Distribution, morphometry, and ice content of ice‐wedge polygons in Tombstone Territorial Park, central Yukon, Canada
Abstract Investigations of the regional distribution of ice‐wedge polygons and wedge‐ice volume allow for the assessment of the vulnerability of permafrost landscapes to thaw‐induced disturbances and related ecological feedbacks. Ice‐wedge polygons have been described in multiple studies in flat ter...
Published in: | Permafrost and Periglacial Processes |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , |
Other Authors: | , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Wiley
2021
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ppp.2123 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ppp.2123 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1002/ppp.2123 |
id |
crwiley:10.1002/ppp.2123 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
crwiley:10.1002/ppp.2123 2024-06-02T08:02:31+00:00 Distribution, morphometry, and ice content of ice‐wedge polygons in Tombstone Territorial Park, central Yukon, Canada Frappier, Roxanne Lacelle, Denis Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Polar Knowledge Canada 2021 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ppp.2123 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ppp.2123 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1002/ppp.2123 en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor Permafrost and Periglacial Processes volume 32, issue 4, page 587-600 ISSN 1045-6740 1099-1530 journal-article 2021 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp.2123 2024-05-03T10:50:15Z Abstract Investigations of the regional distribution of ice‐wedge polygons and wedge‐ice volume allow for the assessment of the vulnerability of permafrost landscapes to thaw‐induced disturbances and related ecological feedbacks. Ice‐wedge polygons have been described in multiple studies in flat terrain and low‐gradient hillslopes, but few studies have examined ice‐wedge polygons in mountainous terrain. This study investigates the distribution, morphometry, and wedge‐ice content of ice‐wedge polygons in Tombstone Territorial Park, a mountainous permafrost region in central Yukon. Results show that ice‐wedge polygons occupy 2.6% of the park and preferentially develop in woody sedge peat, glaciofluvial, and alluvial deposits along the lower reaches of the Blackstone and East Blackstone rivers on hillslopes ≤1°. The morphometry of five of six polygonal sites studied showed statistically similar polygon sizes and trough angles, while showing different development stages based on vegetation type, surface wetness, and spatial pattern. The estimation of wedge‐ice volumes in the ice‐wedge polygons is 8–22% and is comparable to that of other Arctic regions. However, the estimated wedge‐ice volume represents a minimum value because older generations of ice wedges are truncated 3–4 m below the surface with no evidence of surface polygons, and the polygonal network can be obscured by slope processes, vegetation, and ice‐wedge inactivity. This study provides insights into the application of morphometric and soil parameters for the assessment of ice‐wedge polygon distribution and development stages. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Ice permafrost Permafrost and Periglacial Processes wedge* Yukon Wiley Online Library Arctic Yukon Canada Tombstone ENVELOPE(-63.533,-63.533,-64.817,-64.817) Permafrost and Periglacial Processes |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Wiley Online Library |
op_collection_id |
crwiley |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract Investigations of the regional distribution of ice‐wedge polygons and wedge‐ice volume allow for the assessment of the vulnerability of permafrost landscapes to thaw‐induced disturbances and related ecological feedbacks. Ice‐wedge polygons have been described in multiple studies in flat terrain and low‐gradient hillslopes, but few studies have examined ice‐wedge polygons in mountainous terrain. This study investigates the distribution, morphometry, and wedge‐ice content of ice‐wedge polygons in Tombstone Territorial Park, a mountainous permafrost region in central Yukon. Results show that ice‐wedge polygons occupy 2.6% of the park and preferentially develop in woody sedge peat, glaciofluvial, and alluvial deposits along the lower reaches of the Blackstone and East Blackstone rivers on hillslopes ≤1°. The morphometry of five of six polygonal sites studied showed statistically similar polygon sizes and trough angles, while showing different development stages based on vegetation type, surface wetness, and spatial pattern. The estimation of wedge‐ice volumes in the ice‐wedge polygons is 8–22% and is comparable to that of other Arctic regions. However, the estimated wedge‐ice volume represents a minimum value because older generations of ice wedges are truncated 3–4 m below the surface with no evidence of surface polygons, and the polygonal network can be obscured by slope processes, vegetation, and ice‐wedge inactivity. This study provides insights into the application of morphometric and soil parameters for the assessment of ice‐wedge polygon distribution and development stages. |
author2 |
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Polar Knowledge Canada |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Frappier, Roxanne Lacelle, Denis |
spellingShingle |
Frappier, Roxanne Lacelle, Denis Distribution, morphometry, and ice content of ice‐wedge polygons in Tombstone Territorial Park, central Yukon, Canada |
author_facet |
Frappier, Roxanne Lacelle, Denis |
author_sort |
Frappier, Roxanne |
title |
Distribution, morphometry, and ice content of ice‐wedge polygons in Tombstone Territorial Park, central Yukon, Canada |
title_short |
Distribution, morphometry, and ice content of ice‐wedge polygons in Tombstone Territorial Park, central Yukon, Canada |
title_full |
Distribution, morphometry, and ice content of ice‐wedge polygons in Tombstone Territorial Park, central Yukon, Canada |
title_fullStr |
Distribution, morphometry, and ice content of ice‐wedge polygons in Tombstone Territorial Park, central Yukon, Canada |
title_full_unstemmed |
Distribution, morphometry, and ice content of ice‐wedge polygons in Tombstone Territorial Park, central Yukon, Canada |
title_sort |
distribution, morphometry, and ice content of ice‐wedge polygons in tombstone territorial park, central yukon, canada |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ppp.2123 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ppp.2123 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1002/ppp.2123 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-63.533,-63.533,-64.817,-64.817) |
geographic |
Arctic Yukon Canada Tombstone |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Yukon Canada Tombstone |
genre |
Arctic Ice permafrost Permafrost and Periglacial Processes wedge* Yukon |
genre_facet |
Arctic Ice permafrost Permafrost and Periglacial Processes wedge* Yukon |
op_source |
Permafrost and Periglacial Processes volume 32, issue 4, page 587-600 ISSN 1045-6740 1099-1530 |
op_rights |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp.2123 |
container_title |
Permafrost and Periglacial Processes |
_version_ |
1800747005902848000 |