Regions: North Slave Region
Tags: biology, vegetation, climate change, caribou, ecology
| Principal Investigator: | Clark, Karin (2) |
| Licence Number: | 13482 |
| Organization: | University of British Columbia |
| Licensed Year(s): |
2003
|
| Issued: | Jun 18, 2003 |
| Project Team: | Steven Mat |
Objective(s): The objectives of the research are to get a better understanding of how caribou foraged plant species might be responding to climate. This information may be used to make predictions of how plants might adapt to a warmer climate and in turn how this might affect caribou. Transportation to the Daring Lake Research Station will be by small float plane. The camp consists of several Weather Haven style insulated tents. A remote meteorological station records the weather. Research plants are all located within walking distance from the camp and will be visited daily from early June to mid-August. Eight species of plant (20 individuals of each species) are examined daily to assess timing of growth, flowering and seed dispersal. Measurements of leaf length, branch length and plant diameter are taken in August. The majority of measurements are taken non-destructively although some clipping of plants may occur. The eight species being examined are: Oxytropis nigrescens (a member of the pea family), Vaccinium vitis-idaea (Cranberry), Ledum decumbens (Labrador tea), Betula glandulosa (Dwarf birch), Salix sp. (Willow), Saxifraga tricuspidata (Prickly saxifrage), Eriophorum vaginatum (Cotton-grass), and Carex aquatilus (Sedge).
