From Hand-lenses to eDNA and Drones - Tundra Plant monitoring in the 21st Century!

Date and location

Thursday, July 27 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at the Canadian High Arctic Research Station (CHARS).

Continuous shuttle between CHARS and the high school starting at 6:15 PM

Topic

The community of Cambridge Bay is invited to come share their knowledge and learn about new and wonderful techniques for studying Arctic plant biodiversity— from eDNA to drones!

Arctic tundra biodiversity is currently experiencing threats from rapid climate change. Current plant studies around Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, seek to develop a protocol that uses small fragments of the plants’ genetic code found in soil, so called ”eDNA”, to rapidly detect different plant species in Arctic tundra landscapes. Come share your knowledge about tundra plants and mosses using Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and local knowledge with science to enhance our understanding.

Talks will feature:

• Dr. Jakob Assmann, University of Zurich, Switzerland
• Dr. Debora Obrist, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.

Participating research Institution(s) or Organization(s)

• Polar Knowledge Canada
• Swiss Polar Institute
• University of Zurich
• Simon Fraser University

Questions

For more information on this event, write to communications@polar-polaire.gc.ca.