Subject: Ecology Conference and Workshop in February

CIRCUMPOLAR ECOSYSTEMS 4, a Conference and Workshop at Churchill, MB, Canada


2nd Announcement and Call for Papers


SUMMARY

The Churchill Northern Studies Centre would like to invite you the 4th
Circumpolar Ecosystems conference and workshop. These meetings will be held
during 16-21 February, 2000. The goal is to bring together biologists,
ecologists, atmospheric and earth scientists who study in regions that are
predominately influenced by winter, and to introduce them to the peoples of
the north.
We would like to encourage academic papers that review the state of climate
warming and its impacts on northern ecosystems. In the workshop, we will
examine lifestyles of northern peoples, field research, and wildlife
adaptations
to low temperatures. Experience living in an iglu!

RATIONALE

Winter-dominated systems are covered with snow and ice during a significant
part of each year. This type of cover  reflects about 80% of the incoming
radiation. Consequently, the timing and duration of snow cover is very
important to the global energy balance. Furthermore, the distribution and
re-distribution of snow has a large impact on the subsequent water balance
of the terrain during the frost-free period. Winter processes then, are
significant to the summer water balance which is important to ecosystem
productivity and ultimately its biodiversity.

Living organisms have developed unique adaptations to winter-dominated
systems. These include adaptation to short life cycles, periods of
dormancy, migration, and endurance of the cold conditions. Humans have also
encountered unique problems and have adapted to the winter environment. All
these biological components integrate into systems that are
characteristically peat-forming. In fact, winter-dominated systems store a
disproportionately large amount of the global carbon. In warm, wet periods,
these systems may release carbon to the atmosphere and during other times,
carbon is taken from the atmosphere and stored. Consequently, circumpolar
ecosystems are important as a buffer for carbon which will stabilize the
concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

One human adaptation to the winter period is to be indoors (e.g. teaching)
or away from the circumpolar ecosystems. Consequently, these systems are
poorly studied and poorly understood - particularly during the dominant
period.

 WORKSHOP

The workshop, held at Churchill, Manitoba, Canada during the
mid-winter period, is designed to
offer hands-on experience to the seasoned veteran as well as the
uninitiated student, researcher, modeler, policy maker, or interested
person. Past agendas have included the Arctic Feast, igloo
building, and dogsleding. Expeditions have included examination of
conditions on either side of the continental treeline during an arctic
blizzard, a sea ice dive to examine the marine environment in winter, and a
journey to Prince of Wales Fort to examine winter conditions experienced by
early European settlers. The town of Churchill is a model community that
has been designed for winter-dominated environments. Meeting the northern
residents and discussing their lifestyles has also been part of the
workshop. Other activities have included acquiring and preparing food and
clothing in the north, as well as a fashion show of outdoor wear.

 CONFERENCE

The symposium will include poster and oral presentations of 15 to 20
minutes of which, submitted papers will be
considered for publication in a refereed journal of international stature.
For this meeting we would welcome all aspects of winter-dominated systems
such as, but not limited to,  biological, geographical or anthropological
research. Examples can be found in previous proceedings which were
published in Arctic and Alpine Research 32 (1); Arctic 46(4); and Climate
Research 5(1). The goal at this meeting will be examine and assess the
state of climate process research in the northern North America, and how
these climate processes are influencing the biodiversity and ultimately,
global stability in a changing world. Recognizing, preserving and
monitoring biodiversity in circumpolar ecosystems will be a major challenge
over the next century.


 SCHEDULES and COSTS

The workshop is planned for February 16-18, 2000. The symposium is planned
for February 18-21, 2000. The cost for the symposium is $200 (Can). The
cost for both, the symposium and workshop is $300 (Can). Fees include the
registration package, ground transportation, food and accommodation. If you
are interested in participating, please contact us and we will send you the
conference registration package. Abstracts are due in early December. There
is limited space available.


Conference Chair: Dr. Peter Scott
Email: pascott@interhop.net
Telephone: 905-852-3149

World Wide Web Site: www.brandonu.ca/cnsc/

Executive Director: Harvey Lemelin

Telephone: 204-675-2307
Fasimile: 204-675-2139
Email: cnsc@cancom.net
Mail: P. O. Box 610, Churchill
MB, R0B 0E0, Canada