Nicholas Kavanagh Assistant Land Administrator Land Administration - Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada P.O. Box 100 , NU X0A 0H0

Dear Mr. Kavanagh:

Below please find a non-technical summary report for research conducted under Dr. Donald Walker’s (extended by Dr. Vladimir Romanovsky) 2005 Land Use Permit #N2005N0034. A map showing the locations of our activities can be found on page 3 and a photo of the climate station on page 4. Also, find enclosed a detailed report prepared as a result of our 2005 trip.

Summary of 2005 Activities A team of 25 people from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and other organizations worked at Isachsen, during July 2005, as part of the “Biocomplexity associated with biogeochemical cycles in frost-boil ecosystems” project. The field party consisted of 14 research scientists, 4 graduate students, 4 students in an Arctic Field Ecology course, 2 native hunters from the village of Sachs Harbor, and a cook.

This year’s work was the fourth in a 5-year project. The main objective of the research is to investigate the properties of small-patterned-ground ecosystems along a climate gradient from the coldest parts of the Arctic to the northern boreal forest. We are studying earth hummocks, non- sorted circles, small non-sorted polygons, and turf hummocks – how they form, how they vary with climate and substrate, and their role in total ecosystem functions. The project is examining five subzones of the circumpolar Arctic (Subzone A is the coldest, and Subzone E is the warmest). In 2002, the project examined non-sorted circles and earth hummocks along the Dalton Highway in Northern Alaska (Subzones C-E). The second year focused on Green Cabin on Banks Island (Subzone C); the third year focused on Mould Bay on (Subzone B); in this year the team worked at Isachsen (Subzone A). In subzone A, B, and C, turf hummocks, and small non-sorted polygons are dominant on zonal sites.

The team is investigating the complex interactions between climate, permafrost, geomorphology, soils, vegetation, and soil invertebrates within these unique ecosystems. One goal is to examine how these systems might change in different parts of the Arctic as the climate warms. This year the project established three new 10 x 10-m grids at Isachsen. We mapped the vegetation and thaw-layer depth within the grids, and characterized the vegetation of the patterned ground by collecting vegetation, site, and soil information from 52 relevé sites in the vicinity of the grids. We also established a climate station near one of the grids and heave instruments.

Summary of 2006 Activities Work in 2006 consisted of two trips to Isachsen, Ellef Ringnes Island.

1. 10-12 May 2006: Spring snow survey and measurement of frost heave at Isachsen, Ellef Ringnes Island. Participants included Dr. Donald Walker, Dr. Ronnie Daanen, Dr. Patrick Kuss, and PhD student Ken Tape.

2. 22-26 August 2006: Measurement of active layer depth at study sites at Isachsen, Ellef Ringnes Island. Participants included Dr. Ronnie Daanen, Dr. Bill Gould, Dr. Patrick Kuss, and Dr. Skip Walker. 2006 was an exceptional warm summer. Average thaw exceeded 80 cm on all grids with many areas over 100 cm. Considerable collapse and desiccation cracking was evident along ice- wedges and surrounding non-sorted circles at all sites.

Summary of 2010 and Future Activities In July of 2010 we made two attempts to access Isachsen from Mould Bay, Prince Patrick Island. On both attempts we had to turn back because weather was not favorable for landing (fog). Our next planned visit to the site is in 2013. On this visit we hope to upgrade our climate station with a satellite transceiver so that we can collect the data remotely and make it available via our website (http://permafrost.gi.alaska.edu/site/isa). We have already completed upgrades to similar sites on Banks Island and Mould Bay, Prince Patrick Island and data from these sites can now be viewed online on our website (http://permafrost.gi.alaska.edu/site/bis and http://permafrost.gi.alaska.edu/site/mob). Currently remaining at the site are some marker stakes used for vegetation monitoring and a climate station that is continuously recording data.

Sincerely,

William Cable Research Engineer for Dr. Vladimir Romanovsky

University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute 903 Koyukuk Dr. Fairbanks, AK 99775 www.permafrostwatch.org Map of activities at Isachsen, Ellef Ringnes Island.

Photo of climate station at Isachsen, Ellef Ringnes Island.