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USGS2022

Ordovician geology of Alaska

Ordovician rocks, found in northern, east-central, interior and southern Alaska, formed in a variety of depositional and palaeogeographic settings. Shallow- and deep-water strata deposited along the northwestern Laurentian margin occur in east-central Alaska (Yukon River area) and probably correlative rocks crop out to the north in the Porcupine River area. Ordovician strata elsewhere in Alaska are parts of continental or island arc fragments that, as indicated by faunal and detrital zircon data, have been variously displaced. In northern Alaska, Ordovician rocks are included in the Arctic Alaska–Chukotka Microplate (AACM), a composite tectonic entity with a complex history. Some Ordovician strata in the AACM (parts of the North Slope subterrane) represent displaced fragments of the northern Laurentian margin. Coeval strata in southwestern parts of the AACM (York and Seward terranes, Hammond subterrane) share distinctive lithologic and biotic features with Ordovician rocks in interior Alaska (Farewell and related terranes). Ordovician strata in southeastern Alaska (Alexander terrane) also likely compose a composite crustal fragment that accumulated in a complex arc system. Shared features between many of these units suggest similar origins as part of one or more crustal fragments situated in the palaeo-Arctic between Laurentia, Baltica and Siberia during early Paleozoic time.

Alaska↗

USGS2020

Dynamics, variability, and change in seasonal precipitation reconstructions for North America

Cool and warm season precipitation totals have been reconstructed on a gridded basis for North America using 439 tree-ring chronologies correlated with December-April totals and 547 different chronologies correlated with May-July totals. These discrete seasonal predictor chronologies are not significantly correlated with the alternate season and the reconstructions calibrate at least 40% of the variance in both December-April and May-July precipitation totals over a large portion of North America for up to 2,000-years. Validation statistics computed on independent instrumental precipitation data from 1901-1927 indicate that the December-April reconstructions are reliable over most of the western and southern United States and northcentral Mexico, and the May-July estimates are valid over most of the United States, southwest Canada, and northeast Mexico. The strong continent wide El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) signal embedded in the cool season reconstructions, and the Arctic Oscillation signal registered by the warm season estimates, both faithfully reproduce the sign, intensity, and spatial patterns of these ocean-atmospheric influences on North American precipitation as recorded with instrumental data. The reconstructions are included in the North American Seasonal Precipitation Atlas (NASPA) and provide new insight into decadal droughts and pluvials. They indicate that the 16th century megadrought, the most severe and sustained North American drought of the past 500-years, was the combined result of three distinct seasonal droughts each bearing unique spatial patterns potentially associated with seasonal forcing from ENSO, the Arctic Oscillation, and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. Significant 200- to 500-year long trends toward increased precipitation have been detected in the cool and warm season reconstructions for eastern North America. These seasonal precipitation changes appear to be part of the positive moisture trend measured in other paleoclimate proxies for the East that began due to natural forcing before the industrial revolution and may have recently been enhanced by anthropogenic climate change.

Journal of Climate↗

USGS2020

The clock keeps ticking: Circadian rhythms of free-ranging polar bears

Life in the Arctic presents organisms with multiple challenges, including extreme photic conditions, cold temperatures, and annual loss and daily movement of sea ice. Polar bears ( Ursus maritimus ) evolved under these unique conditions, where they rely on ice to hunt their main prey, seals. However, very little is known about the dynamics of their daily and seasonal activity patterns. For many organisms, activity is synchronized (entrained) to the earth’s day/night cycle, in part via an endogenous (circadian) timekeeping mechanism. The present study used collar-mounted accelerometer and global positioning system data from 122 female polar bears in the Chukchi and Southern Beaufort Seas collected over an 8-year period to characterize activity patterns over the calendar year and to determine if circadian rhythms are expressed under the constant conditions found in the Arctic. We reveal that the majority of polar bears (80%) exhibited rhythmic activity for the duration of their recordings. Collectively within the rhythmic bear cohort, circadian rhythms were detected during periods of constant daylight (June-August; 24.40 ± 1.39 h, mean ± SD) and constant darkness (23.89 ± 1.72 h). Exclusive of denning periods (November-April), the time of peak activity remained relatively stable (acrophases: ~1200-1400 h) for most of the year, suggesting either entrainment or masking. However, activity patterns shifted during the spring feeding and seal pupping season, as evidenced by an acrophase inversion to ~2400 h in April, followed by highly variable timing of activity across bears in May. Intriguingly, despite the dynamic environmental photoperiodic conditions, unpredictable daily timing of prey availability, and high between-animal variability, the average duration of activity (alpha) remained stable (11.2 ± 2.9 h) for most of the year. Together, these results reveal a high degree of behavioral plasticity in polar bears while also retaining circadian rhythmicity. Whether this degree of plasticity will benefit polar bears faced with a loss of sea ice remains to be determined.

