The Land of the Midnight Sun
The Arctic tundra of Nunavut is a landscape of profound and subtle beauty, covering nearly two million square kilometers of Northern Canada. It is a world seemingly defined by its limitations: a treeless expanse locked in permafrost, swept by polar winds, and shrouded in darkness for half the year. Yet, this is a profound misunderstanding. The tundra is a place of incredible resilience and adaptation, a vibrant ecosystem that explodes with life during the brief, intense summer under a sun that never sets.
Beneath the surface, the permafrost—permanently frozen ground—acts as the foundation for this entire ecosystem, shaping the flow of water and locking away immense stores of ancient carbon. The thawing of this permafrost due to climate change is one of the most critical environmental challenges of our time, with global implications. Our work in Nunavut focuses on documenting the rapid changes occurring in this fragile ecosystem, from permafrost degradation to shifts in wildlife migration, all while working in partnership with the Inuit, who have called this land, Nunangat, home for millennia.
Life on the Edge
Life on the tundra is a masterclass in survival. Plants are low-growing and hardy, like the vibrant purple saxifrage that blooms amidst melting snow, and the lichens and mosses that form a living carpet over the thin soil. This flora supports surprisingly robust food webs. Great herds of barren-ground caribou undertake immense seasonal migrations across the tundra, a foundational event for both the ecosystem and Inuit culture. They are prey for arctic wolves, while smaller mammals like arctic foxes and lemmings have their own cycles of boom and bust. The undisputed apex predator is the polar bear, a marine mammal inextricably linked to the sea ice that fringes the tundra's shores.
We document these species through remote sensing and collaborative on-the-ground surveys with Inuit hunters and guides. By tracking caribou herds via satellite collar, we map their changing migration routes. By monitoring polar bear populations, we assess the direct impacts of sea ice loss. This data is critical for understanding the cascading effects of climate change through the arctic food web.
Permafrost Thaw
Our ground-penetrating radar surveys reveal an accelerating rate of thaw in the active layer of permafrost. This releases methane and carbon dioxide, creating a dangerous feedback loop for global warming, and destabilizes the very ground on which communities and ecosystems depend.
Arctic Fox (Vulpes lagopus)
Remarkably adapted to the cold, with a thick, white winter coat for camouflage and insulation. Their survival is closely tied to the population cycles of lemmings. We observe their range shifting as the climate warms and red foxes move northward, increasing competition.
Generations of Knowledge
It is impossible to understand the arctic tundra without understanding the central role of Inuit. For thousands of years, they have developed a sophisticated body of knowledge, Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ), that enables them to thrive in this challenging environment. IQ encompasses a deep understanding of snow and ice conditions, animal behavior, and sustainable harvesting practices. It is a living, holistic science passed down through generations.
Our approach is rooted in partnership and the principle of "two-eyed seeing"—bringing together the strengths of Indigenous knowledge and Western science. We work with community elders and hunters to interpret our scientific data and to guide our research questions. Their observations of subtle, long-term changes provide invaluable context that remote sensors and statistical models cannot capture. Supporting Inuit-led conservation and knowledge transfer is a core pillar of our mission in the Arctic, ensuring that the future of this land is guided by those who know it best.