Using CanCoast 2.0 to model and map coastscapes of Canada’s Arctic

Canada’s Arctic includes the world’s longest Arctic coastline, and is experiencing the direct effects of rapid climate change, including rapid erosion in some areas, changes to stream inflows and a warming ocean with less sea ice. A longer ice free season also means more shipping activity which can also threaten coastal species and the communities that rely on those species as a major food source. These changes have direct consequences for coastal Arctic species such as seals, whales, polar bears, coastal fish, as well as waterfowl and shorebirds. This project is Canada’s contribution to an international collaboration under the Arctic Council that aims to assess coastal ecosystems and provide assessments of the status and trends of coastal species around the circum-polar Arctic. The international group worked with Indigenous Knowledge and coastal science experts to develop an Arctic coastal monitoring plan, and the first step in plan implementation is the development of a map that shows the distributions of 7 types of coastscapes – segments of the Arctic coast with similar properties and so supports similar wildlife.

Faculty Supervisor:

Alexandre Langlois

Student:

Partner:

Arctic Research Foundation

Discipline:

Earth science

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

Université de Sherbrooke

Program: