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Carbon Balance in Warming and Drying Tundra

Hi John, It's been great following your adventures up there and learning the research methods being used to evaluate carbon balance. Now that your field work is about over, we're expecting some great follow-up from you so we can all understand what you have been doing! (No pressure).

I was wondering if you are in any of the areas that are having forest/tundra fires? A number of the Fairbanks group have been posting pictures on facebook about them. Looking at the core samples that your team took, I can imaging the upper mossy/organic horizon being some pretty good fuel if a fire started. One of the probable outcomes of climate change is a greater number of and more intense fires. Is anyone studying the incidence of fires and the implications they have as climate change indicators in a warming and drying tundra ecosystem?

Take care and enjoy this last week. I still have a week of class and a week of finals to go - but the end is in sight!

MIke

Sat, 05/28/2011 - 20:47

John Wood

Good to hear from you and thank you for following the expedition. It is coming to a close much too early. If there is anything in particular on the follow-up topics that you would like to hear about please let me know so I can make sure I hit them. Yes there are folks looking into the fire/climate change connections. One group from the University of Florida is just getting underway for the season. And yes, we are seeing some fire activity in the Healy area. For the last week or more we have seen smoke from a distance to the east of us near the coal mines. One story is that this is a continuation of a fire that began last year, smoldered under the snow for the winter, and has now flamed up again. That would give you an indication of the carbon in the soil! It is amazing that in this area we have been measuring the humidity in the 20% range for some time. Fairbanks was near 85 degrees today.
Enjoy you break. I hope to speak with you more in the future, including your expedition.
John

Wed, 06/01/2011 - 16:16

Mike LeBaron

I know you've been in the wild for a while - My trip is postponed for a year due to logistics and funding issues with NSF. Current target is November 2012. I'll have more information later after I get it!Enjoy the last days. I liked the Arctic Circle post.
Mike

Wed, 06/01/2011 - 21:45

John Wood

Wow, keep me posted on your expedition on the Thunderbird. Sorry to hear about the delay. Thanks for the comments, they are always interesting. Right now I am looking at the Arctic Ocean. Talk to you soon.John