Full Proposals for IPY 2007-2008 Activities

Proposed IPY Activity Details

1.0 PROPOSER INFORMATION

(Activity ID No: 11)

1.1 Title of Activity
Arctic Wildlife Observatories Linking Vulnerable EcoSystems

1.2 Short Form Title of Proposed Activity
Arctic WOLVES

1.3 Activity Leader Details
Gilles Gauthier
Centre d’études nordiques, Université Laval
Canada

1.4 Lead International Organisation(s) (if applicable)
NULL
NULL
NULL
NULL

1.5 Other Countries involved in the activity
USA
Denmark
Norway
Sweden
Netherlands
Finland
Germany
Russia
NULL
NULL
NULL
NULL
NULL
NULL
NULL
NULL

1.6 Expression of Intent ID #'s brought together in this proposed activity
672, 75, 525, 669, 670, 758, 216, 961

1.7 Location of Field Activities
Arctic

1.8 Which IPY themes are addressed
1. Current state of the environment
2. Change in the polar regions
3. Polar-global linkages/tele-connections

1.9 What is the main IPY target addressed by this activity
1. Natural or social science

top of page

2.0 SUMMARY OF THE ACTIVITY

Arctic ecosystems are being strongly affected by global change and there is strong interest in being able to predict ecosystem responses to disturbance and for developing viable strategies for conserving biodiversity and managing the consequences of climate changes. Several international initiatives have been implemented to monitor and study the response to global warming of some tundra ecosystem components such as plants or permafrost. However, similar internationally-coordinated efforts for research on arctic food webs focusing on wildlife species (i.e. birds and mammals) are lacking. Yet, arctic food webs throughout the circumpolar world generally contain few species and are often dominated by the same groups of species, and so lend themselves well as systems suitable for comparative research. Our project will focus on key species of herbivores (e.g. geese, lemmings, and muskox), insectivores (e.g. shorebirds), and predators (e.g. foxes, snowy owls, falcons, gulls, and jaegers), and their interactions at a large number of arctic sites across North America and Eurasia. There will be a special effort in providing data from the winter period, which is poorly described in the Arctic. A primary objective is to document patterns of abundance, distribution, and phenology of reproduction of these species over large spatial and temporal scales using standardized protocols. These patterns will be related to local and regional climatic conditions. A secondary objective is to determine the relative importance of bottom-up (resources) and top-down (predators) forces in structuring these arctic food webs, and how climate affects these trophic linkages. Lemmings, which form the backbone of the terrestrial food web of the arctic, fluctuate cyclically in many locations, reaching peaks every 3-4 years. These cycles are reflected in cyclic abundance of specialist predators such as arctic foxes, snowy owls, jaegers, and weasels, which in turn may affect production of alternative prey like geese and shorebirds. Some of these complex interactions have been studied locally (Gauthier et al. 2004), but there have been few quantitative regional surveys to investigate synchrony among independent populations. In particular, we do not know how much synchrony occurs between or within continents, and this will affect how predators can operate within these polar ecosystems (Krebs et al. 2002). Geese and shorebirds are migratory birds using the Arctic only for summer breeding and offer an interesting contrast. Many goose populations have increased worldwide in recent decades, and goose grazing now has a large impact on several arctic wetlands. Although their population increase is largely fuelled by events occurring on their wintering grounds, they impose a large allochthonous influence on the tundra that seriously impacts ecosystem functioning (Abrahams et al. 2005, Gauthier et al. 2005). In contrast, many shorebird species appear to be declining worldwide, largely for unknown reasons (International Wader Study Group 2003). Shorebirds are a vital component of Arctic biodiversity with 37 species present in various parts of the circumpolar Arctic, but their globe-spanning migrations put their populations more at risk than most other species. Indeed, as global change will occur at varying speed and intensity at different latitudes, they will face multiple threats throughout their annual range, posing unique challenges for conservation. Arctic foxes are key predators of the arctic tundra that feed mostly on lemmings and birds. Their habitats have been recently invaded by red foxes in many parts of Eurasia and North America. Global warming should exacerbate this pattern but consequences on the arctic food chain are currently unknown. Foxes constitute a prime example of the changes in community structure that probably awaits the arctic tundra. Our project will build on arctic sites that already have a history of monitoring the wildlife species described in this proposal (core sites). Other sites will be added for the duration of IPY to expand the spatial coverage to poorly-known areas of the tundra (secondary sites). Inclusion of sites that lack some significant components of the arctic biota (e.g. islands without lemmings, geese or weasels) should allow fruitful comparisons to understand the role of these species in the arctic ecosystem. The abundance and distribution of all relevant species will be determined annually using the same technique at all sites. For birds, this will be largely determined by finding the nests of breeding individuals, which will also provide information on phenology. Similarly, for foxes this will be based on finding and monitoring active dens. For lemmings, various trapping techniques (snap and live-trapping) will be used. We will take blood, hair or feather samples from vertebrates (especially nomadic predators) for genetic and isotopic analysis to better understand population differentiation and trophic linkages. Exclosures will be built to monitor resource availability for herbivores, and their grazing impact. Insects will also be sampled to determine their seasonal abundance for insectivorous birds. Radio-tracking of some species will be used to monitor patterns of habitat use and activity. Winter work of resident arctic species will rely on direct observations or remote techniques (e.g. satellite or GPS radio-tracking). Climatic data will also be recorded at most sites year-round using automated stations. Our leading principle will be to collect data and to conduct experiments using a set of standard protocols that will allow comparison across all sites, and eventually meta-analyses of data from several sites.Abrahams, KF et al. 2005. Glob. Change Biol.11:841-855. Gauthier G et al. 2004. Integr. Comp. Biol. 44:119-129 Gauthier, G et al. Glob. Change Biol. 11:856-868. Krebs CJ et al. 2002. Can. J. Zool. 80:1323-1333.

