Seasonal monitoring of arthropod abundance at Bylot Island, Nunavut
Abstract
Monitoring seasonal variation in arthropod abundance above or near the soil surface primarily allows us to determine the interannual availability of food resources for insectivorous birds nesting on Bylot Island, Nunavut. Arthropod sampling begins as soon as the conditions allows it (when the snow melts in the first or second week of June) and continues until the end of the season (mid-August). Every summer, ten arthropod traps are installed facing the wind in the Qarlikturvik Valley. Modified pitfall traps with white tank (38 x 35 cm and 7 cm deep) filled with soapy water and surmounted by a mosquito net frame (40 x 40 cm) are used to trap arthropods. Five traps are distributed along a transect in a wetland (73.1595°N 79.9493°W) and five others along a transect in a mesic environment (73.1494°N 79.9785°W). Traps are emptied every 48 hours and samples are stored in 70% ethanol. The samples are then sorted, dried and weighed to determine the biomass. Because of their low importance in the bird diet and their large size, which can generate large variations in biomass, plant debris, bumble bees (Apidae: Bombus) and butterflies (Lepidoptera) are excluded. Mites (Acari) and Collembola are also excluded because of their non-significant contribution to the biomass and diet of birds.
Data citation
Bêty, J. 2020. Seasonal monitoring of arthropod abundance at Bylot Island, Nunavut, v. 1.1. Nordicana D43, doi: 10.5885/45579CE-2262D40C8DFE49F0.
Location map
Key references
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Bolduc, E., Casajus, N., Legagneux, P., McKinnon L., Gilchrist, H.G., Leung, M., Morrison R.I.G., Reid D., Smith P.A., Buddle C.M., Bêty, J. 2013. Terrestrial arthropod abundance and phenology in the Canadian Arctic: modeling resource availability for arctic-nesting insectivorous birds. Canadian Entomologist 145:155-170.
DOI: DOI: 10.4039/tce.2013.4 -
McKinnon, L., Picotin, M., Bolduc, E.. Juillet, C., Bêty, J. 2012. Timing of breeding, peak food availability and effects of mismatch on chick growth in birds nesting in the High Arctic. Canadian Journal of Zoology. 90: 961-971.
DOI: DOI: 10.1139/z2012-064 -
Legagneux P, Gauthier G, Berteaux D, Bêty J, Cadieux M-C, Bilodeau F, Bolduc E, McKinnon L, Tarroux A, Therrien J.-F, Morissette L and Krebs C J. 2012. Disentangling trophic relationships in a high arctic tundra ecosystem through food web modeling. Ecology 93:1707-1716.
DOI: DOI: 10.1890/11-1973.1
Contributors
Berteaux, Dominique
Département de Biologie et Centre d'études Nordique, Université du Québec à Rimouski
Gauthier, Gilles
Département de Biologie et Centre d'études Nordique, Université Laval
McKinnon, Laura
Bilingual Biology Program, York University
Chagnon-Lafortune, Aurélie
Département de Biologie et Centre d'études Nordique, Université du Québec à Rimouski
Bolduc, Élise
Département de Biologie et Centre d'études Nordique, Université du Québec à Rimouski
Acknowledgements
We thank Polar Knowledge Canada for funding the publication of this archive.
Polar Data Catalogue links (Metadata)
- CCIN Seasonal abundance and diversity monitoring of arthropods on Bylot Island, Nunavut
Version history
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Version 1.1 (2010–2019)Updated January 22, 2020
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Version 1.0 (2010–2018)Updated May 15, 2019
You can request an older version by contacting nordicana@cen.ulaval.ca
Measurement sites
| Site | Latitude | Longitude | Altitude (m) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vallée Qarlikturvik, Île Bylot, Nunavut / Qarlikturvik Valley, Bylot Island, Nunavut | 73.1563 | -79.9719 | 20 | More info |
Download
Data available for download are in ZIP format. Please properly cite the data when using it.
Seasonal variation in arthropod abundance on Bylot Island Get file
Sites
Data
Field_site
06/2010 – 08/2019
Habitat
06/2010 – 08/2019
Period_Year
06/2010 – 08/2019
Period_Day
06/2010 – 08/2019
Trap_number
06/2010 – 08/2019
Arthropod_Family
06/2010 – 08/2019
Arthropod_Biomass
06/2010 – 08/2019
nb_of_traps
06/2010 – 08/2019
Trap_days
06/2010 – 08/2019
Stage
06/2010 – 08/2019