DOCSLIB.ORG

An Analysis of Arctic Coastal Resilience in Response to Erosion, Eustasy, and Anthropogenic

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
An Analysis of Arctic Coastal Resilience in Response to Erosion, Eustasy, and Anthropogenic An Analysis of Arctic Coastal Resilience in Response to Erosion, Eustasy, and Anthropogenic Catastrophes Team: Mat-Tsunamis Lucas Arthur Jacob Cucinello Cade Johnstone Sarah Montalbano Leah Wyzykowski Mat-Su Career and Technical High School 2472 N. Seward Meridian Pkwy Wasilla, AK 99654 Primary Contact: Lucas Arthur [email protected] Coach: Tim Lundt [email protected] Disclaimer: This paper was written as part of the Alaska Ocean Sciences Bowl high school competition. The conclusions in this report are solely those of the student authors. 2 An Analysis of Arctic Coastal Resilience in Response to Erosion, Eustasy, and Anthropogenic Catastrophes Abstract: The current environment of the Arctic coastline is shifting. As global climate change continues, the Arctic is growing progressively warmer, and as continental and glacial ice melts, increased water makes its way to the ocean basins, causing sea levels to rise in a form of eustasy, or long-term variation in sea levels, which accelerates erosion. Rising temperatures also lead to a decrease in the sea ice cover of the Arctic Ocean, which amplifies wave action during storms. As wave action and sea levels rise, along with increased storm frequency, the Arctic coastline is being heavily eroded, which poses a substantial threat to coastal communities. This coastal erosion may force entire towns to relocate, and is already necessitating numerous other coastal management projects. As sea ice retreats, shorter, more efficient trade routes are becoming viable which may lead to an increase in commerce along with other industrial interests. These industrial activities, namely hydrocarbon production, lead to the possibility of anthropogenic catastrophes that must be dealt with effectively in a new, untested environment. These changing factors combine to form a dynamic environment that has the potential to vastly impact the global environment as well as the global economy, requiring the implementation of environmental and industrial regulations as well as new forms of coastal management. 3 Table of Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... 2 Physical Characteristics of the Arctic Coastline ............................................................................. 4 Ecological Characteristics of the Arctic Coast ............................................................................... 4 Increased Human Presence in the Arctic ....................................................................................... 5 The Exacerbating Effects of Climate Change on Coastal Erosion ................................................. 8 Anthropogenic Catastrophes ........................................................................................................... 9 Action Plan.................................................................................................................................... 12 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................. 13 4 Physical Characteristics of the Arctic Coastline The Arctic is a vast area, covering roughly 14,056,00 square kilometer, and 45,390 kilometers of coastline covered in features such as large ice-formed mounds called pingos, as well as large cracks called ice wedges (Godin et al., 2015). Under the soil is a layer of thick permafrost which, along with sunlight, regulates temperature — keeping an annual average of -12.6 degrees Celsius (Climate Information for Barrow, 2015). Coastal Figure 1: Thermokarst development south of Cape Halkett. Halkett.sediments consist of mud, sand, and gravel that form large bluffs and move nutrients into the ecosystem when eroded (Oomittuk, 2015). Poor drainage is a major characteristic of the Arctic and leads to the formation of thermokarsts, or thaw lakes, as thawing permafrost forces water to the surface (Figure 1). The Arctic Ocean is also unique due to a large number of rivers and streams and melting sea ice which lower salinity with an average of 15.58 parts per thousand (Godin et al., 2015). Sea ice has lost 1.19 million square kilometers from 1981 to 2010 (NSIDC, 2015). Arctic warming has had a large influence on the world’s oceans. The average surface temperature on earth has increased 0.8 degrees Celsius since 1880 (WWF, n.d.), increasing the rate of sea ice melt to 4.6 percent per decade (NOAA, n.d.). The decrease in sea ice increases storm severity on the coast making large erosion events more common and putting coastal towns at risk (Vermaire, 2013). Ecological Characteristics of the Arctic Coastline The flora and fauna of the Arctic coastline are uniquely shaped by