Selected abstracts, book reviews and essay on the Arctic of interest to NORTHWEST PASSAGE 2011

From the
ARCTIC INSTITUTE OF NORTH AMERICA
http://arctic.synergiesprairies.ca/arctic/index.php/arctic/index
Archives: http://arctic.synergiesprairies.ca/arctic/index.php/arctic/issue/archive


CLIMATE VARIABILITY, OCEANOGRAPHY, BOWHEAD WHALE DISTRIBUTION, AND IÑUPIAT SUBSISTENCE WHALING NEAR BARROW, ALASKA
Carin J. Ashjian, Stephen R. Braund, Robert G. Campbell, J.C. "Craig" George, Jack Kruse, Wieslaw Maslowski, Sue E. Moore, Craig R. Nicolson, Stephen R. Okkonen, Barry F. Sherr, Evelyn B. Sherr, Yvette H. Spitz

ABSTRACT

The annual migration of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) past Barrow, Alaska, has provided subsistence hunting to Iñupiat for centuries. Bowheads recurrently feed on aggregations of zooplankton prey near Barrow in autumn. The mechanisms that form these aggregations, and the associations between whales and oceanography, were investigated using field sampling, retrospective analysis, and traditional knowledge interviews. Oceanographic and aerial surveys were conducted near Barrow during August and September in 2005 and 2006. Multiple water masses were observed, and close coupling between water mass type and biological characteristics was noted. Short-term variability in hydrography was associated with changes in wind speed and direction that profoundly affected plankton taxonomic composition. Aggregations of ca. 50–100 bowhead whales were observed in early September of both years at locations consistent with traditional knowledge. Retrospective analyses of records for 1984–2004 also showed that annual aggregations of whales near Barrow were associated with wind speed and direction. Euphausiids and copepods appear to be upwelled onto the Beaufort Sea shelf during Eor SEwinds. A favorable feeding environment is produced when these plankton are retained and concentrated on the shelf by the prevailing westward Beaufort Sea shelf currents that converge with the Alaska Coastal Current flowing to the northeast along the eastern edge of Barrow Canyon.

Key words: bowhead whale, plankton, oceanography, Beaufort Sea, subsistence whaling


FALL AND WINTER MOVEMENTS OF BOWHEAD WHALES (BALAENA MYSTICETUS) IN THE CHUKCHI SEA AND WITHIN A POTENTIAL PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT AREA
Lori T. Quakenbush, John J. Citta, John C. George, Robert J. Small, Mads Peter Heide-Jørgensen

Ref: ARCTIC, VOL 63, NO 3 (2010)

ABSTRACT

Working with subsistence whale hunters, we tagged 19 mostly immature bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) with satellite-linked transmitters between May 2006 and September 2008 and documented their movements in the Chukchi Sea from late August through December. From Point Barrow, Alaska, most whales moved west through the Chukchi Sea between 71˚ and 74˚ N latitude; nine whales crossed in six to nine days. Three whales returned to Point Barrow for 13 to 33 days, two after traveling 300 km west and one after traveling ~725 km west to Wrangel Island, Russia; two then crossed the Chukchi Sea again while the other was the only whale to travel south along the Alaskan side of the Chukchi Sea. Seven whales spent from one to 21 days near Wrangel Island before moving south to northern Chukotka. Whales spent an average of 59 days following the Chukotka coast southeastward. Kernel density analysis identified Point Barrow, Wrangel Island, and the northern coast of Chukotka as areas of greater use by bowhead whales that might be important for feeding. All whales traveled through a potential petroleum development area at least once. Most whales crossed the development area in less than a week; however, one whale remained there for 30 days.

