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RESPONDENT
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Richard Lanctot
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SITE NAME
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Bodfish Island, Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, USA
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| Contact
details (phone/fax//e-mail//address): |
| 907-786-3609/907-786-3641(f) // richard_lanctot@fws.gov // USFWS, 1011 E. Tudor Road, MS 201 Anchorage, AK 99503, USA |
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PROJECT DETAILS
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Project name:
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Beaufort Sea Sea Ducks |
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Start of survey:
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End
of survey:
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Team
size:
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20.06 |
Sept |
4-15 |
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WEATHER CONDITIONS
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Weather conditions: |
| It was warmer than the previous two summers with no major storms. Minerals Management Services has funded the placement of 4 meterological stations that run 24 hours/day and send information via satellite to Anchorage. This data can be accessed at the following web site: http://www.resdat.com/mms/. |
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| Date of 50%
snow-cover: |
20 June |
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| Date of ice-break
on rivers: |
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| Date of final loss
of snow: |
30 June |
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BIOTIC CONDITIONS
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| Rodents abundance evaluation: |
average |
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Breeding conditions:
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| The number of breeding common eiders on coastal barrier islands was lower in 2001 relative to 2000. This is probably due to a large storm in August 2000 which changed the distribution of driftwood used by the birds for nesting. Predation rates by Arctic foxes were also higher in 2001 relative to 2000, and foxes cleared most of the barrier islands from Harrison Bay to Katovik, only two islands in the middle (Stump and Egg islands) had any productivity. |
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Rodent dynamics:
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| About 6 Collared Lemmings were found under our tents. Abundance increased later in summer.
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Rodent species recorded:
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| Latin | Abundance |
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| Dicrostonyx groenlandicus | rare |
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Summary
of fauna studies: |
| Intensive studies were done on breeding common eiders and molting long-tailed ducks. See the following web location for results from 2001: http://www.absc.usgs.gov/research/sis_summaries/ waterfowl_sis/Beaufort_Sea_ducks.htm |
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