New migration and distribution patterns of Atlantic walruses (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) around Nunavik (Québec, Canada) identified using Inuit Knowledge
Abstract Environmental changes are affecting the Arctic at an unprecedented rate, but limited scientific knowledge exists on their impacts on species such as walruses ( Odobenus rosmarus ). Inuit Traditional and Local Ecological Knowledge (Inuit TEK/LEK) held by Inuit walrus harvesters could shed li...
Published in: | Polar Biology |
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Springer Science and Business Media LLC
2021
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00300-021-02920-6 https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00300-021-02920-6.pdf https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00300-021-02920-6/fulltext.html |
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crspringernat:10.1007/s00300-021-02920-6 2023-05-15T15:00:58+02:00 New migration and distribution patterns of Atlantic walruses (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) around Nunavik (Québec, Canada) identified using Inuit Knowledge Martinez-Levasseur, Laura M. Furgal, Chris M. Hammill, Mike O. Henri, Dominique A. Burness, Gary Fisheries and Oceans Canada Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada Trent University ArcticNet natural sciences and engineering research council of canada Environment and Climate Change Canada 2021 http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00300-021-02920-6 https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00300-021-02920-6.pdf https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00300-021-02920-6/fulltext.html en eng Springer Science and Business Media LLC https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 CC-BY Polar Biology volume 44, issue 9, page 1833-1845 ISSN 0722-4060 1432-2056 General Agricultural and Biological Sciences journal-article 2021 crspringernat https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-021-02920-6 2022-01-04T09:28:08Z Abstract Environmental changes are affecting the Arctic at an unprecedented rate, but limited scientific knowledge exists on their impacts on species such as walruses ( Odobenus rosmarus ). Inuit Traditional and Local Ecological Knowledge (Inuit TEK/LEK) held by Inuit walrus harvesters could shed light on walrus ecology and related environmental changes. Our main objective was to study spatial and temporal changes in Atlantic walrus ( Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus ) distribution in Nunavik (northern Québec, Canada) using Inuit TEK/LEK. To do so, we documented the knowledge and observations of 33 local hunters and Elders as part of a larger project on Atlantic walruses in Nunavik. We first gathered information on changes in Inuit land use patterns and harvesting practices through time and space, which was a crucial step to avoid potential biases in interpreting local observations on walrus distribution. We found that walrus hunters are now covering smaller hunting areas over shorter time periods, reducing in space and time their observations of Atlantic walruses around Nunavik. While clearly taking these limitations into account, we learned from interviews that some areas abandoned by Atlantic walruses in the past were now being re-occupied. Importantly, Atlantic walruses, which migrate following the melting ice, are now traveling along the eastern coast of Nunavik one month earlier, suggesting that Atlantic walrus migration has changed due to variations in sea-ice coverage around Nunavik. Our study not only highlighted important changes in Atlantic walrus distribution and migration in Nunavik, but also sheds light on the importance of documenting temporal and spatial changes in Inuit land use patterns and harvesting practices to understand the ecology of Arctic species using Inuit Knowledge. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic inuit Odobenus rosmarus Polar Biology Sea ice Nunavik walrus* Springer Nature (via Crossref) Arctic Canada Nunavik Polar Biology 44 9 1833 1845 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Springer Nature (via Crossref) |
op_collection_id |
crspringernat |
language |
English |
topic |
General Agricultural and Biological Sciences |
spellingShingle |
General Agricultural and Biological Sciences Martinez-Levasseur, Laura M. Furgal, Chris M. Hammill, Mike O. Henri, Dominique A. Burness, Gary New migration and distribution patterns of Atlantic walruses (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) around Nunavik (Québec, Canada) identified using Inuit Knowledge |
topic_facet |
General Agricultural and Biological Sciences |
description |
Abstract Environmental changes are affecting the Arctic at an unprecedented rate, but limited scientific knowledge exists on their impacts on species such as walruses ( Odobenus rosmarus ). Inuit Traditional and Local Ecological Knowledge (Inuit TEK/LEK) held by Inuit walrus harvesters could shed light on walrus ecology and related environmental changes. Our main objective was to study spatial and temporal changes in Atlantic walrus ( Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus ) distribution in Nunavik (northern Québec, Canada) using Inuit TEK/LEK. To do so, we documented the knowledge and observations of 33 local hunters and Elders as part of a larger project on Atlantic walruses in Nunavik. We first gathered information on changes in Inuit land use patterns and harvesting practices through time and space, which was a crucial step to avoid potential biases in interpreting local observations on walrus distribution. We found that walrus hunters are now covering smaller hunting areas over shorter time periods, reducing in space and time their observations of Atlantic walruses around Nunavik. While clearly taking these limitations into account, we learned from interviews that some areas abandoned by Atlantic walruses in the past were now being re-occupied. Importantly, Atlantic walruses, which migrate following the melting ice, are now traveling along the eastern coast of Nunavik one month earlier, suggesting that Atlantic walrus migration has changed due to variations in sea-ice coverage around Nunavik. Our study not only highlighted important changes in Atlantic walrus distribution and migration in Nunavik, but also sheds light on the importance of documenting temporal and spatial changes in Inuit land use patterns and harvesting practices to understand the ecology of Arctic species using Inuit Knowledge. |
author2 |
Fisheries and Oceans Canada Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada Trent University ArcticNet natural sciences and engineering research council of canada Environment and Climate Change Canada |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Martinez-Levasseur, Laura M. Furgal, Chris M. Hammill, Mike O. Henri, Dominique A. Burness, Gary |
author_facet |
Martinez-Levasseur, Laura M. Furgal, Chris M. Hammill, Mike O. Henri, Dominique A. Burness, Gary |
author_sort |
Martinez-Levasseur, Laura M. |
title |
New migration and distribution patterns of Atlantic walruses (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) around Nunavik (Québec, Canada) identified using Inuit Knowledge |
title_short |
New migration and distribution patterns of Atlantic walruses (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) around Nunavik (Québec, Canada) identified using Inuit Knowledge |
title_full |
New migration and distribution patterns of Atlantic walruses (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) around Nunavik (Québec, Canada) identified using Inuit Knowledge |
title_fullStr |
New migration and distribution patterns of Atlantic walruses (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) around Nunavik (Québec, Canada) identified using Inuit Knowledge |
title_full_unstemmed |
New migration and distribution patterns of Atlantic walruses (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) around Nunavik (Québec, Canada) identified using Inuit Knowledge |
title_sort |
new migration and distribution patterns of atlantic walruses (odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) around nunavik (québec, canada) identified using inuit knowledge |
publisher |
Springer Science and Business Media LLC |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00300-021-02920-6 https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00300-021-02920-6.pdf https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00300-021-02920-6/fulltext.html |
geographic |
Arctic Canada Nunavik |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Canada Nunavik |
genre |
Arctic inuit Odobenus rosmarus Polar Biology Sea ice Nunavik walrus* |
genre_facet |
Arctic inuit Odobenus rosmarus Polar Biology Sea ice Nunavik walrus* |
op_source |
Polar Biology volume 44, issue 9, page 1833-1845 ISSN 0722-4060 1432-2056 |
op_rights |
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 |
op_rightsnorm |
CC-BY |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-021-02920-6 |
container_title |
Polar Biology |
container_volume |
44 |
container_issue |
9 |
container_start_page |
1833 |
op_container_end_page |
1845 |
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1766333020013330432 |