ࡱ> hkg @ZbjbjR|R| 4z00@R\T$*^x^ 9*;*;*;*;*;*;*$-/H_*_*t*:9*9*-'|( 2\)'%**0*'00$(0(_*_**0 :  Teaching Notes SUSTAINING OOMINGMAK, SUSTAIN US: ALASKA NATIVES AND THE MUSKOX ADAPT TO SOCIAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHANGE Learning Objectives: Ability to identify the main events in the natural history and evolution of the muskox (scientific name Ovibos moschatus, or Inupiat name Oomingmak) up until the present time Ability to explain how the muskox adapted to Arctic conditions through natural selection Identify the purpose, principles and scientific understandings underlying the management of wild muskox herds as indigenous animals with a goal of harvestable populations for subsistence hunting by Alaskan Natives Describe the management of farmed musk oxen and contrast with the management of wild muskoxen demonstrating an understanding of the costs and benefits of these different scientific and management regimes. Ability to explain the impacts of social change on Alaskan natives and the evolution of their relationship to the muskox. Ability to explain how the management and economics of an indigenous cooperative nonprofit like Oomingmak, The Musk Ox Producers Cooperative works Advanced group research proposal objective Demonstrate ability to prepare a research proposal Audience: This case is designed to be used in upper division college or graduate courses in environmental studies, biology, wildlife management, mammology, Arctic studies, Native Studies, animal husbandry, development economics, organizational management/cooperative organizations and basic research classes. Related Cases: Other related environmental cases include Back to the Bison. Updates and Additional Information: (9-5-16) Wild musk ox populations seem to be relatively stable, though they have not reached desired levels. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) offered the most detailed report on population numbers from 2012-2015 on the Central and Eastern Arctic Slope. Although there were no systematic aerial studies during this period, research and management staff estimated by counting observations during radio telemetry surveys. , The effects of climate change such as later, softer snows that prevent grazing and mire animals, the onset of additional diseases and breaking sea ice all have negative effects on wild musk ox populations in addition to hunting. Brown bear predation and harvest permits that allowed primarily taking bulls (80% of the animals harvested were bulls) affected the population. The ADFG took strong measures by not issuing any harvest permits for musk ox from 2012-2014. This may help protect bulls that protect the calves, females and yearlings affecting the survival chances of the herd. The department needs more funding to continue to protect herds and increase their numbers. They have expanded viewing and photographic opportunities especially along the Dalton Highway. Ironically, one of the positive ways to support wild musk oxen is to make them something of a tourist attraction. If well-managed, this may lead to more public education and better funding. The department supports the growth and expansion of the musk ox onto their historic ranges. This has a remarkable parallel to current interagency bison conservation efforts that are moving towards the landscape level in the Lower 48. On the research and economic development side, the musk ox has an important place with nonprofits, particularly those focused on Native Alaskan species. Alaska Wildlife offers an Adopt-a-Musk-Ox program. The University of Alaska runs an important research program studying all aspects of musk ox conservation and National Geographic funded a significant photography and research study. The Oomingmak Cooperative in Anchorage, owned by 250 Native knitters that produce items made of musk ox fiber, continues to provide a sustainable income stream and maintains an A+ Better Business Bureau rating, while other musk ox live on farms and provide a tourist attraction. In Nunavut, located in the Northwest Territories of Canada, a Qikiqtaaluk Board was established for musk ox conservation for the villages. As in other areas, current verified information on population size and boundaries are somewhat in question. It is generally believed that although numbers are better than historic lows, the numbers are still low. A major effort towards a management plan is now in place that points to the fact that more than harvest permits are needed to maintain populations. Musk ox is a subsistence species for these villages, but rules based on studies are needed. Hunting near villages is the probable cause of the fact that the musk ox herds moved far from the villages and are now more difficult to obtain for subsistence. The Board recognizes the need to work together and to support the recolonizing of musk ox to their historic range. Resources for Updates for additional Information: University of Alaska Anchorage Alaska Department of Fish and Game:  HYPERLINK "http://www.adfg.alaska.gove/static/research/wildlife/speciesmanagementreports/pdfs/muskox_2015" http://www.adfg.alaska.gove/static/research/wildlife/speciesmanagementreports/pdfs/muskox_2015  