Significant underestimation of peatland permafrost along the Labrador Sea coastline in northern Canada
<p>Northern peatlands cover approximately four million km<span class="inline-formula"><sup>2</sup></span>, and about half of these peatlands are estimated to contain permafrost and periglacial landforms, like palsas and peat plateaus. In northeastern Canada, p...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2023-01-01
|
| Series: | The Cryosphere |
| Online Access: | https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/17/63/2023/tc-17-63-2023.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797956812897517568 |
|---|---|
| author | Y. Wang R. G. Way J. Beer A. Forget R. Tutton R. Tutton M. C. Purcell |
| author_facet | Y. Wang R. G. Way J. Beer A. Forget R. Tutton R. Tutton M. C. Purcell |
| author_sort | Y. Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Northern peatlands cover approximately four million
km<span class="inline-formula"><sup>2</sup></span>, and about half of these peatlands are estimated to
contain permafrost and periglacial landforms, like palsas and peat plateaus.
In northeastern Canada, peatland permafrost is predicted to be concentrated
in the western interior of Labrador but is assumed to be largely absent
along the Labrador Sea coastline. However, the paucity of observations of
peatland permafrost in the interior, coupled with traditional and ongoing
use of perennially frozen peatlands along the coast by Labrador Inuit and
Innu, suggests a need for re-evaluation of the reliability of existing
peatland permafrost distribution estimates for the region. In this study, we
develop a multi-stage consensus-based point inventory of peatland permafrost
complexes in coastal Labrador and adjacent parts of Quebec using
high-resolution satellite imagery, and we validate it with extensive field
visits and low-altitude aerial photography and videography. A subset of 2092
wetland complexes that potentially contained peatland permafrost were
inventoried, of which 1119 were classified as likely containing peatland
permafrost. Likely peatland permafrost complexes were mostly found in
lowlands within 22 km of the coastline, where mean annual air temperatures
often exceed <span class="inline-formula">+1</span> <span class="inline-formula"><sup>∘</sup></span>C. A clear gradient in peatland permafrost
distribution exists from the outer coasts, where peatland permafrost is more
abundant, to inland peatlands, where permafrost is generally absent. This
coastal gradient may be attributed to a combination of climatic and
geomorphological influences which lead to lower insolation, thinner
snowpacks, and poorly drained, frost-susceptible materials along the coast.
The results of this study suggest that existing estimates of permafrost
distribution for southeastern Labrador require adjustments to better reflect
the abundance of peatland permafrost complexes to the south of the regional
sporadic discontinuous permafrost limit. This study constitutes the first
dedicated peatland permafrost inventory for Labrador and provides an
important baseline for future mapping, modelling, and climate change
adaptation strategy development in the region.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T23:55:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8158efe6ff2545ebb456de4e38702c13 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1994-0416 1994-0424 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T23:55:43Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Cryosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-8158efe6ff2545ebb456de4e38702c132023-01-10T13:55:09ZengCopernicus PublicationsThe Cryosphere1994-04161994-04242023-01-0117637810.5194/tc-17-63-2023Significant underestimation of peatland permafrost along the Labrador Sea coastline in northern CanadaY. Wang0R. G. Way1J. Beer2A. Forget3R. Tutton4R. Tutton5M. C. Purcell6Northern Environmental Geoscience Laboratory, Department of Geography and Planning, Kingston, K7L 3N6, CanadaNorthern Environmental Geoscience Laboratory, Department of Geography and Planning, Kingston, K7L 3N6, CanadaNorthern Environmental Geoscience Laboratory, Department of Geography and Planning, Kingston, K7L 3N6, CanadaNorthern Environmental Geoscience Laboratory, Department of Geography and Planning, Kingston, K7L 3N6, CanadaNorthern Environmental Geoscience Laboratory, Department of Geography and Planning, Kingston, K7L 3N6, CanadaGlobal Water Futures, Wilfrid Laurier University, Yellowknife, X1A 2P8, CanadaTorngat Wildlife, Plants, and Fisheries Secretariat, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, A0P 1E0, Canada<p>Northern peatlands cover approximately four million km<span class="inline-formula"><sup>2</sup></span>, and about half of these peatlands are estimated to contain permafrost and periglacial landforms, like palsas and peat plateaus. In northeastern Canada, peatland permafrost is predicted to be concentrated in the western interior of Labrador but is assumed to be largely absent along the Labrador Sea coastline. However, the paucity of observations of peatland permafrost in the interior, coupled with traditional and ongoing use of perennially frozen peatlands along the coast by Labrador Inuit and Innu, suggests a need for re-evaluation of the reliability of existing peatland permafrost distribution estimates for the region. In this study, we develop a multi-stage consensus-based point inventory of peatland permafrost complexes in coastal Labrador and adjacent parts of Quebec using high-resolution satellite imagery, and we validate it with extensive field visits and low-altitude aerial photography and videography. A subset of 2092 wetland complexes that potentially contained peatland permafrost were inventoried, of which 1119 were classified as likely containing peatland permafrost. Likely peatland permafrost complexes were mostly found in lowlands within 22 km of the coastline, where mean annual air temperatures often exceed <span class="inline-formula">+1</span> <span class="inline-formula"><sup>∘</sup></span>C. A clear gradient in peatland permafrost distribution exists from the outer coasts, where peatland permafrost is more abundant, to inland peatlands, where permafrost is generally absent. This coastal gradient may be attributed to a combination of climatic and geomorphological influences which lead to lower insolation, thinner snowpacks, and poorly drained, frost-susceptible materials along the coast. The results of this study suggest that existing estimates of permafrost distribution for southeastern Labrador require adjustments to better reflect the abundance of peatland permafrost complexes to the south of the regional sporadic discontinuous permafrost limit. This study constitutes the first dedicated peatland permafrost inventory for Labrador and provides an important baseline for future mapping, modelling, and climate change adaptation strategy development in the region.</p>https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/17/63/2023/tc-17-63-2023.pdf |
| spellingShingle | Y. Wang R. G. Way J. Beer A. Forget R. Tutton R. Tutton M. C. Purcell Significant underestimation of peatland permafrost along the Labrador Sea coastline in northern Canada The Cryosphere |
| title | Significant underestimation of peatland permafrost along the Labrador Sea coastline in northern Canada |
| title_full | Significant underestimation of peatland permafrost along the Labrador Sea coastline in northern Canada |
| title_fullStr | Significant underestimation of peatland permafrost along the Labrador Sea coastline in northern Canada |
| title_full_unstemmed | Significant underestimation of peatland permafrost along the Labrador Sea coastline in northern Canada |
| title_short | Significant underestimation of peatland permafrost along the Labrador Sea coastline in northern Canada |
| title_sort | significant underestimation of peatland permafrost along the labrador sea coastline in northern canada |
| url | https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/17/63/2023/tc-17-63-2023.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ywang significantunderestimationofpeatlandpermafrostalongthelabradorseacoastlineinnortherncanada AT rgway significantunderestimationofpeatlandpermafrostalongthelabradorseacoastlineinnortherncanada AT jbeer significantunderestimationofpeatlandpermafrostalongthelabradorseacoastlineinnortherncanada AT aforget significantunderestimationofpeatlandpermafrostalongthelabradorseacoastlineinnortherncanada AT rtutton significantunderestimationofpeatlandpermafrostalongthelabradorseacoastlineinnortherncanada AT rtutton significantunderestimationofpeatlandpermafrostalongthelabradorseacoastlineinnortherncanada AT mcpurcell significantunderestimationofpeatlandpermafrostalongthelabradorseacoastlineinnortherncanada |