An integrative and multi-indicator approach for wildlife health applied to an endangered caribou herd.

Assessing wildlife health in remote regions requires a multi-faceted approach, which commonly involves convenient samplings and the need of identifying and targeting relevant and informative indicators. We applied a novel wildlife health framework and critically assessed the value of different indicators for understanding the health status and trends of an endangered tundra caribou population. Samples and data from the Dolphin and Union caribou herd were obtained between 2015 and 2021, from community-based surveillance programs and from captured animals. We documented and categorized indicators into health determinants (infectious diseases and trace elements), processes (cortisol, pathology), and health outcomes (pregnancy and body condition). During a recent period of steep population decline, our results indicated a relatively good body condition and pregnancy rates, and decreasing levels of stress, along with a low adult cow survival. We detected multiple factors as potential contributors to the reduced survival, including Brucella suis biovar 4, Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae and lower hair trace minerals. These results remark the need of targeted studies to improve detection and investigations on caribou mortalities. We also identified differences in health indicators between captured and hunter sampled caribou, highlighting the importance of accounting for sampling biases. This integrative approach that drew on multiple data sources has provided unprecedented knowledge on the health in this herd and highlights the value of documenting individual animal health to understand causes of wildlife declines.

Tempo-spatial patterns of PM2.5 measured using a portable particulate monitor around a mine complex in Canada's Arctic.

Mining activities in Canada's pristine Arctic (e.g., driving on unpacked roads, blasts, rock grinding, diesel combustion, and garbage incineration) could add local sources of airborne fine particulate matter with a diameter of < 2.5 µm (PM2.5) to their surrounding area. The increase in PM2.5 above the background level around a mine represents a potential disturbance to caribou. To quantify the spatial distribution of the elevated PM2.5, we investigated three different sampling schemes to measure PM2.5 concentration using a portable monitor. We found that the best sampling scheme was to use the regional background PM2.5 as the reference and analyze the anomaly of PM2.5 measured at sites around the mine complex from the background level. The regional background PM2.5 values were measured at the Daring Lake Tundra Research Station during 2018 and 2019. Our results indicated that the background PM2.5 was not a low and constant value but varied with rain events, wind direction, and the impacts of forest fire smoke. After excluding periods affected by forest fires smokes, we found the background PM2.5 was close to 0 µg m-3 for the first few hours after rain, and then increased logistically with the time after rain (tar) to the maximum of 5 (or 10) µg m-3 when the wind came from the north (or south) of the NW-SE axis. The NW-SE axis in western Canada divides the tundra north with few anthropogenic PM2.5 sources from the forested south with many PM2.5 sources from forest fire smokes and human activities. Analyses of PM2.5 anomaly from the background (i.e., PM2.5 measured at a site around the mining complex-the background level at the corresponding tar and wind direction) revealed that the zone of elevated PM2.5 around the mine (Zepm) expanded with tar. In the first few hours after rain, PM2.5 was close to 0 everywhere except within meters of a source (e.g., a truck exhaust) in the downwind direction. During tar = 6 to 96 h, Zepm expanded to 6.3 km in the downwind direction when the wind came from south of the NW-SE axis. A similar result was found in the downwind direction when the wind came from north of the NW-SE axis, with Zepm = 4.4 km. In the upwind direction, the value of Zepm was much smaller, being 0.7 km (or 1.0 km) when the wind came from the north (or south) of the NW-SE axis. For the period of tar between 96 and 192 hours, Zepm further expanded to 21.2 km when the wind from the south of the NW-SE axis. The results from this study indicated that this reference paradigm that uses the regional background PM2.5 as the reference in combination with a portable PM2.5 monitor worked well for quantifying the tempo-spatial patterns of PM2.5 at locations in remote and mostly pristine Arctic. However, their effectiveness for other regions needs further investigation.

Muskox status, recent variation, and uncertain future.

Muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) are an integral component of Arctic biodiversity. Given low genetic diversity, their ability to respond to future and rapid Arctic change is unknown, although paleontological history demonstrates adaptability within limits. We discuss status and limitations of current monitoring, and summarize circumpolar status and recent variations, delineating all 55 endemic or translocated populations. Acknowledging uncertainties, global abundance is ca 170 000 muskoxen. Not all populations are thriving. Six populations are in decline, and as recently as the turn of the century, one of these was the largest population in the world, equaling ca 41% of today's total abundance. Climate, diseases, and anthropogenic changes are likely the principal drivers of muskox population change and result in multiple stressors that vary temporally and spatially. Impacts to muskoxen are precipitated by habitat loss/degradation, altered vegetation and species associations, pollution, and harvest. Which elements are relevant for a specific population will vary, as will their cumulative interactions. Our summaries highlight the importance of harmonizing existing data, intensifying long-term monitoring efforts including demographics and health assessments, standardizing and implementing monitoring protocols, and increasing stakeholder engagement/contributions.

