Flora of the Canadian Arctic – diversity and change

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Sahtu Settlement Area

Tags: biology, plant distribution, vegetation, botany

Principal Investigator: Gillespie, Lynn J. (6)
Licence Number: 14524
Organization: Canadian Museum of Nature
Licensed Year(s): 2010 2009
Issued: Jun 15, 2009
Project Team: Dr. Laurie Consaul (Field Researcher, Canadian Museum of Nature), Dr. Jeffery Saarela (Field Researcher, Canadian Museum of Nature), Jennifer Doubt (Field Researcher, Canadian Museum of Nature), Roger Bull (Field Assistant, Canadian Museum of Nature), Wildlife Monitor (Wildlife Monitor)

Objective(s): Objectives of this project are to: a) document vascular plant and moss species; b) explore areas that are botanically unknown or poorly known; c) obtain complete plant inventories of selected areas as baseline data for long term monitoring; d) do taxonomic studies to clarify species limits of problematic plant groups.

Project Description: PLEASE NOTE: this ARI licence is for fieldwork happening OUTSIDE TUKTUT NOGAIT NATIONAL PARK. The research permit for work inside TNPP is issued by Parks Canada. The long term goals of this research are to: 1) produce the first “Flora of the Canadian Arctic”, a field guide to all plant species of the Canadian arctic; 2) implement an Arctic Plant website to provide easy access to information; and 3) undertake studies on diversity and distribution of arctic plants and mosses. Current objectives are to a) document vascular plant and moss species; b) explore areas that are botanically unknown or poorly known; c) obtain complete plant inventories of selected areas as baseline data for long term monitoring; d) do taxonomic studies to clarify species limits of problematic plant groups. The researchers focus on a different arctic region each year, while attempting to cover as many sites within a region as possible. This licence is for fieldwork that they propose to do OUTSIDE Tuktut Nogait National Park in 2009. At each camp, the researchers will undertake research both in the vicinity of camp (within walking distance) and at more distant sites reached by helicopter. Plant specimens will be collected (both herbarium specimens and leaf material preserved in silica gel for DNA studies), photographed, and studied. The researchers will collect 1-3 plants per species; if a plant is quite large they will only take part of the plant. Collections will be deposited at the National Herbarium of Canada, Canadian Museum of Nature (CMN), and lab research will take place at the CMN. Research benefits: Educational: they share their southern knowledge about the arctic flora with staff and students that accompany them in the field, and people in the communities. In turn, they learn northern facts about the arctic plants from the staff and students and people in the communities. They will be pleased to give presentations on their past arctic research and trips to people in the communities of Inuvik and/or Paulatuk. Economic: they will hire a wildlife monitor from one of the communities to accompany them in the field. They will be purchasing supplies in the towns of Inuvik and Paulatuk. Communication of results: 1. Data bases: their plant and moss species lists for the sites they visit will be entered into data bases that will be provided members of the communities who wish these lists. 2. Photographs: they take photographs of plants during the field work and these photos can be shared with the members of the communities. 3. Field guides: In the long term, the work will contribute information to their developing Flora of the Canadian Arctic guidebook. 4. They would be happy to give presentations in the communities (Inuvik and Paulatuk) if their work would be of interest to the residents. 5. They will be preparing an Aurora Research Institute report describing the field work results. 6. Their research results will be published in scientific papers and other reports that can be made available to individuals and communities in the NWT. The results will also be presented at scientific meetings. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from June 21 to August 02, 2009, in the vicinity of Tuktut Nogait National Park (TNNP) (their locations within the park are being addressed in their Parks Canada application): Canoe Lake and vicinity - in area designated for TNNP – Sahtu Extension, but not yet officially part of Park (vicinity of 67°57’N 121°30’W); near the lower Hornaday River (vicinity of 69°15’N 123°35’W), including nearby coastal areas; near the lower Brock River (vicinity of 69°23’N 123°05’W) including nearby coastal areas.