Abstract
Clams are an important country food with cultural, environmental, and health significance for Inuit communities in Nunavut. We analyzed the extent, range, and nature of published research on clams in Nunavut, Canada. We used a systematic and transparent scoping review methodology by applying a search string across three databases to identify potentially relevant articles. Two independent reviewers screened the titles and abstracts (phase 1), followed by article full texts (phase 2), using inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were extracted from 25 included articles and descriptively analyzed. We also conducted thematic analysis to identify overarching themes, ideas, and gaps. The most frequent topic of research was using clams to understand ecological histories (n = 10/25; 40 %), followed by the biology of clams (n = 7/25; 28 %), environmental indicators (n = 6/25; 20 %), and foodborne illnesses (n = 2/25; 8 %). We did not identify any articles that investigated the nutritional value of clams, food security, or Indigenous knowledges. Out of all included articles, just over one-quarter described Inuit involvement in the research (n = 7/25; 28 %). Our review highlights and documents how clam research has predominantly focused on natural and environmental sciences in Nunavut. Published research that explores health and social dimensions of clams in Nunavut has so far been limited. Given that clams are not only an ecologically important species but also hold health and cultural significance for communities in Nunavut, further research to capture a diversity of topics – as well as the intersection among topics – could support food-related programming, policies, and decisions intended to foster Inuit wellbeing.
Keywords: Clams, Mya truncata, ᐊᒻᒨᒪᔪᐃᑦ, Country food, Inuit health, One health, Arctic, Nunavut
Graphical abstract
1. Introduction
Many coastal Indigenous communities, including Inuit communities in the Arctic and Inuit Nunangat (Inuit homeland of Canada), depend on marine food systems for sustenance [[1], [2], [3]]. Harvesting country food (i.e., locally harvested foods) not only supports quality nutrition for many Indigenous Peoples, but also contributes to mental and spiritual wellbeing, community cohesion, transmission of knowledge and skills, and food sovereignty [4,5]. Indigenous worldview often includes a dynamic interconnectedness between culture, individual and community wellbeing, and a healthy environment, including that of the land, water, and air [[6], [7], [8]]. For example, human health is intrinsically linked to the health of the land, the understanding that food is medicine, and the role of the land in supporting physical, emotional and spiritual sustenance [6,9]. Indigenous cultural values, practices, and knowledges guide the care of the land and food systems, and the deep connection between culture, healthy people, and healthy environment [[6], [7], [8], [9]].
Clams (Mya truncata) (ᐊᒻᒨᒪᔪᐃᑦ) are one species of country food that are harvested and consumed by many Indigenous Peoples living in coastal communities, and have cultural, environmental, and health significance [2,10]. For example, First Nation communities in coastal British Columbia describe clam harvesting as essential to culture and way-of-life, fostering the sharing of intergenerational knowledge, cooking practices, and connection to the land [11]. Clams also offer high nutritional value, as they provide a source of protein and nutrients such as iron, zinc, selenium, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids, and support eating patterns aligned with good health and disease prevention [5,12].
Clams are vital prey for many marine animals, including walruses, and are important to sustaining marine mammal population health [[13], [14], [15]]. Walruses are also culturally and nutritionally important for many Inuit communities [16]. By supporting both ecosystems and human wellbeing, clams are a key One Health species.
Clams are also highly sensitive and easily affected by changes in the environment, due to their unique physical attributes, including their longevity, sensitivity to water quality, and filter-feeding nature [17,18]. Climate and environmental changes not only impact the health of clam populations, but clams can also provide valuable insights into changing environmental conditions through their responses to contamination, zoonotic diseases, and water quality [17,18]. Climate change is impacting the distribution and extent of foodborne pathogens associated with shellfish, including clams [19,20]. Peoples in Arctic and Subarctic regions are at increasing risk of enteric infections associated with shellfish contaminated by pathogens typically inhabiting warmer, more southern waters [21,22]. For instance, bacteria in the Vibrio spp. family are highly sensitive to environmental changes and were historically confined to only warm southern waters; rising ocean temperatures have led to a global expansion of the distribution of these bacteria, including into Subarctic regions, such as Alaska [20,23]. In Northern European regions, rising ocean temperatures and nutrient loading associated with increased fertilizer use and runoff have led to harmful blooms of algae and cyanobacteria, resulting in marine biotoxins appearing in many species of shellfish, including clams [20,21], introducing potential health risks to communities who consume these foods [24,25]. Clam health is further impacted by ocean acidification, caused by increased carbon dioxide absorption into the oceans, which threatens clam populations by impairing their shell formation and affecting their overall viability [26].