seasonal darkness and prolonged low temperatures. Contrary to the ecosystems of lower latitudes, marine species are 5 limited in both biomass and diversity. Flora is limited to shrubbery, the most prevalent types being dwarf birch, willow, and northern Labrador tea (Arctic Coastal Tundra, n.d.). Biological productivity is limited primarily to the summer when abundant daylight allows vegetation to flourish. Twelve species of bird are present year-long, although many more migrate seasonally. Seals, including the harp and ringed seal, are prevalent, with predators such as the polar bear dependent upon them. Relying on phytoplankton and zooplankton, are copepods: tiny arthropods in the water column, where they serve as a major food source for fish and seabirds (Laney, 2011). There are about 240 species of marine fishes, primarily demersal, in the Arctic (Hopcraft, 2009). A key fish species is the Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida), which serves as a crucial link between lower trophic levels and higher ones. Higher trophic level organisms, such as the Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea), the walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens), the polar bear (Ursus martimus), and various species of seals (such as Pusa hispida, Pagophilus groenlandicus, and Phoca largha), are indirectly dependent upon pelagic and benthic invertebrates. The rapid decline in sea ice over the past three decades has devastated both the polar bear and walrus populations, both of which are dependent on sea ice as hunting platforms. (Marine Ecosystem, n.d.). The Arctic ecosystem’s relative simplicity makes it sensitive to environmental disturbances such as climate change and increased levels of pollutants (Saundry, 2010). Increased Human Presence in the Arctic Coastal communities are faced with an ever-increasing threat: erosion. With the reduction of sea ice and the increase in sea level comes stronger waves and accelerated coastal erosion. With sea ice loss, trans-arctic trade will offer faster routes between the Pacific and Atlantic 6 oceans, drawing in increased industrial activity and population. The rapid coastal recession in coastal communities affected by human activity is of great concern to inhabitants, as well as active industries. As human presence in the Arctic increases, the importance of Arctic erosion will be amplified. Shishmaref is a prime example of an Alaskan coastal community currently in crisis due to coastal recession. Shishmaref is estimated to have lost hundreds of square meters of land, making it likely that the township will be forced to relocate. Rising temperatures have caused reduced sea ice as well as coastal permafrost melt, rendering the town more vulnerable to erosion, as well as increasing storm activity, which further erodes their coastline (Hassol, 2015). The Army Corps of Engineers has compared aerial photographs of Shishmaref, estimating that the shoreline recedes on average 0.82 to 2.7 meters annually; however, years with major storm activity have seen losses of up to 6.9 meters. Shishmaref has already moved dozens of buildings further inland and has extended their now 853 meter sea wall (Sheppard, 2015). Shishmaref is currently at risk of needing an air evacuation in the case of a storm. Robert Iyatunguk, the Shishmaref’s erosion coordinator, explains that “The storms are getting more frequent, the winds are getting stronger, the water is getting higher, and it’s noticeable to everyone in town. If we get 12-14 foot waves, this place is going to get wiped out in a matter of hours. We’re in panic mode because of how much ground we’re losing. If our airport gets flooded out, there goes our evacuation by plane.” The effects of coastal erosion are not limited to humanitarian interests; there is a financial reason to be concerned with coastal recession. Tuktoyaktuk is a Canadian port near the mouth of the Mackenzie River. Sixty percent of trade in the Northwest Territories goes through Tuktoyaktuk, a figure predicted to increase once Arctic sea ice has reduced enough to make the “Over-The-Top” route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans viable (Ruffilli, 2011). The 7 infrastructure currently in Tuktoyaktuk would have to be expanded to accommodate increased trans-Arctic trade traffic, but doing so would further weaken the already receding coastline of the port town. Erosion in Tuktoyaktuk has threatened both cultural and archeological sites, as well as caused the abandonment of a school and residential areas. As global warming continues and sea levels increase, erosion could render Tuktoyaktuk uninhabitable, nullifying its potential as a major port city in the near future. Multiple attempts have been made at constructing lasting protection, yet these protective structures have not withstood storm surges (Hassol, 2004).
