Investigating lake-area dynamics across a permafrost-thaw spectrum using airborne electromagnetic surveys and remote sensing time-series data in Yukon Flats, Alaska
Lakes in boreal lowlands cycle carbon and supply an important source of freshwater for wildlife and migratory waterfowl. The abundance and distribution of these lakes are supported, in part, by permafrost distribution, which is subject to change. Relationships between permafrost thaw and lake dynami...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
IOP Publishing
2019-01-01
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| Series: | Environmental Research Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aaf06f |
| _version_ | 1797748144251863040 |
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| author | David M Rey Michelle Walvoord Burke Minsley Jennifer Rover Kamini Singha |
| author_facet | David M Rey Michelle Walvoord Burke Minsley Jennifer Rover Kamini Singha |
| author_sort | David M Rey |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Lakes in boreal lowlands cycle carbon and supply an important source of freshwater for wildlife and migratory waterfowl. The abundance and distribution of these lakes are supported, in part, by permafrost distribution, which is subject to change. Relationships between permafrost thaw and lake dynamics remain poorly known in most boreal regions. Here, new airborne electromagnetic (AEM) data collected during June 2010 and February 2016 were used to constrain deep permafrost distribution. AEM data were coupled with Landsat-derived lake surface-area data from 1979 through 2011 to inform temporal lake behavior changes in the 35 500- km ^2 Yukon Flats ecoregion of Alaska. Together, over 1500 km of AEM data, and roughly 30 years of Landsat data were used to explore processes that drive lake dynamics across a variety of permafrost thaw states not possible in studies conducted with satellite imagery or field measurements alone. Clustered time-series data identified lakes with similar temporal dynamics. Clusters possessed similarities in lake permanence (i.e. ephemeral versus perennial), subsurface permafrost distribution, and proximity to rivers and streams. Of the clustered lakes, ∼66% are inferred to have at least intermittent connectivity with other surface-water features, ∼19% are inferred to have shallow subsurface connectivity to other surface water features that served as a low-pass filter for hydroclimatic fluctuations, and ∼15% appear to be isolated by surrounding permafrost (i.e. no connectivity). Integrated analysis of AEM and Landsat data reveals a progression from relatively synchronous lake dynamics among disconnected lakes in the most spatially continuous, thick permafrost to quite high spatiotemporal heterogeneity in lake behavior among variably-connected lakes in regions with notably less continuous permafrost. Variability can be explained by the preferential development of thawed permeable gravel pathways for lateral water redistribution in this area. The general spatial progression in permafrost thaw state and lake area behavior may be extended to the temporal dimension. However, extensive permafrost thaw, beyond what is currently observed, is expected to promote ubiquitous subsurface connectivity, eventually evolving to a state of increased lake synchronicity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T16:01:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-77ba366163094cab82630d02e12c295a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1748-9326 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T16:01:41Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-77ba366163094cab82630d02e12c295a2023-08-09T14:37:08ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research Letters1748-93262019-01-0114202500110.1088/1748-9326/aaf06fInvestigating lake-area dynamics across a permafrost-thaw spectrum using airborne electromagnetic surveys and remote sensing time-series data in Yukon Flats, AlaskaDavid M Rey0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2629-365XMichelle Walvoord1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4269-8366Burke Minsley2Jennifer Rover3Kamini Singha4Hydrologic Science and Engineering Program, Colorado School of Mines , 1500 Illinois St., Golden, CO 80401, United States of America; US Geological Survey, Water Cycle Branch, Denver Federal Center, Lakewood, CO 80225, United States of AmericaUS Geological Survey, Water Cycle Branch, Denver Federal Center, Lakewood, CO 80225, United States of AmericaUS Geological Survey, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Denver Federal Center, Lakewood, CO 80225, United States of AmericaUS Geological Survey, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center, Sioux Falls, SD, 57198, United States of AmericaHydrologic Science and Engineering Program, Colorado School of Mines , 1500 Illinois St., Golden, CO 80401, United States of AmericaLakes in boreal lowlands cycle carbon and supply an important source of freshwater for wildlife and migratory waterfowl. The abundance and distribution of these lakes are supported, in part, by permafrost distribution, which is subject to change. Relationships between permafrost thaw and lake dynamics remain poorly known in most boreal regions. Here, new airborne electromagnetic (AEM) data collected during June 2010 and February 2016 were used to constrain deep permafrost distribution. AEM data were coupled with Landsat-derived lake surface-area data from 1979 through 2011 to inform temporal lake behavior changes in the 35 500- km ^2 Yukon Flats ecoregion of Alaska. Together, over 1500 km of AEM data, and roughly 30 years of Landsat data were used to explore processes that drive lake dynamics across a variety of permafrost thaw states not possible in studies conducted with satellite imagery or field measurements alone. Clustered time-series data identified lakes with similar temporal dynamics. Clusters possessed similarities in lake permanence (i.e. ephemeral versus perennial), subsurface permafrost distribution, and proximity to rivers and streams. Of the clustered lakes, ∼66% are inferred to have at least intermittent connectivity with other surface-water features, ∼19% are inferred to have shallow subsurface connectivity to other surface water features that served as a low-pass filter for hydroclimatic fluctuations, and ∼15% appear to be isolated by surrounding permafrost (i.e. no connectivity). Integrated analysis of AEM and Landsat data reveals a progression from relatively synchronous lake dynamics among disconnected lakes in the most spatially continuous, thick permafrost to quite high spatiotemporal heterogeneity in lake behavior among variably-connected lakes in regions with notably less continuous permafrost. Variability can be explained by the preferential development of thawed permeable gravel pathways for lateral water redistribution in this area. The general spatial progression in permafrost thaw state and lake area behavior may be extended to the temporal dimension. However, extensive permafrost thaw, beyond what is currently observed, is expected to promote ubiquitous subsurface connectivity, eventually evolving to a state of increased lake synchronicity.https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aaf06fpermafrostlake dynamicsarcticborealgeophysics |
| spellingShingle | David M Rey Michelle Walvoord Burke Minsley Jennifer Rover Kamini Singha Investigating lake-area dynamics across a permafrost-thaw spectrum using airborne electromagnetic surveys and remote sensing time-series data in Yukon Flats, Alaska Environmental Research Letters permafrost lake dynamics arctic boreal geophysics |
| title | Investigating lake-area dynamics across a permafrost-thaw spectrum using airborne electromagnetic surveys and remote sensing time-series data in Yukon Flats, Alaska |
| title_full | Investigating lake-area dynamics across a permafrost-thaw spectrum using airborne electromagnetic surveys and remote sensing time-series data in Yukon Flats, Alaska |
| title_fullStr | Investigating lake-area dynamics across a permafrost-thaw spectrum using airborne electromagnetic surveys and remote sensing time-series data in Yukon Flats, Alaska |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating lake-area dynamics across a permafrost-thaw spectrum using airborne electromagnetic surveys and remote sensing time-series data in Yukon Flats, Alaska |
| title_short | Investigating lake-area dynamics across a permafrost-thaw spectrum using airborne electromagnetic surveys and remote sensing time-series data in Yukon Flats, Alaska |
| title_sort | investigating lake area dynamics across a permafrost thaw spectrum using airborne electromagnetic surveys and remote sensing time series data in yukon flats alaska |
| topic | permafrost lake dynamics arctic boreal geophysics |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aaf06f |
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