2.1 What is the evidence of inter-disciplinarity in this activity?
Conducting this diverse investigation will require a wide range of expertise across many fields, and we have these diverse expertises within our team. The team includes specialists of all taxa of mammals and birds included in this project, of mammal/bird survey techniques, of radio-tracking, of plant sampling, of genetic analysis, and of data analysis. Another feature is that members of our team are leading arctic scientists committed to long-term studies, and most of them have a vast experience of arctic field research at the proposed sites.

2.2 What will be the significant advances/developments from this activity? What will be the major deliverables? What are the outputs for your peers?
The project aims to clarify the current state of arctic terrestrial food webs over a large geographical range. In particular, the geographical and temporal patterns in abundance of small mammals are key to food web dynamics, but have not been well documented. It will provide baseline information to evaluate current and future population trends for a large number of species at several locations. Describing the current state will also provide substantial insights into processes of change in these systems, particularly the role of weather events (such as ground ice following rain or thawing) associated with climate change. The work will further help to understand Linkages between polar and temperate regions as numerical changes occurring in migratory birds as a result of events occurring in the arctic food web may influence trophic dynamics in temperate systems, and vice versa. The work will also provide a much more detailed understanding of the relationship between distribution and productivity of arctic birds and mammals and climate.This work will generate a large number of peer-reviewed papers for scientific journals. We will also publish a handbook of standardized monitoring methods for terrestrial wildlife that will be freely available on line. Annual workshops will be held to exchange information on the direction of the project, standardization of sampling methods, and logistic issues. At the end of the 3-year project, an international meeting will be organized to disseminate the final results of the project.

2.3 Outline the geographical location(s) for the proposed field work (approximate coordinates will be helpful if possible)

2.4 Define the approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities?

2.5 What major logistic support/facilities will be required for this project?
Helicopters
Observatories
Fixed wing transport aircraft
Existing field stations
New field station

Further details – Upgrades (e.g. additional people and living accommodations, field gear) to some existing field stations will be required due to increased activity generated by this project. New field stations may need to be added. Aircraft support to reach some field sites will be essential. Some specialized data acquisition systems will be required (e.g. automated climatic stations, radio-tracking equipment).

