scholarly journals A Review of Aircraft-Subsistence Harvester Conflict in Arctic Alaska + Supplementary Appendix 1

ARCTIC ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taylor R. Stinchcomb ◽  
Todd J. Brinkman ◽  
Stacey A. Fritz
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Objective Assessment ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Gray Literature ◽  
Arctic Alaska ◽  
Government Documents ◽  
Wild Resources ◽  
Data Gap

The traditional harvest of wild resources carries significant nutritional, economic, and sociocultural values for rural residents in the Arctic, especially for Indigenous subsistence communities. Rural communities in the Alaskan Arctic have expressed concern that aircraft activity from industry, commercial hunting, research, and tourism disrupts their harvest of wildlife, particularly caribou (Rangifer tarandus). However, little research exists on how aircraft impact harvest opportunities. Our objective was to assess the extent of scientific knowledge on aircraft-harvester interaction in the Arctic through a systematic search of the available literature. We found that no peer-reviewed publications addressed the conflict between aircraft and harvesters in the region. Some literature addressed aircraft impacts to subsistence species, but did not discuss how those impacts would affect local harvesters. Most research has been directed towards studying aircraft impacts on wildlife or humans in urbanized areas rather than in rural, subsistence communities. Therefore, we expanded our review to draw from gray literature (e.g., public records, government documents) to synthesize the current state of concern and perceptions on aircraft disturbance to subsistence harvesters. Based on the gray literature, we found that harvester frustrations were primarily directed toward low-flying aircraft and non-local operations. However, an absence of quantitative information on the extent of interaction between aircraft activity and harvesters hinders an objective assessment of the conflict. Mitigating conflict will require research focused on this data gap and may begin with better cooperation among rural communities, aircraft users, and decision-makers.

scholarly journals Household Harvesting, State Policy, and Migration: Evidence from the Survey of Living Conditions in the Arctic

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 7071
Author(s):  
Matthew Berman
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
State Policy ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Living Conditions ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Cash Income ◽  
Arctic Alaska ◽  
Employer Of Last Resort ◽  
And Migration

Household harvesting of wild fish and game contributes to food security in indigenous communities across the Arctic, and in some regions plays an important role in cultural identity of indigenous peoples. The degree to which the state regulates harvesting and restricts distribution of country foods varies widely, however, and this intervention in local economies can affect livelihood opportunities. The paper hypothesizes that where state policy has contributed to harvesting remaining a culturally embedded livelihood strategy, its contribution to the quality of life may influence people to remain in rural communities, despite potentially lower material living standards. Lacking such a cultural linkage, harvesting may become the employer of last resort for people unable to find paying jobs or leave declining communities for a better life elsewhere. The paper examines the association between Survey of Living Conditions in the Arctic (SLiCA) respondents’ intent to remain in their community of residence and household harvesting, cash income from work, and other relevant factors. The results include both similarities and differences for residents of arctic Alaska, arctic Canada, Greenland, and Chukotka. Systematic differences found appear consistent with the hypothesis about the role of household harvesting and state policy toward harvest and distribution of country foods.

scholarly journals Observed and predicted effects of climate change on Arctic caribou and reindeer

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Conor D. Mallory ◽  
Mark S. Boyce
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Arctic Ecosystems ◽  
Global Trends ◽  
Warming Climate ◽  
The Many ◽  
Rapid Environmental Change ◽  
Full Consideration ◽  
Strong Concern

The ability of many species to adapt to the shifting environmental conditions associated with climate change will be a key determinant of their persistence in the coming decades. This is a challenge already faced by species in the Arctic, where rapid environmental change is well underway. Caribou and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) play a key role in Arctic ecosystems and provide irreplaceable socioeconomic value to many northern peoples. Recent decades have seen declines in many Rangifer populations, and there is strong concern that climate change is threatening the viability of this iconic Arctic species. We examine the literature to provide a thorough and full consideration of the many environmental factors that limit caribou and reindeer populations, and how these might be affected by a warming climate. Our review suggests that the response of Rangifer populations to climate change is, and will continue to be, varied in large part to their broad circumpolar distribution. While caribou and reindeer could have some resilience to climate change, current global trends in abundance undermine all but the most precautionary outlooks. Ultimately, the conservation of Rangifer populations will require careful management that considers the local and regional manifestations of climate change.

Is there a cost of parasites to caribou?

