -0.7°C at the southernmost site to -2.3°C at the northernmost location with shallow active layers (40-70 cm) throughout. Permafrost thicknesses inferred from the ERT profiling ranged from 1.7-12 m. Permafrost was not found or modelled for inland wetland, forested and forest-tundra areas, notwithstanding average air temperatures lower than at the coast. The contemporary existence of thin peatland permafrost is attributable to a combination of cold coastal conditions that promote cooler summers and the presence of thick peat which allows for the persistence large temperature offsets from the ground surface to the top of permafrost. An analysis of future permafrost dynamics at two sites using a range of climate scenarios shows permafrost may disappear by the middle of the 21st century at Blanc Sablon, but could persist beyond 2100 under the optimistic RCP2.6 scenario at Cartwright. This result indicates that permafrost degradation can be much slower and more complex than suggested by some coarse grid modelling. However, geomorphological evidence of historical peatland permafrost degradation combined with these modelling results suggests that permafrost is unlikely to persist in the southeastern Labrador coastal region beyond the end of this century.
Periglacial geomorphology and the permafrost carbon climate feedback
Weiss, Niels (1) (Presenter)
(1) Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, Sweden
Arctic permafrost landscapes are geomorphologically highly dynamic, and strongly influenced by climatic conditions. Enhanced warming and wetting of these regions is therefore expected to lead to changes in geomorphologic activity, such as increased thermokarst formation, thaw slumping, and fire activity. In addition to these abrupt processes, gradual active layer deepening is anticipated to affect extensive parts of the circumpolar north. Depending on a function of various geologic and topographic conditions, as well as physical permafrost characteristic (e.g. ice content), certain parts will undergo mainly gradual permafrost degradation, whereas abrupt processes will be dominant in other regions. Due to the complex nature of this function, predictions of the type and extent of permafrost degradation remain uncertain. To parameterise the amounts of permafrost material that are remobilised through different pathways, linked to the (geochemical) characteristics of the organic matter that it contains, is therefore a key objective to increase the understanding the permafrost carbon climate feedback. Estimations of local as well as circumpolar permafrost stocks become increasingly more accurate, and crucial permafrost-specific controls over the decomposability of organic matter are studied in great depth, in order to assess the positive climate feedback potential of permafrost degradation. Here we discuss the factor availability as an equally important third control over the release of C from permafrost regions, in addition to quantity and quality. We approach the issue of permafrost degradation and C loss from a broad perspective, and focus on geomorphology and the understanding of past and future landscape dynamics as the possible crux.
Human occupation and the dynamics of Polynya formation
Wells, Patricia (1) (Presenter), R.D. Sankar (1) and M. Murray (1,2)
(1) Arctic Institute of North America, University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
(2) Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
Polynyas are critically important features of the Arctic’s marine and terrestrial systems. These enigmatic ice-enclosed bodies of water along the Canadian Arctic Archipelago are the focus of marine bird and mammal feeding, reproduction and migration. With an anticipated expansion in ocean-based resource exploration and extraction, as well as increases in ship traffic through the Arctic, impact on polynyas can be expected to have dramatic effects on the broad ecosystem. This paper presents a human-focused study of polynyas that will employ long term archaeological site distribution data in relation to the location and variability seen in modern studies of the physical and biological characteristics of polynyas. Our work will build a deeper temporal baseline understanding of polynyas and investigate the relationship between the density of Holocene-era human occupation and exploitation around polynyas to the height and strength of their tidal currents and nutrient productivity. This work has the potential to inform the development of future models relating expected changes in the industrial use of arctic waters and sea level rise to marine and terrestrial, including modern human, systems fundamentally tied to polynyas.
Addressing food security governance in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (Western Canadian Arctic) through a collaborative research partnership
Wesche, Sonia (1) (Presenter), J. MacLean (2) (Presenter), T.-A. Kenny (1), N. Girard (1) and M. Fillion (3)
(1) University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Inuvik NT, Canada
(3) TÉLUQ - Université du Québec, Montréal QC, Canada
Rationale: Recent changes in social-ecological systems challenge the integrity of both country (wild) food and market food components of Inuit food systems. In the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR), Northwest Territories, 46% of households experience some level of food insecurity—a rate far exceeding the Canadian average. The Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and a team based at the University of Ottawa are working collaboratively to address food security in the six ISR communities. Building on priorities identified in two multi-stakeholder, regional workshops (2012, 2014), we are implementing a suite of participatory research projects. Recent work is focused on aspects of ‘food security governance’, as Inuit regions have seen limited focus on understanding regional-scale governance structures and needs. We aim to both identify what is transpiring on-the-ground and assess structural and process-based issues to support the alignment of regional decision-making with existing initiatives and with both community and regional priorities. Here, we report on outcomes from three linked projects and discuss the process of working collaboratively (from research to action) to address ISR food insecurity. Synthesis of ISR food security initiatives: Multiple food-related programs, policies and strategies are currently in place in the North; however, the extent to which these efforts are complementary and address all aspects of food security (availability, access, quality, and utilization) remains under-assessed. Using a literature review and stakeholder consultation, we developed an analytical framework to synthesize information about food security initiatives across the ISR. Findings provide insight on the following program-related issues: orientation with respect to food security pillars, scope and scale, targeting, funding, monitoring and evaluation for evidence-based policy-making, and implications for broader food security strategies. Assessment of regional food security governance arrangements: Via a series of semi-structured interviews with representatives involved in the Nunavut Food Security Strategy process, we identified lessons learned for other Inuit regions interested in similar regional governance models. Additional semi-structured interviews with regional (ISR) and territorial government representatives in the Northwest Territories revealed current governance structures, processes, resources and challenges. Findings indicate that food security governance remains a key challenge for Inuit, highlighting the importance of sustained funding, periodic evaluation, accountability, and movement toward new collaborative governance models that are informed by local contexts, needs and priorities. ISR community engagement process: We are undertaking focus groups and interviews in all six ISR communities to identify community assets, gaps, priorities, and relevant actors and resources to address food security. A framework is under development to scale-up results and align local and regional goals. Research to Action: Research outcomes will help decision-makers identify gaps and opportunities for action on food security, align resources across sectors, and contribute to currently developing policy frameworks at multiple scales of organization. Importantly, the research will build a foundation for a regional Inuvialuit Food Security Strategy and help improve the degree to which ISR food security programs and policies complement each other. It will also provide clear direction for food security programs both internally within Inuvialuit entities and externally with relevant government and not-for-profit organizations.
