Introduction Recall the 3 climate zones of the earth

(Polar, Temperate, & Tropical) Draw a picture of the earth and its 3

climate zones Think of at least one animal that is

native to each zone Write the name of this animal next to

the zone

Bare Necessities of Life All life needs water. How much water is in

most cells? Most cells are around 70% water All life needs energy (food). All life needs air

(plants need CO2 & animals need O2) All life needs habitat (space)

Caribou

The Northern Migration – Gypsies of the North

Climate Effects on Caribou Greenhouse gasses

are having their most drastic effect near the poles

Global warming trends have been observed at the polar regions of the planet, including the arctic

Overview It has been hypothesized that

increased levels of greenhouse gasses are causing climate changes in the arctic regions of North America.

As a result of these global warming trends, the arctic summers have been becoming warmer and the winters colder.

What are caribou?

Caribou are related to deer Caribou are ungulates (hoofed

animals)

What are caribou? Caribou and Reindeer are the

same species Rangifer tarandus

Reindeer were domesticated thousands of years ago by humans and are used to pull sleds

Where do caribou live?

Caribou live in the Arctic circle Canada, Alaska, & Scandinavia

(reindeer) have caribou populations

Idaho, Montana, and the Great Lake states once had caribou herds

Where do caribou live? Caribou are, in most cases,

constantly migrating in search of food

Due to their constant migration, they require vast amounts of suitable habitat

What do caribou eat? Caribou eat plants (herbivore) What type of organism

eats other organisms (plants/animals)?

Answer: Consumer

What do caribou eat? During the warm months, such as

summer, caribou eat grasses During the winter months when

snow covers the ground, caribou eat lichens growing under the snow

How is habitat/global change affecting caribou?

Climatologists (scientists that study climate/weather) predict increased levels of greenhouse gasses causes global warming in arctic circle

Warmer summers result in an increase in mosquito populations

Colder winters resulting in more snowfall and harder packed snow

Warmer Summers Warmer summers are having a drastic

effect on caribou survival Warmer summers allow for greater

insect populations such as mosquitoes Mosquitoes harass the caribou herds

during the summer

Warmer Summers During the summer the caribou fur

is less dense since it has shed most of its winter coat

The less dense fur makes it easier for the mosquitoes to feed

Warmer Summers

Caribou spend less time feeding and more time warding off insects

Less time feeding + more energy warding off insects = less energy caribou gain during short summer

Colder Winters Colder winters exhibit more snow fall The snow is also more heavily packed

by the colder temperatures and arctic winds

More snow and harder packed snow makes it more difficult for caribou to feed on the lichens buried beneath the snow

Colder Winters The caribou are spending more

time and more energy than usual feeding during the winter

More energy spent to get to food results in higher mortality rates during the winter

Colder Winters The ice packs that some herds use

to migrate are also freezing later due to the warmer summers

Changes in ice pack freezing times results in caribou migrating onto partially frozen ice and falling through to their deaths

Colder Winters Colder winters also delay the

thawing of the caribou’s spring and summer feeding and calving grounds

This results in a loss of energy waiting for them to thaw

What does this mean? Any energy used in pursuits other

than feeding and breeding can result in Higher morality (death) rates Lower birth rates

Further Investigation & Assessment

Look at the following web page to view examples of the effects of mosquitoes and colder winters on caribou

http://www.taiga.net/caribou/models/climate/intro.html

Further Investigation & Assessment

Use the models to discuss how insects and snow levels affect caribou populations: low, medium, & high

View the Discovery Channel Video: Biomes-Wild Arctic

References/Sites of Interest Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. US Fish

and Wildlife Service. Internet. http://arctic.fws.gov/caribou.htm

Taiga Net. Project Caribou. Internet. http://www.taiga.net/caribou/models/climate/intro.html

What Next? Class Activity How does climate change affect the

health of caribou? The effects of colder winters and

warmer summers on caribou feeding demonstrated by bean counting activity.

Caribou Feeding Lab 1. Stay at your table. One person will

“feed” at a time then pass the spoon/fork to the next person.

2. Feed at a pace of “one one thousand”. 3. Take one scoop and pass it on to the next

person. 4. Stop when whistle sounds. Start when

whistle sounds again. (Summer w/ mosquitoes)

Caribou Feeding Lab 5. When asked to stop, the last person in

your group to feed will bring your result bowl to take a mass.

6. All members of group record masses. 7. Winter feeding will be with fork and will

follow same rules as summer. Stop when whistle sounds. Last person to take mass.