A Holistic Approach to Monitoring Abrupt Environmental Shifts in the Kluane Lake Region through Knowledge Co-Production
Abstract
Rapidly changing Arctic conditions necessitate multi-perspective approaches to creating new knowledge and engaging communities that are most affected by these changes. Thus, planning and co-producing effective Arctic research is needed, results of which will inform social and ecological security on a national, and global scale. The Kluane Lake Region, in Canada's Yukon Territory, has recently experienced many abrupt environmental shifts. In 2016, the retreating Kaskawulsh Glacier cut off flow of the Slims river to Lhù'ààn Mân (Kluane Lake), effectively removing one of the largest water inputs to the lake resulting in a significant drop in water level. Additionally, recent insect outbreaks have harmed nearby forests, and warming climate regimes have shifted winter ice formation and snowpack development. While these compounding environmental changes will have drastic impacts to the ecosystem for decades to come, their impacts on the local communities will be more rapid. While these ecological impacts have been observed by formal research communities, it is also critical to work closely with local communities to understand their perspectives on critical research questions and natural resource concerns. This presentation covers our knowledge co-production approach to developing research questions through community engagement prior to the formation of research teams, with a culminating knowledge co-production workshop agenda. We will also describe results from a research meta-analysis conducted to inform this knowledge co-production process.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2022
- Bibcode:
- 2022AGUFMSY25C0588H