2.6 How will the required logistics be supplied? Have operators been approached?

2.7 If working in the Arctic regions, has there been contact with local indigenous groups or relevant authorities regarding access?

top of page

3.0 STRUCTURE OF THE ACTIVITY

3.1 Origin of the activity
This activity is the start of a new programme that will outlive IPY

3.2 How will the activity be organised and managed? Describe the proposed management structure and means for coordinating across the cluster
The project will be structured as a network and will be co-chaired by Gilles Gauthier (bird component, Université Laval) and Dominique Berteaux (Université du Québec à Rimouski, mammal component). A Project Steering Committee will be established in order to develop the details of the scientific program and to coordinate its implementation across several field sites. The Steering Committee will consist of representatives of the different core field sites (i.e. existing permanent field station) from different countries. These members will be selected to ensure that specialists of every wildlife species (or groups of closely related species) are represented. The project will be divided into sub-components (based on trophic levels and taxonomic groups) and each sub-component will be led by a different member of the Steering Committee. Individual investigators in the project will usually report to the head of their sub-component. Administration of the network will be located at the Centre d’études nordiques, Université Laval. Network funds will be administered there, with a redistribution of some research funds to participating universities or agencies. A scientific director of the network will be hired and will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operation of the network, for maintaining the web site, and for standardizing and collating data (i.e. data management). An important activity of the network will be to organize an annual workshop where all investigators and their students will be invited to attend.

3.3 Will the activity leave a legacy of infrastructure and if so in what form?
The research infrastructure already in place at the core field sites will continue to operate after the IPY, although some of these sites may benefit from improvements resulting from this project. However, the most important legacy of this project will be the “virtual infrastructure” of the network. Indeed, the IPY should be the stepping stone to lay down the foundation of a circumpolar network of tundra wildlife observatories that will share standardized experimental and observational protocols, and that will continue to operate and expand in the following decade.

3.4 Will the activity involve nations other than traditional polar nations? How will this be addressed?
The study of migratory birds that breed in the Arctic but winter at lower latitudes will provide an opportunity to develop links with researchers from non-polar countries studying these species on their wintering ground. We will also make an effort to integrate investigators from needy polar countries into the network.

3.5 Will this activity be linked with other IPY core activities? If yes please specify
We know of other IPY proposals such as ITEX (#122, Henry, Canada), Breeding Birds (#456, Nixon, Canada), CARMA (#505, Russell, Canada), Northern RiSCC (#526, Vincent, Canada), CANTTEX (#701, Henry, Canada), Beringia (#702, Cannings, Canada), and especially BIRDHEALTH (#61, Loonen, Netherlands) and COMAAR (#503, Callaghan, Sweden) that would have a close relationship to our proposed network of monitoring sites. We will take the initiative to build links with these other projects, should they be funded, to standardize sampling and data collection protocols where possible, and produce logistic efficiencies.Our project will also establish strong links with existing programs like the research program FRAGILE in Svalbard, the Arctic Breeding Birds Condition Survey (a qualitative annual circumpolar compilation run by the International Wader Study Group; http://www.arcticbirds.ru), or the Program for Regional and International Shorebird Monitoring (PRISM), which has been set up to monitor shorebird populations on their arctic breeding grounds in Canada and Alaska.There will likely be other IPY activities that focus on public outreach, and incorporation of ecological data in land use decision-making. Our scientific director will take the initiative to build links with some of these activities, so that the ecological data gathering can get more thorough public exposure (digital film and written media) than this project alone can fund, and also quick use in resource management planning.