The numerous environmental stressors impacting marine food systems globally [27,28] are particularly relevant in climate-sensitive Arctic regions, which are experiencing some of the fastest warming on the planet [29,30]. This warming has led to significant environmental changes [31], which have implications for Indigenous Peoples' food security [32,33]. For example, in Nunavut, Canada, [31] warming has already led to changes in sea ice thickness and extent, increased seasonal variability, and permafrost thaw, which have negatively impacted Inuit food systems [32,33]. In Nunavut, country foods such as clams are critical to Inuit food sovereignty [2]. Given the cultural, animal, environmental, and health dimensions of clams in Nunavut, characterizing, mapping, and synthesizing published clam research will enhance programming, policies, and decisions that are intended to support Inuit wellbeing. This scoping review aimed to analyze the extent, range, and nature of published research on clams in Nunavut, Canada.
2. Methods
A scoping review methodology was used to systematically and transparently identify and map published literature on clams in Nunavut [34,35]. Our scoping review was guided by the following research question: what is the nature, range, and extent of published academic literature on clams (Mya truncata) (ᐊᒻᒨᒪᔪᐃᑦ) in Nunavut, Canada? A scoping review protocol was developed a priori (available upon request), and a librarian was consulted throughout the development and design of the search strings and the selection of appropriate databases. Various partners and rightsholders, including government representatives, practitioners, and Inuit who harvest and consume clams, were engaged throughout the scoping review process. The results are summarized and reported following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines [32,33,36].
2.1. Search strategy
We searched Web of Science™, Scopus®, and MEDLINE® electronic databases to capture published literature in health, social, and environmental sciences, all of which are relevant to characterizing the range and extent of clam research in Nunavut. We developed search strings that included terms for the exposures of interest (i.e., clams) and geographic location (i.e., Nunavut) (Appendix A). For the geographic terms, we used and expanded the search string designed by the University of Alberta Library [37]. The search category used in Web of Science™ was “topic” which included title, abstract, author keywords, and keywords plus. The search category used in Scopus® included “title, abstract, keywords”, which provided a more accurate and specific search when compared to the “all fields” search. Finally, the search category used in PubMed® was “all fields”. There were no date or language restrictions set on the searches. The first search was conducted on June 5, 2023, followed by an updated search on April 2, 2025, to capture articles until the end of 2024. Finally, to confirm the sensitivity of our search, we checked the reference list of each included article for additional articles that met our inclusion criteria.
2.2. Article selection
The search results from all three databases were uploaded into EndNote™ via Clarivate™, where all duplicates were removed [38]. The de-duplicated articles were imported into the systematic review software DistillerSR©. Two levels of screening were used to select relevant articles for analysis (Table 1). Level 1 screening involved two independent reviewers. The first reviewer screened the title and abstract of each article using a stacked question form based on pre-specified inclusion/exclusion criteria. To be included, articles had to encompass the territory, shores, or surrounding waterways of Nunavut, examine Mya truncata (ᐊᒻᒨᒪᔪᐃᑦ), and must have been either a primary research paper; scoping, systematic, or meta-analysis review; or commentary article published in an academic journal (Appendix B). If a question was answered with “no”, the subsequent questions were skipped. Any articles answered as “yes” or “unsure” to all the screening questions moved to Level 2 screening. Level 2 screening followed the same stacked questionnaire, but without “unsure” as an option. For both Level 1 and Level 2 screening, the second independent reviewer confirmed exclusions. Conflicts were resolved on a bi-weekly basis, or as needed, through discussion between the first and second reviewer.
Table 1.
