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RESPONDENT
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Gustav Samelius
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SITE NAME
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Karrak Lake, Queen Maud Gulf Bird Sanctuary, Nunavut, Canada
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| Contact details
(phone/fax//e-mail//address): |
| 306-975-5509/306-975-4089 // Gustaf.Samelius@EC.GC.CA; dana.kellett@ec.gc.ca // Canadian Wildlife Service, 115 Perimeter Road, Saskatoon SK, S7N 0X4, Canada
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PROJECT DETAILS |
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Project name:
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Population dynamics of Lesser Snow and Ross's Geese, King Eiders, Long-tailed Ducks, and Arctic Fox at Karrak Lake
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Start of survey:
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End
of survey: |
Team
size: |
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23.05
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14.08
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8
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WEATHER
CONDITIONS
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| Season phenology: |
average
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Weather conditions: |
Season was mainly average in timing, perhaps a touch late, but cooler than average, with wind and precipitation normal.
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| Date of 50%
snow-cover: |
8.06
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| Date of ice-break on
rivers: |
10.06
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| Date of final loss of
snow: |
25.06
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BIOTIC
CONDITIONS
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| Rodents abundance evaluation: |
low
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Breeding conditions:
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Arctic fox abundance appeared to vary among years and we saw 1.0, 2.3, and 1.5 foxes per 30 km in 2000 to 2002, respectively. Fox abundance appeared to be higher in the geese colony than outside of the colony in all years; we saw 0.5 , 0.5, and 0.5 foxes per 30 km travelled outside of the colony in each year, respectively, compared to 1.5, 4.0, and 2.5 foxes per 30 km travelled inside the colony in each year, respectively. The density of reproducing dens varied among years and was 1.5, 0.75, and 0 (no reproducing dens in any of the 4 study-areas or the colony as a whole) reproducing dens per 25 km2 in 2000 to 2002, respectively.
Lesser Snow and Ross's Geese arrived on the study area somewhat later than normal, but this didn't seem to be due to weather conditions or spring chronology. Herring, Thayer's and Glaucous gulls, Red-throated Divers, and Arctic Terns appeared to experience average nest success. Nest success was average in King Eider (~50%), low in Long-tailed Duck (~10%) and average or slightly below average in Lesser Snow and Ross's geese.
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Rodent dynamics:
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| The abundance of small mammal was quite low at Karrak Lake this year. We captured only red-backed voles in 2002 and no brown or collared lemmings (brown lemmings have been low in all years whereas we generally capture some collared lemmings each year - especially 2000).
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Rodent species recorded:
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| Latin | Abundance |
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| Clethrionomys rutilus | rare |
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Summary
of fauna studies: |
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