Elevation changes of the Greenland ice sheet derived from multi-temporal TanDEM-X DEM data from 2010 to 2015
Wessel, Birgit (1) (Presenter), T. Leichtle (1), C. Wohlfart (1), S. Abdullahi (1), S. Kerkhoff (1) and A. Roth (1)
(1) German Aerospace Center (DLR), Earth Observation Center (EOC), Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
In this presentation we analyze three digital elevation models (DEM) of Greenland produced with data recorded by the TanDEM-X (TerraSAR add-on for digital elevation measurement) mission. During the TanDEM-X mission several area-wide coverages of Greenland were acquired. From this data we produce three DEMs with distinct temporal coverage: one capturing the winter 2010/11, one containing the winter 2011/12 and one from the winter 2015/16. These DEMs possess a spatial resolution of 0.4 arc seconds (i.e. corresponding to 12 m) and are composed of around 3000 individual interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) DEM scenes each. X-Band SAR penetrates the snow and ice pack by several meters depending on the snow structures, the acquisition parameters, and the di-electric constant of the medium. Hence, the resulting SAR measurements do not represent the real surface but the elevation of the mean phase center of the backscattered signal. As a first step, all DEMs are vertically calibrated to achieve comparable heights. For the conducted iterative least-squares block adjustment, ICESat (Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite) elevation measurements are used as ground control points (GCPs) on the outer coastal regions where rock and surface scattering predominates (REF). For the inland of Greenland, tie-point chips within the overlapping areas of the individual scenes are employed for block adjustment. In a second step, the spatio-temporal characteristics are analyzed in detail. We found that the inner main body of Greenland seems to be relatively stable within the observed time frame from 2010 to 2015. In contrast, several significant height change events (negative as well as positive) occur at the outlet glaciers. Based on this high-resolution DEM data set we can also monitor changes within the catchment areas and study the height changes towards the inland of Greenland. The penetration of X-band SAR shows significant influence on height measurements especially in these areas and must be considered for accurate quantification of elevation changes. In conclusion, we provide the first wall-to-wall and multi-temporal high resolution dataset of Greenland, which holds large potential for further climate and hydrology research in the arctic.
For Northerners by Northerners: Using social media to gather and share information on the Mackenzie-Beaufort Ice Breakup
Whalen, Dustin (1) (Presenter), J. Lam (2) (Presenter), P. Fraser (1) D.L. Forbes (1,3), J. Parrott (2) and B. Richard (4)
(1) Natural Resources Canada, Geological Survey of Canada–Atlantic, Dartmouth NS, Canada
(2) Joint Secretariat, Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Inuvik NT, Canada
(3) Circum-Arctic Coastal Communities Knowledge Network, St. John’s NL, Canada
(4) Natural Resources Canada, Communications and Portfolio Sector, Fredericton NB, Canada
The annual ice breakup of the Mackenzie Delta and Beaufort Sea takes place between mid May and late June every year. The timing and intensity of breakup and snowmelt discharge are always on the minds of the residents in the Mackenzie-Beaufort region during that time period. For the past 11 years, the Geological Survey of Canada has been distributing a spring ice breakup newsletter to inform the local community and stakeholders on ice conditions and water levels on a near-realtime basis, often incorporating contributed observations and photos from the region. The data collected and assimilated into these reports provide a decadal record of ice breakup and water-level data, which could feed directly into climate-change indicators. While the local observations sent in to the newsletter are shared with people on the mailing list, we recognized a need to build a co-designed breakup information network led from the north. In collaboration with community members and the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, a public Facebook Group (Mackenzie-Beaufort Break-Up) was started in 2016. The main purpose was to provide a platform for community members to share real-time breakup observations and experiences. And something amazing happened ? the site gained popularity very quickly and not only became a place for researchers to share information, but a way for northern residents to share information with each other. A total of 550 people are registered for the group with over 65% coming from the Beaufort-Delta Region. The Facebook group has proved to be an invaluable tool for broad participation in building knowledge (‘co-production’ of knowledge) about the breakup process. With such a large membership across the region, it now provides a means to inform community members and emergency managers on the breakup progression and flooding potential at any given time. Created and managed by northerners for northerners, the Facebook group is a venue for sharing time-critical information among community members in the Delta and coastal communities. This information is important to many people who need to know when the ice roads close, about high water levels that may lead to flooding, and when channels will be ice-free for safe boating and access to country food resources. The photographs and observations posted on the group have provided an additional source of information, which has helped to better interpret the satellite imagery and automated real-time water levels available on-line: for instance, a report of localized ice jamming may explain a sudden deceleration in water-level rise further downstream. Lastly, the breakup information obtained through the publicly accessible Facebook group has helped to better understand the processes of ice movement in the river and coastal region of the Beaufort Sea. This information provides the basis for future environmental assessments and scenarios for a region that is quite sensitive to climate change. Although this is only a beginning, social media platforms such as Facebook provide an online resource, a data platform, and an archive to track and understand change in the Mackenzie-Beaufort region in a way that has not been done before.
Monitoring, understanding and predicting coastal change in the Mackenzie-Beaufort Region, NT
Whalen, Dustin (1) (Presenter), P. Fraser (1), G.M. Manson (1), V. Kostylev (1), R. Macleod (2), S. Dallimore (2), N. Couture (3), A. Trishtchenko (4) and T. James (2)
(1) Natural Resources Canada, Geological Survey of Canada–Atlantic, Dartmouth NS, Canada
(2) Natural Resources Canada, Geological Survey of Canada–Pacific, Sydney BC, Canada
(3) Natural Resources Canada, Geological Survey of Canada-Northern, Ottawa ON, Canada
(4) Natural Resources Canada, Canada Centre for Remote Sensing, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Ongoing research has indicated that the coastal erosion of ice-rich permafrost terrain in the western Canadian Arctic (Beaufort Sea) within the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR) has dramatically increased in the last 2 decades. Environmental factors such as warming temperatures, declining sea ice, and increased forcing events are the main drivers for this change. These unprecedented drivers will have a significant impact on the infrastructure, communities, and vulnerable Arctic ecosystems both on land, along the coast, and in the nearshore environment. Ongoing research will address scientific gaps, contribute to regional environmental assessments, and develop predictive models to assess hazards into the coming decades. Coastal research taking place under Natural Resources Canada’s Climate Change Geoscience Program has five targeted objectives: 1. gain a better understanding of the dynamic coastal processes (thermal and mechanical) that drive dramatic change (up to 22 m/yr) on seasonal, multi-year and decadal scales; 2. provide an overall assessment of coastal stability for the Beaufort Sea coastline; 3. expand our knowledge of nearshore sediment and ocean dynamics (including landfast ice) for the area; 4. provide predictive models of coastal erosion and nearshore sediment transport; 5. communicate and disseminate scientific knowledge to be used for coastal adaptation and mitigation. The region encompassing the Mackenzie Delta, outer delta islands and the Tuktoyaktak Peninsula has a previous average annual retreat rate of 0.6 m/yr (1970-2000). Based However this rate is outdated and is misrepresentative of areas that are now changing at extremely high rates (up to 35 m/yr). Innovative new technology has allowed us to not only provide updated information, but to provide it in a way that has not been possible previously. Monitoring of ice break-up and freeze-up using high resolution satellite imagery shows that the region is experiencing a longer open water season. This, coupled with the long-term deployment of high resolution oceanographic instruments measuring wave and water levels, provides information on the drivers of change across temporal and spatial scales. The use of UAV-based aerial imagery with derived high-resolution digital surface models allows for volume assessment from areas that were previously inaccessible. Lastly, this project continues to explore new methods to acquire nearshore bathymetry and turbidity measurements seaward of areas of extreme coastal change. These new measurements will contribute to the refinement of sediment transport and hydrodynamic models that will be used to predict future coastal changes in the ISR. This project will continue to engage, consult, and provide meaningful products to northern stakeholders. A better understanding of coastal and nearshore dynamics in this rapidly changing environment is critical to making accurate projections of the future change and developing appropriate adaptation and coastal zone management strategies. Reducing the cost of adaptation to climate change will ensure sustainable development of coastal communities and infrastructure in the region.