Level 1 and Level 2 stacked screening questions used to screen relevant articles.
| Screening level | Stacked questionnaire |
|---|---|
| Level 1: Title and/or abstract screening will be performed using the following questions using a stacked form with the responses “yes”, “no”, and “unsure”. |
|
| Level 2: Secondary screening performed on full text with the following questions used with responses “yes” and “no”. |
|
2.3. Data extraction and analysis
Articles that met all the inclusion criteria were retained for data extraction (Appendix C). A data tracking form was created in DistillerSR© to facilitate the collection of information from each article, which was performed by one reviewer (Appendix D). The following information was extracted from each relevant article: year of online publication; article type; type of research methodology; location; topics of research (i.e., foodborne illnesses, environmental indicator, biology of clams, ecological history, nutritional value and content of clams, food security, and/or Inuit knowledge and practices); and Inuit involvement in research as reported in the article (i.e., community based methods, inclusion of rightsholders, research approvals, community results sharing, acknowledging community involvement, and/or benefit to Inuit) (Table 2) [39]. The data were exported into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet for descriptive analysis. In addition, qualitative thematic analysis was conducted across all articles to identify overarching themes, ideas, and gaps [40,41].
Table 2.
Inuit research involvement characteristics reported in the article.
| Inuit involvement characteristics† | Reporting criteria |
|---|---|
| Research benefits to Inuit | Specified how the research project and/or process benefited Inuit. |
| Acknowledgments | Acknowledged community member or government contributions, including in the acknowledgment section. |
| Results sharing | Reported if/how results were shared with the community. |
| Research approval/permission | Described seeking and/or receiving research approval from the Government of Nunavut, or other local organizations for research in this area. |
| Community-based methods | Specified participatory, community-based, or engagement of the community in another way. |
| Stakeholders / Rightsholders | Specified whether there was involvement of Inuit rightsholders or other stakeholders in the research beyond being research participants. Articles stated if/how Inuit were involved in the conceptualization, study design, data collection, data analysis, writing or dissemination. |
The Inuit involvement characteristics must have been stated in the goal statement, methods, or results section, and are based on characteristics outlined by Patterson et al. [39].
3. Results
3.1. Clams in natural science
Of 1264 unique citations, a total of 25 articles met our inclusion criteria (Fig. 1A). The majority of included articles were published between 1973 and 1999 (n = 16/25; 64 %); there were three articles published between 2001 and 2013 (n = 3/25; 12 %), with the remaining articles published after 2020 (n = 6/25; 24 %) (Fig. 1B). All articles described primary research (n = 25/25; 100 %) and quantitative methods exclusively, such as laboratory methods and biological fieldwork (n = 25/25; 100 %). Published research on clams occurred in two out of Nunavut's three regions, Qikiqtani Region and Kitikmeot Region (Fig. 2). Research in the Kitikmeot Region was published in only two years: 1973 and 1986.
Fig. 1.
(A) Overview of the article identification, screening, eligibility, and inclusion phases of the scoping review on clams Nunavut, Canada (1973–2024). (B) The number of articles published on clams in Nunavut overtime in 10-year increments (1973–2024). Articles that investigated clams in the context of nutritional value, food security, and Inuit knowledge were not identified in our review.
Fig. 2.
Map of the territory of Nunavut, the number of articles published by each region, and the locations of the published research. The regions were not mutually exclusive (map generated with DataWrapper).
3.2. Clams in understanding ecological histories
The largest number of articles investigated clams in the context of ecological history (e.g., archeology, paleoecology, etc.) and dating, and were concentrated between 1973 and 2005 (n = 10/25; 40 %) (See Fig. 3.). For example, many studies used methods of environmental dating of glacimarine sedimentation, as well as macrofossil palaeoecology (the study of past ecosystems using fossils) [42,43]. Clams were also studied along with other Arctic marine mollusc fossils to reconstruct locations, environments, and the ecological history of an area [42,44,45]. Specifically, radiocarbon dating and macrofossil documentation were frequently employed to characterize and reconstruct environmental conditions, often correlated to climatic factors, although climate change was not specified [42,45,46]. Further, the discussed environmental conditions typically revolved around ocean salinity, meltwater discharge, and glacial sedimentation [42,45,46]. Among articles that focused on environmental paleontology and fossil dating, there was a call for more research utilizing molluscs, including clams, for radiocarbon age dating [47]. The most recently published article that discussed environmental dating highlighted widespread historic errors relating to environmental chronologies, which was not discussed in earlier publications [47].
