ABSTRACT
The discovery of abundant dinosaur bones and footprints across the Alaskan high latitudes prompts many questions about the paleobiology of the animals. Perhaps foremost is the issue of whether they engaged in seasonal migration to avoid the harshest rigors of the Arctic winter. An important aspect of comparing the populations of modern Arctic animals to animal populations of the lower latitudes is that the northern populations of both herbivores and carnivores are prone to strong fluctuations. While the frequency of cycles can vary, the reason for the population cycles stems from the environmental extremes of the ecosystem. The rationale for the definition is rooted in an assumption based on the biotic responses to particular selection forces that are found within the modern Arctic ecosystem. The modern Arctic is an environment that selects for unique adaptations among its resident inhabitants, such as the decoupling of the usual diurnal cycle common in terrestrial vertebrates because of long periods of light and darkness.
