Article
Biodiversity Conservation
John P. Severson, Heather E. Johnson, Stephen M. Arthur, William B. Leacock, Michael J. Suitor
Summary: Phenological changes in spring can have significant impacts on the behavior and space utilization patterns of migratory barren-ground caribou, with future climate conditions projected to further shift their distributions westward.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Leif Egil Loe, Glen E. Liston, Gabriel Pigeon, Kristin Barker, Nir Horvitz, Audun Stien, Mads Forchhammer, Wayne Marcus Getz, Robert Justin Irvine, Aline Lee, Lars K. Movik, Atle Mysterud, Ashild O. Pedersen, Adele K. Reinking, Erik Ropstad, Liv Monica Trondrud, Torkild Tveraa, Vebjorn Veiberg, Brage B. Hansen, Steve D. Albon
Summary: Warmer autumns have a positive impact on population growth of Arctic ungulates, offsetting the impacts of harsher winters and providing a brighter future for these species facing climate change.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Eirik A. Finne, Jarle W. Bjerke, Rasmus Erlandsson, Hans Tommervik, Frode Stordal, Lena M. Tallaksen
Summary: Vegetation has a significant impact on climate through regulation of albedo, especially at high latitudes. However, the variation of vegetation albedo along environmental gradients in tundra ecosystems, particularly those dominated by nonvascular vegetation, is still not well understood. This study found that the cover of pale terricolous fruticose lichens was the most important predictor for vegetation albedo in northern ecosystems. The data suggests that herbivores and lichen cover play a complex and important role in climate-vegetation interactions, emphasizing the need for increased understanding in this field.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Jeremy D. Mizel, Joshua H. Schmidt, Carol L. Mcintyre
Summary: The study found that climatic variables have opposing effects at different timescales on passerines in subarctic Alaska, impacting population and distributional changes significantly.
Article
Biology
Rebecca M. Prather, Rebecca M. Dalton, Billy Barr, Daniel T. Blumstein, Carol L. Boggs, Alison K. Brody, David W. Inouye, Rebecca E. Irwin, Julien G. A. Martin, Rosemary J. Smith, Dirk H. Van Vuren, Caitlin P. Wells, Howard H. Whiteman, Brian D. Inouye, Nora Underwood
Summary: Climate can influence the timing of life events. Studies from around the world show that climate cues and species' responses can vary. We collected data on phenological events for multiple species in a high-elevation environment over 45 years and found significant variation in how climate affects phenology across taxa. Comparing the phenological responses of different taxa at a single location, we found that important cues often differ among species, which suggests that climate change may disrupt the synchrony of timing among taxa.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Immunology
O. Alejandro Aleuy, Michele Anholt, Karin Orsel, Fabien Mavrot, Catherine A. Gagnon, Kimberlee Beckmen, Steeve D. Cote, Christine Cuyler, Andrew Dobson, Brett Elkin, Lisa-Marie Leclerc, Joelle Taillon, Susan Kutz
Summary: This study investigated the epidemiology and environmental factors of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae in the Arctic and found that seropositivity was highest during warmer months and among adult males. Summer seroprevalence increases were associated with oestrid index, icing and snowing events, and precipitation from the same year, but decreased with growing degree days in the same year. The findings provide valuable insights into disease prevalence and can help in anticipating and mitigating climate change-related diseases among Arctic wildlife and human populations.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Ashley R. Hedrick, Daniel U. Greene, Erin L. Lewis, Andrew S. Hood, John B. Iverson
Summary: Climate change impacts the reproductive timing of two common North American turtle species differently, with the Common Snapping Turtle's nesting time correlated with temperatures and precipitation, while the Painted Turtle's nesting time is positively correlated with temperatures in different periods. The nesting time of both species is highly correlated with body size, with larger females nesting earlier.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Courtney R. Shuert, Marianne Marcoux, Nigel E. Hussey, Mads Peter Heide-Jorgensen, Rune Dietz, Marie Auger-Methe
Summary: This study provides evidence of significant delays in the timing of narwhal autumn migrations and suggests that narwhals are adopting strategic migration tactics in response to climate change. Male narwhals lead the migration out of the summering areas, while females with dependent young depart later. The time spent in summer areas is increasing at a similar rate to climate-driven sea ice loss.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marcus P. Spiegel, Alexander Volkovitskiy, Alexandra Terekhina, Bruce C. Forbes, Taejin Park, Marc Macias-Fauria
Summary: The growth of tall woody vegetation in the Arctic, driven by warming, can accelerate climate change through positive feedbacks. Despite local evidence suggesting that large herbivores limit this vegetation shift, it remains uncertain whether herbivory pressure is a significant control on ecosystem structure and functioning at larger, regional scales. Our study on the Yamal Peninsula in West Siberia, using satellite remote sensing and data on reindeer migrations, reveals that higher reindeer herbivory pressure is consistently associated with lower coverage of tall woody vegetation. This suggests that, at current population densities, large herbivores counteract Arctic vegetation responses to climate change over large spatial scales.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Elizaveta A. Ershova, Ksenia N. Kosobokova, Neil S. Banas, Ingrid Ellingsen, Barbara Niehoff, Nicole Hildebrandt, Hans-Juergen Hirche
Summary: The study reveals a strong correlation between the abundance and population structure of Calanus glacialis and C. hyperboreus with sea ice parameters. As sea ice retreats and climate conditions change, the core distribution patterns of these key zooplankton species are shifting northwards.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jin-Soo Kim, Jong-Seong Kug, Sujong Jeong, Jin-Ho Yoon, Ning Zeng, Jinkyu Hong, Jee-Hoon Jeong, Yuan Zhao, Xiaoqiu Chen, Mathew Williams, Kazuhito Ichii, Gabriela Schaepman-Strub
Summary: The study found that winter warming in the Barents-Kara Sea region has led to negative temperature anomalies and leaf area index anomalies in most areas of East Asia, especially in the subtropical evergreen forests of southern China. These anomalies have also impacted spring vegetation activity and gross primary productivity.
COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Emily K. Meineke, Charles C. Davis, T. Jonathan Davies
Summary: Research found that temperature-sensitive plant species experienced higher levels of insect damage in warm years, while co-occurring species that are less temperature-sensitive did not. With climate warming, warming may lengthen the growing season for temperature-sensitive plant species, exposing their leaves to herbivores for longer periods of time.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jennifer J. Freer, Malin Daase, Geraint A. Tarling
Summary: Biological communities in the Arctic are changing due to climate-driven encroachment of subarctic species, with small-bodied Calanus finmarchicus increasing in abundance in areas where it overlaps with larger Arctic congeners. The environmental factors facilitating this shift remain unclear, and assessing these drivers is necessary to predict future ecosystem change and impacts. Our study shows that the Atlantification of Arctic zooplankton communities is accompanied by climate-driven phenology changes, making these environments more favorable for the subarctic species.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Roya Ghahreman, Wanmin Gong, Stephen R. Beagley, Ayodeji Akingunola, Paul A. Makar, W. Richard Leaitch
Summary: An investigation using an online air quality forecast model showed that an increase in aerosol loading leads to more and smaller droplets, increased cloud liquid water content, and decreased precipitation in the Arctic summer clouds. Additionally, the inclusion of atmospheric dimethyl sulfide (DMS) also contributes to an increase in cloud condensation nuclei (CDNC) and smaller droplet sizes.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-ATMOSPHERES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tyler G. Creech, Matthew A. Williamson, Steven E. Sesnie, Esther S. Rubin, Daniel R. Cayan, Erica Fleishman
Summary: Assessments of the potential responses of animal species to climate change often rely on correlations between long-term average temperature or precipitation and species' occurrence or abundance. However, this study shows that climate extremes and plant phenology may contribute more to projecting wildlife responses to climate change than climate means.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Kadie B. Heinle, Lisa A. Eby, Clint C. Muhlfeld, Amber Steed, Leslie Jones, Vincent D'Angelo, Andrew R. Whiteley, Mark Hebblewhite
