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Environmental Factors Affecting High Arctic Sea Ice Habitat of Polar Bears

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Environmental Factors Affecting High Arctic Sea Ice Habitat of Polar Bears University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 1980 Environmental factors affecting high arctic sea ice habitat of polar bears Sandra K. Martin The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Martin, Sandra K., "Environmental factors affecting high arctic sea ice habitat of polar bears" (1980). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 7258. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/7258 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. COPYRIGHT ACT OF 1976 This is an unpublished manuscript in which copyright sub ­ s is t s . Any further reprinting of its contents must be approved BY THE AUTHOR. MANSFIELD L ibrary Un IVERSITY^OE I'tONTANA DATE, 1980 ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING HIGH ARCTIC SEA ICE HABITAT OF POLAR BEARS By Sandra K. Martin B.S., University of California at Berkeley, 19/7 Presented in partial fulfillm e nt of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA 1980 Approved by: Cnairmarr> Board of Examiners Dean, Graduate School PO Date UMl Number: EP38059 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMT 0iss8Tt«f)0n PublisNng UMl EP38059 Published by ProQuest LLC (2013). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code ProOuest ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 ABSTRACT Martin, Sandra K., M.S., Spring 1980 W ildlife Biology Environmental Factors Affecting High Arctic Sea Ice Habitat of Polar Bears (127 pp.) .. / ' V Ly Director: Charles J. Jonkel Habitat of polar bears (Ursus mar i t i mus) on coastal sea ice was investigated through observation of undisturbed polar bears and their environment. Approximately 40 sq km of nearshore sea ice were kept under 24-hour surveillance from 4 field camps established successively from 20 May to 18 July 19/9 on island coasts bordering Barrow Strait and Lancaster Sound, Northwest Territories, Canada. Results of recent field work were used to choose 2 areas heavily used by polar bears and 2 lig h tly used areas for study. Several biological and physical parameters of the coastal sea ice ecosystems were compared between study areas. Data analysis indicated that the observed polar bears exhibited habitat selection on the sea ice. Recorded activitie s of the bears included travel, play, sleep, and several hunting methods. The heavily used study areas harbored higher numbers of seals than the lig h tly used areas. Bird densities were higher in areas heavily used by bears and plant cover was greater on beaches bordering the sea ice in these areas. Coastal ice areas receiving the greatest polar bear use had the greatest amounts of smooth ice, indicating greater stability. The bay receiving most use by polar bears had more diversity in ice types than the unused bays. Examination of data on habitat selection by polar bears in offshore areas, collected in 1978, indicated that most levels of use of ice types were similar to patterns of use detected in coastal areas. 11 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I thank the agencies and organizations that supported this project with financial and logistic assistance. These were: Polar Continental Shelf project of Energy, Mines and Resources Canada; the National W ildlife Federation; the New York Zoological Society; PetroCanada; and the U.S. National Science Foundation through grant No. 7617644 given to Drs. Charles Jonkel and Bart O'Gara. I would like to thank the Government of the Northwest Territories, the Canadian W ildlife Service, the (Canadian) Department of Indian and Northern Affairs, and the Fisheries and Marine Service of Environment Canada. These agencies all gave me permission to carry out various aspects of my project. Jim Morrison provided assistance in the fie ld in 1978. Special thanks go to my fie ld assistnats in 1979, Barbara Taylor and Pierre Dawson, for their dedication, enthusiasm, and optimism. I also thank the personnel of Polar Continental Shelf Project's Resolute Bay base camp for their cheerful and thorough assistance. Thanks go to Drs. Bart O'Gara, John Tibbs, and Robert Curry for participating on my committee and for reviewing this manuscript. I would especially like to thank Dr. Charles Jonkel, my major adviser, for in itia l direction, guidance throughout the project, and most of all for giving me the opportunity to conduct this investigation. 111 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT........................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..................................................................................................... 111 LIST OF TABLES...............................................................................................................v1 LIST OF FIGURES...........................................................................................................v lll CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 1 II. THE SEA ICE ENVIRONMENT............................................................................5 II I . THE STUDY AREA...........................................................................................18 IV. MATERIALS AND METHODS..............................................................................23 Field Methods ..........................................................................................23 Data Analysis Methods .........................................................................34 V. RESULTS...........................................................................................................41 1978 Field Season .................................................................................41 Field Camps ..........................................................................................41 Aerial Surveys .................................................................................41 Helicopter Tracking .........................................................................42 1979 Field Season .................................................................................43 Habitat Selection .............................................................................43 Comparison of Study Areas ............................................................44 A c t iv it y ..............................................................................................48 Comparison of 1978 and 1979 D a ta ...........................................49 VI. DISCUSSION...................................................................................................50 1978 Field Work ......................................................................................50 Aerial Surveys ................................................................................. 50 Helicopter Tracking .........................................................................51 1979 Field Work ......................................................................................53 Habitat Selection .............................................................................53 Comparison of Study Areas ............................................................63 1 V Page Polar Bear A ctivity and Use of Ice Types Among Study Areas ..................................................................................... 74 Comparison of Use of Ice Types by Polar Bears, 1978 and 1979 ..............................................................................................78 Management Implications and Suggestions for Further Research ..............................................................................................79 VII. SUMMARY...........................................................................................................83 REFERENCES CITED..........................................................................................................88 APPENDIX I. HELICOPTER TRACKING DATA FORM........................................................... 120 II. THE EQUALITY OF PERCENTAGES TEST...................................................121 II I . TWELVE HOUR AVERAGES FOR BASKING SEAL DENSITIES ON COASTAL AND BAY ICE, TEMPERATURE, WIND SPEED AND CLOUD COVER FROM 20 MAY TO 19 JULY 1979............................. 123 IV. BIRDS AND MAMMALS SIGHTED IN 1979 STUDY AREAS..........................126 LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Numbers of basking seals, polar bears and bear tracks recorded on survey fligh ts conducted between 4 June and 3 July 1 9 /8 ..........................................................................................93 2. Numbers of basking seals,
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