Arctic Summer Turns Warm
28.09.2007 - Logistics, Other
The Arctic region around Melville Island recorded exceptionally warm temperatures this past summer. An International Polar Year (IPY) project by The Queen's University has set off to survey the shifting terrain on Melville Island due to this summer's Arctic heat wave.
One of 44 Canadian research programs to take part in the IPY, this four-year project is studying fresh water variability in response to climate change and how these variations will affect the water quality and ecosystem sustainability of plants and animals that depend on it.
With temperatures peaking at 20°C (rather than an average July temperature of 5°C), the melting permafrost has caused major landslides, damming a river along a 200-metre length of the channel. River flow will thus be altered for years, maybe even decades. Vegetation has been disturbed and erosion and sediment load have increased in the river.
"The cumulative effect of this happening year after year could create huge problems for both the aquatic and land populations. This kind of disturbance also has important consequences for existing and future infrastructure in the region, including roads, pipelines and air strips", notes Dr. Lamoureux, leader of the project.
Water variability, especially in lakes and rivers, are critical to the everyday living conditions of people living in the High Arctic. Information gathered from this research will be used to improve existing models that predict future climate change in the High Arctic region.