Key words: bowhead whale, Balaena mysticetus, satellite telemetry, fall movements, Chukchi Sea, migration, habitat use, petroleum development, kernel density


BOWHEAD WHALE DISTRIBUTION AND FEEDING NEAR BARROW, ALASKA, IN LATE SUMMER 2005–06
Sue E. Moore, J.C. "Craig" George, Gay Sheffield, Joshua Bacon, Carin J. Ashjian

ABSTRACT

Aerial surveys for bowhead whales were conducted in conjunction with oceanographic sampling near Barrow, Alaska, in late summer of 2005 and 2006. In 2005, 145 whales were seen, mostly in two distinct aggregations: one (ca. 40 whales) in deep water in Barrow Canyon and the other (ca. 70 whales) in very shallow (< 10 m) water just seaward of the barrier islands. Feeding behaviours observed in the latter group included whales lying on their sides with mouths agape and groups of 5–10 whales swimming synchronously in turbid water. In 2006, 78 bowheads were seen, with ca. 40 whales feeding in dispersed groups of 3–11 whales. Feeding behaviours observed included surface skimming, echelon swimming, and synchronous diving and surfacing. Surfacing behaviour included head lunges by single animals and groups of 2–4 whales. Of 29 whales harvested at Barrow, 24 had been feeding. Euphausiids were the dominant prey in 2006 (10 of 13 stomachs), but not in 2005 (4 of 11 stomachs). Copepods were the dominant prey in the stomachs of three whales harvested near Barrow Canyon in 2005. Mysiids were the dominant prey in four stomachs, isopods in two, and amphipods in one although these taxa were not routinely captured during plankton sampling conducted in the weeks prior to the autumn harvest. Key words: bowhead whale, feeding, functional anatomy, zooplankton, western Arctic, Beaufort Sea, aerial surveys


LADY LUCY BARRY AND EVANGELICAL READING ON THE FIRST FRANKLIN EXPEDITION
Janice Cavell

ABSTRACT

This article examines the relationship between Lady Lucy Barry and John Franklin. Barry has been dismissed by other writers as a fanatic who had only a passing influence on the explorer’s religious beliefs. Though their friendship ended after Franklin’s marriage to Eleanor Porden in August 1823, Barry’s Evangelical faith, as expressed through the books she presented to the members of the first Franklin expedition, had already shaped both Franklin’s own understanding of his Arctic experiences and the literary representation of them in his Narrative of a Journey to the Shores of the Polar Sea in the Years 1819, 20, 21, and 22. In the narrative, both Franklin and his companion John Richardson affirmed the great value of religious books and practices in helping them to endure the sufferings of the journey. As a result, the public came to revere Arctic explorers as Christian heroes. Without Lady Lucy Barry and her books, Arctic exploration might never have come to hold such an important place in 19th-century British culture. Key words: Sir John Franklin, Arctic expeditions, books and reading, religion, evangelicalism

RAISED GRAVEL BEACHES AS PROXY INDICATORS OF PAST SEA-ICE AND WAVE CONDITIONS, LOWTHER ISLAND, CANADIAN ARCTIC ARCHIPELAGO
Dominique St-Hilaire-Gravel, Trevor J. Bell, Donald L. Forbes

