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2010-11 Award Recipients
Title: Trace element and isotopic characterization of quartz quarries in the Churchill River Basin Rachel ten Bruggencate is in the third year of her PhD in Anthropology at the University of Manitoba. Rachel's doctorate will focus on the development of a geochemical technique for determining source provenance for quartz artifacts from northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan. This provenance data will be used as a tool to investigate technological organization, mobility and trade within and around the Churchill River basin. _______________________________
Title: Performance, Characterization, and Vegetative Processes In Tundra and Constructed Treatment Wetlands during the Arctic Summer Wastewater treatment methods are of a particular challenge for isolated northern communities because of the constraints of climate, physiographic features and various socio-economic issues. Currently sewage disposal in the Kivalliq Region of Nunavut consists of various forms of lagoon and natural wetland systems or combinations of the two. However, due to the lack of planning and monitoring the efficacy of many northern treatment systems are unknown. The goal of my research is to characterize and determine whether treatment wetlands are a suitable wastewater treatment technology for communities in Nunavut. To accomplish this I have been studying the efficacy of the current wetland treatment systems employed in the Kivalliq Region,and their corresponding mechanisms of treatment (plant, topographical, edaphologic and wastewater interactions). I have also been analyzing the performance of a gravity fed horizontal sub-surface flow constructed wetland treatment system in Baker Lake, NU which has acted as a controlled comparision to the natural wetlands and as potential alternative technology. My sites include wetland treatment systems in Arviat, Baker Lake, Chesterfield Inlet, Coral Harbour, Repulse Bay and Whale Cove. _______________________________
Title:Cyclone Forcing of Coupled Dynamic and Thermodynamic Processes in Arctic Sea Ice, and Across the Ocean-Sea Ice-Atmosphere Interface The declining Arctic sea ice cover may be more susceptible to influences from Arctic storms. My research project investigates the role in of Arctic storms upon sea ice motion, and rates of thermodynamic sea ice growth and decay. During the winter, storms can force areas of relatively thin sea ice to fracture, forming open water features known as sea ice leads. Winter sea ice leads typically rapidly refreeze, releasing heat and water vapour to the atmosphere in the process. Temperatures, local cloud formation, and rates of precipitation can be influenced by sea ice leads over a wide region, thus warming of coastal climates and affecting local communities. The timing of snowfalls from storms can significantly influence sea ice formation, as snow acts as an insulator that slows the growth of new ice. My work also investigates how a shift from a multi-year sea ice regime to a seasonally ice-free regime may affect Arctic storm frequencies and intensities. Declining sea ice extent in summer will render the multi-year pack ice more vulnerable to waves and winds arising from storms. A seasonally ice-free Arctic Ocean may become a reality sooner than originally thought, and this possibility therefore emphasizes the need for better understanding of storm interactions with Arctic sea ice. _______________________________
Title: Migratory connectivity in an Arctic-nesting herbivore: migratory fuelling, nutrient import, and reproductive consequences of variation in spring body condition My research investigates migratory connectivity in Arctic birds. Migratory animals use different regions over their annual cycle, but these habitats are changing due to factors including agriculture, forestry, urbanization, pollution and climate change. Migrants face unique challenges because these environmental changes don’t occur uniformly across each habitat. The next generation of ecologists therefore need to describe connectivity between these environments, how animal survival and reproduction are affected by environmental changes, and then how these factors affect population dynamics and ecosystem health. My project uses greater snow geese (Anser caerulescens atlanticus) as a model to investigate three main topics: (1) the importance of southern agricultural habitats for an Arctic migrant by assessing how body fat accumulated in food-rich southern habitats is used to provide energy for their northern spring migration and nesting, (2) use information from geese captured each spring in Québec to evaluate carry-over effects, specifically how their health in the spring affects their Arctic breeding and survival, and (3) investigate the role of climate and spring plant growth in the migration and breeding schedule of an Arctic-nesting bird. My research will expand our understanding of tradeoffs and constraints faced by migratory birds, and their capacity to adapt to changing environmental conditions. _______________________________