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Robert C. Rhew Dept
    Curriculum vitae: June, 2016 Robert Rhew, UC Berkeley Robert C. Rhew Dept. of Geography / Dept. of Environmental Science, Policy and Management Lab: (510) 643-6984 University of California, Berkeley Facsimile: (510) 642-3370 Berkeley, CA 94720-4740 E-mail: [email protected] EDUCATION 1992 B.A. Earth & Planetary Sciences (Atmospheres and Oceans) Harvard University Magna cum laUde with highest honors Cambridge, MA 1994 Graduate Diploma. Resource & Env’t Management Australian National University Diploma with Distinction Canberra, ACT 2001 Ph.D. Earth Sciences (Geochemistry) Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UCSD Thesis title: Production and Consumption of Methyl Bromide and Methyl La Jolla, CA Chloride by the Terrestrial Biosphere ACADEMIC EMPLOYMENT 2012 – present Associate Professor, Dept. Envt. Science, Policy & Mgt. University of California, Berkeley 2009 – present Associate Professor, Department of Geography University of California, Berkeley 2006 – present Geological Scientist Faculty, Earth Sciences Division Lawrence Berkeley National Labs, CA 2013 – 2014 Visiting Faculty Fellow, National Center for Atmospheric Research NCAR, Boulder, CO 2013 – 2014 CIRES Visiting Fellow, NOAA/ CIRES University of Colorado, Boulder 2003 – 2009 Assistant Professor, Department of Geography University of California, Berkeley 2001 – 2003 Postdoctoral Researcher, Earth System Science University of California, Irvine UCAR/NOAA Climate and Global Change Postdoctoral Fellowship, Host: Prof. Eric Saltzman Other appointments: Affiliate faculty in Energy
    [Show full text]
  • Recent Changes in the Zooplankton Communities of Arctic Tundra
    University of Texas at El Paso DigitalCommons@UTEP Open Access Theses & Dissertations 2019-01-01 Recent Changes In The Zooplankton Communities Of Arctic Tundra Ponds In Response To Warmer Temperatures And Nutrient Enrichment Mariana Vargas Medrano University of Texas at El Paso Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.utep.edu/open_etd Part of the Biology Commons Recommended Citation Vargas Medrano, Mariana, "Recent Changes In The Zooplankton Communities Of Arctic Tundra Ponds In Response To Warmer Temperatures And Nutrient Enrichment" (2019). Open Access Theses & Dissertations. 2018. https://digitalcommons.utep.edu/open_etd/2018 This is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UTEP. It has been accepted for inclusion in Open Access Theses & Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UTEP. For more information, please contact [email protected]. RECENT CHANGES IN THE ZOOPLANKTON COMMUNITIES OF ARCTIC TUNDRA PONDS IN RESPONSE TO WARMER TEMPERATURES AND NUTRIENT ENRICHMENT MARIANA VARGAS MEDRANO Doctoral Program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology APPROVED: Vanessa L. Lougheed, Ph.D., Chair Craig Tweedie, Ph.D. Wen-Yen Lee, Ph.D. Elizabeth J.Walsh, Ph.D. Stephen L. Crites, Jr., Ph.D. Dean of the Graduate School Copyright © by Mariana Vargas Medrano 2019 Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to all my incredible family for all the love and support. RECENT CHANGES IN THE ZOOPLANKTON COMMUNITIES OF ARCTIC TUNDRA PONDS IN RESPONSE TO WARMER TEMPERATURES AND NUTRIENT ENRICHMENT by MARIANA VARGAS MEDRANO, B.S., M.S. DISSERTATION Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of The University of Texas at El Paso in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO AUGUST 2019 Acknowledgments This study was funded by NSF Polar Programs (ARC-0909502).
