Open research questions in Indigenous Studies and Ecology

What the literature leaves open

• While ordinal surveys are susceptible to response biases, including central tendency, social desirability, and Table 2 Generational climate change impact table for Hooper Bay and Paimiut (adapted from Molina et al. 2025). Anticipated environ- mental and subsistence changes are organized across three genera- tional timeframes: the historical/current generation (2000–2035), the next generation (mid-century), and the third generation (end-of-cen- tury). Projected shifts in climate stressors and their likely effects on wildlife, fish, and plant species are summarized for each period. Sym- bols in the lower section (e.g., ±) indicate the relative direction and magnitude of change, derived from qualitative synthesis of scientific projections and local observations 118 Page 12 of 15 Regional Environmental Change (2026) 26:118 acquiescence effects (Paulhus 1991), the distributions observed suggest such effects were minimal. Ratings were sharply concentrated on forecasts that are locally visible, con- sistent with research showing that perceptible environmental changes increase cognitive salience and risk perception (Reser & Swim 2011; Weber 2016). Regular visibility of erosion, permafrost degradation, increased storm frequency and inten- sity, and shifting wildlife patterns in Hooper Bay indicates that responses reflect substantive judgments grounded in lived experience, as observed in other Indigenous and rural commu- nities facing rapid environmental change (Cruikshank 2001; Pearce et al. 2015). Respondent characteristics such as age, gender, or household role were not collected, consistent with the focus on community-wide perceptions. While this limits demographic analysis, the distributions still highlight which climate change impacts are most observable and concerning. Using ordinal responses rather than elicited probabili- ties means that the analysis reflects relative rankings of perceived likelihoods and concerns rather than precise esti- mates of likelihood. Ordinal categories do not assume equal spacing between response options or consistent interpreta- tion of anchors, which limits the ability to quantify underly- ing uncertainty. Alternative approaches, such as structured expert judgment protocols, could provide complementary insights if formal probabilistic estimates of risk were needed for planning purposes (O’Hagan et al. 2006; Speirs-Bridge et al. 2010; Tversky & Kahneman 1974). Finally, the survey provides a snapshot of community per- ceptions at a single point in time. Salience may fluctuate, par- ticularly following extreme or memorable events (Weber 2016), such as the 2022 Typhoon Merbok, which likely heightened attention to storm frequency and intensity, coastal flooding, and sea level rise. Longitudinal data collection would allow researchers to track evolving perceptions, distinguishing endur- ing priorities from those shaped by recent events and revealing whether less immediately observable impacts, such as ocean acidification or marine heatwave effects, change in relative importance as their consequences become more tangible.

  Translating community perceptions and concerns into planning: climate change adaptation in Hooper Bay, Alaska · 2026 · DOI

• The survey-based framework is broadly transferable, pro- viding a standardized yet context-sensitive method for eliciting local perspectives on climate change risks. Sum- marizing ordinal responses into Low, Neutral, Moderate, and High categories provides a dataset that reflects com- munity knowledge and priorities. While direct numerical probabilities were not derived, these categorical summaries were sufficient to compare perceptions with climate forecasts and prioritize risks for adaptation planning. This approach is particularly valuable in Indigenous and rural communi- ties, where environmental data are often sparse and local observations provide critical insights into emerging risks. Recent efforts have worked toward integrating local knowledge and observation with scientific knowledge to cre- ate decision-relevant climate information (Dorji et al. 2024; Emard et al. 2024; Harnesk et al. 2024). However, integra- tion remains challenging due to methodological difficulties, trust issues, and legitimacy concerns. Local observations are often underrecognized in governance systems, and com- munities may withhold knowledge when research processes are extractive or misaligned with local priorities (Filho et al. 2025; Kadykalo et al. 2021). Relational and participatory approaches, including administration of surveys in English and Yup’ik by trusted local partners, support accountability, improve data quality, and strengthen the credibility of com- munity-derived information within governance processes (Eriksen et al. 2021; Kater 2022); Structuring perceptions in an analyzable format contributes to literature on combining scientific and Indigenous knowl- edge (Cervantes Benavides et al. 2025; Johnson et al. 2022). It allows practitioners to identify which impacts resonate with community members, which require further education or research, and which may signal emerging risks not yet fully captured in scientific projections. Ultimately, this framework elevates community voice in adaptation planning while pro- ducing technically robust and locally grounded information.

  Translating community perceptions and concerns into planning: climate change adaptation in Hooper Bay, Alaska · 2026 · DOI

• A notable limitation of CICES is its ignorance of ecosystem disservices, which are crucial for a holistic assessment of crowberry's impacts.

  How dis-services illuminate divergence between “nature’s contribution to people” and “ecosystem services” – an assessment of Empetrum nigrum · 2026 · DOI

• This study demonstrates that qimmit in Kalaallit Nunaat embody far more than the role of sled dogs; they are deeply embedded relational beings central to Inuit and Kalaallit cultural, social, and ecological life (Haraway 2003; Ingold 2011). Through their roles in practices of care, knowledge transmission, and identity formation, qimmit sup- port adaptive lifeways amid rapid environmental, social, and technological transformation (Bie- lawski 2005; Jensen 2020). By centering Indigenous voices and embrac- ing epistemological pluralism, this research shows how Indigenous experiential knowledge and Wes- tern scientific perspectives can coexist and copro- duce understandings of arctic climate change and adaptation (Crate and Nuttall 2016; Kovach 2021). Valuing diverse knowledge systems is critical to building culturally relevant and resilient responses to contemporary challenges (Yua et al. 2022).

  From Sled Dogs to Cultural Icons · 2026 · DOI

• This study's analysis contributes to our understanding of how interactants mitigate face-threatening actions and focuses attention on the interactional work that directives and their accounts achieve in an institutional setting currently underinvestigated (Directives, mixed-methods, Conversation Analysis, ethnography…

  Authority and camaraderie: The delivery of directives amongst the ice floes · 2019 · DOI

• However, it remains to be seen whether the quality of Inuktitut media online can compare with the example of linguistic and cultural preservation set by the visionaries of the early IBC.

  Starting Fire with Gunpowder revisited: Inuktitut New Media content creation in the Canadian Arctic · 2011 · DOI

• Participatory and narrative approaches to case studies like this have the ca- pacity to contribute to our understanding of the af- fective qualities of human-animal relationships, thus far rarely examined in pastoral and tradi- tional agrarian contexts across the Arctic.

  “I had a reindeer called Onni . . .” · 2026 · DOI

• Abstract This article centers on Alaska's global maritime histories, emphasizing the significance of little-known and therefore understudied collections of Alaskan Native material and cultural heritage in Estonia.

  Incising the Future in Early Colonial Alaska · 2026 · DOI

• However, the number and types of ships travelling near communities and the associated risks remain poorly quantified, limiting effective management strategies.

  Implications of changing shipping patterns near communities across Arctic Canada · 2026 · DOI

• Though larger foraging patterns among Immokalee community members remain unclear, foraging is an important source of key micronutrients (especially Vitamin A, K, and calcium) to otherwise restricted diets.

  Foraging, perennial vegetables, and nutritional resilience in a farmworker community: a mixed-methods analysis comparing nutrition functional diversity and the healthy eating index · 2026 · DOI

• Strategic steps for knowledge co-creation in public health nutrition can include participatory approaches, including elder generations, hosting nature walks, and protecting foraging rights, but implementation approaches need further development.

  Foraging, perennial vegetables, and nutritional resilience in a farmworker community: a mixed-methods analysis comparing nutrition functional diversity and the healthy eating index · 2026 · DOI

• The research didn't adequately account for how Cultivate Abundance's programs and other food access sources shaped overall diet diversity of participants beyond just home gardens.

  Foraging, perennial vegetables, and nutritional resilience in a farmworker community: a mixed-methods analysis comparing nutrition functional diversity and the healthy eating index · 2026 · DOI

• The study's cross-sectional nature assessed preferred plants, home gardens, and diet at one time snapshot, and didn't consider Cultivate Abundance work as intervention within the broader food landscape.

  Foraging, perennial vegetables, and nutritional resilience in a farmworker community: a mixed-methods analysis comparing nutrition functional diversity and the healthy eating index · 2026 · DOI

• Composition data for species level and below is needed to make links between agroecology and nutrition, strengthen interdisciplinary cooperation and potential interventions, and promote biodiversity.

  Foraging, perennial vegetables, and nutritional resilience in a farmworker community: a mixed-methods analysis comparing nutrition functional diversity and the healthy eating index · 2026 · DOI

• Hoopvine couldn't be tabulated during PRA NFD analysis, diet analysis, or garden analysis due to missing nutrition composition data.

  Foraging, perennial vegetables, and nutritional resilience in a farmworker community: a mixed-methods analysis comparing nutrition functional diversity and the healthy eating index · 2026 · DOI

• Abstract Recognizing that limited literature exists regarding food programs in northern Indigenous communities within Canada, this study draws on a range of sources to map and characterize existing food programs in these contexts.

  Food programs in Indigenous communities within northern Canada: A scoping review · 2023 · DOI

• Discussing these valuations against the value theory of David Graeber, I argue that they both connect to an underlying perception of the freedom and autonomy of wild animals, where what is not fully understood enhances an experience of wonder and appreciation of what I call the wild.

  The Char and the Oystercatcher. The Value of the Wild in Rossfjord, North Norway · 2021 · DOI

• Caribou and reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus ) is a keystone Arctic species undergoing declines in many parts of its range, but definitive links between climate and populations remain elusive.

  Tactical departures and strategic arrivals: Divergent effects of climate and weather on caribou spring migrations · 2019 · DOI

• Environmental impacts resulting from Arctic shipping have been well documented, but little is known about how these impacts affect livelihoods and adaptive capacity of the local communities that are reliant on their natural landscapes.

  Community perspectives on the environmental impacts of Arctic shipping: Case studies from Russia, Norway and Canada · 2019 · DOI

• Runs of salmon, lamprey, steelhead and other species in the Klamath River have declined precipitously in the past two decades, and availability of forest foods is also limited by a combination of non-Native regulations and environmentally degrading management practices.

  You got to have fish: Families, environmental decline and cultural reproduction · 2016 · DOI

• Documentary evidence suggests that Inuit were present in the Strait of Belle Isle by the late 16th century, yet the archaeological evidence for Inuit settlement in southern Labrador is sparse.

  Identity markers: Interpreting sod-house occupation in Sandwich Bay, Labrador · 2016 · DOI

• It is argued that moral relativism is justified when it is approached through an “affordance lens,” meaning that if the role and relevance of a resource for a community is not understood, its moral environment cannot be understood either.

  Morality, Practice, and Economy in a Commercial Sealing Community · 2015 · DOI

• Although circumpolar bird subsistence encompasses intertwining economic, sociocultural, spiritual, and symbolic components, the dynamism and multidimensionality of these practices have been underrecognized in academic discourse on subsistence.

  Spirituality and the Seamstress: Birds in Ipiutak and Western Thule Lifeways at Deering, Alaska · 2014 · DOI

• Generational change, however, explains why Caldarola and Ujimoto could record elderly Issei telling folk tales from Japan but found that their Canadian-born descendants, with their limited knowledge of the Japanese language, had little knowledge of these stories.

  Sakura in the Land of the Maple Leaf: Japanese Cultural Traditions in Canada (review) · 2011 · DOI

• Although nationalist literary history projects risk downplaying the diversity internal to the group and its literature, they also function strategically to draw attention to the presence, significance, and rhetorical sovereignty of under-recognized literary traditions.

  Is an Inuit Literary History Possible? · 2010 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Indigenous Studies and Ecology

• Green colonialism in the Nordic context: Exploring Southern Saami representations of wind energy development · Journal of Community Psychology · 2020 · 132 citations
• “It's Not that Simple”: A Collaborative Comparison of Sea Ice Environments, Their Uses, Observed Changes, and Adaptations in Barrow, Alaska, USA, and Clyde River, Nunavut, Canada · AMBIO · 2006 · 103 citations
• Are Mixed Economies Persistent or Transitional? Evidence Using Social Networks from Arctic Alaska · American Anthropologist · 2016 · 77 citations
• “Exceeding Beringia”: Upending universal human events and wayward transits in Arctic spaces · Environment and Planning D Society and Space · 2020 · 72 citations
• Tactical departures and strategic arrivals: Divergent effects of climate and weather on caribou spring migrations · Ecosphere · 2019 · 70 citations
• Verbing <i>meahcci</i> : Living Sámi lands · The Sociological Review · 2020 · 65 citations
• Assessing consumer willingness to pay for Arctic food products · Food Policy · 2020 · 62 citations
• Societal implications of a changing Arctic Ocean · AMBIO · 2021 · 47 citations
• Shifting perspectives on shifting ice: documenting and representing Inuit use of the sea ice · Canadian Geographies / Géographies canadiennes · 2011 · 45 citations
• Agroecology in the North: Centering Indigenous food sovereignty and land stewardship in agriculture “frontiers” · Agriculture and Human Values · 2022 · 41 citations

Most recent work

• The bilberry experiment for Arctic STEAM education · Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research · 2026
• <b>Dilemmas of the local community</b> towards tourism in Spitsbergen · Miscellanea Geographica · 2026
• Foraging, perennial vegetables, and nutritional resilience in a farmworker community: a mixed-methods analysis comparing nutrition functional diversity and the healthy eating index · Frontiers in Nutrition · 2026
• “We'll never go”: Inuit youth refusals as climate politics · Political Geography · 2026
• Implications of changing shipping patterns near communities across Arctic Canada · Regional Environmental Change · 2026
• Translating community perceptions and concerns into planning: climate change adaptation in Hooper Bay, Alaska · Regional Environmental Change · 2026
• Perishable food supply chain management and food access in remote Indigenous communities of high-income countries: a systematic scoping review protocol · Systematic Reviews · 2026
• From oral tradition to direct environmental prescription: taking Kluskap literally and seriously in Unama’ki/Cape Breton · Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability · 2026
• Circumstances of place and ecological meaning in The Last Quarter of the Moon: an SFL-based ecolinguistic study of Evenki indigenous narrative · Language Sciences · 2026
• From Sled Dogs to Cultural Icons · Arctic Anthropology · 2026

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