Title: Understanding impacts on environmental change of char (in the ISR: Sicence and Inuit knowledge for community monitoring) The effects of climate change have been observed in Canada’s north including higher annual temperatures, changes in lake ice and melting permafrost. It is hypothesized that these effects will greatly impact northern species including Arctic Char (Salvelinus alpinus). The importance of char to the people of the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR) requires effective community-based monitoring (CBM). CBM using both scientific and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) produces a more robust suite of indicators that incorporates local expertise and understanding of the resource. The objective of my research is to determine effective environmental and biological indicators for use in char CBM. My field work collects data from current subsistence fishing locations (lakes, rivers, nearshore areas) near the communities of Sachs Harbour and Ulukhaktok NWT and uses TEK to help dictate the scientific study parameters. TEK interviews with local residents provide knowledge about environmental indicators of change. I am researching correlations between TEK and scientific environmental indicators of change in fish growth and observed annual growth in char by examining otoliths (fish "earbones"). This research advance knowledge and understanding of northern Canada’s living natural resources, enhances local capacity and provides northern residents with important decision-making support for management of their valuable natural resource. *J. Knopp was awarded one year of funding ($20,000) due to a change in registration from MSc to PhD candidate. _______________________________
Title: Foraging ecology and habitat selection of bowhead whales (balaena mysticetus) in the Eastern Canadian High Arctic My Ph.D. research objectives are to determine the main food of bowhead whales and the location of critical feeding grounds in the eastern Arctic by studying habitat use in the context of foraging ecology. In the Eastern Canadian Arctic, there is a lack of information on the foraging behaviour of the Eastern Canada - West Greenland (EC-WG) bowhead whale population and it remains unclear what, where, when, and how they feed across this vast region. In April 2009, the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) designated this population as “Special Concern” indicating that bowhead whales are still at risk of becoming threatened or endangered due to a combination of biological characteristics (e.g. extremely low natural growth rate) and identified threats (e.g. climate changes, predation, human development). Moreover, it remains unclear how bowheads will react and adapt to the various impacts of climate change on their habitat. There are also more human activities that are taking place in the north including increased vessel shipping and oil and gas activities. Over the next century, habitat alteration and human presence at high latitudes will continue to increase. Therefore, it is mandatory to gather more information to gain a better understanding of bowhead habitat needs and to continue the monitoring of hunting to manage and conserve the EC-WG bowhead whale population. My objectives are to identify their foraging areas, to determine regional and seasonal variations of feeding and the diet composition. Overall, my research will deliver a better understanding of the foraging dynamics and the habitat requirements of the largest cetacean and only mysticete that lives year-round in the Arctic waters and may help forecast potential effects of changes on this Arctic species. _______________________________
Title:Present and past hydrology of lakes in the Old Crow Flats, Yukon Territory, Canada The Old Crow Flats (OCF), the southern boundary of which is located 25 km north of Old Crow, Yukon Territory, is a wetland of international significance recognized by the Ramsar Convention. Comprising approximately 2700 shallow thermokarst lakes throughout a 5600-km2 area, the OCF is an integral component of the traditional lifestyle of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation (VGFN), providing vital habitat for abundant wildlife including moose, muskrat, waterfowl and the Porcupine Caribou Herd. Over the past few decades, VGFN land users have observed rapid declines in water levels of some lakes, which they predict may have negative consequences on wildlife populations. As well, they have observed unpredictable weather patterns in recent years. These concerns prompted initiation of the Government of Canada International Polar Year multidisciplinary project, “Environmental change and traditional use of the Old Crow Flats in northern Canada” to which my project contributes. _______________________________
