Expressions of Intent for IPY 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Pan-Arctic Tracking of Beluga Whales  (PATOB)

Outline
The beluga whale, an Arctic cetacean with a circumpolar distribution, occur in habitats ranging from shallow brackish estuaries to deep offshore pack ice. They are an important subsistence species for many Arctic communities, attract great public attention both in aquariums and in their natural surroundings because of their spectacular appearance, and are good indicators of climate change due to their dependence on the timing of ice-formation and recession. Beluga whales are susceptible to changing patterns of production which cause shifts in prey distribution and timing and distribution of sea ice formation. This may result in changes in foraging strategies or increased risk of mortality in ice entrapments. With rapid changes predicted for the Arctic both for ice coverage and temperatures it is prudent to obtain a synoptic snapshot of the pattern and timing of beluga migrations across the Arctic. This project will instrument 100 beluga whales per year over three years in waters around Svalbard, Greenland, Canada, Alaska and Russia. Free ranging beluga whales will be captured and instrumented with miniature satellite transmitters. Transmitters are programmed to last for a year to provide nearly complete coverage of the annual migration. Onboard sensors will also relay data on diving behavior and associated oceanic conditions. The research consortium consists of scientific representatives from all Arctic countries with resident beluga populations. Field campaigns will commence in 2007. Maps of the movements of each population of beluga whales will be displayed and updated daily on a public web site together with background information and photos from field work. The project will train young scientists during field campaigns and analysis. Movement patterns and dive behaviour will be compared to remote sensing data on chlorophyll, sea surface temperature and sea ice extent. Longitudinal comparisons between populations occupying different regions and sea ice or production conditions will illucidate temporal and spatial differences in habitat use and the susceptibility of each population to changing Arctic habitats. The project will provide a circumpolar baseline for understanding regional resilience of a high Arctic predator to the impacts of climate change. The results will also be of importance for the local management of beluga whales as a subsistence resource and participation of local hunters will foster cooperation between scientists and natives.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
The project examines the current state of the movement patterns of a highly migratory predator throughout its range in the circumpolar Arctic creating a baseline for future observations of changes in migratory patterns resulting from climate shifts. Migration patterns of belugas will be linked to the timing of formation and retreat of sea ice and interactions between belugas and Arctic production. Belugas instrumented with depth and temperature recorders will be investigating new frontiers relaying oceanographic data from areas covered with pack ice. Finally, establishment of a real-time web-based display of beluga movements will be a window to the public of fascinating Arctic research.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
The collaboration will involve scientists from all nations bordering the Arctic Sea and very importantly it will ensure Russian participation at all levels. Exchange of field personnel will allow for comparisons of methods and instruments will be calibrated to allow for longitudinal analyses of results.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
The field work will be conducted at Svalbard, in Hudson Bay and the archipelago of the Canadian high Arctic, in the Beaufort Sea, in Alaska, in Chukotka and in the White Sea.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 07/07-11/07      07/08-11/08      07/09-11/09
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
The project will require transportation by airplane or helicopter to some field sites. Inflatable boats are needed in all areas for live captures of belugas whales. In some areas it will be necessary to have nets and camp equipment

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
No – but the project will leave an oceanographic temperature data base and provide valuable management data. Furthermore, the project will involve local hunters in the field effort and thereby promote the cooperation between scientists and native inhabitants of Arctic areas.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
YES

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
YES
There have in the past been various local tracking studies of beluga whales. These studies have mainly been restricted to answering specific questions relevant to management. These studies have however been useful in developing the techniques that will be deployed in the present project.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The consortium will be organised with a steering committee composed of national coordinators from Svalbard, Greenland (Denmark), Canada, USA and Russia. A project manager will oversee the development of the project and ensure that the necessary steps are taken to enable comparisons between results from different field campaigns. Meetings with the national coordinators will be held every 6 mths in spring and autumn first to make sure that the funding and logistics for the operations are in place, then to standardise methods and calibrate instruments, and later for exploring the possibilities for comparative analyses of results.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The project manager will be responsible for arranging for a website that will present background information, results from field campaigns and very importantly real-time displays of movements of the whales. Previous experience has shown that such a day-to-day display of what the whales are actually doing is of great public interest and would be a good promotion for IPY, as well as for beluga research and management.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document)?
Data from the trackings will initially be the property of the national parties that have provided funding for the study but the data will be circulated among the participants to decide on improvements of techniques. An ftp-based data facility will be established for providing easy data access for all participants. Arrangements for cross analysis of results will be presented and agreed upon by the steering committee. A plan for analysis and publication of results will be developed later.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Funding for the project will primarily be sought from national funding agencies either those involved in management (NOAA, DFO, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Norwegian Polar Institute, North Slope Borough) but also from national research councils.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr. Mads Peter Heide-Jørgensen
Greenland Institute of Natural Resources
c/o Danish Polar Center
Strandgade 100H
1401 Copenhagen K
Denmark

Tel: +45 32880164
Mobile:
Fax: 4532880101
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation

Other Information