Fig. 3.
Sunburst chart displaying the proportion of articles on clams in Nunavut investigating each major topic and the proportion of their focus. Categories were mutually exclusive.
3.3. Clam biology
The second most commonly investigated topic was the biological characterization of clams (n = 7/25; 28 %), and these articles were published over a broader range of time periods (Fig. 1). Nearly all of these studies focused on the physical characteristics of clams and the environmental conditions in which they are found. For example, some articles investigated the physical characteristics of clams through markers such as size, spawning cycle, and seasonal changes relating to their life cycle [48,49]. Some articles also investigated spatial trends and the general environmental conditions in which Mya truncata (ᐊᒻᒨᒪᔪᐃᑦ) are found [[50], [51], [52]]. Many articles examined the aging and growth patterns of Arctic fjord marine fauna, while simultaneously addressing gaps in prior literature regarding clam characteristics and environmental conditions [48,[52], [53], [54]]. Two subthemes were identified within these articles. One subtheme focused on ecosystem-level processes, employing models of trophic and energy dynamics to understand marine ecosystem functioning [53]. This information often included data points such as weight, size [49,53], and growth increments to date age [52]. The second subtheme identified in articles focused on the biological characteristics of clams, including the clam's condition, growth increments [48,52], and influence of habitat on the clams [50,54]. Clams were generally collected in intertidal zones and tidal flats, with a small number of articles utilizing divers to gather clam data [49,51]. Overall, there was relatively little discussion on the significance of these findings, future implications, or how these data may be used.
3.4. Clams in the environment
Clams were also investigated in the context of environmental indicators in some articles (n = 6/25; 24 %), such as investigating clams as environmental biomonitors for heavy metal contamination, oil spills, wastewater exposure, antimicrobial resistance, and historical anthropogenic impacts [[55], [56], [57], [58]]. The characterization of clams as biomonitors often centered on their metabolic and physical responses after exposure to such contaminants [57,59]. [57–59]Half of the articles focused on contamination of shellfish by anthropogenic activities, such as oil spills (n = 3/6; 50 %). Articles discussing human-induced or experimental oil spills typically addressed objectives of the Baffin Island Oil Spill program, which was implemented to evaluate the effectiveness of chemical dispersants, as compared to conventional oil spill countermeasures to remediate spills [58,59]. This program marked an early attempt to employ clams as biomonitors for human impacts. Finally, one article examined antimicrobial resistance in wastewater treatment, using clams [60]. However, other environmental considerations, such as climate change, were seldom addressed in articles. Indeed, only one article discussed climate change as a consideration for shellfish contamination [55]. This article described how wastewater contamination of oceans alters physiological function in clams, leading to reduced growth rates and elevated concentrations of copper and lead, adversely affecting clam health [55].
3.5. Clams for human food
Only two articles examined human dimensions of clams (n = 2/25; 8 %). There were no articles that investigated the nutritional value of clams, food security, or Inuit knowledge and practices regarding clams in any of the regions. The two articles that did explore human dimensions of clams, explored foodborne illnesses, links to wildlife health, and were published more recently (i.e., 2020, 2021). In these articles, three pathogens were investigated: Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia spp., and Toxoplasma gondii (Fig. 4) [17,61]. These articles noted other research that described frequent enteric disease across Nunavut [17,61], the cause of which remains understudied and relatively unknown [17]. Both articles commented that certain environmental conditions could escalate enteric illness risk, but neither explicitly described climate change [17,61]. These articles also focused on the pathways of Giardia spp. and Toxoplasma gondii contamination, which pose threats to both Nunavut communities and Arctic wildlife [17,61]. Since pathogen contamination in clams can originate from both animal and human sources, it represents an important public health and environmental concern [17,61].
Fig. 4.
(A) The number of articles published on clams in Nunavut that reported involvement of Inuit in the research. The topic areas were not mutually exclusive, as some articles included more than one of the considerations (1973–2024). (B) Number of articles that discussed any one of the Inuit involvement characteristics. Categories were not mutually exclusive.
Notably, these studies described the importance of clams in terms of community and regional benefits [17,61]. For example, clams were described as part of an accessible, nutritious, and culturally important food system, where country food is directly relevant to public health and community wellbeing [17,61]. One Health concepts were described as relevant to methodology, given the significance of clams across human, animal, and environmental domains [17]. Both articles underscored the need for further investigations into bivalve shellfish as potential sources of foodborne pathogens in the Arctic [17,61], and highlighted community interest in developing commercial clam harvesting [17].
3.6. Clam studies and Inuit involvement
Just over one-quarter of articles mentioned Inuit involvement in at least one of the reporting criteria (n = 7/25; 28 %) (Fig. 4A). Published articles most commonly reported the acknowledgment of community members and/or governments (n = 7/25; 28 %) [17,48,54,56,58,60,61]. Few articles described how the research benefitted Inuit (n = 4/25; 16 %) or used participatory and community-based methods (n = 2/25; 8 %) (Fig. 4B). For example, one article described using community-based methods which involved coordinating with local harvesters and community engagement to select clams as the country food of interest in the study [17]. Few articles (n = 2/6; 33.33 %) described the importance of clams as country food and how research could benefit the food system, for example, by reducing the risk of foodborne illnesses and characterizing the clams' contamination with zoonotic parasites [48,61]. None of the articles clearly reported if/how their results were shared with the community (Fig. 4A). Finally, the majority of articles that reported involvement of Inuit were published between 2013 and 2022 (Fig. 4B). Only one article was published in 2023 [60] and zero articles were published in 2024.
4. Discussion
We found that most articles on clams in Nunavut were published before 1999, yet Arctic research publications have increased fourfold since 2000 [[62], [63], [64], [65]]. Despite this general expansion of Arctic research, we found that the number of studies specifically focused on clams was limited, despite the importance of clams to Inuit food systems, culture, and wellness. Contemporary issues related to wellbeing, environmental changes, or sustainability might not be adequately addressed, and thus may represent a gap in the food sovereignty literature and in broader policy development.
Given that clams are highly vulnerable to rapid environmental changes and the Arctic is warming four times faster than the rest of the world [66], it was surprising to only find one article that discussed climate change in our review. Research on climate change and pathogen pollution, including zoonotic pathogens causing foodborne disease and biotoxins linked to paralytic shellfish poisoning, is highly relevant but notably lacking in this review [28,67]. Increasing ocean water temperature and prolonged warm periods due to climate change are affecting pathogens such as Campylobacter spp. and Vibrio genus both found in shellfish [28]. This review demonstrates that these findings have not yet been documented in the academic literature focusing on Nunavut. Similarly, ocean warming has expanded harmful algal blooms (HABs) in the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans; these are marine biotoxins that can have serious health implications [67]. HABs negatively affect aquatic ecosystems and human health by producing biotoxins that, when consumed via contaminated shellfish, can cause syndromes such as paralytic and diarrhetic shellfish poisoning [67]. As climate change continues to alter marine ecosystems, the interactions between pathogens, shellfish, and humans are becoming more complex, highlighting the need for more research exploring how climatic shifts are impacting both ecosystems and the communities in Nunavut that rely on them [26,68,69]. Furthermore, in the context of significant food insecurity in Nunavut communities [70,71] and the Inuit-identified role of country food as central to addressing food insecurity [72,73] advancing understanding of how climate change impacts clam populations is relevant for food security, cultural wellbeing, and the sustainability of local marine ecosystems [10,61,74]. Clams serve as an important food source for many Inuit communities, and a decline in clam populations or contamination from environmental changes could impact associated practices, health, and wellbeing [17,61,75].