Parasitology ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 136 (2) ◽  
pp. 253-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. HUGHES ◽  
S. D. ALBON ◽  
R. J. IRVINE ◽  
S. WOODIN
Keyword(s):  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Parasite Species ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Apparent Competition ◽  
Range Shift ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Contributory Factor ◽  
Ovibos Moschatus ◽  
Winter Range ◽  
Nematode Parasites

SUMMARYMacroparasites potentially play a significant but often ignored role in the ecology and dynamics of wild ruminant populations. In the Arctic, parasites may impact on host populations by exacerbating the effects of seasonal and limited forage availability on the condition, fecundity and survival of individuals. We studied the effects of abomasal nematode parasites and warble flies, Hypoderma tarandi, on condition and pregnancy of caribou Rangifer tarandus in the Dolphin-Union herd, Nunavut, Canada. By the end of winter, female caribou over 2 years old showed a significant decrease in body weight with increasing nematode burden, and a decrease in back fat depth with increasing warble abundance. These effects were exaggerated in the non-pregnant fraction of the population. High warble larvae burdens were also associated with significantly reduced probability of being pregnant. Our research demonstrates a negative relationship between parasites and caribou condition that may have consequences for their fitness. Additionally, we discuss the possibility that muskox Ovibos moschatus share some parasite species with the caribou and could lead to elevated burdens in the sympatric host. Parasites may have been a contributory factor in a previous winter range-shift of the caribou herd and this may reflect a form of apparent competition between the two ungulate species.

scholarly journals Aerial survey and telemetry data analysis of a peripheral caribou calving area in northwestern Alaska

Rangifer ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-58
Author(s):  
Alexander K. Prichard ◽  
Ryan L. Klimstra ◽  
Brian T. Person ◽  
Lincoln S. Parrett
Keyword(s):  
Industrial Development ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Aerial Survey ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Telemetry Data ◽  
Western Arctic ◽  
Data Source

With industrial development expanding in the Arctic, there is increasing interest in quantifying the impacts of development projects on barren ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti). The primary data source to assess caribou distribution and predict impacts in remote areas of Alaska has shifted in recent decades from aerial survey data to telemetry data, but these techniques have different strengths and weaknesses. The ranges of two caribou herds, the Western Arctic Herd and the Teshekpuk Herd, overlap in northwest Alaska between Wainwright and Atqasuk, Alaska. Based on long-term telemetry data sets, this region was thought to be outside of the core calving ranges of both herds. Calving has long been reported to occur in this general area, but early reports assumed caribou were from the Western Arctic Herd and only one systematic aerial survey of caribou density and distribution during calving has been conducted in this area in recent decades. Following interest in industrial development in this area, we conducted aerial strip-transect surveys during early to mid-June 2013–2015 to directly assess the density and distribution of caribou in the area and we used existing telemetry data to compare our results to the seasonal distribution of both herds. Total caribou densities varied between 0.36 and 1.06 caribou/km² among years, and calf densities varied 0.04 and 0.25 calves/km² among years. Contrary to assumptions by early researchers in the area, telemetry data indicated that caribou in this area during early to mid-June were from the Teshekpuk Herd. The use of telemetry data alone underestimated the importance of this area for calving, but the combination of aerial surveys and telemetry data provided complementary information on caribou use of this area showing the importance of collecting the appropriate types of data for assessing potential impacts of development on caribou.

Using Geospatial Techniques to Analyze Landscape Factors Controlling Ionic Composition of Arctic Lakes, Toolik Lake Region, Alaska

2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 37-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prasad Pathak ◽  
Stephen Whalen
Keyword(s):  
Ionic Composition ◽  
Arctic Lakes ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Geospatial Techniques ◽  
Arctic Alaska ◽  
Data Regression ◽  
Concentration Of Ions ◽  
Major Nutrients ◽  
Patch Density ◽  
Shape Complexity

The impacts of climate change on landscapes in arctic Alaska are evident in terms of permafrost melting, frequent thermokarst activity, and the occurrence of more broadleaf vegetation. These changes may alter natural biogeochemical cycles of ions along with major nutrients and affect ionic compositions of lakes, as they are connected with the landscapes. However, the nature of the connectivity between lakes and landscapes in this region is not yet explored. The authors propose that geospatial analysis of landscape properties along with observed lake ion concentrations will enable an understanding of the currently existing landscape controls over ion inputs into the lakes. For the watersheds of 41 lakes in the Arctic Foothills region of Alaska, spatial properties of natural vegetation communities expressed in terms of percentage, shape complexity, and patch density metrics were derived using satellite data. Regression analyses were performed for concentration of ions as well as conductivity in lake water where the spatial metrics along with lake physical properties, lake order, and glacial till age categories were used as predicting variables in the regression. Landscape metrics for major land covers i.e., Percentage of Moist Acidic Tundra (MAT) and Moist Non-acidic Tundra (MNT) were the major predicting variables for concentration of several ions.

