BIOL 3753 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Baffin Island, Key Food, Freezing Rain
Document Summary
9/8/2018 4:38:00 am fluctuations populations grow and fall every 60-70 years, on baffin island, aprox. a 30 year cycle. It seems that many herd population are in synchrony and undergo natural population oscillation cycles. Wolves may eat 11-14 caribou/year they are considered to be a major threat to some herds. A lot of energy may be wasted by caribou trying to get away from people and loud machines. Deeper snow, faster melt, warmer summers, freezing rain and high variability may deleteriously affect arctic caribou herds (burn more energy moving; can"t access food under ice. Such a factor seems more likely if virtually all northern caribou populations are affected. Caribou were not just key food for many inuit they were everything. Clothing, drums, shovels, dog harnesses, games, tents, etc. Bones and antlers for needles and tools, sinew as thread, fat for fuel and light, skin for clothing & tents, meat and guts for food.