We found that most articles included in this scoping review focused on environmental or biological aspects of clams, with limited exploration of how clams connect to society and human health. Only two studies addressed zoonoses and foodborne illnesses. Of those studies, one included a discussion of wastewater contamination. Expanding industrial activity, such as oil and gas extraction, along with increased marine shipping and tourism in the Arctic, will expose marine ecosystems to greater pollution risks [76]. Marine ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to oil spills from explosions, pipeline leaks, or shipping accidents, as well as contamination from microplastics and chemicals [76]. These threats highlight the need for comprehensive research and effective, contextually appropriate mitigation strategies to protect these culturally significant marine ecosystems and those that depend on them for health and wellbeing. Our review suggests that this research is currently lacking. Furthermore, few articles engaged Inuit ways of knowing in the research, highlighting a significant gap in literature considering the human dimensions of clams in Nunavut. Given that clams are an important country food for Inuit communities - and indeed for Indigenous Peoples across Canada [75,77,78] - more research in this area is crucial.
Few articles we examined explicitly mentioned Inuit involvement in the research, a finding consistent with similar environmental and health-related studies in the Circumpolar North, where the reporting of Indigenous involvement in Indigenous research and research relevant to Indigenous communities is often limited [79]. Other reviews have found that only 19 % of articles focusing on the intersection of environment and health in Northern Canada and Alaska discussed Indigenous engagement [79], noting an increase in the reporting of participatory or community-based methods over time and a growing recognition of the need for Indigenous input in research processes [79]. Indigenous perspectives and experiences related to cultural, social, and environmental contexts are crucial in environmental health research [72,73,80,81]. Furthermore, Arctic research has functioned as a tool for colonialism, where much of the research in Inuit Nunangat placed Inuit as either the object of the study or bystanders [82]; more active involvement of Inuit communities in research can help to address harmful practices and decolonize research processes. This review highlights the lack of Inuit community involvement in previous clam research in Nunavut. Future environmental health research should address this gap in alignment with the National Inuit Strategy on Research [82].
There are several limitations to our review approach, including the potential bias introduced by the selection of research databases and the search terms, which may have precluded potentially valuable research published in other languages [83]. Although we aimed to mitigate this bias by considering articles in all languages (i.e., we did not restrict our search to English articles; articles written in any language were eligible for inclusion), this limitation in research databases remains. Our approach may have also missed knowledge generated by other ways of knowing that may not have been captured in published academic literature. To further reduce the potential for bias in our approach, we used a systematic and transparent review methodology [84], and our broad search string also served to increase the sensitivity of our search to identify published research related to clams in Nunavut [85].
5. Conclusion
In this scoping review of clams in Nunavut, we identified a lack of published literature, in particular studies that consider the human and social dimensions of clams, as well as studies that identify Inuit community involvement in clam research. Clams are an environmentally significant species in Nunavut and represent a culturally important food source for Inuit communities. One Health [86,87] and Planetary Health approaches [88,89] to understanding and supporting clam research may serve to inform food-related programming, policies, and decisions aimed at enhancing Inuit wellbeing, including by centering Inuit communities in the face of ongoing environmental and public health change.
CRediT authorship contribution statement
Stephanie Gerend: Writing – original draft, Methodology, Investigation, Funding acquisition, Formal analysis, Conceptualization. Amy Caughey: Writing – review & editing, Supervision, Funding acquisition. Marina Banuet-Martinez: Investigation. Rachael Vriezen: Resources, Methodology, Conceptualization. Karen Shapiro: Writing – review & editing. Rob Jamieson: Writing – review & editing. Theresa Koonoo: Validation. Sherilee L. Harper: Writing – review & editing, Supervision, Methodology, Funding acquisition, Conceptualization.
Funding
Canadian Institute of Health Research Graduate Scholarship Master's award Drs. Sherilee L. Harper and Amy Caughey obtained: Canadian Institute of Health Research.Stephanie Gerend obtained: Canadian Institute of Health Research Master's Award, Polar Knowledge Canada (Northern Scientific Training Program), University of Alberta Northern Research Award (2023 and 2024), University of Alberta Walter H Johns Graduate Fellowship
Declaration of competing interest
The authors have no competing interests to declare.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Janice Kung and Lisa Tjvosvold at the University of Alberta library for their service and guidance regarding the original search string strategy. Thank you to Seli Tadjame-Mortty for assisting with the screening of abstracts and articles. Finally, our sincerest thank you to the Nunavut-based NSAP research group for their assistance with this project.