Title: Direct and interactive effects of soil temperature and nitrogen availability on plant growth in alpine tundra Climate change is an issue of increasing northern importance since temperature increases are occurring at a faster rate there than at lower latitudes, and northern systems are expected to be highly sensitive to temperature change. Vegetation models predict the northward shift of boreal and arctic biomes but the mechanisms that will drive these large-scale changes are largely unknown. The objectives of this research are to quantify the initial effects of soil warming and fertilization on nutrient cycling and potential plant growth, and to assess correlations between patch scale (m2) variations in snow depth, soil temperature, soil nutrient pools, foliar nutrients, and plant productivity to estimate how these factors may interact under natural conditions. Soil warming and nitrogen fertilization will be applied in a randomized block factorial design on 24 plots with 6 replicates of each treatment (warming, fertilization, warming + fertilization, and control). The patch scale correlations will be assessed using the control plots within the experimental grid as well as systematically chosen plots outside of the grid, to ensure the plots encompass the range of variations present. The results will help to determine how soil processes may mediate future changes in tundra plant communities. _______________________________
Title:Effect of meteorological conditions on the health and growth of young peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) In the vicinity of Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, a small community on the west coast of Hudson Bay, a population of peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) has been monitored since 1982. The objectives of my study are mainly to show the processes by which weather influences the growth and survival of the young falcons. To achieve this, half of the nests will be fitted with covers so as to protect the young from rain and wind, thus reducing their energy costs linked to thermoregulation. By comparing the young in the protected nests with those in the unprotected nests, we will be able to determine the direct effects of climate (rain and wind) on young falcons. Automatic motion-detection cameras will also be installed near the nests and will allow us to determine the indirect effects of climate on the growth and survival of the young (e.g. reduction in the frequency of the feeding of the young in the nest during poor weather, as the hunting by the parents is less successful). In the current context, in which summer precipitation in the Arctic is likely to increase, this research is of particular importance for assessing the vulnerability of species nesting in the tundra to future climate change. _______________________________
Title: The ecological determinants of mskrat abundance and nutrition within the Old Crow Flats, Yukon I am studying the ecological determinants of muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) abundance and nutrition within the Old Crow Flats (OCF), Yukon. This study is part of a multidisciplinary, community-led project focused on environmental change and the traditional use of the OCF by the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation. This landscape is composed of 2700 lakes that cover approximately 560 000 hectares. My objective is to identify how individual lake ecosystem characteristics influence muskrat abundance and annual variation as well as the nutritional condition of muskrats. I will use aerial surveys of muskrat pushups to estimate the relative abundance of muskrats on more than 150 lakes distributed across the OCF. Next I will use satellite images of surveyed lakes to quantify their size, productivity and ice phenology. Finally, I will analyse muskrat carcasses harvested by community trappers on a subset of the surveyed lakes to determine muskrat body size, fat composition, organ masses, and bacterial and parasitic disease status. This research is significant because it addresses the well known “problem of scale” in ecology through the examination of environmental drivers of habitat suitability and density-dependence at multiple spatial scales. As well, it demonstrates the value of using a participatory, community-based approach to northern research through our close interaction with the people of Old Crow, Yukon. _______________________________
Title: Variations in Velocity of the Kaskawulsh Glacier, Yukon Territory The St. Elias Icefield is one of the largest non-polar icefields in the world and is home to the Kaskawulsh Glacier, a 70 km long glacier located in Kluane National Park. My study will explore the seasonal and decadal variations in the surface velocity of the Kaskawulsh Glacier using a combination of surface ice motion measurements (dGPS) and new satellite image analysis techniques. Velocity variations have been linked to seasonal and daily changes in air temperature and melt-water inputs, which are being monitored throughout the study. Results from the remote sensing techniques will be validated by the surface measurements to an accuracy of a few centimetres. _______________________________
Title:Impact of climate change on local hydrology and thermal erosion of permafrost on a regional scale, Bylot Island, Nunavut, Canada
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Title: The role of inter-basin landscape conditions and vegetation on subsurface processes and stremflow into an extensive High Arctic wetland
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Title: The development of aggradational ice at Illisarvik, Richards Island, NWT The top of permafrost is often ice-rich due to migration and subsequent freezing of unfrozen water within the soil. Melting of this ice-rich zone causes the ground surface to subside, which can damage infrastructure such as roads, houses and pipelines. Furthermore, thaw may lead to slope failures and change the landscape and ecology of permafrost regions. My research takes place at the Illisarvik experimental drained lake site, on Richards Island, NWT. Illisarvik was drained in 1978 by J.R. Mackay to study the growth of permafrost into unfrozen ground. The study will examine the development of ground ice over the past 30 years in the lake basin and surrounding tundra. By collecting cores from locations drilled in a previous study, the rate of ice accumulation will be determined. In addition, the associations between near-surface ice and soil texture, moisture, vegetation, and organic content will be examined to determine the relative importance of these controlling factors on ice accumulation. This study will be the first to assess the relative importance of controlling factors and the first to estimate the rate of near-surface ice development over 30 years, which will add to the current understanding of ground ice in the region. _______________________________
Title: Examining barriers and challenges in hiring of Aboriginal teachers This research study is concerned with the hiring barriers experienced by graduates who complete their Bachelor of Education in a northern aboriginal teacher education program. When applying for teaching positions in a public school system, the fully qualified graduates are less likely to be hired than applicants from the south. In this research, I investigate the possibility that hiring practices may be used and interpreted in ways that impose insurmountable barriers to Aboriginal applicants and/or exclude them from positions based on race. This research employs a methodology known as institutional ethnography, championed by renowned sociologist Dr. Dorothy Smith, which examines the lived experiences of individuals within organizations or those who are served by it. The strength of this methodology is that it allows researchers to describe the social organization of knowledge within institutions by following social practices and relations. The value and significance of the research are underscored by expectations put forward in the Yukon Land Claim agreements and the creation of the Workplace Diversity Employment Office (WDEO) to support efforts toward a representative workforce in the Yukon public service. This research will identify institutional barriers that have thwarted attempts to achieve the well-intended, but as yet unrealized, goal of equitable hiring for Aboriginal peoples in the North. _______________________________
Title: Mercury methylation and sulphur-reducing bacteria in northern lake sediments Northern ecosystems are subject to atmospheric mercury (Hg) deposits from distant industrial activity. Precipitation events lead to an accumulation of mercury in northern environments. Once delivered, Hg is subject to transformations depending on its transport and location. Hg can bind with sediments and be carried with snow and rain runoff to aquatic systems. In lake bottom sediments, Hg is converted to toxic methylmercury (MeHg) by a group of microbes known as sulfur-reducing bacteria (SRB). The alteration of inorganic Hg to MeHg enables bioaccumulation through the food chain, causing potential harm to humans, terrestrial and aquatic organisms. Investigations to identify bacterial production of MeHg in a northern ecosystem will help assess the potential impact on higher organisms. Currently, the role of SRB in mercury methylation has only been assessed in temperate and marine environments. In this study, a predictive relationship of Hg and MeHg with total bacteria and SRB will be developed for a sub-arctic lake. Sediment cores will be extracted from Kusawa Lake, Yukon, located approximately 120km southwest of Whitehorse. Core slices will be analyzed for total Hg and MeHg, trace metals, organics, total bacteria and SRB and will be dated using 210Pb and 137Cs isotopes. _______________________________
Title:Response of elk and stone's sheep to prescribed fire in Northeast British Columbia The mosaic of habitat types, created in part by wild and prescribed fires, along the Rocky Mountain chain and in the boreal forest of the Muskwa-Kechika Management Area in northern BC supports an abundance and diversity of wildlife species found in few other places in North America. This project is researching the interactions between two focal species, elk and Stone’s sheep, in relation to landscape-based management decisions regarding prescribed fire. As elk populations rapidly expand in northern BC, there is increasing concern that the positive effects of prescribed fire on elk may be promoting competition with Stone’s sheep (which are found nowhere else in the world) and enhancing predator populations. This project will document the influence of fire and the factors affecting distributions of the two ungulate species. Elk and Stone’s sheep are both socially and ecologically important in this significant predator-prey system. Results will contribute to refining operational-scale management for prescribed burns based on quantified plant and animal responses to maximize the potential benefits and to minimize the potentially negative impacts of prescribed fire. _______________________________