ABSTRACT

 This study investigates whether raised beach sequences preserved on emergent coasts of the central Canadian Arctic Archipelago contain a proxy record of past sea-ice conditions and wave intensity. We hypothesize that periods of reduced sea ice (increased open water) expose shorelines to more prolonged and higher wave energy, leading to better-developed beach ridges. Surveys of raised beach sequences on Lowther Island revealed the following patterns: a) high, wide, single- to multi-crested barriers backed by deep swales or lagoons characterize both the active and lowest relict shorelines; b) small, narrow, discontinuous ridges of poorly sorted gravel extend from 1.0 to 7.5 m asl, except from 4.5 to 5.0 m asl; c) ridge morphology is similar to the active and first relict ridges between 7.5 and 11 m asl; d) a near-featureless zone with minor terraces and ridges above 11 m extends to above 30 m asl. These distinct morphological and sedimentary units are interpreted as a function of wave climate and thus of summer sea-ice conditions. This model suggests periods of greater wave activity from the present day back about 500 14C years (530 cal BP; Unit A), during a short interval from 1750 to 1600 14C years BP (1750–1450 cal BP; Unit B′), and earlier from 2900 to 2300 14C years BP (3030–2340 cal BP; Unit C). Units B and D are interpreted as the result of more severe ice conditions with lower wave energy from 2300 to 500 14C years BP (2340–530 cal BP) and earlier from more than 5750 to 2900 14C years BP (6540–3030 cal BP). Discrepancies with previously published interpretations of regional sea-ice history may reflect the local nature of the beach proxy record, which implies occurrences of extensive open-water fetch east and west of Lowther Island but cannot be extrapolated to a regional scale. The beach record shows distinct variation through time and provides an alternative window on past summer ice extent in central Barrow Strait. Key words: beach morphology, gravel beach, sea ice, climate history, Canadian Arctic

FORTY-SEVEN YEARS OF RESEARCH ON THE DEVON ISLAND ICE CAP, ARCTIC CANADA 
Sarah Boon, David O. Burgess, Roy M. Koerner, Martin J. Sharp

ABSTRACT

The Devon Island ice cap has been the subject of scientific study for almost half a century, beginning with the first mass balance measurements in 1961. Research on the ice cap was the first to investigate (1) the role of meltwater in seasonal ice-velocity variations on a polythermal Arctic ice cap, (2) the use of air temperature rather than net radiation as a proxy for the energy driving surface melt, and (3) the influence of the changing frequency of specific synoptic weather configurations on glacier melt and mass balance. Other research has included investigations of ice cap geometry, flow dynamics, and mass balance; ice core analyses for records of past climate and contaminant deposition; and studies of changes in ice cap area and volume and their relationship to surface mass balance and ice dynamics. Current research includes ground studies connected to efforts to calibrate and validate the radar altimeter that will be carried by the European Space Agency’s (ESA) CryoSat2 satellite, and a major collaborative Canadian International Polar Year (IPY) project focused on the Belcher Glacier, on the northeast side of the ice cap, that examines hydrodynamics of large tidewater glaciers. This paper summarizes our current knowledge of the Devon Island ice cap and identifies some of the outstanding questions that continue to limit our understanding of climate-ice cap interactions in Arctic regions. Key words: Devon Island ice cap, Canadian Arctic, glaciology, ice dynamics, mass balance, climate change, tidewater, ice cores

BREEDING BIRD SURVEYS AT ALEXANDRA FIORD, ELLESMERE ISLAND, NUNAVUT (1980–2008)
Sarah A. Trefry, Bill Freedman, James M.G. Hudson, Gregory H.R. Henry

ABSTRACT

Long-term monitoring of bird populations in the Arctic is of considerable interest as this area is experiencing rapid climate warming; however, multi-decadal studies in the Canadian High Arctic are rare. Over five summers between 1980 and 2008, we conducted breeding bird surveys by walking transects and mapping territories in a periglacial lowland on east-central Ellesmere Island, Nunavut. In all survey years, snow bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis), Lapland longspur (Calcarius lapponicus), and Baird's sandpiper (Calidris bairdii) were the most abundant species. Over the study period, the assemblage of breeding bird species appears to have changed little, except for an increase in Lapland longspur. In the summer of 2008, we also compared two techniques for censusing territories. We found that spot-mapping, a simple and cost-effective method, produced similar results to the more labour-intensive active-flushing. Spot-mapping is therefore suitable for conducting bird surveys in northern locations where the vegetation is short, the terrain is flat, and the visibility is extensive. In the coming years, it will be important to continue monitoring Arctic birds to determine how climate change is affecting their breeding populations. Key words: active-flushing, Arctic, climate change, Ellesmere Island, High Arctic, monitoring, rope-drag, spot-mapping, survey