Alaska↗

USGS2009

A robust, multisite Holocene history of drift ice off northern Iceland: Implications for North Atlantic climate

An important indicator of Holocene climate change is provided by evidence for variations in the extent of drift ice. A proxy for drift ice in Iceland waters is provided by the presence of quartz. Quantitative x-ray diffraction analysis of the < 2 mm sediment fraction was undertaken on 16 cores from around Iceland. The quartz weight (wt.)% estimates from each core were integrated into 250-yr intervals between ????'0.05 and 11.7 cal. ka BP. Median quartz wt.% varied between 0.2 and 3.4 and maximum values ranged between 2.8 and 11.8 wt.%. High values were attained in the early Holocene and minimum values were reached 6 - 7 cal. ka BP. Quartz wt.% then rose steadily during the late Holocene. Our data exhibit no correlation with counts on haematite-stained quartz (HSQ) grains from VM129-191 west of Ireland casting doubt on the ice-transport origin. A pilot study on the provenance of Fe oxide grains in two cores that cover the last 1.3 and 6.1 cal. ka BP indicated a large fraction of the grains between 1 and 6 cal. ka BP were from either Icelandic or presently unsampled sources. However, there was a dramatic increase in Canadian and Russian sources from the Arctic Ocean ???1 cal. ka BP. These data may indicate the beginning of an Arctic Oscillation-like climate mode. ?? 2009 SAGE Publications.

Holocene↗

USGS2002

Energy resource potential of natural gas hydrates

The discovery of large gas hydrate accumulations in terrestrial permafrost regions of the Arctic and beneath the sea along the outer continental margins of the world's oceans has heightened interest in gas hydrates as a possible energy resource. However, significant to potentially insurmountable technical issues must be resolved be fore gas hydrates can be considered a viable option for affordable supplies of natural gas. The combined information from Arctic gas hydrate studies shows that, in permafrost regions, gas hydrates may exist at subsurface depths ranging from about 130 to 2000 m. The presence of gas hydrates in offshore continental margins has been inferred mainly from anomalous seismic reflectors, known as bottom-simulating reflectors, that have been mapped at depths below the sea floor ranging from about 100 to 1100 m. Current estimates of the amount of gas in the world's marine and permafrost gas hydrate accumulations are in rough accord at about 20,000 trillion m 3 . Disagreements over fundamental issues such as the volume of gas stored within delineated gas hydrate accumulations and the concentration of gas hydrates within hydrate-bearing strata have demonstrated that we know little about gas hydrates. Recently, however, several countries, including Japan, India, and the United States, have launched ambitious national projects to further examine the resource potential of gas hydrates. These projects may help answer key questions dealing with the properties of gas hydrate reservoirs, the design of production systems, and, most important, the costs and economics of gas hydrate production.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulle↗

USGS2018

International migration patterns of Red-throated Loons (Gavia stellata) from four breeding populations in Alaska

Identifying post-breeding migration and wintering distributions of migratory birds is important for understanding factors that may drive population dynamics. Red-throated Loons ( Gavia stellata ) are widely distributed across Alaska and currently have varying population trends, including some populations with recent periods of decline. To investigate population differentiation and the location of migration pathways and wintering areas, which may inform population trend patterns, we used satellite transmitters (n = 32) to describe migration patterns of four geographically separate breeding populations of Red-throated Loons in Alaska. On average (± SD) Red-throated Loons underwent long (6,288 ± 1,825 km) fall and spring migrations predominantly along coastlines. The most northern population (Arctic Coastal Plain) migrated westward to East Asia and traveled approximately 2,000 km farther to wintering sites than the three more southerly populations (Seward Peninsula, Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, and Copper River Delta) which migrated south along the Pacific coast of North America. These migration paths are consistent with the hypothesis that Red-throated Loons from the Arctic Coastal Plain are exposed to contaminants in East Asia. The three more southerly breeding populations demonstrated a chain migration pattern in which the more northerly breeding populations generally wintered in more northerly latitudes. Collectively, the migration paths observed in this study demonstrate that some geographically distinct breeding populations overlap in wintering distribution while others use highly different wintering areas. Red-throated Loon population trends in Alaska may therefore be driven by a wide range of effects throughout the annual cycle.

