NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region

Tags: physical sciences, landscape disturbance, climate change, food web, fish

Objective(s): To improve our knowledge on present-day food webs/productivity in small Arctic pond/lake systems in order to better predict changes that could occur as a result of a changing climate.

Project Description: The overall objective of this research is to improve our knowledge on present-day food webs/productivity in small Arctic pond/lake systems in order to better predict changes that could occur under changing climate. The methodology described below pertains to all research activities related to this research component dealing with fish. All other research activities related to this work were reviewed/approved/fully-licenced in 2010 as part our overall research project “Hydro-ecological Responses of Arctic Tundra Lakes to Climate Change and Landscape Perturbation” (ARI Scientific Research Licence 14648). Also, the fish survey work in 2010 was reviewed and licenced by DFO (DFO Licence S-10/11-3041-YK). Fish Collections: Fish sampling will include all types of fish present in each lake using small nets, minnow traps, and electro-fishing (near-shore habitat only, for small fish species and young-of-year). A range of sizes (ages) of each species will be collected. This is necessary to characterize the food web including dietary preferences of fish at several life stages. Electro-fishing (backpack) will be limited to short sections (30-50 m per lake) of the nearshore (0-2 m from shore) to aid collections of small individuals and fish types that inhabit the nearshore zone that otherwise would be missed. Sampling will be conducted during peak productivity in summer. The study lakes will be accessed using helicopter. A team of three to four people will be deployed at a lake and sampling conducted using an inflatable boat equipped with an electric motor. The sampling teams will make one-day visits to the study lakes from Inuvik (no field camps required). Based on our 2009 and 2010 fish surveys (26 lakes), 7 of the 11 lakes that did have fish hosted only one species, very small Stickleback or Pond Smelt – which means in most cases only up to 50 of these very small fish will be sampled from each lake. Some lakes can host both Stickleback and Pond Smelt – which means a total of up to 100 (50 Stickleback; 50 Pond Smelt) will be sampled from these lakes. If Northern Pike are found then up to 20 pike would also be harvested. Local guides, field assistants and students to assist in the field program will be identified through the Inuvialuit Joint Secretariat and the Aurora Research Institute. The researchers will provide training of sampling methodology to the local people, in an effort to build capacity for community-based monitoring for the future. Computer Modelling: The researchers will combine new information on fish with the information on water chemistry, plants, and insect larvae living in the water, environmental factors and food webs that have been obtained from ongoing overall research program. This combined information will allow them to assess/validate various ecological computer models to see which one is the best for predicting changes that could occur in small Arctic lakes/ponds under changing climate. To communicate results to individuals and communities in the North, the researchers plan to hold annual community-based meetings and consultations in northern communities to inform local residents in the region of the nature and significance of the research, what they are trying to find out and why, and to provide updates on what they have learned (key findings) as the work progresses. They will also visit the schools to reach out to the youth. Information will also be made available through a project website, posters, brochures, fact sheets, etc. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from June 1, 2011 to October 31, 2011.