Icefield-to-Ocean Linkages across the Northern Pacific Coastal Temperate Rainforest Ecosystem

Rates of glacier mass loss in the northern Pacific coastal temperate rainforest (PCTR) are among the highest on Earth, and changes in glacier volume and extent will affect the flow regime and chemistry of coastal rivers, as well as the nearshore marine ecosystem of the Gulf of Alaska. Here we synthe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:BioScience
Main Authors: O'Neel, Shad, Hood, Eran, Bidlack, Allison L., Fleming, Sean W., Arimitsu, Mayumi L., Arendt, Anthony, Burgess, Evan, Sergeant, Christopher J., Beaudreau, Anne H., Timm, Kristin, Hayward, Gregory D., Reynolds, Joel H., Pyare, Sanjay
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: Oxford University Press 2015
Subjects:
Overview Articles
Gulf of Alaska
Pacific
glacier
Alaska
Online Access:http://bioscience.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/65/5/499
https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biv027
Description
Summary:Rates of glacier mass loss in the northern Pacific coastal temperate rainforest (PCTR) are among the highest on Earth, and changes in glacier volume and extent will affect the flow regime and chemistry of coastal rivers, as well as the nearshore marine ecosystem of the Gulf of Alaska. Here we synthesize physical, chemical and biological linkages that characterize the northern PCTR ecosystem, with particular emphasis on the potential impacts of glacier change in the coastal mountain ranges on the surface–water hydrology, biogeochemistry, coastal oceanography and aquatic ecology. We also evaluate the relative importance and interplay between interannual variability and long-term trends in key physical drivers and ecological responses. To advance our knowledge of the northern PCTR, we advocate for cross-disciplinary research bridging the icefield-to-ocean ecosystem that can be paired with long-term scientific records and designed to inform decisionmakers.

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