Geological Survey

Description

The USGS is offering a funding opportunity to a CESU partner for applying radiocarbon (14C) techniques to detect permafrost thaw and assess carbon flow through aquatic ecosystems differing in the amount of permafrost degradation. Climate warming is accelerating thawing of frozen ground (i.e., permafrost), leading to a myriad of changes in physical and chemical conditions throughout the Arctic. Permafrost thaw and the subsequent changes to geomorpholgy, hydrology, and vegetation can alter groundwater flow and inflows to streams, affecting river hydrographs, water temperature, and the availability of carbon and nutrients. Changes in stream hydrology and chemistry subsequently have the potential to affect fish habitat and metabolism directly. By changing primary productivity in stream ecosystems, these changes can also alter food resources available to fish. While these physical changes have already been observed in interior Alaska there is little understanding of the effects on ecosystems and Alaskaâ¿¿s fish that are important commercial, sport, and subsistence resources, and also important to wildlife. Recent work in boreal streams of interior Alaska has shown that 14C can be useful for detecting thaw.

Who can apply

• Others

Contact

Faith Graves 703-648-7356<br/>fgraves@usgs.gov<br/>
fgraves@usgs.gov