Alert act as a natural laboratory because climate at this latitude is changing very fast and its effect are expected to be the most obvious.

What are the ongoing research projects?

Wildlife research has been conducted at Alert for decades. Current projects involve migration and breeding ecology of the snow bunting, a declining songbird that likely encounter significant chalenges in a warming climate. Biodiversity monitoring is crucial to understand how animal communities interact with each other and how they may be affected by major modification of the Arctic.

What do we know about Alert bird populations?

Previous research have shown that several species of shorebirds spend their winter in Europe or Africa. These birds have to undergo considerable transformations of their body, not only to fly such long distances, but also to face potentialy harsh conditions on arrival. Little is known of the migratory route used by the snow buntings breeding at Alert. It is also expected that these birds face tremendous challenges on arrival as they may arrive as early as the end of April.

How can you help?

Any person spending time at Alert can contribute to the monitoring of biodiversity by reporting observations of species made during trips on the land or when working outside.

How can you share your observations?

You simply have to click on the ‘Login’ tab above and create an account.

Each time you want to report observations please log into your account. You can then select the species you have seen.

The data you provide is automaticaly compiled, and you can access to your checklists through this website.

By sending your species checklist, you contribute to better understand Alert wildlife, thanks for your interest and commitment

Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

Contact names

François Vézina, Professor, Université du Québec à Rimouski
Pierre Legagneux, Research professional, Université du Québec à Rimouski