Summary: This study investigated the impact of climate warming on native trout populations in the Rocky Mountains, with a focus on the distribution of westslope cutthroat trout in the North Fork Flathead River. The findings suggest that increasing stream temperatures will lead to a higher probability of westslope cutthroat trout presence, while factors such as channel gradient and the presence of bull trout will have a decreasing effect on their distribution. Predictions based on the model show an increase in suitable habitat for westslope cutthroat trout under high emissions scenarios, with potential implications for the thermal tolerances of other co-occurring native fish species.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FISHERIES AND AQUATIC SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
T. J. Clark, Mark Hebblewhite
Summary: Predator removal experiments have shown a 13% increase in ungulate demographic responses, particularly in young individuals, but the effects on adult survival and abundance are less clear. Experimental design factors play a role in the uncertainty of ungulate responses to predator removal, and there is evidence of publication bias favoring studies with positive results. More rigorous experimental practices are recommended, especially for endangered species where predator removal may have a more significant impact.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
T. J. Clark, Jon S. Horne, Mark Hebblewhite, Angela D. Luis
Summary: This study found that predator pits in predator-prey systems only emerge when stochasticity is included in the model, which is crucial for understanding alternative stable states in ecological systems. As carrying capacity decreases, low density equilibria with a high likelihood of extinction become more prevalent in prey populations.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ellen E. Brandell, Paul C. Cross, Meggan E. Craft, Douglas W. Smith, Edward J. Dubovi, Marie L. J. Gilbertson, Tyler Wheeldon, John A. Stephenson, Shannon Barber-Meyer, Bridget L. Borg, Mathew Sorum, Daniel R. Stahler, Allicia Kelly, Morgan Anderson, H. Dean Cluff, Daniel R. MacNulty, Dominique E. Watts, Gretchen H. Roffler, Helen Schwantje, Mark Hebblewhite, Kimberlee Beckmen, Peter J. Hudson
Summary: Based on a study of North American wolf populations, it was found that pathogen exposure rates are not significantly correlated with latitude, but rather depend more on specific mechanistic factors. Individual host characteristics and inherent features of ecosystems have a greater impact on pathogen exposure risk.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Eric C. Palm, Michael J. Suitor, Kyle Joly, Jim D. Herriges, Allicia P. Kelly, Dave Hervieux, Kelsey L. M. Russell, Torsten W. Bentzen, Nicholas C. Larter, Mark Hebblewhite
Summary: Climate change will lead to more frequent and severe fires in boreal forests, affecting caribou populations. Caribou in winter and at larger scales tend to avoid burns more strongly, while they decrease their avoidance in summer. They strongly avoid severely burned areas and select higher lichen cover within burns.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Libby Ehlers, Gabrielle Coulombe, Jim Herriges, Torsten Bentzen, Michael Suitor, Kyle Joly, Mark Hebblewhite
Summary: Summer diets are crucial for large herbivores in the subarctic and are affected by various environmental changes. Researchers used GPS video-camera collars to observe behaviors and summer diets of the migratory Fortymile Caribou Herd across Alaska, USA and the Yukon, Canada. The study found a tradeoff in summer foraging between lichens and shrubs, as well as the impact of insect harassment on eating behavior.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Matthew D. Cameron, Joseph M. Eisaguirre, Greg A. Breed, Kyle Joly, Knut Kielland
Summary: The autumn migrations of Arctic barren-ground caribou are influenced by temperature, snow depth, and other environmental factors, with individuals continuously updating their migratory decisions based on dynamic conditions. While temperature and snow are consistent cues for migration, wind, NDVI, and barometric pressure show interannual variability in their effects. The dispersed distribution of individuals in autumn leads to diverse environmental conditions experienced by individual caribou, resulting in pronounced variability in migratory patterns.
Article
Ecology
Eliezer Gurarie, Chloe Bracis, Angelina Brilliantova, Ilpo Kojola, Johanna Suutarinen, Otso Ovaskainen, Sriya Potluri, William F. Fagan
Summary: This study presents a cognitive analysis of wolf movements in Finland and finds that wolves choose foraging locations based on memory, but there is individual variation in response strategies, possibly influenced by pack size, number of pups, and territory features.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
William F. Fagan, Cole Saborio, Tyler D. Hoffman, Eliezer Gurarie, Robert Stephen Cantrell, Chris Cosner
Summary: This article discusses the tracking and acquisition of resources by consumers in complex environments and investigates the impact of resource gradients on consumer behavior through six different definitions. The study found that movement strategies based on temporal gradients afforded consumers with the best opportunities to match resource distributions.
THEORETICAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Calum X. Cunningham, Glen E. Liston, Adele K. Reinking, Natalie T. Boelman, Todd J. Brinkman, Kyle Joly, Mark Hebblewhite, Stan Boutin, Sophie Czetwertynski, Leonard E. Sielecki, Laura R. Prugh
Summary: The risk of moose-vehicle collisions increases during winter due to concurrent seasonal changes in human and wildlife behavior. Snow depth influences collision risk through its impacts on moose movement, while strong seasonal changes in daylight hours cause an increase in nighttime traffic volumes that further contribute to risk.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Ophelie H. Couriot, Matthew D. Cameron, Kyle Joly, Jan Adamczewski, Mitch W. Campbell, Tracy Davison, Anne Gunn, Allicia P. Kelly, Mathieu Leblond, Judy Williams, William F. Fagan, Anna Brose, Eliezer Gurarie
Summary: Warming temperatures and advancing spring are impacting the annual snow and ice cycles, as well as plant phenology, in the Arctic and boreal regions, which in turn affects the timing and location of calving for barren-ground caribou. Weather conditions during gestation have contrasting effects on calving, with unfavorable conditions resulting in delayed arrival on the calving area or failure to reach it in time. Overall, there is considerable variability in timing and location of calving across years and herds, but no significant trend for earlier calving by caribou, despite earlier indicators of spring and snow phenology. Monitoring calving timing and location is crucial, as well as examining how weather conditions during summer and winter impact reproductive success.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Nathaniel R. Bowersock, Lana M. Ciarniello, William W. Deacy, Doug C. Heard, Kyle Joly, Clayton T. Lamb, William B. Leacock, Bruce N. McLellan, Garth Mowat, Mathew S. Sorum, Frank T. van Manen, Jerod A. Merkle
Summary: Herbivorous animals tend to seek out plants at intermediate phenological states to improve energy intake while minimizing consumption of fibrous material. In some ecosystems, the timing of green-up is heterogeneous and propagates across space in a wave-like pattern, known as the green wave. Tracking the green wave allows individuals to prolong access to higher-quality forage.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Boris Fuchs, Kyle Joly, Grant V. Hilderbrand, Alina L. Evans, Ilia Rodushkin, Lindsey S. Mangipane, Buck A. Mangipane, David D. Gustine, Andreas Zedrosser, Ludovick Brown, Jon M. Arnemo
Summary: Contamination with toxic elements like arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead is a global concern, affecting the resilience of organisms and ecosystems. Bears living in remote areas can still be exposed to these elements through atmospheric and oceanic pathways. The study found that the blood concentrations of these elements varied based on bear diet and age, with Alaskan bears feeding on salmon having higher mercury concentrations. These findings highlight the importance of understanding baseline contaminant concentrations in the changing world.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alexander K. Prichard, Kyle Joly, Lincoln S. Parrett, Matthew D. Cameron, D. Alexander Hansen, Brian T. Person
Summary: A fundamental assumption in many ecological studies is that the sample being studied represents the population of interest. However, fish and wildlife studies often rely on opportunistic sampling of marked individuals, which may provide little information about unmarked individuals. Evaluating the representativeness of newly marked individuals can be difficult without data on unmarked individuals. Comparing the spatial distribution of different cohorts of marked individuals can provide an alternative means to assess representativeness.
WILDLIFE SOCIETY BULLETIN
(2023)