Title:Monitoring vegetation recovery in the outer Mackenzie Delta using remote sensing change detection In the fall of 1999, before the Arctic ice had formed, a saline storm surge inundated the outer Mackenzie Delta. This autumn sea-surge resulted in highly saline soils and dead vegetation. The primary objective of my research is to examine vegetation change and broad-scale environmental factors constraining vegetation recovery following salt water inundation. Satellite imagery, remote sensing analysis and field observations will be used to assess vegetation recovery between 2005 and 2010. Field measurements will include: plant community composition, soil conductivity, moisture and pH, thaw depth, organic matter thickness, and surface elevation. The correlation between biophysical parameters and vegetation change will be quantified using multiple linear regression analysis. Understanding the impacts of natural disturbance is an essential component of monitoring cumulative environmental impacts. Tracking the long-term impacts of this disturbance is especially critical in the context of proposed developments such as the Mackenzie Gas Project. This study will help to develop remote sensing tools to monitor land cover change in the Mackenzie Delta and provide improved land cover information that can be used for science research, wildlife management, environmental Impact assessment, and long-term monitoring. _______________________________
Title:“Here today, Gone to Mayo": Community and Aboriginal Adaptations to Mine Closure in the Yukon The United Keno Hill silver mine, located 85 km northeast of Mayo in the Yukon Territory, consists of 34 abandoned silver mines spread over roughly 210 square kilometres of mountainous terrain. Between 1914 and 1989, 6.8 million kilograms of silver were mined from the site by several operators. In 1989 the site was abandoned and in 2006, the Yukon Government sold the mine to Alexco Corporation for future development. Throughout all of this, the tiny community of Keno has survived and currently boasts a museum, a pizza place, and a population of approximately five people. My research will explore the environmental, social and economic impacts of this mining operation on the surrounding communities of Keno, Elsa, and Mayo, Yukon, all of which are in the traditional territory of the Nacho Nyak Dun First Nation. Through oral history interviews, archival research, and community consultations, I hope to contribute to the understanding of community responses to mine development and closure in the Yukon. I also hope to shed light on how future development and exploration will impact nearby communities and First Nations. This work will contribute to Memorial University’s Abandoned Mines in Northern Canada project, which will also focus on the iron belt region of western Labrador and Northern Quebec; Rankin Inlet in Nunavut; and the Eldorado, Giant, and Pine Point mines in the Northwest Territories. _______________________________
Title:From the Dirt to the Classroom Developing content for children in the schools (curriculum development) that is local, interesting and scientifically relevant continues to be a challenge, particularly in Northern communities. The Little John site is an unprecedented archaeological site in Yukon that gives us a continuous record of Yukon's history from the present day back into the earliest known inhabitants of the region in the Late Pleistocene, when the region was a part of unglaciated Beringia. As a result, the artifacts recovered here present us with a representation of the material record of human occupation during each distinct phase of human history in Yukon. Using the Little John discoveries as a base for investigating how scientific discoveries can be translated into usable material for the classroom I will create a teachable unit based on the learnings from the site for use in the K-7 Yukon curriculm. Working with Yukon College professor Norm Easton, who is the principal investigator of the Little John site, to identify and prepare casts of representative artifacts of each of these periods of human history for distribution to schools in Yukon and eastern Alaska and develop an integrated resource package for their use in the teaching of western subarctic indigenous history at the elementary school level.. This integrated resource package will consist of a teachable unit in a box, with supporting materials, including interactive technology components that can be picked up and used by education professionals in our Yukon school system This work will also be guided by my Yukon Native Teacher Education Program Advisor Lori Eastmure at Yukon College, and consultations with other specialists in Yukon / Alaska archaeology and history as identified by Easton, as well as educational professionals in Whitehorse and the communities as identified by my Ms Eastmure. It is my goal that this project will be a model of how we as educational professionals can bridge continuing developments in science and technology and the curriculm we offer to our next generation of scientists here in the North. Incorporating local relevance into the classroom materials in a way that effectively engages kids is an ongoing challenge of all teachers. In addition to creating this teachable unit with Little John I will aim to be as transparent as possible in this process of going from the “Dirt to the Classroom” to assist educational professionals who, like myself, are inexperienced with local curriculum development. _______________________________
