Caribou forage availability informs conservation efforts
Master of Environmental Studies graduate Alex Johnson is increasing understanding of a culturally significant, endangered species.
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Caribou (tuttuk in Nunatsiavut) populations are in decline across Canada which has major cultural, social, physical and emotional implications for Northern communities. Habitat degradation and climate change are major contributors to this decline, and both are expected to continue.
The Torngat Mountains, located in northern Labrador, is home to the Torngat Mountain Caribou (TMC) herd. The TMC has only recently been established as their own herd and have therefore been understudied in comparison to other caribou herds in Canada. This deficiency in data limits how interested parties, including Parks Canada and local Inuit communities, can manage the population.
Alex Johnson, a recent Master of Environmental Studies graduate from the School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, studied the past, present, and future state of the TMC. Her master’s thesis summarized existing data, identified knowledge gaps, and contributed new insights to this distinct animal herd.
One component of Johnson’s thesis, and the basis of a recently published article, determined how much forage is suitable for the TMC herd within two study sites in Nunatsiavut, and how this may change with climate warming.
Approximately 50 vegetation point-frame plots were established, including control and experimental warming plots. Within each plot, each measuring approximately 1 m x 1 m, data on changes in vegetation, composition, and abundance were collected. Vegetation was then classified based on caribou foraging preferences.
Photo credit: Darroch Whitaker, Parks Canada
Overall, the relative frequency of favourable winter caribou forage is much lower than the relative frequency of favourable summer forage across both plot types at both sites. There was also evidence that increased warming in the area could lead to further reduction in favourable winter forage. This means the TMC may struggle to find adequate food in the winter months. This struggle is expected to intensify as climate change continues to increase temperatures in the region.
Johnson’s research was completed collaboratively with the Nunatsiavut Government and Parks Canada, and will make an impact on the future of the TMC herd.
“The findings can be used by caribou managers to identify areas of high forage value and better understand how these areas are changing”, explains Johnson. “These high forage value areas can then be prioritized for conservation actions to prevent caribou from becoming forage limited.”
The research, Climate Warming Impacts Tuttuk (Caribou) Forage Availability in Tongait (Torngat) Mountains, Labrador, authored by Johnson and others, was recently published in Arctic Science.