Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

CANADA #72:Climate change and tundra/taiga ecosystems: the Canadian Tundra & Taiga Experiment  (CANTTEX)

Outline
The Canadian Tundra & Taiga Experiment (CANTTEX) is a network of scientists and sites across the Canadian North established to: a) monitor for long-term changes in northern terrestrial ecosystems; and b) conduct warming and other environmental manipulations to test hypotheses related to effects of environmental variability and change on these ecosystems. CANTTEX is linked to the International Tundra Experiment (ITEX), a similar network with sites throughout the tundra biome. Our bottom-up network has been coordinated through annual meetings funded by NEI or EMAN-North, and has established standardized protocols for some observations; however, there have been no opportunities to properly enhance the network or establish network-wide studies with adequate funding. The need for greater study of arctic terrestrial ecosystems in Canada is clearly indicated in the terrestrial ecosystems section of the ACIA report where there were virtually no citations of results from Canadian research. We will use the Canadian IPY to address this need and to increase the terrestrial ecosystem research capacity in Canada’s North, leave a legacy of this research for future studies, and link it to international research. This will be accomplish by: 1. Increasing support for existing sites and establishing new sites – especially in forest tundra areas where the greatest changes are expected. New sites will be established in logistically accessible areas, linked to communities were possible. Support will range from training research personnel and providing stipends for local observers, to purchasing equipment to establish automatic climate stations; 2. Establishing new standardized, long-term observational and experimental studies across the network designed to both follow and simulate expected environmental changes, emphasizing ecosystem processes and feedbacks. The studies will include large permanent plots where long-term changes in biodiversity can be followed, and experimental studies of net primary production, and water, carbon, and nutrient dynamics. Stable isotope analyses will be used to examine shifts in water and nutrient sources, and for potential links to other trophic levels; 3. Using spectral radiometric equipment and techniques at the plot scale to link to larger-scale ecosystem models based on remote sensing. Standardized methods will be developed for recommended equipment (e.g. spectral radiometers and NDVI cameras), which will be linked to the new international initiative SPECNET. These models can be used to link to other trophic levels, including predicting changes forage availability for caribou, and hence links to aboriginal interests; 4. Establish a CANTTEX secretariat to coordinate and mange network data, communications and outreach, and organize annual science meetings and periodic synthesis workshops. The secretariat would also serve the International Tundra Experiment (ITEX). CANTTEX will provide unique opportunities for collaboration among national and international programs, and contribute to the training of the next generation of tundra ecologists in Canada.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
This project will significantly advance knowledge and contribute to the goals in IPY Themes 1, 2 and 3. Expanding the network of CANTTEX sites will increase coverage of the diversity of terrestrial ecosystems in the Canadian Arctic, and provide missing baseline information. Including environmental manipulations at many sites will greatly increase our ability to predict the changes expected in the future, and allow the development and refinement of better ecosystem models. Using spectral radiometric methods will allow our plot-scale responses to be compared to and incorporated in larger-scale ecosystem models. Models, experiments and long-term observations will be used to examine responses and feedbacks at various scales, including potential feedbacks at the global scale (e.g. changes litter chemistry and albedo), and changes important to caribou populations throughout the Arctic.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
This project will involve direct collaboration with ITEX, and through ITEX with RiSCC in Antarctica. Similar research is planned for ITEX sites and the CANTTEX Secretariat will serve to coordinate the research across both CANTTEX and ITEX networks. We will also collaborate with and contribute to CEON, CARMA, CAFF, and CAT-B.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
CANTTEX sites are found across the Canadian North from Kluane to Labrador to Northern Ellesmere Island. Former sites will be reinstated and new sites established in arctic national parks, at existing research stations and in accessible forest-tundra areas along treeline. ITEX sites are located in arctic and alpine areas throughout the tundra biome, including all circumpolar countries.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 04/06 – 12/06      01/07 – 12/07      01/08 – 12/08
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Fixed wing and helicopter transport will be required for many sites. In some cases, new semi-permanent field stations will need to be established. Some sites will accommodate other projects and programs, and will share resources to maximize efficiency and effectiveness.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
Research infrastructure at all CANTTEX sites will continue to operate after IPY is concluded. Permanent plots established at CANTTEX and ITEX sites will be properly geo-reference and documented for future, long-term observations. The standardized protocols established in CANTTEX and ITEX are “living documents” and have already been used as models in other national and international research programs.

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

For sites in the Canadian High Arctic, Polar Continental Shelf Project support will be secured. Other sites will require a combination of government agency and commercial operator support. There is potential for support from military and community organizations.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
The project is “endorsed” by the Steering Committee of the International Tundra Experiment, and the Steering Committee of EMAN-North. This pre-proposal has been reviewed and is being submitted by the Canadian Steering Committee (CSC). Ongoing discussions will integrate this pre-proposal into a larger network of related national and international initiatives. The CSC has initially sorted this pre-proposal into: Ecosystems: Terrestrial Processes

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

The proposed studies will be the first coordinated research of Canadian tundra & taiga ecosystem responses to climate variability and change. They will be replicated at ITEX sites and syntheses will be both at the national and international level. CANTTEX will become the major component in ITEX with this project.

How will the project be organised and managed?
: A CANTTEX steering committee will be established with a chair and representatives from regions, agencies and sites. The steering committee will be responsible for overall management, providing scientific direction and coordinating and encouraging projects across the network. Studies at individual sites will be established and maintained by individual researchers or agencies. A secretariat will be established to facilitate communications, outreach and education (e.g. through a CANTTEX web site), manage network data, and plan annual meetings and synthesis workshops. A planning workshop will be held early in 2006.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
A CANTTEX web site will be established with links to other national (EMAN-North, Canadian IPY) and international (e.g. ITEX, CEON, IASC) web sites. We will also produce and distribute a video of the project suitable for high school science classes, and material for distribution to northern communities and agencies.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
The CANTTEX secretariat will manage the project meta data which will be made available through links to ITEX and the Canadian IPY websites. Data for synthesis workshops will be submitted by participants to the Secretariat for preparation and distribution at the workshop and eventual submission to a central data archiving agency, which has not yet been identified. We will encourage all participants to make their data available at the earliest possible opportunity.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Funding will be a combination of individual grants to investigators (NSERC, etc.), and applications to IPY, NSERC, CFCAS, and NEI for network support. Total costs will range from $500,000 to $1,000,000 over the first 3 years as new sites and studies are established, and will require $200,000 to $500,000 thereafter to properly maintain the sites. The only secured funds are for individual researchers at active sites.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
There are currently 13 CANTTEX sites across Canada, with only one in the forest tundra. Research varies across sites depending on history and support: for example, not all sites have environmental manipulations established. The opportunity to establish new sites, especially in the forest tundra, and to use the ITEX model of coordinated experiments across our network will put Canada at the forefront of tundra ecosystem research. Our project clearly links with other IPY projects, especially ArcticWOLVES, CANO, CARMA, PlantWatch and N-RiSCC.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr  Greg Henry
University of British Columbia
Dept of Geography, 1984 West Mall, Vancouver BC
V6T 1Z2
Canada

Tel: 604.822.2984
Mobile: 604.764.5857
Fax: 604.822.6150
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation