Contributions of traditional knowledge to understanding climate change in the Canadian Arctic

AbstractDespite much scientific research, a considerable amount of uncertainty exists concerning the rate and extent of climate change in the Arctic, and how change will affect regional climatic processes and northern ecosystems. Can an expanded scope of knowledge and inquiry augment understandings of climate change in the north? The extensive use of the land and the coastal ocean in Inuit communities provides a unique source of local environmental expertise that is guided by generations of experience. Environmental change associated with variations in weather and climate has not gone unnoticed by communities that are experiencing change firsthand. Little research has been done to explore the contributions of traditional knowledge to climate-change research. Based in part on a collaborative research project in Sachs Harbour, western Canadian Arctic, this paper discusses five areas in which traditional knowledge may complement scientific approaches to understanding climate change in the Canadian Arctic. These are the use of traditional knowledge as local-scale expertise; as a source of climate history and baseline data; in formulating research questions and hypotheses; as insight into impacts and adaptation in Arctic communities; and for long-term, communitybased monitoring. These five areas of potential convergence provide a conceptual framework for bridging the gap between traditional knowledge and western science, in the context of climate-change research.

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Sounding the Arctic in Chantal Bilodeau’s Climate Change Plays

Nordic Theatre Studies ◽

10.7146/nts.v32i1.120408 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 32 (1) ◽

pp. 66-81

Author(s):

Nassin W. Balestrini

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Canadian Arctic ◽

The Arctic ◽

Address Climate Change ◽

Musical Performances ◽

Time Space ◽

Performance Poetry ◽

Traditional Songs ◽

Long Term Impact

Quebec-born playwright Chantal Bilodeau has been responding to the challenges of dramatizing anthropogenic climate change by developing an eight-part Arctic Cycle, each play of which is set in one of the nations that claims Arctic territory. Sila (2014) immerses audiences into a complex network of humans, animals, and mythical beings crisscrossing the Canadian Arctic. These movements circle around the Inuit concept of sila, which is the life-giving force of breath and voice. Thus, the sonic world of Sila focuses on voices speaking words, on performance poetry, and on the sounds of breath and wind. Bilodeau’ s second Arctic Cycle play, Forward (2016), addresses the long-term impact of Fridtjof Nansen’s polar exploration of the 1890s on Norway’s economy and society. In terms of sound, Forward features multiple musical performances rangingfrom traditional songs to European opera arias and Lieder to contemporary Norwegian electro-pop. The sonic features of both plays stress interdependence across time, space, as well as (non-)human, earthly, and metaphysical realms. Sila and Forward address climate change in a non-universalizing manner which promotes a heterarchical (rather than hierarchical) aesthetic fit for a growing awareness of planetary relationality.

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Shared socioeconomic pathways for climate change research in Finland: co-developing extended SSP narratives for agriculture

Regional Environmental Change ◽

10.1007/s10113-020-01734-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Heikki S. Lehtonen ◽

Jyrki Aakkula ◽

Stefan Fronzek ◽

Janne Helin ◽

Mikael Hildén ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

National Level ◽

Global Scale ◽

Change Scenario ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Climate Change Research ◽

Food And Agriculture ◽

Agriculture And Food ◽

Farm Subsidies

AbstractShared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs), developed at global scale, comprise narrative descriptions and quantifications of future world developments that are intended for climate change scenario analysis. However, their extension to national and regional scales can be challenging. Here, we present SSP narratives co-developed with stakeholders for the agriculture and food sector in Finland. These are derived from intensive discussions at a workshop attended by approximately 39 participants offering a range of sectoral perspectives. Using general background descriptions of the SSPs for Europe, facilitated discussions were held in parallel for each of four SSPs reflecting very different contexts for the development of the sector up to 2050 and beyond. Discussions focused on five themes from the perspectives of consumers, producers and policy-makers, included a joint final session and allowed for post-workshop feedback. Results reflect careful sector-based, national-level interpretations of the global SSPs from which we have constructed consensus narratives. Our results also show important critical remarks and minority viewpoints. Interesting features of the Finnish narratives compared to the global SSP narratives include greater emphasis on environmental quality; significant land abandonment in SSPs with reduced livestock production and increased plant-based diets; continued need for some farm subsidies across all SSPs and opportunities for diversifying domestic production under scenarios of restricted trade. Our results can contribute to the development of more detailed national long-term scenarios for food and agriculture that are both relevant for local stakeholders and researchers as well as being consistent with global scenarios being applied internationally.