An unusual cause of atrial fibrillation in a young active duty soldier.

Coronary artery fistula (CAF) is an abnormality in which the coronary artery has an anomalous connection with a venous structure such as the coronary sinus or atrium. CAF is usually congenital, but may be acquired. The prevalence in the general population is low with many asymptomatic and discovered incidentally. When symptomatic, CAF may present with dyspnea, decreasing functional capacity, and/or arrhythmia. We report a case of a young otherwise healthy active duty male with progressive symptoms of dizziness and exertional fatigue with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. An electrically negative, but symptomatically positive stress test led to further workup with coronary computed tomography angiogram, which unexpectedly revealed large coronary fistulas between the aneurysmal right coronary artery and coronary sinus and the dilated left circumflex artery with probable collateralization to the coronary sinus. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and cardiac catheterization supported these findings and demonstrated no evidence of significant shunting.

Gauging climate change effects at local scales: weather-based indices to monitor insect harassment in caribou.

Climate change is occurring at an accelerated rate in the Arctic. Insect harassment may be an important link between increased summer temperature and reduced body condition in caribou and reindeer (both Rangifer tarandus). To examine the effects of climate change at a scale relevant to Rangifer herds, we developed monitoring indices using weather to predict activity of parasitic insects across the central Arctic. During 2007-2009, we recorded weather conditions and used carbon dioxide baited traps to monitor activity of mosquitoes (Culicidae), black flies (Simuliidae), and oestrid flies (Oestridae) on the post-calving and summer range of the Bathurst barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) herd in Northwest Territories and Nunavut, Canada. We developed statistical models representing hypotheses about effects of weather, habitat, location, and temporal variables on insect activity. We used multinomial logistic regression to model mosquito and black fly activity, and logistic regression to model oestrid fly presence. We used information theory to select models to predict activity levels of insects. Using historical weather data, we used hindcasting to develop a chronology of insect activity on the Bathurst range from 1957 to 2008. Oestrid presence and mosquito and black fly activity levels were explained by temperature. Wind speed, light intensity, barometric pressure, relative humidity, vegetation, topography, location, time of day, and growing degree-days also affected mosquito and black fly levels. High predictive ability of all models justified the use of weather to index insect activity. Retrospective analyses indicated conditions favoring mosquito activity declined since the late 1950s, while predicted black fly and oestrid activity increased. Our indices can be used as monitoring tools to gauge potential changes in insect harassment due to climate change at scales relevant to caribou herds.

Behavioural trade-offs in response to external stimuli: time allocation of an Arctic ungulate during varying intensities of harassment by parasitic flies.

1. Macroparasites may be a major factor shaping animal behaviour. Tundra ecosystems inhabited by caribou and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) are known for large concentrations of ectoparasites including mosquitoes (Culicidae) and black flies (Simuliidae), as well as endoparasitic oestrid flies (Oestridae). 2. Increased intensity and duration of insect harassment because of climatic warming is hypothesized as a potential factor in recent declines of Rangifer across the circumpolar north. Although there is a well-observed relationship between insect harassment and caribou/reindeer behaviour, the influence of ecto- relative to endoparasitic species is unclear. Climatic changes may favour the activity patterns, distribution or abundance of certain insect species; thus, understanding differential effects on the behaviour of Rangifer is important. 3. We recorded caribou behaviour using group scan and focal sampling methods, while simultaneously trapping insects and recording weather conditions on the postcalving/summer range of the Bathurst barren-ground caribou herd in Northwest Territories and Nunavut, Canada, during 2007-2009. 4. We developed statistical model sets representing hypotheses about the effects of insects, weather, habitat/location, and date/time on caribou behaviour. We used multinomial logistic regression models to explore factors affecting the relative dominance of behaviour types within groups of caribou and fractional multinomial logistic regression models to determine factors influencing time allocation by individual caribou. We examined changes in feeding intensity using fractional logistic regression. 5. Relative dominance of insect avoidance behaviour within caribou groups and time allocation to insect avoidance by individual caribou increased when oestrid flies were present or black flies were active at moderate-high levels. Mosquito activity had relatively little effect on caribou behaviour. Time spent feeding was reduced by the greatest degree when all three insect types were present in combination. Feeding intensity was influenced to a greater extent by the accumulation of growing degree days over the course of the postcalving/summer season than by insect activity. Changes in Arctic systems that increase the activity/abundance of ecto- and endoparasites could have implications for the productivity of Rangifer populations.