Geochemical records of paleoenvironmental change in Northwest North America from fossil plant waxes, volcanic glass and tree-rings

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Climate warming in Arctic regions is fast outpacing the rest of the planet, and associated environmental changes now underway (e.g., ice loss, carbon release from thawing permafrost, boreal expansion) are expected to amplify warming trends with impacts that will be felt globally, and in northern communities. It is critical to develop advanced understandings of the Arctic climate system so that future changes can be accurately predicted, and used to guide sound policy decisions for natural resources and communities that may be impacted. Past climate data offers valuable insights on climate dynamics, but historical records are sparse and short in northern regions. Alternatively, natural proxies such as tree-rings and sediment records document past warm periods that were as warm as or warmer than today for sustained intervals, and provide a compelling suite of evidence describing what a future, warmer world might look like.