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Vulnerability of the North Water ecosystem to climate change

Nature Communications ◽

10.1038/s41467-021-24742-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Sofia Ribeiro ◽

Audrey Limoges ◽

Guillaume Massé ◽

Kasper L. Johansen ◽

William Colgan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Sea Ice ◽

Late Holocene ◽

Sediment Cores ◽

Arctic Ecosystems ◽

Little Auk ◽

The North ◽

Water Ecosystem ◽

North Water

AbstractHigh Arctic ecosystems and Indigenous livelihoods are tightly linked and exposed to climate change, yet assessing their sensitivity requires a long-term perspective. Here, we assess the vulnerability of the North Water polynya, a unique seaice ecosystem that sustains the world’s northernmost Inuit communities and several keystone Arctic species. We reconstruct mid-to-late Holocene changes in sea ice, marine primary production, and little auk colony dynamics through multi-proxy analysis of marine and lake sediment cores. Our results suggest a productive ecosystem by 4400–4200 cal yrs b2k coincident with the arrival of the first humans in Greenland. Climate forcing during the late Holocene, leading to periods of polynya instability and marine productivity decline, is strikingly coeval with the human abandonment of Greenland from c. 2200–1200 cal yrs b2k. Our long-term perspective highlights the future decline of the North Water ecosystem, due to climate warming and changing sea-ice conditions, as an important climate change risk.

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Predictors of invertebrate biomass and rate of advancement of invertebrate phenology across eight sites in the North American Arctic

Polar Biology ◽

10.1007/s00300-020-02781-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 44 (2) ◽

pp. 237-257

Author(s):

Rebecca Shaftel ◽

Daniel J. Rinella ◽

Eunbi Kwon ◽

Stephen C. Brown ◽

H. River Gates ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Prey Availability ◽

Population Level ◽

The Arctic ◽

Environmental Drivers ◽

Chick Survival ◽

The North ◽

Phenological Mismatch ◽

Nesting Sites ◽

North American Arctic

AbstractAverage annual temperatures in the Arctic increased by 2–3 °C during the second half of the twentieth century. Because shorebirds initiate northward migration to Arctic nesting sites based on cues at distant wintering grounds, climate-driven changes in the phenology of Arctic invertebrates may lead to a mismatch between the nutritional demands of shorebirds and the invertebrate prey essential for egg formation and subsequent chick survival. To explore the environmental drivers affecting invertebrate availability, we modeled the biomass of invertebrates captured in modified Malaise-pitfall traps over three summers at eight Arctic Shorebird Demographics Network sites as a function of accumulated degree-days and other weather variables. To assess climate-driven changes in invertebrate phenology, we used data from the nearest long-term weather stations to hindcast invertebrate availability over 63 summers, 1950–2012. Our results confirmed the importance of both accumulated and daily temperatures as predictors of invertebrate availability while also showing that wind speed negatively affected invertebrate availability at the majority of sites. Additionally, our results suggest that seasonal prey availability for Arctic shorebirds is occurring earlier and that the potential for trophic mismatch is greatest at the northernmost sites, where hindcast invertebrate phenology advanced by approximately 1–2.5 days per decade. Phenological mismatch could have long-term population-level effects on shorebird species that are unable to adjust their breeding schedules to the increasingly earlier invertebrate phenologies.

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Regional variability of acidification in the Arctic: a sea of contrasts

Biogeosciences ◽

10.5194/bg-11-293-2014 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 293-308 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