Contrasting effects of ocean warming on pagophilic versus non-pagophilic seabirds
Whelan, Shannon (1) (Presenter), S. Hatch (2), A. Gaston (3) and K.H. Elliott (1)
(1) McGill University, Montréal QC, Canada
(2) Institute for Seabird Research and Conservation, Anchorage AK, USA
(3) Environment Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
Climate change is shifting phenology of organisms across the globe, and these shifts disproportionally affect polar regions. Individual plasticity—the ability to adjust phenology or behaviour in response to changes in the environment—could buffer the effects of climate change on populations. However, plastic responses to climate change may be different for pagophilic compared with non-pagophilic seabirds, as the response of pagophilic seabirds is likely to trace ice breakup through which food becomes accessible. We examine laying date plasticity in two sub-Arctic seabird species: pagophilic thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia) and non-pagophilic black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla). We utilise long-term, individual-based data from thick-billed murres (Coats Island, Nunavut; 36 y) and black-legged kittiwakes (Middleton Island, Alaska; 21 y). Thick-billed murres are pursuit divers and their foraging behaviour is closely associated with sea ice conditions. In contrast, black-legged kittiwakes are surface-foragers where variation in reproductive success is closely linked to sea surface temperature and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). We tested for individual adjustment of laying date in response to timing of spring sea-ice breakups (thick-billed murres) and warming ocean conditions (black-legged kittiwakes), and found contrasting results. Thick-billed murres laid earlier in years with earlier sea-ice break-up, while black-legged kittiwakes laid later in years with higher PDO index, which is associated with warmer oceanic conditions. Thus, warming conditions due to climate change will likely advance timing of reproduction in thick-billed murres, but delay reproduction in black-legged kittiwakes. Our findings highlight that climate change can have a range of effects on phenology and emphasize the importance of independent assessments of species/population resilience to climate change.
Interaction of the Mackenzie River Plume with Beaufort Shelfbreak Jet and Wind Forcing
Wiese, Francis (1) (Presenter), D. Gong (2), H. Wang (2) and G. Auad (3)
(1) Stantec Consulting Inc., Anchorage AK, United States
(2) Virginia Institute of Marine Science - William & Mary, Gloucester Point VA, United States
(3) Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Washington DC, United States
The Mackenzie River is the largest source of riverine freshwater input for the western Arctic Ocean. Peak discharge occurs during the spring melt season, but a high discharge rate of over 10,000 m^3 s^-1 is maintained throughout the summer open water season. The downstream evolution of the nutrient-rich Mackenzie river plume can significantly affect upper water column stratification and lower trophic level abundance and distribution in the eastern Beaufort Sea. As part of the Marine Arctic Ecosystem Study (MARES), we used an underwater SLOCUM glider to conduct season long, high resolution hydrographic survey in the Mackenzie Trough region downstream of the mouth of the Mackenzie River. We found that the spatial distribution of the Mackenzie plume is in part controlled by the direction of the coastal flow and the Beaufort shelfbreak jet. Dynamical factors such as sea surface height gradient and wind forcing further control the flow pattern in and around Mackenzie Trough. In addition, wind-driven mixing acted to entrain the Mackenzie plume water and deepen the seasonal pycnocline. Rapid changes on the order of hours in upper water column stratification and shelf-break flow direction were observed. Multi-year analysis of the data-assimilative HYCOM ocean model output indicates that 2016 was likely an anomalous year with a strong, well-defined, eastward flowing shelf-break jet into late summer and fall that limited the westward extent of the Mackenzie plume. In other years, predominantly westward transport along the Beaufort slope serves to entrain more of the Mackenzie River plume into the Beaufort Gyre. The application of a well-instrumented underwater glider in MARES uniquely enabled dynamical and ecological observations across a range of spatial and temporal scales in this challenging and difficult to access region.
High-resolution water balance of two Tundra Lakes with different catchment/Lake area ratios
Wilcox, Evan (1) (Presenter), G. Hould Gosselin (2), P. Marsh (1), B. Walker (1) and O. Sonnentag (2)
(1) Cold Regions Research Centre, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo ON, Canada
(2) Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada
Enhanced Arctic warming has affected northern hydrological systems with increasing changes expected into the future. Lakes cover large portions of the Arctic landscape across Alaska, Canada and Siberia, and are becoming vulnerable as climate change affects water balance inputs and outputs. Warmer climates extend the ice-free period and increase lake temperature, causing increasing amounts of evaporation, compounded by regional changes to summer and winter precipitation. In addition, tundra shrubification is causing changes to snow cover patterns, evapotranspiration, and active layer thickness, all of which affect runoff into tundra lakes. In the western Canadian Arctic, a lake rich region exists in the area between Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk area to the east of the Mackenzie Delta. This study will focus on lakes in the Trail Valley Creek (TVC) watershed situated 50 km north of Inuvik and 80 km south of Tuktoyaktuk. Lakes in this region exhibit a wide range of catchment/lake area ratios, which will cause some lakes to respond to a changing climate differently than others. Snow represents roughly half of potential water input for lakes in the study region, which is made available during a two to three-week snowmelt. Lake level data from 2016 at TVC Big Bear Lake suggest that a large portion of the snow melt inflow into the lake was discharged through the outlet, and did not contribute much to recharging lake level. Using unmanned aerial systems (UAS) technology, daily 1 metre raster maps of snow depth were combined with hourly measurements of lake water level, eddy-covariance measured lake evaporation, and discharge through a compound v-notch weir to calculate a high-resolution water balance of two differently sized lakes (6 ha vs 0.6 ha) with similar catchment area. Analysis of these water balance data will address (1) whether there are large water balance differences between lakes with relatively large and small sized catchments for their size and (2) the relative contribution of snowmelt to lake level recharge.
Making and breaking stratification in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago’s Kitikmeot Sea: Biological and geochemical consequences
Williams, William James (1) (Presenter), B. Bluhm (2), K.A. Brown (1), E. Carmack (1), S.L. Danielson (3), C.J. Mundy (4), L. Rotermund (5) and A. Schminowski (6)
(1) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Institute of Ocean Sciences, Sidney BC, Canada
(2) UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
(3) UAF, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, Fairbanks AK, United States
(4) University of Manitoba, Department of Environment and Geography, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(5) University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
(6) Arctic Research Foundation, MB, Canada
The Kitikmeot Region Marine Science Study was initiated in 2014 to provide the Canadian High Arctic Research Station a scientific basis for long-term ecological monitoring and research. The Kitikmeot Sea – which includes Coronation Gulf, Bathurst Inlet, Queen Maud Gulf and Chantrey Inlet in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago – is unique in the pan-Arctic system due to its massive freshwater input relative to the area’s size, and its shallow (<30 m) bounding sills to the north and west. Because of this, three foci guide the study: the Pacific-origin estuarine through-flow, which sets the oceanographic structure of the region; the origin and pathways of freshwater components, which influence nutrient balances and stratification; the tidally influenced biological communities whose structure and functioning differ between shallow sills / narrow constrictions and away from those. We apply a suite of oceanographic tools and year-round moorings deployed from the R/V Martin Bergmann to investigate these themes. Our results show that the Kitikmeot Sea is characterized by two-layer estuarine flow, with surface outflows and sub-surface inflows across the primary bounding sills at Victoria and Dolphin-Union straits. River inputs along the southern boundary deliver freshwater, terrestrially derived nutrients, and carbon to the riverine-coastal domain, which subsequently spreads throughout the system. Strong tidal currents through shallow sills and narrow passages enhance vertical heat and nutrient flux to maintain ice-free conditions in winter and tight pelagic-benthic coupling in summer. These sites are characterized by a predominance of hard bottom substrate with high proportions of suspension feeders, while away from these constricted flow regions, soft sediments inhabited by deposit feeders are prominent. This analysis reveals a dynamic ecosystem characterized by pelagic-benthic coupling forced by the physical flow field and external inputs of nutrients and freshwater.