HYPERLINK "http://gov.nu.ca/sites/default/files/management_plan_high_arctic_muskoxen_qikiqtaagluk_2013-18" http://gov.nu.ca/sites/default/files/management_plan_high_arctic_muskoxen_qikiqtaagluk_2013-18 Implementation Several approaches for teaching this case are suggested here: through small group discussions, debates, or through a research project design exercise. Class discussions are one of the common ways to present this case. The case can work in a 50 minute discussion if the students read the case before class. Questions can be written to different developmental levels of students. Tier One questions are more basic questions that stress description, careful reading, and basic understanding of the main ideas in the case. Tier Two Questions are more advanced and require higher order conceptual skills, evaluation and synthesis. Another way to organize questions and group discussions is to organize questions by theme and have each group work on different themes. Themes for the different groups might be history of the musk ox, climate change, cultural values, work and culture. Tier One How long did it take the muskox to evolve and what were some if the major events in the natural history of the musk ox in Alaska? What kinds of successful adaptations did the muskox make to its Arctic environment? What benefits does and did the muskox provide to indigenous subsistence hunters? What changes might occur in the relationship between subsistence hunters and muskoxen due to changes in hunting technology? Should muskox hunts be permitted and for whom? What are some of the characteristics that farm-owners want to develop in the muskox? Is there good reason to apply common practices of animal history to musk oxen in captivity on farms? What cultural values are supported by the Oomingmak Producers Cooperative? How is the Oomingmak Producers Cooperative managed? What hurdles does the farm face from lack of scientific study for farmed muskoxen? Tier Two What kinds of specific adaptations has the muskox species made to the Arctic? If you were studying wild muskoxen, would you also use the more easily gathered data from farmed muskoxen? How would it be useful? What are the limitations of that data? Why is success in calving so important for both wild and domestic herds and what are the key factors that scientists are studying that are related to calf mortality? What climate change factors might be affecting muskoxen? Explain how this is occurring and what might be done. Who should establish harvest limits? What are the most important research questions that scientists need to answer on the sustainability of muskox populations to assure subsistence harvest? What are the most important research questions that scientists need to answer to assure that Native knitters have a sustainable supply of qiviut to produce a marketable number of high quality items? What might happen to the farmed muskoxen in the future if the principles of natural selection are removed by controlled breeding, sheltering, and substitutions in feeding, taming and other management activities? Should the domesticated musk oxen breed with the wild herds, what might happen? Small groups and Tier One questions. Students should read the case before class and break into groups to discuss the questions. There are eight first level questions, so four groups could discuss two questions each and then share their thoughts with the class. If a written assignment is desired, each of the groups can be assigned to do further research on their two questions and present a two page paper on the questions to the class or to the instructor at the next session. Advanced Debate. Another way to use the case is to structure a debate. One debate group could represent the perspective of muskox farms and Oomingmak, The Musk Ox Producers Cooperative. They would support the idea of domesticating the muskox as an important way to conserve muskox populations. The other side would argue from the point of view that the musk ox, to maintain its evolutionary advantages, should be conserved mainly by assuring it a future in the wild. Each side should review all of the questions from their perspective as a basis for forming their position. The debate could proceed by the normal rules with presentations from each side and a chance to rebut from each side and then final summaries from each side. Group or Online Exercise: Writing a Research Proposal Two options for teaching the case by writing a research proposal are presented below. This exercise is designed for upper division students who possess some background in natural science. They do not need to be advanced students, but they should have some experience of field science and a basic background in research methods. In the classroom, students break into groups of 4-8 to do this exercise. They should have previously read the case as homework. Pass out the assignment below along with a copy of the National Park Service Protocol. They will work in groups to create a virtual scientific proposal that contributes to the study of musk oxen for conservation purposes. It is helpful to advise the groups to make joint decisions about who will perform