Long-term monitoring of Arctic coastal ecology at the East Bay Mainland Research Station, in Qaqsauqtuuq Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Nunavut

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We provide an overview of 25 years of research at the East Bay Mainland Research Station, in the Qaqsauqtuuq Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Southampton Island, Nunavut. The earliest research at the site targeted waterfowl and seabirds, but work since 2000 has focused on shorebirds. The site offers the longest running study of breeding shorebirds in the Canadian Arctic, with more than 1800 nests of 12 species monitored. Monitoring at this site has contributed to our understanding of the breeding ecology of shorebirds, including factors influencing timing of laying, habitat selection, and breeding success. Research has also contributed to knowledge of shorebird ecology throughout the annual cycle, through international collaborations using cutting-edge tracking technologies and novel analytic methods. Importantly, long-term monitoring data have provided opportunities to evaluate demographic shifts in shorebird species and communities in relation to changing climate and threats throughout the annual cycle. We recorded 75 bird species and 9 mammal species at the site, and confirmed breeding for 30 bird species. Additionally, research and training activities at East Bay Mainland have made important contributions to capacity for Inuit self-determination in Arctic environmental monitoring, and have supported the development of international commitments and policies around species conservation and management.