Effects of climate change on moose harvest opportunities

Climate change is altering many ecosystem services which are essential for rural Alaskan communities’ livelihoods. We have formed a research partnership with the Tribal Council of Nulato, Alaska to address their concerns... [ view full abstract ]

Climate change is altering many ecosystem services which are essential for rural Alaskan communities’ livelihoods. We have formed a research partnership with the Tribal Council of Nulato, Alaska to address their concerns regarding the effects of climate change on moose (Alces alces) harvest opportunities. Qualitative studies have found that warming climate negatively impacts accessibility to moose, but the topic has not been rigorously evaluated. Warming temperatures may alter moose behavior and fall phenology. Moose may respond to warmer temperatures by decreasing diurnal activity or selecting for shrubby habitat, therefore decreasing their sight-ability. Sight-ability may also decrease if the growing season is lengthening, causing a shift in leaf drop date that overlaps with hunting season. Increased evapotranspiration rates may cause reduced water levels, therefore decreasing boat access to high-quality hunting grounds. Using 30-year data sets on temperature, remote sensing imagery, and moose harvest data, we assessed relationships between moose harvest opportunities and (i) daily temperature, (ii) leaf-drop, (iii) precipitation/evapotranspiration rates in Interior Alaska. Our research quantifies the extent of change and estimates how moose harvest may be impacted. Current regulations do not include climate information and this research may show the efficacy of including climate parameters when forming policies to ensure that populations are managed sustainably while maintaining hunter satisfaction. Our study also represents a novel model for researcher-community collaborations.