Title:Inventory and cataloguing of a natural history collection at the Northern Research Centre of Excellence, Yukon College I will be assisting the faculty of Yukon College with the creation of a natural history collection. It will include a variety of northern fauna and flora such as mammals, birds, insects and plants. Not all the specimens that will be going into it can be found in the wild, some are extinct species. My part in this project is cataloguing the specimens of this collection as well as inventory. This data oriented aspect of the natural history collection will help keep it orderly, and make it easier to backtrack on what has been entered in. This will be my first hands on chance at academic research, one that I am very excited about. _______________________________
Title: Best practices in Canada for resolving child custody disputes outside of court in a Legal Aid society Many individuals in the legal profession agree that custody and access issues related to divorcing families with children are best resolved out of court. However, in the Yukon, there are an alarming number of families whose children’s post-divorce life is determined through the courts by a judge who has not met the children and understands their family dynamics only through the polarized legal representation for each parent. This is often a costly, timely and conflict-laden process that is not in the best interest of the children or the parents in the divorcing family. Yukon Legal Services Society believes that parents can be helped to make the best custody and access decisions for their children outside the courts. The purpose of this project is to research how other jurisdictions use parent support groups to help clients resolve child and access disputes out-of-court in a way that is fair and balanced for the children and the parents. The biggest challenge is to reduce power inequality between the parents. This project will produce a proposal for a group program that will address the first step in reducing power inequalities: improved communication. _______________________________
Title:What is the level of methyl mercury in plants that form the diet of Porcupine caribou? The purpose of my project is to identify the level of methyl mercury present in the forage eaten by Porcupine caribou. By identifying the quantity of methyl mercury Porcupine caribou are acquiring through the forage they eat, and comparing the results to methyl mercury levels in caribou muscle, liver, and kidney, we may see a correlation that will help predict how atmospheric mercury affects levels in the Porcupine caribou. Through this research a better understanding of contaminant sources affecting Porcupine caribou will be acquired. This knowledge can be used to anticipate rises in mercury levels within caribou in the future, and from this we can predict potential strain on the health of the herd, as well as safety levels for human consumption. _______________________________
Title:Predictive Ecosystem Modeling in the traditional territories of Kwanlin Dun and Ta’an Kwach’an First Nations . _______________________________
Title:Productivity, structure and chemical composition of the American dwarf birch Northern Quebec and Labrador is home to approximately a million barren ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus). At such high levels, large herbivores can influence the quantity, availability and quality of plants and these factors can exert retroactive feedback on the caribou populations. With this project, we want to evaluate the impact of caribou herbivory on the American dwarf birch (Betula glandulosa), an important summer resource for the caribou populations. In spring 2009, we implemented an experiment where we simulate browsing and nitrogen excretion of caribou. We built five enclosures to keep caribou away from the experiment in Deception Bay, an area located in the summer range of the Leaf River caribou herd. Among our hypothesis, we postulate that growth can be expend by moderate and slow by heavy browsing, depending on nitrogen availability. Also, nutritional quality could be improved by caribou browsing. This project will clarify the importance of the American dwarf birch, a pan-Canadian shrub, in the caribou population dynamics. Furthermore, in the perspective of a changing climate, shrub populations are expected to change, which could influence the caribou. _______________________________
Title:Ground penetrating radar as a tool for characterizing ground ice in the Ground penetrating radar is commonly used for the detection of ground ice in permafrost regions preceding infrastructure development and for unveiling paleoclimate conditions. The objective of my studies is to assess the capabilities of ground penetrating radar (GPR) in the characterization of ground ice in the North. This research will involve collecting geophysical surveys over ground ice using high-frequency GPR, and subsequently comparing these results to the physical and chemical properties of ice cores collected along survey transects. These studies will be completed on the Fosheim Peninsula of Ellesmere Island, as well as at field sites on Axel Heiberg and Devon Islands, NU. _______________________________ |
