Climate Change and Climate Change and Alaskan WetlandsAlaskan Wetlands

Sadie IversonSadie Iverson

SWES 574SWES 574

Wetlands in AlaskaWetlands in Alaska

As of 1990, only 0.1% lost

Walker et al. 2005

Wetland TypesWetland Types

Many Many varietiesvarieties

Peatlands Peatlands (muskegs)(muskegs)

Marshes (salt Marshes (salt and and freshwater)freshwater)

Some Some affected by affected by permafrostpermafrost

Copper River Delta, southeast Alaska

Wildlife SignficanceWildlife Signficance

Examples:Examples:– Yukon-Yukon-

Kuskokwim River Kuskokwim River Delta (at left)Delta (at left)

– Copper River Copper River DeltaDelta

bna.birds.cornell.edu

Climate ChangeClimate Change

0.60.6°C warming over 20°C warming over 20thth century century CausesCauses

– End of Little Ice AgeEnd of Little Ice Age– Excess greenhouse gasesExcess greenhouse gases

Arctic Impact?Arctic Impact?

Importance of iceImportance of ice Atmospheric effectsAtmospheric effects Arctic Climate Impact Assessment, 2004Arctic Climate Impact Assessment, 2004

Why Alaska?Why Alaska?

Arctic effectsArctic effects Heavily mapped for oil and mineral Heavily mapped for oil and mineral

explorationexploration Low population density (fewer human effects)Low population density (fewer human effects)

A muskeg

Methane EffectMethane Effect

Alaska produces Alaska produces 7% of the 7% of the Arctic’s Arctic’s methanemethane

Attributed to Attributed to warming of warming of peatlandspeatlands

Felzer and Hu 2004

Successional EffectSuccessional Effect

Encroachment Encroachment of scrubby of scrubby trees like trees like sprucespruce

Typical of Typical of warming eras warming eras in historyin history

Potential Potential effects not fully effects not fully understoodunderstood Sturm 2001

Wetland Loss ExampleWetland Loss Example

Kenai Peninsula LowlandsKenai Peninsula Lowlands

Kenai ResultsKenai Results

Muskegs, kettle ponds turn to wet soil or uplandsMuskegs, kettle ponds turn to wet soil or uplands

Rise in temperature, lowering of moistureRise in temperature, lowering of moisture

(Klein et al. 2005)(Klein et al. 2005)