|
|
 |
FAQS
1. Who can attend the "Gryfalcons and Ptarmigan in a
Changing World" conference Feb. 1-3, 2011, in Boise, Idaho?
The conference is for biologists, scientists, land
managers, policy analysts and other conservationists, and anyone
interested in the possible effects of climate change. Members of
the media are welcome to attend at no charge.
2. What is the purpose of the conference?
- Investigate the effects of current and predicted climate
change on Gyrfalcons and their prey.
- Understand the range of environmental changes and their
effects in arctic ecosystems by studying the Gyrfalcon, a bird
of prey at the top of the food chain.
-
Devise global strategies to measure and mitigate the effects
of climate change and other factors affecting ecological
communities in high latitudes, and a conservation plan, if
needed, to save the Gyrfalcon and its prey base from extinction.
3. What outcome do you expect from this conference?
Determine what direct human efforts will be effective in
maintaining viable populations of arctic species in a rapidly
changing world, using Gyrfalcons and ptarmigan as foci.
4. Why the Gyrfalcon?
From their perch near the top of the food chain, birds of prey
are excellent indicators of environmental stress. Declining
numbers of Peregrine Falcons and Bald Eagles signaled the
dangers of DDT; similarly, the plight of the California Condor
has made us aware of the potential for lead poisoning from spent
ammunition.
Like the polar bear, the Gyrfalcon is a good indicator species
for climate change in the Arctic. This bird of prey (the largest
of all falcons) evolved to exist in a cold climate and to prey
on species that live in the Arctic. The Peregrine Fund began
researching and monitoring Gyrfalcons in Greenland in 1993, and
some of its staff worked on Gyrfalcons in Alaska and Canada as
far back as the 1950s.
Other birds, primarily ptarmigan, and small mammals are prey
for the Gyrfalcon. The bird does not migrate great distances,
preferring to stay in northern regions year-round. It is found
in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Fennoscandia, Russia, and
Siberia. Changes in climate and habitat could affect the numbers
and types of prey species available to the Gyrfalcon and alter
competition for food or nest sites if other birds of prey are
able to expand their range into Gyrfalcon habitat.
5. What is the conservation status of the Gyrfalcon?
Thankfully, the Gyrfalcon is not currently in crisis mode. It is
classified as a species of lower risk (Global Raptor Information
Network,
http://www.globalraptors.org/grin/SpeciesResults.asp?specID=8251)
and least concern by BirdLife International but apparent
population declines have been documented in Greenland. It is
evaluated as “rare” in Europe because of its small population
size, estimated to be as few as 1,300 pairs. Climate change,
especially warming, is predicted to be greatest in the Arctic
and its biological effects most readily measured in species that
inhabit this ecoregion. Species that inhabit exclusively high
latitudes or high elevations are predicted to be most vulnerable
to loss of their habitat as the climate warms. As a widespread
predator in the Arctic, the Gyrfalcon may lend itself to
measuring the effects of climate change and developing models
for mitigating them.
6. Why include the ptarmigan in the conference?
As ptarmigan go, so goes the Gyrfalcon. Ptarmigan are medium
sized game birds of three species in the grouse family, and make
a nice meal for just about any predator. BirdLife International
lists ptarmigan as species of least concern, although
populations appear to be decreasing in some regions. Like the
Gyrfalcon, ptarmigan are well-adapted to life in the frigid
North. Their all-white plumage in the winter covers even their
toes. The birds browse on stems, twigs, buds, leaves, fruits,
and flowers of dwarf shrubs and some forbs, mostly from willows,
birch, and heaths of various species, and burrow in the snow to
sleep.
|
|
|
|
|
important dates
Early Registration
Ends:
1 November 2010
Abstract Submission Deadline:
1 November 2010
Draft Paper Submission Deadline:
1 January 2011
Final Paper Submission Deadline:
1 March 2011
|
|
|
