Causes and consequences of Arctic environmental change: a multiscale approach

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Temperature increases in Canada's Arctic have been among the most rapid on the planet. In addition to warming, northern ecosystems are experiencing larger and more frequent disturbances (both natural and anthropogenic). The additive effects and interactions of these changes are likely to have significant impacts on Arctic ecosystems and the northern communities that depend on them. However, at present there is still uncertainty regarding: 1) the rate of change to disturbance regimes, 2) the effects and interactions of climate and disturbance on northern vegetation and ground thermal regime, and 3) the long-term trajectory of ongoing changes in vegetation and environment. To understand the causes, rate, and consequence of Arctic environmental change, my research program uses a combination of: 1) broad-scale change detection and pattern analyses and 2) fine-scale field investigations. This grant will support research in my laboratory on: 1) the recovery of vegetation following terrestrial salinization, 2) vegetation and permafrost dynamics in polygonal terrain, 3) the rate of catastrophic lake drainage, 4) the effects of lake drainage on succession and permafrost aggradation, and 5) the cumulative impacts of anthropogenic and natural disturbance on Arctic vegetation. Changes to Arctic ecosystems have significant implications for protected areas management, the traditional livelihoods of northern indigenous peoples, and efforts to minimize the impact of northern development. My research will provide information critical to the development of resilient strategies to adapt to ongoing changes in Canada's north. Arctic ecosystems also play an important role in the global climate system and by increasing our understating of changes in vegetation and its interaction with permafrost; my research will also provide valuable information for models of the global climate.