NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Gwich'in Settlement Area

Objective(s): 1) develop and apply a computer model of mercury bioaccumulation in the Beaufort Sea Shelf food web; 2) estimate the effects of selected environmental changes on historical Beaufort Sea beluga MeHg concentrations from (1970-2010s); and 3) investigate potential future trajectories of mercury levels in the ecosystem under global change.

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No. 5813. The objectives of this study are to: 1) develop a computer model of mercury bioaccumulation in the Beaufort Sea Shelf food web; and then to apply that model to 2) estimate the effects of selected environmental changes on historical Beaufort Sea beluga MeHg concentrations from (1970-2010s); and 3) investigate potential future trajectories of mercury levels in the ecosystem under global change. In the long term, this project aims to support communities in understanding and planning for the impacts of climate change on the Beaufort Sea ecosystem. Note: This project began in late 2019. As background, the preliminary phase of this project (objective 1) was funded by the Northern Contaminants Program (NCP) in 2019 (M-45), with the engagement of the Inuvialuit Game Council, and additional funding support from a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Discovery Grant. As this project involves secondary data analysis only (all data obtained from the published literature and no sample collection, interviews, or other primary data collection taking place), the research team was not aware of the need for Research License application at the time of our NCP application. The research team has recently consulted with Shanay Williams at the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, who advised seeking a license. More details on past and ongoing community engagement and communication associated with this project are described in the Communication Plan section. Objective 1) From 2019 to 2021, a computer model of mercury bioaccumulation was developed in the Beaufort Sea Shelf, using the Ecotracer module of the ecological modelling software Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE). This mercury model built on an existing model of the Beaufort Sea Shelf ecosystem, which was developed by Carie Hoover, Lisa Loseto, and their other collaborators, in partnership with the Fisheries Joint Management Committee (FJMC), Inuvialuit Game Council (IGC), and Department of Fisheries and Oceans. The empirical data to build this model came from published literature. Objective 2) From 2021-2022, a literature review was conducted of Western science (published academic literature) and previously documented Inuvialuit knowledge (found in both the academic literature and in the ISR's Traditional and Local Knowledge Repository) on historical environmental changes in the Beaufort Sea Shelf. Based on guidance of the IGC and FJMC, the research team reached out to and received input from Hunters and Trappers Committees, and the TLK Team Lead at the Joint Secretariat (Gilly McNaughton) in 2022 on appropriate sources of previously documented Inuvialuit Knowledge to draw from in our literature review. The researchers developed historical environmental change scenarios based on this literature review. Modelling these historical environmental change scenarios and their impacts on mercury levels in different marine species in EwE in 2022 has begun. This work is ongoing. Objective 3) implement future climate change scenarios in the EwE mercury model to explore potential future trajectories of ecosystem mercury. These future scenarios will be based on previously published Arctic climate modelling research. This project will use secondary data analysis; no sample collection, interviews, or other primary data collection and analysis will be conducted. The expected outcomes of the study will be the development of a tool that can be used to estimate mercury concentrations in the Beaufort Sea Shelf, identification of key environmental change drivers that can affect mercury levels in key marine species such as beluga, and estimates of potential future levels of mercury in marine species. The research team has been engaging with Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR) partners in the different stages of the research process, including receiving feedback at Inuvialuit Game Council Meetings (September 2019, March 2022), and a Fisheries Joint Management Committee Meeting (June 2022). Based on guidance of the IGC and FJMC, we reached out to and received input from Hunters and Trappers Committees, and the TLK Team Lead at the Joint Secretariat in 2022 on appropriate sources of previously documented Inuvialuit Knowledge to draw from in our literature review. We have also provided written updates to the NWT Regional Contaminants Committee, and connected with the Inuvialuit Regional Corportation. Regular sharing of research results with these bodies will continue to occur through written updates and through in-person or virtual presentations, including at IGC and FJMC Meetings. We will also prepare summaries of results (of theses and publications) to be submitted to the IRC, IGC, FJMC, NWT, and HTCs. This communications plan may also be adapted based on further engagement with stakeholders. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from: March 01 - December 31, 2024