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Arctic Indigenous coastal communities sustain rich environmental knowledge for subsistence activities, yet their knowledge and observations of changing conditions remain underrepresented in scientific datasets. This dataset documents local Sivuqaq Yupik Indigenous hunters’ observations of environmental conditions and associated subsistence activity based out of Sivuqaq (Gambell), St. Lawrence Island, Alaska. Two community research leads and experienced Sivuqaq Yupik Hunters (Ungott and Kaningok) compiled a series of regular observations over the course of three sea ice seasons from 2023 to 2025. These included quantitative measurements made with a handheld weather meter and visual assessments of specific categories of weather, ice and ocean conditions, and subsistence activities. Specifically, the quantitative observations include wind speed, direction and air temperature, while visually assessed weather conditions include cloud cover, precipitation, and visibility. Reported categories of ice and ocean conditions include current direction, state of waves, Akuzipik ice type terminology, the presence and state of shorefast ice, and the distribution of ice and open water both near the beach and further offshore. Categories related to subsistence activities noted whether any community members were participating in hunting, fishing, or crabbing, and the number of boats in the water. These observations were accompanied by narrative commentary and often photographs to add context to each record. Observations were focused between the months of December and June, in relation to local ice presence, and ice-associated subsistence hunting. The range of data for each observed day enables comparison with other large-scale datasets while remaining grounded in the applied local context of subsistence hunting. This dataset was developed as part of the NSF Arctic Robust Communities – Navigating Adaptation to Variability (ARC-NAV) project. For further information see arcnav.org
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Climate services in a rapidly changing environment: an evaluation of the Sea Ice for Walrus Outlook (SIWO)
Understanding how to design climate services across a range of contexts remains a key priority. This research evaluates the Sea Ice for Walrus Outlook (SIWO), a resource designed to provide information about sea ice, weather, and walruses in Alaska, a region experiencing rapid social and environmental change. The evaluation was based on a set of 22 indicators developed from literature on evaluation, weather and climate services, science communication, and decision support. Two datasets were assessed to evaluate the SIWO: semi-structured interviews (n = 13) and a web-based questionnaire (n = 35). Interpretation of the outcome indicators suggests that the SIWO supported several community needs, including providing information to support travel, documenting historical impacts for disaster relief, and sharing Indigenous Knowledge among villages. The evaluation revealed insights into the kinds of information useful for rural and Indigenous communities, such as the importance of local observations from within and from nearby villages. Recommendations for other emergent organizations providing climate services in rural communities include attention to specific budget considerations to support equitable engagement and compensation, including both local and scientific observations, using multiple channels to disseminate information, and including evaluations in the design of climate services that are aligned with funding cycles.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1928794
- PAR ID:
- 10523528
- Publisher / Repository:
- Polar Geography
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Polar Geography
- Volume:
- 46
- Issue:
- 4
- ISSN:
- 1088-937X
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 206 to 227
- Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
- Climate services Alaska evaluation community-based monitoring
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Impacts of a warming climate are amplified in the Arctic. One notorious impact is recent and record-breaking summertime sea-ice loss. Expanding areas of open water and a prolonged ice-free season create opportunity for some industries but challenge indigenous peoples relying on sea ice for transportation and access to food. The observed and projected increase of Arctic maritime activity requires accurate sea-ice forecasts to protect life, environment, and property. Motivated by emerging prediction needs on the operational timescale (≤10 days), this study explores where local indigenous knowledge (LIK) fits into the forecaster toolbox and how it can be woven into useful sea-ice information products. The 2011 spring ice retreat season in the Bering Sea is presented as a forecasting case study. LIK, housed in a database of community-based ice and weather logs, and an ice-ocean forecast model developed by the US Navy are analyzed for their ability to provide information relevant to stakeholder needs. Additionally, metrics for verifying numerical sea-ice forecasts on multiple scales are derived. The model exhibits skill relative to persistence and climatology on the regional scale. At the community scale, we discuss how LIK and new model guidance can enhance public sea-ice information resources.more » « less
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1080/1088937X.2023.2286383