    [Show full text]
  • Impacts of Land Use on Biodiversity: Development of Spatially Differentiated Global Assessment Methodologies for Life Cycle Assessment
    DISS. ETH NO. xx Impacts of land use on biodiversity: development of spatially differentiated global assessment methodologies for life cycle assessment A dissertation submitted to ETH ZURICH for the degree of Doctor of Sciences presented by LAURA SIMONE DE BAAN Master of Sciences ETH born January 23, 1981 citizen of Steinmaur (ZH), Switzerland accepted on the recommendation of Prof. Dr. Stefanie Hellweg, examiner Prof. Dr. Thomas Koellner, co-examiner Dr. Llorenç Milà i Canals, co-examiner 2013 In Gedenken an Frans Remarks This thesis is a cumulative thesis and consists of five research papers, which were written by several authors. The chapters Introduction and Concluding Remarks were written by myself. For the sake of consistency, I use the personal pronoun ‘we’ throughout this thesis, even in the chapters Introduction and Concluding Remarks. Summary Summary Today, one third of the Earth’s land surface is used for agricultural purposes, which has led to massive changes in global ecosystems. Land use is one of the main current and projected future drivers of biodiversity loss. Because many agricultural commodities are traded globally, their production often affects multiple regions. Therefore, methodologies with global coverage are needed to analyze the effects of land use on biodiversity. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a tool that assesses environmental impacts over the entire life cycle of products, from the extraction of resources to production, use, and disposal. Although LCA aims to provide information about all relevant environmental impacts, prior to this Ph.D. project, globally applicable methods for capturing the effects of land use on biodiversity did not exist.
    [Show full text]
  • Compilation of U.S. Tundra Biome Journal and Symposium Publications
    COMPILATION OF U.S • TUNDRA BIOME JOURNAL .Alm SYMPOSIUM PUBLICATIONS* {April 1975) 1. Journal Papers la. Published +Alexander, V., M. Billington and D.M. Schell (1974) The influence of abiotic factors on nitrogen fixation rates in the Barrow, Alaska, arctic tundra. Report Kevo Subarctic Research Station 11, vel. 11, p. 3-11. (+)Alexander, V. and D.M. Schell (1973) Seasonal and spatial variation of nitrogen fixation in the Barrow, Alaska, tundra. Arctic and Alnine Research, vel. 5, no. 2, p. 77-88. (+)Allessio, M.L. and L.L. Tieszen (1974) Effect of leaf age on trans­ location rate and distribution of Cl4 photoassimilate in Dupontia fischeri at Barrow, Alaska. Arctic and Alnine Research, vel. 7, no. 1, p. 3-12. (+)Barsdate, R.J., R.T. Prentki and T. Fenchel (1974) The phosphorus cycle of model ecosystems. Significance for decomposer food chains and effect of bacterial grazers. Oikos, vel. 25, p. 239-251. 0 • (+)Batzli, G.O., N.C. Stenseth and B.M. Fitzgerald (1974) Growth and survi­ val of suckling brown lemmings (Lemmus trimucronatus). Journal of Mammalogy, vel. 55, p. 828-831. (+}Billings,. W.D. (1973) Arctic and alpine vegetations: Similarities, dii'­ ferences and susceptibility to disturbance. Bioscience, vel. 23, p. 697-704. (+)Braun, C.E., R.K. Schmidt, Jr. and G.E. Rogers (1973) Census of Colorado white-tailed ptarmigan with tape-recorded calls. Journal of Wildlife Management, vel. 37, no. 1, p. 90-93. (+)Buechler, D.G. and R.D. Dillon (1974) Phosphorus regeneration studies in freshwater ciliates. Journal of Protozoology, vol. 21, no. 2,· P• 339-343.
    [Show full text]
  • Ring of Fire Proposed RMP and Final EIS- Volume 1 Cover Page
    U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management N T OF M E TH T E R A IN P T E E D R . I O S R . U M 9 AR 8 4 C H 3, 1 Ring of Fire FINAL Proposed Resource Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement and Final Environmental Impact Statement and Final Environmental Management Plan Resource Proposed Ring of Fire Volume 1: Chapters 1-3 July 2006 Anchorage Field Office, Alaska July 200 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMMENT 6 Volume 1 The Bureau of Land Management Today Our Vision To enhance the quality of life for all citizens through the balanced stewardship of America’s public lands and resources. Our Mission To sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. BLM/AK/PL-06/022+1610+040 BLM File Photos: 1. Aerial view of the Chilligan River north of Chakachamna Lake in the northern portion of Neacola Block 2. OHV users on Knik River gravel bar 3. Mountain goat 1 4. Helicopter and raft at Tsirku River 2 3 4 U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Ring of Fire Proposed Resource Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement Prepared By: Anchorage Field Office July 2006 United States Department of the Interior BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT Alaska State Office 222 West Seventh Avenue, #13 Anchorage, Alaska 995 13-7599 http://www.ak.blm.gov Dear Reader: Enclosed for your review is the Proposed Resource Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement (Proposed RMPIFinal EIS) for the lands administered in the Ring of Fire by the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM's) Anchorage Field Office (AFO).
