Muskrats serve as a key indicator of a drying delta, according to a study conducted by Stanford

In a recent study published in Communications Biology, researchers from Stanford University have highlighted the vulnerability of the Peace-Athabasca Delta and its muskrat population to human-driven changes and climate change.

The Peace-Athabasca Delta, located within Canada's Wood Buffalo National Park, one of the largest protected lands in North America, is home to the planet's biggest herd of free-roaming bison and the last natural nesting ground for the endangered whooping crane. However, the new research suggests that this delicate ecosystem is under threat.

The study, supported by an Environmental Venture Project Grant, found that the muskrat population in the delta is likely grouped into many smaller populations that show a long history of rapid die-offs and genetic bottlenecks. This is a cause for concern as the muskrat, a rodent the size of a Chihuahua with a tail like a mouse, teeth like a beaver, and living in the Peace-Athabasca Delta, northeastern Alberta, Canada, plays a crucial role in the ecosystem.

The research, led by Katherine Solari, a postdoctoral research fellow in biology, and Elizabeth Hadly, an environmental biologist from Stanford University, used a combination of computer simulations and genetic analysis of 288 muskrat tail tissue samples to estimate the current muskrat populations in the Peace-Athabasca Delta.

The findings reveal that the delta is vulnerable to human-driven changes to water systems and global climate. Climate change and dams have impacted the ability of muskrats and many other species to thrive in the Peace-Athabasca Delta.

Amruta Varudkar, who worked on this project as a postdoctoral scholar in Stanford's Department of Biology, stated that the research is significant because muskrat behavior and dispersal are closely linked to freshwater distribution and abundance. As such, the genetic data of muskrats can serve as a useful indicator of changes in the aquatic environment over time.

The Peace-Athabasca Delta is central to the culture and livelihoods of Indigenous peoples, including the Mikisew Cree First Nation, Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, and Métis Local 125. The UN has also issued a draft finding that Canada's Wood Buffalo National Park is likely in danger from threats related to governance and hydropower and oil sands development upstream of the delta.

The research underscores the need for concerted efforts to protect this fragile ecosystem and the diverse species that call it home. The study was published with the DOI 10.1038/s42003-021-02288-7.