Reconciling Arctic and elevational amplified warming using Canada's northern climate gradients
Williamson, Scott (1,2) (Presenter), L. Copland (1), D. Hik (2) and G. Clarke (3)
(1) University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
(3) University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC, Canada
Atmospheric warming is amplified at high elevations and at high northern latitudes, likely due to heat import from lower latitudes and surface albedo changes. However, the amount of warming related to snow albedo decline is difficult to measure because the decline is both simultaneously a causal factor and a response to warming. To further complicate the issue, changing cloud cover, which modifies the surface energy budget, can both warm and cool the Earth’s surface. Much of the problem in attributing warming to specific processes is related to determining the accuracy of the measurements of change, particularly in locations such as the Canadian Arctic where have been few direct albedo measurements. Here, we report on an ongoing project that aims to attribute the causal factors of temperature amplification through a quantitative comparison of surface feedbacks and warming rates between a latitudinal and elevational gradient. Using a 5000m forest-to-icefield elevation gradient in the Yukon, we compare temperature patterns across elevational bands characterized by differential spring snowmelt between 2000 and 2014. Over this period, we show surface warming of 0.01°C yr-1 ·1000m in May (0.14°C yr-1 at 1000m to 0.19°C yr-1 at 5000m), and uniform cooling of 0.09°C/a in June. In May, the albedo trend for the St. Elias Icefield was progressively more negative with elevation; the trend in daytime cloud cover was negative at higher elevation but positive at lower elevation. In June, negative temperature trends occurred while daytime cloud cover increased and albedo trends ranged between negative and unchanging. May temperatures trends at different elevations were highly correlated despite different albedo changes. Furthermore, snow cover mediated albedo declines resulted in infrared temperature increase, as expected with a feedback, however these were insufficient to influence monthly average air temperature. These findings indicate that monthly averaged temperature and snow albedo trends are responding to an external forcing that is largely unrelated to the snow albedo feedback.
Canadian Ice Service Pilot Project: Ice Information for Northern Emergency Management
Wilson, Katherine (1) (Presenter), T. Zagon (1), S. Baillie (2), T. Bell (3), A. Arreak (4), R. Laing (5) and J. Angnatok (5)
(1) Canadian Ice Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
(2) Government of Nunavut, Nunavut Emergency Management, Iqaluit NU, Canada
(3) Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's NL, Canada
(4) SmartICE Coordinator, Pond Inlet NU, Canada
(5) Nain Research Centre, Nain, Nunatsiavut NL, Canada
At the Canadian Ice Service (CIS) monitoring and ice charting has historically been tailored for the marine shipping community. As a result of climate change, atypical and unexpected ice break-ups have left Inuit and other northerners stranded on ice floes and lives lost from snow machines falling through the sea ice. The objectives of the Community Search and Rescue Ice Information (CSAR-ICE) project are to better understand how and if communities and northern emergency management users currently use our products, and their changing needs for ice information in support of northern emergency prevention and response. The CIS has focused on four areas of effort: (1) meetings and workshops with the communities of Nain and Pond Inlet, the Government of Nunavut's (GN) Emergency Management Office (EMO), Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary, and the Trenton Joint Rescue and Coordination Centre; (2) testing two experimental sea ice products for prevention and response; (3) training of GN EMO staff and community volunteers at the CIS on satellite data/imagery interpretation and CIS products and services; and (4) case studies of historic search and rescue events in Nunavut to determine how and if the CIS could have provided any additional support. Lessons learned and plans for future development will be presented.
An European Union (EU) initiative in support of International Action on black carbon in the Arctic
Wilson, Simon (1) (Presenter) and R. Shearer (1)
(1) Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) Secretariat, Oslo, Norway
In order to slow the pace of warming over the next two to three decades, both globally and in the Arctic, as well as reducing emissions of CO2, countries must also reduce emissions of powerful short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs), including black carbon. The Arctic Council has therefore adopted an aspirational collective goal, to reduce black carbon emissions by at least 25-33 percent below 2013 levels by 2025. Recognizing these policy objectives, the European Union approved funding for an Action on Black Carbon in the Arctic to (i) support, promote and enhance the process of setting clear commitments and/or targets on major BC sources with the potential to affect the Arctic, in particular on gas flaring and domestic heating sources mainly outside the EU and with consideration of maritime shipping ; and (ii) move forward a process leading to enhanced international cooperation on black carbon policy in the Arctic region. The Action should complement existing activities of the EU and other international initiatives, in particular work under the Arctic Council, Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) and Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC). The Arctic Council’s Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) Secretariat has been requested to prepare a plan to implement the EU-Black Carbon Action during the period 2018-2021. The overall concept for implementing the Action focusses strongly on integrating it with ongoing activities under, in particular, the Arctic Council (AMAP, Expert Group on Black Carbon and Methane (EGBCM) and Arctic Contaminants Action Program (ACAP)) and CLRTAP and its subsidiary bodies. The proposed presentation will provide an overview of the planned work to implement the EU Action on Black Carbon in the Arctic, its status and its perspectives for building off of previous work by AMAP and EGBCM and feeding into the future work of the Arctic Council, CLRTAP and CCAC, etc. and to develop a roadmap for policy-action on black carbon and other SLCPs.
Impacts of a warming Arctic on freshwater ecosystem productivity, processes, and resources
Wisniewski, Victoria (1) (Presenter), I. Lehnherr (1), S. Schiff (2), P. Aukes (2) and J.L. Kirk (3)
(1) University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga ON, Canada
(2) University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON, Canada
(3) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Burlington ON, Canada
Lake Hazen, located on northern Ellesmere Island (82°N, 71°W) is the largest lake north of the Arctic Circle. The Lake Hazen region and ecosystem is culturally and historically important, having served as a fishing and hunting ground to Paleo-Inuit people dating back over 4000 years ago. In more recent years, observations and research indicate that the Lake Hazen watershed is experiencing various impacts of climate change (i.e., warming annual temperatures, accelerated permafrost thaw, melting glaciers, decreasing ice cover, etc.). As a result, it is integral to study how these changes will and are impacting freshwater processes such as primary productivity which supports aquatic food webs (i.e. Arctic Char fish stocks) with the energy necessary for reproduction and survival. Studying lake metabolism will assist in understanding and forecasting freshwater resource availability which Inuit communities rely on for the maintenance of cultural heritage and sustenance. The objectives of this study are to determine how high Arctic lakes are responding to climate change by calculating rates of total ecosystem productivity, which is achieved by quantifying net primary productivity (NPP) in surface waters, ecosystem respiration, and air-water CO2 fluxes. In July 2016, we quantified metabolic processes during the open water season on Skeleton Lake (a smaller, but relatively more productive lake within the Lake Hazen watershed). Continuous measurements of dissolved oxygen concentrations, temperature, and chlorophyll abundance were collected using a YSI EXO2 sonde. Vertical water column profiles were additionally conducted to analyze transitional zones. Surface measurements of dissolved CO2 were gathered (using a Vaisala CO2 sensor) to quantify air-water exchange of CO2 to determine whether Skeleton Lake acts as a source or sink of atmospheric CO2. Dissolved O2 stable isotopes (d18O–O2) are used to assess whole-lake metabolism by separating changes in O2 saturation due to temperature, and mixing from changes due to metabolic activity. In May and June 2017, we quantified metabolic processes during the ice covered season using modified methods from the previous field campaign to obtain a better understanding of winter and spring metabolic processes and rates. The YSI EXO2 sonde was deployed into the water column beneath the ice surface to monitor biochemical processes and changes during ice deterioration and break-up. Below ice water column respiration rates were determined by conducting in-situ closed vessel incubation experiments using Presens Optical Oxygen Spot Sensors. Here we will present preliminary water column metabolic rates from the summer 2016 field season, below ice respiration rates from the spring 2017 field season, and water chemistry characterization from both seasons. The anticipated results will provide valuable insight and data on the energetic processes that support aquatic life, allowing us to understand how climate change may impact the security of freshwater resources. This research program will inform and benefit a range of stakeholders, including public health officials and policy makers, as well as help secure the safety of food and water resources for Arctic Inuit communities.
Inuit perspectives of polar bear research: Lessons for community-based collaborations
Wong, Pamela (1) (Presenter), M.G. Dyck (2), Arviat Hunters and Trappers (3), Ikajutit Hunters and Trappers (4), Mayukalik Hunters and Trappers (5) and R.W. Murphy (1)
(1) Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto and Department of Natural History, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto ON, Canada
(2) Department of Environment, Government of Nunavut, Igloolik NU, Canada
(3) Arviat Hunters and Trappers, P.O. Box 529, Arviat NU, Canada
(4) Ikajutit Hunters and Trappers, P.O. Box 39, Arctic Bay NU, Canada
(5) Mayukalik Hunters and Trappers, P.O. Box 99, Kimmirut NU, Canada
Research partnerships with northern communities hold promise for capacity and resilience against environmental changes. Given their historical ecological and cultural relationship with and, thus, ongoing concern for polar bears, Inuit communities are keen to participate in monitoring programmes. In spite of this, northern communities continue to meet polar bear research and collaborations with some resistance. Here, we summarise and report interviews with Nunavummiut from four communities on Inuit experiences with polar bears and research perspectives. Research interactions reveal ongoing cultural, socio-ecological and ethical barriers to polar bear research projects. Research licenses and standardised ethics procedures do not always guarantee collaborations. Adaptable research methods, mutual understanding and open dialogue are essential to form strong research partnerships with northern communities.
Northwest Territories Centre for Geomatics: Facilitating data sharing and access
Woodley, William (1) (Presenter), D. Gibson (1), J. van der Sluijs (1), C. Avey (1), K. Groeneween (2), R.H. Fraser (3) and R. Skakun (4)
(1) NWT Centre for Geomatics - Informatincs, Government of the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife NT, Canada
(2) Forest Management Division, Environment and Natural Resources, Government of Northwest Territories, Hay River NT, Canada
(3) Canada Centre for Mapping and Earth Observation, Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa ON, Canada
In 2014 the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) became responsible for public land, water, and natural resources in the NWT. The expansion of departmental mandates included the management, administration, and planning for the sustainable use of public land (Lands), to protect, conserve, and enhance the NWT environment through increased roles in the administration of water and the adoption of the NWT Cumulative Impact Monitoring Program (Environment and Natural Resources), and the administration of mineral exploration and onshore petroleum development activities (Industry, Tourism, and Investment). These mandate expansions, along with local social, economic, and cultural dynamics and regional environmental change have driven the need for spatial information. Concurrently, in the last decade there has been increasing popularity of geo-enabled tools which has translated into exponential uptake of geomatics services across GNWT units, Aboriginal Governments, land- and water-boards, and oversight committees for understanding environmental, social and economic changes occurring in northern regions. To facilitate and stimulate access, integration, and reuse of geospatial data and services, the NWT Centre for Geomatics (NWTCG) has developed new web-enabled services and tools based on standardized formats and metadata, interoperable repositories, and capacity to connect researchers, decision-makers, and stakeholders with these sub-(Arctic) data resources. This presentation describes these developments and resources, and further highlights ongoing NWTCG remote sensing initiatives to derive up-to-date land-cover information, terrain subsidence mapping through interferometric synthetic-aperture radar (InSAR), and Landsat-based long-term landscape change detection information. The intended outcome of the presentation is an awareness of NWTCG’s services to the broader Arctic community and to stimulate future opportunities.
Changing Human-Beluga Relations and Subsistence Hunting in Aklavik, NT
Worden, Elizabeth (1,4) (Presenter), T. Pearce (2), J. Oakes (3) and L. Loseto (4)
(1) Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba
(2) Sustainability Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs QLD, Australia
(3) Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(4) Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Central and Arctic Division, Winnipeg MB, Canada
The aim of this research is to improve our understanding of human-beluga whale relations over time and the implications of change for subsistence livelihoods through a case study of Aklavik, Northwest Territories. A dramatic decline in the community’s beluga whale harvest was noted by local residents and is supported by the Fisheries and Oceans Canada Science Stock Status Report (2000), from 31 landed whales in 1990 to only 8 landed whales in 1999. In the last decade, the number of beluga harvested by Aklavik hunters has remained near or under five per year. At the 2016 Beluga Summit in Inuvik, a group of representatives from Aklavik proposed that a project be conducted to address these concerning changes and this research initiative responds to this knowledge need. The project's objectives are: (1) characterize historical relations between community members in Aklavik and Beluga; (2) document and describe how these relations have changed over time, including the drivers of change (e.g. social, cultural, economic, political, environmental); and (3) assess the implication of these changes for subsistence livelihoods.The research has been conducted in collaboration with community members in Aklavik and is guided by considerations for community-based participatory research. Data were collected in Aklavik together with two local research assistants and included semi-structured interviews (n=32) with a cross-section of community members, and analysis of secondary sources (e.g. beluga harvesting data, coastal erosion data, weather station history). Early findings indicate definitive constraints to hunting beluga falling under both social and environmental change. Throughout the research engagement, it became apparent that the reasons behind this unprecedented decline in the beluga harvest are dynamic and exemplify how Aklavik harvesters are adapting to a changing reality. Community members will remain involved throughout the research process and an opportunity for in-depth feedback and results verification will occur in Spring 2018. It is hoped that an improved understanding of the changes affecting human-beluga relations will help identify opportunities to support sustainable livelihoods in Aklavik.