E. E. Popova ◽

A. Yool ◽

Y. Aksenov ◽

A. C. Coward ◽

T. R. Anderson

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Primary Production ◽

Arctic Ocean ◽

Canadian Arctic ◽

Atmospheric Co2 ◽

The Arctic ◽

Canadian Arctic Archipelago ◽

Regional Variability ◽

The Arctic Ocean ◽

The Impact

Abstract. The Arctic Ocean is a region that is particularly vulnerable to the impact of ocean acidification driven by rising atmospheric CO2, with potentially negative consequences for calcifying organisms such as coccolithophorids and foraminiferans. In this study, we use an ocean-only general circulation model, with embedded biogeochemistry and a comprehensive description of the ocean carbon cycle, to study the response of pH and saturation states of calcite and aragonite to rising atmospheric pCO2 and changing climate in the Arctic Ocean. Particular attention is paid to the strong regional variability within the Arctic, and, for comparison, simulation results are contrasted with those for the global ocean. Simulations were run to year 2099 using the RCP8.5 (an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) scenario with the highest concentrations of atmospheric CO2). The separate impacts of the direct increase in atmospheric CO2 and indirect effects via impact of climate change (changing temperature, stratification, primary production and freshwater fluxes) were examined by undertaking two simulations, one with the full system and the other in which atmospheric CO2 was prevented from increasing beyond its preindustrial level (year 1860). Results indicate that the impact of climate change, and spatial heterogeneity thereof, plays a strong role in the declines in pH and carbonate saturation (Ω) seen in the Arctic. The central Arctic, Canadian Arctic Archipelago and Baffin Bay show greatest rates of acidification and Ω decline as a result of melting sea ice. In contrast, areas affected by Atlantic inflow including the Greenland Sea and outer shelves of the Barents, Kara and Laptev seas, had minimal decreases in pH and Ω because diminishing ice cover led to greater vertical mixing and primary production. As a consequence, the projected onset of undersaturation in respect to aragonite is highly variable regionally within the Arctic, occurring during the decade of 2000–2010 in the Siberian shelves and Canadian Arctic Archipelago, but as late as the 2080s in the Barents and Norwegian seas. We conclude that, for future projections of acidification and carbonate saturation state in the Arctic, regional variability is significant and needs to be adequately resolved, with particular emphasis on reliable projections of the rates of retreat of the sea ice, which are a major source of uncertainty.

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Inuit vulnerability and adaptive capacity to climate change in Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories, Canada

Polar Record ◽

10.1017/s0032247409008602 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 46 (2) ◽

pp. 157-177 ◽

Cited By ~ 64

Author(s):

Tristan Pearce ◽

Barry Smit ◽

Frank Duerden ◽

James D. Ford ◽

Annie Goose ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Northwest Territories ◽

Adaptive Capacity ◽

Adaptive Strategies ◽

The Arctic ◽

Future Climate Change ◽

Sources Of Information ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Climate Change Research ◽

Climate Conditions

ABSTRACTClimate change is already being experienced in the Arctic with implications for ecosystems and the communities that depend on them. This paper argues that an assessment of community vulnerability to climate change requires knowledge of past experience with climate conditions, responses to climatic variations, future climate change projections, and non-climate factors that influence people's susceptibility and adaptive capacity. The paper documents and describes exposure sensitivities to climate change experienced in the community of Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories and the adaptive strategies employed. It is based on collaborative research involving semi-structured interviews, secondary sources of information, and participant observations. In the context of subsistence hunting, changes in temperature, seasonal patterns (for example timing and nature of the spring melt), sea ice and wind dynamics, and weather variability have affected the health and availability of some species of wildlife important for subsistence and have exacerbated risks associated with hunting and travel. Inuit in Ulukhaktok are coping with these changes by taking extra precautions when travelling, shifting modes of transportation, travel routes and hunting areas to deal with changing trail conditions, switching species harvested, and supplementing their diet with store bought foods. Limited access to capital resources, changing levels of traditional knowledge and land skills, and substance abuse were identified as key constraints to adaptation. The research demonstrates the need to consider the perspectives and experiences of local people for climate change research to have practical relevance to Arctic communities such as for the development and promotion of adaptive strategies.

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Synoptic climatological approach associated with three recent summer heatwaves in the Canadian Arctic

Journal of Water and Climate Change ◽

10.2166/wcc.2020.281 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (S1) ◽

pp. 233-250 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Farahnaz Fazel-Rastgar

Keyword(s):

Sea Ice ◽

Canadian Arctic ◽

Arctic Region ◽

Low Pressure ◽

Arctic Sea Ice ◽

The Arctic ◽

The North ◽

Pressure Centre ◽

Temperature Records ◽

Arctic Temperature

Abstract The observed unusually high temperatures in the Arctic during recent decades can be related to the Arctic sea ice declines in summer 2007, 2012 and 2016. Arctic dipole formation has been associated with all three heatwaves of 2007, 2012 and 2016 in the Canadian Arctic. Here, the differences in weather patterns are investigated and compared with normal climatological mean (1981–2010) structures. This study examines the high-resolution datasets from the North American Regional Reanalysis model. During the study periods, the north of Alaska has been affected by the low-pressure tongue. The maximum difference between Greenland high-pressure centre and Alaska low-pressure tongue for the summers of 2012, 2016 and 2007 are 8 hPa, 7 hPa and 6 hPa, respectively, corresponding and matching to the maximum summer surface Canadian Arctic temperature records. During anomalous summer heatwaves, low-level wind, temperatures, total clouds (%) and downward radiation flux at the surface are dramatically changed. This study shows the surface albedo has been reduced over most parts of the Canadian Arctic Ocean during the mentioned heatwaves (∼5–40%), with a higher change (specifically in the eastern Canadian Arctic region) during summer 2012 in comparison with summer 2016 and summer 2007, agreeing with the maximum surface temperature and sea ice decline records.

