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At high latitudes, lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) and others in the closely related Coregonus species complex (CSC) including cisco (C. autumnalis and C. sardinella) can be diadromous, seasonally transitioning between freshwater lakes and the Arctic Ocean. CSC skin- and intestine microbiomes were collected, facilitated by Inuit fishers at sites on and around King William Island, Nunavut, at the northern range limits of lake whitefish. Community composition was explored using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and microbiota distinctly grouped depending on fishing site salinity. Overall, lake whitefish intestine communities were more variable than those of the two cisco with higher Shannon diversity, suggesting that lake whitefish and their microbiomes could be susceptible to environmental stress possibly leading to dysbiosis. Lake whitefish showed lower condition (K) in the ocean than in freshwater rivers, whereas cisco condition was similar among distinct seasonal habitats. Taken together, the impact of changing habitats on fish condition and microbial composition may inform approaches to CSC health in fisheries and aquaculture, in addition to being relevant for northern Indigenous peoples with subsistence and economic interests in these resources.

Although intestinal microbial communities from anadromous Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus (Linnaeus, 1758)) in Kitikmeot, Nunavut, Canada, differ depending on the timing and location of capture, determinants of gut microbiota in other wild Arctic salmonids are largely unknown. Using high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequence data, we compared intestinal microbiota from Arctic char to those from a related and sympatric salmonid, lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis (Mitchill, 1818)). Shifts in lake whitefish gut microbial community composition were observed between brackish water and freshwater, similar to impacts of salinity reported previously for Arctic char. Despite these similarities, gut community profiles for the two salmonids differed, with whitefish having higher diversities and increased proportions of taxa affiliated with potential pathogens. Geography seemed to have a greater impact on freshwater whitefish gut microbiota than on corresponding Arctic char. Additionally, microbiota diversity was significantly more affected by feeding behavior in whitefish compared with sympatric Arctic char. As sampled whitefish were at their northern range limits and grew slowly, we speculate that they, and their microbial consortia, could be more vulnerable to certain abiotic and biotic factors than Arctic char, which are well adapted to conditions found in these high latitude environments and have the most northern distribution of any freshwater fish.

Knowledge coevolution is the process through which information is generated by joining knowledge systems in an inclusive and iterative way to facilitate self-determination of communities and promote cultural resilience. A central and practical component of this framework is the fostering of progress towards improved co-management and community led research. Here, we illustrate a knowledge coevolution framework in the context of a major five-year genomics and food security fishery research project in Gjoa Haven, Nunavut. We highlight the process, changes in research objectives, logistical requirements, mutual benefits, and challenges associated with northern collaborative research, and what lessons we have learned from the process. Knowledge coevolution could be linked to more inclusive and effective fishery co-management in Nunavut and possibly elsewhere. Further, the research process appears to have reinforced Indigenous knowledge and Western science without merging these distinct knowledge systems. Here, we strive to provide readers with concrete examples of knowledge coevolution and encourage research groups to incorporate and improve these practices in future projects and in adaptive fishery co-management. We further call on funding agencies to place more value, and thus budgetary priority, on activities related to ongoing consultation, engagement, dissemination, and implementation of project outcomes. Qaujimaningi maruk ajingingituk pivallianirijanginnik pigiarutauplunni tukisikanirutit saqipaliasurmata nunalit nangminiq aulajungnaliquplugit iliqusinginniglu saqipalliatitsiquplugit aulajungnalirlutik nangminiq. Qitianittuq amma ilulirijauplunni piliriangujup pivallianiq turangajuq aqiumakanirnirmut aulatauninganut amma nunalingnut aulataujuq qaujisarniq. Ukua tava takutijutauniaqtut qaujimaningi maruk ajingingituk pivallianirijanginnik pilirianguniaqtunnik ilulinginnik angijut aragunni tallimani qaujisarnirmut amma niqiqatiarnirmut iqalulirinirmi qaujisarniq Uqsuqtummi, Nunavummi. Nalunaiqsipluta pilirianguniaqtunnik, asiangurninginnik qaujisarniup iluanni, aturiaqaqtunik piqutinik, angiqatigingnirmi, amma ilautittinirmik ukiuqtaqtumiunik qaujisarnirmut, iliniataujunik piliriarmit. Qaujimaningi maruk ajingingituk pivallianirijanginnik ilinganajarmat aulatauninganut kajusitiarnirmullu iqaluliriniup mianirijauninganni Nunavummi asinginnilu. Amma suli, qaujisarniq aqiktausimaplunni nunaqaqqaqsimajut tukisianinginnut amma qaplunat tukisianinginnut katitausimangiłutik tapkuak ajingingituk qaujimaniujut. Uvanni piliriaqaqpugut tukisikaniquplugit uqalimaqtut tungaviqatiaqtummik ukturaulaujunik qaujimaningi maruk ajingingituk pivallianirijanginnik amma ikajuqtuipluta timisiujunnik qaujisaqtinik atausingurlutik aqigiarlutiglu piliriangusuqtut sivunirmi amma atuliqtitaulutik iqalungnik aulatauninganut. Tuksiralaurrapta kinaujannik aturniaqtunnik timiujunnit, sivulliutitauplutik qinaujat aturiaqaqtut kajusijummut uqaqatiqarnirmut ilautittinirmut, asinginnullu tusaqtittinirmik atuliqtittinirmullu piliriangujunnik.