Projects Across Other Northern Regions

Transboundary

Discerning Effects of Multiple Stressors (Climate Change, River Regulation, Oil Sands Development) on Lakes

Application of contemporary and paleoenvironmental approaches to identify cause and effect and to inform water resource management.

• Research location: Peace-Athabasca Delta
• Contacts: Brent Wolfe and Roland Hall

Projects

• Assessing the hydrological variability of thermokarst lakes
  Researcher: Evan Wilcox; Supervisors: Philip Marsh and Brent Wolfe
• Identifying main influences on lake carbon balance in the Peace-Athabasca Delta 
  Researcher: Laura Neary; Supervisors: Roland Hall and Brent Wolfe
• Discerning the effects of multiple stressors on lakes in the Peace-Athabasca Delta 
  Researcher: Mitchell Kay; Supervisors: Roland Hall and Brent Wolfe
• Paleolimnological reconstruction of past hydrologic conditions at Egg Lake in the Peace-Athabasca Delta 
  Researcher: Colin Burchill; Supervisors: Brent Wolfe and Roland Hall

Impact of Large-Scale Wildfires in Boreal Watersheds with Oil Sands Development

Understanding how wildfire alters ecological integrity within the Athabasca river and tributary streams in northern Alberta.

• Research location: Lower Athabasca River, Alberta
• Contacts: Joseph Culp and Jordan Musetta-Lambert

Projects

• Impact of large-scale wildfires in boreal watersheds with oil sands development 
  Researcher: Jordan Musetta-Lambert with Joseph Culp
• Prey selectability exhibited by ninespine stickleback in Arctic streams of the Greiner Lake watershed 
  Researcher: Adam Kuhrt; Supervisor: Joseph Culp

“Last Chance Tourism” in Churchill Wildlife Management Area and Wapusk National Park

Examines the threats that climate change poses to rare and vulnerable tourism destinations, including polar bear tourism. Findings from this research are important to the management of “last chance” destinations including parks and other forms of protected areas that are legislated to preserve significant natural and cultural features.

• Research location: Hudson Bay Lowlands (Churchill Wildlife Management Area, Wapusk National Park, MB)
• Contacts: Christopher Lemieux

Climate Change Adaptation Planning

The study examines place identity and place attachment as a way to explore the risks of climate change and place-based climate change adaptation. Results suggest that citizens’ sensitivity to local climate impacts is associated most strongly with their connection to the social meanings that are embedded in the natural landscape.

• Research location: Hudson Bay Lowlands (Churchill, MB)
• Contacts: Christopher Lemieux

High Arctic

Arctic Freshwater Watersheds: Validating Protocols for Monitoring and Cumulative Impacts Assessment

Understanding the role of lake and river food webs as sources and sinks for nutrients and carbon.

• Research location: Cambridge Bay, Canadian High Arctic Research Station, Nunavut
• Contact: Joseph Culp

Cruise Tourism in Arctic Canada

This study examines the implications of the rapidly growing cruise tourism industry in Arctic Canada. It aims to understand the many socio-economic opportunities associated with tourism, climate change, as well as the environmental, technical, and cultural risks and management challenges associated with this growing tourism trend.

• Research location: Canadian Arctic
• Contact: Christopher Lemieux

Yukon

Understanding Motor Vehicle-Based Travel: Examining the Experiences of Yukon Tourists

Motor vehicle-based tourist narratives and survey responses were used to understand the relationship between northern tourism, drive tourism and the tourist experience through a case study in the Yukon.

• Research location: Alaska Highway corridor in Yukon
• Contact: Scott Slocombe

Projects

• Understanding motor vehicle-based travel: Examining the experiences of Yukon tourists
  Researcher: Natalia Wegrzyn; Supervisor: Scott Slocombe

Policy, Plans and Processes for Developing and Improving the Use of Hazard Maps in Climate Change Adaptation for Yukon Communities

The purpose of this research was to identify and assess policies, plans and processes currently in place in the Yukon for reducing impacts of climate change-related hazards in Yukon communities and the adjacent wildlife and ecosystems they depend on.

• Research location: Burwash Landing, Destruction Bay, and Old Crow, Yukon
• Contact: Scott Slocombe

Projects

• Policy, plans and processes for the development and use of hazard mapping in Yukon Community climate change adaptation planning
  Researcher: Stephanie Pike; Supervisor: Scott Slocombe