Light level geolocation used to investigate life history trade-offs in Arctic nesting shorebirds
Wright, Leah (1) (Presenter), B. Lagasse (2), R. Lanctot (3), S. Saalfeld (3), E. Nol (4), S. Yezerinac (5) and L. McKinnon (1)
(1) York University, Toronto ON, Canada
(2) University of Colorado Denver, Denver CO, United States
(3) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Migratory Bird Management, Anchorage AK, United States
(4) Trent University, Peterborough ON, Canada
(5) Mount Allison University, Sackville NB, Canada
Events that affect an individual bird’s physiological condition during the non-breeding seasons of their life cycle can affect reproduction in the following breeding season. For example, long distance spring migration of many shorebird species is a physiologically demanding event during the course of one annual cycle, which may cause a cascade of carry over effects during the periods of time following these long distance flights. This may create an energetic trade-off between the costs of travelling long distance and the costs associated with reproductive activities. Different metrics of migration, such as the overall duration of the journey, timing of arrival to the breeding grounds, as well as length and frequency of stopovers may all play a part in setting an individual up for optimal or less than optimal breeding performance. Although the evolution of migratory strategies has been well studied, the effect of these choices on individual energy balance and survival is poorly understood. To investigate the effects of spring migration on breeding success of shorebirds, we used light level geolocation to track 59 Dunlin (Calidris alpina) from two different breeding populations in central Canada and western Alaska. Nests of these geolocator equipped Dunlin were monitored to measure reproductive parameters such as timing of breeding, clutch size, egg volume, nest success, and chick growth and survival. Here, I will provide preliminary results on 1) how the effects of individual migration strategies of these dunlin relate to their subsequent reproductive timing and nest survival, and 2) specific migratory routes, migration distances, and stop over sites used by two Dunlin subspecies: C.a. pacifica and C.a. hudsonia. With many shorebird populations experiencing declines, a more thorough understanding of their migration strategies affect their breeding ecology is imperative for informing full life-cycle conservation.
Environmental origins, bioaccumulation, and biomagnification of perfluoroalkyl substances in the food webs of ringed seals in Lake Melville, Northern Labrador
Xiong, Dingyi (1) (Presenter), A. De Silva (2), J. Kirk (2), D. Muir (2), I. Lehnherr (1), M. Williamson (2), C. Spencer (2), A. Gleason (2), T. Sheldon (3), R. Laing (3) and L. Pijogge (3)
(1) University of Toronto - Mississauga, Mississauga ON, Canada
(2) Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington ON, Canada
(3) Nunatsiavut Government, Nain NL, Canada
Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are synthetic organofluorine compounds that possess both hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties. They are stable and persistent and can cause adverse health effects by binding to proteins in liver and altering liver physiology of wildlife and humans. These contaminants can undergo long-range transport through the atmosphere and/or oceans, resulting in their presence in various Arctic ecosystems. Lake Melville, a semi-enclosed estuarine fjord in Northern Labrador that receives hydrologic inputs of both riverine (Churchill River) and ocean waters, is one such ecosystem. Lake Melville is also undergoing environmental change, including both climate change and industrial development such as hydroelectric power development on the lower Churchill River. Residents of the communities located along the shorelines of Lake Melville that consume ringed seals for food may also be impacted as a result. The objectives of this research are to identify and compare environmental sources (global versus local, terrestrial versus marine) of PFASs to the Lake Melville foodweb, and in particular ringed seals, determine the concentrations of PFASs in ringed seal tissues prior to hydroelectric power development, and to investigate the bioaccumulation and biomagnification of PFASs in the food web of ringed seals in Lake Melville. In particular, 71 juvenile seal samples were collected between 2012-2016 and about 15 adult seal samples were collected in 2017 by local hunters during local harvests. Seal liver samples will be used for PFASs analysis. Samples of water, plankton (size fractions >500 µm, 153-500µm, 64-153µm) and lower food web organisms such as scallops, krill, mussels, and jellyfish were collected in 2017 in a collaboration between Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), the Nunatsiavut Government, and local community members. These samples will be analyzed to assess the bioaccumulation and biomagnification of PFASs through the Lake Melville food web. This research will provide a better understanding of where PFASs are produced and transported to Lake Melville, how the sources of PFASs may be affected by environmental change as well as the extent of bioaccumulation and biomagnification of ringed seal food webs in Lake Melville.
Benthic trophodynamics in areas influenced by seasonal sea ice depletion in Baffin Bay, Arctic
Yunda-Guarin, Gustavo (1) (Presenter), P. Archambault (1), G. Massé (1) and C. Nozais (2)
(1) Université Laval, Québec QC, Canada
(2) Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski QC, Canada
Polar regions are being increasingly affected by a series of changes linked to climate change. These alterations are more evident and intense in the Arctic Ocean, where sea ice dynamics and environmental conditions are changing rapidly. Amongst the main consequences of these atypical climatic patterns, the reduction of the thickness and extent of sea ice is one factor that concerns the scientific community due to the importance of the sympagic-pelagic-benthic coupling. This association is important for the sustenance of nutrient cycle and transfer of energy to different trophic levels on the food web. In an attempt to (1) contribute to a better understanding of the complexity of the Arctic food web and infer how environmental changes could influence dynamics of the benthic food web in areas exposed to sea ice retreat; (2) identify key drivers and potential changes in the proportion, quantity and quality of particular organic carbon and nitrogen exported from the euphotic zone to the seabed; and (3) assess trophic relationships among benthic organisms, we conducted a detailed field investigation of marine macrobenthos aboard CCGS Amundsen during the Green Edge project. A total of thirteen sites were sampled between June and July 2016 in an area located between mid-western Greenland and Canada's Baffin Island, Baffin Bay. Stable isotope analysis (SIA) and fatty acid biomarkers (FATMs) will be used to characterize the benthic trophic structure and carbon transfer pathways, diets of bottom organisms and origin and availability of nutrients in the seabed.
Newfoundland ice conditions: The storms of March and April 2017
Zagon, Thomas (1) (Presenter)
(1) Canadian Ice Service, Ottawa ON, Canada
The ice conditions around Newfoundland in March and April of 2017 experienced significant departures from normal. These departures were, for the most part, due to a pair of low pressure systems that tracked across the island. The heavier than normal ice conditions resulted high ice concentrations in St. John’s Harbour and significant disruptions to marine commercial activities in Newfoundland waters. The presentation will show how the ice conditions evolved over a two week period between March 27 and April 10 and their effect on maritime interests.
