Northern alpine avian ecology and climate variation

我的北高山生态研究计划决定了鸟类种群如何应对气候变化，气候变化的强度和频率正在增加。人们越来越担心，气候变化的组成部分将改变动物的分布、繁殖，并最终改变野生动物的持久性。加拿大北部山区的鸟类生态学工作很少，预计气候变暖的影响最严重。考虑到野生动物强烈的生物物理梯度，北高山地区是开展野生动物对不同环境反应研究的理想栖息地。在我之前的北方研究补充资料中，我成功地启动了新的研究，在2个野外地点培训了3名博士和13名本科生HQP，了解气候变化对松鸡和鸣禽种群的影响。松鸡被猎杀是为了生存和娱乐，也是北方食物网中中型鸟类和哺乳动物捕食者的关键猎物物种。我的长期目标是更好地了解在当前和未来的环境条件下，影响北极和高山生态系统野生动物种群的关键驱动因素。我们将研究两个关键的生态过程(景观结构、气候变化)如何影响育空地区3种松鸡的种群结构和持久性。我们将对最脆弱的幼年松鸡进行无线电遥测，以确定它们在第一个冬天死亡率最高的时期和环境条件。我们还将使用温度数据记录器和对标记鸟类的行为研究来研究北部两个地点的高山鸣禽，以确定能量和繁殖挑战如何导致种群变化。我的北阿尔卑斯山鸟类研究的预期意义是改进对气候变化对脊椎动物影响的预测。2005年，我们开始与Kluane First Nation(Burwash Landing)讨论调整我们的研究设计，以帮助他们和其他北方人在北方生态系统中进行生物多样性规划和可持续的野生动物利用。在我的北方实地研究项目中，我将培训11名研究生HQP(8名博士、2名硕士、1名PDF)和15名本科生HQP。我们优先雇用北方人。

My Northern Alpine Ecology research program determines how bird populations deal with climate variability, the intensity and frequency of which is increasing with climate change. There is growing concern that components of climate change will alter animal distribution, reproduction, and ultimately wildlife persistence. Little avian ecology work has been done in mountain areas in Northern Canada where the impacts of climate warming are expected to be most severe. The Northern Alpine is an ideal habitat to initiate studies on wildlife responses to variable environments, given their strong bio-physical gradients. With my previous Northern Research Supplement, I successfully initiated new research that trained 3 PhD and 13 Undergrad HQP on the impacts of climate change on ptarmigan and songbird populations at 2 field locations. Ptarmigan are hunted for subsistence and recreation, and are also key prey species for mid-sized avian and mammalian predators in Northern food webs. My long-term objective is to better understand the key drivers influencing wildlife populations for Arctic and Alpine ecosystems, in current and future environmental conditions. We will study how two key ecological processes (landscape structure, climate variation) influence population structure and persistence for 3 ptarmigan species in the Yukon. We will use radio telemetry on juvenile grouse, the most vulnerable cohort, to determine the periods and environmental conditions of highest mortality in their first winter. We will also study alpine songbirds in two northern locations using temperature data loggers and behavioural studies on marked birds to determine how the energetic and reproductive challenges result in population change. The expected significance of my Northern Alpine Avian Research is to improve predictions for impacts of climate change on vertebrates. In 2005, we began discussions with the Kluane First Nation (Burwash Landing) to adapt our study designs to assist them and other Northerners in biodiversity planning and sustainable wildlife use in Northern Ecosystems. In my Northern field research program, I will train 11 graduate HQP (8 PhD, 2 MSc, 1 PDF) and >15 undergraduate HQP. We give priority to hiring Northerners.