Effects of Climate Change on Quebec Biodiversity (CC-Bio)
- Key words: Conservation, biodiversity, climate change, vulnerability, bioclimatic envelope, climatic niche, statistical modelling, future projections, protected areas
- Species studied: Trees, other vascular plants, amphibians, birds, beaver.
- Field sites: Quebec, Canada
- Time period: 2007-ongoing
Main collaborators:
- Ouranos, Consortium on Regional Climatology and Adaptation to Climate Change (Robert Siron)
- Parks Canada Agency (Patrick Nantel)
- Environment Canada (Canadian Wildlife Service) (François Fournier)
- Ministère du développement durable, de l’Environnement et des Parc du Québec (Frédéric Poisson)
- Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune (Catherine Périé)
- Nature Conservancy Canada (Joël Bonin)
- Centre de Données sur le Patrimoine Naturel du Québec (Gildo Lavoie)
- Regroupement QuébecOiseaux (Jacques Larivée)
- Saint Lawrence Valley Natural History Society Atlas des Amphibiens et Reptiles du Québec (David Rodrigue et Sébastien Rouleau)
Research funding:
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
- Ouranos, Consortium on Regional Climatology and Adaptation to Climate Change
- Parks Canada Agency
- Environment Canada (Canadian Wildlife Service)
- Ducks Unlimited Canada
The objective of the project CC-Bio is to predict potential effects of climate change on the distribution and abundance of a large range of plant and animal species from Quebec. CC-Bio supports regional strategies of adaptation to climate change in the field of biodiversity conservation. We use the best available data and the most advanced statistical techniques to develop quantitative models representing the complex relationships between species distributions and environmental variables, including climate. We are working in three steps.
- we evaluate how phenology (the timing of biological events) and species distributions have been affected by recent climate change.
- we construct ecological niche models for a wide array of plant and animal species including trees, other vascular plants, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and some mammals. These models are based on the climate and land cover that presently define the distribution of species, and use high resolution scenarios of regional climate change to project future species-by-species distribution changes.
- based on the output from the first and second steps, we zoom in on the species and regions within Quebec that are expected to be most heavily impacted by climate change, to develop regional strategies of biodiversity conservation that incorporate potential climatic threats.
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Reproductive ecology of peregrine falcons nesting in the Canadian Low Arctic
- Key words: Peregrine falcon, Low Arctic, diet, resource acquisition strategies, reproduction, satellite telemetry
- Species studied: Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus tundrius)
- Field site: Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, Canada
- Time period: 2007-ongoing
Main collaborators:
- Alastair Franke, Université d’Alberta
- Gordon Court, Gouvernement d’Alberta
- Andy Aliyak, Rankin Inlet
- Poisey Alogut, Rankin Inlet
Research funding :
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC)
- ArcticNet - Network of Centres of Excellence of Canada
- Government of Canada, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
- Nunavut Wildlife Management Board
Since 1982, a population of peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus tundrius) is annually followed in the Canadian Low Arctic, near the village of Rankin Inlet, Nunavut. Several key parameters of the ecology of this population were studied such as its size, annual productivity, dynamics and its sensibility to contaminants. The biological mechanisms which characterize the demographic processes of this population are however still unclear. Current studies aim, firstly, at describing the variability in the diet of peregrine falcons and their strategies of food acquisition (size and location of hunting areas) in relation to temporal and spatial variations in prey abundance. Secondly, we are also investigating the relationship between alimentary strategies and reproductive success of individuals.
Phenology and physiology of reproduction for an extreme capital breeder: the common eider
- Key words: Common eider, Arctic, reproductive strategies, nutrients allocation, physical condition.
- Species studied: Common eider (Somateria mollissima)
- Field site: East Bay Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Southampton Island, Nunavut.
- Time period: 2002-ongoing
Main collaborators:
- Grant Gilchrist, Canadian Wildlife Service (Environment Canada)
- Oliver Love, University of Windsor
- Sébastien Descamps, Norwegian Polar Institute
Research funding :
- Fonds Québécois de la Recherche sur la Nature et les Technologie (FQRNT)
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC)
- Canadian Wildlife Service (Environment Canada)
For many animal species, theoretical models suppose there are compromises between reproductive efforts and survival of individuals, as well as between quantity and quality of the progeny produced. In birds, allocation of resources in the production of eggs can largely influence the reproductive success and the survival of individuals. Common eiders (Somateria mollissima) nesting in the Arctic are considered as extreme capital breeders, meaning that they largely rely on their endogenous reserves to fulfill the energetic demands of their reproduction. The main objectives of this study are to determine if their is a link between physiological parameters (physical condition, metabolites and hormones levels in blood) and the reproductive effort of individuals. Furthermore, we would like to quantify the relative importance of different nutrient sources used in eggs formation, study the dynamics of endogenous reserves during the reproductive period and determine if the strategies of allocation and management of nutrients are influenced by laying date and brood size. Considering that this population is declining and strongly hunted, it is crucial to understand the underlying mechanisms of their reproduction to better understand the dynamics of the population.