WALRUSES ATTACK SPECTACLED EIDERS WINTERING IN PACK ICE OF THE BERING SEA 
James R. Lovvorn, Joseph J. Wilson, David McKay, Joseph K. Bump, Lee W. Cooper, Jacqueline M. Grebmeier

ABSTRACT

We observed walruses (Odobenus rosmarus) pursuing spectacled eiders (Somateria fischeri) within pack ice of the Bering Sea, 70–90 km from the nearest land. We used both direct observations from a helicopter and a heligimbal camera system that can film animals from a helicopter at high altitudes. The eiders were in monospecific flocks of thousands of birds within large leads. The walruses apparently tried to catch the eiders from below; the eiders responded with a “flash expansion” (explosive radial movement), wing-flapping and running along the water surface to escape. Disturbance by individual walruses could restrict flocks of thousands of birds to small portions of the open water. In eight such events that we witnessed over 75 min of observations, we were unable to confirm that walruses captured any of these full-grown, flight-capable eiders. However, the high rate of attacks and the eiders’ dramatic escape response suggest that walruses can at times be effective predators on them, and may affect the eiders’ dispersion and energy balance. Key words: Bering Sea, heligimbal camera system, marine mammal predation on birds, pinniped predation on birds, predator avoidance, spectacled eider, walrus

CRUISE TOURISM AND SEA ICE IN CANADA'S HUDSON BAY REGION
E.J. Stewart, A. Tivy, S.E.L. Howell, J. Dawson, D. Draper

ABSTRACT 

Tourism in the Hudson Bay region of central northern Canada generally is associated with non-consumptive forms of nature-based activities (such as polar bear viewing). However, the region has experienced variable growth in the cruise sector in recent years. This paper examines patterns of cruise activity in all subregions of the Hudson Bay region during three cruise seasons (2006, 2008, and 2009) and mainly reveals a pattern of decline. Since the prevalence of sea ice is an important part of visitor experiences of polar cruises, we examine sea ice change and occurrence of icebergs in the Hudson Bay region. Our sea ice analysis suggests that the length of the navigable shipping season is increasing in this region, which may facilitate both earlier and later shipping. But in terms of cruise traffic, we suggest that the demise of ice coverage signals a possible decline in cruise activity in most of the Hudson Bay region because ice-supported wildlife may shift north with the diminishing ice regime. Given the possible environmental and socio-cultural implications of changing cruise activity patterns in the Arctic and the absence of broad-scale monitoring and surveillance of the industry, use of these available data sources is vital to building a clearer picture. Key words: Canadian Arctic, Hudson Bay region, sea ice, tourism, polar tourism, cruise tourism

BAFFIN BAY NARWHAL POPULATION DISTRIBUTION AND NUMBERS: AERIAL SURVEYS IN THE CANADIAN HIGH ARCTIC, 2002–04
P.R. Richard, J.L. Laake, R.C. Hobbs, M.P. Heide-Jørgensen, N.C. Asselin, H. Cleator 

ABSTRACT

Aerial surveys of narwhals (Monodon monoceros) were conducted in the Canadian High Arctic during the month of August from 2002 to 2004. The surveys covered the waters of Barrow Strait, Prince Regent Inlet, the Gulf of Boothia, Admiralty Inlet, Eclipse Sound, and the eastern coast of Baffin Island, using systematic sampling methods. Fiords were flown along a single transect down the middle. Near-surface population estimates increased by 1.9 %– 8.7% when corrected for perception bias. The estimates were further increased by a factor of approximately 3, to account for individuals not seen because they were diving when the survey plane flew over (availability bias). These corrections resulted in estimates of 27 656 (SE = 14 939) for the Prince Regent and Gulf of Boothia area, 20 225 (SE = 7285) for the Eclipse Sound area, and 10 073 (SE = 3123) for the East Baffin Island fiord area. The estimate for the Admiralty Inlet area was 5362 (SE = 2681) but is thought to be biased. Surveys could not be done in other known areas of occupation, such as the waters of the Cumberland Peninsula of East Baffin, and channels farther west of the areas surveyed (Peel Sound, Viscount Melville Sound, Smith Sound and Jones Sound, and other channels of the Canadian Arctic archipelago). Despite these probable biases and the incomplete coverage, results of these surveys show that the summering range of narwhals in the Canadian High Arctic is vast. If narwhals are philopatri to their summering areas, as they appear to be, the total population of that range could number more than 60 000 animals. The largest numbers are in the western portion of their summer range, around Somerset Island, and also in the Eclipse Sound area. However, these survey estimates have large variances due to narwhal aggregation in some parts of the surveyed areas. Key words: Monodontidae, line transect, mark-recapture distance sampling, population size, High Arctic, fiord

