Transcript Climate Change and Alaskan Wetlands

Climate Change and
Alaskan Wetlands
Sadie Iverson
SWES 574
Wetlands in Alaska
As of 1990, only 0.1%
lost
Walker et al. 2005
Wetland Types
Many varieties
 Peatlands
(muskegs)
 Marshes (salt
and freshwater)
 Some affected
by permafrost

Copper River Delta, southeast Alaska
Wildlife Signficance

bna.birds.cornell.edu
Examples:
– Yukon-Kuskokwim
River Delta (at left)
– Copper River Delta
Climate Change
0.6°C warming over 20th century
 Causes

– End of Little Ice Age
– Excess greenhouse gases
Arctic Impact?
Importance of ice
 Atmospheric effects
 Arctic Climate Impact Assessment, 2004

Why Alaska?
Arctic effects
 Heavily mapped for oil and mineral exploration
 Low population density (fewer human effects)

A muskeg
Methane Effect
Alaska produces
7% of the Arctic’s
methane
 Attributed to
warming of
peatlands

Felzer and Hu 2004
Successional Effect
Encroachment of
scrubby trees like
spruce
 Typical of
warming eras in
history
 Potential effects
not fully
understood

Sturm 2001
Wetland Loss Example

Kenai Peninsula Lowlands
Kenai Results
Muskegs, kettle ponds turn to wet soil or uplands
Rise in temperature, lowering of moisture
(Klein et al. 2005)