    [Show full text]
  • Mechanistic Modeling of Microtopographic Impacts on CO2
    RESEARCH ARTICLE Mechanistic Modeling of Microtopographic Impacts 10.1029/2019MS001771 on CO2 and CH4 Fluxes in an Alaskan Tundra Key Points: ‐ • The CLM‐microbe model is able to Ecosystem Using the CLM Microbe Model simulate microtopographical Yihui Wang1, Fengming Yuan2, Fenghui Yuan1,3, Baohua Gu2 , Melanie S. Hahn4, impacts on CO and CH flux in the 2 4 5 2 2 1 Arctic Margaret S. Torn , Daniel M. Ricciuto , Jitendra Kumar , Liyuan He , • Substrates availability for Donatella Zona1 , David A. Lipson1, Robert Wagner1 , Walter C. Oechel1, methanogenesis is the most Stan D. Wullschleger2 , Peter E. Thornton2 , and Xiaofeng Xu1 important factor determining CH4 emission 1Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA, 2Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge • The strong microtopographic 3 impacts call for a model‐data National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang City, integration framework to better China, 4Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA, 5Earth Sciences understand and predict C flux in the Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA Arctic Abstract Spatial heterogeneities in soil hydrology have been confirmed as a key control on CO2 and CH4 fl ‐ Correspondence to: uxes in the Arctic tundra ecosystem. In this study, we applied a mechanistic ecosystem model, CLM X. Xu, Microbe, to examine the microtopographic impacts on CO2 and CH4 fluxes across seven landscape types in [email protected] Utqiaġvik, Alaska: trough, low‐centered polygon (LCP) center, LCP transition, LCP rim, high‐centered polygon (HCP) center, HCP transition, and HCP rim. We first validated the CLM‐Microbe model against Citation: static‐chamber measured CO2 and CH4 fluxes in 2013 for three landscape types: trough, LCP center, and Wang, Y., Yuan, F., Yuan, F., Gu, B., LCP rim.
    [Show full text]
  • Appendix C: Tables
    Appendix C: Tables Table 1. Mean fire-return intervals for Alaskan tundra ecosystems during the late Holocene Mean (range) fire-return Location Plant community interval (years) Methods Reference charcoal deposits in sediments of 2 Jandt and others (2008) North Slope tussock-shrub tundra >5,000 years lakes spanning to 5,000 years BP [36] pollen grains and charcoal deposits in Noatak National Preserve, entire 31- lake sediments from 4 lakes spanning Higuera and others (2011) 260 (30-840)* mile (50 km) transect 50 km along an east-west transect; [29] records spanned from 6,000 years BP tussock-shrub tundra; birch to 2007 ericaceous shrub tundra; and Noatak National Preserve, eastern willow-shrub tundra with pollen grains and charcoal deposits in portion of transect (Poktovik and white spruce 142 (115-174)* lake sediments from 4 lakes spanning Little Isac lakes) Higuera and others (2011) 50 km along an east-west transect; [32] Noatak National Preserve, western records spanned from 2,500 years BP portion of transect (Raven and 263 (175-374)* to 2007 Uchugrak lakes) pollen grains and charcoal deposits in Seward Peninsula 240 Jennifer Allen personal lake sediments communication cited in LANDFIRE Biophysical pollen grains and charcoal deposits in Beaufort Coastal Plain >1,000 Settings (2009) [44] lake sediments sedge tussock tundra FRCC Experts Workshop 2004 personal 50-300 expert opinion communication cited in Throughout Alaska LANDFIRE Biophysical Settings (2009) [44] Duchesne and Hawkes tundra 35-200 expert opinion (2000) [19] *The fire-event return interval was calculated for a 0.6 mile (1km) area around each lake. The term "fire event" was used to acknowledge that some peaks in charcoal deposits may include more than 1 fire.