Book Reviews:

The Arctic Gold Rush: The New Race for Tomorrow's Natural Resources, by Roger Howard Janice Cavell URL: http://arctic.synergiesprairies.ca/arctic/index.php/arctic/article/viewFile/1500/1479

World Ocean Census: A Global Survey of Marine Life, by Darlene Trew Crist, Gail Scowcroft and James M. Harding, Jr.
Ian M. Dutton
URL: http://arctic.synergiesprairies.ca/arctic/index.php/arctic/article/viewFile/1501/1480

The Great Ocean of Truth: Memories of "Hudson-70," the First Circumnavigation of the Americas, by Peter Wadhams
John R. Marko, David B. Fissel
URL: http://arctic.synergiesprairies.ca/arctic/index.php/arctic/article/viewFile/1503/1482

The Northern World AD 900-1400, edited by Herbert Maschner, Owen Mason and Robert McGhee
Rpbert W. Park
URL: http://arctic.synergiesprairies.ca/arctic/index.php/arctic/article/viewFile/1504/1483

Arctic Doom, Arctic Boom: The Geopolitics of Climate Change in the Arctic, by Barry Scott Zellen
Stephanie Irlbacher-Fox
URL: http://arctic.synergiesprairies.ca/arctic/index.php/arctic/article/viewFile/980/1005

Furs and Frontiers in the Far North: The Contest among Natives and Foreign Nations for the Bering Strait Fur Trade, by John R. Bockstoce
Peter Schledermann
URL: http://arctic.synergiesprairies.ca/arctic/index.php/arctic/article/viewFile/982/1007

Encounters on the Passage: Inuit Meet the Explorers, by Dorothy Harley Eber
William Barr
URL: http://arctic.synergiesprairies.ca/arctic/index.php/arctic/article/viewFile/652/681

The Big Thaw: Travels in the Melting North, by Ed Struzik
David W. Norton
URL: http://arctic.synergiesprairies.ca/arctic/index.php/arctic/article/viewFile/655/684

Face to Face: Polar Portraits, by Huw Lewis-Jones
John Splettstoesser
URL: http://arctic.synergiesprairies.ca/arctic/index.php/arctic/article/viewFile/654/683


Essay:

Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing in the Circumpolar Arctic
Magdalena A.K. Muir
URL: http://arctic.synergiesprairies.ca/arctic/index.php/arctic/article/viewFile/1509/1488

"Just in Case" Policy in the Arctic
Eva Ingenfeld
URL: http://arctic.synergiesprairies.ca/arctic/index.php/arctic/article/viewFile/989/1014

It's Not Just About Bears: A Problem-Solving Workshop on Aboriginal Peoples, Polar Bears, and Human Dignity
Douglas A. Clark, Susan G. Clark, Martha Dowsley, Lee Foote, Thomas S. Jung, Raynald H. Lemelin
URL: http://arctic.synergiesprairies.ca/arctic/index.php/arctic/article/viewFile/660/689


Books Received and Papers to Appear:

URL: http://arctic.synergiesprairies.ca/arctic/index.php/arctic/article/viewFile/1507/1486