Interpreting the landscape ontology: the northern palimpsest
Zamorshchikova, Liudmila (1) (Presenter)
(1) North-Eastern federal University, Yakutsk, Russia
The research project “Landscape Ontology: Semantics, Semiotics, and Geographic Modeling” is supported by the Russian Science Foundation (RSF) for 2015-2017 years. Scientific director is the professor of Aix-Marseille University and NEFU Sebastien Gadal, Doctor of Geography. The academic significance of the project is dictated by the interdisciplinary approach to the study of landscape, namely the widespread use of methods applied both in liberal arts (linguistics, folklore studies, semiotics, sociology, ethnography, archeology, history, etc.) and natural sciences (geography, physics, computer science, space technologies). A comprehensive study of the ontology of the landscape, features of modeling and exploring landscapes typical of northern ethnic groups, the concept understanding of the landscape and its representation in the consciousness and culture will be held in the light of technological advances, namely with the use of GIS technology, remote sensing and satellite imagery of the landscapes The interpretation of landscape ontology through the indigenous representation of landscape is conducted on the base of following methodological approaches: 1. Toponym data base (after topographic maps, local toponyms, questionnaire/interview, etc.) 2. Linguistic analysis of toponym (etymology, morphology /topoform, diachronic information after historical documents, contact linguistics method, etc) 3. Ethnophysiographic approaches 4. Interdisciplinary discourse analysis/semiotics of landscape A notion of a landscape as a text’ that can be ‘read’ appeared as a result in cultural geography by 1980-1990, at the same time idea of ‘a landscape as a text’ metaphor includes understanding of a text as a unity of signs and meanings (Mitin, 2008). The world we live in consists of multiple meanings of places each of those constructs its own meaning, thus enriching integral palimpsest. The toponyms serve as a kind of language, telling about the “life of land” across the time and space. The landscape-toponymic studies contribute to reconstruct of the geographical history and to modeling of its future. The interpretation of landscape through the indigenous worldview and representation in culture and language allows to identifying in dynamics the natural landscape, as well as the forms of relief, soil, vegetation, and the animal world. Thus, the etymology and semantics of toponyms can be considered as the main indicator in landscape study. The linguistic analysis of toponyms demonstrates the peculiarities of settlement of different peoples on the territory, their movements, contacts, changes of life style. This research is supported by the Russian Science Foundation project ?15-18-20047 “Landscape ontology: semantics, semiotics, and geographic modeling”.
Catastrophic power failure in a remote Arctic community – What have we learned?
Zebedee, Ed (1) (Presenter)
(1) Department of Emergency Management, Government of Nunavut, Iqaluit NU, Canada
This case study examines the challenges surrounding the management of a catastrophic power failure in the remote Arctic community of Pangnirtung, Nunavut in April of 2015. The community of approximately 1,600 people survived winter Arctic conditions with only partial power for a four-day period following a serious fire that destroyed its nearly 40-year-old power plant. Conditions were such that the territory declared a local state of emergency that lasted a full month. This paper describes the challenges encountered by emergency managers and local officials in responding to this critical incident, including those posed by weather conditions, poor maintenance, limitations in transportation and communications and the many human factors involved. It will discuss which aspects of the emergency response worked well and which did not and how the lessons learned from this incident have influenced standard operating procedures (SOPs). Many of the issues faced during this disaster continue to challenge the well-being of Arctic communities to this day. Only through continued research, communications and resources will the real risks faced by these remote communities and first responders be acknowledged and addressed and the threat of future catastrophic incidents significantly reduced.
Study of weaning age and diet variation in narwhals (Monodon monoceros) using stable isotope analysis (d13C and d15N) of dentine
Zhao, Shu-Ting (1) (Presenter), C. Matthews (2), S. Ferguson (1,2) and C. Watt (1,2)
(1) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
(2) Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg MB, Canada
Narwhals (Monodon monoceros) are medium sized toothed whales that are traditionally harvested by Inuit for subsistence, and therefore play a significant cultural and economic role for Inuit. Narwhals are also thought to be sensitive to climate change, largely due to their low genetic diversity, limited geographic distribution, and high site fidelity. Management of sustainable hunting and conservation of the species requires knowledge of narwhal life history traits and foraging. Given the migratory nature of narwhals and logistical difficulties associated with working in the Arctic, it remains challenging to obtain information on narwhal reproduction and ontogenetic shifts in diet through direct observation in the wild. Improved estimates of weaning age in narwhals will help determine the length of the female reproductive cycle and ultimately the reproductive potential of narwhals, while studying ontogenetic dietary patterns, such as age-based diet differences between females and males, may help understand social structure and foraging dynamics in narwhal populations. Stable isotope analysis using dentine growth layer groups has become a popular technique for inferring ontogenetic shifts and dietary patterns in marine mammals. Teeth are metabolically inert and dentine is laid down in annual growth layer groups (GLGs). Once formed, dentine GLGs will not be altered, and therefore can provide a chronological archive of isotopic profiles throughout an animal’s life. Isotopic nitrogen analysis of dentine GLGs can reveal d15N declines that correspond with weaning in several marine mammal species, while carbon isotopes are widely used for dietary analysis, especially in terms of determining the original source of carbon in the food web. Previous stable isotope analysis using skin tissues showed small isotope differences in diet between sex and among age classes in narwhal populations. Currently, d13C and d15N isotope analysis of tooth growth layers in narwhal embedded tusks provides a unique opportunity to construct and compare individual ontogenetic isotope profiles, and further examine the onset of any dietary shifts. The objective of this study is to i) determine weaning age in narwhals; ii) analyze if weaning age has changed in time by comparing results from two sets of samples collected from the same area but three decades apart; iii) evaluate if isotope profiles will diverge between females and males at sexual maturity, when the larger body size of adult males allows them to dive deeper in order to exploit greater food sources. Overall this study will contribute improved life history parameters for narwhal population modeling and promote understanding of narwhal social structure and habitat use.
Opportunities and obstacles in building Arctic research collaborations: The UK-Canadian GeoMODe project
Zindorf, Mark (2) (Presenter), C. März (1), C. Hubert (3), M. Furze (4) and A. Pienkowski (4)
(1) School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
(2) School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle, United Kingdom
(3) Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada
(4) Department of Physical Sciences, MacEwan University, Edmonton AB, Canada
International collaboration is a critical component of any environmental research area, but for UK Arctic scientists it is particularly important to build relationships with a nation that has direct access to the Arctic Ocean and the infrastructure to study it. Here we will outline how the ongoing collaborative research project “Geochemistry of Arctic Sediments and its Impact on Microbial Oil Degradation (GeoMODe)” was planned and implemented in the frame of the United Kingdom & Canada Arctic Partnership 2017 Bursaries Programme. Like many new collaborations that rely on on multi-disciplinary fieldwork (in this case an expedition onboard the CCGS Amundsen), this project was based on existing personal contacts to Canadian researchers, from which a wider network of collaborators was quickly developed. We chose to embed GeoMODe into an existing wider research framework (the UK-funded ChAOS project and the Canadian-funded GENICE project) as an independent but complementary project, combining state-of-the-art, reliable, low-risk microbiological and geochemical methods into a novel cross-disciplinary research approach. In brief, our aim is to assess the readiness of Canadian Arctic seafloor sediments to potential spillage of oil or fuel based on their microbial communities and biogeochemical structure. Following a number of unforeseeable circumstances that are inherent in any fieldwork activity in a remote location, the original setup of the project was modified several times, and it was critical for the successful completion of the fieldwork to respond flexibly to these changing circumstances (an approach that needs to be backed by the funding organisation). Modifications affected the original budget allocation (due to changes in transport of scientists to the ship), personnel (due to inability of UK and Canadian PIs to participate in the CCGS Amundsen cruise in person), timing (due to limited shipboard sampling of sediment cores) and sampling strategy (due to limited personnel at sea and restrictions by coring devices). However, using a flexible approach to the original project and with support by our Canadian partners, we were able to collect sediment and pore water samples not only to address most (if not all) of our original scientific objectives, but also to initiate another line of collaborative research into the paleo-environmental history of the Canadian Arctic. In conclusion, the key factors that made this new collaboration a success were (a) incorporation of the new research project into an existing broader framework, (b) a flexible approach to changing circumstances by scientists and funding organisations, and (c) readiness to embrace new unforeseen opportunities that might arise on short notice.
