What Goes Up Must Come Down: The Influence of Climate on Caribou Populations

• Published in: Frontiers for Young Minds
• Main Author: Joly, Kyle
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Frontiers Media SA 2021
• Subjects: Arctic; Climate change
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/frym.2021.631372; https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frym.2021.631372/full

Wildlife populations naturally go up and down. Oscillation is the term used for this pattern of highs (when there are many animals) and lows (when there are few). When the number of births is greater than the number of deaths, then populations grow. If deaths exceed births, populations decline. Caribou in the Arctic have dramatic population oscillations. The number of caribou can grow very high and also decrease to very few. Large-scale, long-lasting weather oscillations are one reason for this pattern. Knowledge of the connection between wildlife populations and climate oscillations is important to help conserve species like caribou and to better understand how climate change will impact wildlife.