Interrogating low Arctic seabirds: Indicators of changing prey ocean and climate conditions

Arctic marine animals and natural resources are of vital importance to Canadians. They are particularly essential for the quality of life, sustainability and survival of northern, indigenous and coastal communities. The physical and cultural health and well-being of these communities are rooted in their dependence on living renewable marine resources. Climate change has been ongoing in the Arctic for several decades and is causing and will continue to cause decreases in sea ice and shifts in marine resources that will affect traditional harvesting practices. These environmental transitions are presenting extreme challenges, though opportunities can also arise through proper planning for future adaptation using information on ocean-climate variability and change in marine ecosystems. The primary objective of our International Polar Year project is to use seabirds to detect climate-induced biological changes throughout the eastern Canadian Arctic extending from the High Arctic (Nunavut) via the Labrador Current through the Low Arctic to Labrador and Newfoundland.北极海洋生物与自然资源对加拿大民众至关重要，尤其对于北部原住民与沿海社区的生活质量、可持续发展与存续而言不可或缺。这些社区的身心健康与文化福祉，植根于对可再生海洋生物资源的依赖。数十年来，北极地区气候变化持续加剧，已引发并将持续造成海冰缩减与海洋资源分布变迁，进而影响当地传统捕捞作业。此类环境变迁虽带来了严峻挑战，但依托海洋-气候变率与海洋生态系统变化的相关信息，合理规划未来适应策略，亦可从中发掘发展机遇。本国际极地年（International Polar Year）项目的核心目标，是以海鸟（seabirds）为指示物种，监测加拿大北极东部全域由气候驱动的生物变化，监测范围覆盖从高北极地区（努纳武特，Nunavut）经拉布拉多海流（Labrador Current）至低北极地区，最终延伸至拉布拉多与纽芬兰的区域。