Alaska↗

USGS2018

A multi-isotope (δ13C, δ15N, δ34S, δ2H) approach to establishing migratory connectivity in lesser snow geese: Tracking an overabundant species

Expanding populations of North American midcontinent lesser snow geese ( Anser caerulescens caerulescens ) have potential to alter ecosystems throughout the Arctic and subarctic where they breed. Efforts to understand origins of harvested lesser snow geese to better inform management decisions have traditionally required mark-recapture approaches, while aerial photographic surveys have typically been used to identify breeding distributions. As a potential alternative, isotopic patterns that are metabolically fixed within newly grown flight feathers following summer molting could provide inferences regarding geographic breeding origin of individuals, without the need for prior capture. Our objective was to assess potential to use four stable isotopes (δ 13 C, δ 15 N, δ 34 S, δ 2 H) from feather material to determine breeding origins. We obtained newly grown flight feathers from individuals during summer banding at three Arctic and two subarctic breeding colonies in 2014 ( n = 56) and 2016 ( n = 45). We used linear discriminant analyses to predict breeding origins from models using combinations of stable isotopes as predictors and evaluated model accuracy when predicting colony, subregion, or subpopulation levels. We found a strong inverse relationship between δ 2 H values and increasing latitude ( R 2 = 0.83), resulting in differences ( F 4, 51 = 90.41, P < 0.0001) among sampled colonies. No differences in δ 13 C or δ 15 N were detected among colonies, although δ 34 S in Akimiski Island, Baffin Island, and Karrak Lake were more enriched ( F 4, 51 = 11.25, P < 0.0001). Using δ 2 H values as a predictor, discriminant analyses improved accuracy in classification level as precision decreased [model accuracy = 67% (colony), 88% (subregion), 94% (subpopulation)]. Application of the isotopic methods we describe could be used to provide an alternative monitoring method of population metrics, such as overall breeding population distribution, region-specific productivity and migratory connectivity that are informative to management decision makers and provide insight into cross-seasonal effects that may influence migratory behavior.

Baffin Island, Southampton Island↗

USGS2020

Novel insights into serodiagnosis and epidemiology of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, a newly recognized pathogen in muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus)

Muskoxen are a key species of Arctic ecosystems and are important for food security and socio-economic well-being of many Indigenous communities in the Arctic and Subarctic. Between 2009 and 2014, the bacterium Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae was isolated for the first time in this species in association with multiple mortality events in Canada and Alaska, raising questions regarding the spatiotemporal occurrence of the pathogen and its potential impact on muskox populations.

Alaska, Yukon, Northwester Territories, Nunavut↗

USGS2021

Biogeography and ecology of Ostracoda in the U.S. northern Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas

Ostracoda (bivalved Crustacea) comprise a significant part of the benthic meiofauna in the Pacific-Arctic region, including more than 50 species, many with identifiable ecological tolerances. These species hold potential as useful indicators of past and future ecosystem changes. In this study, we examined benthic ostracodes from nearly 300 surface sediment samples, >34,000 specimens, from three regions—the northern Bering, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas—to establish species’ ecology and distribution. Samples were collected during various sampling programs from 1970 through 2018 on the continental shelves at 20 to ~100m water depth. Ordination analyses using species’ relative frequencies identified six species, Normanicythere leioderma , Sarsicytheridea bradii , Paracyprideis pseudopunctillata , Semicytherura complanata , Schizocythere ikeyai , and Munseyella mananensis , as having diagnostic habitat ranges in bottom water temperatures, salinities, sediment substrates and/or food sources. Species relative abundances and distributions can be used to infer past bottom environmental conditions in sediment archives for paleo-reconstructions and to characterize potential changes in Pacific-Arctic ecosystems in future sampling studies. Statistical analyses further showed ostracode assemblages grouped by the summer water masses influencing the area. Offshore-to-nearshore transects of samples across different water masses showed that complex water mass characteristics, such as bottom temperature, productivity, as well as sediment texture, influenced the relative frequencies of ostracode species over small spatial scales. On the larger biogeographic scale, synoptic ordination analyses showed dominant species— N . leioderma (Bering Sea), P . pseudopunctillata (offshore Chukchi and Beaufort Seas), and S . bradii (all regions)—remained fairly constant over recent decades. However, during 2013–2018, northern Pacific species M . mananensis and S . ikeyai increased in abundance by small but significant proportions in the Chukchi Sea region compared to earlier years. It is yet unclear if these assemblage changes signify a meiofaunal response to changing water mass properties and if this trend will continue in the future. Our new ecological data on ostracode species and biogeography suggest these hypotheses can be tested with future benthic monitoring efforts.

PLoS ONE↗

USGS2024

Increased pathogen exposure of a marine apex predator over three decades

Environmental changes associated with global warming create new opportunities for pathogen and parasite transmission in Arctic wildlife. As an apex predator ranging over large, remote areas, changes in pathogens and parasites in polar bears are a useful indicator of changing transmission dynamics in Arctic ecosystems. We examined prevalence and risk factors associated with exposure to parasites and viral and bacterial pathogens in Chukchi Sea polar bears. Serum antibodies to six pathogens were detected and prevalence increased between 1987–1994 and 2008–2017 for five: Toxoplasma gondii , Neospora caninum , Francisella tularensis , Brucella abortus/suis , and canine distemper virus. Although bears have increased summer land use, this behavior was not associated with increased exposure. Higher prevalence of F. tularensis , C. burnetii , and B. abortus/suis antibodies in females compared to males, however, could be associated with terrestrial denning. Exposure was related to diet for several pathogens indicating increased exposure in the food web. Elevated white blood cell counts suggest a possible immune response to some pathogens. Given that polar bears face multiple stressors in association with climate change and are a subsistence food, further work is warranted to screen for signs of disease.

Alaska↗

USGS2001

Evaluation of commercially prepared transport systems for nonlethal detection of Aeromonas salmonicida in salmonid fish

In vitro studies indicated that commercially prepared transport systems containing Amies, Stuart's, and Cary-Blair media worked equally well in sustaining the viability of the fish pathogen Aeromonas salmonicida, which causes furunculosis. The bacterium remained viable without significant increase or decrease in cell numbers for as long as 48 h of incubation at 18-20??C in Stuart's transport medium; consequently, obtaining mucus samples in such tubes were comparable to on-site detection of A. salmonicida by dilution plate counts on Coomassie Brilliant Blue agar. In three different assays of 100 samples of mucus from Atlantic salmon Salmo salar infected subclinically with A. salmonicida, dilution counts conducted on-site proved more reliable for detecting the pathogen than obtaining the samples in the transport system. In the on-site assays, dilution counts detected the pathogen in 34, 41, and 22 samples, whereas this was accomplished in only 15, 15, and 3 of the respective samples when the transport system was used. In an additional experiment, Arctic char Salvelinus alpinus sustaining a frank epizootic of furunculosis were sampled similarly. Here, too, dilution counts were more predictive of the prevalence of A. salmonicida and detected the pathogen in 46 mucus samples; in comparison, only 6 samples collected by using the transport system were positive. We also observed that the transport system supported the growth of the normal mucus bacterial flora. Particularly predominant among these were motile aeromonads and Pseudomonas fluorescens. In studies of mixed culture growth, two representatives of both of the latter genera of bacteria outgrew A. salmonicida - in some cases, to the total exclusion of the pathogen itself.

Journal of Aquatic Animal Health↗

USGS2007

Temperature-mediated differences in bacterial kidney disease expression and survival in Renibacterium salmoninarum-challenged bull trout and other salmonids

Resource managers considering restoration and reconnection of watersheds to protect and enhance threatened populations of bull trout Salvelinus confluentus have little information about the consequences of bacterial kidney disease (BKD) caused by Renibacterium salmoninarum. To better understand the response of bull trout to R. salmoninarum challenge, we conducted several laboratory experiments at two water temperatures. The extent, severity, and lethality of BKD in bull trout were compared with those of similarly challenged lake trout S. namaycush, Arctic char S. alpinus, Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, and rainbow trout O. mykiss. The lethal dose of bacterial cells necessary to induce 50% mortality (LD50) was 10-fold lower at the 15??C challenge than at the 9??C challenge. Of the species tested, bull trout were relatively resistant to BKD, Arctic char were the most susceptible among Salvelinus species, and Chinook salmon were the most susceptible among Oncorhynchus species tested. Mean time to death was more rapid for all fish tested at 15??C than for fish challenged at 9??C. These results suggest that infection of bull trout with BKD likely poses a low risk to successful restoration of threatened populations. ?? Copyright by the American Fisheries Society 2007.

North American Journal of Fisheries Management↗

USGS2001

Lichens from St. Matthew and St. Paul Islands, Bering Sea, Alaska

One hundred thirty-nine taxa of lichens including two lichen parasites are reported from St. Matthew and St. Paul Islands in the Bering Sea. Caloplaca lithophila is new to Alaska. Wide-ranging arctic-alpine and boreal species dominate the lichens; a coastal element is moderately represented, while amphi-Beringian species form a minor element. In comparison with St. Paul Island, St. Matthew Island is richer in arctic-alpine species.

Alaska↗

USGS2004

Lack of spatial genetic structure among nesting and wintering King Eiders

The King Eider (Somateria spectabilis) has been delineated into two broadly distributed breeding populations in North America (the western and eastern Arctic) on the basis of banding data and their use of widely separated Pacific and Atlantic wintering areas. Little is known about the level of gene flow between these two populations. Also unknown is whether behavioral patterns common among migratory waterfowl, such as site fidelity to wintering areas and pair formation at these sites, have existed for sufficient time to create a population structure defined by philopatry to wintering rather than to nesting locations. We used six nuclear microsatellite DNA loci and cytochrome b mitochondrial DNA sequence data to estimate the extent of spatial genetic differentiation among nesting and wintering areas of King Eiders across North America and adjacent regions. Estimates of interpopulation variance in microsatellite allele and mtDNA haplotype frequency were both low and nonsignificant based on samples from three wintering and four nesting areas. Results from nested clade analysis, mismatch distributions, and coalescent-based analyses suggest historical population growth and gene flow that collectively may have homogenized gene frequencies. The presence of several unique mtDNA haplotypes among birds wintering near Greenland suggests that gene flow may now be more limited between the western and eastern Arctic, which is consistent with banding data.

Condor↗

USGS2004

Temporal and geographic variation in survival of juvenile black brant

First-year survival has important implications for the structure and growth of populations. We examined variation in seasonal survival of first-year Pacific Black Brant ( Branta bernicla nigricans ) marked late in summer in Alaska at two brood-rearing areas on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta (Tutakoke and Kokechik) and one area on the Arctic Coastal Plain to provide insight into the magnitude and timing of mortality during fall migration. First-year survival was lower in early fall (15 July-1 October), when birds fledged from brood-rearing areas and migrated to their primary fall staging area at Izembek Lagoon, Alaska, than during late fall and early winter (1 October-15 February), when birds made a long-distance transoceanic flight (>5000 km) to wintering areas in Baja California, Mexico. When compared to other years, monthly survival during early fall was 20-24% lower in 1992, the year of latest hatch dates and slowest growth of goslings. There was strong evidence to indicate that survival varied geographically within the early fall period. Monthly survival estimates during early fall were lowest for birds from Tutakoke, highest for birds from the Arctic Coastal Plain, and intermediate at Kokechik. Our findings revealed that most juvenile mortality occurred during the first 2 months following banding, and variation in juvenile survival during this period was likely influenced significantly by environmental parameters and habitat conditions on the breeding grounds. Monthly survival estimates during the subsequent 4 months were similar across geographic areas, and long-distance migration was likely the most important contributor to juvenile mortality during this period.

Alaska↗

USGS2014

Historic and contemporary mercury exposure and potential risk to yellow-billed loons ( Gavia adamsii ) breeding in Alaska and Canada

