ARCUS Arctic Research Webinar

Join for a seminar on “Diverse Responses and Emerging Risks for Marine Mammals in a Rapidly Changing Arctic” by Dr. Donna Hauser, a Research Assistant Professor at the International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks. Donna studies marine ecology and has examined the habitat use, distribution, and behavior of marine mammals for over 15 years.

Dr. Hauser will provide several case studies to illustrate how changes in the timing and extent of sea ice cover affect distribution, migration timing, and foraging behavior of two Pacific Arctic populations of beluga whales. Results suggest diverse and flexible responses by belugas in the face of rapidly changing sea ice conditions, which are in line with other emerging trends from the Pacific Arctic region. Second, she will discuss a recent vulnerability assessment of 80 populations of seven Arctic marine mammal species to vessels in the increasingly ice-free Northwest Passage and Northern Sea Route, which quantified the heterogeneity of risk across species, populations, and regions. Finally, these results will be discussed in the context of ongoing conversations about the future resilience of Arctic marine mammals in changing sea ice ecosystems.

Register to attend online here.