Episode 13: What can polar bear teeth tell us about the impacts of climate change?
Dr. Jean-Pierre Desforges is an Assistant Professor in the department of Environmental Studies and Sciences at the University of Winnipeg. His research focuses on understanding the impacts of human activities on the environment and wildlife populations. With the continuing loss of sea ice due to climate change, Arctic species like the polar bear and ringed seal are under threat. Desforges and his team have developed an innovative approach to study the health of polar bear populations; a method that can provide valuable insights into their biology, ecology, and behaviour affected by long-term environmental change in the arctic.
Episode Credits
Written, Narrated and Produced by Kent Davies
UWRQ Logo by Kimberley Moore
Music
Lee Rosevere – Let’s start at the beginning, Puzzle pieces, Still Water, Slow Lights
Blue Dot Sessions – Momentary Ease, The Melt, When the Guests Have Left, Partly Sage, Cases to Rest, Are We Loose Yet
Sounds
Churchill Field Sounds – Kent Davies
Arctic Research Sounds – Claire Hornby
Rucisko – Icebergs 01
Albarosa – splashing icebergs
Played N Faved – Polar Bear Sound Effect
Selected Readings
Desforges, J-P.; W. Kohlbach, D.; Carlyle, C.G.; Christine, M.; Loseto, L.; Rosenberg, B.; Yurkowski, D.; Ferguson, S. “Multi-dietary tracer approach reveals little overlap in foraging ecology between seasonally sympatric ringed and harp seals in the high Arctic.” Front. Mar Sci. 2022. 9, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.969327.
Desforges, J-P.; Dietz, R.; Letcher, R. J.; Aars, J.; Andersen, M.; Boltunov, A.; Born, E. W.; Ciesielski, T. M.; Das, K.; Dastnai, S.; Derocher, A. E.; et al. “A risk assessment review of mercury exposure in Arctic marine and terrestrial mammals.” Science of the Total Environment. 2022, Vol 829, 154445. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154445
Desforges, J-P.; Milton Levin, Lindsay Jasperse, Sylvain De Guise, Igor Eulaers, Robert J. Letcher, Mario Acquarone et al. “Effects of polar bear and killer whale derived contaminant cocktails on marine mammal immunity.” Environmental Science & Technology 51, no. 19 (2017): 11431-11439. http://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.7b03532