    [Show full text]
  • Impacts of Temperature and Soil Characteristics on Methane
    Biogeosciences Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2017-566 Manuscript under review for journal Biogeosciences Discussion started: 29 January 2018 c Author(s) 2018. CC BY 4.0 License. Impacts of temperature and soil characteristics on methane production and oxidation in Arctic polygonal tundra Jianqiu Zheng1, Taniya RoyChowdhury1,2, Ziming Yang3,4, Baohua Gu3, Stan D. Wullschleger3,5, David E. Graham1,5 5 1 Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 37831, USA 2 Now at Department of Environmental Science & Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, 20742, USA 3 Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 37831, USA 4 Now at Department of Chemistry, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, 48309, USA 10 5 Climate Change Science Institute, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 37831, USA Correspondence to: David E. Graham ([email protected]) This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC under Contract No. DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the U.S. 15 Department of Energy. The United States Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the United States Government retains a non-exclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, world-wide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for United States Government purposes. The Department of Energy will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan (http://energy.gov/downloads/doe-public-access-plan). 20 Abstract Methane (CH4) oxidation mitigates CH4 emission from soils. However, it is still highly uncertain whether soils in high- latitude ecosystems will function as a net source or sink for this important greenhouse gas.
    [Show full text]
  • Local-Scale Arctic Tundra Heterogeneity Affects Regional-Scale Carbon Dynamics ✉ M
    ARTICLE https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-18768-z OPEN Local-scale Arctic tundra heterogeneity affects regional-scale carbon dynamics ✉ M. J. Lara 1,2,3 , A. D. McGuire3, E. S. Euskirchen 3, H. Genet 3,S.Yi4, R. Rutter3, C. Iversen 5, V. Sloan6 & S. D. Wullschleger5 In northern Alaska nearly 65% of the terrestrial surface is composed of polygonal ground, where geomorphic tundra landforms disproportionately influence carbon and nutrient cycling 1234567890():,; over fine spatial scales. Process-based biogeochemical models used for local to Pan-Arctic projections of ecological responses to climate change typically operate at coarse-scales (1km2–0.5°) at which fine-scale (<1km2) tundra heterogeneity is often aggregated to the dominant land cover unit. Here, we evaluate the importance of tundra heterogeneity for representing soil carbon dynamics at fine to coarse spatial scales. We leveraged the legacy of data collected near Utqiaġvik, Alaska between 1973 and 2016 for model initiation, para- meterization, and validation. Simulation uncertainty increased with a reduced representation of tundra heterogeneity and coarsening of spatial scale. Hierarchical cluster analysis of an ensemble of 21st-century simulations reveals that a minimum of two tundra landforms (dry and wet) and a maximum of 4km2 spatial scale is necessary for minimizing uncertainties (<10%) in regional to Pan-Arctic modeling applications. 1 Plant Biology Department, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA. 2 Geography Department, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA. 3 Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA. 4 Institute of Fragile Ecosystem and Environment, School of Geographic Science, Nantong University, Nantong, China.
    [Show full text]
  • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Recent Work
    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Recent Work Title Radiocarbon measurements of ecosystem respiration and soil pore-space CO2 in Utqiaġvik (Barrow), Alaska Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8xq3k47z Journal Earth System Science Data, 10(4) ISSN 1866-3508 Authors Vaughn, Lydia JS Torn, Margaret S Publication Date 2018-10-22 DOI 10.5194/essd-10-1943-2018 Peer reviewed eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California Radiocarbon measurements of ecosystem respiration and soil pore-space CO2 in Utqiaġvik (Barrow), Alaska Lydia J. S. Vaughn1,2 and Margaret S. Torn2,3 1Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA 2Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA 3Energy and Resources Group, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA Correspondence: Lydia J. S. Vaughn ([email protected]) Abstract Radiocarbon measurements of ecosystem respiration and soil pore space CO2 are useful for determining the sources of ecosystem respiration, identifying environmental controls on soil carbon cycling rates, and parameterizing and evaluating models of the carbon cycle. We measured flux rates and radiocarbon content of ecosystem respiration, as well as radiocarbon in soil profile CO2 in Utqiaġvik (Barrow), Alaska, during the summers of 2012, 2013, and 2014. We found that radiocarbon in ecosystem 14 respiration (Δ CReco) ranged from +60.5 to −160 ‰ with a median value of +23.3 ‰. Ecosystem respiration became more depleted in radiocarbon from summer to autumn, indicating increased decomposition of old soil organic carbon and/or decreased CO2 production from fast-cycling carbon pools. Across permafrost features, ecosystem respiration from high-centered polygons was depleted in radiocarbon relative to other polygon types.
