HR: 0800h
AN: B21A-0048    [Abstracts]
TI: Interpreting the Spatial Heterogeneity of Lake Drying in the Minchumina Basin, Central Alaska
AU: * Larsen, A S
EM: amy_larsen@nps.gov
AF: National Park Service, 4175 Geist Road, Fairbanks, AK 99709,
AU: Verbyla, D
EM: ffdlv1@uaf.edu
AF: Department of Forest Sciences School of Natural Resources and Ag. Sciences, 366 O'Neill Building University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK 99775,
AB: The Minchumina Basin is a large wetland complex located in the northwestern corner of Denali National Park and Preserve, AK. The wetland is underlain by a mosaic of discontinuous and continuous permafrost and is the site of the Central Alaska Network Shallow Lake Monitoring program. The objective of the program is to understand the hydrologic dynamics of this diverse system. Understanding the physical structure and temporal variation in lake level provide critical information to interpreting the spatial heterogeneity in lake drying found throughout the boreal forest. Lake surface area estimates were made using RADARSAT imagery collected monthly during the 2006 growing season. We also use RADARSTAT to identify wetlands within the park that exhibit varying degrees of connectivity to streams or rivers. Using ground monitoring techniques we try to relate bathymetry, water quality, soil type and distribution of discontinuous and continuous permafrost to patterns of connectivity and lake drying. On the ground field observations and ground-truthing demonstrate a variety of limitations in the interpretation of remote sensed data used for estimating lake area. Particularly noteworthy is the measurable decline in water level on what appear to be stable lake ecosystems.
DE: 0702 Permafrost (0475)
DE: 1806 Chemistry of fresh water
DE: 1807 Climate impacts
DE: 1855 Remote sensing (1640)
SC: Biogeosciences [B]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting