Investigations of the Effects of Climate Change on Moose in Voyageurs National Park Internship

NPS Unit:

Voyageurs National Park

Project Title:

Investigations of the Effects of Climate Change on Moose in Voyageurs National Park

Location:  

International Falls, MN

Position Description:

Boreal forests, such as those that dominate Voyageurs National Park (VOYA), are expected to experience significant changes as a result of predicted global climate change. Species at the southern edge of their range, such as moose or balsam fir, may be particularly sensitive to changes in temperature regimes or weather patterns.  VOYA is actively involved in a multi-faceted project to understand the potential effects of climate change on moose behavior and fitness.  Understanding how moose respond to temperature-induced heat stress is critical to effectively managing landscapes to provide thermal refuge at different times of the year.  Many aspects of moose behavior are currently being studied in the park via 19 GPS collared moose, including habitat selection, movement rates, and time budgets.  In collaboration with scientists from other state, provincial, tribal, and academic institutions, we are replicating this study across a wide swath of northeastern Minnesota and adjacent Ontario.  VOYA is also on the forefront to investigate several other aspects related to moose and climate change.  We are currently modeling effective temperatures (which incorporate ambient temperature, radiant energy, and wind to approximate actual temperatures experienced by an animal or plant) in forested and non-forested habitats through an extensive network of datalogging temperature sensors.  These data will give us a better understanding of how moose utilize the park VOYA in relation to temperature and weather events.  It will also allow us to predict effective temperatures (which can be applied to many different species of plants and animals) across the park landscape under various climate change scenarios.  We are also studying if moose use beaver-created wetlands as thermal refuge during periods of heat stress.  Thermal characteristics of different types of wetlands are being measured and predictive models relating meteorological data to pond temperatures will be developed.  We will also test hypotheses related to moose use of ponds using data collected from field sampling and locations of individual moose derived from the GPS collars.  Lastly, we are beginning a new endeavor to examine bed site characteristics of collared moose, including the potential of bed sites to act as heat sinks for moose. 

In the summer of 2012, there will be 3 MS students (from universities in Minnesota, Ontario, and France) and 1 PhD student working on aspects of this project.  The intern will specifically spend their time in Summer 2012 with the following tasks:

1)       Assisting MS students David Morris (Lakehead University, Ontario) and Hugo Pierre (AgroParisTech, France) with measuring characteristics of beaver ponds.  This includes deploying and retrieving temperature loggers, describing pond characteristics such as soil type and beaver activity, and measuring plant species diversity and biomass. (25% of time)

2)       Assisting VOYA Terrestrial Ecologist Steve Windels with measuring characteristics of moose bedding sites.  Staff from the NRCS (here for the parkwide soil survey) will also be assisting to help describe soil characteristics.  (50% of time)

3)       Assisting MS student David Morris and PhD Student William Chen (University of Minnesota-Duluth) with analysis of moose locations using ArcGIS. (25% of time)

Learning goals:

The intern will have a hands-on experience as part of exciting, cutting edge research that 1) examines the response of moose to current temperature extremes and 2) predicts future impacts to moose and other components of the boreal forest system.  The intern will learn about the predicted climate change effects in the Upper Great Lakes region and more specifically about effects on moose and other sensitive wildlife species.  Though we are in the early stages, the intern will also be exposed to how VOYA and other natural resource management agencies use scientifically collected data to conduct adaptation planning exercises. They will also learn new techniques in measuring physical and biological parameters related to climate change, including use of temperature loggers and data collected from meteorological stations. The intern will be given the opportunity to be involved in crafting a manuscript on moose bedding site characteristics to be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal.  Finally, the intern will learn techniques in using/analyzing spatial data to predict spatially and temporally-explicit effects of climate change on moose and other species.

Products:

Specific products generated by the intern or involving the intern will include:

1)       A summary report of the intern’s activities

2)       A presentation to park staff at the end of the summer highlighting their activities and accomplishments

3)       A peer-reviewed manuscript on characteristics of moose bedding sites (likely will include intern as co-author)

The intern will also provide valuable assistance toward completion of up to 4 graduate student theses/dissertations, multiple peer-reviewed manuscripts, and outreach materials, including presentations at scientific conferences and interpretive materials.

Qualifications:

We are seeking students who have completed or are making progress towards a degree in Biology, Ecology, Wildlife Biology, or other natural resource degree programs.  Interns must be in good physical condition and capable of remote backcountry travel over uneven terrain.  Voyageurs National Park contains almost no roads and study sites may require significant walking and/or canoeing to reach them.  Some sites may require up to several miles of roundtrip backcountry travel to access.   Field work may occur in poor weather conditions (e.g., rain, cold) and during outbreaks of biting insects.  Interns must be able to maintain clear and accurate field notes.  Interns should also have a working knowledge of Excel, Access, and ArcGIS to assist in data management tasks.

Position Dates:

June 1, 2012 to August 15, 2012.  Actual dates are flexible.

Housing Available:

Park housing will be provided and paid for by the park.  Park housing consists of shared seasonal cabins located on Kabetogama Lake.  Cabins are fully furnished.

Vehicle Required:

A vehicle is not required but is encouraged.  Park housing is located in a remote area about 40 miles from International Falls, where most major amenities such as shopping, entertainment, etc. are located.

Work Environment:

The intern will be expected to assist with data collection in a remote, backcountry wilderness setting.  Extensive hiking may be required, often off-trail in backcountry conditions.  VOYA is a water-based park and travel by boat is required for field work.  Some office work will be required to enter data, conduct appropriate analyses, and write summary reports and other materials appropriate for intern.