Life in the North Biology Framework to Study Northern Ecosystems

Three Central Themes: How do environmental factors structure Northern ecosystems? What role do humans play in the conservation of ecosystems in the North? How is human health and wellness linked to changes in the Arctic?

Terminology Ecosystem A system of interdependent and interacting living organisms and their immediate physical, chemical, and biological environments

Biome A major ecological community of organisms, usually characterized by dominant vegetation type or environmental feature (e.g. sea, barren-grounds)

Food Web A complex system of interdependent food chains in a given ecosystem Note: Decomposers are often viewed as a distinct attribute of a food web

Biodiversity The variety of life forms in a given biome. Includes considerations of species diversity, abundance, behaviors, genetics.

Sustainability The ability of an ecosystem, or a population, to maintain its diversity, abundance, and integrity SustainabilityResilient to Changes

Scale The spatial and temporal structure of an environment, or a behavior e.g. sea-ice structure; habitat selection of caribou;

Autocorrelation of Temporal vs. Spatial Scale

Low Arctic High Arctic Sub Arctic Boreal

Sea Ice

Biohazard A physical, chemical, or radioactive substance that may cause health issues due to exposure or bio-accumulation Note: Generally within a context of human health

What is Unique About Northern Ecosystems? Sea ice dynamics Environmental extremes Low precipitations (cold desert) Short growing season Unpredictable resource distribution, especially for marine environments

Defining the Arctic The word Arctic comes from the Greek word for bear, arktos, after the constellations Ursa major and Ursa minor that are visible year round in the northern night sky.

CAFF Boundary

How is the Arctic environment studied? The application of evidence-based knowledge is essential to best manage and sustain Arctic environments. Best Practices: Multi-discipline approach (e.g. Atmospheric Sciences, Ocean Sciences, Ecosystem Sciences, Toxicology, etc.) Local knowledge & scientific knowledge Consultation & collaboration

Required Readings Box 1: The mission of CAFF Box 2: The Arctic Council

Arctic: A Complex System Atmospheric Sciences Earth Sciences Ocean Sciences Ecosystem Sciences Toxicology Dimensions of Scale: Spatial, Temporal, and Organizational

Atmospheric Sciences Air currents Contaminant transport Climate changes U.V. radiation Note: Connects Arctic with rest of the World

cP: Continental Polar mP: Maritime Polar cA: Continental Arctic mT: Maritime Tropical cT: Continental Tropical

Required Reading Box 5 pg. 25: The North Atlantic Oscillation & Reindeer Husbandry

Ocean Science Ocean currents Sea ice dynamics Air temperatures Contaminant transport Note: Connects Arctic with rest of the World

Earth Sciences Snow Permafrost Glacier Biogeochemical Processes (e.g. soil) Natural Resources

The Lena Delta Composite Satellite Image

Ecosystem Sciences Biodiversity Sustainability (harvest, industries) Nutrient reservoirs Growing cycles Wildlife population ecology

Required Reading Box 12: The Arctic as a Theatre of Evolution Box 13: Microbes Everywhere

Toxicology Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) Radioactive isotopes Heavy metals Local contaminants

Humans in the Arctic

First Peoples and the Environment Human settlement in Arctic for thousands of years –e.g. Yukon inhabited ~ years ago Humans survived by making use of reoccurring patterns of particular species and habitats –Spring: Marine mammals hunted on sea ice –Summer: Fish camps –Fall: Followed herds of terrestrial mammals

Introduction to Europeans Early 16 th Century: European fishermen reached Newfoundland –Followed by traders, missionaries, fur traders, whalers, etc. –Introduced European goods into Inuit society

Who Lives in the Arctic Now? Sedentary communities –Practice of traditional hunting, fishing, and gathering maintained Families may move to fishing camps in summer Hunters may provide for several families Migration of non-indigenous people to the Arctic –Government, industrial jobs (e.g. mining, oil and gas production)

Integrating cultural traditions and modern technology DogsledSnow machine Bow and ArrowRifle and Shotgun KayakOutboard motor

The Modern Arctic Rich natural resources –Gold Rush  Diamond Mines Political Change –Local involvement in management decisions –Land Claims Indigenous peoples maintain rights to hunt, fish, and trap Co-management of land E.g. 15% of NWT and Nunavut could be owned by indigenous peoples when claims settled

Co-Management

Connection between humans and environment remains important Integration of modern practices and traditional ways Deep understanding of local environment by indigenous people remains