Decadal Micro-Topographic Change in Tundra Near Point Barrow, Alaska
Craig E. Tweedie, Robert D. Hollister, Patrick J. Webber, Steven P. Rewa, Olga I. Sumina and Stuart GageConclusions:
- Decadal trends of land cover change in northern Alaska suggest dry land cover classes have been stable over time whereas moist and wet classes have changed dramatically. Near Barrow, there appears to have been an expansion of dry classes and a decrease in wet classes.
- Based on relative trends documented for dry and wet land cover classes near Barrow, these trends suggest there could have been a decrease in Carbon sink activity, a deepening of the active layer and an increase in landscape heterogeneity.
- The most plausible explanations for these changes are probably not related entirely to climatic change but cumulative anthropogenic impacts including:
- An increased drainage gradient as a result of the drainage of Middle Salt Lagoon in 1945 and Footprint Lake in 1950 and the subsequent upstream retreat of the nick point on Footprint Creek6.
- Earlier and prolonged snow melt and delayed snow accumulation due to dust pollution and Barrow urban heat island effect (Klene pers. comm. 2001).
- Increased off-road vehicle disturbance that appears to channel drainage.
- Ongoing analysis and research are investigating these processes further by examining interactively, land cover change, active layer dynamics and surface topography. Implications of this research are being interpreted with respect to change in ecosystem biodiversity and function such as species responses and Carbon flux.
- Beginning
- Introduction & Relevance
- Methods
- Results
- Conclusions
- References