The Viability of Preferred Large Ungulates as Traditional Foods, and Implications on Indigenous Food Systems in Yukon Territory

Northern Canada’s boreal ecosystems are undergoing rapid, cumulative change driven by climate warming, habitat disturbance, and intensified human activity. These ecological and colonial transformations have altered the distribution and abundance of wildlife species that underpin Indigenous food systems, disrupting access to culturally significant foods for First Nations across northern Canada. Guided by systems ecology and the FAO’s Indigenous food systems frameworks, this dissertation examines how ecological and sociocultural factors interact to shape the resilience of Indigenous food systems in the Kluane Region of Yukon Territory. It evaluates how changes in wildlife population viability affect the long-term sustainability of Indigenous food systems among the Kluane First Nation, Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, and White River First Nation. A mixed-methods design was employed across two core studies. The first involved a scoping review and qualitative content analysis of sixty-six peer-reviewed and grey literature sources to characterize Indigenous food systems in northern Canada. Findings reveal that most studies emphasize consumption and climate change while giving limited attention to harvesting, sharing, preparation, and storage practices central to Indigenous food systems. The analysis identified five overarching categories - food system activities, endogenous inputs, sociocultural elements, food systems outcomes, and food systems drivers - and highlighted persistent gaps linking ecological processes with cultural and governance dimensions. The second component applied the VORTEX Population Viability Analysis (PVA) model to assess the long-term viability of moose, woodland caribou, and wood bison under multiple stressors. Twenty-eight scenarios simulated population trajectories over a 100-year period under varying harvest intensities, predation, disease, vehicle collisions, and climate change. When all stressors were combined with current harvest rates, projections indicated severe population declines and potential collapse for all three species. Harvest intensity and female mortality emerged as the most decisive factors influencing viability. This dissertation positions PVA as a demonstrative tool to visualize population trajectories and foster dialogue among First Nations, co-management bodies, and governments regarding adaptive harvest strategies, habitat stewardship, and food system resilience. Academically, it advances an integrative framework linking systems ecology with Indigenous food systems scholarship. Practically, it provides an evidence-informed foundation for co-management approaches aligning wildlife conservation with Indigenous governance and food sovereignty.

Récupéré en direct depuis OpenAlex et désinversé. Les résumés ne sont pas conservés dans cette base de données : les index inversés représentent 8,6 Go des 9,3 Go de texte de la base, et le serveur dispose de 13 Go libres.