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The mission of ACCAP is to improve the ability of Alaskans to respond to a changing climate.
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HIGHLIGHTS
» Alaska Climate Webinars
Next Webinar:
Tuesday, May 15, 2012; 10-11am Alaska Local Time
SNOW FALLING ON YELLOW-CEDARS
Paul Hennon(1), Dave D'Amore(1), Paul Schaberg(2), Colin Shanley(3), Dustin Wittwer(4), Lauren Oakes(5), Colin Beier(6). (1) USFS, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Juneau, AK;
(2) USFS, Northern Research Station, Burlington, VT;
(3) The Nature Conservancy, Juneau, AK;
(4) USFS, Alaska Region, Juneau, AK;
(5) Stanford University, Stanford, CA;
(6) State University of New York, Syracuse, NY
Some ecosystems such as those in the arctic or deserts are driven by extreme climates, and these areas may be particularly sensitive to deleterious effects of climate change. However, the moderate temperate climates of the North Pacific Coast are experiencing a critical shift in the form of precipitation with more rain and less snow as winter temperatures warm beyond the freezing threshold. Yellow-cedar decline in coastal Alaska and British Columbia serves as an example of how this shift of a reduction in snow interacts with landscape features and the specific vulnerability of a species to cause widespread tree death. This webinar will feature scientists describing how they untangled climate and ecological characteristics of yellow-cedar to solve the mystery of the dying yellow-cedar forests. This new knowledge then became the foundation for a strategy to adapt the long-term conservation and management to ensure the viability of this valuable tree.
BioScience paper: Shifting Climate, Altered Niche, and a Dynamic Conservation Strategy for Yellow-Cedar in the North Pacific Coastal Rainforest
Presentation/Slides: Snow Falling on Yellow-Cedars
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The 2012 Spring Alaska Climate Dispatch is available on-line
Contents include a Nenana River & Ice Classic overview, winter weather & large-scale drivers summary, sea ice update, spring outlook, and upcoming ACCAP events.
Download the Dispatch
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New Arctic pages available on the Alaska Ocean Observing Systems website, including:
Development of a new Arctic sea ice atlas (in collaboration with ACCAP)
Spatial Tools for Arctic Mapping and Planning (STAMP, in collaboration with ACCAP)
Ocean acidification monitoring (in collaboration with ACCAP Scientist Jeremy Mathis)
The Arctic Research Assets Map
Access Arctic data portals
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Sea Ice for Walrus Outlook (SIWO) Spring 2012 is now available
This year sea ice type, concentration, and movement will be derived from local observations, satellite imagery, and numerical prediction models including the new U.S. Navy coupled sea ice model. The Sea Ice for Walrus Outlook (SIWO) is a resource for Alaska Native subsistence hunters, coastal communities, and others interested in sea ice and walrus. The SIWO provides weekly reports from April through June with information on sea ice conditions relevant to walrus in the Northern Bering Sea and southern Chukchi Sea regions of Alaska.
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New Alaska Climate Science Publication : "Evidence and Implications Of Recent and Projected Climate Change in Alaska's Forest Ecosystems"
The first comprehensive synthesis of climate change impacts on all forested ecosystems of Alaska has recently been published. The paper highlights changes in the most critical biophysical factors of each region. Congratulations to the many scientists, including some from ACCAP and SNAP, that contributed: J.M. Wolken, T.N. Hollingsworth, T.S. Rupp, F.S. Chapin, S.F. Trainor, T.M. Barrett, P.F. Sullivan, A.D. McGuire, E.S. Euskirchen, P.E. Hennon, E.A. Beever, J.S. Conn, L.K. Crone, D.V. D'Amore, N. Fresco, T.A. Hanley, K. Kielland, J.J. Kruse, T. Patterson, E.A.G. Schuur, D.L. Verbyla, and J. Yarie.
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NOAA 2011 Arctic Report Card Released
The 2011 Report Card shows that record-setting changes are occurring throughout the Arctic environmental system. Given the projection of continued global warming, it is very likely that major Arctic changes will continue in years to come, with increasing climatic, physical, biological and socio-economic impacts.
Among the 2011 highlights:
Atmosphere: In 2011, the average annual near-surface air temperatures over much of the Arctic Ocean were approximately 2.5° F (1.5° C) greater than the 1981-2010 baseline period.
Sea ice: Minimum Arctic sea ice area in September 2011 was the second lowest recorded by satellite since 1979.
Ocean: Arctic Ocean temperature and salinity may be stabilizing after a period of warming and freshening. Acidification of sea water ("ocean acidification") as a result of carbon dioxide absorption has also been documented in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas.
Land: Arctic tundra vegetation continues to increase and is associated with higher air temperatures over most of the Arctic land mass.
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New climate change oral history project by Project Jukebox
The 'Stakeholders' project brings rural community members and university scientists into discussions about climate and environmental change in Alaska. The communities of Tanana, Ft. Yukon, and Chalkyitsik are the focus of the effort and interviews are arranged by stakeholder and topic on the website. ACCAP's Sarah Trainor and SNAP's Nancy Fresco contributed to this project. 'Stakeholders' is sponsored by the International Arctic Research Center (IARC) and funded by the National Science Foundation. Project Jukebox is the digital branch of the Oral History Program and provides access to audio and video recordings, transcripts, maps, historic photographs and films from across Alaska.
Browse the Stakeholders project website
View Stakeholders project final poster (7M PDF)
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