My research in the Iqaluktuttiaq (Cambridge Bay) region of Kilinoyak (Victoria Island), Nunavut, is in conjunction with the Arctic BIOSCAN (ARCBIO) project. ARCBIO, spearheaded by the Centre for Biodiversity Genomics (CBG) at the University of Guelph, aims to document all Arctic life using DNA barcodes—short pieces of DNA that are specific to each species. Funded by Polar Knowledge Canada (POLAR), ARCBIO is in its third year with at least four more years to go.

Located above the treeline on Kilinoyak’s southern edge, Iqaluktuttiaq is a polar desert with 24-hour daylight in the summertime. This region features stunning landscapes and prolific freshwater bodies of all sizes that are culturally, spiritually, and economically important to Inuit in this region. Many locals spend summer seasons fishing for Arctic char and trout, which use freshwater to spawn. Iqaluktuttiaq in the Inuinnaqtun dialect means “a good fishing place”. Arctic char has been harvested for generations for sustenance and now supports a local export industry.

Dani assisting with a plant phenology/insect pollinator research project near CHARS.

The freshwater invertebrate catalogue currently consists of approximately 2,500 records from two summer sample collecting seasons. Most of these records include insects and crustacean (Arthropoda), of which many are flies (Diptera) and tiny water fleas (Anomopoda). Of these, just under 900 are of sufficient quality to obtain a standard DNA barcode. It is becoming clear with this early work that more sampling is needed to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of freshwater invertebrates in the Canadian Middle Arctic. Nevertheless, once sequences have been quality checked, researchers will release these data to the public via the standardized online DNA barcode library called BOLD.

IMAGE CREDIT: CBG Imaging lab

My experience with BOLD and the DNA barcode pipeline began in the CBG’s Collections lab—a well-oiled machine where staff take gathered specimens, sort them, and input all their metadata (location, collection method, team members, etc.) into BOLD. Then, specimens are photographed, sent through automated DNA sequencing machinery, and finally, each sequence obtained is run through algorithms resulting in a BIN (Barcode Index Number) which is a proxy for species.

Committing resources and time to monitor environmental change in the Arctic is critical, but responsible research must prioritize integrating different voices from the community. As First Nations and Inuit communities in northern Canada⁷ are directly impacted, it is of the utmost importance to conduct this research in collaboration with local communities. This means listening to, including, and supporting Indigenous voices. Stitching together local Inuit’s experiences and traditional knowledge (otherwise known as IQ – Inuit qaujimajatuqangit) with climate change and scientific data in the region will only strengthen our understanding of these shared challenges and better position us to garner support for environmental protections.

Alternative outreach methods are being explored, taking into consideration the slower internet connectivity issues experienced by many Northerners. One possible method includes connecting with the local radio station that many locals tune into regularly to discuss research and generate conversations about science, increase awareness about projects, and put calls out for collaboration. The radio station communication strategy has been identified by locals in many northern communities as an excellent way to reach out⁸. Recently, a group of Inuit youth from various regions in Nunavut developed a concept they dubbed ScIQ (science + Inuit qaujimajatuqangit) in an effort to close the gap between attempts from external researchers to engage communities, and respectful inclusion⁸.

Monitoring equipment set up in the Intensive Monitoring Area, with Uvayuk (glacial esker) behind

One of the significant challenges ARCBIO will face is in finding ways to share barcode data with communities that are meaningful and useful. While data will be publicly available on BOLD, it is very likely that few, if any, locals will use the platform.

Sharing ARCBIO results with the local community in Cambridge Bay and other Northerners could be facilitated by a relatively new digital app called SIKU: the Indigenous Knowledge Sharing Network. This app was specifically designed by the Arctic Eider Society for Northerners. One might compare SIKU to iNaturalist, but specifically tailored for Northern hunters.  It allows users to log ice and land conditions, animal sightings, hunting experiences, among other things in a privacy-protected space. App users can also submit plant and animal observations, including arthropod orders that are prolific across Northern Canada, such as caddisflies, mayflies, copepods, and beetles.

Unlike Facebook or any other mainstream social media platform, SIKU users can be assured that any information they share on the app remains their own. Due to these properties, SIKU may be a perfect avenue to share the ARCBIO project outcomes with local people who could benefit directly from the project’s data. I was first made aware of SIKU during the ArcticNet 2019 Annual Scientific Meeting, where the Arctic Eider Society did a public launch of the platform in a plenary session. Since the launch, Siku has gained popularity across Arctic Canada.

So far, our meetings with SIKU’s developers have explored the types of information that Northerners might find useful. Discussions have revolved around biogeographical figures, time series, and other such accumulations of data. Although this pipeline will require significant computational and technological power, I believe in years to come, it will result in user-generated research questions in which Southern researchers can assist locals in answering.