Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

CANADA #234: Muskox and Woodland Caribou interactions in the Sahtu, NWT  

Outline
There have been strong concerns across the northern NWT over the potential negative interactions between caribou and muskox. There is an expanding population of muskox in terms of both numbers and range, and there are questions about competition between muskox and caribou, particularly whether caribou will be displaced and migration routes altered. The project will collect data on basic muskox ecology, as little is known about the muskox in the Sahtu, and their habits below treeline, for they are often found in the boreal forest. Data collected will include: habitat requirements (such as forage/diet analysis), predation/mortality, location (within home range and at level of home range), temporal movements (day/night, seasonal), degree of overlap between caribou and muskox movements, behavioural observations during interactions, and examination of disease and disease transmission between populations/species. Data will be collected via field work involving vegetation surveys, behavioural observations, and a collaring program (GPS and VHF). Data will assess the size and health of the muskox population in detail and the range expansion of muskox will be quantified, Information will be available to local communities on muskox ecology and on the local economic benefits of muskox.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Status: Examination of current distribution of muskox in Sahtu, in relation to continued work on boreal woodland and barren-ground caribou Change: Examines range expansion of muskox, risk assessment for disease transmission, concerns over increasing temperatures and change in respective biota Global Linkages: Comparison to muskox/caribou/reindeer systems in other pan-arctic regions New Frontiers: Examines possibility of habitat exclusion between species Human dimension: Provides scientific information to communities concerned about possibility of negative interactions between caribou and muskox, provides information for continued management of muskox and caribou

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Muskox/caribou examined from a circumpolar perspective allowing for exchange information and allows for visiting researchers

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
East of the Mackenzie River north of Great Bear River within the boundaries of the Sahtu Settlement Area

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: mm/07 – mm/10-12 full project      mm/07 – mm/07 collar deployment      mm/07 – mm/10 field studies
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Support facilities can be provided by RWED - Sahtu including lab facilities, ATV/snowmobiles, workshop/tools for repairs/fabrication, GIS and digital mapping.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
Permanent vegetation plots east of Mackenzie river and north of Great Bear River. Collars used for muskox and woodland caribou can be refurbished for use in future telemetry studies

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
Own national polar operator
Another national polar operator
Commercial operator
Own support
Other sources of support

•University funding •National and provincial sources of funding (NSERC, CBAR/NSTP, Alberta Ingenuity Fund)

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

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

New project, but one that benefits from prior data collected on muskox and woodland caribou.

How will the project be organised and managed?
RWED Wildlife staff will be involved in planning, collaring, and monitoring of muskox and caribou, collection of weather data, collection of vegetation data and GIS – related analysis. The oroject will be geared to attract graduate students (M.Sc. or Ph.D.). With graduate student interest, there will be support from university-based faculty.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
Communication to northern communities (Colville Lake, Deline, Fort Good Hope, Tulita) of findings. Local information tours geared towards First Nations’ interest in caribou/muskox interactions. Presentation by graduate students at conferences associated with university research, wildlife research/management organizations, and hunters and outfitters

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Store raw data, metadata and conduct analyses in RWED – Sahtu and/or with affiliated universities. Provide location data through RWED website (see caribou tracking maps as an example of a potential display of data, weather data would also include links to spreadsheet format; http://www.srrb.nt.ca/projects/cmapping/maps.html) Data sharing agreement through associated Universities, taking into account regulations concerning academic authorship and information disclosure issues

How is it proposed to fund the project?
GNWT, Federal, NSERC, CBAR/NSTP, etc. Approx: $300,000 for three years of research. Includes collars and data acquisition, flight time, field work, field assistants, laboratory analyses

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
Project is direct result of local people’s concerns and interest in learning more about muskox and their interactions with caribou. There is concern that interaction between the two species is detrimental to the caribou. Research will provide new information on the ecology of the muskox in the Sahtu (and continued data on caribou), and will provide information important to people who depend on northern ecosystems for subsistence. Little is known about the muskox in the Sahtu and their habits below treeline, and knowledge on muskox elsewhere may not necessarily apply in the Sahtu.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Cumulative Effects Biologist Boyan Tracz
RWED - Sahtu
P.O. Box 130
Norman Wells, NT
X0E 0V0
Canada

Tel: 1 867 587 2853
Mobile: no
Fax: 1 867 587 2359
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation