Arctic regions of Alaska are important for cultural and economic sustainability and host a wide variety of wildlife species, many of which are of conservation and management interest to the U.S. Department of the Interior. The USGS and collaborators provide information about Arctic ecosystems that are used by Arctic residents, management agencies, and industry.
Return to Ecosystems
The USGS Changing Arctic Ecosystems Initiative:
This initiative has been a primary way for the USGS Alaska Science Center to conduct research and collaborations in the Arctic portions of Alaska. The objectives of this initiative are as follows:
- Quantify the responses of wildlife species and their habitats to ecosystem change in the Arctic,
- Provide projections of likely future wildlife and habitat responses, and
- Make information publicly available to inform land and species management decisions and Alaska Native subsistence and co-management council actions.
Research Conducted Through the Initiative:
The USGS conducts natural hazard and resource assessments of the Earth’s ecosystems and the response of those ecosystems to environmental change, human activities, and land use. Information on recent USGS assessments in the Arctic can be found on the USGS Arctic Ecosystems Assessments Factsheet and on this page.
USGS Changing Arctic Ecosystems initiative research and collaborations for 2025 – 2027 will focus on the following topics:
- Arctic Water Ecosystems (Rusting of Arctic Rivers, heat stress in salmon, and permafrost)
- New Capacities for Arctic Mammal Research (caribou, polar bears, walrus, and sea otters)
- Changes in the Distribution and Abundance of Arctic Birds
Past efforts of the USGS Changing Arctic Ecosystems Initiative have provided significant understanding and collaborations on the following topics. See the Science, Publications and Data tabs above for more information on these topics.
- Hydrology
- Wildlife Species of Management Concern
- Minimizing the Effects of Artic Energy Development on Wildlife
- Biosurveillance of Wildlife Pathogens in the Arctic
- Algal Toxins in the Arctic
The Rusting of Arctic Rivers
The Rusting of Arctic Rivers
Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska
Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Walrus Research
Walrus Research
Working with management agencies and Alaska Native co-management partners
Working with management agencies and Alaska Native co-management partners
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Nearshore Marine Ecosystem Research
Nearshore Marine Ecosystem Research
Resources that have ecological, recreational, subsistence, and economic value
Resources that have ecological, recreational, subsistence, and economic value
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 43
Serological Survey Data for Francisella tularensis and Brucella spp. Exposure in Wildlife on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska Serological Survey Data for Francisella tularensis and Brucella spp. Exposure in Wildlife on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska
This dataset consists of one table with diagnostic screening results from a study of Francisella tularensis bacteria exposure in tundra-nesting geese and mammals and Brucella spp. exposure in mammals sampled from multiple locations on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska, 2014-2017. The table provides sample collection and location data of geese, arctic fox, red fox, caribou, small mammal...
Bivalve Shell Growth Indices, Chukchi Sea, Alaska, 1867-2015 Bivalve Shell Growth Indices, Chukchi Sea, Alaska, 1867-2015
This dataset contains the growth index from annual growth bands in the shells of two bivalve clam species (Astarte borealis and Liocyma fluctuosa) captured in the Chukchi Sea, Alaska. The growth index is based on a measurement of the annual growth increment width that has been detrended for age-related differences in growth.
Metabolic Rates Measured in Three Captive Adult Female Walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) While Resting, Swimming, and Diving Metabolic Rates Measured in Three Captive Adult Female Walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) While Resting, Swimming, and Diving
This dataset contains measurements of oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production of 3 adult female walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) while resting, swimming, and diving at the Oceanografic Aquarium in Valencia, Spain. Oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production was measured for walruses breathing under a respiratory dome while resting at the water surface, under a...
Harmful Algal Bloom Toxins in Seabirds, Forage Fish, and Marine Invertebrates Across Alaska Harmful Algal Bloom Toxins in Seabirds, Forage Fish, and Marine Invertebrates Across Alaska
These data include results from screening tissues of marine organisms for the presence of harmful algal bloom (HAB) toxins: saxitoxin and its related congeners (STX) and domoic acid (DA). Samples collected by USGS or submitted to our laboratory by partners or other stakeholders are screened using commercially available enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). A subset of samples...