each task needed to complete the assignment at this time. The groups should have about 20 minutes for general discussion of the case before beginning to write the proposal. For fifty minute classes, the groups could reasonably complete their initial discussion and Step 1, the justification portion of the proposal. They can work on the other portions of the proposal as homework and present the highlights of their proposal to the class using PowerPoint, handouts, or poster paper. This activity also produces a written proposal from each group that can be used to assess their learning. This exercise works best if students can have at least one class period for discussion of the task. They should read the case and the task description for writing a research proposal in the week before class. In class, they would break up into groups to discuss the case and share possible approaches to the assignment. As an instructor, you may want to supplement the class meeting with video, an appropriate speaker, or a short lecture on topics like the biology of Arctic animals, choosing research methods and collecting data, climate change or the Arctic in general, depending on the emphasis of the course. The task for students is to complete a proposal as an individual homework assignment and post it online. Each student would also peer review another students proposal and compare it to their own in an additional paper. These secondary review papers would then be posted online. Finally, students should prepare a short paragraph or two about what they learned from this assignment for posting after completing all of the other assignments. Instructions for the Task: Writing a Research Protocol/Proposal Many government agencies are conducting research on muskoxen. The National Park Service protocol is available here: http://www./science.nature.nps.gov/im/units/arcn/documents/ARCN_MuskoxProtocolDevelopmentSummary.pdf This gives general background on what kinds of questions might be important in order to initiate a scientifically-informed conservation program for the muskox. Especially important are trends in musk ox sex and age composition and how they potentially relate to herd productivity: Herd sex and age composition provides critical information for understanding population trends. With composition data, herd productivity and be correlated with environmental conditions, predation, harvest patterns and management strategies. The information can be used to identify hypotheses for evaluation of the long-term health of muskoxen herds. ( HYPERLINK "http://www./science.nature.nps.gov/im/units/arcn/documents/ARCN_MuskoxprotocolDevelopmentSummary.pdf" http://www./science.nature.nps.gov/im/units/arcn/documents/ARCN_MuskoxprotocolDevelopmentSummary.pdf Option 1 Upper Division Undergraduate or Graduate Level You are to prepare a three-year research proposal that will be ready for peer review by the National Park Service by the end of the year. The objective of the National Park Service is to conserve herds of muskoxen beyond their purely biological sustainability in order to provide for subsistence hunting of muskoxen in specific park areas. Assume you are on a single island like Nunivak Island and that you are proposing to study a herd of about 750 wild muskoxen. Justification and research questions. In order to create the proposal, you must prioritize two or three key researchable questions. It usually works best if the questions are closely related. Briefly state the questions within your project justification (what you think needs to be done and why it should be done now). This section should be less than half a page. Research Methods. The next section describes the research methods that you will use to answer the questions and what you are trying to measure. You will need to decide what you need to measure in order to choose a research method---weights, calving rates, gender and age, ice or snow depth , and so on. For example, how would you count animals to get herd composition data? What would you measure and what data do you need to make an assessment? What methods and technology would you use to get an idea of herd composition within a specific area? What kind of data would help to answer the question about the long-term health and population trends versus immediate access to food? Activities like census and herd composition surveys, mortality rates, habitat monitoring, accessibility to food resources in key season and distribution of muskoxen may be important. You also want to learn more about their winter body condition. How would you collect this data? Dont make this section too long or complex-half a page will be plentyand be sure the methods and data match your question. 3. Timeline and schedule. Create a three year schedule for this project. List the seasonal times you will collect data over the three year period. For each data collection period, describe how many people you will need to collect data for each field expedition. What data they would collect and the types of equipment you will need. You are free to estimate here, just give general estimates for scientific equipment, clothing and tents to protect for weather, transportation, food and fuel. The final six months will be for assessing the data you gathered, so you wont be in the field. 