Contributor Information
Stephanie Gerend, Email: sgerend@ualberta.ca.
Amy Caughey, Email: caughey@ualberta.ca.
Sherilee L. Harper, Email: sherilee@ualberta.ca.
Appendix A. Appendices
Appendix A.
Search strings used for Web of Science™, Scopus®, and MEDLINE®, combined using the Boolean operator, ‘AND’.
| Category | Terms |
|---|---|
| Clams | shellfish OR clam OR clams OR seafood OR “mya truncata” |
| AND | |
| Geographic Location | Arctic or Nunavut or “Eastern Arctic” or “Alert Bay” or “Alexandra Fiord” or Amadjuak or “Aquiatulavik Point” or “Arctic Bay” or Arviat or “Baffin Island” or “Baker Lake” or “Bathurst Inlet” or “Belcher Islands” or “Bylot Island” or “Cambridge Bay” or Iqaluktuttiaq or “Cape Dorset” or “Cape Dyer” or “Cape Smith” or “Charlton Depot” or “Chesterfield Inlet” or “Clyde River” or “Coral Harbour” or “Craig Harbour” or “Dundas Harbour” or “Ellesmere Island” or Ennadai or “Eskimo Point” or “Fort Conger” or “Fort Hope” or “Fort Ross” or “Gjoa Haven” or “Grise Fiord” or “Hall Beach” or “Hazen Camp” or “Lake Hazen” or Igloolik or Ikaluit or Iqaluit or Isachsen or Kekerten or Kimmirut or “King William Island” or Kipisa or Kitikmeot or Kivalliq or Kivitoo or Kugaaruk or Kugluktuk or “Maguse River” or Nanasivik or “Nottingham Island” or Nuwata or Padlei or “Padloping Island” or Pangnirtung or “Perry Island” or “Pond Inlet” or “Port Burwell” or Qoloqtaaluk or Qikiqtalluk or Qikiqtarjuaq or “Rankin Inlet” or “Read Island” or “Repulse Bay” or “Resolute Bay” or “Resolution Island” or Sanikiluak or Taloyoak or “Tanquary Camp” or “Thom Bay” or Umingmaktok or “Victoria Island” or “Wager Bay” or “Whale Cove” |
The search category used in Web of Science™ was “topic” which includes title, abstract, author keywords, and keywords plus. The search category used in Scopus® included “title, abstract, keywords”, which provided a more accurate and specific search when compared to the “all fields” search. Finally, the search category used in PubMed® was “all fields”. In consultation with a librarian, the terms that were ‘not found’ were removed and the search was re-run in PubMed (Table 2).
Appendix B.
Inclusion and exclusion criteria for scoping review.
| Inclusion Criteria | Exclusion Criteria |
|---|---|
| Geographical location encompasses the territory of Nunavut and/or shores of Nunavut, and/or waterways surrounding Nunavut. | Does not encompass the territory of Nunavut, shores or surrounding waterways of Nunavut. |
| Describes clams (Mya truncata) (ᐊᒻᒨᒪᔪᐃᑦ) as the specific shellfish described | Investigates other seafood and shellfish as the main finding but not clams. |
| Primary research papers, scoping literature reviews, systematic literature reviews, meta-analyses and commentaries. | Media articles, books, editorials, testimonials, letters, textbooks, thesis dissertations |
Appendix C.