Tracking Data for Pacific Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) Tracking Data for Pacific Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens)
This data release includes 2 child items with tracking data for Pacific walrus, a marine mammal that ranges between the Alaska Peninsula, up through the Bering and Chukchi seas, and over to Russia. Child Item 1: "Argos Satellite Tracking Data for Pacific Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) - Processed Data" -- Quality-controlled data collected from Argos satellite transmitters. Child...
Walrus Haulout Aerial Survey Data Near Point Lay Alaska, Autumn 2018 and 2019 Walrus Haulout Aerial Survey Data Near Point Lay Alaska, Autumn 2018 and 2019
This dataset consists of the complete set of aerial imagery and data from walrus haulouts collected by unoccupied aerial system (UAS) surveys near Pt. Lay, Alaska, during the autumns of 2018 and 2019. The data include: 1) georeferenced digital aerial imagery and flight logs from UAS surveys, and 2) orthoimages derived from the aerial imagery and flight logs by standardized structure from...
Data Used to Assess the Acute Physiological Response of Polar Bears to Helicopter Capture Data Used to Assess the Acute Physiological Response of Polar Bears to Helicopter Capture
This dataset is in five tables with data from ecophysiological studies of free-ranging polar bears of the Southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation. They were equipped with high-resolution activity sensors, body temperature loggers, and GPS satellite-telemetry collars, to compare physiological state and activity of bears during natural behavior with that experienced by bears during helicopter...
Arthropod Abundance and Shrub Cover and Height on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska, 2015-2016 Arthropod Abundance and Shrub Cover and Height on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska, 2015-2016
This data set contains information (in three tables) with numbers and biomass of invertebrates (primarily arthropods) collected in pitfall-trap arrays and sweep-net samples on a series of plots (n = 13 total) at one coastal and one interior study site on the Seward Peninsula in northwestern Alaska during the summers of 2015 and 2016. Associated data on the horizontal cover and height of...
Fish Communities of the Nearshore Beaufort Sea, Alaska, Across Three Decades, 1988-2019 Fish Communities of the Nearshore Beaufort Sea, Alaska, Across Three Decades, 1988-2019
This dataset contains two tables comprising catch per unit effort (CPUE) data and length measurements from fish surveys conducted in the nearshore Beaufort Sea, Alaska, between 1988 and 2019. Historical data collected by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) includes fish catch and fish length data (measured from a subset of the total catch) from two eras, 1988-1991 and 2003-2005...
Genomic Data from Ptarmigan and Grouse, Alaska Genomic Data from Ptarmigan and Grouse, Alaska
This data set provides sample data and NCBI accession information for genomic sequencing of ptarmigan and grouse from Alaska.
Arthropod Abundance Data from the Colville River Delta, Alaska Arthropod Abundance Data from the Colville River Delta, Alaska
This data release contains information on the seasonal diversity and abundance of arthropods collected at the Colville River Delta, Alaska, 2011-2012 and 2014-2107. Researchers with the US Geological Survey began studying the reproductive ecology of birds at a site on the Colville River near the Beaufort Sea coast in 2011. Researchers concurrently collected arthropods at 3-day intervals...
Environmental Data from the Colville River Delta, Alaska Environmental Data from the Colville River Delta, Alaska
This data release contains two tables with information on seasonal values for temperature, wind, and snow cover collected at the Colville River Delta, Alaska, 2011-2018. Researchers with the U.S. Geological Survey used an on-site weather station to automatically record the temperature and speed and direction of the wind across the duration of their field season. Researchers also...
Below are publications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 76
Incremental evolution of modeling a prognosis for polar bears in a rapidly changing Arctic Incremental evolution of modeling a prognosis for polar bears in a rapidly changing Arctic
Updating predictions of the response of high-profile, at-risk species to climate change and anthropogenic stressors is vital for informing effective conservation action. Here, we review two prior generations of Bayesian network probability models predicting changes in global polar bear (Ursus maritimus) population status, and provide a contemporary update based on recent research...
Authors
Bruce Marcot, Todd Atwood, David Douglas, Jeffrey Bromaghin, Anthony Pagano, Steven Amstrup
Effects of vehicle traffic on space use and road crossings of caribou in the Arctic Effects of vehicle traffic on space use and road crossings of caribou in the Arctic
Assessing the effects of industrial development on wildlife is a key objective of managers and conservation practitioners. However, wildlife responses are often only investigated with respect to the footprint of infrastructure, even though human activity can strongly mediate development impacts. In Arctic Alaska, there is substantial interest in expanding energy development, raising...
Authors
John Severson, Heather Johnson, Timothy Vosburgh
Exploring effects of vessels on walrus behaviors using telemetry, automatic identification system data and matching Exploring effects of vessels on walrus behaviors using telemetry, automatic identification system data and matching
Arctic marine mammals have had little exposure to vessel traffic and potential associated disturbance, but sea ice loss has increased accessibility of Arctic waters to vessels. Vessel disturbance could influence marine mammal population dynamics by altering behavioral activity budgets that affect energy balance, which in turn can affect birth and death rates. As an initial step in...
Authors
Rebecca Taylor, Chadwick Jay, William S. Beatty, Anthony Fischbach, Lori Quakenbush, Justin Crawford
High winds and melting sea ice trigger landward movement in a polar bear population of concern High winds and melting sea ice trigger landward movement in a polar bear population of concern
Some animal species are responding to climate change by altering the timing of events like mating and migration. Such behavioral plasticity can be adaptive, but it is not always. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from the southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation have mostly remained on ice year-round, but as the climate warms and summer sea ice declines, a growing proportion of the subpopulation...
Authors
Annie Kellner, Todd Atwood, David Douglas, Stewart Breck, George Wittemyer
eDNA Metabarcoding Analyses of Diet in Yellow-Billed Loons of Northern Alaska eDNA Metabarcoding Analyses of Diet in Yellow-Billed Loons of Northern Alaska
Environmental DNA is a burgeoning tool used to address wide-ranging scientific questions, including determining diets of difficult-to-sample predators. Loons are large piscivorous diving birds that capture and consume prey underwater, making it nearly impossible to visually determine their diet via observation alone. Identifying species' diets is important for understanding basic life...
Authors
Damian Menning, Brian Uher-Koch, Melanie Flamme, Trey Simmons, Joel Schmutz, Sandra Talbot
Increasing Alaskan river discharge during the cold season is driven by recent warming Increasing Alaskan river discharge during the cold season is driven by recent warming
Arctic hydrology is experiencing rapid changes including earlier snow melt, permafrost degradation, increasing active layer depth, and reduced river ice, all of which are expected to lead to changes in stream flow regimes. Recently, long-term (>60 years) climate reanalysis and river discharge observation data have become available. We utilized these data to assess long-term changes in...
Authors
D Blaskey, Joshua Koch, M. Gooseff, A. Newman, Yang Cheng, Jonathan O’Donnell, K Musselman
Observed and forecasted changes in land use by polar bears in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, 1985–2040 Observed and forecasted changes in land use by polar bears in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, 1985–2040
Monitoring changes in the distribution of large carnivores is important for managing human safety and supporting conservation. Throughout much of their range, polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are increasingly using terrestrial habitats in response to Arctic sea ice decline. Their increased presence in coastal areas has implications for bear-human conflict, inter-species interactions, and...
Authors
Karyn Rode, David Douglas, Todd Atwood, George Durner, Ryan R. Wilson, Anthony Pagano
A serological survey of Francisella tularensis exposure in wildlife on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska A serological survey of Francisella tularensis exposure in wildlife on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska
Tularemia is an infectious zoonotic disease caused by one of several subspecies of Francisella tularensis bacteria. Infections by F. tularensis are common throughout the northern hemisphere and have been detected in more than 250 wildlife species. In Alaska, US, where the pathogen was first identified in 1938, studies have identified F. tularensis antibodies in a diverse suite of taxa...
Authors
Matthew Smith, Caroline Van Hemert, Todd Atwood, David Sinnett, Jerry Hupp, Brandt W Meixell, David Gustine, Layne G. Adams, Andrew Ramey
Sclerochronological records of environmental variability and bivalve growth in the Pacific Arctic Sclerochronological records of environmental variability and bivalve growth in the Pacific Arctic
The Pacific Arctic region has experienced, and is projected to continue experiencing, rapid climate change. Large uncertainties exist in our understanding of the impact these physical changes have on the region’s ecology. This is, in part, due to the lack of long-term data. Here we investigate bivalve mollusc growth increment width chronologies (sclerochronologies) to develop a long-term
Authors
David Reynolds, Vanessa von Biela, Kenneth H. Dunton, David C. Douglas, Bryan Black
Life-history attributes of Arctic-breeding birds drive uneven responses to environmental variability across different phases of the reproductive cycle Life-history attributes of Arctic-breeding birds drive uneven responses to environmental variability across different phases of the reproductive cycle
Animals exhibit varied life-history traits that reflect adaptive responses to their environments. For Arctic-breeding birds, traits related to diet, egg nutrient allocation, clutch size, and chick growth are predicted to be under increasing selection pressure due to rapid climate change and increasing environmental variability across high-latitude regions. We compared four migratory...
Authors
Daniel Ruthrauff, Vijay Patil, Jerry Hupp, David Ward
Energetic and health effects of protein overconsumption constrain dietary adaptation in an apex predator Energetic and health effects of protein overconsumption constrain dietary adaptation in an apex predator
Studies of predator feeding ecology commonly focus on energy intake. However, captive predators have been documented to selectively feed to optimize macronutrient intake. As many apex predators experience environmental changes that affect prey availability, limitations on selective feeding can affect energetics and health. We estimated the protein:fat ratio of diets consumed by wild...
Authors
Karyn Rode, Charles Robbins, Craig Stricker, Brian Taras, Troy Tollefson
Response of forage plants to alteration of temperature and spring thaw date: Implications for geese in a warming Arctic Response of forage plants to alteration of temperature and spring thaw date: Implications for geese in a warming Arctic
Changes in summer temperatures in Arctic Alaska have led to longer and warmer growing seasons over the last three decades. Corresponding with these changes in climate, the abundance and distributions of geese have increased and expanded over the same period. We used an experimental approach to assess the response of goose forage plants to simulated environmental change. We subjected...
Authors
Paul Flint, Brandt Meixell
Arctic regions of Alaska are important for cultural and economic sustainability and host a wide variety of wildlife species, many of which are of conservation and management interest to the U.S. Department of the Interior. The USGS and collaborators provide information about Arctic ecosystems that are used by Arctic residents, management agencies, and industry.
Return to Ecosystems
The USGS Changing Arctic Ecosystems Initiative:
This initiative has been a primary way for the USGS Alaska Science Center to conduct research and collaborations in the Arctic portions of Alaska. The objectives of this initiative are as follows:
- Quantify the responses of wildlife species and their habitats to ecosystem change in the Arctic,
- Provide projections of likely future wildlife and habitat responses, and
- Make information publicly available to inform land and species management decisions and Alaska Native subsistence and co-management council actions.
Research Conducted Through the Initiative:
The USGS conducts natural hazard and resource assessments of the Earth’s ecosystems and the response of those ecosystems to environmental change, human activities, and land use. Information on recent USGS assessments in the Arctic can be found on the USGS Arctic Ecosystems Assessments Factsheet and on this page.
USGS Changing Arctic Ecosystems initiative research and collaborations for 2025 – 2027 will focus on the following topics:
- Arctic Water Ecosystems (Rusting of Arctic Rivers, heat stress in salmon, and permafrost)
- New Capacities for Arctic Mammal Research (caribou, polar bears, walrus, and sea otters)
- Changes in the Distribution and Abundance of Arctic Birds
Past efforts of the USGS Changing Arctic Ecosystems Initiative have provided significant understanding and collaborations on the following topics. See the Science, Publications and Data tabs above for more information on these topics.
- Hydrology
- Wildlife Species of Management Concern
- Minimizing the Effects of Artic Energy Development on Wildlife
- Biosurveillance of Wildlife Pathogens in the Arctic
- Algal Toxins in the Arctic
The Rusting of Arctic Rivers
The Rusting of Arctic Rivers
Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska
Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Walrus Research
Walrus Research
Working with management agencies and Alaska Native co-management partners
Working with management agencies and Alaska Native co-management partners
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Nearshore Marine Ecosystem Research
Nearshore Marine Ecosystem Research
Resources that have ecological, recreational, subsistence, and economic value
Resources that have ecological, recreational, subsistence, and economic value
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 43
Serological Survey Data for Francisella tularensis and Brucella spp. Exposure in Wildlife on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska Serological Survey Data for Francisella tularensis and Brucella spp. Exposure in Wildlife on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska
This dataset consists of one table with diagnostic screening results from a study of Francisella tularensis bacteria exposure in tundra-nesting geese and mammals and Brucella spp. exposure in mammals sampled from multiple locations on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska, 2014-2017. The table provides sample collection and location data of geese, arctic fox, red fox, caribou, small mammal...
Bivalve Shell Growth Indices, Chukchi Sea, Alaska, 1867-2015 Bivalve Shell Growth Indices, Chukchi Sea, Alaska, 1867-2015
This dataset contains the growth index from annual growth bands in the shells of two bivalve clam species (Astarte borealis and Liocyma fluctuosa) captured in the Chukchi Sea, Alaska. The growth index is based on a measurement of the annual growth increment width that has been detrended for age-related differences in growth.
Metabolic Rates Measured in Three Captive Adult Female Walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) While Resting, Swimming, and Diving Metabolic Rates Measured in Three Captive Adult Female Walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) While Resting, Swimming, and Diving
This dataset contains measurements of oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production of 3 adult female walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) while resting, swimming, and diving at the Oceanografic Aquarium in Valencia, Spain. Oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production was measured for walruses breathing under a respiratory dome while resting at the water surface, under a...
Harmful Algal Bloom Toxins in Seabirds, Forage Fish, and Marine Invertebrates Across Alaska Harmful Algal Bloom Toxins in Seabirds, Forage Fish, and Marine Invertebrates Across Alaska
These data include results from screening tissues of marine organisms for the presence of harmful algal bloom (HAB) toxins: saxitoxin and its related congeners (STX) and domoic acid (DA). Samples collected by USGS or submitted to our laboratory by partners or other stakeholders are screened using commercially available enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). A subset of samples...
Tracking Data for Pacific Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) Tracking Data for Pacific Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens)
This data release includes 2 child items with tracking data for Pacific walrus, a marine mammal that ranges between the Alaska Peninsula, up through the Bering and Chukchi seas, and over to Russia. Child Item 1: "Argos Satellite Tracking Data for Pacific Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) - Processed Data" -- Quality-controlled data collected from Argos satellite transmitters. Child...
Walrus Haulout Aerial Survey Data Near Point Lay Alaska, Autumn 2018 and 2019 Walrus Haulout Aerial Survey Data Near Point Lay Alaska, Autumn 2018 and 2019
This dataset consists of the complete set of aerial imagery and data from walrus haulouts collected by unoccupied aerial system (UAS) surveys near Pt. Lay, Alaska, during the autumns of 2018 and 2019. The data include: 1) georeferenced digital aerial imagery and flight logs from UAS surveys, and 2) orthoimages derived from the aerial imagery and flight logs by standardized structure from...
Data Used to Assess the Acute Physiological Response of Polar Bears to Helicopter Capture Data Used to Assess the Acute Physiological Response of Polar Bears to Helicopter Capture
This dataset is in five tables with data from ecophysiological studies of free-ranging polar bears of the Southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation. They were equipped with high-resolution activity sensors, body temperature loggers, and GPS satellite-telemetry collars, to compare physiological state and activity of bears during natural behavior with that experienced by bears during helicopter...
Arthropod Abundance and Shrub Cover and Height on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska, 2015-2016 Arthropod Abundance and Shrub Cover and Height on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska, 2015-2016
This data set contains information (in three tables) with numbers and biomass of invertebrates (primarily arthropods) collected in pitfall-trap arrays and sweep-net samples on a series of plots (n = 13 total) at one coastal and one interior study site on the Seward Peninsula in northwestern Alaska during the summers of 2015 and 2016. Associated data on the horizontal cover and height of...
Fish Communities of the Nearshore Beaufort Sea, Alaska, Across Three Decades, 1988-2019 Fish Communities of the Nearshore Beaufort Sea, Alaska, Across Three Decades, 1988-2019
This dataset contains two tables comprising catch per unit effort (CPUE) data and length measurements from fish surveys conducted in the nearshore Beaufort Sea, Alaska, between 1988 and 2019. Historical data collected by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) includes fish catch and fish length data (measured from a subset of the total catch) from two eras, 1988-1991 and 2003-2005...
Genomic Data from Ptarmigan and Grouse, Alaska Genomic Data from Ptarmigan and Grouse, Alaska
This data set provides sample data and NCBI accession information for genomic sequencing of ptarmigan and grouse from Alaska.
Arthropod Abundance Data from the Colville River Delta, Alaska Arthropod Abundance Data from the Colville River Delta, Alaska
This data release contains information on the seasonal diversity and abundance of arthropods collected at the Colville River Delta, Alaska, 2011-2012 and 2014-2107. Researchers with the US Geological Survey began studying the reproductive ecology of birds at a site on the Colville River near the Beaufort Sea coast in 2011. Researchers concurrently collected arthropods at 3-day intervals...
Environmental Data from the Colville River Delta, Alaska Environmental Data from the Colville River Delta, Alaska
This data release contains two tables with information on seasonal values for temperature, wind, and snow cover collected at the Colville River Delta, Alaska, 2011-2018. Researchers with the U.S. Geological Survey used an on-site weather station to automatically record the temperature and speed and direction of the wind across the duration of their field season. Researchers also...
Below are publications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 76
Incremental evolution of modeling a prognosis for polar bears in a rapidly changing Arctic Incremental evolution of modeling a prognosis for polar bears in a rapidly changing Arctic
Updating predictions of the response of high-profile, at-risk species to climate change and anthropogenic stressors is vital for informing effective conservation action. Here, we review two prior generations of Bayesian network probability models predicting changes in global polar bear (Ursus maritimus) population status, and provide a contemporary update based on recent research...
Authors
Bruce Marcot, Todd Atwood, David Douglas, Jeffrey Bromaghin, Anthony Pagano, Steven Amstrup
Effects of vehicle traffic on space use and road crossings of caribou in the Arctic Effects of vehicle traffic on space use and road crossings of caribou in the Arctic
Assessing the effects of industrial development on wildlife is a key objective of managers and conservation practitioners. However, wildlife responses are often only investigated with respect to the footprint of infrastructure, even though human activity can strongly mediate development impacts. In Arctic Alaska, there is substantial interest in expanding energy development, raising...
Authors
John Severson, Heather Johnson, Timothy Vosburgh
Exploring effects of vessels on walrus behaviors using telemetry, automatic identification system data and matching Exploring effects of vessels on walrus behaviors using telemetry, automatic identification system data and matching
Arctic marine mammals have had little exposure to vessel traffic and potential associated disturbance, but sea ice loss has increased accessibility of Arctic waters to vessels. Vessel disturbance could influence marine mammal population dynamics by altering behavioral activity budgets that affect energy balance, which in turn can affect birth and death rates. As an initial step in...
Authors
Rebecca Taylor, Chadwick Jay, William S. Beatty, Anthony Fischbach, Lori Quakenbush, Justin Crawford
High winds and melting sea ice trigger landward movement in a polar bear population of concern High winds and melting sea ice trigger landward movement in a polar bear population of concern
Some animal species are responding to climate change by altering the timing of events like mating and migration. Such behavioral plasticity can be adaptive, but it is not always. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from the southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation have mostly remained on ice year-round, but as the climate warms and summer sea ice declines, a growing proportion of the subpopulation...
Authors
Annie Kellner, Todd Atwood, David Douglas, Stewart Breck, George Wittemyer
eDNA Metabarcoding Analyses of Diet in Yellow-Billed Loons of Northern Alaska eDNA Metabarcoding Analyses of Diet in Yellow-Billed Loons of Northern Alaska
Environmental DNA is a burgeoning tool used to address wide-ranging scientific questions, including determining diets of difficult-to-sample predators. Loons are large piscivorous diving birds that capture and consume prey underwater, making it nearly impossible to visually determine their diet via observation alone. Identifying species' diets is important for understanding basic life...
Authors
Damian Menning, Brian Uher-Koch, Melanie Flamme, Trey Simmons, Joel Schmutz, Sandra Talbot
Increasing Alaskan river discharge during the cold season is driven by recent warming Increasing Alaskan river discharge during the cold season is driven by recent warming
Arctic hydrology is experiencing rapid changes including earlier snow melt, permafrost degradation, increasing active layer depth, and reduced river ice, all of which are expected to lead to changes in stream flow regimes. Recently, long-term (>60 years) climate reanalysis and river discharge observation data have become available. We utilized these data to assess long-term changes in...
Authors
D Blaskey, Joshua Koch, M. Gooseff, A. Newman, Yang Cheng, Jonathan O’Donnell, K Musselman
Observed and forecasted changes in land use by polar bears in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, 1985–2040 Observed and forecasted changes in land use by polar bears in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, 1985–2040
Monitoring changes in the distribution of large carnivores is important for managing human safety and supporting conservation. Throughout much of their range, polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are increasingly using terrestrial habitats in response to Arctic sea ice decline. Their increased presence in coastal areas has implications for bear-human conflict, inter-species interactions, and...
Authors
Karyn Rode, David Douglas, Todd Atwood, George Durner, Ryan R. Wilson, Anthony Pagano
A serological survey of Francisella tularensis exposure in wildlife on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska A serological survey of Francisella tularensis exposure in wildlife on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska
Tularemia is an infectious zoonotic disease caused by one of several subspecies of Francisella tularensis bacteria. Infections by F. tularensis are common throughout the northern hemisphere and have been detected in more than 250 wildlife species. In Alaska, US, where the pathogen was first identified in 1938, studies have identified F. tularensis antibodies in a diverse suite of taxa...
Authors
Matthew Smith, Caroline Van Hemert, Todd Atwood, David Sinnett, Jerry Hupp, Brandt W Meixell, David Gustine, Layne G. Adams, Andrew Ramey
Sclerochronological records of environmental variability and bivalve growth in the Pacific Arctic Sclerochronological records of environmental variability and bivalve growth in the Pacific Arctic
The Pacific Arctic region has experienced, and is projected to continue experiencing, rapid climate change. Large uncertainties exist in our understanding of the impact these physical changes have on the region’s ecology. This is, in part, due to the lack of long-term data. Here we investigate bivalve mollusc growth increment width chronologies (sclerochronologies) to develop a long-term
Authors
David Reynolds, Vanessa von Biela, Kenneth H. Dunton, David C. Douglas, Bryan Black
Life-history attributes of Arctic-breeding birds drive uneven responses to environmental variability across different phases of the reproductive cycle Life-history attributes of Arctic-breeding birds drive uneven responses to environmental variability across different phases of the reproductive cycle
Animals exhibit varied life-history traits that reflect adaptive responses to their environments. For Arctic-breeding birds, traits related to diet, egg nutrient allocation, clutch size, and chick growth are predicted to be under increasing selection pressure due to rapid climate change and increasing environmental variability across high-latitude regions. We compared four migratory...
Authors
Daniel Ruthrauff, Vijay Patil, Jerry Hupp, David Ward
Energetic and health effects of protein overconsumption constrain dietary adaptation in an apex predator Energetic and health effects of protein overconsumption constrain dietary adaptation in an apex predator
Studies of predator feeding ecology commonly focus on energy intake. However, captive predators have been documented to selectively feed to optimize macronutrient intake. As many apex predators experience environmental changes that affect prey availability, limitations on selective feeding can affect energetics and health. We estimated the protein:fat ratio of diets consumed by wild...
Authors
Karyn Rode, Charles Robbins, Craig Stricker, Brian Taras, Troy Tollefson
Response of forage plants to alteration of temperature and spring thaw date: Implications for geese in a warming Arctic Response of forage plants to alteration of temperature and spring thaw date: Implications for geese in a warming Arctic
Changes in summer temperatures in Arctic Alaska have led to longer and warmer growing seasons over the last three decades. Corresponding with these changes in climate, the abundance and distributions of geese have increased and expanded over the same period. We used an experimental approach to assess the response of goose forage plants to simulated environmental change. We subjected...
Authors
Paul Flint, Brandt Meixell