Ny-Ålesund light observatory experiment
Zolich, Artur (1), G. Johnsen (1,2) (Presenter), J. Berge (2,3) and B. Hagan (4)
(1) Centre of Autonomous Marine Operations and Systems (AMOS) at Dept. Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
(2) University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), Longyearbyen, Norway
(3) UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Tromsø, Norway
(4) The Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), Oban, United Kingdom
A set of light sensors including a spectroradiometer (In-Situ Marine optics, USSIMO), an in-house red, green and red (RGB) light sensors made by SAMS, and a Canon D5 Mark III EOS camera with a EF 8-15mm f/4L Fish-eye type lens, have been installed in Ny-Ålesund light observatory at the new Geodesy station at Brandalspynten, approx. 4 km away from Ny-Ålesund, to avoid artificial lights sources. All sensors collects information of light regime (irradiance, spectral irradiance and day length). The spectroradiometer measures the diffuse irradiance with a 2pi light collector (180 degrees light collection). The photos from the camera provide information of cloud cover patchiness, diffuse sun light, moonlight, starlight, northern light and finally light pollution. Comparing light data obtained from camera and spectroradiometer gives additional information that can be used for several applications. The SAMS RGB light sensors were made with extremely high sensitivity to provide irradiance measurements during the darkest part of the polar night (Dec-Jan) below USSIMO range. The SAMS sensor consist of 2 x 3 photodiodes with 3 photodiodes for high and 3 for low sensitivity measurements. Each set diodes has 3 types of spectrum filter applied: white, blue and red. The sensors are controlled and their data is stored on-board a remote computer. A series of scripts and custom software acquire a picture with a camera, and a record a data set from the sensors with a user defined periodicity and duration. In our setup, the camera photo is taken every hour, while sensors series are recorded every 30 minutes for 30 seconds. Because USSIMO has self-adjustable integration time, the number of recorded samples varies. The remote computer in the light observatory can be accessed via a remote desktop application using an Internet connection. Data stored on the hard-drive of the remote computer are copied to a separate folder twice-a-day, and that folder is synchronized with a Cloud based storage. Such mechanism limits the possibility of accidental data deletion. Every hour the remote computer sends an e-mail notification that summarizes number of photos taken and files recorded, as well as battery state of the computer and its hard-drive space. If a reboot occur, the system sends a separate e-mail and processes that can start automatically recover. The data collected during the deployment are parsed, analysed and can be visualized with a custom made software. In addition a LaTeX source code can be automatically generated, and then compiled into a PDF file which contains data presented in a user-friendly form. The light data can be used for several applications: A) Photosynthesis is highly sensitive to intensity, colour composition and day-length and the data will be used to provide time-series of light regime data in air and then in near future followed by a corresponding time series in the Ocean. B) All life is affected by light as an environmental cue for behaviour, reproduction, diurnal vertical migration, maturation and mass occurrence. C) Solar energy is heavily absorbed by sea water and is crucial for climate research
CO2 in streams across a rapidly thawing permafrost landscape: not all is lost (to the atmosphere)
Zolkos, Scott (1) (Presenter), S. Tank (1), S. Kokelj (2) and R. Striegl (3)
(1) University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada
(2) Northwest Territories Geological Survey, Yellowknife NT, Canada
(3) USGS National Research Program, Boulder CO, United States
Permafrost thaw contributes significantly to the mobilization of sediment, solutes, and organic carbon previously maintained in frozen soils to inland waters. From a carbon cycle perspective, permafrost organic carbon is rapidly oxidized to CO2 by microbes and sunlight in headwater streams, with significant implications for CO2 release to the atmosphere. However, chemical weathering of carbonate minerals released by thawing permafrost can fix CO2 as bicarbonate (HCO3-), rendering it less susceptible to exchange with the atmosphere. While CO2 typically decreases from headwaters to larger streams, the degree to which this decrease is driven by atmospheric exchange versus conversion to HCO3- (by chemical weathering) is poorly characterized. Here, we investigated summertime trends in dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC = [CO2 + HCO3- + CO32-]) across three stream transects of varying lengths (0.55, 14, 72 km) and proximities to active retrogressive thaw slumps (RTS) in the Stony Creek watershed (~1,200 km2, Peel Plateau, NT). RTS on the plateau are rapidly exposing permafrost to thaw, unearthing carbonate tills, and increasing sediment loads in streams. We hypothesized CO2 would decrease from headwaters to larger streams, in part from weathering of carbonates exposed by RTS, resulting in a downstream increase in HCO3-. CO2 decreased from RTS-affected headwaters (1,076 uatm) to larger streams (555 uatm), while HCO3- increased 25-fold (~50-1,300 uM) immediately downstream of an active “mega” RTS (~40 ha in area) and then decreased in larger streams (to ~650 uM). This aligns with previous research demonstrating rapid CO2 loss from headwater streams. It suggests some CO2 losses in RTS-affected streams may be associated with carbonate weathering and that RTS in this region are a direct and important source of HCO3- to larger streams. Upon entering the marine carbon cycle, this HCO3- will again transform. Whether it ultimately represents an atmospheric CO2 sink or source depends on the acid responsible for its production during carbonate weathering. Ongoing work will characterize CO2 and weathering sources to elucidate contributions from RTS to aquatic CO2 sources within and beyond the Stony Creek watershed.
The use of TK in management of issues related to the development of the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway
Zytaruk, Brian (1) (Presenter)
(1) Fisheries Joint Management Committee, Inuvik NT, Canada
The development of a permanent link (all weather road) to the Arctic coast presented opportunities and challenges for the Inuvialuit communities and the management of their private lands and resources. In other remote areas, increased access by a new road has led to large increases in fishing pressure, and in some cases the decimation of fish stocks. The communities of Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk recognized that the opening of the road, which is scheduled for November 15, 2017, would provide increased access to resources important to their livelihood and culture. The communities of Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk were particularly concerned about the increased exploitation of the fisheries resources in streams and lakes adjacent to the highway and from Husky Lakes. This area has been an important source of fish, particularly Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush) and Whitefish (Coregonus spp.). The fishing for these species has previously been limited seasonally because of the difficulty of access. The two communities in conjunction with the Fisheries Joint Management Committee (FJMC), with financial support from the GNWT Department of Highways, subsequently GNWT Department of Infrastructure, set out on an evaluation of what was important and how these resources might be managed to ensure the sustainability of the food source. In this presentation, we will discuss the approach to development of guidelines, which are intended to manage the more readily available resources. The community developed guidelines were intended to provide for management of expected pressures from both the communities and external users.
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