scholarly journals The mass balance of McCall Glacier, Brooks Range, Alaska, U.S.A.; its regional relevance and implications for climate change in the Arctic

1998 ◽  
Vol 44 (147) ◽  
pp. 333-351 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.T. Rabus ◽  
K. A. Echelmeyer
Keyword(s):  
Mass Balance ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Balance Model ◽  
Mass Balances ◽  
Arctic Alaska ◽  
Low Mass ◽  
Length Changes ◽  
Arctic Glacier ◽  
Long Term Trend

AbstractMcCall Glacier has the only long-term mass-balance record in Arctic-Alaska. Average annual balances over the periods 1958–72 and 1972–93 were –15 and –33cm, respectively; recent annual balances (1993–96) are about –60 cm, and the mass-balance gradient has increased. For an Arctic glacier, with its low mass-exchange rate, this marks a significant negative trend.Recently acquired elevation profiles of McCall Glacier and ten other glaciers within a 30 km radius were compared with topographic maps made in 1956 or 1973. Most of these glaciers had average annual mass balances between –25 and –33 cm, while McCall Glacier averaged –28 cm for 1956–93, indicating that it is representative of the region. In contrast, changes in terminus position for the different glaciers vary markedly. Thus, mass-balance trends in this region cannot be estimated from fractional length changes at time-scales of a few decades.We developed a simple degree-day/accumulation mass-balance model for McCall Glacier. The model was tested using precipitation and radiosonde temperatures from weather stations at Inuvik, Canada, and Barrow, Kaktovik and Fairbanks, Alaska, and was calibrated with the measured balances. The Inuvik data reproduce all measured mass balances of McCall Glacier well and also reproduce the long-term trend towards more negative balances. Data from the other stations do not produce satisfactory model results. We speculate that the Arctic Front, oriented east–west in this region, causes the differences in model results.

scholarly journals High levels of ultraviolet radiation observed by ground-based instruments below the 2011 Arctic ozone hole

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 10573-10590 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Bernhard ◽  
A. Dahlback ◽  
V. Fioletov ◽  
A. Heikkilä ◽  
B. Johnsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
The Arctic ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Outdoor Activity ◽  
Uv Index ◽  
Arctic Alaska ◽  
The Face ◽  
Western Arctic ◽  
Standard Deviations ◽  
Uv Dose ◽  
Ozone Episode

Abstract. Greatly increased levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation were observed at thirteen Arctic and sub-Arctic ground stations in the spring of 2011, when the ozone abundance in the Arctic stratosphere dropped to the lowest amounts on record. Measurements of the noontime UV Index (UVI) during the low-ozone episode exceeded the climatological mean by up to 77% at locations in the western Arctic (Alaska, Canada, Greenland) and by up to 161% in Scandinavia. The UVI measured at the end of March at the Scandinavian sites was comparable to that typically observed 15–60 days later in the year when solar elevations are much higher. The cumulative UV dose measured during the period of the ozone anomaly exceeded the climatological mean by more than two standard deviations at 11 sites. Enhancements beyond three standard deviations were observed at seven sites and increases beyond four standard deviations at two sites. At the western sites, the episode occurred in March, when the Sun was still low in the sky, limiting absolute UVI anomalies to less than 0.5 UVI units. At the Scandinavian sites, absolute UVI anomalies ranged between 1.0 and 2.2 UVI units. For example, at Finse, Norway, the noontime UVI on 30 March was 4.7, while the climatological UVI is 2.5. Although a UVI of 4.7 is still considered moderate, UV levels of this amount can lead to sunburn and photokeratitis during outdoor activity when radiation is reflected upward by snow towards the face of a person or animal. At the western sites, UV anomalies can be well explained with ozone anomalies of up to 41% below the climatological mean. At the Scandinavian sites, low ozone can only explain a UVI increase of 50–60%. The remaining enhancement was mainly caused by the absence of clouds during the low-ozone period.

Circum-Arctic Lithosphere Evolution (CALE) Transect C: displacement of the Arctic Alaska–Chukotka microplate towards the Pacific during opening of the Amerasia Basin of the Arctic

2017 ◽  
Vol 460 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth L. Miller ◽  
Kristian E. Meisling ◽  
Vyacheslav V. Akinin ◽  
Kelley Brumley ◽  
Bernard J. Coakley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
The Arctic ◽  
Arctic Alaska ◽  
The Pacific
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document