Ice roads through lake-rich Arctic watersheds: Integrating climate uncertainty and freshwater habitat responses into adaptive management

Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research

Ronald Daanen¹  Guido Grosse²  Stacey Fritz³  D. A. Nigro³  Matthew S. Whitman³  John R. Beaver⁴  Benjamin V. Gaglioti⁵  Kurt C. Heim⁶  Anne Gädeke⁷  F. J. Adams⁸  Hannah R. Uher-Koch⁹  Vladimir A. Alexeev^1,10  Benjamin M. Jones^1,10  Christopher D. Arp^1,10  Lei Cai^1,10  Anna K. Liljedahl^1,10  Melanie Engram^1,10 

[1] Alaska Department of Natural Resources;Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research;Arctic District Office;BSA Environmental Services;Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University;Montana State University;Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research;U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service;University of Alaska Anchorage;University of Alaska Fairbanks;

关键词: arctic watersheds;    ice roads;    freshwater habitat;    climate change;    petroleum development;    adaptive management;   

DOI  :  10.1080/15230430.2018.1560839

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Vast mosaics of lakes, wetlands, and rivers on the Arctic Coastal Plain give the impression of water surplus. Yet long winters lock freshwater resources in ice, limiting freshwater habitats and water supply for human uses. Increasingly the petroleum industry relies on lakes to build temporary ice roads for winter oil exploration. Permitting water withdrawal for ice roads in Arctic Alaska is dependent on lake depth, ice thickness, and the fish species present. Recent winter warming suggests that more winter water will be available for ice- road construction, yet high interannual variability in ice thickness and summer precipitation complicates habitat impact assessments. To address these concerns, multidisciplinary researchers are working to understand how Arctic freshwater habitats are responding to changes in both climate and water use in northern Alaska. The dynamics of habitat availability and connectivity are being linked to how food webs support fish and waterbirds across diverse freshwater habitats. Moving toward watershed-scale habitat classification coupled with scenario analysis of climate extremes and water withdrawal is increasingly relevant to future resource management decisions in this region. Such progressive refinement in understanding responses to change provides an example of adaptive management focused on ensuring responsible resource development in the Arctic.

【 授权许可】

Unknown