Diversity and phenology of Arctic terrestrial arthropods: temporal and spatial variations in the availability of food resources for arctic insectivorous birds
- Key words: Arctic, terrestrial arthropods, shorebirds, food resources
- Species studied: Araneidea, coleoptera, diptera, hymenoptera, shorebirds (mainly White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis) and Baird's Sandpiper (Calidris bairdii)), Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus).
- Field site: Bylot Island, Alert (Ellesmere Island), East Bay Migratory Bird Sanctuary (Southampton Island) and Herschel Island.
- Time period: 2005-ongoing
Main collaborators:
- Guy Morrison, Canadian Wildlife Service (Environment Canada)
- Don Reid, Wildlife Conservation Society Canada
- Paul Smith, Carleton University
Research funding :
- International Polar Year (Government of Canada)
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC)
- ArcticNet - Network of Centres of Excellence of Canada
Many insectivorous birds nesting in the arctic tundra rely on arthropods such as spiders and insects for their survival and reproduction. In this extreme environment, arthropods must take advantage of the really short period of time when climatic conditions are favourable for their growth and reproduction. At that point, they are particularly active and abundant throughout the tundra. For insectivorous birds, synchronizing the hatching of their chicks with this peak in arthropods abundance represents a critical challenge. This synchrony might be particularly difficult to achieve for migrating species overwintering in areas located at thousands of kilometers from their reproductive grounds. In a climate change context, the phenology and duration of the period of peak arthropod abundance may rapidly and dramatically change which will certainly affect arctic insectivorous birds. This projects aims at obtaining information on arctic arthropod communities, particularly on parameters influencing their phenology, population dynamics and their trophic links with insectivorous birds.
Trophic interactions and climate effects on the animal community dynamics of Bylot Island
- Key words: Arctic, Bylot Island, mammals, birds, trophic interactions, tundra
- Species studied: Brown Lemming (Lemmus sibiricus), Collared Lemming (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus), Arctic Fox (Vulpes lagopus), Greater Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens atlantica), shorebirds (mainly White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis), Baird's Sandpiper (Calidris bairdii) and American Golden Plover (Pluvialis dominica)), Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus), Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus), Long-tailed Jaeger (Stercorarius longicaudus), Parasite jaeger (Stercorarius parasiticus), Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus).
- Field site: Bylot Island, Sirmilik National Park of Canada (Nunavut, Canada)
- Time period: 2003-ongoing
Main collaborators:
- Gilles Gauthier, Université Laval
- Josée Lefebvre, Canadian Wildlife Service (Environment Canada)
- Dominique Fauteux, Canadian museum of nature
- Esther Levesque, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
- Jean-François Therrien, Hawk Mountain Santuary
The biological productivity is low in the arctic tundra. There are few plant and animal species. The trophic relations between species are therefore more simple to study than in ecosystems found more to the South. At Bylot, snow geese and lemmings are the main herbivores, whereas arctic foxes are the main terrestrial predators. A few aerial predators are also present in the ecosystem such as snowy owls, rough-legged hawks and jaegers. Lemming populations cycle with peaks every 3-5 years. Foxes mainly prey on lemmings when lemmings are abundant, but switch to goose eggs and chicks when they are scarce. Even more specialists, snowy owls only reproduce on Bylot Island in years of peak lemming abundance. As a result, the lemming cycle influences the dynamics of the whole tundra system at Bylot. We are trying to take advantage of this situation to better understand the relations between plants, herbivores, and predators. We believe that studying simple ecological systems such as the tundra can help us to better understand the complex dynamics of richer communities.
In addition, understanding the functioning of northern ecology is critical to comprehend the drastic changes occurring in the North because of climate changes. For example, climate influences the proportion of snow goose breeding a given year, their laying date, the number of eggs laid and, consequently, their reproductive success and annual productivity. Furthermore, many insectivorous birds breed in the Arctic and rely on arthropods whose phenology and abundance are largely influenced by climatic conditions. For those bird species, synchronizing the hatching date of their chicks with the period of peak abundance of arthropods represent a critical challenge to reproduce successfully. Finally, we are following very closely a new process that may dramatically influence the trophic dynamics of the arctic tundra: the arrival of the red fox whose distribution is currently expanding to the north. Red foxes are now reproducing on Bylot and nothing allows us to predict how will evolve the fragile equilibrium between the arctic fox and the red fox.