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The In situ Global Ocean Observing System for Climate (and Other Needs)

Marine Technology Society Journal ◽

10.4031/mtsj.49.2.22 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 49 (2) ◽

pp. 112-121

Author(s):

Stephen R. Piotrowicz ◽

David M. Legler

Keyword(s):

Weather Forecasting ◽

Spatial Scales ◽

The Arctic ◽

Global Ocean ◽

Observation System ◽

Ocean Management ◽

Accuracy And Precision ◽

Weather And Climate ◽

Ocean Observing

AbstractThe Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) is the international observation system that ensures long-term sustained ocean observations. The ocean equivalent of the atmospheric observing system supporting weather forecasting, GOOS, was originally developed to provide data for weather and climate applications. Today, GOOS data are used for all aspects of ocean management as well as weather and climate research and forecasting. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), through the Climate Observation Division of the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research/Climate Program Office, is a major supporter of the climate component of GOOS. This paper describes the eight elements of GOOS, and the Arctic Observing Network, to which the Climate Observation Division is a major contributor. In addition, the paper addresses the evolution of the observing system as rapidly evolving new capabilities in sensors, platforms, and telecommunications allow observations at unprecedented temporal and spatial scales with the accuracy and precision required to address questions of climate variability and change.

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Pan-arctic glaciers volume changes over 1975-2019

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-8606 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Amaury Dehecq ◽

Alex Gardner ◽

Romain Hugonnet ◽

Joaquin Belart

Keyword(s):

Canadian Arctic ◽

Aerial Images ◽

The Arctic ◽

Glacier Mass Balance ◽

Russian Arctic ◽

Elevation Change ◽

Volume Changes ◽

Arctic Regions ◽

Digital Elevation

Glaciers retreat contributed to about 1/3 of the observed sea level rise since 1971 (IPCC). However, long term estimates of glaciers volume changes rely on sparse field observations and region-wide satellite observations are available mostly after 2000. The now declassified images from the American reconnaissance satellite series Hexagon (KH-9), that acquired 6 m resolution stereoscopic images from 1971 to 1986, open new possibilities for glaciers observation.Based on recently published methodology (Dehecq et al., 2020, doi: 10.3389/feart.2020.566802), we process all available KH-9 images over the Arctic (Canadian arctic, Iceland, Svalbard, Russian arctic) to generate Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) and ortho-images for the period 1974-1980. We validate the KH-9 DEMs over Iceland against elevation derived from historical aerial images acquired within a month from the satellite acquisition.Finally, we calculate the glacier elevation change between the historical DEMs and modern elevation obtained from a time series of ASTER stereo images and validated against ICESat-2 elevation. The geodetic glacier mass balance is calculated for all pan-Arctic regions and analyzed with reference to the last 20 years evolution.

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Global warming is changing the dynamics of Arctic host–parasite systems

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2005.3285 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 272 (1581) ◽

pp. 2571-2576 ◽

Cited By ~ 191

Author(s):

S.J Kutz ◽

E.P Hoberg ◽

L Polley ◽

E.J Jenkins

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Parasitic Nematode ◽

Global Climate ◽

Canadian Arctic ◽

Domestic Animals ◽

The Arctic ◽

Infectious Agents ◽

Infection Pressure ◽

Host Parasite ◽

The Impact

Global climate change is altering the ecology of infectious agents and driving the emergence of disease in people, domestic animals, and wildlife. We present a novel, empirically based, predictive model for the impact of climate warming on development rates and availability of an important parasitic nematode of muskoxen in the Canadian Arctic, a region that is particularly vulnerable to climate change. Using this model, we show that warming in the Arctic may have already radically altered the transmission dynamics of this parasite, escalating infection pressure for muskoxen, and that this trend is expected to continue. This work establishes a foundation for understanding responses to climate change of other host–parasite systems, in the Arctic and globally.

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