    [Show full text]
  • Dalton Highway Field Trip Guide for the Ninth International Conference on Permafrost
    DALTON HIGHWAY FIELD TRIP GUIDE FOR THE NINTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PERMAFROST A supplement to Guidebook 4, “Guidebook to permafrost and related features along the Elliott and Dalton Highways, Fox to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska,” 1983, by Jerry Brown and R.A. Kreig, editors, published by the Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys for the Fourth International Conference on Perma- frost. by D.A. Walker, T.D. Hamilton, C.L. Ping, R.P. Daanen, and W.W. Streever With contributions by M.S. Bret-Harte, R.R. Gieck, T.N. Hollingsworth, L.S. Jodwallis, D.L. Kane, G.J. Michaelson, F.E. Nelson, C.A. Munger, M.K. Raynolds, V.E. Romanovsky, G.R. Shaver, E.M. Barbour, C.A. Stiles Guidebook 9 Published by STATE OF ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION OF GEOLOGICAL & GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS 2009 DALTON HIGHWAY FIELD TRIP GUIDE FOR THE NINTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PERMAFROST A supplement to Guidebook 4, “Guidebook to permafrost and related features along the Elliott and Dalton Highways, Fox to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska,” 1983, by Jerry Brown and R.A. Kreig, editors, published by the Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys for the Fourth International Conference on Permafrost. by D.A. Walker, T.D. Hamilton, C.L. Ping, R.P. Daanen, and W.W. Streever With contributions by M.S. Bret-Harte, University of Alaska Fairbanks; R.R. Gieck, University of Alaska Fairbanks; T.N. Hollingsworth, U.S. Forest Service, Bonanza Creek Research Unit; L.S. Jodwallis, Bureau of Land Management; D.L. Kane, University of Alaska Fairbanks; G.J. Michaelson, University of Alaska Fairbanks; F.E.
    [Show full text]
  • Featured Species-Associated Tundra Habitats: Arctic, Alpine and Maritime Tundra
    Appendix 5.2, Page 1 Appendix 5.2 Tundra Habitats Featured Species-associated Tundra Habitats: Arctic, Alpine and Maritime Tundra Tundra refers to a cold-climate landscape that has vegetation but is devoid of trees. The absence of trees is typically related to regional climatic conditions. Alaska has 3 major types of tundra that can be generally described by the topographical and geographical location in which they occur. They include: 1) Arctic (high latitude) tundra, 2) alpine (high altitude) tundra, and 3) the maritime tundra present on Alaska’s western and southwestern coast. The dominant plant species of tundra habitats are sedges, low and dwarf shrubs, and graminoids interspersed with forbs, in addition to mat and cushion-forming plants and scattered bryophytes (nonvascular plants). Alaska’s tundra climates are characterized by a short growing season, long, cold, dark winters, and low precipitation with strong, bitter, dry winds. Snow accumulation, where present, provides an insulating layer to the ground surface benefiting plant and animal communities. The number of plant species on the tundra is few, and their growth is minimal, with most of the biomass concentrated in the root system. Due to the short growing season, plants often reproduce by division, in addition to seed production. Arctic Tundra Arctic tundra is generally distributed above the latitudinal tree line in Alaska. This is the area from the crest of the Brooks Range northward to the Arctic Ocean known as the Arctic Slope. The Arctic Slope includes the north side of the mountains, northern foothills, and the flat coastal plain; it is the only truly Arctic biogeographic province in the United States.
    [Show full text]