Temporal change in the molluscan assemblages (bivalves and gastropods) of Frobisher Bay, Nunavut, Canada, over 50 years
Long-term studies provide an effective way to assess the ecological impacts of decades-long environmental change in Arctic coastal benthic environments, but are rarely undertaken in the Canadian Arctic. In light of this, historical datasets can be compared with modern samples to examine temporal dif...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Canadian Science Publishing
2022-03-01
|
| Series: | Arctic Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/as-2020-0037 |
| _version_ | 1828805121448869888 |
|---|---|
| author | Erin C. Herder Alec Aitken Evan Edinger |
| author_facet | Erin C. Herder Alec Aitken Evan Edinger |
| author_sort | Erin C. Herder |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Long-term studies provide an effective way to assess the ecological impacts of decades-long environmental change in Arctic coastal benthic environments, but are rarely undertaken in the Canadian Arctic. In light of this, historical datasets can be compared with modern samples to examine temporal differences in benthic community structure. Frobisher Bay, Nunavut, provides a unique opportunity to use a historical census to examine the impacts that long-term environmental changes have had on the marine benthos. Between 1967 and 1976, and in 2016, infaunal samples were collected in inner Frobisher Bay and were compared to determine how the molluscan assemblages have changed between the two time periods. Molluscan assemblages in two regions of inner Frobisher Bay (Iqaluit and Cairn Island) were examined to minimize sampling discrepancies between the two time periods. A long-term increase in mean annual air temperature and a decline in the length of the ice cover season were observed. Both regions exhibited some change in sediment composition and quality as well as in molluscan assemblage between the two time periods, and species diversity indices also indicated some change between these time periods. Both the 1967–1976 and 2016 molluscan datasets provide a baseline for future long-term studies in a changing Arctic. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T07:50:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-21bf6b920266455087e143dccb9bc923 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2368-7460 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T07:50:10Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | Canadian Science Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Arctic Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-21bf6b920266455087e143dccb9bc9232022-12-22T00:32:27ZengCanadian Science PublishingArctic Science2368-74602022-03-018120022710.1139/as-2020-0037Temporal change in the molluscan assemblages (bivalves and gastropods) of Frobisher Bay, Nunavut, Canada, over 50 yearsErin C. Herder0Alec Aitken1Evan Edinger2Memorial University of Newfoundland, Department of Geography, St. John’s, NL A1B 3X9, Canada.University of Saskatchewan, Geography & Planning, 117 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5C8, Canada.Memorial University of Newfoundland, Department of Geography, St. John’s, NL A1B 3X9, Canada.Long-term studies provide an effective way to assess the ecological impacts of decades-long environmental change in Arctic coastal benthic environments, but are rarely undertaken in the Canadian Arctic. In light of this, historical datasets can be compared with modern samples to examine temporal differences in benthic community structure. Frobisher Bay, Nunavut, provides a unique opportunity to use a historical census to examine the impacts that long-term environmental changes have had on the marine benthos. Between 1967 and 1976, and in 2016, infaunal samples were collected in inner Frobisher Bay and were compared to determine how the molluscan assemblages have changed between the two time periods. Molluscan assemblages in two regions of inner Frobisher Bay (Iqaluit and Cairn Island) were examined to minimize sampling discrepancies between the two time periods. A long-term increase in mean annual air temperature and a decline in the length of the ice cover season were observed. Both regions exhibited some change in sediment composition and quality as well as in molluscan assemblage between the two time periods, and species diversity indices also indicated some change between these time periods. Both the 1967–1976 and 2016 molluscan datasets provide a baseline for future long-term studies in a changing Arctic.https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/as-2020-0037long-term ecologytemporal changemolluscsbenthic communitiesFrobisher Bayécologie à long terme |
| spellingShingle | Erin C. Herder Alec Aitken Evan Edinger Temporal change in the molluscan assemblages (bivalves and gastropods) of Frobisher Bay, Nunavut, Canada, over 50 years Arctic Science long-term ecology temporal change molluscs benthic communities Frobisher Bay écologie à long terme |
| title | Temporal change in the molluscan assemblages (bivalves and gastropods) of Frobisher Bay, Nunavut, Canada, over 50 years |
| title_full | Temporal change in the molluscan assemblages (bivalves and gastropods) of Frobisher Bay, Nunavut, Canada, over 50 years |
| title_fullStr | Temporal change in the molluscan assemblages (bivalves and gastropods) of Frobisher Bay, Nunavut, Canada, over 50 years |
| title_full_unstemmed | Temporal change in the molluscan assemblages (bivalves and gastropods) of Frobisher Bay, Nunavut, Canada, over 50 years |
| title_short | Temporal change in the molluscan assemblages (bivalves and gastropods) of Frobisher Bay, Nunavut, Canada, over 50 years |
| title_sort | temporal change in the molluscan assemblages bivalves and gastropods of frobisher bay nunavut canada over 50 years |
| topic | long-term ecology temporal change molluscs benthic communities Frobisher Bay écologie à long terme |
| url | https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/as-2020-0037 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT erincherder temporalchangeinthemolluscanassemblagesbivalvesandgastropodsoffrobisherbaynunavutcanadaover50years AT alecaitken temporalchangeinthemolluscanassemblagesbivalvesandgastropodsoffrobisherbaynunavutcanadaover50years AT evanedinger temporalchangeinthemolluscanassemblagesbivalvesandgastropodsoffrobisherbaynunavutcanadaover50years |