4. Assessment/data analysis. In the last section, you discuss how you will assess the data that you collected. Will you use statistics? What kinds of statistical tests might be appropriate? Will you compare your initial results with older studies or with traditional ecological knowledge. Connect the assessment to the original justification of the project and re-emphasize why the results of your assessment are important. Discuss the scope, uniqueness and limitations of your assessment in this project. Factors like sample size, geographic limitations, and length of time for data collection may represent some of the limitations. Option 2 Advanced Graduate Level Today, there are four musk oxen farms in Alaska and a major research project called LARS at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks that are completing research that will help manage muskoxen in a captive situation. The farms collect data more informally, but because of their day-to-day contact with the animals, they have important knowledge. The LARS Research Project facilitates a similar research program, but they study semi-domesticated muskoxen that live in the Universitys farm-like facilities. After reviewing the case, you will prepare a three-year research proposal that will be ready for peer review by the University by the end of the year. The objective of the LARS Research Project is to provide research on muskoxen beyond their purely biological sustainability in order to facilitate domestication and also to better understand these unique arctic animals. Design a three year long research protocol around several questions that you think are important. Briefly state the questions you want to ask around the domestication of muskoxen. Be sure to assess the kind of data that you can actually obtain in this university facility that will help support the success of domestic musk ox farms. Carefully research the NPS Protocol Development Summary at  HYPERLINK "http://www./science.nature.nps.gov/im/units/arcn/documents/ARCN_MuskoxprotocolDevelopmentSummary.pdf" http://www./science.nature.nps.gov/im/units/arcn/documents/ARCN_MuskoxprotocolDevelopmentSummary.pdf and the following LARS research paper, A New Northern farm animal, at HYPERLINK "http://www.uaf.edu/files/snrs/MP_08_02.pdf"www.uaf.edu/files/snrs/MP_08_02.pdf before beginning your work. Justification and research question. Discuss the research questions that you think are most important for the LARS Research Project. This usually works best if the questions are closely related. Briefly state the questions within your project justification (what you think should be done and why it should be done now). This section should be less than half a page. 2. Research Methods. The next section describes the research methods and techniques that you will use to answer the questions and explain what you are trying to measure. Your questions should respond to your measures: i.e., if you are trying to identify what kinds of behaviors/training are most effective to acclimate young musk oxen to human handlers, you need to devise a method to record your observations. After stating a question, then explain how you would set up the experiment or data collection strategy to answer the question. If you are trying to identify the best timelines for breeding and calving for efficient agricultural operations, then you need to develop a design on how you will collect data for this by establishing and recording results from different breeding dates and herd management interventions or separations based on sex or age. 3. Timeline/Schedule. Create a three year schedule for this project. List the dates you will collect data over the three year period. For each data collection period, describe how many people you will need to collect data for each time period. You may want to employ graduate students, so consider orientation and training and replacing students who graduate. Estimate any special scientific equipment you need. You can assume that you have the basic structure of the LARS Project with facilities for the musk ox, pasture, feed, etc. The final six months will be for assessing the data you gathered, so allow for this in your design and recommend the kind of assessment tools you think may work. Since this project involves human intervention, consider qualitative information and interviews as well as empirical data. 4. Assessment/data analysis. Discuss how you will assess the qualitative and quantitative data that you collected. What kinds of tests or assessment tools might be appropriate? Will you compare your initial results with older studies or with local knowledge from farms? Be sure to connect the assessment to the original justification of the project and emphasize why the results are important. Discuss the scope, uniqueness and limitations of your assessment of this project and how it will contribute to better management methods for domesticated musk ox. Factors include sample size, limitations of a domestic herd, length of time, and scope. 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