A tale of ice and fire – using lake sediments to understand fire regimes and permafrost thaw in the Arctic
Dr. Melissa Chipman – Syracuse University
Friday, October 24, 3:10 pm ~ Murray 102
Amplified warming has facilitated dramatic examples of disturbance in the Arctic. Both tundra and boreal areas have experienced unprecedented wildfire activity over the past few decades. In addition, ice-rich areas of permafrost terrain are experiencing catastrophic degradation in the form of thermal erosion. Using paleoarchives of past fire and thermoerosional activity from lake sediments, I assess these recent changes in the context of natural variability, and examine the interactions and impacts of these disturbance processes in the Arctic.
Contact: Dr. Jacquelyn Gill, jacquelyn.gill@maine.edu, 1-2305