3.6 How will the activity manage its data? Is there a viable plan and which data management organisations/structures will be involved?
As outlined above, a first step of our project will be to develop a set of standard collection protocols to be used at all sites. In many cases, this will involve adapting protocols already in place at several of the existing field sites. This will be one of the primary tasks of the Steering Committee, in collaboration with the project investigators. Data management will also be a critical component of our network because a long-term goal is to conduct meta-analyses of data across field sites. Therefore, we will define standard formats to archive existing and future monitoring data. This will lead to the development of a web-based, centralized data repository. Data management systems will be designed in collaboration with the organization IPY chooses as a data repository, and with national data depositories for arctic work, so that the data can be readily integrated into these systems. The network will also maintain a web-page with data storage, downloading and presentation options (Some of our team have recently developed web-based tools for data entry presentation, - e.g., small mammal monitoring in Northwest Territories – Dr. S. Carriere). These data summary tools will afford stakeholders easy access to the most up to date information available on the network.

3.7 Data Policy Agreement
Will this activity sign up to the IPY draft Data Policy (see website)
Yes

3.8 How will the activity contribute to developing the next generation of polar scientists, logisticians, etc.?
Our network will place a strong emphasis on the training of graduate students, as it is anticipated that most of the field work, data analysis and writing up of papers will be conducted by graduate students working under the supervision of network investigators. We will also promote the exchange of students among laboratories in the network, especially in foreign countries. This will also enable students to conduct research at other field sites than the one of their home institution. Such exchange should contribute highly to the training of young polar scientists.

3.9 How will this activity address education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
Each investigator’s team will engage with the nearest community(ies) to the area sampled (e.g., through Hunter and Trapper Associations), prior to field work, to talk about the project, solicit input, and recruit and train field assistants. We will develop a web site to disseminate information on the network activities, results and publications. We will produce digital communications materials, such as web-based presentations and DVDs, explaining the project and its ecological rationale, providing means for input of current field based observations from community members, and presenting results. We will also publish a handbook of standardized monitoring methods for terrestrial wildlife that will be freely available on the network web-site. We will further link with the outreach coordinators within agencies like the CWS and the USFWS. In addition, shorebird information will be communicated through the web-based Shorebird Sister Schools Program which encourages public participation in the conservation of shorebirds and their habitats by connecting people along flyways and increasing their awareness and knowledge of local natural resources to inspire community conservation.

3.10 What are the proposed sources of funding for this activity?
We estimate the total cost of this project at US$7.5M over 3 years (or US$2.5M/yr). We anticipate that a total of US$3.9M could come from funds within existing funding program, which would leave US$3.6M (or US$1.2M/yr) that would need to come from new IPY funds.
In Canada, we anticipate that existing funding sources would the Polar Continental Shelf Project, the National Science and Engineering Research Council, the Canadian Wildlife Service, The Network of Center of Excellence ArcticNet, Parks Canada, the Territorial and Provincial Governments, and the Department of National Defence. In the US, we anticipate funds would come from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, Bureau of Land Management, the University of Alaska, and Minerals Management Service. In European countries, other source of funds would include the Norwegian Research Council, the Swedish Polar Secretariat, Nordic Council of Ministers and other national and private agencies.Major expenditures for the project will include aircraft transportation to field sites, salary of the network director, student’s scholarships, travel cost to arctic communities, to annual network workshops, and for national/international student exchange, equipment for automated data acquisition, and other field equipment.

3.11 Additional Comments
As we plan to continue the network established during the current project beyond the IPY, additional funds will be sought to maintain it after 2009.Note that IPY project #216 has been in part merge with this project and in part with #61 (BIRDHEALTH).

top of page

4.0 CONSORTIUM INFORMATION

4.1 Contact Details

Lead Contact
Dr Gilles Gauthier
Centre d’études nordiques, Université Laval
Department of biology, Pavillon Vachon, Université Laval, Québec, PQ
G1K 7P4
Canada

Tel:          1-418-656-5507
Mobile:   N/A
Fax:         1-418-656-2043
Email:       gilles.gauthier@bio.ulaval.ca

Second Contact
Dr Dominique Berteaux
Centre d’études nordiques, Université du Québec à Rimouski
300 allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, PQ
G5L 3A1
Canada

Tel:          1-418-723-1986 ext. 1910
Mobile:   N/A
Fax:         1-418-724-1849
Email:      dominique_berteaux@uqar.qc.ca

4.2 Other significant consortium members and their affiliation