The Yellow-billed Loon (Gavia adamsii) is one of the rarest breeding birds in North America. Because of the small population size and patchy distribution, any stressor to its population is of concern. To determine risks posed by environmental mercury (Hg) loads, we captured 115 Yellow-billed Loons between 2002 and 2012 in the North American Arctic and sampled their blood and/or feather tissues and collected nine eggs. Museum samples from Yellow-billed Loons also were analyzed to examine potential changes in Hg exposure over time. An extensive database of published Hg concentrations and associated adverse effects in Common Loons (G. immer) is highly informative and representative for Yellow-billed Loons. Blood Hg concentrations reflect dietary uptake of methylmercury (MeHg) from breeding areas and are generally considered near background levels if less than 1.0 µg/g wet weight (ww). Feather (grown at wintering sites) and egg Hg concentrations can represent a mix of breeding and wintering dietary uptake of MeHg. Based on Common Loon studies, significant risk of reduced reproductive success generally occurs when adult Hg concentrations exceed 2.0 µg/g ww in blood, 20.0 µg/g fresh weight (fw) in flight feathers and 1.0 µg/g ww in eggs. Contemporary mercury concentrations for 176 total samples (across all study sites for 115 Yellow-billed Loons) ranged from 0.08 to 1.45 µg/g ww in blood, 3.0 to 24.9 µg/g fw in feathers and 0.21 to 1.23 µg/g ww in eggs. Mercury concentrations in blood, feather and egg tissues indicate that some individual Yellow-billed Loons in breeding populations across North America are at risk of lowered productivity resulting from Hg exposure. Most Yellow-billed Loons breeding in Alaska overwinter in marine waters of eastern Asia. Although blood Hg concentrations from most breeding loons in Alaska are within background levels, some individuals exhibit elevated feather and egg Hg concentrations, which likely indicate the uptake of MeHg originating from eastern Asia. Feather Hg concentrations tended to be highest in individuals overwintering farthest west (closer to Asia). A retrospective analysis of museum specimens (n = 25) found a two-fold increase in Yellow-billed Loon feather Hg concentrations from the pre-1920s (as early as 1845) to the present. The projected increase in Hg deposition (approximately four-fold by 2050) along with the uncertainty of Hg being released through the thawing of permafrost and Arctic sea ice suggest that Hg body burdens in Yellow-billed Loons may increase. These findings indicate that Hg is a current and potentially increasing environmental stressor for the Yellow-billed Loon and possibly other Nearctic-Palearctic migrant birds.

Alaska↗

USGS2022

Interspecific and local variation in Tern chick diets across nesting colonies in the Gulf of Maine

The Gulf of Maine, USA is home to four colonial co-nesting tern species: Least Tern ( Sternula antillarum ), Common Tern ( Sterna hirundo ), Arctic Tern ( Sterna paradisaea ), and the federally endangered Roseate Tern ( Sterna dougallii ). Over three decades of visual observations of chick provisioning were compiled for a comparative dietary study in the region, including the first detailed descriptions of Least and Roseate Tern chick diets. Three prey groups comprised the majority of chick diets among tern species between 1986–2017: hake ( Urophycis spp. or Enchelyopus cimbrius ) 28–37% frequency of occurrence (FO), sand lance ( Ammodytes americanus or A. dubius ) 8–22% FO, and herring ( Clupea spp . or Alosa spp.) 3–30% FO. Dietary contributions varied across species and islands. At two inshore colonies, Common Tern diets contained higher amounts of sand lance (30–42% FO), while offshore islands contained lesser amounts (5–9% FO). Overall dietary diversity (H′) was similar between Common (H′ = 1.57) and Arctic Terns (H′ = 1.74) and notably lower in Roseate (H′ = 1.24) and Least Terns (H′ = 1.37), whose diets were primarily piscivorous. The degree of dietary plasticity and general feeding ecology provided by baseline dietary information can inform holistic assessments of risk to ongoing and future disturbances from fishing and climate change.

Maine↗

USGS2011

Indigenous observations of climate change in the Lower Yukon River Basin, Alaska

Natural science climate change studies have led to an overwhelming amount of evidence that the Arctic and Subarctic are among the world's first locations to begin experiencing climate change. Indigenous knowledge of northern regions is a valuable resource to assess the effects of climate change on the people and the landscape. Most studies, however, have focused on coastal Arctic and Subarctic communities with relatively little focus on inland communities. This paper relates the findings from fieldwork conducted in the Lower Yukon River Basin of Alaska in the spring of 2009. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with hunters and elders in the villages of St. Mary's and Pitka's Point, Alaska to document observations of climate change. This study assumes that scientific findings and indigenous knowledge are complementary and seeks to overcome the false dichotomy that these two ways of knowing are in opposition. The observed changes in the climate communicated by the hunters and elders of St. Mary's and Pitka's Point, Alaska are impacting the community in ways ranging from subsistence (shifting flora and fauna patterns), concerns about safety (unpredictable weather patterns and dangerous ice conditions), and a changing resource base (increased reliance on fossil fuels). Here we attempt to address the challenges of integrating these two ways of knowing while relating indigenous observations as described by elders and hunters of the study area to those described by scientific literature.

Human Organization↗