Forecasting Arctic Vegetation: The Interaction Between Surface Disturbance and Climate Change

这项为期三年的研究将调查人为干扰对阿拉斯加巴罗附近冻土带土地覆盖的影响。根据过去50年拍摄的照片，人类干扰将被记录下来，植物群落的反应也将被记录下来。关于主要冻土带植物群落的恢复力和抗性的其他试验将在试验田内使用操作实验进行审查。从这项研究中获得的数据将以地理信息系统格式提供。然后，所获得的概念和参数将用于基于地理的北极系统土地转化模型，以检查人类扩大使用阿拉斯加冻土带的可能影响。来自巴罗社区的本科生将被用作研究助理。该项目将与正在进行的北极冻土带气候和植被变化研究直接联系起来。

This three-year study will investigate the impact that anthropogenic disturbance has on tundra land cover near Barrow Alaska. Based on photographs made over the last 50 years, anthropogenic disturbances will be documented and the evolving response by plant communities will be chronicled. Additional tests concerning the resilience and resistance of principal tundra plant communities will be examined using manipulation experiments within experimental plots. The data developed from this study will be made available in a Geographic Information System format. The concepts and parameters obtained will then be used in a geographically based Arctic System Land Transformation Model in order to examine the possible impacts of man's expanding use of the Alaskan tundra. Undergraduate students from the Barrow community will be utilized as research assistants. This project will directly link with ongoing studies of the climatological and vegetation transformations occurring in the Arctic tundra.