APPLICATION FOR A SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND COLLECTING PERMIT
NUNAVUT FIELD UNIT (Auyuittuq, Quttinirpaaq, Sirmilik, and Ukkusiksalik National Parks of Canada)
PARKS CANADA
Name of the National Park(s) you are applying to:
Sirmilik National Park
Select one of the following: [ ] New application
[ X ] Renewal of a previously issued permit
[ ] Modification of a previously issued permit
Please enter numbers for permit renewal or modification requests:
Previously assigned Parks Canada study number:
Previously assigned Parks Canada permit number: SNP-2003-002
Name of principal investigator (first, last)
Office phone #
Esther LÉVESQUE
1-819-376-5011 ext. 3351
Mailing address of principal investigator
Alternative phone #
Département de chimie-biologie
Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
C.P. 500, Trois-Rivières, Qc, G9A 5H7
Home: 1-819-697-1341
Name of institution represented
Office email address of principal investigator
UQTR and Centre d’études nordiques (U. Laval)
Esther_Levesque@uqtr.ca
Office FAX #
1-819-376-5084
Additional investigators (first name, last name, office phone, office email)
Line Rochefort and field assistants (see list on enclosed sheets)
Project title (maximum 300 characters)
Biotic interactions and plant community dynamics in a changing environment.
Proposed starting date (month/day/year)
Proposed ending date (month/day/year)
26/05/04
21/08/04
Will members of the public be asked to participate in a survey as part of this proposed study? (Yes or No) No
Do you anticipate receiving funding assistance from a Canadian, American or other government department for this study? (Yes or No) Yes
If “Yes,” specify the agency(s): Natural Sciences and Engineering Research (NSERC), Fonds FQRNT (Quebec
government),
Canadian Wildlife Service, Ducks Unlimited, Polar Continental Shelf Project and Dept. of Indian and Northern Affairs.
Where will data reside upon completion of this project?
UQTR and U.Laval
Location(s) where activities will take place within the National Park(s); include longitude and latitude, common name descriptor and attach a 1:250,000 scale map:
Goose Camp-1, Base camp (73° 08’N, 80° 00’W)
Method of access (aircraft (type), boat, snowmobile, foot, etc.):
Helicopter and Twin Otter provided by Polar Shelf Continental Project
Would you like to collect specimens or materials? (Yes or No)
Yes
If you respond “Yes,” please complete Page 3 of this application.
A research proposal on paper, or in electronic form, must accompany this application.
I certify that this application is accurate and complete. I authorize Parks Canada to seek peer reviews of my proposal.
Signature of principal investigator:
_________
Date:
For Parks Canada Use Only
Date received
Study number
Permit number
Community #1
Community #2
JPMC
CWS
Animal Care
Other
NIRB
(This form continues on Page 2 & 3)
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APPLICATION FOR A SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND COLLECTING PERMIT
NUNAVUT FIELD UNIT (Auyuittuq, Quttinirpaaq, Sirmilik, and Ukkusiksalik National Parks of Canada)
PARKS CANADA
PAGE 2: NON-TECHNICAL PROJECT SUMMARY
Applicant must translate this summary into Inuktitut before the application is considered complete.
The non-technical summary should outline the project purposes, methods, mode of transportation, camps, any structures that will be erected, expected
duration of activity and alternatives considered. If the proposed research fits into any long-term projects please state this and what role your research
plays. Include up to five keywords that can be used by Parks Canada to quickly identify the proposal subject (for example: arctic char, Lake Hazen,
parasites). Use 300 words as a guideline for the summary length.
Note: the non-technical summary will be used by to inform the community, Joint Park Management Committee, and others about your research. Please
ensure the summary is clearly written and complete.
