Traditional Knowledge of the Ecology of Beluga Whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in the Northern Bering Sea, Chukotka, Russia

The first systematic effort to document traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) of beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in Russia was conducted in the villages of Sireniki, Novoe Chaplino, Yanrakinnot, and Uelen, in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. The findings describe migratory and local movements, feeding, calving, ecological interactions, and human influences on distribution and behavior. The results add considerable detail to published accounts of belugas in Russian waters of the Bering and Chukchi Seas. Among these are descriptions of avoidance and habituation responses to anthropogenic noise, which appear to depend in part on association with hunting activities. The authors observe that most of the TEK documented in this study came from older hunters, and that the collective pool of traditional knowledge in the region is disappearing.La première tentative systématique en vue de documenter le savoir écologique traditionnel (SET) sur les bélougas (Delphinapterus leucas) en Russie a été menée dans les villages de Sireniki, de Novoe Chaplino, de Yanrakinnot et de Uelen, dans l'arrondissement autonome des Tchouktches. Les résultats décrivent les déplacements migratoires et locaux, la nutrition, la mise bas, les interactions écologiques et les influences humaines sur la distribution et le comportement. Les résultats apportent de nombreux détails aux relevés de bélougas dans les eaux russes de la mer de Béring et de la mer des Tchouktches. Ces nouveaux détails incluent la description des réactions d'évitement et d'accoutumance au bruit anthropique, qui semble dépendre en partie de l'association avec les activités cynégétiques. Les auteurs observent que la plupart du SET documenté dans cette étude vient de vieux chasseurs et que le bassin collectif du savoir traditionnel dans la région est en train de disparaître

Traditional Knowledge of the Ecology of Beluga Whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in the Eastern Chukchi and Northern Bering Seas, Alaska

Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) has been used opportunistically in biological studies of beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in Alaska, but no previous research has documented this knowledge systematically. This first such effort, which took place in Norton Bay, Buckland, and Point Lay, Alaska, provided descriptions of migratory and local movements, feeding, calving, ecological interactions, and human influences on distribution and behavior. The results are consistent with those of previous studies but add considerable detail, including descriptions of avoidance and habituation responses to anthropogenic noise, which appear to depend in part on association with hunting activities. Making greater use of TEK will benefit both research and management by providing better information and by expanding the collaborative process developed through co-management. On a utilisé le savoir écologique traditionnel (SET) quand l'occasion se présentait, dans le cadre des études biologiques portant sur le bélouga (Delphinapterus leucas) en Alaska, mais ce savoir n'a jamais fait l'objet d'une étude systématique. Cette première tentative en ce sens, qui a été réalisée à Norton Bay, Buckland et Point Lay, en Alaska, a fourni des descriptions de déplacements migratoires et locaux, de nutrition, de mise bas, d'interactions écologiques et d'influences humaines sur la distribution et le comportement. Les résultats concordent avec ceux d'études précédentes, mais apportent de nombreux détails, y compris la description des réactions d'évitement et d'accoutumance au bruit anthropique, qui semble dépendre en partie de l'association avec les activités cynégétiques. Une plus grande utilisation du SET profitera à la fois à la recherche et à la gestion en fournissant de meilleures informations et en développant plus à fond le processus de collaboration créé par la cogestion

Traditional Knowledge of the Bowhead Whale (Balaena mysticetus) around St. Lawrence Island, Alaska

Despite considerable research on the bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) in Alaskan waters, relatively little has been conducted in the northern Bering Sea. To help fill this gap, we documented traditional knowledge of bowhead whales held by Yupik whalers of St. Lawrence Island, Alaska. Results include descriptions of the seasonal movements, distribution, and abundance of bowheads near St. Lawrence Island. The bowhead population appears to be increasing, as is the number of young whales seen. Changing environmental conditions are influencing distribution, leading to a somewhat earlier spring migration and a greater presence of whales near the island in winter. Hunters describe two bowhead migration paths near the island. It is unknown whether these two paths are used by two genetically different groups of whales, or whether the animals are simply responding differently to oceanographic conditions or geography. Our findings are consistent with studies of this bowhead population conducted elsewhere and suggest that additional research is needed to determine possible migratory (or genetic) differences between the two migrations of whales seen at St. Lawrence Island.Bien que de nombreuses recherches aient été effectuées sur la baleine boréale (Balaena mysticetus) dans les eaux alaskiennes, peu de recherches ont été réalisées dans le nord de la mer de Béring. Afin de combler ce vide, nous avons pris note des connaissances traditionnelles des chasseurs de baleines yupik en matière de baleines boréales sur l’île Saint-Laurent, en Alaska. Les données obtenues prennent la forme de la description des mouvements saisonniers, de la répartition et de l’abondance des baleines boréales près de l’île Saint-Laurent. La population de baleines boréales semble augmenter, comme c’est aussi le cas du nombre de jeunes baleines. L’évolution des conditions environnementales a des effets sur la répartition des baleines et engendre une migration un peu plus hâtive au printemps de même qu’une plus grande présence de baleines près de l’île l’hiver. Les chasseurs décrivent deux chemins de migration pour les baleines boréales. Nous ne savons pas si ces deux chemins sont empruntés par deux groupes de baleines différents du point de vue génétique ou si les baleines réagissent simplement différemment aux conditions océanographiques ou géographiques. Nos constatations sont conformes aux études de cette population de baleines boréales réalisées ailleurs et laissent croire que des recherches plus poussées s’avèrent nécessaires pour déterminer les différences migratoires (ou génétiques) entre les deux migrations de baleines en évidence à l’île Saint-Laurent

Arctic Flora and Fauna: Status and Conservation

What is the overall state of the Arctic environment? The aim of this report is to answer the many aspects of this seemingly straightforward question. Although several national and international efforts have looked at parts of the Arctic, this is the first attempt to assess the state of Arctic flora and fauna as a whole

Minority youth, crime, conflict, and belonging in Australia

In recent decades, the size and diversity of the minority population of contemporary western societies has increased significantly. To the critics of immigration, minority youth have been increasingly linked to crime, criminal gangs, anti-social behaviour, and riots. In this article, we draw on fieldwork conducted in Sydney, Australia's largest and most ethnically diverse city, to probe aspects of the criminality, anti-social behaviour, national identity, and belonging of ethnic minority youth in Australia. We conclude that the evidence on minority youth criminality is weak and that the panic about immigrant youth crime and immigrant youth gangs is disproportionate to the reality, drawing on and in turn creating racist stereotypes, particularly with youth of 'Middle Eastern appearance'. A review of the events leading up to the Sydney Cronulla Beach riots of December 2005 suggests that the underlying cause of the riots were many years of international, national, and local anti-Arab, anti-Muslim media discourse, and political opportunism, embedded in changing but persistent racist attitudes and practises. Our argument is that such inter-ethnic conflict between minority and majority youth in Sydney is the exception, not the rule. Finally, we draw on a hitherto unpublished survey of youth in Sydney to explore issues of national identity and belonging among young people of diverse ethnic and religious background. We conclude that minority youth in Sydney do not live 'parallel lives' but contradictory, inter-connected cosmopolitan lives. They are connected to family and local place, have inter-ethnic friendships but are often disconnected to the nation and the flag. © 2009 Springer Science+Business Media B.V

The Arctic freshwater system : changes and impacts

Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2007. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Geophysical Research 112 (2007): G04S54, doi:10.1029/2006JG000353.Dramatic changes have been observed in the Arctic over the last century. Many of these involve the storage and cycling of fresh water. On land, precipitation and river discharge, lake abundance and size, glacier area and volume, soil moisture, and a variety of permafrost characteristics have changed. In the ocean, sea ice thickness and areal coverage have decreased and water mass circulation patterns have shifted, changing freshwater pathways and sea ice cover dynamics. Precipitation onto the ocean surface has also changed. Such changes are expected to continue, and perhaps accelerate, in the coming century, enhanced by complex feedbacks between the oceanic, atmospheric, and terrestrial freshwater systems. Change to the arctic freshwater system heralds changes for our global physical and ecological environment as well as human activities in the Arctic. In this paper we review observed changes in the arctic freshwater system over the last century in terrestrial, atmospheric, and oceanic systems.The authors gratefully acknowledge the National Science Foundation (NSF) for funding this synthesis work. This paper is principally the work of authors funded under the NSF-funded Freshwater Integration (FWI) study

Erycinidae and Lycaenidae (Lepidoptera, Rhopalocera) from the regions of Mt. Roraima and Mt. Duida. American Museum novitates ; no. 611

5 p. ; 24 cm.Includes bibliographical references (p. [1])

Host-country governance, tax treaties and US direct investment abroad

Foreign direct investment, Corruption, Income tax treaties, F21, F23, H25, O17,