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1. A polar bear paleogenome reveals extensive ancient gene flow from polar bears into brown bears

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-022-01753-8  

   Wang, Ming-Shan ; Murray, Gemma G. ; Mann, Daniel ; Groves, Pamela ; Vershinina, Alisa O. ; Supple, Megan A. ; Kapp, Joshua D. ; Corbett-Detig, Russell ; Crump, Sarah E. ; Stirling, Ian ; et al ( July 2022 , Nature Ecology & Evolution)
2. Grizzly and polar bears as nonconsumptive cultural keystone species

   https://doi.org/10.1139/facets-2020-0089  

   Clark, Douglas ; Artelle, Kyle ; Darimont, Chris ; Housty, William ; Tallio, Clyde ; Neasloss, Douglas ; Schmidt, Aimee ; Wiget, Andrew ; Turner, Nancy ( January 2021 , FACETS)

   Olive, Andrea (Ed.)

   Grizzly bears and polar bears often serve as ecological “flagship species” in conservation efforts, but although consumptively used in some areas and cultures they can also be important cultural keystone species even where not hunted. We extend the application of established criteria for defining cultural keystone species to also encompass species with which cultures have a primarily nonconsumptive relationship but that are nonetheless disproportionately important to well-being and identity. Grizzly bears in coastal British Columbia are closely linked to many Indigenous Peoples (including the Haíɫzaqv (Heiltsuk), Kitasoo/Xai’xais, and Nuxalk First Nations), where they are central to the identity, culture, and livelihoods of individuals, families, Chiefs, and Nations. Polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba, provide another example as a cultural keystone species for a mixed Indigenous and non-Indigenous community in which many of the livelihood benefits from the species are mediated by economic transactions in a globalized tourism market. We discuss context specificity and questions of equity in sharing of benefits from cultural keystone species. Our expanded definition of cultural keystone species gives broader recognition of the beyond-ecological importance of these species to Indigenous Peoples, which highlights the societal and ecological importance of Indigenous sovereignty and could facilitate the increased cross-cultural understanding critical to reconciliation. 

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3. The acute physiological response of polar bears to helicopter capture

   https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.22238  

   Whiteman, John P. ; Harlow, Henry J. ; Durner, George M. ; Regehr, Eric V. ; Amstrup, Steven C. ; Pagano, Anthony M. ; Ben‐David, Merav ( April 2022 , The Journal of Wildlife Management)

   Many wildlife species are live captured, sampled, and released; for polar bears (Ursus maritimus) capture often requires chemical immobilization via helicopter darting. Polar bears reduce their activity for approximately 4 days after capture, likely reflecting stress recovery. To better understand this stress, we quantified polar bear activity (via collar‐mounted accelerometers) and body temperature (via loggers in the body core [T_abd] and periphery [T_per]) during 2–6 months of natural behavior, and during helicopter recapture and immobilization. Recapture induced bouts of peak activity higher than those that occurred during natural behavior for 2 of 5 bears, greater peak T_perfor 3 of 6 bears, and greater peak T_abdfor 1 of 6 bears. High body temperature (>39.0°C) occurred in T_perfor 3 of 6 individuals during recapture and 6 of 6 individuals during natural behavior, and in T_abdfor 2 of 6 individuals during recapture and 3 of 6 individuals during natural behavior. Measurements of T_abdand T_percorrelated with rectal temperatures measured after immobilization, supporting the use of rectal temperatures for monitoring bear response to capture. Using a larger dataset (n = 66 captures), modeling of blood biochemistry revealed that maximum ambient temperature during recapture was associated with a stress leukogram (7–26% decline in percent lymphocytes, 12–21% increase in percent neutrophils) and maximum duration of helicopter operations had a similar but smaller effect. We conclude that polar bear activity and body temperature during helicopter capture are similar to that which occurs during the most intense events of natural behavior; high body temperature, especially in warm capture conditions, is a key concern; additional study of stress leukograms in polar bears is needed; and additional data collection regarding capture operations would be useful.

    

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4. A multi-tissue gene expression dataset for hibernating brown bears

   https://doi.org/10.1186/s12863-023-01136-3  

   Perry, Blair W. ; Saxton, Michael W. ; Jansen, Heiko T. ; Quackenbush, Corey R. ; Evans Hutzenbiler, Brandon D. ; Robbins, Charles T. ; Kelley, Joanna L. ; Cornejo, Omar E. ( June 2023 , BMC Genomic Data)

   Complex physiological adaptations often involve the coordination of molecular responses across multiple tissues. Establishing transcriptomic resources for non-traditional model organisms with phenotypes of interest can provide a foundation for understanding the genomic basis of these phenotypes, and the degree to which these resemble, or contrast, those of traditional model organisms. Here, we present a one-of-a-kind gene expression dataset generated from multiple tissues of two hibernating brown bears (Ursus arctos).

   This dataset is comprised of 26 samples collected from 13 tissues of two hibernating brown bears. These samples were collected opportunistically and are typically not possible to attain, resulting in a highly unique and valuable gene expression dataset. In combination with previously published datasets, this new transcriptomic resource will facilitate detailed investigation of hibernation physiology in bears, and the potential to translate aspects of this biology to treat human disease.

    

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5. A multi-tissue gene expression dataset for hibernating brown bears

   Perry, Blair W. ; Saxton, Michael W. ; Jansen, Heiko T. ; Quackenbush, Corey R. ; Evans Hutzenbiler, Brandon D. ; Robbins, Charles T. ; Kelley, Joanna L. ; Cornejo, Omar E. ( June 2023 , BMC genomic data)

   Objectives Complex physiological adaptations often involve the coordination of molecular responses across multiple tissues. Establishing transcriptomic resources for non-traditional model organisms with phenotypes of interest can provide a foundation for understanding the genomic basis of these phenotypes, and the degree to which these resemble, or contrast, those of traditional model organisms. Here, we present a one-of-a-kind gene expression dataset generated from multiple tissues of two hibernating brown bears (Ursus arctos). Data description This dataset is comprised of 26 samples collected from 13 tissues of two hibernating brown bears. These samples were collected opportunistically and are typically not possible to attain, resulting in a highly unique and valuable gene expression dataset. In combination with previously published datasets, this new transcriptomic resource will facilitate detailed investigation of hibernation physiology in bears, and the potential to translate aspects of this biology to treat human disease. 

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