Please circle which National Park(s) you are applying to:
Auyuittuq
Quttinirpaaq
Sirmilik
Project Title:
Biotic interactions and plant community dynamics in a changing environment
Name and Address of principal investigator:
Esther Lévesque
Département de chimie-biologie, UQTR
C.P. 500, Trois-Rivières, G9A 5H7
Summary (maximum 300 words):
Our long-term research program focuses on how vegetation changes in the Arctic in relation to the climatic conditions
as well as to activities of animals (including geese and lemmings). We study how biotic interactions, both positive (e.g.
mutualism, facilitation) and negative (e.g. competition, herbivory), influence the vegetation. Our research addresses
questions such as: "How do plants establish in recently deglaciated landscapes?"; "How much plant biomass is
available to herbivores?"; and "What is the impact of grubbing by geese on the vegetation?". Our work is done in
collaboration with the goose camp research group and most activities take place in the vicinity of the base camp on
Bylot Island. Only a few sites are located further away, along the glacier front or on beach ridges. The base camp is set
up using a Twin Otter and a helicopter is used to reach the camp at other times as well as to reach sites away from
camp. Our research mostly involves the sampling of plant cover and abundance using quadrats (non destructive
method). In addition: we mark plants to be able to measure their growth and flowering over time; we establish fenced
plots (3m x 4m) to exclude the geese and lemming and monitor plant growth; we collect plants to measure the food
available to herbivores; we use low level fertilizer (in fenced plots) to simulate the impact of goose feces on the
vegetation; and we use small meteorological instruments to measure the temperature in the soil and near established
plants. Many of our projects are long term and require that markers are left in the field for 3-4 years, however at the end
of the projects all markers and equipment will be removed from the field. Our results will contribute to better
understand how vegetation changes in the High Arctic and how the increasing population of Greater Snow Goose affect
the vegetation.
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APPLICATION FOR A SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND COLLECTING PERMIT
NUNAVUT FIELD UNIT (Auyuittuq, Quttinirpaaq, Sirmilik, and Ukkusiksalik National Parks of Canada)
PARKS CANADA
PAGE 3: COLLECTIONS
(Complete this section if you would like to collect specimens or materials)
Scientific description of specimens or materials to be collected (include taxonomic group or name, or type of material; sample size, quantity,
frequency, and location):
1. Collect herbarium specimen from the most common species. Enough plant material will be collected to prepare
herbarium sheets for Park Canada (2 sheets per species) and for UQTR.
2. Collect plant specimen for identification. A few plants will be collected and pressed to confirm species
identification. These specimen could then be returned to Park if required or could be loaned to the herbarium at
UQTR for scientific reference.
3. Collect plant samples (leaf, stem and root) of few species (4-5) for chemical analyses. Approximately 15 grams
per species will be collected.
Additional details of the proposed collecting activities can be found in the attached documents.
If you propose that specimens or materials are to be retained permanently, they will become part of Parks Canada’s collections. You may
request that they be loaned to or otherwise deposited with a non-Parks Canada institution.
Proposed repository of specimens:
[ X ] Parks Canada (1)
[ X ] Other institution (if selected, you must complete the box below) (1-2)
[ X ] Will be destroyed through analysis or discarded after analysis (3)
Proposed Repository for Collections
(Complete this section only if you checked “Other institution” in the box above)
Non-Parks Canada institution where specimens or materials are proposed to be deposited:
Organization Information
Institution: Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
Address:
Herbier de l’UQTR
A/s de Esther Lévesque
Département de chimie-biologie, UQTR
C.P. 500, Trois-Rivières, Québec, G9A 5H7
Phone #:
FAX #:
Email:
819-376-5011 ext. 3351
819-376-5084
Esther_Lévesque@uqtr.ca
This organization concurs with the proposal that collected specimens or materials be loaned or deposited to this institution subject to the
“General Permit Conditions and Restrictions” and the terms of applicable Parks Canada loan agreements.
________________________________________________
(Signature of responsible official at custodial institution)
____February 26th 2004_____
(Date)
______________Esther Lévesque_____________________
(Name of responsible official – please print)
_________Professor_____________________
(Title of responsible official – please print)
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