Inundation, sedimentation, and subsidence creates goose habitat along the Arctic coast of Alaska

Tape, Ken D.; Flint, Paul L.; Meixell, Brandt W.; Gaglioti, Benjamin V.

doi:10.1088/1748-9326/8/4/045031

Cited by 25 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 27 publications

(51 reference statements)

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“…Based on the greenhouse gas fluxes measured in our study, we estimate that change in areal extent of vegetation communities that occurred following an increase in the number of geese broods from ~1000 to ~5000 in the 1990s [ Person et al ., ], may have increased the global warming potential of the net GHG emissions from this site by ~150%. Changes in goose population and in areas used by geese are occurring elsewhere in coastal Alaska as a result of climate and other environmental changes [ Flint et al ., , ; Tape et al ., ], and our results suggest that such changes could have substantial implications for GHG fluxes from these regions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 65%

Interactions among vegetation, climate, and herbivory control greenhouse gas fluxes in a subarctic coastal wetland

et al. 2016

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High‐latitude ecosystems are experiencing the most rapid climate changes globally, and in many areas these changes are concurrent with shifts in patterns of herbivory. Individually, climate and herbivory are known to influence biosphere‐atmosphere greenhouse gas (GHG) exchange; however, the interactive effects of climate and herbivory in driving GHG fluxes have been poorly quantified, especially in coastal systems that support large populations of migratory waterfowl. We investigated the magnitude and the climatic and physical controls of GHG exchange within the Yukon‐Kuskokwim Delta in western Alaska across four distinct vegetation communities formed by herbivory and local microtopography. Net CO2 flux was greatest in the ungrazed Carex meadow community (3.97 ± 0.58 [SE] µmol CO2 m−2 s−1), but CH4 flux was greatest in the grazed community (14.00 ± 6.56 nmol CH4 m−2 s−1). The grazed community is also the only vegetation type where CH4 was a larger contributor than CO2 to overall GHG forcing. We found that vegetation community was an important predictor of CO2 and CH4 exchange, demonstrating that variation in regional gas exchange is best explained when the effect of grazing, determined by the difference between grazed and ungrazed communities, is included. Further, we identified an interaction between temperature and vegetation community, indicating that grazed regions could experience the greatest increases in CH4 emissions with warming. These results suggest that future GHG fluxes could be influenced by both climate and by changes in herbivore population dynamics that expand or contract the vegetation community most responsive to future temperature change.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 65%

Interactions among vegetation, climate, and herbivory control greenhouse gas fluxes in a subarctic coastal wetland

et al. 2016

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“…Indeed, Arctic warming may have expanded the extent of C. subspathacea grazing habitat in recent decades. Tape et al () reported that in some coastal areas of the ACP, the availability of C. subspathacea meadows has increased because of the combined effects of permafrost deterioration and marine flooding. Conversion of freshwater sedges to halophytic graminoids has been associated with broad‐scale changes in the distribution of molting brant on the ACP (Flint et al ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Growth of black brant and lesser snow goose goslings in northern alaska

et al. 2017

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Gosling body mass can affect first year survival, recruitment, adult body size, and future fecundity of geese, and can serve as an indicator of forage availability and quality on brood-rearing areas. From 2012-2014 we measured body mass of 76 black brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) and 268 lesser snow goose (Chen caerulescens caerulescens) goslings of known age on the Colville River Delta (CRD) of northern Alaska to determine if there was evidence of density-dependent declines in gosling growth following recent population increases of those species and sympatric greater white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons frontalis). We contrasted contemporary body mass of brant goslings and forage biomass in brood-rearing habitats that were shared by all species, with measures obtained on, and near the CRD in the 1990s, prior to the establishment of snow goose nesting colonies in the area. Body mass of brant goslings recaptured between 25 and 32 days of age had not changed over the past 2 decades, despite an influx of snow geese, and increases in populations of brant and white-fronted geese. At 30 days of age, body mass of brant goslings on the CRD was 100-400 g heavier than for brant goslings of the same age on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta (YKD), Alaska. Contemporary biomass of grazed Carex subspathacea on CRD brood-rearing areas was comparable to the 1990s and was 2-4 times greater than for the same plant community on the YKD. Historical data on growth of snow goose goslings were not available for the CRD. However, average body mass of 34-day-old snow goose goslings was >230 g heavier than for conspecifics of the same age in the Hudson Bay region. We conclude that the establishment of nesting snow geese on the CRD has not negatively affected brant gosling growth, and that recent population increases of all species have likely not been constrained by forage availability on brood-rearing areas. Barring demographic changes elsewhere in their annual cycles, we predict that goose populations will continue to increase in northern Alaska. However, snow geese are increasing more rapidly than brant in the region. Because the black brant population has periodically been below conservation objectives, the effects of the increasing number of snow geese on forage biomass and growth of brant goslings in northern Alaska should be monitored. Ó 2017 The Wildlife Society.

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“…Furthermore, trough ponds are hydrologically and biogeochemically different from the polygon ponds that they often neighbor (Koch et al, 2014). Thus, a redistribution of water on Arctic landscapes may impact multiple processes including carbon cycling (Abnizova et al, 2012;Negandhi et al, 2014), aquatic ecosystem productivity (Breton et al, 2009;Crump et al, 2003;Hobbie, 1980), and wildlife habitat and food resources (Tape et al, 2013;Van Hemert et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ice Wedge Degradation and Stabilization Impact Water Budgets and Nutrient Cycling in Arctic Trough Ponds

et al. 2018

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Trough ponds are ubiquitous features of Arctic landscapes and an important component of freshwater aquatic ecosystems. Permafrost thaw causes ground subsidence, creating depressions that gather water, creating ponds. Permafrost thaw also releases solutes and nutrients, which may fertilize these newly formed ponds. We measured water budget elements and chloride, ammonium, and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) across a chronosequence of trough ponds representing different stages of ice wedge degradation and stabilization. We developed a coupled hydrologic and biogeochemical model to explore how ice wedge degradation affects hydrology and nutrient availability in trough ponds in the advanced degradation stages (DAs), which are characterized by deep troughs with warmer temperatures relative to the other stages. DAs experienced greater evaporation than the other stages, and subsurface inflows entered the DAs from a wide area. Chloride accumulated in the ponds with time since thaw, implying that subsurface fluxes are delivering solutes from the thawing permafrost. Ammonium accumulated at high rates in the initial degradation stage and was seasonally depleted over the summer in all degradation stages. Ammonium trends in the DAs were consistent with high concentration inflows and in‐pond assimilation at rates between 0.37 and 2.0 mg N m−2 day−1. Seasonal DON trends indicated that the accumulation of recalcitrant organic matter may eventually limit aquatic ecosystem production and foster pond infilling. These results provide direct evidence of nutrient release from thawing permafrost and the utilization of these nutrients by Arctic trough pond ecosystems and highlight infilling as a mechanism by which Arctic surface waters may be lost.

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Inundation, sedimentation, and subsidence creates goose habitat along the Arctic coast of Alaska

Cited by 25 publications

References 27 publications

Interactions among vegetation, climate, and herbivory control greenhouse gas fluxes in a subarctic coastal wetland

Interactions among vegetation, climate, and herbivory control greenhouse gas fluxes in a subarctic coastal wetland

Growth of black brant and lesser snow goose goslings in northern alaska

Ice Wedge Degradation and Stabilization Impact Water Budgets and Nutrient Cycling in Arctic Trough Ponds

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