Towards the Development of the Canadian High Arctic Research Station (CHARS) as a Centre for Science and Technology in Canada and the Circumpolar North Regional Social and Ecological Context, Baseline Studies, and Monitoring Pilots June 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 9 CHARS’ Science Vision, Mission, and Objectives .......................................................................................... 9 CHARS’ Science Partnerships ...................................................................................................................... 10 CHARS-led Monitoring and Reporting of Northern Social and Ecological Change ..................................... 12 The Regional Setting – A Social and Ecosystem Context for CHARS Science .............................................. 14 CHARS Experimental and Reference Area (ERA) ......................................................................................... 18 CHARS ERA Climate Summary ..................................................................................................................... 20 Bedrock Geology ......................................................................................................................................... 21 Glacial History and Quaternary Geology ................................................................................................ 22 Marine Limits .......................................................................................................................................... 23 Permafrost and Periglacial Landforms .................................................................................................... 23 Human History ............................................................................................................................................ 25 Terrestrial Ecosystem Classification and Mapping – The Artic-Subarctic Terrestrial Ecosystem Classification (ASTEC) .................................................................................................................................. 26 Vegetation and Ecosystems ........................................................................................................................ 29 Arctic Bioclimatic Zonation ..................................................................................................................... 29 Arctic Zonation and the CNVC............................................................................................................. 30 Terrestrial Ecosystem Classification and Mapping of the CHARS ERA .................................................... 31 Ecosystem Sampling and Description (2013 and 2014 Field Seasons) ............................................... 31 Terrestrial Ecosystems of the CHARS Experimental and Reference Area - The Greiner Watershed...... 31 Zonal Ecosystem.................................................................................................................................. 32 Drier and More Exposed Ecosystems.................................................................................................. 34 Moist Tundra Ecosystems ................................................................................................................... 36 Wet sites ............................................................................................................................................. 39 Marine Shore Ecoystems: ................................................................................................................... 42 Other Vegetation Types ...................................................................................................................... 46 Vascular Plants of Eastern Victoria Island and Adjacent Mainland Nunavut: Results of Field Studies, Summer 2014 .............................................................................................................................................. 47 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 47 Preservation of Collections ..................................................................................................................... 47 Species of Conservation Concern ........................................................................................................... 49 Non-native and Invasive Species ............................................................................................................ 49 2 Plant Species Accounts ........................................................................................................................... 50 New Reports............................................................................................................................................ 50 Bird Monitoring Pilot................................................................................................................................... 82 Rationale ................................................................................................................................................. 82 Methods .................................................................................................................................................. 82 Results ..................................................................................................................................................... 83 Conclusions and Recommendations ....................................................................................................... 83 Going Forward ........................................................................................................................................ 88 Arthropod Biodiversity Monitoring Pilot .................................................................................................... 89 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 89 Results ..................................................................................................................................................... 89 Spiders (Araneae) ................................................................................................................................ 89 Beetles (Coleoptera) ........................................................................................................................... 91 Black Flies (Diptera, Simuliidae) .......................................................................................................... 91 Other flies ............................................................................................................................................ 92 Parasitoid Wasps (Hymenoptera, various families) ............................................................................ 92 Other taxa ........................................................................................................................................... 93 Summary ............................................................................................................................................. 93 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................. 93 Summary of Research on the Health of Muskoxen in the CHARS ERA and Southern Victoria Island ........ 94 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 94 Project 1: Non-invasive tools for assessing health and guiding conservation of muskoxen in a changing Arctic ....................................................................................................................................................... 94 Methods .............................................................................................................................................. 95 Preliminary Results ............................................................................................................................. 95 References .......................................................................................................................................... 95 Project 2: Tracking and Predicting the Distribution and Range Expansion of muskox lungworms of the Canadian Arctic in relation to climate warming. .................................................................................... 96 Objectives............................................................................................................................................ 96 Methodology ....................................................................................................................................... 96 Preliminary Results and Future Direction ........................................................................................... 97 References .......................................................................................................................................... 98 Project 3: Diversity and Distribution of Gastropod Intermediate Hosts on South-eastern Victoria Island ...............................................................................................................................................................