List of included articles retrieved from a systematic search of the published academic literature on clam research in Nunavut. Articles are organized chronologically by year of publication. The author(s) and title are also indicated for each retrieved article.
| Year | Author(s) | Title of Article |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Andrews, J.T. | Late Quaternary variations in oxygen and carbon isotropic compositions in Canadian arctic marine bivalves |
| 1982 | Nelson, A.R. | Amino stratigraphy of Quaternary marine and glaciomarine sediments, Qiviut Peninsula, Baffin Island |
| 1984 | Hewitt, R.A. and Dale, J.E. | Growth increments of modern Mya truncata L. from the Canadian Arctic, Greenland, and Scotland |
| 1985 | Engelhardt, F.R. et al. | Metabolic effects and hydrocarbon fate in Arctic bivalves exposed to dispersed petroleum |
| 1987 | Mangeau, C. et al. | Effects of short-term exposure to dispersed oil in Arctic invertebrates |
| 1987 | Neff, J.M. et al. | Histopathologic and biochemical responses in Arctic marine bivalve molluscs exposed to experimentally spilled oil |
| 1987 | Bourgoin, B.P. and Risk, M.J. | Short communication historical changes in lead in the eastern Canadian Arctic, determined from fossil and modern Mya truncata shells |
| 1989 | Bourgoin, B.P. | Trace metal concentration in fossil and recent shells of the Arctic infaunal bivalve, Mya truncata L. |
| 1989 | Dale, J.E. et al. | Macrofauna of Canadian Arctic fjords |
| 1992 | Welch, H.E. et al. | Energy flow through the marine ecosystem of the Lancaster Sound Region, Arctic Canada |
| 1992 | Siferd, T.D. and Welch, H.E. | Identification of in situ Canadian Arctic bivalves using underwater photographs and diver observation |
| 1994 | Wagernann, R. and Steward R.E.A. | Concentrations of heavy metals and selenium in tissues and some foods of walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) from the eastern Canadian Arctic and sub-Arctic, and associations between meta, age, and gender |
| 1994 | Lemmen, D.S. et al. | Early Holocene deglaciation of expedition and strand fjords, Canadian high Arctic |
| 1996 | Tevesz M.J.S. et al. | Organic matrix composition of modern and 8.7 K BP Mya truncata (Mollusca: Bivalvia) from Arctic Canada |
| 1996 | Risk, M.J. et al. | Comparison of the organic matrix of fossil and recent bivalve shells |
| 1998 | Aitken, A.E. and Bell, T.J. | Holocene glaciomarine sedimentation and macrofossil palaeoecology in the Canadian High Arctic: environmental controls |
| 2000 | Gordiollo, S. and Aitken, A.E. | Paleoenvironmental interpretation of Late Quaternary marine molluscan assemblages, Canadian Arctic archipelago |
| 2003 | Fisk, A.T. et al. | Influence of habitat, trophic ecology and lips on, and spatial trends of, organochlorine contaminates in Arctic marine invertebrates |
| 2013 | England, J. et al. | The exaggerated radiocarbon age of deposit-feeding molluscs in calcareous environments |
| 2020 | Manore, A.J.W. et al. | Cryptosporidium and Giardia in locally harvested clams in Iqaluit, Nunavut |
| 2021 | Fung, R. et al. | Clams and potential foodborne Toxoplasma gondii in Nunavut, Canada |
| 2021 | Amiraux, R. et al. | Efficiency of sympagic-benthic coupling revealed by analyses of n-3 fatty acids, IP25 and other highly branched isoprenoids in two filter-feeding Arctic benthic molluscs: Mya truncata and Serripes groenlandicus |
| 2022 | Schaefer, C.M. et al. | The truncate soft-shell clam, Mya truncata, as a biomonitor of municipal wastewater exposure and historical anthropogenic impacts in the Canadian Arctic |
| 2022 | Wood, J.M. et al. | Assessing the size at maturity, spawning, and condition of the truncate soft-shell clam (Mya truncata) of southern Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada |
| 2023 | Starks, M. et al. | Presence of antibiotic resistance genes in the receiving environment of Iqaluit's wastewater treatment plant in water, sediment, and clams sampled from Frobisher Bay, Nunavut: a preliminary study in the Canadian Arctic |
Appendix D.
Data extraction form utilized in DistillerSR.
Data Extraction:
|
Data availability
Data will be made available on request.
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Associated Data
This section collects any data citations, data availability statements, or supplementary materials included in this article.
Data Availability Statement
Data will be made available on request.