Regions: Sahtu Settlement Area
Tags: physical sciences, revegetation, landscape disturbance, climate change, permafrost degradation, ecological survey
| Principal Investigator: | Kershaw, G. Peter (38) |
| Licence Number: | 14642 |
| Organization: | University of Alberta |
| Licensed Year(s): |
2018
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| Issued: | Feb 05, 2010 |
Objective(s): Permafrost landforms are shrinking in response to climate warming. The researchers want to measure the amount of change each year and to measure the temperature of the permafrost year-round. In addition they want to measure the rate of plant recovery on disturbed areas resulting from the CANOL Project (1942-45).
Project Description: Permafrost landforms are shrinking in response to climate warming. The researchers want to measure the amount of change each year and to measure the temperature of the permafrost year-round. In addition they want to measure the rate of plant recovery on disturbed areas resulting from the CANOL Project (1942-45). Access during the summer is via the Yukon along the Canol Road through Macmillan Pass. Beyond the base camp, four-wheel drive vehicles, mountain bikes and foot will be the means of transport. Automated microclimate stations powered by solar energy cells operate year-round. The base at Camp 222 includes solar cells to power laptop computers. Limited soil sampling and permafrost coring will be conducted and a small amount (<25 kg) could be returned to University of Alberta for analysis. Ground-penetrating radar will be used to map distribution of permafrost in several permafrost landforms. Tree and shrub samples will be retrieved for aging and climate interpretation purposes. This project has been in a monitoring mode with one publication in 2008. The researcher did participate in a community symposium in Yellowknife, gave a CBC radio interview, and presented a public lecture in early March 2006. His web site will also provide access to publications and reports as they become available. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from August 1 to 20, 2010, at ten monitoring sites situated within 5 km of the Canol Heritage Trail, extending from MacMillan Pass (Yukon border) to Caribou Pass. Base camp at Camp 222 at 63°18'N 129°49'W and Denchen la' Lodge at 63°24'40"N 129°36'40"W.
