Population dynamics and trophic interactions in arctic birds and mammals

在过去的22年里，北极一直是我研究计划的主要重点。我的长期目标是了解人类引起的气候和栖息地变化对北极鸟类和哺乳动物的种群动态和营养相互作用的影响。我的研究集中在对苔原地区两个食草性种群--迁徙的雪雁和旅鼠以及它们的捕食者--的长期种群研究。我将研究气候变暖导致的鹅繁殖时间和它们的食物植物之间的时间错配是否随着时间的推移而增加，并正在对它们的繁殖和羽毛换羽产生负面影响。我还将尝试在种群模型中加入气候因素对雪雁死亡率的拮抗效应，以预测在各种气候情景下未来的种群趋势。最后，我将评估旅鼠的种群周期是否主要受冬季食物资源或夏季捕食率的控制，以及这种周期动态对气候因素的敏感性。这项研究的实地工作将在努纳武特拜洛特岛的实地考察站进行，需要在几个月的时间里进行密集的实地工作，历时数年。我的项目将为大学的生物学研究生和北方大学环境技术专业的学生提供培训。我的研究使管理北极资源的机构受益。例如，加拿大野生动物服务局使用我们的结果来确定狩猎法规和管理雪雁种群，我们与加拿大公园合作评估和监测北部公园和保护区的生态完整性。我们还将通过在北方社区组织讲习班、在学校和公众演讲以及利用科学材料和视频组织临时展览等方式，向北方人传播我们的成果。

The Arctic has been the main focus of my research program for the past 22 years,. My long-term goals are to understand the effects of human-induced changes in climate and habitat on the population dynamic and trophic interactions of arctic birds and mammals. My research is centered on long-term population studies of two herbivorous groups of the tundra, the migratory snow geese and the resident lemmings, and of their predators. I will examine if the temporal mismatch between the timing of breeding in geese and their food plant induced by climate warming has increased over time and is impacting negatively their reproduction and feather moult. I will also attempt to incorporate into a population model antagonistic effects of climatic factors on snow geese vital rates in order to predict future population trend under various climatic scenarios. Finally, I will assess if the population cycles of lemmings are primarily controlled by winter food resources or summer predation rate, and the sensitivity of this cyclic dynamic to climatic factors. Field work for this research will be conducted at the field station located on Bylot Island, Nunavut, and will require intensive field work during several months over a few years. My projects will provide training for graduate students in biology at universities and students enrolled in environmental technologies at northern colleges. My research benefits agencies managing arctic resources. For instance, the Canadian Wildlife Service uses our results to determine hunting regulations and manage the snow goose population and we collaborate with Parks Canada to assess and monitor the ecological integrity of northern parks and conservation areas. We will also disseminate our results to northerners by organizing workshops, giving lectures at schools and to the general public and organising temporary exhibits with scientific material and videos in northern communities.