Starting the clock on the CARMA Network: Global change impacts on human/Rangifer systems in the CircumArctic

• Main Authors: Don Russell, Anne Gunn, Brad Griffith, Gary Kofinas, Jan Adamczewski, Marsha Branigan, Robert White, Susan Kutz, Wendy Nixon
• Format: Dataset
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: Habitat vulnerability; Circumpolar region; Arctic; Population dynamics; Caribou; Disease; Parasites; Climate change; Reindeer; Baffin Island; Cape Bathurst; Indigirka; Kangerlussuaq; Maniitsoq; Sisimiut; Sundrun; West Cape; Arctic Population; Baffin; Chukotka; Iceland; International Polar Year; IPY; Taimyr
• Online Access: https://search.dataone.org/view/sha256:bdcd66328ce00ad02fd62fe98c294b958578769cbb5fb36ab36503c85b9207dd

CARMA is an international network of researchers, habitat specialists, climate specialists, veterinarians and disease ecologists, community representatives and management agencies who are concerned about the impacts of global change on the world's wild reindeer and caribou herds. Through the support of the International Polar Year (IPY), much of the CARMA Network monitoring activity has been focussed on health and body condition, population trends, and habitat changes of caribou in selected herds across the Arctic. An assessment of body condition provides measurable indicators for ecological monitoring, especially when monitored concurrently with assessments of parasites, disease, habitat quality, distribution, and demographic parameters. Fat and protein levels of cow caribou are considered a good integrator of seasonal environmental conditions (including infectious and parasitic disease) that relate closely to pregnancy success and calf survival. The CARMA Network has developed monitoring protocol manuals to ensure consistency in methods used to measure health and body condition and in data management. CARMA developed an extensive climate database that covers all calving, summer, fall, winter and spring ranges for CARMA¿s herds: Ahiak, Akia-Maniitsoq, Baffin Island, Bathurst, Beverly, Bluenose East, Bluenose West, Cape Bathurst, Central Arctic, Chokotka (Chukotka), George River, Hardangervidda, Iceland, Kangerlussuaq-Sisimiut, Leaf River, Lena, Porcupine, Qamanirjuaq, Southam pton Island, Sundrun, Taimyr, Teshekpuk Lake, Western Arctic, and Yana Indigirka (Indigurka). As part of synthesis efforts, we are summarizing trends in caribou-relevant climate variables. Climate trends will be identified and related to global climate oscillations, and relevance to caribou ecology will be highlighted.